WELDWELL NEW ZEALAND proudly present their range of arc welding electrodes in this book.

We have manufactured electrodes in New Zealand since 1967. There are constant changes in this field because
technology never stands still and we have access to welding electrode research to back our activities in the market
place. We provide technical people to service our clients throughout Australasia, in countries of the Pacific Basin
and in South East Asia.
Therefore if you require help or advice with your welding problems, please ask and we will gladly assist.
Included in our factory facilities is our own laboratory for materials, quality control and equipment to enable quick
evaluation of new developments. This enables us to provide you, the customer, with the top quality electrodes you
need for each application.
The Weldwell Electrode Factory operates to the Telarc accredited ISO 9001 Quality Assurance System.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION Page Page

Selecting the right Electrode 2 ELECTRODES FOR Introduction 57
Classification Survey 2 WELDING STAINLESS Electrode Recommendation 57
American Classification 3 STEELS Weldwell PH RS308LC 58
Australian Classification 5 Weldwell PH BM310 58
Weldwell PH RM316LC 59
SECTION ONE Weldwell PH RM318LC 59
WELDING FUNDAMENTALS WIA Staincord 316L-16 60
Definition of arc welding terms 7 Weldwell PH RS309LC 60
Arc Welding - The Process 9 Weldwell PHRS309MoLC 61
Welding Equipment 9 Weldwell PH 22.9.3LR 51
The Welding Electrode 10
The Welding Current 10 ELECTRODES FOR Introduction 62
Welding Positions and Weld Joints 11 WELDING PROBLEM Weldwell Elite RSP 63
Welding Technique 12 STEELS Weldwell Elite Hi-Ten 8 64
Defects due to faulty technique 13
Distortion 16 ELECTRODES FOR Introduction 65
Metallurgical facts about iron and steel 17
Mild Steel 17 GOUGING AND Austarc C&G 66
High Tensile and Alloy Steels 18 CUTTING
Stainless Steel 18
Manganese Steel 19 ELECTRODES FOR Introduction 67
Cast Irons 20
Non Ferrous Metals 21 WELDING CAST Supercast Ni 67
Hardfacing 21 IRON Supercast NiFe 68
Cutting with the electric arc 22
ELECTRODES FOR Introduction 69
SECTION TWO HARDFACING Weldwell PH MN 70
TECHNIQUES FOR SELECTED Weldwell PH 250 71
APPLICATIONS 23 Weldwell PH 400 72
Weldwell PH 600 73
SECTION THREE Weldwell PH 700 74
Abrasocord 43 75
WELDWELL WELDING ELECTRODES Vidalloy 11 76
ELECTRODES FOR Introduction 28 Vidalloy 30 76
WELDING MILD STEEL Weldwell PH 28 29
ELECTRODES FOR Introduction 77
WIA Austarc 12P 30
Weldwell PH 45E 31 SPECIAL METALS Bronze Arc 78
Weldwell PH 46 32 Ally Arc 79
Weldwell PH 48A 33
Weldwell PH 68 34 SECTION FOUR
Weldwell PH 78 35 MISCELLANEOUS
Weldwell PH C18 36
Weldwell PH 22 37
Weldwell PH 7024 38 Relationship between stress and energy 80
Weldwell PH 31A 39 Deposition rate conversion chart 80
Hobart Pipemaster 60 40 Physical properties of metals and alloys 81
Hobart Pipemaster 70 41
Conversion chart - inch/millimetre 81
LOW HYDROGEN Introduction 42 Work, energy, foot pounds - force to joules 82
ELECTRODES FOR Weldwell PH 27 43 Steel testing by spark method 82
WELDING MILD Weldwell PH 27P 44 American Welding Society standard welding symbols 83
AND MEDIUM TENSILE WIA Austarc 16TC 45 Mensuration 85
Weldwell PH 56S 46 Comparative hardness scales 86
Weldwell PH 56R 47 Arc welding lenses 86
Low Temperature Weldwell PH 75 48 Care and Storage of electrodes 87
Weldwell PH 77 49 Recommendations for storage and drying 88
Weldwell PH C6H 50 Electrode Agency Approval Grades 89
Weldwell KV3 51 Electrode Quantities per Packet 90
ELECTRODES FOR Introduction 52 Weld Deposition and Costing Data 91
WELDING HIGH Weldwell PH 118 53 Weldwell Branches Inside Back Cover
TENSILE STEEL

ELECTRODES FOR Introduction 54

WELDING CREEP Weldwell KV3 55
RESISTANT STEELS Weldwell KV5 56

1
 INTRODUCTION
SELECTING
THE RIGHT
ELECTRODE
PICKING THE RIGHT ELECTRODE is a matter of analysing the conditions applying to a particular job and then
determining the type and size of electrode best suited to those conditions.
Such an analysis is if the operator makes a practice of always checking the following factors:
(1) What is the base metal to be welded?
(2) Dimensions of the section to be welded.
(3) What type of current is available?
(4) What welding position, or positions, will be used?
(5) What sort of fit up does the work permit?
(6) Must weld deposit possess any specific properties such as corrosion resistance, high tensile
strength, ductility, etc?
(7) Must weld meet requirements of any code, standard, specification or approval.
After carefully checking the above factors the operator should have no difficulty in selecting a Weldwell electrode
type which will provide the arc stability, smoothness of bead, easy slag removal, and minimum spatter which
are so essential to fast, top quality arc welding.

CLASSIFICATION CROSS REFERENCE LIST

(Nearest Equivalents)

ELECTRODES FOR WELDING MILD STEEL

Weldwell AWS A5.1:2004 AS/NZS1553.1:1995 BSEN499:1995
PH 28 E6013 E4112-0 E350R11
Austarc 12P E6013 E4112-0 E350R11
PH 31A E6011 E4111-3 E353C11
Pipemaster 60 E6010 E4110-3 E383C21
Pipemaster 70 E7010-P1 (AWS A5.5) E4810-P1 (AS/NZS 1553.2) E382MOC21
PH 45E E6020 E4120-0 E35ZRA13
PH 46 E6012 E4113-0 E350R12
PH 48A E6013 E4112-0 E350R11
PH 68 E6013 E4112-A E350R11
PH 78 E6013 E4113-2 E350R12
PH C18 E7014 E4814-0 E380RR31
PH 22 E7024 E4824-0 E380RR53
PH 7024 E7024 E4824-0 E380RR53
ELECTRODES FOR WELDING MILD AND MEDIUM TENSILE STEELS
PH 27 E7048 H4 E4848-3 H5 E383B31
Austarc 16TC E7016-1 H8 E4816-5 H10 E385B12
PH 56S E7016 H8 E4816-4 H5 E384B12
PH 56R E7016 E4816 E382B4
PH C6H E7028 H4 E4828-2 H5 E382B73
PH 77 E7018-1 H8 E4818-5 H5 E385B32
AWS A5.5:1996 AS/NZS 1553.2:1999 BSEN 1599:1997
KV3 E8015-B3L H4 E6215-B3L ECrMo2LB22HS

ELECTRODES FOR WELDING LOW ALLOY STEEL AND SPECIAL APPLICATIONS

Weldwell AWS A5.5:1996 AS/NZS1553.2:1999 BSEN499:1995
PH 27P E8018-G H8 E5548-G H5 E463B31
PH 75 E7016-C1L H8 E4816-C1L H10 E3862NIB32
ELECTRODES FOR WELDING HIGH TENSILE
PH 118 E11018-G H4 E7618-G H5 BSEN757:19997 E69xMn2NiCrMo
ELECTRODES FOR
Weldwell AWS A5.5:1996 AS/NZS1553.2:1999 BSEN 1599:1997
KV3 E8015-B3L H4 E5515-B3L H5 ECrMo2LB22H5
KV5 E7015-B2L H4 E4815-B2 LH5 ECrMo1LB22H5
ELECTRODES FOR WELDING STAINLES
Weldwell AWS A5.4:1992 AS/NZS1553.3:1996 BSEN 1600:1997
PH RS308LC E308L-17 E308L-17 E19.9LR22
PH BM310 E310-16 E310-16 E25.20R22
PH RM316LC E316L-17 E316L-17 E19.12.3LR22
Staincord 316L-16 E316L-16 E316L-16 E19.12.3LR22
PH RM318LC E318-16 E318-16 E19.12.3NbR22
PH RS309LC E309L-16 E309L-16 E23.12LR22
PH RS309MoLC E309MoL-17 E309MoL-17 E23.12LR22
PH 22-9-3LR E2209-16 E2209-16 E22.9.3NLR22

2
 AWS A5.1 2004
AMERICAN CLASSIFICATION
Arc Welding Electrodes
The American Welding Society classifies electrodes by a letter followed by either four or five digits, eg, the
prefix "E" designates ARC WELDING ELECTRODES.

Table 1
Electrode Classification
A5.1 A5.1M Type of Covering Welding Position Type of Current

E6010 E4310 High cellulose sodium F, V, OH, H-fillet dcep

E6011 E4311 High cellulose potassium F, V, OH, H-fillet ac or dcep
E6012 E4312 High titania sodium F, V, OH, H-fillet ac or dcen
E6013 E4313 High titania potassium F, V, OH, H-fillet ac, dcep, or dcen

E6018c E4318c Low-hydrogen potassium, iron powder F, V, OH, H-fillet ac or dcep

E6019 E4319 Iron oxide titania potassium F, V, OH, H-fillet ac, dcep, or dcen
E6020 E4320 High iron oxide H-fillet ac or dcen
F ac, dcep, or dcen
E6022d E4322d High iron oxide F, H-fillet ac or dcen

E6027 E4327 High iron oxide, iron powder H-fillet ac or dcen

F ac, dcep, or dcen
E7014 E4914 Iron powder, titania F, V, OH, H-fillet ac, dcep, or dcen
E7015 E4915 Low-hydrogen sodium F, V, OH, H-fillet dcep
E7016c E4916c Low-hydrogen potassium F, V, OH, H-fillet ac or dcep
E7018c E4918c Low-hydrogen potassium, iron powder F, V, OH, H-fillet ac or dcep
E7018M E4918M Low-hydrogen iron powder F, V, OH, H-fillet dcep
E7024c E4924c Iron powder, titania H-fillet, F ac, dcep, or dcen
E7027 E4927 High iron oxide, iron powder H-fillet ac or dcen
F ac, dcep, or dcen
E7028c E4928c Low-hydrogen potassium, iron powder H-fillet, F ac or dcep
E7048 E4948 Low-hydrogen potassium, iron powder F, OH, H-fillet, V-down ac or dcep
Notes:
a. The abbreviations , F, H-fillet, V, V-down, and OH indicate the welding positions as follows: F = Flat, H-fillets = Horizontal fillet,
V = Vertical, progression upwards (for electrodes 5.0 mm and under, except 4.0 mm and under for classifications E6018 [E4318),
E7014 [E4914], E7015 [E4915], E7016 [E4916], E7018 [E4918], E7018M [E4918M], E7048 [E4948]). V-down = Vertical,
progression downwards (for electrodes 5.0 mm and under, except 4.0 mm and under for classifications E6018 [E4318], E7014
[E4914], E7015 [E4915], E7016 [E4916], E7018 [E4918], E7018M [E4918M], E7048 [E4948], OH = Overhead (for electrodes
5.0 mm and under, except 4.0 mm and under for classifications E6018 [E4318], E7014 [E4914], E7015 [E4915], E7016 [E4916],
E7018 [E4918], E7018M [E4918M], E7048 [E4948]).
b. The term “dcep” refers to direct current electrode positive (dc, reverse polarity). The term “dcen” refers to direct current electrode
negative (dc, straight polarity).
c. Electrodes with supplemental elongation, notch toughness, absorbed moisture, and diffusible hydrogen requirements may be
further identified as shown in Tables 2 and 3.
d. Electrodes of the E6022 [E4322] classification are intended for single-pass welds only.

Table 2
Tension Test Requirementsa, b, c
AWS Classification Tensile Strength Yield Strength at 0.2% Offset Elongation
Percentage in 4x
A5.1 A5.1M A5.1 (ksi) A5.1M (MPa) A5.1 (ksi) A5.1M (MPa) Diameter Length
E6010 E4310 60 430 48 330 22
E6011 60 48 330 22
E6012 E4311 430 48 330
E4312 60 17
E6013 60 430 48 330 17
E6018 E4313 430 48 330
E4318 60 22
E6019 60 430 48 330 22
E6020 E4319 430 48 330
E4320 60 22
E6022 60 430 Not Specified Not Specified
E6027 E4322 430 48 330
E4327 60 22
430
E7014 70 58 400 17
E7015 E4914- 490 58 400
E4915 70 22
E7016 70 490 58 400 22
E7018 E4916 490 58 400
E4918 70 22
E7024- 70 490 58 400 17c
E7027 E4924- 490 58 400
E4927 70 22
E7028 70 490 58 400 22
E7048 E4928 490 58 400
E4948 70 22
E7018M Note c 490 53 – 72d 370-500 d 24
E4918M

Notes:
a. Single values are minimum
b. Weld metal from electrodes identified as E7024-1 [E4924-1] shall have elongation of 22% minimum.
c. Tensile strength of this weld is a nominal 70 ksi [490 MPa].
d. For 2.5 mm electrodes, the maximum yield strength shall be 77 ksi [530 MPa].

3
AWS A5.1 Continued

Table 3
Charpy V-Notch Impact Requirements

AWS Classification Limits for 3 out of 5 specimensa AWS Classification Limits for 5 out of 5 specimensa
A5.1 A5.1M Average, Min. Single Value, A5.1 A5.1M Average, Min. Single Value,

E6010, E6011, E4310, E4311,

E6018 E4318 o o
o o E7018M E4918M 67 J at -30 C 54 J at -30 C
E6027.b E7015 b E4327, E4915 27 J at -30 C 20 J at -30 C
E7016 , E7018 E4916b, E4918b
E7027, E7048 E4927, E4948
o o
E6019 E4319 27 J at -20 C 20 J at -20 C
E7028 E4928

E6012, E6013 E4312, E4313

E6020, E6022b E4320, E4322 Not Specified Not Specified
E7014, E7024 E4914, E4924b

Notes:
a. Both the highest and lowest test values obtained shall be disregarded in computing the average. Two of these remaining three values shall
equal or exceed 27 J.
b. Electrodes with the following optional supplemental designation shall meet the lower temperature impact requirements specified below.

AWS Classification Electrode Designation Charpy V-Notch Impact Requirements,

Limits for 3 out of 5 speciments (refer to Note a above)
A5.1 A5.1M A5.1 A5.1M Average, Min. Single Value, Min.
o o
E7016 E4916 E7016-1 E4916-1 27 J at -45 C 20 J at -45 C
E7018 E4918 E7018-1 E4918-1
o o
E7024 E4924 E7024-1 E4924-1 27 J at -20 C 20 J at -20 C

c. All five values obtained shall be used in computing the average. Four of the five values shall equal, or exceed, 67 J.

Table 7
Chemical Composition Requirements for Weld Metal

AWS Classification Weight Percentb

UNSa Combined Limit for
A5.1 A5.1M Number Mn + Ni + Cr
C Mn Si P S Ni Cr Mo V + Mo +V

E6010 E4310 W06010

E6011 E4311 W06011
E6012 E4312 W06012
E6013 E4313 W06013 0.20 1.20 1.00 N.S. N.S. 0.30 0.20 0.30 0.08 N.S.
E6019 E4319 W06019
E6020 E4320 W06020
E6027 E4327 W06027
0.08
E6018 E4318 W06018 0.03 0.60 0.40 0.025 0.015 0.30 0.20 0.30 0.08 N.S.
E7015 E4915 W07105 0.15 1.25 0.90 0.035 0.035 0.30 0.20 0.30 0.08 1.50
E7016 E4916 W07016 0.15 1.60 0.75 0.035 0.035 0.30 0.20 0.30 0.08 1.75
E7018 E4918 W07018 0.15 1.60 0.75 0.035 0.035 0.30 0.20 0.30 1.75
0.08
E7014 E4914 W07014 0.15 1.25 0.90 0.035 0.035 0.30 0.20 0.30 0.08 1.50
E7024 E4924 W07024 0.15 1.25 0.90 0.035 0.035 0.30 0.20 0.30 0.08 1.50
E7027 E4927 W07027 0.15 1.25 0.75 0.035 0.035 0.30 0.20 0.30 1.75
0.08
E7028 E4928 W07028 0.15 1.60 0.90 0.035 0.035 0.30 0.20 0.30 1.75
E7048 E4948 W07048
0.40 0.05
E7018M E4918M W07018 0.12 to 0.80 0.030 0.020 0.25 0.15 0.35 N.S.
1.60
Notes:
a. SAE/ASTM Unified Numbering System for Metals and Alloys.
b. Single values are maximum. N.S. means Non Specified.

4
 AS/NZS 1553.1 — 1995
AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND STANDARD

1.4 CLASSIFICATION AND DESIGNATION

1.4.1 Basis of classification Electrodes shall be classified on the basis of the tensile properties of the
deposited weld metal and the operational characteristics of the electrodes. An electrode classified under
one classification shall not be classified under any other classification.
1.4.2 Designation The designation system is illustrated in Figure 1.1 and shall consist of the following:-
(a) A letter prefix E, denoting electrode.
(b) A 2-digit number which represents approximately one-tenth of the allowable minimum tensile
strength of the deposited weld metal, in megapascals, in two groupings nominally referred to as
E41XX and E48XX (see Table 2.4).
(c) A 2-digit number which indicates the welding position or positions in which the electrode is capable
of making satisfactory welds, the type of welding current to be used with the electrode and the type
of covering on the electrode, in conformity with Table 1.1.
(d) Optional indicators relating to notch toughness grading, attainable diffusible hydrogen status and
coating moisture absorption resistance.

XX XX -X H x R
E

Electrode Approximately one-tenth Welding position, Optional indicators for notch

of the minimum tensile welding current toughness, lower hydrogen
strength( MPa) and covering status and moisture
absorption resistance
FIGURE 1.1. PRINCIPLES OF DESIGNATION

TABLE 2.1
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION REQUIREMENTS OF DEPOSITED WELD METAL

Class- Chemical Composition, maximum percent

ification
C S P Mn* Si Ni* Cr* Mo* V*
E41XX 0.15 0.030 0.030 Values not specified
E48X4 1.25 0.90
E48X5 1.25 0.90
E48X6 1.60 0.75
E48X7 0.15 0.030 0.030 1.60 0.75 0.30 0.20 0.30 0.05
E4818 1.60 0.75
E48X8 1.60 0.90
E4X99 As specified by the manufacturer

* Total of all these elements not to exceed the following:

E48X4 1.5 percent E48X6

E48X5 E48X7 1.75 percent
E48X8

TABLE 2.4
TENSILE PROPERTIES OF DEPOSITED WELD METAL
IN ALL-WELD METAL TESTS

Classification Tensile Strength * Minimum Yield Minimum elongation

MPa strength * MPa on 5.65/So percent
E41XX 430 to 550 (1) 350 (1) 22
E48XX 500 to 620 (2) 420 (2) 22

5
AS/NZS 1553.1 Continued

TABLE 1.1
WELDING POSITION, CURRENT AND COVERING

Third and Welding Type of current Type of covering

fourth digit Position and polarity and slag
of destination (See Note 1) (see Note 2)
10 F,V,OH,H dc electrode positive High cellulose
11 F,V,OH,H ac or dc electrode High cellulose
positive
12 F,V,OH,H ac or dc electrode High titania viscous slag
positive or negative
13 F,V,OH,H ac or dc electrode High titania fluid slag
positive or negative
14 F,V,OH,H ac or dc electrode Low iron powder, titania
positive or negative
15 F,V,OH,H dc electrode positive Hydrogen controlled, basic
16 F,V,OH,H ac or dc electrode Hydrogen controlled, basic
positive
18 F,V,OH,H ac or dc electrode Hydrogen controlled, basic
positive Low iron powder
19 F,V,OH,H ac or dc electrode Iron oxide titania potassium
positive or negative
20 F,H-fillet ac or dc electrode High iron oxide
positive or negative
24 F,H-fillet ac or dc electrode High iron powder, titania
positive or negative
27 F,H-fillet ac or dc electrode High iron powder, iron oxide
positive or negative
28 F,H-fillet ac or dc electrode Hydrogen controlled high iron
positive powder, basic
46 F,V-down ac or dc electrode Hydrogen controlled, basic
OH,H positive
48 F,V-down ac or dc electrode Hydrogen controlled, basic
OH,H positive Low iron powder
99 As specified by As specified by As described by manufacturer
manufacturer manufacturer

NOTES:
1. The abbreviations F, V, V-down, OH, H, H-fillet indicate the following welding positions, as defined in AS 2812
and AS 3545.
F = Flat
V = Vertical
V-down = Vertical down
OH = Overhead
H = Horizontal
H-fillet = Horizontal fillet (position 2F in AS 3545)
2. See Appendix A for possible exceptions.

