Welding Inspector

Section 16

Welding Consumables
 Welding consumables
Welding consumables are any products that are used up in
the production of a weld

Welding consumables may be:

• Covered electrodes, filler wires and electrode wires.
• Shielding or oxy-fuel gases.
• Separately supplied fluxes.
SMAW Electrodes
TIG Consumables
MIG / MAG filler wires
SAW Consumables
Welding Consumable Standards
MIG/MAG (GMAW) TIG
MMA (SMAW) (GTAW)
• BS EN ISO 2560: Steel BS 2901: Filler wires
electrodes BS EN 440: Wire electrodes
• AWS A5.1 Non-alloyed steel AWS A5.9: Filler wires
electrodes BS EN 439: Shielding gases
• AWS A5.4 SS electrodes
SAW
• AWS A5.5 Alloyed steel
BS 4165: Wire and fluxes
electrodes
BS EN 756: Wire electrodes
BS EN 760: Fluxes
AWS A5.17: Wires and fluxes
 Welding Consumables
Each consumable is critical in respect to:
• Size, (diameter and length)

• Classification / Supplier
• Condition
• Treatments e.g. baking / drying

• Handling and storage is critical for consumable

control
• Handling and storage of gases is critical for safety
BS EN ISO 2560 MMA Covered Electrodes

E 50 3 2Ni B 7 2 H10
Covered Electrode
Yield Strength N/mm2
Temp. For Impact Energy
Chemical composition
Flux Covering
Weld Metal Recovery
and Current Type
Welding Position
Hydrogen Content
 Classified for Impacts at
47J + Yield Strength

ISO 2560 – A - E 43 2 1Ni B 6 4 H5

Covered Electrode
Yield Strength
Temp. for Toughness
Chemical composition
Flux Covering
Weld Metal Recovery
and Current Type
Welding Position
Hydrogen Content
 Classified for Impacts at
27J + Tensile Strength

ISO 2560 – B - E 55 16N7 A U H5

Covered Electrode
Tensile Strength
Electrode Covering
Chemical composition
Heat Treatment
Optional Supplement

Hydrogen Content
ISO 2560 MMA Covered Electrodes
Electrodes classified as follows:
E 35 - Minimum yield strength 355 N/mm2
Tensile strength 440 - 570 N/mm2
E 38 - Minimum yield strength 380 N/mm2
Tensile strength 470 - 600 N/mm2
E 42 - Minimum yield strength 420 N/mm2
Tensile strength 500 - 640 N/mm2
E 46 - Minimum yield strength 460 N/mm2
Tensile strength 530 - 680 N/mm2
E 50 - Minimum yield strength 500 N/mm2
Tensile strength 560 - 720 N/mm2
 MMA Welding Consumables

MMA Covered Electrodes

The three main electrode covering types used in MMA welding

• Cellulosic - deep penetration/fusion

• Rutile - general purpose
• Basic - low hydrogen
 MMA Welding Consumables
Welding consumables for MMA:
• Consist of a core wire typically between 350-450mm in
length and from 2.0mm - 6mm in diameter
• The wire is covered with an extruded flux coating

• The core wire is generally of a low quality rimming steel

• The weld quality is refined by the addition of alloying

and refining agents in the flux coating
• The flux coating contains many elements and
compounds that all have a variety of functions during
welding
 MMA Welding Consumables
Function of the Electrode Covering:
• To facilitate arc ignition and give arc stability
• To generate gas for shielding the arc & molten metal from air
contamination
• To de-oxidise the weld metal and flux impurities into the slag
• To form a protective slag blanket over the solidifying and
cooling weld metal
• To provide alloying elements to give the required weld metal
properties
• To aid positional welding (slag design to have suitable
freezing temperature to support the molten weld metal)
• To control hydrogen contents in the weld (basic type)
 Covered electrode inspection
1: Electrode size (diameter and length)

2: Covering condition: adherence, cracks, chips and concentricity

3: Electrode designation

EN 499-E 51 3 B

Arc ignition enhancing materials (optional!)

See BS EN ISO 544 for further information

 MMA Welding Consumables
Plastic foil sealed cardboard box
•rutile electrodes
•general purpose basic electrodes

