WELDING TECHNOLOGY

• Shielded Metal arc Welding (SMAW): SMAW

is one of the oldest welding processes. It is also
the simplest and perhaps most versatile for
welding ferrous base metals.
SMAW uses an arc between a covered electrode
and the weld pool. It employs the heat of the arc,
coming from the tip of the consumable covered
electrode to melt the base metal.
SMAW
 SMAW
• Shielding is provided from the
decompositions of the electrode covering,
without the application of pressure and
with filler metal from electrode.
 SMAW
Advantages of SMAW
 Common advantages are:
 Equipment is relatively simple, inexpensive and
portable.
 Process can be used in areas of limited access.
 Process is less sensitive to wind and draft than other
welding process.
 Process is suitable for most of the commonly used
metals and alloys.
 SMAW
 Limitations of SMAW
 Deposition rates are lower than other process such as
GMAW
 Slag usually must be removed at stops and starts and
before depositing a weld bead adjacent to or onto a
previously deposited weld bead.
 WELDING TECHNOLOGY
• Polarity: Most covered electrodes operate
better on reverse polarity (Electrode
Positive) although some are suitable or
even specially meant for negative polarity
(Electrode Negative). Reverse polarity
produces deeper penetration but,
straight polarity produces a higher
electrode melting rate.
 Functions of Flux coating
Depending on the electrode being used, the covering
performs one or more of the following functions.
 Provides a gas to shield the arc and prevent excessive
atmospheric contamination of the molten filler metal.
 Provides scavenger, deoxidisers and fluxing agents to
cleanse the weld metal and prevent excessive grain
growth in the base metal.
 Establishes the electrical characteristics of the
electrode.
 Functions of Flux coating
 Provides a slag blanket to protect hot weld metal
from the air and enhances the mechanical properties,
bead shape and surface cleanliness of the weld metal.
 Provides a means of adding alloying elements to
change the mechanical properties of the weld metal.
 Coating on electrodes
Cellulose Coating:
• Cellulose imparts a high arc force resulting
in deep penetration welds. Apart from
providing high arc force, cellulose emits a
large volume of gases, mostly Hydrogen,
that protect the weld metal from
atmospheric contamination (General used
in Pipeline welds)
 Coating on electrodes
Rutile:
• Rutile is a crystalline from of Titanium
dioxide, which occurs in certain rocks.
Rutile is one of most widely used minerals
in electrode coatings. It is an efficient arc
stabiliser. Rutile is good slag former. (Used
for general Fabrication)
 Coating on electrodes

Iron Powder
• Iron powder imparts some desirable
operating characteristics to the electrodes.
The presence of iron powder appears to
improve arc stability perhaps by providing
metal ions. The powder that remains un-
oxidised adds to the weld metals volume and
improves metal recovery.
 Coating on electrodes
Ferro alloys:
Ferro alloys like Ferro-manganese, Ferro-
silicon, Ferro-chromium, Ferro-
molybdenum, Ferro-columbium etc are
used in flux coating as deoxidisers and
alloying elements of the deposited
material.
 Coating on electrodes
Lime stone (Calcium Carbonate)
Large quantities of hydrogen are generated
from the cellulose bearing electrodes,
hydrogen has been found to be harmful in
welding of medium carbon, low-alloy and
stainless steels. Hence, in hydrogen
controlled electrodes, instead of cellulose,
lime stone is used which, serves as a good
slag former. CO2 generated from its
decomposition gives effective shielding to the
weld
CLASSIFICATION OF ELECTRODES
CLASSIFICATION OF ELECTRODES
CLASSIFICATION OF ELECTRODES
CLASSIFICATION OF ELECTRODES
(SAW)
 CLASSIFICATION OF ELECTRODES

• E - 70 1 8–X

E = ELECTRODE SUITABLE FOR MANUAL ARC WELDING

MINIMUM TENSILE STRENGTH OF DEPOSITED METAL

X 1000 psi
POSITION
1. Flat, Overhead, horizontal
2. Flat, Horizontal & Fillets
1-
 CLASSIFICATION OF ELECTRODES

• TYPE OF COVERING AND CURRENT CONDITIONS:

• 0 - HIGH CELLULOSE SODIUM; DC – REVERSE
POLARITY (+)
• 1 - HIGH CELLULOSE POTASSIUM; - AC OR DC
REVERSE POLARITY
• 2 - HIGH TITANIA SODIUM; AC OR DC STRAIGHT
POLARITY (-)
• 3 - HIGH TITANIA POTASSIUM; AC OR DC EITHER
POLARITY
 CLASSIFICATION OF ELECTRODES

• 4 - IRON POWDER TITANIA; AC OR DC

EITHER POLARITY
• 5 - LOW HYDROGEN SODIUM; DC REVERSE
POLORITY
• 6 - LOW HYDROGEN POTASSIUM; AC OR DC
REVERSE POLARITY
• 8 - LOW HYDROGEN IRON POWDER; AC OR
DC REVERSE POLARITY
 CLASSIFICATION OF ELECTRODES