TABLE 2.5
AVERAGE IMPACT ENERGY VALUES-DEPOSITED WELD METAL

1 2 3 4 5

Grade Testing Minimum average Minimum individual Minimum average

Temperature value of a set of 3 value value before
specimens rejections
(oC) (J) (J) (J)

Z No requirement No requirement No requirement No requirement

A 20
0 0
2 -20 47
3 -30 31 40
4 -40
5 -50
6 -60

6
Arc Voltage: The voltage across the welding arc.
Section One
Arc Blow: This is peculiar to DC. The arc, instead of playing steadily
on one spot, is deflected away from point of welding by influence WELDING
of surrounding magnetic fields.
FUNDAMENTALS
Backing Strip: Material (metal, carbon, ceramic, etc) backing up a
joint during welding to help obtain a sound weld. (See Fig 1.)
Buffer (or Butter) Layer: Layer of weld metal on component to
prevent crack formation or dilution effects in subsequent weld DEFINITIONS OF
layers, (eg hardfacing, cast iron). ARC WELDING
Cold Crack: Crack occurring in weld metal or in the heat-affected TERMS
zone of the base metal after cooling.
Concave Fillet: Fillet weld having concave face. (See Fig. 2.)
Convex Fillet: Fillet weld having convex face. (See Fig. 3.)
Crater: Depression at the termination of weld bead.
Crater Crack: Crack in weld bead crater.
Depth of Fusion: Distance that fusion extends into base metal. (See
Fig. 4.)
Dilution: Admixture of base metal and weld metal being deposited.
Earth (or Work) Lead: Cable between workpiece and power source.
Backing Strip FIG. 1
Electrode Lead: Conductor between source of current and electrode
holder.
Flux: Fusible material coated onto electrodes for removal of oxides Concave Fillet
and other impurities. (See section, ‘The Welding Electrode”.)
Fusion: The melting together of filler metal and base metal, resulting
in coalescence. FIG. 2

Haloes or “Fish-eyes’: Small, shiny, circular areas displayed on the

surface of weld metal after fracture by a tensile stress. Convex Fillet

Hardfacing: The process of covering wearing areas with wear-

resistant metal by welding. FIG. 3
Heat-affected Zone: The region beneath the weld bead which has
not melted, but whose mechanical properties or micro-structure Depth of Fusion
has been altered by the heat of welding. (See Fig. 4.)
Hot Crack: Crack occurring in weld metal soon after solidification
commences.
Intermittent Welding: Welding, wherein continuity is broken by Heat-affected
recurring unwelded spaces. (See Figs. 5 and 6.) zones
FIG. 4
Interpass Temperature: In a multiple run weld, the temperature of
deposited metal before the next pass is started.
CHAIN INTERMITTENT WELDING
Lack of Fusion: A weld fault wherein adequate fusion of weld and
base metal is not obtained. (See Fig. 60, p. 15.)
Leg of Fillet Weld: Distance from root of joint to toe of fillet weld.
(See Fig. 10, p.8.)
Mitre Fillet: Fillet weld in which the face of the weld is approximately
flat. (See Fig. 7.)
Open-circuit Voltage: Voltage between terminals of power source FIG. 5
when it is energised, but current is not flowing.
STAGGERED INTERMITTENT WELDING
Overlap: Protrusion of weld metal beyond bond at toe of weld.
Parent Metal: The metal to be welded.
Pass: A single welding run along a joint or weld deposit. The result
of a pass is a weld bead.
Peening: The mechanical working of metals by relatively light
hammering.
Penetration: The depth a weld extends into a joint from base metal FIG. 6
surface. (See Fig. 8, p. 8.)
Porosity: Gas pockets or voids in metal.
FIG. 7
Post-heating: Application of heat to the weldment after welding is Mitre Fillet
completed.
Preheating: Application of heat to the base metal before welding
commences.

7
Reinforcement of Weld: Weld metal lying outside the plane
joining the toes of a weld. (See Fig. 10.)
Reverse Polarity: Arrangement of DC arc welding leads wherein
the work is the negative pole and the electrode is the positive
pole of the welding arc.
Root of Weld: The zone on the side of the first run farthest from
the welder. (See Figs. 10 and 11.)
Root Face: Unbevelled or ungrooved portion of a fusion face
at the root. (See Fig. 11.)
Slag Inclusion: Non-metallic solid material trapped in weld
metal or between weld and base metal.
Spatter: Metal particles expelled during welding which do not
form part of the weld.
Straight Polarity: Arrangements of DC arc welding leads herein
the work is the positive pole and the electrode is the negative
pole of the welding arc.
Tack Weld: Small weld made to hold parts in proper alignment
until final welds are made. (See Fig. 45, p. 13.)
Throat Thickness (See Figs. 10 and 11): The minimum thickness
of weld metal in:
(a) Fillet weld, measured along a line passing through the
root.
(b) Close square butt joint, measured in the plane of abutting
faces.
(c) Open square butt weld, measured in centre of original
gap parallel to fusion faces.
Effective Throat Thickness: Dimension arbitrarily adopted as
throat thickness for design purposes.
Toe: Boundary between weld face and parent metal between
weld faces. (See Figs. 10 and 11.)
Underbead or Hard Zone Crack: Crack in the heat-affected
zone which may or may not extend to surface of base metal.
(See Fig. 72, p. 18.)
Undercut: A groove melted in the base metal adjacent to the toe
of a weld, and left unfilled by weld metal. (See Figs. 54 and
55, p. 14.)
Weave Bead: Weld bead made with slow oscillating motion of
the electrodes.
Welding Sequence: The order of making welds in a weldment.
(See Figs. 12-16.)

8
ARC WELDING THE PROCESS
ADVANTAGES OF WELDING:
Some of the advantages that welding has over riveting and casting
methods of assembly are as follows:
FUSION WELDING is really a melting and casting process in
miniature, the various components of the welding process (base
metal, weld metal slag, etc) forming the crucible and contents
of a tiny electric furnace.
The electric arc, with a temperature of the order of 6,000oC, is
a concentrated and efficient source of heat. This heat is utilised
in the metal arc welding process by employing a flux-coated
electrode to provide filler metal. The electrode and parent metal
act as poles of the arc, the core wire of the electrode melting
and being transferred across the arc to coalesce with the molten
parent metal and form a bond which in most cases, is stronger
than the parent metal. The flux covering melts more slowly
than the core wire and a cup is formed at the electrode tip which
assists in directing the molten droplets to the required spot.
The weld metal itself, as deposited, has a cast structure, its
composition is determined by the core wire and coating of the
electrode, and by the amount of pick-up of parent metal during
welding. For example, a deposit of alloy steel, say, stainless
steel on mild steel, no longer has just the properties expected
of that alloy, due to dilution with the parent metal. This effect,
in many cases, is not important, but, if desired, it may be
eliminated by using multi-layer welds.
Welding on materials that have been strengthened by heat-
treatment or cold-working generally creates a zone of lower
strength along the weld boundary. This may not affect the
serviceability of the welded joint, but sometimes it is necessary
to restore this strength by further heat-treatment or cold-work.
1. Welding is usually a cheaper process than riveting for any
particular joint, and the joint can often be made much more
quickly.
2. It gives a stronger joint and permits the use of less material,
thus reducing the weight and cost of the structure.
3. Weld seams are normally pressure tight, and do not need
caulking as do riveted joints. Joints are smooth, which is
important in many applications. For example, painting is
much easier on welded joints, and turbulence in pipes is
reduced.
4. Designs not practicable for riveting may be constructed
by welding.
5. Plate preparation for welding is generally cheaper than for
riveting.
6. Labour necessary can often be cut to less than one-third
of that necessary for riveting.
7. Welding is not as noisy as riveting, and permits building
and alterations to proceed with the least disturbance to
occupants.
8. Welding is more versatile than casting; changes can be
made quickly without having to produce a new pattern.
9. Rolled section is often cheaper than cast section, and
fabrication by welding of rolled section may be cheaper
than casting the same article.
10. No storage of patterns is necessary for welding, as with
castings.
11. Articles of consistent and known quality can be produced
by welding, whereas castings may have external or hidden
internal flaws welding, whereas castings may have external
or hidden internal flaws causing their rejection, or failure
in service.

WELDING EQUIPMENT
BESIDES THE welding machines and suitable electrodes, the
accessories necessary for a welder are: 5. Clothing. Leather gauntlets and apron should be worn,
and clothes should be of material that will deflect spatter
1. A substantial work table with a fairly heavy mild steel plate and sparks.
for a top.
6. Chipping Hammer. Used for deslagging of welds.
2. Leads. Two are required — one from the machine to the
electrode holder, called the electrode lead, and one from the 7. Wire Brush. Used for removing rust, cleaning slag off
job or work table back to the machine to complete the circuit, welds, etc.
called the work or earth lead. These leads should be heavy
enough to carry the required current without overheating.
They must be kept in good condition and in close electrical
contact with the holder and the work for the best utilisation
of current.

3. Electrode Holders. These should be heavy enough not to

overheat and have well-insulated handles to avoid electric
shocks and accidental arcing. Holders are available that are
designed for continuous welding at high amperages. These
are fully insulated and the jaws are made of metals having
high heat conductivity.

4. Shields. These are necessary for protecting the eyes and

face from glare and ultra-violet radiation from the arc, and
spatter from the weld pool. Special tinted glass is used in
the shields to absorb ultra-violet rays. A clear piece of
replaceable glass is used in front of the coloured glass to
protect it from spatter and smoke.

9
THE WELDING ELECTRODE
METAL ARC welding electrodes consist of a core wire
surrounded by a flux coating. The flux coating is usually
applied to the core wire by an extrusion process, but a few
types of electrodes are still made by dipping the core wire
into a thick slurry of fluxing material and drying out between
the application of successive layers.
It is important, for uniform running qualities, for the flux
coating to be concentric with the core wire, and the extrusion
process allows close control to be kept over this.
The coating on arc welding electrodes serves a number of
purposes:
1. To provide a gaseous shield for the weld metal, and
preserve it from contamination by the atmosphere
whilst in a molten state.
2. To provide a steady arc by having "arc stabilizer"
present, which provide a bridge for current to flow
across.
3. To remove oxygen from the weld metal with
"deoxidizers".
4. To provide a cleansing action on the work piece and
a protective slag cover over the weld metal to prevent
the formation of oxides while the metal is solidifying.
The slag also helps to produce a bead of the desired
contour.
5. To introduce alloys into the weld deposits in special
type electrodes, eg the Weldwell hardfacing electrodes,
which have mild steel core wire, but contain alloys in
the coating.
A wide variety of ingredients are used in the coating of arc
welding electrodes. Among them are the minerals limestone,
fluorspar, silica, rutile and feldspar for slag and gas shield
formation, ferro-manganese and ferro-silicon for deoxidation
of the weld metal; ferro-chromium, ferro-molybdenum and
nickel powder to introduce alloys for hardening and raising
the tensile strength of steel weld metal; potassium and sodium
silicates (water glass) to bind the particles together and cause
them to adhere to the core wire.
THE WELDING CURRENT
BOTH DIRECT and alternating currents may be used for arc
welding. However, most work on mild steel is done using AC.
AC welding machines have several advantages over DC machines,
among them being a lower purchase cost, higher operating
efficiency and negligible maintenance. The quality of welds
produced using AC is equally as good as when DC is used.
However, AC is limited in that it will not satisfactorily run many
of the non-ferrous types of electrodes.
The open-circuit voltage of an AC machine is important, because
some electrodes need a fairly high voltage to prevent the arc
cutting out during welding. The open-circuit voltage depends
on the design of the machine.
The question of open-circuit voltage is not so important with
DC machines, since there is not the constant reversal of current
necessitating continual re-establishment of the arc.
When using AC it does not matter to which terminal the electrodes
and the work piece are attached, but when DC is used more heat
is produced at the positive pole with most electrode types and
the manufacturers' recommendations for the most suitable polarity
should be followed. With the welding of mild steels, although
either polarity can be employed, it is usual for the work piece
10
STORAGE OF ELECTRODES:
Electrodes not stored in a dry place will absorb moisture
from the atmosphere. Dampness in electrodes may have
some of the following effects:
1. Fiery arc.
2. Excessive spatter.
3. Porosity in weld metal.
4. Spalling of flux coating.
5. Blistering of electrode tip.
6. High arc voltage.
7. Introduction of hydrogen into the weld metal, with
increased danger of hard zone cracking on
hardenable steels.
8. Formation of white "fur" on flux coating. In most
cases this does not have any deleterious effect.
Mild steel electrodes may be stored in a warm, dry room.
Low hydrogen and some special electrodes (eg stainless
steel) require to be stored in a proper heated cabinet if the
best results are to be achieved. Provided the temperature of
the cabinet is 10oC above that of the outside air, and some
ventilation is allowed, the electrodes cannot pick up moisture.
Mild steel electrodes which have become damp should be
redried at 120oC for 15-30 minutes. Low-hydrogen electrodes
should always be dried at the temperature recommended for
that particular electrode.
THE WELDING ELECTRODE
Core Wire
Flux Coating
Gaseous Shield
Arc Stream
Slag
Molten Pool
Weld Metal
Work Piece
FIG. 17
to be made the positive pole. The greater amount of heat generated
at the work piece in this way assists the welding operation,
especially when the components have a heavy mass. Proper
fusion and good penetration are assured in this way. If on the
other hand, the electrode is connected to the positive pole, the
greater heat generated at the electrode tip results in a faster burn-
off rate and the electrode is deposited more quickly. This increase
in deposition rate, however, may not amount to more than 5
percent and the advantage gained in this way is offset by the
reduction in depth of penetration obtained with the resulting
weld deposit. The burn-off rate with AC supply is approximately
the same for DC supply with the electrode connected to the
negative pole.
Most of the non-ferrous and stainless steel electrodes should be
connected to the positive terminal, but this is recommended
because of the greater arc stability obtained.
ARC BLOW:
This is peculiar to DC. The arc, instead of playing steadily on
one spot, is deflected away from the point of welding due to the
influence of surrounding magnetic fields created by welding
currents flowing in the work. It may often be overcome or
minimised by shifting the earth clamp to another part of the work
piece.
MOST MILD steel electrodes can be used in a number of positions.The WELDING POSITIONS
sketches following show the positions in which the welding may be AND WELDING JOINTS
done. Numerous applications call for welds to be made in positions
intermediate between these. Some of the commoner types of weld joints
are also shown.

11
WELDING TECHNIQUES FOR THOSE who have not yet done any welding, the simplest way to commence
A Word to Beginners is to run beads on a piece of scrap plate. Use mild steel plate about 12 mm thick
and a 4.0 mm electrode. Clean any paint, loose scale or grease off the plate and set
it firmly on the work bench so that welding can be carried out in the downhand
position. Make sure that the earth clamp is making good electrical contact with the
work, either directly or through the work table. For light gauge material, always
clamp the earth lead directly to the job, otherwise a poor circuit will probably result.
ELECTRODE C TYPE AND SIZE:
The type of electrode will depend on the material to be welded and the position in
which welding is to be carried out (ie whether downhand, vertical or overhead).
In this case, the general purpose PH28 electrode is the most suitable. We have
already chosen a 4.0 mm electrode, but for other jobs the size will depend on the
thickness of the material and the type of joint to be welded. For example, on thin
material a small size is required, otherwise holes will burn through. The electrode
size should allow for adequate root penetration. On vee butt joints, the root run is
often made with 4.0 mm or 3.2 mm electrodes and the remaining welding is done
with 5.0 mm electrodes.
Generally, the maximum size which may be used on vertical and overhead welding
is 5.0 mm, but these more specialised applications can be left for the moment while
we concentrate on downhand welding.
AMPERAGE:
Suitable amperages for the various sizes of electrodes are usually printed on the
packets. These amperages may be varied to suit conditions C welds on thin plate
require low amperages to prevent burn-through, while high welding rates or deep
penetration of the weld metal require higher amperages. For 4.0 mm set the machine
at about 170 amps.
There are several effects produced by incorrect amperage. If it is too high, spatter
becomes excessive, and the weld pool becomes very hot, producing a flattened bead
with elongated ripple marks, and the electrode overheats. If the current is too low,
it is difficult to maintain the arc and prevent the electrode from sticking, the bead
is high and rounded, with poor edge fusion, and penetration is slight. Figures 41,
42 and 43 show the effects of different amperages.
THE WELDER:
Place yourself in a comfortable position before beginning to weld. Get a seat of
suitable height and do as much work as possible sitting down. Don't hold your
body tense. A taut attitude of mind and a tense body will soon make you feel tired.
Relax and you will find that the job becomes much easier. You can add much to
your peace of mind by wearing a leather apron and gauntlets. You won't be worrying
then about sparks setting alight your clothes.
Place the work so that the direction of welding is across, rather than to or from your
body. The electrode holder lead should be clear of any obstruction so that you can
move your arm freely along as the electrode burns down. if the lead is slung around
the back of your neck and over your shoulder, it allows greater freedom of movement
and takes a lot of weight off your hand. Be sure the insulation on your cable and
electrode holder is not faulty, otherwise you are risking an electric shock.
STRIKING THE ARC:
Practise this on a piece of scrap plate before going on to more exacting work. You
may at first experience difficulty due to the tip of the electrode "sticking" to the
work piece. it is caused by making too heavy a contact with the work and failing
to withdraw the electrode quickly enough. A low amperage will accentuate it. This
freezing-on of the tip may be overcome by scratching the electrode along the plate
surface in the same way as a match is struck. As soon as the arc is established,
withdraw the electrode very slightly (2.0 mm) from the plate and feed it into the
weld pool as it melts down. (See Fig. 44.)
Another difficulty you may meet is the tendency, after the arc is struck, to withdraw
the electrode so far that the arc is broken again. A little practice will soon remedy
both of these faults.
ARC LENGTH:
The securing of an arc length necessary to produce a neat weld soon becomes almost
automatic. You will find that a long arc produces more heat. A very long arc
produces a cracking or spattering noise and the weld metal comes across in large,
irregular blobs. The weld bead is flattened and spatter increases. A short arc is
essential if a high quality weld is to be obtained, although if it is too short there is
the danger of it being blanketed by slag and the electrode tip being frozen in. If
this should happen, give the electrode a quick twist back over the weld to detach
it. Contact or "touch-weld" electrodes do not stick in this way, and make welding
much easier.

12
RATE OF TRAVEL:
After the arc is struck, your next concern is to maintain it, and this requires
moving the electrode tip toward the molten pool at the same rate as it is
melting away. At the same time, the electrode has to move along the
plate to form a bead. The electrode is directed at the weld pool at about
20o from the vertical. The rate of travel has to be adjusted so that a well-
formed bead is produced. If travel is too fast, the bead will be narrow
and strung out and may even be broken up into individual globules. If
the travel is too slow, the weld metal piles up and the bead is too large.
MAKING WELDED JOINTS:
Having attained some skills in the handling of an electrode, you will be
ready to go on to make up welded joints.
BUTT WELDS:
Set up two plates with their edges parallel, as shown in Fig. 45, allowing
a 1.6 mm gap between them and tack weld at both ends. This is to prevent
contraction stresses from the cooling weld metal pulling the plates out
of alignment. Plates thicker than 6.0 mm should have their mating edges
bevelled to form a 70-90o included angle. This allows full penetration
of the weld metal to the root. Using a 4.0 mm electrode at 170 amps,
deposit a run of weld metal on the bottom of the joint. Do not weave the
electrode, but maintain a steady rate of travel along the joint sufficient
to produce a well-formed bead. At first you may notice a tendency for
undercut to form, but keeping the arc length short, the angle of the
electrode at about 20o from vertical, and the rate of travel not too fast,
will help to eliminate this. The electrode needs to be moved along fast
enough to prevent the slag pool from getting ahead of the arc. To complete
the joint in thin plate, turn the job over, clean the slag out of the back
and deposit a similar weld.
Heavy plate will require several runs to complete the joint. After
completing the first run, chip the slag out and clean the weld with a wire
brush. It is important to do this to prevent slag being trapped by the
second run. Subsequent runs are then deposited using either a weave
technique or single beads laid down in the sequence shown in Fig. 12.
The width of weave should not be more than three times the core wire
diameter. When the joint is completely filled, the back is either machined,
ground or gouged out to remove slag which may be trapped in the root,
and to prepare a suitable joint for depositing the backing run. If a backing
bar is used, it is not usually necessary to remove this, since it serves a
similar purpose to the backing run in securing proper fusion at the root
of the weld.
FILLET WELDS:
These are welds of approximately triangular cross-section made by deposit-
ing metal in the corner of two faces meeting at right angles (Fig. 35).
A piece of angle iron is a suitable specimen with which to begin, or two
lengths of strip steel may be tacked together at right angles. Position the
angle iron so that the two legs are at 45o to the bench and run in a weld
bead using a similar technique as for butt welds, using a 4.0 mm electrode
at 170 amps. When you are familiar with this, position another piece of
angle iron with one leg horizontal and the other vertical. This is known
as a horizontal-vertical (HV) fillet. Strike the arc and immediately bring
the electrode to a position perpendicular to the line of the fillet and about
45o from the vertical. Some electrodes require to be sloped about 20o
away from the perpendicular position to prevent slag from running ahead
of the weld. (See Fig. 46.) Do not attempt to build up much larger than
6.0 mm leg length with a 4.0 mm electrode, otherwise the weld metal
tends to sag towards the base, and undercut forms on the vertical leg.
Multi-runs can be made as shown in Fig. 47. Weaving in HV fillet welds
is undesirable.
VERTICAL WELDS:
Vertical up.
Tack weld a 1 metre length of angle iron to your work bench in an upright
position. Use a 4.0 mm electrode and set the current at 140 amps. Make
yourself comfortable on a seat in front of the job and strike the arc in the
corner of the fillet. The electrode needs to be about 10o from the horizontal
to enable a good bead to be deposited. (See Fig. 48.) Use a short arc,
and do not attempt to weave on the first run. When the first run has been
completed deslag the weld deposit and begin the second run at the bottom.
This time a slight weaving motion is necessary to cover the first run and
obtain a good fusion at the edges. At the completion of each side motion,
pause for a moment to allow weld metal to build up at the edges, otherwise
undercut will form and too much metal will accumulate in the centre of
the weld. Fig. 49 illustrates multi-run technique and Fig. 50 and 51 show
the effects of pausing at the edge of weave and of too rapidly weaving.

13
 Vertical down.
To execute this method, it is advisable to use electrodes
which are designed to have a very quick freezing slag.
Generally higher amperages are used with fast travel speeds.
The easiest type to use when learning is the contact PH
C18. The electrode is pointed slightly upward at
approximately 80o and when the arc is struck, the tip is
pressed onto the work and welding commences and advances
as the electrode is drawn slowly down the work.
OVERHEAD WELDS:
Apart from the rather awkward position necessary overhead
welding is not much more difficult than downhand welding.
Set up a specimen for overhead welding by first tacking a
length of angle iron at right angles to another piece of angle
iron or a length of waste pipe. Then tack this to the work
bench or hold in a vice so that the specimen is positioned
in the overhead position as shown in the sketch. The
electrode is held at 45o to the horizontal and tilted 10o in
the line of travel (Fig. 52 shows this). The tip of the
electrode may be touched lightly on the metal, which helps
to give a steady run.
A weave technique is not advisable for overhead fillet
welds. Use a 4.0 mm electrode at 160 amps, and deposit
the first run by simply drawing the electrode along at a
steady rate. You will notice that the weld deposit is rather
convex, due to the effect of gravity before the metal freezes.
Second and third runs are deposited in the order shown in
Fig. 53.

1. UNDERCUT:
THIS REDUCTION in cross section weakens the joint and creates a slag
trap.

Cause Remedy
High amperage. Reduce amperage.
Arc too long. Keep shorter arc.
Angle of electrode too inclined to Electrodes should not be inclined
joint face. less than 45o to vertical face.
Joint preparation does not allow Allow more room in joint for
correct electrode angle. manipulation of electrode.
Electrode too large for joint. Use smaller gauge electrode.
Insufficient depositing time at edge Pause for a moment at edge of
of weave. weave to allow build-up.
(Weaving is more likely to produce
undercut than a straight run.
Therefore, where possible, use
straight runs.)