Courtesy of Lincoln Electric

Courtesy of Lincoln Electric

Tin can
•cellulosic electrodes

Vacuum sealed pack

•extra low hydrogen electrodes
MMA Welding Consumables
 MMA Welding Consumables
Cellulosic electrodes:
covering contains cellulose (organic material).
produce a gas shield high in hydrogen raising the arc
voltage.
Deep penetration / fusion characteristics enables
welding at high speed without risk of lack of fusion.
generates high level of fumes and H2 cold cracking.
Forms a thin slag layer with coarse weld profile.
not require baking or drying (excessive heat will
damage electrode covering!).
Mainly used for pipeline welding
hydrogen content is 80-90 ml/100 g of weld metal.
 MMA Welding Consumables
Cellulosic Electrodes
Disadvantages:
• weld beads have high hydrogen
• risk of cracking (need to keep joint hot during welding to allow
H to escape)
• not suitable for higher strength steels - cracking risk too
high (may not be allowed for Grades stronger than X70)
• not suitable for very thick sections (may not be used on
thicknesses > ~ 35mm)
• not suitable when low temperature toughness is required
(impact toughness satisfactory down to ~ -20°C)
 MMA Welding Consumables
Cellulosic Electrodes

Advantages: Disadvantages:
Deep penetration/fusion High in hydrogen
Suitable for welding in all High crack tendency
positions Rough weld
Fast travel speeds appearance
High spatter contents
Large volumes of shielding
gas Low deposition rates
Less control required for
storage/handling
 MMA Welding Consumables
Rutile electrodes:
Used mainly on general purpose work.
• covering contains TiO2 slag former and arc stabiliser.
• easy to strike arc, less spatter, excellent for positional
welding.
• stable, easy-to-use arc can operate in both DC and AC.
• slag easy to detach, smooth profile.
• good for low strength weld metal.
• Low pressure pipework, support brackets.
• electrodes can be dried to lower H2 content but cannot be
baked as it will destroy the coating.
• hydrogen content is 25-30 ml/100 g of weld metal.
 MMA Welding Consumables
Rutile Electrodes
Advantages: Disadvantages:
Easy to use High in hydrogen
Low cost / control High Crack Risk
Smooth weld profiles Low strength of
weldmetal
Slag easily detachable
Low toughness values
High deposition of weldmetal
possible with the
addition of iron powder
 MMA Welding Consumables
Rutile Variants
High Recovery Rutile Electrodes
Characteristics:
• coating is ‘bulked out’ with iron powder
• iron powder gives the electrode ‘high recovery’
• extra weld metal from the iron powder can mean that weld
deposit from a single electrode can be as high as 180% of
the core wire weight
• give good productivity
• large weld beads with smooth profile can look very similar to
SAW welds
 MMA Welding Consumables
High Recovery Rutile Electrodes
Disadvantages:
• Same as standard rutile electrodes with respect to hydrogen
control
• large weld beads produced cannot be used for all-positional
welding
• the very high recovery types usually limited to PA & PB
positions
• more moderate recovery may allow PC use
 MMA Welding Consumables
Basic Electrodes covering:
• Produce convex weld profile and difficult to detach slag.
• Very suitable for for high pressure work, thick section steel
and for high strength steels.
• Prior to use electrodes should be baked, typically 350°C for 2
hour plus to reduce moisture to very low levels and achieve
low hydrogen potential status.
• Contain calcium fluoride and calcium carbonate compounds.
• cannot be re-baked indefinitely!
• low hydrogen potential gives weld metal very good
toughness and YS.
• have the lowest level of hydrogen (less than 5 ml/100 g of
weld metal).
 MMA Welding Consumables
Basic Electrodes
Advantages Disadvantages
High toughness values High cost
Low hydrogen contents High control
Low crack tendency High welder skill
required
Convex weld profiles
Poor stop / start
properties
 MMA Welding Consumables
Basic Electrodes
More Disadvantages:
• Careful control of baking and/or issuing of electrodes is
essential to maintain low hydrogen status and avoid risk of
cracking
• Typical baking temperature 350°C for 1 to 2hours.
• Holding temperature 120 to 150°C.
• Issue in heated quivers typically 70°C.
• Welders need to take more care / require greater skill.
• Weld profile usually more convex.
• Deslagging requires more effort than for other types.
 AWS A5.1 CS Electrodes for
SMAW
E 60 1 3

Covered Electrode
Tensile Strength (p.s.i)
Welding Position
Flux Covering
AWS A5.5 Low Alloy Electrodes
SMAW
E 70 1 8 G

Covered Electrode
Tensile Strength (p.s.i)
Welding Position
Flux Covering

Alloy Content
 MMA Welding Consumables
TYPES OF ELECTRODES
(for C, C-Mn Steels)
AWS A5.1
• Cellulosic EXX10
EXX11
• Rutile EXX12
EXX13
• Rutile Heavy Coated EXX24
• Basic EXX15
EXX16
EXX17
EXX18
 Electrode efficiency
up to 180% for iron powder electrodes

Mass of weld metal deposited

Electrode Eficiency =
Mass of core wire melted

75-90% for usual electrodes

 Covered electrode treatment
Cellulosic Use straight from the
box - No baking/drying!
electrodes

If necessary, dry up to
Rutile 120°C- No baking!
electrodes

Vacuum Use straight from the pack

within 4 hours - No
packed basic rebaking!
electrodes
 Covered electrode treatment

Basic electrodes Baking in oven 2 hours

at 350°C!