• SUFFIX LETTER ‘X’ STANDS FOR

• AA1, B1, B2, B3, C1, C2, C3, D1, D2, G, M ETC AND
DESIGNATES THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF
THE WELD METAL
METAL INERT GAS WELDING
(GMAW)
METAL INERT GAS WELDING
(GMAW)
MIG welding is one of the many versatile process grouped in
the heading “Gas Metal arc welding process: (GMAW). MIG
welding process was discovered in 1940’s to develop a suitable
welding process for aluminium and also to mechanise the
same. MIG was introduced in 1948 primarily for welding of
Aluminium, with the rapid technological advances in the years
that followed the scope of the process developed many other
Non-ferrous and ferrous materials. Today, it is a well
established semi-automatic process which can be easily
mechanised or automated with wide range of application
spanning from simple sheet metal fabrication to sophisticated
space vehicle component manufacture.
 METAL INERT GAS WELDING
(GMAW):
 GMAW employs constant voltage power supply and
uses either short circuiting, globular or spray
methods to transfer metal from electrode to the
work.
 The type of transfer is determined by a number of
factors
 Magnitude and type of welding current
 Electrode diameter
 Electrode composition
 Electrode extension
 Shielding gas
 GMAW
Globular transfer
 This process encompasses relatively low
current (below 250A) The globular transfer
mode is characterized by a drop size with a
diameter greater than that of the electrode.
 In general, this process is limited to the flat
position and can produce spatter
 GMAW
Spray Transfer
 The spray transfer mode results in a high;y
directed stream of discrete drops that are
accelerated by the arc forces.
 Spatter is negligible
 Due to high arc force with high current, applying
this process to thin sheet may be difficult
 The thickness limitation of spray arc process is
overcome by use of pulsed GMAW.
 Pulsed GMAW is a variation of the GMAW in which
the current is pulsed to obtain the advantage of
spray transfer at the less average current than
that if spray transfer mode
 Advantages: (GMAW)
1. The only consumable electrode process that can be used
to weld most commercial metals and alloys
2. Good visibility of weld and heat affected zone during
welding.
3. Continuous welding with coiled filler wires.
4. No slag removal and its associated difficulties like
interference with accurate jigging and clumsy work spot.
5. High metal deposit rate
6. No welding fumes
7. High quality of weld
8. High welding speed
9. Less distortion
10. Welding in all positions.
11. Because of the good heat input control this process is
used for non-ferrous welding with good results.
DISADVANTAGES: (GMAW)
1. When using the GMAW – S process, the weld is more
susceptible to lack of adequate fusion.
2. Equipment for GMAW is sophisticated and therefore
costly.
3. Constraint to use where, accessibility is limited as
compared to SMAW
4. Because of the higher spatter associated with GMAW
the deposition efficiency is less, compared to TIG
welding.
5. The absence of slag in solid wire welding process allows
a higher cooling rate of the weld zone. Joint made with
this process on hardenable steels are susceptible to
weld metal cracking.
6. This process requires positive protection from strong
drafts which will reduce or eliminate the gas shielding
from the arc zone.
7. Because of the instant arc, special filter glasses are
required to absorb gamma rays emanating from the arc.
8. Impure shielding can lead to high porosity in the weld
GAS TUNGSTEN ARC WELDING
(GTAW):
GAS TUNGSTEN ARC WELDING
(GTAW):
GAS TUNGSTEN ARC WELDING (GTAW):

• GTAW is an arc welding process which employs gas to

protect the weld zone from the atmosphere. Heat is
supplied by an intense electric arc, struck between a
virtually non-consumable Tungsten electrode and the
work piece.
• This process is used with shielding gas and without
application of pressure.
• Direct current welding is typically performed with
electrode negative (DCEN) polarity.
• DCEN Welding offers the advantage of deeper
penetration and faster welding speeds.
 GTAW
• AC provides a cathodic cleaning (Sputtering) that
removes refectory oxides from the surfaces of the
weld joint, which is necessary for welding aluminum
and magnesium. The cleaning action occurs during the
portion of the ac wave, when the electrode is positive
with respect to the work piece.
 Advantages: GTAW
 Produces high purity welds, generally free from
defects.
 Little post- weld cleaning is required
 Allows excellent control of root pass weld
penetrations
 Can be used with or without filler metal, dependent
on the application.
 Due to its low heat input during welding, generally
these welds does not require PWHT
 Disadvantages:GTAW
 Deposition rates are lower than the rates possible
with consumable electrode welding process.
 Has low tolerance for contaminations on filler or base
metals.
 Difficult to shield the weld zone properly in drafty
environments.
Electrode Nomenclature
Manual Arc Welding:
Electrode Nomenclature
Manual Arc Welding Alloy Steel
Table 8
Electrode Nomenclature
FCAW
Table 9
Table 10
Electrode Nomenclature
GMAW
Table 11
Electrode Nomenclature

SAW