14
2. SLAG INCLUSIONS:
Non-metallic particles trapped in the weld metal are called slag
inclusions. They may seriously reduce the strength of the welded
joint.
Cause
May be trapped in undercut
from previous run.
Joint preparation too restricted.
Irregular deposits allow slag to
be trapped.
Lack of penetration with slag
trapped beneath weld-bead.
Rust or mill scale, preventing
full fusion.
Wrong electrode for position in
which welding is done.
If slag is present in a weld, chip, grind or flame gouge
until removed, and re-weld.
3. INCOMPLETE PENETRATION:
A gap left by failure of the weld metal to fill the root.
Cause
Amps too low.
Electrode too large for joint.
Insufficient gap.
Angle of electrode.
Incorrect sequence.
4. LACK OF FUSION:
Portions of the weld run do not fuse to the surface of the
metal or edge of the joint.
Cause
Small electrodes used on heavy
cold plate.
Amperage too low.
Wrong electrode angle.
Speed of travel.
Scale or dirt on joint surface.
Remedy
If bad undercut present, clean slag
out and cover with run from small
gauge electrode.
Allow for adequate penetration and
room for cleaning out slag.
If very bad, chip or grind out
irregularities.
Use smaller electrode with
sufficient amperage to give Not cleaned, or
adequate penetration. Use suitable incorrect slag trapped
tools to remove all slag from electrode in undercut
corners, etc.
Clean joint before welding. Lack of penetration
FIG. 56
Use electrodes designed for
position in which welding is done,
otherwise proper slag control is
Narrow Root Gap FIG. 57
Incorrect sequence
FIG. 58
Remedy
Increase current.
Use smaller electrode.
Allow wider gap.
If too inclined, does not give
penetration. Keep nearer to right FIG. 59
angle to weld axis.
Lack of fusion, dirt,
Use correct build-up sequence. electrode angle incorrect,
(See Fig. 12.) rate of travel too high
Lack of side fusion, scale Lack of inter-run fusion
dirt, small electrode,
amperage too low
Lack of root fusion
FIG. 60
Remedy
Use larger electrodes
(pre-heat may be desirable).
Increase current.
Adjust angle so the arc is directed
more into parent metal.
If too high, does not allow time
for proper fusion.
Clean surface before welding.
15
DISTORTION:
DISTORTION in some degree is present in all forms of welding. In many cases
it is so small that it is barely perceptible, but in other cases allowance has to
be made before welding commences for the distortion that will subsequently
occur. The study of distortion is so complex that only a brief outline can be
attempted here.
THE CAUSE OF DISTORTION:
1. Contraction of the weld metal from the molten state to atmospheric temperature.
2. Different rates of expansion and contraction between the metal adjacent to
and at a distance from the weld.
1. Contraction of Weld Metal:
Molten steel shrinks approximately 11% in volume on cooling to room
temperature. This means that a cube of molten metal would contract
approximately 2.2 % in each of its three dimensions. In a welded joint, the
metal becomes attached to the side of the joint and cannot contract freely.
Therefore, cooling causes the weld metal to flow plastically, that is, the weld
metal itself has to stretch if it is to overcome the effect of shrinking volume and
still be attached to the edge of the joint. If the restraint is very great, as, for
example, in a heavy section of plate, the weld metal may crack. Even in cases
where the weld metal does not crack, there will still remain stresses "locked
up" in the structure. If the joint material is relatively weak, for example, a butt
joint in 2.0 mm sheet, the contracting weld metal may cause the sheet to become
distorted.
2. Expansion and Contraction of Parent Metal in the Fusion Zone:
While welding is proceeding, a relatively small volume of the adjacent plate
material is heated to a very high temperature and attempts to expand in all
directions. It is able to do this freely at right angles to the surface of the plate
(ie "through the weld"), but when it attempts to expand "across the weld" or
"along the weld", it meets considerable resistance, and to fulfill the desire for
continued expansion, it has to deform plastically, that is, the metal adjacent to
the weld is at a high temperature and hence rather soft, and, by expanding,
pushes against the cooler, harder metal farther away, and tends to bulge (or is
"upset"). When the weld area begins to cool, the "upset" metal attempts to
contract as much as it expanded, but, because it has been "upset", it does not
resume its former shape, and the contraction of the new shape exerts a strong
pull on adjacent metal. Several things can then happen. The metal in the weld
area is stretched (plastic deformation), the job may be pulled out of shape by
the powerful contraction stresses (distortion), or the weld may crack. In any
case, there will remain "locked-up" stresses in the job. Figures 61 and 62
illustrate how distortion is created.

OVERCOMING DISTORTION EFFECTS:

There are several methods of minimising distortion effects.
1. Peening:
This is done by hammering the weld while it is still hot. The weld metal is
flattened slightly and because of this the tensile stresses are reduced a little.
The effect of peening is relatively shallow, and is not advisable on the last layer.
2. Distribution of Stress:
Distortion may be reduced by selecting a welding sequence which will distribute
the stresses suitably so that they tend to cancel each other out. See Figures 12
to 16 for various weld sequences. Choice of a suitable weld sequence is probably
the most effective method of overcoming distortion, although an unsuitable
sequence may exaggerate it. Simultaneous welding of both sides of a joint by
two welders is often successful in eliminating distortion.
3. Restraint of Parts:
Forcible restraint of the components being welded is often used to prevent
distortion. Jigs, positions, and tack welds are methods employed with this in
view.
4. Preheating:
Suitable preheating of parts of the structure other than the area to be welded
can sometimes be used to reduce distortion. Figure 65 shows a simple application.
By removing the heating source from a and c as soon as welding is completed,
the sections, a, b and c will contract at a similar rate, thus reducing distortion.
5. Presetting:
It is possible in some cases to tell from past experience or to find by trial and
error (or less frequently, to calculate) how much distortion will take place in a
given welded structure. By correct pre-setting of the components to be welded,
contractional stresses can be made to pull the parts into correct alignment. A
simple example is shown in Figures 63 and 64.

16
METALLURGICAL FACTS
ABOUT IRON AND STEEL
PROBABLY 90% or more of all arc welding is done on some
alloy of iron. Commercially pure iron is a silver grey, very ductile
metal of low tensile strength —too weak for most engineering
applications.
To give it the necessary hardness and strength other elements,
principally carbon, must be added. When the carbon content
ranges from 0.10 to 1.5% the material is known as steel — from
2.50 to 4.0%, it is cast iron.
In addition to carbon, other alloys are also used to promote
strength, ductility and resistance to corrosion, abrasion, and
impact; such elements as nickel, chromium, molybdenum, and
copper in general increase hardness and enhance the physical
properties. They are used extensively in the popular constructional
steels. Other elements, such as tungsten and cobalt, are important
in the production of high-speed tool steels, not only to increase
hardness, but to retain the cutting edge at relatively high
temperatures.
Elements such as aluminium, titanium, zirconium, vanadium and
boron are especially useful in the removal of certain impurities
in steel, thus improving its grain structure and response to
hardening when heat-treated.
As phosphorus and sulphur are generally considered detrimental
except in steels where free cutting is a prime requisite, these
elements are usually not permitted to exceed 0.05%. In excess
of this amount sulphur causes porosity and brittleness in welding.
Therefore, it is necessary to exercise care when welding free
cutting steels, which have a sulphur content of from 0.09 to
0.20%. Cold finished steels of this type are the cause of much
unsatisfactory welding and unfortunately, no simple means, such
MILD STEEL THIS IS essentially iron with up to 0.30% carbon alloyed with it, and containing usually between
0.4 and 1% manganese, a little silicon, and small amounts of sulphur and phosphorus as impurities.
WELDING TROUBLES
HOT CRACKING
Cause
Sulphur, introduced from the steel or surface impurities, causes
the weld metal to crack, especially when under restraint.
Rigidity of joint which causes the weld metal to hot-tear before
completely solidified.
Insufficient throat thickness.
Current. Too high a welding current will produce a concave
weld, and, by over-heating the metal, induce large crystals to
form, which are likely to hot-tear.
Wide gap to be bridged, making throat thickness narrow.
POROSITY
Cause
High sulphur in the steel will cause porosity due to gas being
evolved.
Damp electrodes will cause porosity at the beginning of a run.
Overdried electrodes. Most electrodes, except the low hydrogen
types, require some moisture for best running characteristics.
Over-drying will cause porosity towards the end of run.
Excessive current, which overheats the electrode, sometimes
causes porosity.
Surface impurities such as oil, grease, paint, etc, will sometimes
cause porosity
as the spark test, will disclose the amount of sulphur. The use
of either Weldwell 45S or low hydrogen electrodes is
recommended to overcome this problem.
In making alloy steels, the physical properties depend not only
on the elements added, but upon the heat treatment as well. The
degree and duration of heat and the rate of cooling have a profound
effect upon the hardness and grain structure. Steels which possess
marked hardening ability, such as those with over 0.30% carbon,
and varying amounts of other elements, harden in proportion to
their rate of cooling. Therefore, in welding, the rapid cooling
induced by the cold surrounding area causes such steels to become
so hard that they are difficult or impossible to machine. Rapid
cooling also sets up stresses which unless relieved by later heat
treatment, may produce cracks and subsequent failure. To prevent
such conditions, the work or parent metal should be preheated
and welded while hot, the exact temperature depending upon the
type of material and its response to hardening. This permits the
weld and adjoining metal to cool more slowly and more evenly,
reducing hardness and producing a more uniform grain structure
throughout. More is said of this subject under "High Tensile
Steels".
It should be remembered that the above conditions apply only
to steels having more than 0.30% carbon or when other alloys
are present. By far the most welded fabrications today are of
structural steel — angles, beams, channels, plates, etc — all of
which have low carbon and low hardening ability. When alloys
are present in such stock the amount is so small as to be negligible
as a hardening factor, therefore the precaution of preheating is
unnecessary except on heavy sections where the chilling effect
would be severe.
Remedy
Use either Weldwell PH 56S, 77 or 16TC electrodes on high
sulphur steels. Clean surface if dirty.
Re-design to relieve weld joint of severe stresses or use crack-
resistant Weldwell PH 56S, PH 77, PH 27 or 16TC.
Travel slightly slower to allow greater build-up in throat.
Use lower current
Closer set-up tolerance, or deposit run of weld each side of gap
to close distance
Remedy
Use Weldwell PH 56S, PH 77 or 16TC on high sulphur steels.
Dry electrodes before use.
For further details concerning drying of electrodes, check
recommendation on electrode data or consult manufacturer.
Use lower amperage.
Clean joint before welding.
17
HIGH TENSILE AND ALLOY STEELS
THESE ARE produced to increase strength without increasing
weight, and this is attained by adding alloys, such as manganese,
chromium, nickel and molybdenum, or by increasing the
carbon content beyond that of mild steel. The result of this is
usually to make the steel more difficult to weld satisfactorily.
EFFECTS OF WELDING:
The two most prominent effects of welding these steels are
the formation of a hardened zone in the weld area, and, if
suitable precautions are not taken, the occurrence in this zone
of underbead cracks.
1. The Hardened Zone:
Let us picture what happens when welding is carried out on
a sample of hardenable steel.
At the point where the arc is playing, the parent metal is heated
to its melting point. Immediately below the molten pool the
metal is white hot, with decreasing temperatures further away.
When the arc moves on, the cooler metal below the weld bead
has a quenching effect on the very hot metal, with the formation
of a hard zone.
The hardness of this zone depends on a number of factors,
among them being:
(a) Composition of the base metal.
(b) Temperature of base metal.
(c) Mass of base metal adjacent to the weld.
(d) Heat input (amperage, amount of build-up per electrode.)
(b), (c) and (d) will affect rate of cooling and consequent
hardness.
The effect of this hardened zone is to reduce the ductility of
the parent metal in the weld area, and this, in some applications,
may lead to failure of the joint.
2. Underbead Cracking:
The tendency for underbead cracking to occur is due largely
to the presence of hydrogen in the weld metal.
When steel is heated to approximately 720oC, the crystal
structure changes to a form known as austenite, and in this
state it is able to "absorb" appreciable quantities of hydrogen,
such as may be introduced from the arc atmosphere.
When the steel cools again after welding, the crystal structure
transforms from austenite to another form, eg pearlite, bainite
or martensite. In this state, the steel cannot retain the hydrogen,
which diffuses into microscopic cavities in the heat-affected
area, where it remains and builds up tremendous pressure. If
sufficient hydrogen is present and the heat-affected zone hard
enough, this pressure will cause underbead cracking.
If the hardness of the heat-affected zone exceeds 36 Rockwell
C there is a danger that underbead cracks will form when
ordinary mild steel electrodes are used.
It is not necessary for the weld to be under restraint for these
cracks to form. Even unrestricted welds, if sufficient hardness
develops, will produce underbead cracks.
STAINLESS STEELS
THESE ARE more accurately called corrosion and heat-
resistant steels. They are iron alloys which owe their resistance
to corrosion and high temperatures to the presence of chromium
alone, or chromium and nickel. Small amounts of other alloys,
eg titanium, tungsten, molybdenum, niobium (columbium),
are sometimes added.
The effect of chromium is to form a tough, impermeable film
of oxide on the steel, which resists further attack by corrodents.
If this film becomes damaged it immediately re-forms, and
continues its protective action. The presence of nickel, in
sufficient quantity, increases this corrosion resistance and also
increases the strength of the steel at high temperatures.
18
Hard zone cracks are generally not visible on the surface which
makes it essential to use a proper technique to ensure
their absence.
HOW TO WELD HARDENABLE STEELS:
Reduce hard zone by:
1. Preheating. This slows down the rate of cooling after
welding, and reduces the quenching effect on hot metal.
The preheat necessary increases with increasing carbon
and alloys, and a heavy mass of metal requires a higher
preheat than a thin section.
2. Using higher amperage, which produces more heat and
slows down rate of cooling.
3. Larger electrode sizes, since they require higher amper
ages, will also introduce more heat into weld.
4. Larger deposits. Short, heavy runs deposited from each
electrode raise the area of welding to a higher temperature
and slow down cooling.
5. Post-weld treatment, consists of tempering or softening
in a furnace, with torches, or by induction heating, is
sometimes used to reduce the hardness of the heat-affected
zone.
Avoid underbead cracking by:
1. Using correct electrodes. The low-hydrogen types, PH
56S, PH 77, 16TC, etc, or austenite types, Elite RSP, Hi
Ten 8, etc, should be used.
The PH 56S and PH 77 etc coatings have a very low
hydrogen content, and are used for welding high tensile
steels, with freedom from underbead cracking. The weld
metal has high ductility, and excellent impact strength
even at very low temperatures.
Weldwell Elite RSP or Hi Ten 8 deposit austenitic weld
metal which retains hydrogen and prevents it from diffusing
into the hard zone. They may be used for welding very
hardenable steels with a minimum of preheating. They
are also resistant to hot-cracking — a common fault with
some austenitic type electrodes.
2. Using preheat, higher amperage, heavy runs, etc. The
same precautions used for reducing the hardness of the
heat-affected zone also assist in preventing underbead
cracks, firstly, because a zone of lower hardness is less
likely to crack, and secondly, because slower cooling
allows more hydrogen to escape from the weld to the
atmosphere.
TYPES:
There is a large range of alloys in the stainless steel series.
1. Plain Chromium Steels:
(a) Martensitic Stainless Steels — 12-16% Cr:
Used for cutlery, spindles and shafts, and applications where
good resistance to corrosion and scaling at high temperatures
is desired. Can be hardened by heat-treatment.
(b) Ferritic Stainless Steels — 16-30% Cr:
Used where very high temperature scaling resistance is needed.
Also have very good corrosion resistance. Common
applications are in furnace parts, oil burners, carburising pots,
acid containers, etc.
 They are not hardened by heat-treatment, and are subject to
gain growth at elevated temperatures, which makes them brittle
when cool, although they may still be tough at red heat.
2. Austenitic Nickel-Chromium Steels:
The most common of this series is the well-known 18/8 Cr-Ni
stainless steel. Other compositions contain 25/20 Cr-Ni, 18/12
Cr-Ni, etc. The addition of 2-3% molybdenum increases
resistance to corrosion by sulphuric acid.
The outstanding properties of these steels are their corrosion
and heat-resistance. It is not possible to harden them by heat-
treatment, but they work-harden rapidly. They are non-magnetic
or only feebly magnetic.
HOW TO WELD STAINLESS STEELS:
1. Straight Chromium Steels:
(a) Martensitic Types (12-16% Cr):
These steels will harden when welded, and may be too brittle
for the service desired. Therefore, a preheat of 400oC, followed
by slow cooling after welding, is desirable to keep down the
hardness of the heat-affected zone. If possible, tempering at
650-700oC after welding should be carried out on the job to
restore toughness.
Electrodes:
When welding stainless steels, keep a short arc to avoid loss
of chromium and other alloys.
(b) Ferritic Types (16-30% Cr):
These are hot hardened very much by welding, but they suffer
from excessive grain growth if raised to high temperatures, and
this makes them brittle when they cool again. The amount of
grain growth will depend on the time for which the steel is at
the high temperature.
For the strongest weld joint, use a preheat of 150-200oC. If
multi-runs are necessary, the interpass temperatures should not
exceed 200oC.
Post-weld treatment, consisting of tempering at 700-800oC,
helps to restore ductility to the heat-affected zone of the weld.
2. Austenitic Stainless Steels:
These are very similar to mild steel to weld. There are a few
points of difference.
(a) Distortion:
Coefficient of expansion is 50% higher than mild steel, and the
tendency to distort is consequently much greater.
Remedies:
Use frequent tack welds. Use balanced and distributed welds
to prevent stress from building up, and to spread the heat evenly
through the work.
Use jigs if possible, to hold the job firm during welding, and
also to extract heat from the weld area.
Reduce heat input by employing the smallest bead size
convenient, and a moderate amperage.
A small bead on each side of a plate gives less distortion than
a heavy bead on one side.
(b) Cracking
Certain types of austenitic welds are susceptible to cracking.
MANGANESE STEEL
AUSTENITIC manganese steel, containing 11-14% manganese
is used extensively where severe impact, combined with
abrasion is met.
This steel work-hardens rapidly when subject to impact, and
is very suitable for applications such as crusher jaws, digger
teeth, dredge bucket lips, railcrossings, etc.
Manganese steel is non-magnetic, or feebly magnetic when
cold-worked.
They are used for a great variety of purposes, eg, in chemical
and food plants, gas turbines, furnaces and other high temperature
applications.
Because of their good corrosion resistance, and, in the case of
austenitic steels, work-hardening ability, these types of steels
are often used for hardfacing and building-up wearing parts by
the arc welding process.
It is common practice to use low-cost steels for certain
applications, and cover areas subject to corrosion and wear with
the appropriate stainless steel weld metal. In this way
considerable savings may be effected.
Possible Cause Remedy
Restraint Design to eliminate restraint at joint
or build up larger bead.
Type of joint Design to eliminate fillet welds, which
are more prone to crack than butt
welds.
Inadequate penetration Pay attention to welding technique.
Design joint to give easy access during
welding.
Excessive currents Use lower amperage.
Large root gap Use small root gap and slower welding
speed to give adequate build-up.
Bead shape Concave beads are more likely to
crack. Hold electrode at smaller angle
to give more convex build-up.
Fast welding speed Use slower welding speed to give
correct build-up over gap.
Weld metal Electrodes which deposit wholly
composition austenitic weld metal are particularly
susceptible to hot-cracking. Weld
metal containing a small amount of
ferrite is not so likely to crack. For
advice on this point, consult the local
Weldwell representative or agent.
(c) Weld Decay:
If the plain Cr-Ni austenitic stainless steels are heated to 500-
900oC and allowed to cool slowly, they become more easily
corrodible. Such a condition exists in the heat-affected zone of a
weld on this material, and a band is formed parallel to the weld
where corrosion resistance is greatly lowered. This is believed to
be due to the removal of chromium, as such from the grain by
carbon, and its precipitation as chromium carbide, leaving a
chromium-depleted alloy in the area adjacent to the grain
boundaries, which is of much lower corrosion resistance. When
the steel is immersed in a corroding medium, these low-alloy areas
are eaten out, and the grains of metal simply fall apart.
Titanium or niobium additions are frequently made to stainless
steels and act as "stabilizers". These have a greater "hunger"
for carbon than has chromium, and hence the areas adjacent to
the grain boundaries are not depleted of chromium. Very low
carbon stainless steels are also used to avoid weld decay.
If it is necessary to weld unstabilized material, and afterwards
to restore corrosion resistance, it may be heated after welding
to 1100oC and quenched. This technique is, of course, limited
by the size of the job and its tendency to distort.
Unstabilised weld deposits may also exhibit weld decay, for
example, where one weld crosses another. For this reason,
some stainless steel electrodes are also stabilized. Niobium or
columbium additions are always used in this case, titanium
being unsuitable as this metal is oxidised in the electric arc,
and goes into the slag
WELDING OF MANGANESE STEEL
The effect on manganese steel of slow cooling from high
temperatures is to embrittle it. For this reason it is absolutely
essential to keep manganese steel cool during welding. This may
be done by skip welding to distribute the heat, or by quenching
after each run. Slow cooling from temperatures of over 300oC
will embrittle the steel, and a good rule to apply is that the steel
should be cool enough to touch with the bare hand before
depositing another run.
Toughness may be restored to manganese steel by heating to
1060oC and quenching.
19
ELECTRODES FOR MANGANESE STEELS:
For joining and building up manganese steel, use Weldwell
RSP, which deposits 18/8Mo stainless steel weld metal. The
RSP deposit acts as a buffer between the manganese steel and
the final deposited weld metal, which can be PH Mn or any of
the hardfacing alloy types.
CAST IRONS
These may be conveniently divided into the following groups:
(a) Grey iron, which contains between 2.5 and 4% carbon,
mainly in the form of flake graphite, and high silicon.
This iron is relatively soft. Made by slow cooling of the
casting.
(b) White iron, of similar composition to grey iron, but having
most of the carbon present in the form of intensely hard
and brittle cementite, or iron carbide. The silicon content
is lower. Made by rapidly cooling the casting with "Chills".
(c) Malleable irons, white heart and black heart. These are
white cast irons which have been heat-treated to render
them more ductile than grey irons.
(d) Alloy cast irons. These are made for wear, corrosion and
heat-resistance, and for extra strength. Examples are "Ni-
Resist" (corrosion resistance), "Nicrosilal" (heat resistance),
and "Meehanite" (high tensile). Some of these cast irons
contain sufficient alloys to make them austenitic.
(e) Spheroidal graphite cast iron (SG iron, ductile cast iron,
nodular cast iron). This is a recent development in the
search for high strength cast iron. By the addition of a
small amount of magnesium (generally as nickel-magnesium
alloy) during tapping into the ladle the graphite is made to
form in minute spheres instead of the usual flake form
when the casting cools. The result is a cast iron which, in
the annealed state, has mechanical properties similar to
those of mild steel.
WELDING OF CAST IRONS:
All of the cast irons, except white iron, are weldable. White
iron, because of its extreme brittleness, generally cracks when
attempts are made to weld it. Trouble may also be experienced
when welding white-heart malleable, due to porosity caused
by gas held in this type of iron. It is safer to braze weld using
oxy-acetylene and Lo-fuming bronze.
PRECAUTIONS WHEN WELDING CAST IRONS:
The factors to consider when welding cast irons are similar,
whatever the types. They are:
1. Low ductility, with a danger of cracking due to stresses
set up by welding. (This is not so important when welding
SG iron due to its good ductility.)
2. Formation of a hard, brittle zone in the weld area. This is
caused by rapid cooling of molten metal to form a white
cast iron structure in the weld area, and makes the weld
unsuitable for service where fairly high stresses are met.
3. Formation of a hard brittle weld bead, due to pick-up of
carbon from the base metal. This does not occur with weld
metals which do not form hard carbides, such as "Monel"
and high nickel alloys. These are used where machinable
welds are desired.
PREHEATING:Although a large amount of satisfactory welding
is done without preheating, cracking due to the rigidity or lack
of ductility of castings, especially complicated shapes, may
be minimised by suitable preheating.
1. Local Preheating:
Parts not held in restraint may be preheated to about 500oC in
the area of the weld, with slow cooling after welding is
completed.
2. Indirect Preheating:
By this is meant that in addition to the local 500oC preheat, a pre-
heat of about 200oC is given to other critical parts so that they will
contract with the weld and minimise contraction stresses. Such
a technique is suitable for open frames, spokes, etc. (See Fig. 73.)
20
Weldwell PH Mn is designed to produce a 13% manganese-
containing weld metal which is very tough and dense, with a
high yield and tensile strength. It work hardens and withstands
heavy impact loads. Mild steel electrodes should not be used,
because dilution with base metal produces a very brittle weld.
3. Complete Preheating:
For intricate castings, especially those having varying section
thicknesses such as cylinder blocks, it is advisable to completely
preheat to 500oC followed by slow cooling after welding. A
simple preheating furnace may be made of bricks, into which
gas jets project, or filled with charcoal which burns slowly
and preheats the job evenly. In these cases gas welding is
often preferred to the use of arc electrodes.
PRINCIPLE OF INDIRECT PREHEATING
POST-HEATING:
After any welding on cast iron the slowest cooling possible
should be allowed, the part either remaining in the preheating
furnace or cooling under a blanket of insulating powder or
sand. It is sometimes the practice to post-heat welded joints
to relieve stresses and so soften hard areas. This is done with
torches or in the furnace.
PEENING:
Satisfactory welds may be made on cast iron without preheating
by using electrodes depositing soft metal and peening the weld
with a blunt tool (such as a ballhammer) immediately the weld
is deposited. This spreads the weld metal and counteracts the
effect of contraction. Deposit short weld runs (about 50mm
at a time) and then peen before too much cooling takes place.
Supercast Ni or Supercast NiFe are soft and allow peening.
WELDING PROCEDURE:
Clean the area to be welded of all grease, sand, etc before
welding commences. Oil-impregnated castings should be
heated to burn out all oil, otherwise porosity and poor weld
bonds will result. "Gassy" castings will also produce porosity
in the weld metal. This may be overcome by heating the weld
area to a dull red for a short time before welding or by buttering
the faces of the contaminated casting with Austarc 16TC.
Preheat, if necessary, to the desired temperature. If preheating
is employed, use the largest electrode suitable for the job and
build up the deposits to the maximum cross-sectional size.
The weld is then more able to withstand stresses set up on
cooling. When the casting is not preheated, use small gauge
electrodes and scatter the runs to disperse the heat and cooling
stresses.
To repair cracked castings, drill a hole at the end of the crack
to prevent it spreading further, and grind out to the bottom.
Begin welding at the drilled end of the crack, where restraint
is greatest, and move towards the free end.
Castings which have to transmit fairly heavy working loads
often have the weld joint assisted by mechanical means such
as bolted straps, or hoops which are shrunk on. Broken teeth
of large cast iron gears are sometimes repaired by studding.
Holes are drilled and tapped in the face of the fracture, and
mild steel studs screwed in. These are then covered with weld
metal and built up to the required dimensions. They are
afterwards machined or ground to shape.
NON-FERROUS METALS
(a) ALUMINIUM:
ALUMINIUM AND its alloys, because of their lightness,
corrosion resistance and strength, are finding increasing use
in chemical plant and structural work.
They are made in wrought and cast forms. The alloys may be
(a) heat-treatable (containing small amounts of silicon, copper,
magnesium, chromium and zinc) and obtain their strength by
quenching and age-hardening, or (b) non-heat-treatable
(containing mainly manganese and magnesium) and depend
on cold-working for extra strength.
Welding of Aluminium:
Aluminium is very different to steel in its properties and
weldability because ...
it has a melting point of 660oC (800oC lower than steel),
but requires as much heat per pound to melt it;
it has a thermal conductivity five times that of steel, hence
heat loss is rapid, making a preheat necessary;
it expands twice as much as steel for a given temperature
increase, with greater danger of distortion;
it forms a tough, adherent oxide film on its surface which
prevents globules of molten weld from "wetting" the
plate;
it absorbs hydrogen readily when molten, but rejects it
on solidification, creating a danger of porosity.
Hints for the Welder:
1. When welding all but very thin sections, use a preheat to
ensure proper fusion of weld with the base metal, and use
copper backing if necessary.
2. Allow for high rate of expansion when setting up jobs. If
possible, use jigs to prevent distortion and employ frequent
tack welds.
3. Design joints so that the weld has the least possible restraint
placed on it to avoid hot-cracking.
Butt welds are generally stronger than fillet welds, because of
more uniform stress distribution. They are also better than
fillet welds in chemical plants because they are easier to clean
and less likely to trap corrosive slag.
4. Keep all aluminium type electrodes in a warm, dry place,
and dry at 150oC for half an hour before use.
HARDFACING
THE PROCESS of covering wearing areas with wear-resistant
metal by welding is known as hardfacing.
It has a wide application in all fields of industry, and its
intelligent use results in longer, more efficient machine life,
less down time and less maintenance costs.
It is becoming common practice to make wearing parts of
cheaper steels and to hardface the wearing areas, thus conserving
expensive alloy steels, and still obtaining results that are as
good or better than these steels give. Stainless steel overlays
on mild steel for corrosion resistance are often employed.
TYPES OF WEAR:
There are two main types of wear.
1. Shock or impact:
The material to resist this kind of wear must be hard enough
to resist serious deformation, and yet not so hard as to be brittle
and crack under the effect of impact. Electrodes depositing
such metal are:
(a) Weldwell RSP produces an austenitic weld metal which
work-hardens under impact. This metal is very ductile
and does not easily crack.
21
5. Clean the surface of the joints with a wire brush just
before welding.
6. After welding, the joints must be thoroughly cleaned with
a brush and hot water to remove slag.
(b) COPPER:
Copper, and its alloys, the bronzes and brasses, are in most
cases, weldable with the arc.
1. Copper:
May be "deoxidized" or "tough pitch" copper.
"Deoxidized" copper is welding quality. "Tough pitch" copper
is not welded satisfactorily with the arc, due to gross porosity
forming in the weld junction.
2. Bronzes:
Plain bronzes are alloys of copper and tin. Aluminium bronzes
contain up to 11% aluminium, which gives high tensile strengths
and excellent corrosion resistance.
3. Brasses:
Alloys of copper and zinc, with other alloys added in special
cases.
Welding of Copper and Alloys:
The most important factor is the high rate of conductivity of
copper, making a preheat of heavy sections necessary to give
proper fusion of weld and parent metal.
It also has a high coefficient of expansion — about 35% greater
than mild steel — for which allowance must be made in setting
up.
Hints for the Welder:
1. Preheat to give good fusion.
2. Insulate to prevent loss of heat.
3. When building up parts such as bronze bearings, cleanse
first with petrol to remove oil, dry, and heat to drive
oil from cracks.
Electrodes recommended by Weldwell:
For copper: Bronze Arc.
For bronzes: Bronze Arc.
For brasses: Bronze Arc.
For aluminium: Ally-Arc
(b) Weldwell PH 250 and PH 400, the deposits of which
do not work-harden appreciably, but which are fairly
hard and sufficiently ductile to resist cracking. They
will not, however, withstand severe impact, since they
tend to deform under the blows. PH 400 is better able
to resist this than PH 250.
The best solution to the problem of resisting very severe
impact may be to employ a buffer layer of Elite RSP,
followed by a layer of PH 700 or PH 600.
PH 700 alone, although depositing a very hard alloy,
is suitable for moderate impact conditions.
For high impact loads use PH Mn.
2. Abrasion:
This is caused by a grinding action of particles against the
wearing surfaces, or by rubbing together of surfaces. To resist
this type of wear, a relatively hard material is needed, and it
often happens that this material is also somewhat brittle and
unable to withstand severe impact without cracking. The PH
700 or Abrasocord 43 and Vidalloy 11 electrodes give hard
deposits suitable for withstanding abrasion under various
conditions.
It is very seldom that either of these two types of wear is found
alone; generally both are present in greater or lesser degree,
and it is a question then of selecting an electrode that will most
satisfactorily cope with both conditions.
The PH 700 electrode has been designed to withstand the
combined effects of impact and abrasion.
Added to these types of wear it sometimes happens that the
part in question is also operating under corrosive conditions,
and a hardfacing alloy that is able to resist this must be used.
The foregoing brief account gives some idea of the range of
conditions likely to be met. For specific applications, the
Weldwell Technical staff is always willing to offer advice.
PRE-HEATING:
There are four main reasons for preheating parts to be hardfaced:
CUTTING WITH THE ELECTRIC ARC
IN ADDITION to welding, the arc can be used for certain
other operations such as cutting, piercing, chamfering and
gouging of metals. There are two variations of the process —
1. the use of conventional welding electrodes at high currents,
and — 2. the oxy-arc process.
1. Cutting with electrodes:
Whereas the gas cutting of steel is a burning action, the metal
being oxidised by the oxygen stream and blown away as a
molten stream, the arc cutting action depends entirely on the
heat of the electric arc to melt the metal, and the force of arc
to remove it from the face of the cut. For this reason the arc
cutting process can be used on metals such as cast iron, stainless
steel and non-ferrous metals, which are not readily oxidizable
or which cannot be otherwise cut with the gas process unless
the power cutting or plasma arc process is available.
Higher currents are used than are needed for ordinary welding
purposes. The actual current value will depend on the thickness
of metal to be cut. With the electrode held vertical the arc is
struck on the edge of the plate and played up and down the
face of the cut with a see-saw motion. A long arc is held,
which is made possible by the high current, and this causes
molten metal to run down the cut. If properly used, no metal
will be deposited from the electrode.
22
1. To prevent underbead cracking of steels having sufficient
carbon or alloys to make them very hardenable.
2. To prevent cracking of rigid, brittle components due to
contraction of the weld metal.
3. To prevent cracking of large areas of the very hard types
of hardfacing.
4. To minimise distortion of the part being welded.
The first point is the most important to watch, since a large
amount of hardfacing is done on medium-to-high carbon and
alloys steels, and if underbead cracks form the weld deposit
may spall off in service.
The importance of the other points mentioned depends on the
particular application in hand.
To cut a section (eg a circle) from a plate a hole is first pierced
in it by concentrating the arc at one spot and pushing the
electrode into the molten pool until it melts through to the
other side. The hole can then be enlarged or extended into a
cut as required.
Back-gouging and grooving of weld joints can also be done
with electrodes. As for cutting, a high current is needed. The
electrode is inclined at about 5o to the plate surface and pointed
in the direction in which the grooving is to be done. The molten
metal is pushed ahead of the electrode tip, and periodically
the electrode is run back along the groove to clean out slag.
It is an advantage also if the job can be positioned so that the
slope allows molten material to run ahead clear of the groove.
Austarc C&G electrodes are particularly suitable for grooving
and clean, neat grooves can be made.
Piecing is best done, where possible, from beneath the job,
the molten metal then falling clear of the hole.
Chamfering is performed in a similar manner to cutting.
Arc cutting is not as neat as gas cutting; it is intended for use
where gas equipment is not available or where materials have
to be cut for which the gas cutting process is not effective.
 Section Two
TECHNIQUES FOR SELECTED APPLICATIONS
GROUSER
PLATES New or Slightly Worn Grousers:
Cover the working edge with one run of RSP or PH 77 to act as a buffer.
PH 600 PH 77 Hardface with one run of PH 600. DO NOT apply hardfacing direct to
grouser. Use step back sequence at 15 cm runs to reduce distortion.
PH 77 or RSP
Badly Worn Grousers:
Flame cut the tip to a straight edge and weld on build up strip of mild steel
or special carbon steel with PH 56S, PH 77 or 16TC, again using step back
sequence. Allow sufficient gap for complete penetration.
Mild steel may be hardfaced with PH 600 direct. Special steel strip requires
buffer of RSP or PH 77 before hardfacing.