Limited number
After baking, maintain in
of rebakes!
oven at 150°C

If not used within 4

Use from quivers at
hours, return to oven Weld
75°C
and rebake!
Welding Consumables

TIG Consumables
 TIG Welding Consumables
Welding consumables for TIG:
• Filler wires, Shielding gases, tungsten electrodes (non-
consumable).
• Filler wires of different materials composition and
variable diameters available in standard lengths, with
applicable code stamped for identification
• Steel Filler wires of very high quality, with copper
coating to resist corrosion.
• shielding gases mainly Argon and Helium, usually of
highest purity (99.9%).
 TIG Welding Consumables
Welding rods:

•supplied in cardboard/plastic tubes

•must be kept clean and free from oil and dust

•might require degreasing
 Shielding gases for TIG welding
Argon
low cost and greater availability
heavier than air - lower flow rates than Helium
low thermal conductivity - wide top bead profile
low ionisation potential - easier arc starting, better arc
stability with AC, cleaning effect
for the same arc current produce less heat than
helium - reduced penetration, wider HAZ
to obtain the same arc arc power, argon requires a
higher current - increased undercut
Welding Consumable Gases
Welding Gases
• GMAW, FCAW, TIG, Oxy- Fuel
• Supplied in cylinders or storage
tanks for large quantities
• Colour coded cylinders to minimise
wrong use
• Subject to regulations concerned
handling, quantities and positioning
of storage areas
• Moisture content is limited to avoid
cold cracking
• Dew point (the temperature at which
the vapour begins to condense)
must be checked
 Shielding gases for TIG welding
Helium
costly and lower availability than Argon
lighter than air - requires a higher flow rate compared
with argon (2-3 times)
higher ionisation potential - poor arc stability with AC,
less forgiving for manual welding
for the same arc current produce more heat than
argon - increased penetration, welding of metals with
high melting point or thermal conductivity
to obtain the same arc arc power, helium requires a
lower current - no undercut
 Shielding gases for TIG welding
Hydrogen
not an inert gas - not used as a primary shielding gas
increase the heat input - faster travel speed and
increased penetration
better wetting action - improved bead profile
produce a cleaner weld bead surface
added to argon (up to 5%) - only for austenitic
stainless steels and nickel alloys
flammable and explosive
 Shielding gases for TIG welding

Nitrogen
not an inert gas
high availability - cheap
added to argon (up to 5%) - only for back purge for
duplex stainless, austenitic stainless steels and copper
alloys
not used for mild steels (age embrittlement)
strictly prohibited in case of Ni and Ni alloys (porosity)
 Welding Consumables

MIG / MAG Consumables

(Gases Covered previously)
 MIG/MAG Welding Consumables
Welding consumables for MIG/MAG
• Spools of Continuous electrode wires and shielding
gases
• variable spool size (1-15Kg) and Wire diameter (0.6-
1.6mm) supplied in random or orderly layers
• Basic Selection of different materials and their alloys
as electrode wires.
• Some Steel Electrode wires copper coating purpose
is corrosion resistance and electrical pick-up
• Gases can be pure CO2, CO2+Argon mixes and
Argon+2%O2 mixes (stainless steels).
 MIG/MAG Welding Consumables
Welding wires:
•carbon and low alloy wires may be copper coated
• stainless steel wires are not coated

Courtesy of Lincoln Electric Courtesy of ESAB AB

•wires must be kept clean and free from oil and dust
•flux cored wires does not require baking or drying
 Welding Consumables

Flux Core Wire Consumables

(Not in training manual)
 Flux Core Wire Consumables

Functions of metallic sheath: Function of the filling powder:

provide form stability stabilise the arc
to the wire add alloy elements
serves as current produce gaseous
transfer during shield
welding produce slag
add iron powder
 Types of cored wire

Seamless Butt joint Overlapping

cored wire cored wire cored wire
not sensitive to moisture good resistance to sensitive to
pick-up moisture pick-up moisture pick-
can be copper coated, can be copper up
better current transfer coated cannot be
thick sheath, good form thick sheath copper coated
stability, 2 roll drive
feeding possible difficult to seal the thin sheath
sheath easy to
difficult to manufacture
manufacture
 Core elements and their function
Aluminium - deoxidize & denitrify
Calcium - provide shielding & form slag
Carbon - increase hardness & strength
Manganese - deoxidize & increase strength and toughness
Molybdenum - increase hardness & strength
Nickel - improve hardness, strength, toughness & corrosion
resistance
Potassium - stabilize the arc & form slag
Silicon - deoxidize & form slag
Sodium - stabilize arc & form slag
Titanium - deoxidize, denitrify & form slag
Welding Consumables

