{"id":96,"date":"2022-05-19T05:16:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-19T05:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mewelding.com\/?p=96"},"modified":"2022-05-24T03:39:14","modified_gmt":"2022-05-24T03:39:14","slug":"solid-electrode-wires","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mewelding.com\/solid-electrode-wires\/","title":{"rendered":"Solid Electrode Wires"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
The welding consumables in the welding process come in a variety of forms. For shielded metal arc welding, the filler comes in the form of a flux covered stick electrode. For flux-cored arc welding<\/a>, it comes in the form of spooled wires that have flux at the core, and a metal sheath around it. In other processes such as GTAW, GMAW, SAW \u2013 the filler comes in the form of a bare solid wire. Sometimes, it may also be in the form of a bare cut-rod of 40 inches (1000 mm).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Normally, the bare wires of carbon steel and low alloy steel composition come with a copper coating. The function of this coating is to prevent rusting of the wire during long periods of storage. This coating also helps in current pick up between the contact tip in the welding torch (or welding head), since copper is an excellent conductor of electricity. Also, the coating helps in drawing of the wire as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In some welding processes, the solid bare wire acts as the electrode<\/em>, that is – it carries electrical power. An example of his is submerged arc welding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In some processes, the wire\/rod does not carry any electrical power; it only acts as the filler. In other words, it does not carry current, and is fed into a flame, or an arc generated by a non-consumable tungsten electrode. This feeding may be done manually with a hand, or through a mechanised arrangement. An example of this is gas tungsten arc welding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today, there are available in market solid wires for welding of almost all commercially used base metals. Wires of stainless steel, titanium, zirconium, copper alloys, nickel alloys, aluminum alloys, are found in market. ASME Section II Part C classifies the various grades of bare wires for various processes in articles SFA 5.7, SFA 5.9, SFA 5.10, SFA 5.14, SFA 5.18, SFA 5.28, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The ASME Section II C is divided into 35 or so articles based on the combination of the welding process and the type of base material. The articles for bare wires are as mentioned in the above paragraph. These articles utilize different methods for classifying wires into different classifications. However, the prefix to the classification remains a common across all the articles. The prefix reveals a bit of information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The prefix ahead of a classification is generally made of letters \u2018E\u2019, or \u2018R\u2019, or a combination thereof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (1) Prefix R: indicates that the consumable is a rod<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (2) Prefix E: indicates that the consumable is a welding electrode<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n (3) Prefix RB: indicates a rod<\/strong> for brazing<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (4) Prefix ER: E indicates \u2018electrode\u2019, R indicates \u2018rod\u2019. This means that the consumable can be used as an electrode, or<\/em> a rod.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carbon steel electrodes and rods for gas shielded arc welding are defined under SFA 5.18 of ASME Section II Part C. This SFA 5.18 specification is identical to AWS A5.18. The ER70S-2 is the most commonly used welding rod classified under this specification. Let us under the system of classification by under what each digit in ER70S-2 means.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The wires for submerged arc welding of carbon steel and low alloy steel base metals have been classified under SFA 5.17 and SFA 5.23 respectively, of ASME Section II Part C. These two articles list and define the various wire-flux<\/em> combinations. That is, the identity of flux is also included in the designation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to the chemical composition of the wire, the wire-flux designation under these two articles also indicates the chemical composition of the weld metal<\/em> deposited with that wire-flux combination. Further, this designation also indicates the mechanical properties of the weld metal deposited by the wire-flux combination, when deposited in accordance with the procedures outlined in these two articles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the following discussion, we limit our discussion only to the carbon steel wires defined under Table 1 of SFA 5.17. For stainless steel, the wires are classified under SFA 5.9 itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let us understand in brief about the system of classification of wires adopted in SFA 5.17.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For some of the wires, the composition is almost same as that of some wires for gas metal arc welding <\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The various grades of wires classified under SFA 5.17, and their chemical composition, are indicated in the table below.<\/p>\n\n\n\nClassification Of Bare Electrodes\/ Solid Wires<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Prefix<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Bare Carbon Steel Electrodes For Gas Shielded Arc Welding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Carbon Steel Solid Wires For Submerged Arc Welding<\/h2>\n\n\n\n