TRACK LINKS Track Links:

Because of high carbon content of steel, it is desirable to use buffer of PH
56S or RSP for first layer. If RSP is used no other hardfacing is necessary,
PH 56S Buffer
Build up since this deposit work-hardens to over 400 VPN.
with PH 400 is used to build up over PH 56S or 16TC.
PH 400 If it is convenient, a preheat of 150oC may be used and PH 400 applied
direct to link. In any case, it is an advantage to warm the side of the link
opposite the one being welded to counteract the effect of contraction.
A jig made up of copper bar, is of great assistance in securing desired shape
of weld deposit.

IDLER WHEEL
Idler Wheel:
PH 56S Buffer Mount the wheel on a shaft for easy manipulation. Weld diametrically
followed by
PH 250 or PH 400 opposed segments to reduce distortion. Use PH 56S for first layer and
hardface with PH 250 or PH 400.

DRIVE SPROCKET
TEETH Drive Sprocket Teeth:
Cut a steel template, patterned from a new wheel, covering three or four
teeth. The weld deposit can then be checked to see when there is sufficient
build-up.
PH 56S Buffer
followed by PH 56S is used for the first layer to ensure freedom from cracking, and the
PH 400 remaining build-up is done with PH 400.

TRACK ROLLERS Track Rollers:

Generally made of cast steel and flame or induction hardened on the wearing
PH 56S Buffer surface.
followed by Method: Mount on shaft for easy turning. Use PH 56S for first run, and
PH 400 PH 400 for build-up.
Top rollers are sometimes made of cast iron with white iron wearing surfaces,
and are often considered not worthwhile reclaiming. If it is desired to build-
up these rollers, use two layers of PH 56S followed by PH 400. Preheat to
500oC before welding commences.
DOZER BLADE TIPS AND Dozer Blade Tips and Wearing Strips:
WEARING STRIPS These are made of high carbon steel and it is essential to use a buffer layer.

Method: Preheat the blades to 150oC before welding. For blades working
under heavy impact as well as abrasion, use RSP buffer on all surfaces to
Vidalloy 11 be hardfaced, followed by a layer of PH 600 or PH 700.
For abrasive wear only, in sand or clay pits, PH 56S is suitable.
RSP Buffer followed A layer of Vidalloy 11 on the corner of the tip greatly helps in preventing
by PH 700 or PH 600
this from becoming rounded.

EXCAVATOR
BUCKETS Excavator Buckets:
PH 600, Deposit runs of PH 600 or PH 700 at distances of 25-50 mm apart on all
PH 700 or wearing faces. Cover all rivet heads with hardfacing otherwise they wear
Vidalloy 30
away very rapidly.

23
 SCARIFIER AND DITCHER TEETH
Scarifier and Ditcher Teeth: Vidalloy 11
Worn Manganese Steel Teeth: Build up with RSP and hardface RSP Buffer,
with PH 600 or PH 700. Do not allow to overheat. PH 600 or PH 700
New Manganese Steel Teeth: One layer of PH 600 or PH 700. Vidalloy 11
High Carbon Steel Teeth: PH 56S or RSP for buffer layers or
build-up. PH 600 or PH 700 for facing layer. Vidalloy 11 prolongs
tooth life.
FIG. 82

Ploughshares: PLOUGHSHARES
It is always best to hardface ploughshares before use or when CAST STEEL
only a little wear has taken place.
(a) Cast Iron Ploughshares: Use PH 700 in short runs. or PH 700
or PH 600
(b) Cast Steel Ploughshares: Use PH 600 or PH 700.
Only one face of the share requires hardfacing in order to create CAST IRON
a self-sharpening edge.
PH 700
FIG. 83

RIPPER TEETH
Ripper Teeth:
Generally made of manganese steel. Use PH 600 or if build-up
needed, use RSP with final layer of PH 700. Do not allow PH 600 or
manganese steel to overheat. PH 700
Vidalloy 11 on the point will give extended life.
If teeth are made of high carbon steel apply RSP buffer before Vidalloy 11
hardfacing.
FIG. 84

PUMP IMPELLORS
Pump Impellers:
Hardface with PH 600 or Abrasocord 43 as shown. Use small
electrodes to keep heat input down. The pump casing may also
be hardfaced with PH 600 or Abrasocord 43 if not made of cast
iron. If casings are cast iron, use Supercast Ni or Supercast NiFe
for build-up. 16TC can be used as a buttering run if the casing
FIG. 85
is contaminated.

EXCAVATOR TEETH
Excavator and Bucket Teeth:
If these are made of manganese steel, use PH 600 or PH 700. a
Manganese steel must not overheat or it becomes brittle; therefore,
scatter the welds or quench to keep cool. If build-up needed, use
RSP before hardfacing.
For teeth made of high carbon steel, use RSP buffer, followed by RSP, PH 600
PH 600 or PH 700. Provide a self-sharpening edge by covering Vidalloy 11 or PH 700
the upper surface with hardfacing and depositing stringer beads
on the underside. The softer base metal wears more rapidly than b
Underside of tooth
the hardfacing, thus maintaining a sharp edge, but stringer beads
prevent excessive wear. (See Fig. 86b.) PH 600 or
If teeth are badly worn, new steel tips are welded on with RSP PH 700
and hardfaced, as shown in Fig. 86c.
c
PH 600 or
PH 700
RSP
FIG. 86

EXCAVATOR DOOR
Excavator Doors:
Deposit runs of PH 600 at 25 mm intervals as shown in the sketch.
PH 600

FIG. 87

24
DREDGE BUCKET LIPS
Dredge Bucket Lips:
PH 600 or Hardface lips with PH 600 or PH 700.
PH 700

FIG. 88

CHAINS

Chains (Dragline, etc):

Hardface wearing areas with PH 400.
PH400
FIG. 89

POST HOLE AUGER Post Hole Auger:

The cutting edge gives best service if hardfaced with Vidalloy 11.
Only the upper cutting surface and corners need to be hardfaced,
thus providing a self-sharpening edge.
Vidalloy 11 The edge of the spiral may be hardfaced with Abrasocord 43 or PH
FIG. 90 Abrasocord 43 600 as shown in Fig. 90.
or PH 600

DRILL BITS RSP Buffer

PH 600 or PH 700 Drill Bits:
Preheat to 200oC and apply RSP buffer. Hardface with PH 600.
Alternatively use PH 700 alone. Build the corners out so that the
FIG. 92 drill will not stick in hole.

OIL DRILL BITS

(FISH TAILS)
Oil Drills (Fish Tails):
Clean the surface to be welded. Apply Vidalloy 11 to the wearing
edge as shown in the sketch.
FIG. 93

Vidalloy 11

OIL DRILL JOINTS Oil Drill Collars and Joints:

AND COLLARS Vidalloy 11 is deposited in bands around collars and joints as shown
in Fig. 94, and built out slightly beyond the rest of the metal to give
adequate protection.
FIG. 94

Vidalloy 11

MILL HAMMERS Mill Hammers:

FIG. 96 Preheat to 250oC. Build up worn corners with PH 600, PH 700 or
Abrasocord 43.

CONVEYOR SCREWS Abrasocord 43,

PH 600 or PH 700 Conveyor Screws:
Mount the screw on a shaft for easy turning. Deposit PH 600, PH
700 or Abrasocord 43 on the edge and bearing surface of the screw.
For cast iron screws, use RSP or PH 56S deposited in short runs from
small gauge electrodes. Hardfacing is generally confined to the edge
of the spiral due to the brittleness of cast iron.
FIG. 97
Abrasocord 43,
PH 600 or PH 700

CRUSHER JAWS
Crusher Jaws:
Usually made of Manganese Steel. If so, butter the worn surface
RSP, PH MN, with RSP, usually two layers thick.
PH 600 or PH 700
Then build up to nearly the required dimension with PH Mn and
finish off with either PH 600 or PH 700. Note the usual precautions
are maintained, ie "Keep Cool", "Scatter the weld deposits", etc.
FIG. 98
Usually when depositing PH Mn it is desirable to peen each run thus
work hardening the deposit.