SAW Consumables
 SAW Consumables
Welding fluxes:
• are granular mineral compounds mixed according to various
formulations
• shield the molten weld pool from the atmosphere
• clean the molten weld pool
• can modify the chemical composition of the weld metal
• prevents rapid escape of heat from welding zone
• influence the shape of the weld bead (wetting action)
• can be fused, agglomerated or mixed
• must be kept warm and dry to avoid porosity
 SAW Consumables
Welding flux:
• supplied in bags
• must be kept warm and dry
• handling and stacking requires care

Courtesy of Lincoln Electric

• Fused fluxes are normally not hygroscopic but particles can

hold surface moisture so only drying
• Agglomerated fluxes contain chemically bonded water. Similar
treatment as basic electrodes
• If flux is too fine it will pack and not feed properly. It cannot be
recycled indefinitely
 SAW Flux
TYPES OF SAW FLUX

Fused (Acidic)
Agglomerated (Basic)
 SAW Consumables
Fused Flux (ACID TYPE)
• Flaky appearance
• Lower weld quality
• Low moisture intake
• Low dust tendency
• Good re-cycling
• Very smooth weld
profile
Fused Flux:
Baked at high temperature (> 1000 C), glossy, hard and black in
colour, cannot add ferro-manganese, non moisture absorbent
and tends to be of the acidic type
 SAW Consumables
TYPES OF FLUX
FUSED (ACID TYPE)
• name indicates method of manufacture
• minerals are fused (melted) and granules produced by
allowing to cool to a solid mass and then crushing or by
spraying the molten flux into water
• flux tends to be ‘glass-like’ (high in Silica)
• granules are hard and may appear shiny
• granules do not absorb moisture
• granules do not tend break down into powder when being
re-circulated
• are effectively a low hydrogen flux
• welds do not tend to give good toughness at low
temperatures
 SAW Consumables
Fused fluxes advantages:
•good chemical homogeneity
•easy removal of fines without affecting flux
composition
•normally not hygroscopic easy storage and
handling
•readily recycled without significant change in
particle size or composition
Fused fluxes disadvantages:
•difficult to add deoxidizers and ferro-alloys (due to
segregation or extremely high loss)
•high temperatures needed to melt ingredients limit
the range of flux compositions
 SAW Consumables
AGGLOMERATED (BASIC TYPE)
• name indicates method of manufacture
• basic minerals are used in powder form and are mixed with a
binder to form individual granules
• granules are soft and easily crushed to powder
• granules will absorb moisture and it is necessary to protect
the flux from moisture pick-up - usually by holding in a
heated silo
• granules tend to break down into powder when being re-
circulated
• are a low hydrogen flux - if correctly controlled
• welds give good toughness at low temperatures
 SAW Consumables
Agglomerated Flux
• Granulated appearance
• High weld quality
• Addition of alloys
• Lower consumption
• Easy slag removal
• Smooth weld profile
Agglomerated Flux:
Baked at a lower temperature, dull, irregularly shaped, friable,
(easily crushed) can easily add alloying elements, moisture
absorbent and tend to be of the basic type
 SAW Consumables
Agglomerated fluxes advantages:
• easy addition of deoxidizers and alloying elements
• usable with thicker layer of flux when welding
• colour identification

Agglomerated fluxes disadvantages:

• tendency to absorb moisture
• possible gas evolution from the molten slag leading to
porosity
• possible change in flux composition due to segregation or
removal of fine mesh particles
 SAW Consumables
Mixed fluxes - two or more fused or bonded fluxes are
mixed in any ratio necessary to yield the desired
results
Mixed fluxes advantages:
•several commercial fluxes may be mixed for highly
critical or proprietary welding operations
Mixed fluxes disadvantages:
•segregation of the combined fluxes during
shipment, storage and handling
•segregation occurring in the feeding and recovery
systems during welding
•inconsistency in the combined flux from mix to mix
 SAW filler material
Welding wires can be used to weld:
•carbon steels
•low alloy steels
•creep resisting steels
•stainless steels
•nickel-base alloys
•special alloys for surfacing applications
Welding wires can be:
•solid wires
•metal-cored wires
 SAW filler material
Welding wires:
•carbon and low alloy wires are copper coated
•stainless steel wires are not coated

Courtesy of Lincoln Electric Courtesy of Lincoln Electric

•wires must be kept clean and free from oil and dust
 SAW filler material
Copper coating functions:

•to assure a good electric contact between wire

and contact tip
•to assure a smooth feed of the wire through the
guide tube, feed rolls and contact tip (decrease
contact tube wear)
•to provide protection against corrosion