25
 GRIZZLIES
Grizzlies: PH 600, PH 700 or
Use PH Abrasocord 43, PH 700 or PH 600 along with the wearing Abrasocord 43
edges of the bars. If necessary, deposit a run also in the centre of
the bars.
FIG. 99

Crusher Liners: CRUSHER LINERS

May be manganese steel. If so, hardface with PH 600 observing PH 600 or
PH 700
usual cooling precautions. Deposit runs as shown in sketch.
For build-up, use RSP before hardfacing.
FIG. 100

CRUSHER MANTLES

Crusher Mantles:
For build up on carbon steel, use PH 250 or PH 400, followed by
FIG. 101
PH 600. For building up on manganese steel, use RSP and hardface PH 600 or
with PH 600 or PH 700. PH 700

CYCLONE FAN
BLADES

Cyclone Fan Blades:

FIG. 102
Use PH 600. It is essential that the contact sides be completely
covered with hardfacing and that the runs be even and completely
overlap, because abrasion will quickly enlarge any depression.
After welding, balance the blades by grinding off heavy portions. PH 600

PUG MILL KNIVES

PH 600, PH 700 or
Pug Mill Knives: Abrasocord 43
More economical to hardface when only a little wear has taken
place. Use Abrasocord 43 or PH 700. If building-up necessary,
use PH 56S and then hardface with PH Abrasocord 43 or PH 700. FIG. 103

BEATER BAR
Beater Bar (Swarf Hammer) (SWARF HAMMER)
Use Abrasocord 43 or PH 700. Set face of hammer in mould, Abrasocord 43
preheat to 500oC and cover with hardfacing, using weave. If made or PH 700
of manganese steel do not preheat, butter with RSP then overlay
with PH 700. Must be kept cool. FIG. 104

Valves (Liquid): VALVES (LIQUID)

The electrode to be used depends on the material in the valve. For
bronze valves use Bronze Arc; for 18/8 stainless steel use PH FIG. 105
RM318LC or RS309LC; for cast iron use Supercast Ni; for steel use
electrode suitable to resist corrosion being met. For mild corrosive
conditions Supercast Ni on steel is suitable; for more severe corrosion
use PH RM318LC or RS309LC.
After building up as shown in the sketch, machine or grind to shape. Facing

VALVES AND SEATS

Valves and Seats (Liquid and Steam): (LIQUID AND STEAM)
Machine groove in seating edge and place valve in copper chill,
making sure there is sufficient build-up to allow for machining back
to desired shape.
Electrodes used will depend on composition of base metal (see FIG. 106
recommendations for Valves above).
Use oxy-acetylene applied Stellite 6 for resisting attack by corrosive
liquids at high temperature, and liquids carrying abrasive material. Hardfacing

26
VALVE SEATING
(IC ENGINE) Supercast Ni or Valve Seating (IC Engine):
Supercast NiFe
Machine out groove in valve seat to take weld deposit. A copper
chill shaped as in Fig. 107 helps to prevent excessive heat melting
the seat, and to retain shape of bead. Use small gauge Supercast Ni
FIG. 107 or Supercast NiFe. Use short runs and peen.
Copper chill

VALVES (IC ENGINE)

Valves (IC Engine):
Copper chill Machine groove in seating edge and place valve in copper chill.
FIG. 108
(See Fig. 108.) Usually done with gas or TIG to deposit Brightray
alloy, use arc Hi Ten 8.

Bright Ray or
Hi Ten 8

GEAR TEETH
Gear Teeth:
Hi Ten 8 For repairing broken and chipped gear teeth, use Hi Ten 8. On large
gears a slight preheat is desirable. The deposit may be machined
FIG. 109
back to the desired contour.

CHISELS

RSP and Chisels:

FIG. 110 PH 400 Chisels may be re-tipped with PH 600 and striking end faced with
RSP buffer followed by PH 400. This is very successful in overcoming
"mushrooming". New chisels may be made from mild steel bar using
PH 600 the technique described.

TOOL TIPS Tool Tips:

FIG. 111
Very satisfactory lathe tools may be made up using mild or low alloy
steel shank with a high speed tool steel deposit for the cutting edge.
The supporting parent metal beneath the bed should be at least twice
High Speed
the thickness of the high speed tool steel deposit to give adequate
Tool Steel strength.
Make a mould of copper, carbon or a suitable plastic refractory
material to retain the molten deposit on the tip. Puddle the weld
metal into the mould until build-up is sufficient and allow to cool in
air. Deposit is self-hardening.

Shear Blades:
SHEAR BLADES
A groove is machined on the cutting edge as shown. Blades may be
made of mild steel, or a carbon or alloy steel, in which case a preheat
is needed, the amount depending on the carbon or alloy content.

To avoid distortion in long blades either bolt blades back to back or

hold in a suitable restraining jig, and use the step-back sequence of
deposition.
FIG. 112
Building-up should be done with PH 400 and the final hardfacing
with PH 600.

AXLES AND SHAFTS

50o - 70o Axles and Shafts:
FIG. 113 Butt break together and tack weld in two places. Cut one vee in
crackline with Austarc C & G electrode, clean, then put three runs
in with PH 56S. Then vee the other side through to the 56S deposit.
Weld with 56S keeping weld area hot, straighten in a lathe or suitable
press, let cool in vertical position.
PH 56S or PH 77

SPRINGS 70o included angle

Springs:
Prepare a 70o included angle on the broken ends, line up the pieces
and weld with Hi Ten 8, a 300oC preheat is desirable. Cool slowly.
FIG. 114
Hi Ten 8

27
 Section Three
WELDWELL WELDING ELECTRODES

ELECTRODES FOR WELDING MILD STEEL

DOWNHAND For downhand welding of mild steels where ease of operation and weld appearance
WELDING is essential the PH 46 is ideal. It has a "rutile coating" which gives a soft arc
with the slag following closely to the arc. This slag is compact and has excellent
self lifting properties revealing a smooth weld with a nice glossy appearance.
The PH 46 has 100% efficiency of deposition and is ideal for sheet metal and
general constructional work in medium-thick plate.

Where higher deposition rates are desired the PH 22 or PH 7024 type with an
efficiency of 140-160% is an ideal choice. They are fast running with quick
Mild Steel - Rutile Coated - General Purpose

release slag, very smooth appearance and with very little spatter.

ALL-POSITION A large number of often only slightly different rutile-coated all-position electrodes
WELDING are available on the market. This great variety may make selection of the proper
type for the job very difficult. The WELDWELL range of all-position rutile
electrodes includes the PH 68, PH 48A, PH 28 and PH 78, each of which has
distinctly different properties as a result of difference in arc characteristics,
protective gas stream and speed of slag solidification.

The strong gas stream and the quickly setting slag makes the PH 68, in particular,
suitable for overhead and vertical-down welding, and the metal transfer in the
form of relatively large droplets facilitates the bridging of large gaps. The deeper
cup and the somewhat finer droplet-transfer of the PH 48A allow this electrode
to be welded slightly in touch with the workpiece. It is a somewhat slower setting
type than the PH 68, with a rather weak gas stream yielding nice fillet welds in
all positions. On account of their quickly solidifying slag the PH 68 and, to a
much lesser degree, the PH 48A have a tendency to produce welds with so-called
heat indentations if the heat-dissipation is not sufficient, which can be the case
when welding joints in thinner plates.

On the other hand, their type of slag can take more care of contamination in the
form of rust or paint before becoming uncontrollable.

The PH 28 is characterised by a cone-shaped cup, a finer droplet-transfer and a

slower-setting type of slag. It is the virtual all-position electrode of the series.
Heat build-up such as occurs in thin-plate welding, has much less effect on slag
behaviour and weld appearance.

Compared with PH 28, the PH 78 has a still slower-setting type of slag, which
is completely insensitive to heat accumulation in the work piece; there is always
sufficient time for the gases to escape from the molten pool before the slag
solidifies, resulting in sound welds. Upward welding is favoured by the very
nice wash of the weld metal onto the sides, and by the fact that the slag leaves
the molten pool very quickly, yet gives sufficient support to the molten pool.
The slag is too fluid for vertical-down welding.

With this group of all-position electrodes the PH C18 should be mentioned as

well. This iron-powder-containing electrode excels in vertical-down welding of
fillet joints. Its good penetration properties make it also suitable for spot welding
of thin plates.

28
DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.1 : E6013
The WELDWELL PH 28 electrode has a medium-heavy rutile AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4112-0
coating and yields a fairly rapidly solidifying slag. This electrode
is the answer where a universal rod is desired for welding in all
positions. WELDWELL
With this electrode even not so experienced welders will obtain
good results since it is very easy to use.
The PH 28 is extremely suitable for making fillet welds. Welding
is then done with a short arc. The weld surface is very smooth
and the beads are almost flat. The same applies for unprepared 28
butt welds and for outside corner welds.
The uniform fine-droplet metal transfer and the possibility of
using a shorter arc length without risk of short-circuiting and ELECTRODES
freezing are very helpful in both vertical and overhead welding. FOR WELDING
The PH 28 may be employed on either AC or DC. When it is MILD STEEL
used with DC the electrode is normally connected to the
negative pole (straight polarity). TIP COLOUR Blue
FLUX MARKING PH 28 6013 E4112
For this electrode, use can be made of transformers with a
relatively low no-load voltage. Approvals:
American Bureau of Shipping

Mild Steel - Rutile Coated - General Purpose

Applications: Lloyds Register of Shipping
Pipe welding on site. Pressure vessels, general construction, Bureau Veritas
hydro installations, ship building. storage tanks.
Characteristics
Welding Positions: Excellent X-ray properties.
F, H, V, OH Quality for wide range of work.
High efficiency for vertical and overhead.
Recommended Amperages Smooth arc with very little spatter.
Easy to control and for slag removal.
Dia. Length Amperes Deposition Fine for fillet welds.
mm mm Rate kg/hr* Welding can be done using either AC or DC-
2.5 305 70-100
3.2 380 85-135 1.00
4.0 380 130-170 1.45 Storage
5.0 455 190-230 2.15 Store electrodes in a dry place. To recondition
6.0 Available on Special Order only moist electrodes bake for half an hour at 120oC
in a vented oven.
* Deposition rate at maximum amps.
AC 50V DC -
Typical Chemical Analysis
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal C 0.04%
Tensile Strength 500 MPa Mn 0.47%
Yield Value 448 MPa Si 0.40%
Elongation(1 = 5d) 26%
Impact Value Charpy V Notch at 0oC 52 J

29
 DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.1 : E6013
Austarc 12P is a smooth running, rutile type electrode for all AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4112-0
positional welding of mild steel. It is characterised by a
moderately forceful and extremely stable arc, and produces
excellent penetration with low spatter losses.
Features include :- Superb arc striking and restriking AUSTARC 12P
on low voltage AC machines.

Low spatter levels and self-releasing slag. A stiff, fast freezing

slag for all positions (especially vertical down), fillet welding.

Applications:
All positional welding of galvanised gates and fences, steel ELECTRODES
furniture, trailers, wrought iron work. FOR WELDING
MILD STEEL
Austarc 12P is especially recommended for the fillet welding
of pipe or rectangular framed sections using the vertical down TIP COLOUR Red
technique to minimise distortion and the risk of burn through. FLUX MARKING 4112

Approvals:
Recommended Amperages American Bureau of Shipping
Dia. Length Amperes Lloyds Register of Shipping
Mild Steel - Rutile Coated - General Purpose

mm mm Det Norske Veritas

2.0 305 40-60
2.5 305 60-85
3.2 380 90-130 Welding Positions:
4.0 380 130-180 F, H, V, VD, OH
5.0 455 180-230
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
AC 45V DC + or - Tensile Strength 480 MPa
Yield Value 447 MPa
Elongation(1 = 5d) 31%
Impact Value Charpy
V Notch at 0oC 108J Av

Typical Chemical Analysis

C 0.05%
Mn 0.48%
Si 0.29%

Storage
Store electrodes in a dry place. To recondition
moist electrodes bake for one hour at 110oC
in a vented oven.

30
DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.1 : E6020
The WELDWELL PH 45E is a conventional electrode having AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4120-0
a very low silicon content. It was specially developed for the
welding of low silicon plate, eg "lyco" used in the fabrication
of galvanising baths, etc. WELDWELL

Welding Techniques:
Before welding the current should be checked for the application.
If the current is too low the weld bead will be lumpy and irregular.
45E
If too high an irregular bead with sharp ripples and excess
spatter will be the result. A medium arc length should be made,
too short an arc will produce a high crowned bead with little
wash in. ELECTRODES
FOR WELDING
LOW SILICON
PLATE
Recommended Amperages
Dia. Length Amperes
mm mm TIP COLOUR Green
4.0 455 140-180 FLUX MARKING PH 45E 6020 E4120

Mild Steel - Rutile Coated - General Purpose

6.0 455 200-280
Welding Positions:
AC 50V DC - F, H, V, OH
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
Tensile Strength 507 MPa Typical Chemical Analysis
Yield Value 439 MPa C 0.04%
Elongation(1 = 5d) 24% Mn 0.76%
Impact Value Charpy V Notch at 0oC 73 J Si 0.03%

Storage
Store electrodes in a dry place. To recondition
moist electrodes bake for half an hour at 120oC
in a vented oven.

31
 DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.1 : E6012
. Heavy rutile coating. AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4113-0
. Metal transfers in fine spray across the arc
. Touch welding technique.
. Quick flowing characteristics. WELDWELL
. Slag self-detaching.
. Smooth and steady arc.
. Appearance very smooth and flat, with no undercut.
. Welds can be drawn out for long small fillets.
. For use where fine appearance enhances sales appeal 46
of weldments.

Applications:
For quality welding of mild steel sheet speedily and with very ELECTRODES
little distortion. Constructional work, also oil and water-tight FOR WELDING
jobs. Truck and Car Body Industry, Steel Furniture, Agricultural MILD STEEL
Machinery, Motor Mower Frames, Pressure Tanks, Water or
Air, etc.
TIP COLOUR Orange
Welding Techniques FLUX MARKING PH 46 6012 E4113
To gain the optimum results with the WELDWELL PH 46
Electrode a Touch and Draw Technique is advisable, the speed Approvals:
Mild Steel - Rutile Coated - General Purpose

of travel depending upon the weld size desired. For economy American Bureau of Shipping
and fine finish with some work a large gauge size is used and Lloyds Register of Shipping
the weld is "stretched" out at a faster speed of travel. In some Bureau Veritas
cases however, a very short arc can be used.

Due to the very fluid slag, care must be taken to ensure that Welding Positions:
the work is free of rust, heavy mill scale and paint. The F, H, V, OH
amperages used can be varied quite substantially to suit
different working conditions. Due to the low viscosity of the Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
slag, it is not recommended to proceed downwards with the
work angle at a greater slope than 20o. Tensile Strength 477 MPa
Yield Value 438 MPa
Recommended Amperages Elongation(1 = 5d) 34%
Impact Value Charpy
Dia. Length Amperes Deposition V Notch at 0oC 84 J
mm mm Rate kg/hr*
2.0 305 40-60 Typical Chemical Analysis
2.5 305 60-100
3.2 380 80-140 1.02 C 0.04%
4.0 380 130-180 1.44 Mn 0.44%
Si 0.25%
* Deposition rate at maximum amps.
Storage
Store electrodes in a dry place. To recondition
moist electrodes bake for half an hour at 120oC
in a vented oven.

32
DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.1 : E6013
The WELDWELL PH 48A is a Rutile Electrode. It is for all AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4112-0
positional general purpose welding of mild steel. The arc
stability on low open circuit voltages makes it excellent for use
on 230V single phase welding machines. The slag has quicker WELDWELL
freezing properties than many types of similar class electrodes,
this makes it suitable for out of position welding and it offers
a quite remarkable tolerance to bad fit-up. The easy starting
and re-starting properties combined with quiet running make
it a good electrode for welding galvanised steel and pipe. 48A
Welding Techniques
PH 48A is used with either a short free arc or by contact if
conditions are suitable. The welding amperage can be varied
considerably to gain ease of control when welding thick to thin, ELECTRODES
etc. FOR WELDING
MILD STEEL
When used with DC current it is normally connected to the
negative (-) pole. TIP COLOUR Silver
FLUX MARKING PH 48A 6013 E4112
Functions of the Coating of PH 48A
The function of the coating is two-fold: Approvals:
1. To protect the metal across the arc. Lloyds Register of Shipping

Mild Steel - Rutile Coated - General Purpose

2. To protect the deposited metal while it is cooling. Bureau Veritas
When the arc is established, and the melting of the electrode Welding Positions:
starts, a protruding sheath of flux forms at the electrode tip. F, H, V, VD, OH
The metal globules are transferred across the arc and the
coating melts rather more slowly than the metal, thus allowing
the coating to form a cup, which shields the weld metal as it Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
is being deposited, exercises a directional control over the arc, Tensile Strength 521 MPa
and reduces operator fatigue. Yield Value 467 MPa
The combination of the coating produces an inert gaseous Elongation(1 = 5d) 31%
shield, or reducing atmosphere, which envelopes the arc and Impact Value Charpy
the molten metal. The resultant chemical reactions produce V Notch at 0oC 59 J
a slag covering which rises over the deposited metal and
shields it from the atmosphere during final cooling. Typical Chemical Analysis
This slag cover also has a beneficial annealing or refining C 0.04%
influence upon the grain structure of the deposit. This influence Mn 0.50%
is well illustrated by the excellent mechanical properties shown. Si 0.40%
After the weld has been completed, the removal of the cold Storage
slag is practically automatic, and consequently, it is not Store electrodes in a dry place. To recondition
necessary to waste valuable time by excessive chipping or moist electrodes bake for half an hour at 120oC
hammering, as it is in the case with many other types of in a vented oven.
electrodes.

Recommended Amperages
Dia. Length Amperes Deposition
mm mm Rate kg/hr*
2.5 305 70-100
3.2 380 90-135 1.00
4.0 380 130-180 1.60

* Deposition rate at maximum amps.

AC 45V DC -

33
 DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.1 : E6013
The WELDWELL PH 68 is a medium-heavy-coated rutile AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4112-A
electrode which produces very rapidly solidifying slag. It is an
outstanding electrode for welding in all positions and at places
difficult to reach. An important feature is that the same current WELDWELL
can be used for welding in any position.
This means that welding can be done without repeated setting
of the current, and accordingly a considerable saving in time
is obtained.
PH 68 is suitable for vertical down welding because of the
68
excellent slag control.

Applications:
The PH 68 is suitable for welding in sharply curved and poorly ELECTRODES
fitting grooves, as well as inclined grooves. It melts off in fairly FOR WELDING
coarse droplets, for which reason it is used for bridging large MILD STEEL
gaps. The very rapidly solidifying slag prevents the liquid weld
metal from flowing away when welding is done in difficult
positions, especially pipe welding. TIP COLOUR Red
FLUX MARKING PH 68 6013 E4112
Welding Techniques
Before welding commences, the current setting should be Approvals:
checked to see that it is correct for the type of work. If the American Bureau of Shipping
Mild Steel - Rutile Coated - General Purpose

current is too low, the metal tends to pile and the bead will be Lloyds Register of Shipping
lumpy and irregular. If the current is too high, a flat deposit Bureau Veritas
with undue spatter and wastage of the electrode will result.
Different applications require variations within the recommended Welding Positions:
current range and with PH 68 a current setting is possible to F, H, V, VD, OH
allow welding in all positions without having to alter it. In
general, a medium arc length is used to gain even welds but Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
touch welding is possible at currents near to maximum. Tensile Strength 495 MPa
In vertical positions, extremely heavy deposits of mitre contour Yield Value 443 MPa
can be made in one pass for butt and fillet welds using a Elongation(1 = 5d) 29%
triangular weaving motion. For second and subsequent passes, Impact Value Charpy
only a simple side to side weave is required with a slight pause V Notch at 20oC 87 J
in each corner to avoid undercutting.
Typical Chemical Analysis
C 0.06%
When used with DC it is normally connected to the negative Mn 0.43%
(-) pole. Si 0.46%
Recommended Amperages Storage
Dia. Length Amperes Deposition Store electrodes in a dry place. To recondition
mm mm Rate kg/hr* moist electrodes bake for half an hour at 120oC
2.5 305 60-95 in a vented oven.
3.2 380 70-125 1.20
4.0 380 130-170 1.68
5.0 455 170-240 2.22
* Deposition rate at maximum amps.
AC 50V DC -

The type PH 68 is highly recommended to weld Galvanised

Steel.

34
DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.1 : E6013
The WELDWELL PH 78 electrode deposits weld metal which AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4113-2
combines the advantages of both a rutile and a basic electrode.
PH 78 has a medium-heavy rutile coat which yields a fairly
thin fluid type of slag and a rather strong protective gas stream. WELDWELL
It is suitable for welding in all positions except vertical down
and due to its remarkable arc action it is excellent for welding
pipes.

This electrode is tested for impact values at minus 20oC, the

deposited weld metal will therefore be very suitable for welding
78
pipe which operates at low temperatures. When welding
vertically-up a relatively high current is required for ease of
welding resulting in a high deposition rate. Due to its nature,
the slag is insensitive to heat accumulation in the workplace, ELECTRODES
which contributes towards obtaining welds of good X-ray quality. FOR WELDING
MILD STEEL
Applications:
General purpose mild steel welding. Pipe welding, especially
on site. Pressure vessels, ship construction, tanks and body TIP COLOUR Violet
construction or repairs. FLUX MARKING PH 78 6013 E4113

Welding Techniques Approvals:

Mild Steel - Rutile Coated - General Purpose

For downhand welding the arc should be kept short. In upward Lloyds Register of Shipping
welding a medium arc length is recommended, and if beads Bureau Veritas
are deposited with weaving, the weaving movement should be
carried out rather quickly. Welding Positions:
F, H, V, OH
Recommended Amperages
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
Dia. Length Amperes Deposition
mm mm Rate kg/hr * Tensile Strength 508 MPa
2.5 305 60-95 0.78 Yield Value 455 MPa
3.2 380 90-140 1.15 Elongation(1 = 5d) 27%
4.0 380 120-190 1.75 Impact Value Charpy
V Notch at -20oC 83 J
* Deposition rate at maximum amps.
AC 50V DC - Storage
Store electrodes in a dry place. To recondition
Typical Chemical Analysis moist electrodes bake for half an hour at 120oC
in a vented oven.
C 0.05%
Mn 0.69%
Si 0.12%

35
 DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.1 : E7014
The WELDWELL PH C18 is a heavy coated rutile electrode AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4814-0
with a relatively large amount of iron powder in the coating,
thus permitting a larger amount of metal to be deposited very
easily. This type is suitable for welding in ALL positions with WELDWELL
particularly striking results in vertical down welding. The PH
C18 has deep-penetrating properties and thanks to the
protective effect of the deep cup, the weld metal is very pure.
The slag is easy to remove.
C18
Applications:
This type owes most of its field of application to the positive
root penetration in vertical down welding. Especially in
shipbuilding much use is made of this property. In a great deal ELECTRODES
of work with vertical fillet welds the root run is deposited with FOR WELDING
PH C18 electrodes, followed by a second and a third, if MILD STEEL
necessary. When large fillets are required it is good practice
to use PH C18 for root runs, then use the vertical up method
with PH 48A to complete. TIP COLOUR Green
Amongst the many attributes of PH C18 is its ability to be used FLUX MARKING PH C18 7014 E4814
as a cutting or gouging electrode. PH C18 is an excellent
means of making very strong Spot Welds in thin plate. The Approvals:
maximum thickness of the upper plate must not exceed 3 mm. American Bureau of Shipping
There is, of course, no limit to the thickness of the base plate. Lloyds Register of Shipping
Bureau Veritas
Welding Techniques
For vertical down welding the electrode is held at an angle of
about 75o to the direction of travel. When metal plate under Welding Positions:
4 mm is welded in this manner the angle of the electrode is F, H, V, VD, OH
adjusted to about 35o and the speed of travel increased. The
touch technique must be used. When welding the heavier Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
plate at a 75o angle the formation of a tiny drop of molten iron
and slag regularly appears just below the tip of the electrode. Tensile Strength 494 MPa
This drop is periodically blown away and should instantly Yield Value 446 MPa
reappear, since it is proof of root penetration which is only Elongation(1 = 5d) 30%
acquired when the electrode is being held at the correct angle Impact Value Charpy
of 75o. Should this phenomenon not appear, eg when welding V Notch at 0oC 66 J
at an angle of say 60o, slag will be included right in the corner,
Mild Steel - Iron Powder Types

resulting in lack of root penetration. The function of PH C18 Typical Chemical Analysis
electrodes is influenced unfavourably by rusty, scaly or dirty C 0.075%
plate because of the fact that these impurities increase the Mn 0.56%
fluidity of the slag. When metal has to be removed, ie tack Si 0.40%
welds, fillet welds or to vee out a crack, the PH C18 is excellent.
Storage
Recommended Amperages Store electrodes in a dry place. To recondition
Dia. Length Amperes Deposition moist electrodes bake for half an hour at 120oC
mm mm Rate kg/hr * in a vented oven.
3.2 380 130-160 1.55
4.0 380 150-210 2.22

* Deposition rate at maximum Amps.

AC 50V DC +
Cutting AC 50V or DC -

36
DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.1 : E7024
The WELDWELL PH 22 is a heavy coated, rutile electrode, AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4824-0
with a large amount of iron powder in the flux coating.

It is used for high speed contact welding of mild steel in the WELDWELL
flat and horizontal positions.

Welding can be carried out using AC power sources with a

minimum of 50 open circuit volts, or DC power sources with
electrode positive + or negative - (- preferred). 22
The PH 22 electrode features excellent re-strike ability, very
good slag and weld pool control and slag detaches very easily.

The weld appearance is smooth and flat with very good edge IRON POWDER
tie-in, without undercut. ELECTRODES
FOR WELDING
Because of the high iron powder content of the flux the MILD STEEL
deposition rate is very high with a weld metal efficiency of 140-
160%. TIP COLOUR Orange
FLUX MARKING PH 22 7024 E4824
Applications:
Roof trusses, ship building, buckets, dozers, rolling stock, Approvals:
bridge girders, tank ends, beams, heavy machinery frames. Lloyds Register of Shipping
Bureau Veritas
Welding Techniques
A touch weld technique is recommended, where the flux at the Welding Positions:
end of the electrode is lightly touching the workpiece. The F, H
electrode should be angled in the direction of travel, 45o to 65o,
so as to prevent the slag touching the electrode tip. Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
Tensile Strength 502 MPa
Recommended Amperages Yield Value 453 MPa
Dia. Length Amperes Elongation(1 = 5d) 30%
mm mm Impact Value Charpy
3.2 380 130-170 V Notch at -20oC 63 J
4.0 455 185-220
Typical Chemical Analysis
AC 50V DC + or - (- preferred)

Mild Steel - Iron Powder Types

C 0.05%
Mn 0.90%
Si 0.25%

Storage
Store electrodes in a dry place. To recondition
moist electrodes bake for half an hour at 250oC
in a vented oven.

37
 DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.1 : E7024
The WELDWELL PH 7024 is a heavy coated rutile contact AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4824-0
type electrode developed for high speed welding of mild steel
in the downhand and horizontal positions using AC or DC
current. The high iron powder content in the flux coating gives WELDWELL
high efficiency combined with excellent mechanical properties
and weldability.

PH 7024 Features
. Highest Deposition Rates 7024
. Ease of Welding
. Excellent Appearance at all Speeds
. Extremely Easy Slag Removal
. Virtually No Spatter IRON POWDER
. Instant Striking and Re-Striking ELECTRODES
. Very Neat Mitre Fillets FOR WELDING
. No Undercutting MILD STEEL
. Efficiency = 140-160%
Applications: TIP COLOUR White
Dozers, Buckets, Ship Building, Roof Trusses, Rolling Stock, FLUX MARKING PH 7024 E4824
Bridge Girders, Crusher Frames, Pressure Vessels, Heavy
Machinery Frames, Tank Bottom Welding, Beams and Blades. Approvals:
American Bureau of Shipping
Welding Techniques Lloyds Register of Shipping
A touch weld technique is recommended with the electrode Bureau Veritas
angle adjusted in the direction of travel so as to prevent the
slag touching the electrode tip. The electrode should bisect
the angle of the joint at approximately 50o-55o for 4.0 mm and Welding Positions:
65o for 5.0 mm, other diameters at approximately 45o. F, H

Recommended Amperages Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal

Dia. Length Amperes Deposition Tensile Strength 507 MPa
mm mm Rate kg/hr * Yield Value 447 MPa
2.5 305 90-140 Elongation(1 = 5d) 31%
3.2 380 130-160 1.9 Impact Value Charpy
4.0 455 180-210 3.00 V Notch at 0oC 71 J
Mild Steel - Iron Powder Types

5.0 455 260-320 5.05

Typical Chemical Analysis
* Deposition rate at maximum Amps.
AC 50V DC - C 0.05%
Mn 0.59%
Si 0.36%

Storage
Store electrodes in a dry place. To recondition
moist electrodes bake for half an hour at 250oC
in a vented oven.

38
DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.1 : E6011
The WELDWELL PH 31A is a thinly coated electrode of the AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4111-3
cellulose type, intended for welding in all-positions. The
excellent properties of this type show to the best advantage
in downward welding, in particular the stove-pipe technique. WELDWELL
The arc is easy to ignite, is powerful and extremely stable,
giving this electrode deep-penetration properties. The thin
layer of slag being easy to remove. The PH 31A type of
electrode has been primarily developed for welding
circumferential seams in pipe lines in the vertical down position;
31A
the welding time is considerably shorter than where upward
welding is done conventionally.

Welding Techniques ELECTRODES

Circumferential pipe seams to be welded with the PH 31A type
must have an included angle of 60o and a root face of 1.5mm. FOR WELDING
The root gap between pipes must be 1.5mm wide. The root MILD STEEL
pass (or stringer bead) is done by pushing the electrode firmly
into the root of the weld, so that the arc burns inside the pipe, TIP COLOUR Brown
and is carried out with a relatively high rate of travel. As the FLUX MARKING PH 31A 6011 E4111
coating is fairly tough, no drawbacks will be encountered should
the electrode become slightly bent by this firm pressure. The Approvals:
root pass is ground flat, to prevent slag inclusions when the American Bureau of Shipping
second layer is welded. Lloyds Register of Shipping
Bureau Veritas
The second layer (hot-pass) is welded with a high current, a
short to medium arc length and a fairly high travel speed. The Welding Positions:
subsequent layers are welded with a medium arc length. F, H, V, VD, OH
Sometimes a rapid thrusting movement is used to advantage.
To prevent porosity relatively thin layers are welded. As desired, Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
a slightly weaving motion can be employed or layers can be
deposited side by side. Tensile Strength 510 MPa
Yield Value 410 MPa
The X-ray quality of the joints welded as described satisfy the Elongation(1 = 5d) 31%
requirements to which they have to conform in practice. The Impact Value Charpy
PH 31A electrode can be used either with DC + or with AC V Notch at -30oC 89 J
where the open circuit voltage is not less than 70V.
Typical Chemical Analysis
Recommended Amperages

Mild Steel - Iron Powder Types

C 0.12%
Dia. Length Amperes Fusion Time Mn 0.60%
mm mm in seconds Si 0.16%
2.5 305 60-95
3.2 380 90-125 52 Storage
4.0 380 115-175 65 Store electrodes in a dry place. Rebaking is
5.0 380 160-220 79 not recommended
Note that fusion time rate are at maximum current values.
AC 70V DC +

39
 DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.1 : E6010
Pipemaster 60 is a quick starting, cellulosic mild steel electrode AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4110-3(closest)
that provides outstanding arc stability, penetration and wash-
in. Ideal for welding in all positions and produces x-ray quality
welds with a light slag that is easy to remove. Pipemaster 60
can be used to weld the following API 5L steels: Grade A, B,
X-42, X-46, X-52, X-56 and for the root pass on material up to
X-80. PIPEMASTER
Applications: 60
Pipes, plates, construction, shipbuilding and general purpose
fabrication and maintenance welding.

Features: ELECTRODES
* Quick starting efficiency FOR WELDING
* All Position MILD STEEL
* Excellent vertical down
* Excellent arc stability
* Excellent penetration TIP COLOUR None
* Light slag FLUX MARKING 6010

Approvals:
Welding Techniques: American Bureau of Shipping
Arc length 3 - 6 mm. Lloyds Register of Shipping
For welding in the flat position stay ahead of the puddle and Bureau Veritas
use a slight whipping motion.
For vertical up and overhead, use a slight whipping or weaving Welding Positions:
technique.
When welding vertical down use higher amps and a faster F, H, V, VD, OH
travel speed, staying ahead of puddle. Vertical down welding
is commonly used when welding pipe. Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
Tensile Strength 511 MPa
Yield Value 436 MPa
Recommended Amperages Elongation(1 = 5d) 26%
Impact Value Charpy
Dia. Length Amperes Optimum Deposition V Notch at -30oC 76 J Av
mm mm Amperes Rate kg/hr*
2.4 355 40-70 50 0.59 Typical Chemical Analysis
Mild Steel - Iron Powder Types

3.2 355 65-130 100 0.73

4.0 355 90-175 140 0.86 C 0.06%
4.8 355 140-225 170 1.18 Si 0.20%
Mn 0.40%
* At optimum amperes DC +
Storage
Store electrodes in a dry place. Rebaking is
not recommended.

40
DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.5 : E7010-P1
Pipemaster 70 is an excellent, all position, cellulosic mild steel AS/NZS 1553.2 : E4810-P1
electrode that provides strong, dependable, x-ray quality welds.
It delivers the arc stability and arc force you need for the best
penetration. It is ideal for vertical-down welding, single or multi-
pass on 5L, 5LX and X52 through X65 pipe.

Applications: PIPEMASTER
High yield pipe steels, drill platforms, shipbuilding, storage 70
tanks.

Features:
* Quick starting efficiency
* All Position
* Excellent vertical down
ELECTRODES
* Excellent arc stability FOR WELDING
* Excellent penetration and wash-in MILD STEEL
* Light slag

Welding Techniques: TIP COLOUR None

Arc length 3 - 6 mm. FLUX MARKING 7010-P
For welding in the flat position stay ahead of the puddle and
use a slight whipping motion. Approvals:
For vertical up and overhead, use a slight whipping or weaving Lloyds Register of Shipping
technique. American Bureau of Shipping
When welding vertical down on pipes etc, use higher amps
and a faster travel speed, staying ahead of the arc.
Welding Positions:
Recommended Amperages F, H, V, VD, OH
Dia. Length Amperes Optimum Deposition Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
mm mm Amperes Rate kg/hr
3.2 355 70-140 100 0.99 Tensile Strength 625 MPa
4.0 355 80-190 160 1.22 Yield Value 514 MPa
4.8 355 120-230 190 1.75 Elongation(1 = 5d) 25%
Impact Value Charpy
* At optimum amperes DC + V Notch at -30oC 60 J Av

Mild Steel - Iron Powder Types

Typical Chemical Analysis
C 0.10% Mn 0.85%
Si 0.40% P 0.01%
S 0.01% Ni 0.55%
Mo 0.10% Cr 0.02%

Storage
Store electrodes in a dry place. Rebaking is
not recommended.

41
 WELDWELL WELDING ELECTRODES

BASIC COATED ELECTRODES

FOR WELDING MILD AND MEDIUM TENSILE STEELS
Mild/Medium Tensile Steels - Low Hydrogen Electrodes

Since their introduction basic-coated electrodes, also called low-hydrogen electrodes, have been employed mainly where
quality requirements are laid down which cannot be realised or are difficult to meet with other types. The deposited metal
has a high resistance to hot and cold cracking, a high notch toughness and an excellent X-ray quality even if impurities such
as sulphur are present in the material to be welded. On account of the low hydrogen content of the weld metal the risk of
cracking of the weld and the heat-affected zone is extremely limited. Accordingly these electrodes are particularly suitable
for the welding of heavy workpieces and of very rigid mild steel constructions. They are also recommended for welding
low-alloy steel and steel of which the carbon and sulphur contents are higher than those of readily weldable mild steel.

BASIC-COATED Owing to the high solidification rate of the weldpool, which permits high currents for
ELECTRODES FOR welding in difficult positions, the low-hydrogen electrode is the fastest type for those
positions. On the other hand, because of its nature, the slag will not be entrapped
ALL-POSITION easily. These properties, together with a good 'penetrating arc', explain the welder's
WELDING liking for this electrode.
Since the optimum properties for each of the wide variety of welding-applications
cannot be had in one electrode, a number of different unalloyed basic-coated Weldwell
electrodes are available. The differences between these types may relate to welding-
properties, deposition rate, mechanical values, kind of current, etc.
Refer to the information on each electrode to find the most suitable for any particular
job.
WELDWELL PH 27 has a coating which emits a forceful arc with a slag which sets
quickly, resulting in a useful type for vertical down welding.
WELDWELL PH 27P the P denotes "pipe" this type especially designed for pipe
welding, particularly welding downwards and has excellent properties for bridging
gaps and making tie-ins where the pipes are misaligned.
WELDWELL PH 56S These thinly-coated types of 100% efficiency produce welds
in all positions with very high impact properties.
WELDWELL PH 56R - A specially designed low hydrogen electrode for rapid joining
of steel with large cross sections, using the enclosed welding process.
AUSTARC 16TC is an easy to use dual coated electrode for welding in all positions
with DC or AC power sources with open circuit voltages as low as 45 OCV. The
weld pool is very controllable. Re-strike and slag release are very good.
WELDWELL PH 75 is designed to produce welds where high impact values are
required at sub-zero temperatures and for welding in all-positions.
WELDWELL PH 77 produces good efficiency, it has a very quiet arc with low spatter
levels and gives excellent results in all-positions with high impact values at -50oC.
WELDWELL PH 118. This type is designed to produce very strong welds in low alloy-
high tensile steels and with excellent impact values at low temperatures.
WELDWELL PH KV3 for low alloy and medium tensile steels, especially suitable for
high quality pipe welds in all positions and Cr/Mo high temperature applications.

FOR DOWNHAND WELDWELL PH C6H has a very heavy coating containing zirconium oxide which
WELDING gives welds of up to 200% efficiency and with very good mechanical properties.

42
DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.1 : E7048-H4
All gauges of this basic-coated electrode are extremely suitable AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4848-3 H5
for welding in the Vertical-Down position. The instructions
covering welding with low-hydrogen electrodes and their storage
should be followed. The weldments have a flat profile and are WELDWELL
highly insensitive to cracking.
Where the WELDWELL PH 27 is employed correctly, the weld
metal has a finely ribbed appearance and an excellent wetting
action, which eliminates undercut. In most cases, the slag is
self-lifting, but in all cases there is a minimum of post weld 27

Mild/Medium Tensile Steels - Low Hydrogen Electrodes

cleaning up. With the aid of the PH 27 gaps can be readily
bridged in vertical-down welding. In addition, the diameters
3.2 mm and 4.0 mm are very suitable for welding root passes
of single and double-vee joints in this position. As this electrode LOW HYDROGEN
tolerates very high currents the PH 27 yields a con-siderable ELECTRODES
economic advantage in comparison with conventional low-
hydrogen electrodes which have to be welded vertically upwards FOR WELDING
with a relatively low current. The high welding speeds which MILD AND MEDIUM-
can be obtained, as compared with vertical-up welding, result TENSILE STEELS
in substantially less distortion. The PH 27 can be consumed
either on AC or with the electrode connected to the positive TIP COLOUR White
pole, on DC. FLUX MARKING PH 27 7048 E4848

Welding Techniques Approvals:

How to Weld Vertically Downwards with the Weldwell PH 27. American Bureau of Shipping
Like all Low-Hydrogen types, the PH 27 may be used with a Lloyds Register of Shipping
short arc. Too long an arc will cause porosity. Use of Touch- Bureau Veritas
Welding technique is not recommended, since this adversely
affects root penetration, and the welding action. Welding Positions:
F, H, VD, OH
Welding is done with maximum current, in order that the greatest
possible benefit may be derived from the use of the PH 27. Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
The electrode is held at an angle of 80o to 90o to the direction
of travel. Tensile Strength 507 MPa
Yield Value 439 MPa
In ship building vertical fillet joints are often limited by horizontal Elongation(1 = 5d) 32%
plates, causing a change of electrode angle to approximately Impact Value Charpy
110o in the last part of the joint. Experience has proved that V Notch at -30oC 183 J
the slag is still easy to control above the arc, and in these
circumstances the weld appearance is entirely acceptable. Typical Chemical Analysis
Making bead junctions likewise presents no problems at all.
Before the arc is extinguished, the electrode is removed from C 0.04%
the crater in the upward direction. Then the next rod is started Mn 1.15%
a little below the crater, after which the latter is filled up and Si 0.45%
vertical-down welding continues. The PH 27 can be used for
vertical-down welding of fillet joints in multiple layers. Storage (See also page 88.)
Overlapping runs are made if more than two layers are Once the packet has been opened, these
deposited. Should two layers be sufficient, then the second electrodes should be stored in a heated cabinet
layer is welded with a slightly faster weaving motion whilst the at a temperature of 20oC minimum and/or at
arc is kept short. As already stated, bridging of gaps presents least 10oC above ambient. Good ventilation
no problems at all in vertical-down welding. should be allowed.
For highest weld quality, these electrodes
Recommended Amperages should be baked before use at 280oC for one
Dia. Length Amperes Deposition hour to achieve a maximum weldmetal
mm mm Rate kg/hr * hydrogen level of 10ml/100g.
3.2 305 150 max 1.3 Do not redry more than three times. These
4.0 380 200 max 1.8 temperatures should also be used to
5.0 455 270 max 2.53 recondition damp electrodes.
* Deposition rate at maximum Amps. Use from a hot box during welding.
AC 70V DC +

43
 DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.5 : E8018-G H8
The basic coated WELDWELL PH 27P electrode has been AS/NZS 1553.2 : E5548-G H5
specially developed for welding circumferential joints using the
vertical down technique ("stove-pipe welding"). It provides the
answer to the ever increasing requirements for strength and WELDWELL
toughness in pipe welds. The low-hydrogen content of the PH
27P electrode deposit reduces the risk of hydrogen heat-
affected zone and weld metal cracking; such defects are more
likely to occur with increasing pipe steel strengths. In particular,
its basic high purity weld metal ensures high impact toughness, 27P
Mild/Medium Tensile Steels - Low Hydrogen Electrodes

along with other improvements over cellulosic electrodes.

Excellent Operational Characteristics PH 27P electrode
has a stable smooth arc, low spatter volume, and very good
slag control; easy deslagging properties minimise clean up LOW HYDROGEN
time. High productivity results from high current intensities ELECTRODES
used with this electrode and the increased recovery rate (120% FOR WELDING
approx.) MILD AND MEDIUM-
TENSILE STEELS
Applications:
Applications of the PH 27P electrode are principally oil and
gas pipelines requiring welds of high strength and ductility, as TIP COLOUR Violet
in the North Sea and Arctic areas. The high deposition rate FLUX MARKING PH 27P 8018-G
makes it a very attractive alternative for the low-hydrogen E5548G
electrodes which are presently employed uphill for valve
connections, tie-ins and main crossing welds. Approvals:
Process pipe work is another area where time savings of 30 American Bureau of Shipping
to 50% are achieved. Pipe diameters which can be satisfactorily Lloyds Register of Shipping
welded with the PH 27P electrode are from 200 mm Bureau Veritas
upwards.The minimum wall thickness is 6mm.
Welding Techniques Welding Positions:
Being an electrode for pipe welding, a branch of welding F, H, VD, OH
requiring a high degree of skill, welders must necessarily
become familiar with the welding technique developed for the Recommended Amperages
PH 27P. Experience indicates that this can be achieved quicker Dia. Length Amperes
and with higher success rate, compared with training welders mm mm
to use cellulose electrodes on pipe welding. Welders trained 2.5 355 80-100
in downhill welding with cellulose types on pipes are favoured 3.2 355 130-150
over others, since they are already used to high travel speeds 4.0 355 180-210
and continuous change of welding position with consequent
adaption of the rod to this. However, due to their training with DC +
cellulosic electrodes, welders generally have to be alerted to
the following differences. Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
* Starting porosity results from drawing a long arc after Tensile Strength 594 MPa
striking. The PH 27P arc should be kept short at all Yield Value 561 MPa
times. Elongation(1 = 5d) 27%
Impact Value Charpy
* Usually cellulosic electrodes are kept under a rather sharp V Notch at -20oC 151 J
angle with the direction of travel, resulting in long arc
lengths. The PH 27P is held almost perpendicular to Typical Chemical Analysis
the pipe.
C 0.05%
* A welder can be misled by the considerably lower Mn 1.15%
amount of spatter from the PH 27P, so giving the Si 0.45%
impression that current intensity is too low. Raising this
to gain "the required level of spatter" adversely affects Storage (See also page 88.)
slag and weld pool behaviour and promotes porosity. Once the packet has been opened, these
* WELDWELL PH 27P slag stays at a greater distance electrodes should be stored in a heated cabinet
from the arc than a cellulosic slag. The welder should at a temperature of 20oC minimum and/or at
avoid slowing down travel speed as a reaction to this, least 10oC above ambient. Good ventilation
otherwise the slag will run through the arc or the weld should be allowed.
pool will be overheated. For highest weld quality, these electrodes
should be baked before use at 280oC for one
hour to achieve a maximum weldmetal
hydrogen level of 5ml/100g.
Do not redry more than five times. These
temperatures should also be used to
recondition damp electrodes.
Use from a hot box during welding.

44
DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.1 : E7016-H8
Austarc 16TC is a smooth running, basic flux low hydrogen AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4816-4H10
electrode, developed for all positional (except vertical down)
welding, using AC or DC power sources. The electrode gives
exceptional stability and weldability for its class, and produces
high quality weld deposits with reliable notch toughness to
-40oC. Austarc 16TC is manufactured using a unique twin AUSTARC
coating extrusion process, which produces electrodes with two
concentric flux coatings. Arc stabilising elements are 16TC
concentrated in the inner coating of the electrode for significantly

Mild/Medium Tensile Steels - Low Hydrogen Electrodes

improved arc stability on low open circuit AC welding machines.

Applications:
Austarc 16TC is the ideal low hydrogen electrode for welding LOW HYDROGEN
carbon, carbon-manganese and low alloy high strength steels ELECTRODES
used in a multitude of critical and non-critical applications. FOR WELDING
This electrode is particularly suitable for welding heavy wall
joints subject to high degrees of restraint and for structural MILD AND MEDIUM-
applications where notch toughness down to -40 o C is a TENSILE STEELS
prerequisite. Austarc 16TC is often used in maintenance
situations as a buffer or build-up layer on agricultural and earth TIP COLOUR Bronze
moving equipment prior to hard surfacing. FLUX MARKING 4816

Welding Techniques Approvals:

Arc striking and re-striking is easily accomplished. Use a light American Bureau of Shipping
dragging action on the rod end to achieve ignition. Welding Lloyds Register of Shipping
is carried out with a short arc and low travel speeds. Det Norske Veritas

Welding Positions:
F, H, V, OH
Recommended Amperages
Dia. Length Amperes Typical Chemical Analysis
mm mm C 0.05%
2.5 305 60-90 Mn 1.18%
3.2 380 90-135 Si 0.52%
4.0 380 140-190
5.0 455 190-240 Storage (see also page 88.)
6.0 455 250-310 Once the packet has been opened, these
electrodes should be stored in a heated cabinet
AC 45 OCV for 2.5 and 3.2 mm at a temperature of 20oC minimum and/or at
AC 55 OCV for 4.0, 5.0 and 6.0 mm DC + least 10oC above ambient. Good ventilation
should be allowed.
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
Tensile Strength 518 MPa For highest weld quality, these electrodes
Yield Value 426 MPa should be baked before use at 300oC for two
Elongation 33% hours to achieve a maximum weld metal
Impact Value Charpy V Notch at hydrogen level of 10ml/100g.
-40oC Average 118 J

45
 DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.1 : E7016-H8
The WELDWELL PH 56S is a basic coated C/Mn electrode AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4816-4H5
providing excellent mechanical properties. Due to the thin coating
and concentrated arc this electrode ensures fully penetrated root
passes even under adverse conditions, such as small gaps and
narrow joints. The strong protective gas stream is a further WELDWELL
advantage.
Low moisture content of the coating and high resistance to moisture
re-absorption is a major benefit long recognised by the offshore
and general structural steel industries, where avoidance of hydrogen
induced cracking is of crucial importance. 56S
Applications:
Mild/Medium Tensile Steels - Low Hydrogen Electrodes

PH 56S is widely adopted for offshore fabrication to ensure

consistent results, with the assurance of high impact values in the LOW HYDROGEN
as-welded condition and further improved by stress relieving. COD
testing confirms excellent fracture toughness after stress relieving. ELECTRODES
Many years of successful use in offshore work provides an immense FOR WELDING MILD
range of approved procedures; also a workforce fully familiar with the AND MEDIUM STEELS
PH 56S and well able to exploit the full potential of this electrode for
nodes and other primary structural joints.
Pipework PH 56S assures the full penetration demanded by the TIP COLOUR Red
oil and gas industry for offshore and onshore process piping.
Welders prefer the better manipulation of this thin coated electrode FLUX MARKING PH 56S 7016 E4816
for handling root passes, particularly when variations in gap width
occur due to field fit-up conditions. Approvals:
Root layers for submerged arc filling is another major application American Bureau of Shipping
area of PH 56S, confirmed by well established procedures in Lloyds Register of Shipping
offshore yards. Bureau Veritas
Combinations with other Weldwell "offshore" electrodes. PH
56S can be used advantageously with the following, for joints of Welding Positions:
primary
. As rootstructural importance. F, H, V, OH
pass electrode followed by filling with Weldwell PH 77
(E7018-1) for extra productivity due to the 120% recovery of Typical Chemical Analysis
the latter. Most yards tend to avoid use of two electrodes due C 0.05%
to the extra supervision involved, but the practice remains Mn 1.11%
sound and is often adopted for tank welding and other general Si 0.34%
. Forstructural work.
even more demanding requirements down to -60oC, the Moisture reabsorbsion characteristics of
Weldwell PH 75 should substitute the Weldwell PH 56S. For Weldwell 56S.
further information see Weldwell PH 75 data sheet.
General steel structure. PH 56S is widely adopted where
assurance of high as-welded impact values are necessary for all-
position welds.
Electrode performance. PH 56S gives 100% recovery, it can
be used equally well for AC or DC + operation; DC - is often
preferred for root passes.
The electrode is easily welded in thin layers, to gain maximum
grain refining from the heat of subsequent runs, and so obtain
high toughness properties.
X-ray properties of the weld metal are highly regarded by inspectors
working to stringent requirements.
Welding Techniques
It is important that this electrode is welded with a short arc under all
conditions. The rate of travel must be slow; weaving, if carried out,
must also be slow using no greater movement than three electrode
widths each way. To avoid start porosity, strike each fresh electrode Storage (see also page 88.)
on the crater of the preceding run while it is still hot, or by restarting Once the packet has been opened, these
half inch back on previous run and chipping off the thin bead formed electrodes should be stored in a heated cabinet
there. at a temperature of 20oC minimum and/or at least
10oC above ambient. Good ventilation should be
allowed.
Recommended Amperages For highest weld quality, these electrodes should
Dia. Length Amperes Deposition be baked before use at 350oC for 1 hour to achieve
mm mm Rate kg/hr * a maximum weld metal hydrogen level of
2.5 305 60-100 10ml/100g or 400 o C for 1 hour to achieve
3.2 380 85-140 1.14 maximum weld metal hydrogen of 5ml/100g. Do
not re-dry more than five times. These
4.0 380 100-180 1.62 temperatures should also be used to recondition
5.0 455 180-230 2.52 damp electrodes. Use from a hot box during
6.0 455 230-300 3.36 welding.
* Deposition rate at maximum Amps. Typical COD test results
AC 7O OCV DC+ or DC- for root passes if preferred Type of joint and Parameters
material thickness
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal Position: : 3G
Tensile Strength 589 MPa Preheat temp: 100oC
Yield Value 497 MPa Interpass temp: max 140o C
Elongation(1 = 5d) 28% Electrode size: 2.5 mm
Impact Value Charpy V Notch at 3.2 mm
o 4.0 mm
-40 C Average 107 J Heat treatment: 3h, 580-620oC
Steel quality: 50D

46
DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.1 : E7016
The WELDWELL PH 56R is a low hydrogen electrode, specially AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4816
designed for rapid joining of profiles with large cross sections,
according to the enclosed-welding process. Being of the low
hydrogen type the Weldwell PH 56R yields excellent mechanical WELDWELL
properties; it produces a sound X-ray quality and is very
insensitive to impurities of the base metal.

The use of this electrode in combination with the enclosed-

welding process has some striking advantages, which, in short, 56R

Mild/Medium Tensile Steels - Low Hydrogen Electrodes

are:
* a considerable saving of time in relation to orthodox
methods used for the same applications;
* more irregularly shaped profiles can be welded as well, LOW HYDROGEN
and, because of the great heat input in the seam, it is ELECTRODES
possible to weld steels with a relatively high carbon
content (up to approximately 0.60-0.65% C). FOR WELDING
MILD AND MEDIUM-
Applications: TENSILE STEELS
The enclosed-welding process is employed for making butt
welds in round and square bars, heavy flanges, thick plates,
rails, rail crossings, rudder shafts, anchor chains, etc. TIP COLOUR None
FLUX MARKING PH 56R

Welding Techniques Welding Position:

Profiles to be joined are sawn or cut off straight and placed 15 F
to 18 mm apart. Next the gap is enclosed in copper moulds
and filled up with the Weldwell PH 56R. The weld is deposited Typical Chemical Analysis
at a high current in one layer, without the need for intermediate C 0.064%
chipping. Welding must be done with a very short arc. Mn 1.04%
Si 0.66%
A detailed brochure on the enclosed-welding process is
available. Storage (See also page 88.)
Once the packet has been opened, these
Recommended Amperage electrodes should be stored in a heated cabinet
Dia. Length Amperes Fusion Dep rate Net weight at a temperature of 20oC minimum and/or at
mm mm time g/min kg/hr per 1,000 least 10oC above ambient. Good ventilation
pcs sec kg should be allowed.
5.0 450 280 76 48 2.90 90.8 For highest weld quality, these electrodes
should be baked before use at 350oC for one
AC 70 OCV DC + hour to achieve a maximum weld metal
hydrogen level of 10ml/100g or 400oC for one
hour to achieve maximum weld metal hydrogen
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal of 5ml/100g. Do not re-dry more than three
times.
Tensile Strength 530-590 MPa These temperatures should also be used to
Yield Value 470-510 MPa recondition damp electrodes.
Elongation(1 = 5d) 26-30% Use from a hot box during welding.
Impact Value Charpy V Notch
at -20oC 47-78 J

47
 AWS A5.5 : E7016C1-L H8
DESCRIPTION: AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4816-C1L H10
The WELDWELL PH 75 is a low hydrogen all position electrode
depositing a nickel-alloyed weld metal. The result of this
nickel addition is very high impact values are obtained at sub-
zero temperatures. These properties are gained regardless WELDWELL
of whether the welding is done downhand or vertical up, etc.
The PH 75 exhibits very good weldability on both AC and DC
and gives excellent results in the welding of root runs of pipes
and plates in difficult welding positions. PH 75 is ideal for
welding the fine-grains steels of the 1.5% Ni steel and 3.5%
75
Mild/Medium Tensile Steels - Low Hydrogen Electrodes

Ni steel.

Applications:
Pipes, vessels, containers, etc, which are designed for low- LOW HYDROGEN
temperature service. ELECTRODES
FOR WELDING
Welding Techniques LOW TEMPERATURE STEELS
As for all low-hydrogen electrodes welding must be done with
a short arc and at a low rate of travel, should weaving be
necessary, this must likewise be carried out slowly. TIP COLOUR Aluminium
FLUX MARKING PH 75 7016-C1L
Welding Positions: E4816-C1L

F, H, V, OH Approvals:
American Bureau of Shipping
Recommended Amperages Lloyds Register of Shipping
Bureau Veritas
Dia. Length Amperes
mm mm Typical Chemical Analysis
3.2 380 85-140
4.0 380 120-180 C 0.04%
Mn 0.49%
AC 70V DC + Si 0.40%
Ni 2.50%
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
Storage (See also page 88.)
Tensile Strength 514 MPa Once the packet has been opened, these
Yield Value 439 MPa electrodes should be stored in a heated cabinet
Elongation(1 = 5d) 32% at a temperature of 20oC minimum and/or at
Impact Value Charpy V Notch at -60oC 79 J least 10oC above ambient. Good ventilation
should be allowed.
For highest weld quality, these electrodes
should be baked before use at 350oC for 1
hour to achieve a maximum weld metal
hydrogen level of 10ml/100g or 400oC for 1
hour to achieve maximum weld metal hydrogen
of 5ml/100g.
Do not re-dry more than five times.
These temperatures should also be used to
recondition damp electrodes.
Use from a hot box during welding

48
DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.1 : E7018-1 H8
The WELDWELL The WELDWELL PH 77 is a low-hydrogen AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4818-5 H5
electrode containing iron-powder in the coating. PH 77 is
designed to weld in all positions except vertical down.

The welding arc of PH 77 is very quiet and with very little

WELDWELL
spatter and the weld metal deposits exceptionally smoothly
with excellent wash to the weld sides which practically eliminates
undercutting. The slag is easy to control and is easy to remove
after welding. 77

Mild/Medium Tensile Steels - Low Hydrogen Electrodes

Compared to the general types of low-hydrogen electrodes
the PH 77 performs nearly like a rutile electrode with low-
hydrogen results.
LOW HYDROGEN
This Weldwell PH 77 electrode is for welding unalloyed, micro- ELECTRODES
alloyed and low-alloy steels up to medium tensile strength. FOR WELDING
This electrode is used where the highest standards are required, MILD AND MEDIUM-
such as high ductility and X-ray qualities. TENSILE STEELS

It is excellent for thick plates and highly restrained work pieces, TIP COLOUR Black
etc. Due to its Low-Hydrogen properties it is suitable to weld FLUX MARKING PH 77 7018 E4818
sulphur-alloyed (0.2-0.3% S) steels (free cutting steel) and for
steels with increased carbon content. PH 77 may be used for Welding Position:
cold or hot welding of cast iron but care should be exercised F, H, V, OH
because of carbon pickup which causes brittleness. It is very
suitable for most steel castings. Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
Tensile Strength 563 MPa
Applications: Yield Value 483 MPa
Penstocks, turbines, Class 1 pressure vessels, heavy girders, Elongation(1 = 5d) 29%
tanks, earthmoving plant, repair and maintenance, etc. Impact Value Charpy
V Notch at -50oC 123 J
Welding Techniques
Arc striking is easy and re-starting is simple as a slight drag Typical Chemical Analysis
brings arc ignition. C 0.04%
Welding is done with a short arc and low travel speeds. Mn 1.47%
Si 0.31%
Recommended Amperages Storage (See also page 88.)
Once the packet has been opened, these
Dia. Length Amperes electrodes should be stored in a heated cabinet
mm mm at a temperature of 20oC minimum and/or at
2.5 305 60-105 least 10oC above ambient. Good ventilation
3.2 380 90-145 should be allowed.
4.0 380 140-200 For highest weld quality, these electrodes
5.0 455 180-300 should be baked before use at 350oC for one
hour to achieve a maximum weld metal
AC 70V DC + hydrogen level of 10ml/100g; or 400oC for one
hour to achieve a maximum weldmetal
hydrogen of 5 ml/100g.
Do not re-dry more than three times. These
temperatures should also be used to
recondition damp electrodes. Use from a hot
box during welding.

49
 DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.1 : E7028-H4
WELDWELL PH C6H electrodes are intended for welding mild AS/NZS 1553.1 : E4828-2 H5
and medium tensile steels and have a Zircon-based Coating
in which very large amounts of iron powder are included. The
efficiency is approximately 195%. WELDWELL
The deposited metal has a smooth and flat appearance which
favours high fatigue strengths. The weld washes or wets very
nicely without undercuts.
C6H
Mild/Medium Tensile Steels - Low Hydrogen Electrodes

Welds obtained with this type show very good mechanical

properties and an excellent X-ray quality. As for all low-
hydrogen electrodes the weld metal can be pushed into the
form of very thick layers, in which case slag removal LOW HYDROGEN
nevertheless remains excellent, a characteristic of zircon-based ELECTRODES
electrodes. FOR WELDING
MILD AND MEDIUM
PH C6H is intended for Downhand Welding only. The very TENSILE STEELS
heavy coating permits high welding currents, and consequently
a particularly high deposition rate is obtained. Therefore this
type of electrode is eminently suitable for rapidly filling bevelled TIP COLOUR Blue
butt joints in thick and very thick plates and for making FLUX MARKING PH C6H 7028 E4828
positioned fillet welds as well.
Approvals:
American Bureau of Shipping
Welding Techniques Lloyds Register of Shipping
PH C6H can be used to weld either by contact with the workpiece Bureau Veritas
or by a short free arc.

AC or DC may be used, but with DC the electrode should be

connected to the positive pole. Welding Positions
F, H
Recommended Amperages
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
Dia. Length Amperes Deposition
mm mm Rate kg/hr* Tensile Strength 513 MPa
3.2 380 130-180 Yield Value 424 MPa
4.0 455 200-230 4.00 Elongation(1 = 5d) 34%
5.0 455 260-340 6.35 Impact Value Charpy
6.0 455 360-440 8.90 V Notch at -20oC 108 J

* Deposition Rate at maximum amps. Typical Chemical Analysis

AC 70V DC + C 0.02%
Mn 1.26%
Si 0.62%

Storage (See also page 88.)

Once the packet has been opened, these
electrodes should be stored in a heated cabinet
at a temperature of 20oC minimum and/or at
least 10oC above ambient. Good ventilation
should be allowed.
For highest weld quality, these electrodes
should be baked before use at 280oC for one
hour to achieve a maximum weld metal
hydrogen level of 10ml/100g.
Do not re-dry more than three times. These
temperatures should also be used to
recondition damp electrodes. Use from a hot
box during welding.

50
DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.5 : E8015-B3L H4
Weldwell KV3 is an all position, very low hydrogen electrode AS/NZS 1553.1 : E5515-B3L H5
for welding a wide range of low alloy and medium tensile steels.
Because of the stable arc and smooth weldability, KV3 produces WELDWELL
high quality welds, and is very suitable for welding tubes and
pipes in fixed positions. The chrome and molybdenum bearing
composition of KV3 produces strong, tough weld deposits
which are highly resistant to weld metal cracking.
Suitable for welding 2.25 Cr, 1 Mo and 0.5 Cr, 0.5 Mo, 0.25 V KV3

Mild/Medium Tensile Steels - Low Hydrogen Electrodes

bearing steels in high temperature applications, and other low
alloy, medium tensile steels where matching or improved
strength and toughness are desired.
Weldwell KV3 is the recommended electrode for welding LOW HYDROGEN
seismic reinforcing bar - Grade 500E. ELECTRODES
FOR WELDING
Welding Techniques LOW ALLOY AND MEDIUM
Welding must be carried out with a short arc and a slow travel TENSILE STEELS
rate.
TIP COLOUR Aluminium
Recommended Amperages FLUX MARKING PH KV3 8015-B3L
Dia. Length Amperes
mm mm
2.5 350 65-95 Welding Position:
3.2 350 75-130 F, H, V, OH
4.0 350 115-165
5.0 455 180-240 Typical Chemical Analysis
C 0.05% Mo 0.95%
Welding current DC + only Mn 0.77% P 0.03%
Si 0.22% S 0.01%
Cr 2.10%
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
Tensile Strength 726 MPa Approvals
Yield Value 638 MPa American Bureau of Shipping
Elongation 25%
Storage (See also page 88.)
Once the packet has been opened, these
electrodes should be stored in a heated cabinet
at a temperature of 20oC and/or at least 10oC
above ambient. Good ventilation should be
allowed.
For highest weld quality, these electrodes
should be baked before use at 350oC for one
hour to achieve a maximum weld metal
hydrogen level of 10 ml/100g or 400oC for one
hour just before use for maximum weld metal
hydrogen of 5 ml/100g. Do not redry more
than three times.
These temperatures should also be used to
recondition damp electrodes. Use from a hot
box during welding.

51
 WELDWELL WELDING ELECTRODES

ELECTRODES
FOR WELDING HIGH TENSILE STEELS

In the following it is assumed that all structural steels with a minimum yield point of approximately 480
MPa are among the high-tensile steels. Mostly such steel qualities are low alloyed, and as a result of
their chemical composition they may be sensitive to hydrogen cracking.

Sources which may produce hydrogen, such as dirt, grease, oxide scale, etc, on the plates, must therefore
be carefully removed before welding.
High Tensile Steels - Low Hydrogen Electrodes

For the welding of these steel qualities low-hydrogen electrodes such as the type Weldwell PH 118 have
to be used. These Weldwell electrodes are supplied in sealed packs, to prevent moisture pick-up during
transport and storage. In spite of this precaution, it is recommended to dry the electrodes before use, by
following the procedure as detailed in the data sheet.

As soon as the electrodes have reached the temperature they may be used. It is advisable for the welder
not to take more electrodes with him, in small humidity-safe or heated containers, than are necessary for
about two hours of welding.

Electrodes which have not been kept in humidity-safe conditions have to be rebaked at 400 o C for a
maximum of one hour, then they can be stored in an oven at 10 o C above ambient.

When high strength steels are welded the requirements with respect to design, workmanship and inspection
must be more stringent than those for structural carbon steels. A design that has abrupt changes in cross
sections in regions of high stress cannot be tolerated.

Therefore, butt welds are to be preferred to fillet welds. The butt joints should be welded on both sides,
to avoid severe stress-raisers at the root. Moreover such welds can more easily be inspected. Tack welds
and the root run should be welded with an electrode type having a lower yield value than that applied
for filling the joint. After filling or partial filling of one side of the joint, the reverse side can be welded
after chipping or gouging the root run. Grinding is necessary after gouging with carbon electrodes, and
at least 1 mm of material should be removed.

It is common practice also to weld standing fillet welds with an electrode type having lower yield values
than the type used for welding butt joints.

In order to ensure adequate notch toughness and strength of the HAZ, the recommendations made by the
steel supplier with respect to preheating, interpass temperature and heat input must be strictly adhered
to. These recommendations have to be followed during tack welding and welding of the root run, as well.

52
 AWS A5.5 : E11018-G H4
DESCRIPTION: AS/NZS 1553.2 : E7618-G H5
The WELDWELL PH 118 is a low hydrogen electrode used for
welding low-alloy high strength steels with tensile properties
of about 120,000 psi or 750-860 N/mm2, such as Bisalloy 80, WELDWELL
Sumiten 80S, T1, AISI4140 and Welten 80-C etc. These
electrodes are supplied in a condition such that a particularly
low hydrogen content of the deposited weld metal is ensured.
For this reason it is imperative to prevent moisture pick-up
when using these types. It is advisable that the operator should 118
not take more electrodes than he needs for two hours welding.
In unfavourable conditions of high humidity, it is recommended
that an airtight container be used on site. The welding of high-
strength steel is usually done by following the procedures given
by the steel manufacturers and this should be carried out, if LOW HYDROGEN
the mechanical properties of the HAZ are not to be affected. ELECTRODES
FOR WELDING
In most cases when welding root passes and first runs in HIGH TENSILE STEELS
standing fillets or tacking these steels, the use of Weldwell PH
56S or PH 77 is beneficial.

High Tensile Steels - Low Hydrogen Electrodes

TIP COLOUR Violet
The efficiency of PH 118 is 110-120% and this electrode is FLUX MARKING PH 118 11018-G E7618-G
characterised by a fast efficient metal-transfer with deposits of
excellent quality. In addition due to the chemical composition Approvals:
the impact properties at sub-zero temperatures are outstanding. American Bureau of Shipping

Applications: Welding Positions

Welding with PH 118 is very useful for repairing parts of F, H,V, OH
machinery which are made of low-alloy high-strength steels,
such as shafts, axles, forklift arms, etc. Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
Tensile Strength 821 MPa
Welding Techniques Yield Value 775 MPa
Welding with PH 118 can be done in all positions. The speed Elongation(1 = 5d) 24%
of travel should be low and the arc kept very short. If weaving Impact Value Charpy
is necessary "do it slowly". If these conditions are met the V Notch at -51oC 81 J
welds obtained will have excellent X-ray quality.
Typical Chemical Analysis
Recommended Amperages
C 0.05% Mn 1.30%
Dia. Length Amperes Deposition Si 0.30% Cr 0.02%
mm mm Rate kg/hr* Ni 1.60% Mo 0.50%
3.2 380 90-140 1.20
4.0 380 110-180 1.62 Storage (See also page 88.)
5.0 455 170-240 2.30 Once the packet has been opened, these
electrodes should be stored in a heated cabinet
* Deposition Rate at maximum amps. at a temperature of 20oC minimum and/or at
AC 70V DC + least 10oC above ambient. Good ventilation
should be allowed.
For highest weld quality, these electrodes
should be baked before use at 350oC for 1 hour
to achieve a maximum weld metal hydrogen
level of 10ml/100g or 400oC for 1 hour to
achieve maximum weld metal hydrogen of
5ml/100g. Do not re-dry more than three times.
These temperatures should also be used to
recondition damp electrodes.
Use from a hot box during welding.

53
 WELDWELL WELDING ELECTRODES

BASIC COATED ELECTRODES

FOR WELDING CREEP-RESISTING STEELS

Recommendations for welding creep-resisting steels

Type of steel Electrode Preheating and interpass Stress relieving treatment

Specification temperatures
Creep Resisting Steel - Low Hydrogen Electrodes

Temperature Plate Thickness Temperature Time in minutes

1.25 Cr/0.5 Mo Weldwell 50-200oC All 680-700oC 2.5 x plate thick-

KV5 ness in mm (min.
60 minutes

2.25 Cr/1 Mo Weldwell 200-250oC All 700-740oC 5 x plate thick-ness

KV3 in mm (min.
120 minutes)

0.5 Cr/0.5 Mo/ Weldwell All 2.5 x plate thick-

0.25V KV3 200-300oC 680-720oC ness in mm (min.
180 minutes

Recommendations for storage and re-baking of Weldwell KV electrodes

1. All basic-coated electrodes like the Weldwell KV electrodes should be stored in a dry place.
2. It is advisable for the welder not to expose to the atmosphere more electrodes than will be needed for two
hours of welding, at the same time keeping the remainder in an oven at 120 to 150oC, but the preferred
procedure is to store electrodes at the welding site in a hot box at 70oC minimum for a maximum of eight
hours.
3. To achieve a maximum weld metal hydrogen level of 10 ml/100g these electrodes should be baked at 350oC
for one hour, just before use.
4. To achieve a maximum weld metal hydrogen level of 5 ml/100g these electrodes should be baked at 400oC
for one hour, just before use.
5. Electrodes which have been exposed to the atmosphere, and have become damp, should be rebaked, as
detailed above.

54
DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.5 : E8015-B3L H4
The all-position electrode Weldwell KV3, a basic coated type, AS/NZS 1553.2 : E5515-B3L H5
is used for welding creep resisting steels alloyed with 2.25
Cr/1.0 Mo.
WELDWELL
The Weldwell KV3 is also recommended for welding 0.5 Cr/0.5
Mo/0.25V steel.

As a result of the stable arc and smooth weldability it is also

very suitable for obtaining high quality welds when the Weldwell KV3
KV3 is used for welding tubes out of position. The welds are
characterised by an excellent X-ray quality; the chemical
composition of the weld metal guarantees a low sensitivity to
solidification cracking. ELECTRODES
FOR WELDING
CREEP-RESISTING STEEL

Creep Resisting Steel - Low Hydrogen Electrodes

Welding Techniques
Welding must be carried out with a short arc and a slow travel
rate. TIP COLOUR Aluminium
FLUX MARKING PH KV3 8015-B3L

Recommended Heat Treatment

A preheat and interpass temperature during the welding of Approvals
2.25 Cr - 1% Mo steels has to be 200 to 250oC for all plate American Bureau of Shipping
thicknesses.
Welding Position:
o
Stress relieving must be carried out at 700 to 740 C, for a time F, H, V, OH
in minutes equal to 5 x the plate thickness in mm for a minimum
of two hours. Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
Tensile Strength 726 MPa
Yield Value 638 MPa
Recommended Amperages Elongation 25%
Dia. Length Amperes
mm mm Typical Chemical Analysis
2.5 350 65-95
3.2 350 75-130 C 0.05% Mo 0.95%
4.0 350 115-165 Mn 0.77% P 0.03%
Si 0.22% S 0.01%
DC only, positive polarity Cr 2.10%

Storage
Store in a dry place. (See page 54.)

Typical Creep Properties

Yield values at elevated temperature:
Temp Min. creep strength Min. stress rupture strength 200oC: min. 440 MPa (45 kg/mm2)
F1/10,000 F1/100,000 FB/10,000 FB/100,000 250oC: min. 410 MPa (42 kg/mm2)
MPa Kg/mm2 MPa Kg/mm2 MPa Kg/mm2 MPa Kg/mm2 300oC: min. 390 MPa (40 kg/mm2)
500oC 147 15.0 108 11.0 207 21.0 158 16.0 350oC: min. 380 MPa (39 kg/mm2)
520oC 128 13.0 89 9.0 168 17.0 118 12.0 400oC: min. 375 MPa (38 kg/mm2)
550oC 84 8.5 59 6.0 114 11.5 79 8.0 450oC: min. 360 MPa (37 kg/mm2)
580oC 59 6.0 39.5 4.0 79 8.0 54 5.5 500oC: min. 350 MPa (36 kg/mm2)

55
 DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.5 : E7015-B2L H4
The WELDWELL KV5, a basic coated electrode, is employed AS/NZS 1553.2 : E4815-B2L H5
for the all-position welding of creep resisting steels alloyed
with 1.25 Cr/0.5 Mo.
WELDWELL
It can also be used for welding of 0.9 Cr/0.5 Mo steels. Because
of the excellent weldability, stable arc, the welding of tubes in
all positions does not give rise to any problems.

The weld metal of the Weldwell KV5 is insensitive to solidification KV5

cracking.

Welding Techniques
Welding must be carried out with a short arc and a slow travel ELECTRODES
rate. FOR WELDING
CREEP-RESISTING
Creep Resisting Steel - Low Hydrogen Electrodes

STEEL
Recommended Heat Treatment
A preheating and interpass temperature of 150 to 200oC is
generally required in welding large plate thicknesses. For thin TIP COLOUR Green
plates a preheating temperature of 100 to 150oC will be sufficient. FLUX MARKING PH KV5 7015-B2L

Stress relieving must be carried out at a temperature of 680 Approvals:

to 700oC, during a time in minutes equal to 2.5 x the plate American Bureau of Shipping
thickness in mm for a minimum of one hour. Rapid cooling of
the workpiece should be avoided. Welding Positions
F, H, V, OH
Recommended Amperages
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
Dia. Length Amperes
mm mm Tensile Strength 579 MPa
2.5 350 65-95 Yield Value 504 MPa
3.2 350 75-130 Elongation 30%
4.0 350 115-165
Typical Chemical Analysis
DC only, positive polarity C 0.04% Mo 0.46%
Mn 0.86% P 0.02%
Si 0.23% S 0.01%
Cr 1.20%

Storage
Store in a dry place. (See page 54.)

Typical Creep Properties

Temp Min. creep strength Min. stress rupture strength Yield values at elevated temperature:
F1/10,000 F1/100,000 FB/10,000 FB/100,000 200oC: min. 372 MPa (38 kg/mm2)
MPa Kg/mm2 MPa Kg/mm2 MPa Kg/mm2 MPa Kg/mm2 250oC: min. 352 MPa (36 kg/mm2)
500oC 166 17.0 118 12.0 235 24.0 166 17.0 300oC: min. 333 MPa (34 kg/mm2)
520oC 126 12.8 83 8.5 182 18.5 112 11.5 350oC: min. 323 MPa (33 kg/mm2)
550oC 78 8.0 49 5.0 108 11.0 59 6.0 400oC: min. 314 MPa (32 kg/mm2)
450oC: min. 304 MPa (31 kg/mm2)
500oC: min. 294 MPa (30 kg/mm2)

56
 WELDWELL WELDING ELECTRODES

ELECTRODES FOR WELDING

STAINLESS STEELS
In the welding of stainless steel a choice can be made from the following forms of joints, depending on the thickness of the material
to be welded.

SQUARE BUTT WELDS These are employed for sheets and plates with a thickness up to 4 mm (below 1 mm the TIG-
welding process is used). The gap between the plates must be half the plate thickness. In
connection with shrinkage the gap must be made 1 mm wider during tack welding, in order
to ensure the required dimension of the root gap. The first weld is deposited on the side
opposite to the one where the tack welds were made. After grinding, the side of the tack
welds can be welded

SINGLE V-GROOVE Single V-grooves are used for plate thicknesses of 5 up to 12 mm. It is necessary to bevel
the groove faces so that good penetration is ensured. Root face of 2 mm is necessary in order
to avoid overheating of the metal due to the low rate of heat transfer in stainless steel. The
included angle must be 80o for plates of 5 to 7 mm. This angle should be 70o for thicknesses
of 7 to 12 mm. These greater angles permit welding with an electrode having a larger diameter
than in the case of unalloyed steels, so that the joint can be filled in fewer layers, which is
favourable with regard to distortion.

DOUBLE-V GROOVE For thickness over 10 mm the symmetrical double-V groove comes into consideration. A root
face is not necessary here. The root run should always be ground out, in order to avoid
welding-defects. Instead of the double-V grooves single U-grooves are also applied, especially
for heavier plates.

TACK WELDING Distortion of the workpiece as a result of tack welding can be reduced to the minimum by a
favourable distribution of heat. It is a well known fact that straightening of austenitic stainless
steel is very difficult and that it may affect the corrosion resistance. The use of tacking strips
is not recommended, because then local stresses are introduced (stress corrosion). The tack
welds should have a length of 40 mm; the distances between them should be as follows.

Plate Thickness Distance between

mm tack welds mm
1-1.5 25-40
2-3 40-70
4-6 70-100
Over 6 100-150

RECOMMENDED WELDWELL ELECTRODES FOR WELDING

VARIOUS GRADES OF STAINLESS STEEL IN GENERAL USE
Parent Metals Filler Metals
AISI Grades UNS
(or common names) Number Electrode Recommendation
301 S30100 Weldwell PH RS308LC
302 S30200 Weldwell PH RS308LC
304 S30400 Weldwell PH RS308LC
Stainless Steel

304L S30403 Weldwell PH RS308LC

309 S30900 Weldwell PH RS309LC
310 S31000 Weldwell PH BM310
316 S31600 Weldwell PH RM316LC or RM318LC
316L S31603 Weldwell PH RM316LC or RM318LC
318 S31800 Weldwell PH RM318LC
2205 S31803 Weldwell PH 22.9.3LR
2304 S32304 Weldwell PH 22.9.3LR
Stainless Steel to Carbon Steel Weldwell PH RS309LC
Molybdenum Bearing Stainless Steel to Carbon Steel Weldwell PH RS309MoLC
* Note: RM316LC or Staincord 316L-16 could also be used.

57
 DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.4 : E308L-17
This WELDWELL PH RS308LC electrode is used for welding austenitic AS/NZS 1553.3 : E308L-17
stainless steels containing 16-20% chromium and 812% nickel. The
non-stabilised weld metal is ductile, has a capacity for deformation WELDWELL
and can be polished to a mirror finish. The smooth and finely rippled
welds reduce grinding and polishing to the minimum. The electrode
has good penetration properties and the slag is easy to control and
to remove. RS308
Applications:
Welding of stainless steels of similar composition in dairies, nuclear LC
power plants, foodstuff and chemical industries, fertiliser plants, etc,
when relatively mild corrosive attack can be expected.
Welding Techniques
ELECTRODES
The electrode should preferably be held at an angle of 80o to the FOR WELDING
direction of travel, and be welded with a SHORT ARC. STAINLESS STEEL
Recommended Amperages TIP COLOUR Brown
Dia. Length Amperes FLUX MARKING PH RS308LC
mm mm
2.5 300 40-80 Approvals:
3.2 350 60-100 American Bureau of Shipping
4.0 350 90-140 Welding Positions:
AC or DC + F, H, V, OH
For AC a minimum open circuit voltage of 70V is required. Typical Chemical Analysis
C 0.03% Cr 19%
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal Mn 0.85% Ni 9.5%
Tensile Strength 642 MPa Si 0.70%
Elongation 38% Storage
Typical Ferrite 6.5% To recondition moist electrodes bake for one
hour at 350oC in a vented oven.

DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.4 : E310-16

This is a heavily coated austenitic electrode for welding heat- AS/NZS 1553.3 : E310-16
resistant materials, such as the type of steel containing 25%
chromium and 20% nickel (AISI 310). In many cases these WELDWELL
materials are used at temperatures exceeding 700oC. Another
use is the welding of clad steels viz welding in the intermediate
zone between mild steel and stainless material. Despite the
fact that the weld metal mixes with ordinary mild steel, the weld
metal will still contain a sufficient percentage of chromium and BM310
nickel, which guarantees that no martensite will be formed.
The same applies to welded joints between ordinary mild steel
and stainless steel.
Welding Techniques
The WELDWELL PHBM310 electrode produces a homogeneous ELECTRODES
weld with very good appearance and excellent heat resistance. FOR WELDING
The electrode has very low crack-sensitivity. Since the STAINLESS STEEL
aforementioned types of steel are poor heat-conductors, a low
current must be used for welding.
For welding on direct current the electrode must be connected to TIP COLOUR Blue
the positive pole; in that case penetration is good. The arc must FLUX MARKING PH BM310
be kept short, both for downhand and for vertical position welding.
Approvals:
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal American Bureau of Shipping
Stainless Steel

Tensile Strength Min 550 MPa

Elongation Min 30% Welding Positions:
Fully austenitic F, H, V, OH
Recommended Amperages Typical Chemical Analysis
Dia. Length Amperes C 0.10% Cr 26.3%
mm mm Mn 1.76% Ni 21.1%
2.5 300 50-75 Si 0.39%
3.2 350 70-95
4.0 350 90-120 Storage
To recondition moist electrodes bake for one
DC+ AC 70 OCV hour at 280oC in a vented oven.

58
DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.4 : E316L-17
WELDWELL PH RM316LC is an electrode for welding austenitic AS/NZS 1553.3 : E316L-17
stainless steels containing 16-20% Chromium, 10-14% Nickel
and 2-3% Molybdenum. WELDWELL
Welding Techniques
RM316LC is used to weld AISI 316 and 316L types such as
encountered in petrol chemical, pharmaceutical, textile and
paper industries. RM316
Like the steel to be welded, the weld metal has a superior LC
resistance to pitting and to most types of corrosion, especially
in reducing and neutral solutions.
The welds obtained are smooth and finely rippled, slag-control ELECTRODES
is easy, and removal after cooling-down presents no problems.
Welding should be carried out with a short arc; the electrode FOR WELDING
should preferably be held at an angle of 80o to the direction STAINLESS STEEL
of travel.
TIP COLOUR Orange
Recommended Amperages FLUX MARKING PHRM316LC
Dia. Length Amperes
mm mm Approvals
2.5 300 40-80 American Bureau of Shipping
3.2 350 60-100
4.0 350 90-140 Welding Position:
F, H (V, OH for 4mm and smaller)

AC 70 OCV DC + Typical Chemical Analysis

For AC a minimum open circuit voltage of 70V is required. C 0.02% Cr 17.8%
Mn 0.72% Ni 11.40%
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal Si 0.67% Mo 2.5%
Tensile Strength 600 MPa
Elongation 41% Storage
Typical Ferrite 6.3% To recondition moist electrodes bake for
one hour at 350oC in a vented oven.

DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.4 : E318-16

The WELDWELL PH RM318LC is an electrode designed for AS/NZS 1553.3 : E318-16
welding highly-alloyed austenitic types of Stainless Steels containing
16-20% chromium, 10-14% nickel and 2-3% molybdenum (AISI WELDWELL
Type 318). The deposit has a high resistance to corrosion by
strong acids. Naturally, the electrode can be used to weld steels
of the AISI type 316.
The presence of 3% molybdenum makes it suitable for the welding
of stainless steels containing molybdenum in small quantities. RM318
The weld metal of the RM318LC is alloyed with niobium (or
columbium), which guarantees that in the weld metal no inter- LC
crystalline corrosion will occur (stabilised material).
Welding Techniques
The RM318LC electrode must be connected to the positive ELECTRODES
pole for welding on direct current; when welding is done with FOR WELDING
alternating current, an open circuit voltage of at least 70V is STAINLESS STEEL
necessary. For welding, a short arc must be used because
porosity may occur. The weld deposit is very smooth and finely
ribbed, thus needing little finishing. Even at high currents the TIP COLOUR Yellow
slag is easy to control and after welding it is very easy to FLUX MARKING PH RM318LC
remove. The angle between the electrode and the direction
of travel must be approximately 80o.
Stainless Steel

Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal Welding Positions:

Tensile Strength Min 550 MPa F, H (V, OH for 4mm and smaller)
Elongation Min 25%
Typical Ferrite 7.2% Typical Chemical Analysis
C 0.02% Cr 18.00%
Recommended Amperages Mn 0.77% Ni 11.30%
Dia. Length Amperes Si 0.72% Mo 2.50%
mm mm Niobium 0.24%
2.0 300 25-60
2.5 300 40-80 Storage
3.2 350 60-100 To recondition moist electrodes bake for
4.0 350 90-140 one hour at 350oC in a vented oven.
AC 70 OCV DC+

59
 DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.4 : E316L-16
Staincord 316L-16 is an extra low carbon, rutile type electrode AS/NZS 1553.3 : E316L-16
exhibiting superior all positional (except vertical down) perfor-
mance with an improved moisture resistant "Pink" flux coating
for weld metal of high radiographic integrity. The smooth arc
action of Staincord 316L-16, together with low spatter and STAINCORD 316L-16
excellent slag control/detachability, promotes exceptional weld
appearance and profile. Other features include high arc stability
and easy restriking on low voltage AC welding machines.

Applications:
Staincord 316L-16 deposits molybdenum bearing,
19Cr/12Ni/2.5Mo filler metal to meet the requirements for ELECTRODES
welding type 316 and 316L stainless steels in critical applications. FOR WELDING
Staincord 316L-16 is also recommended for the general purpose STAINLESS STEEL
welding of common 300 series stainless steels, such as 301,
302, 304, and 304L. It is also suitable for the general welding
of ferritic stainless steel alloys, such as 409, 444 and 3Cr12.
(Contact your nearest Weldwell branch or distributor for further TIP COLOUR Green
information on these applications.) FLUX COLOUR Dust Pink
FLUX MARKING 316L-16
Recommended Amperages
Welding Positions:
Dia. Length Amperes
mm mm F, H, V, OH
2.0 300 30-50
2.5 300 50-75 Typical Chemical Analysis
3.2 350 75-110
4.0 350 110-150 C 0.0.25% Cr 18.5%
Mn 0.70% Ni 12.0%
AC 45 OCV DC + Si 0.70% Mo 2.4%
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
Storage
Tensile Strength 600 MPa To recondition moist electrodes bake for two
Elongation 40% hours at 200oC. Do not exceed 250oC.
Typical Ferrite 5.5%

DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.4 : E309L-17

The WELDWELL PH RS309LC is a rutile coated - all position AS/NZS 1553.3 : E309L-17
electrode for welding stainless steel using 22-25% Cr and 12-
14% Ni. AISI 309 may also be used for welding dissimilar WELDWELL
metals, eg stainless steel type 18/8 to mild steel. Also used
for welding the buffer layer of 18/8 clad steels, of which the
final run of the joint is made with PH RS308LC.

Welding Techniques RS309

The electrode should be held at an angle of 80o to the direction LC
of travel, and be welded using a short arc and a travel speed
that allows good fusion of the parent metal.
ELECTRODES
FOR WELDING
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal STAINLESS STEEL
Tensile Strength Min 520 MPa
Elongation Min 30% TIP COLOUR White
Typical Ferrite 12.4% FLUX MARKING PH RS309LC
Stainless Steel

Approvals:
Recommended Amperages American Bureau of Shipping
Dia. Length Amperes Welding Positions:
mm mm F, H, (V, OH for 4.0 mm and smaller)
2.5 300 45-70 Typical Chemical Analysis
3.2 350 70-110 C 0.03% Cr 23.9%
4.0 350 100-140 Mn 1.00% Ni 13.1%
Si 0.90% Mo 0.06%
AC 70 OCV DC +
Storage
Store electrodes in a dry place.
To recondition moist electrodes bake
for one hour at 350oC in a vented oven.

60
DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.4 : E309MoL-17
The WELDWELL PH RS309MoLC is an all position, rutile AS/NZS 1553.3 : E309MoL-17
coated electrode which is extremely suitable for the welding
of Molybdenum, containing austenitic stainless steels to carbon WELDWELL
steels, and for the welding of buffer layers of AISI 316 clad
steels of which the final run is made with PH RM316LC.

Welding Techniques
The electrode should be held at an angle of 80o to the direction
RS309
of travel, and be welded using a short arc and a travel speed MoLC
that allows good fusion of the parent metal.
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal ELECTRODES
Tensile Strength 787 MPa FOR WELDING
Elongation 30% STAINLESS STEEL
Typical Ferrite 18%
Recommended Amperages
Dia. Length Amperes TIP COLOUR Violet
mm mm FLUX MARKING PH RS309MoLC
2.0 300 25-60 Approvals
2.5 300 45-70 American Bureau of Shipping
3.2 350 70-110
4.0 350 100-140 Welding Position:
F, H (V, OH for 4mm and smaller)
AC 70 OCV DC +
Typical Chemical Analysis
C 0.03% Cr 22.20% Storage
Mn 0.81% Ni 12.60% To recondition moist electrodes bake for
Si 0.60% Mo 2.70% one hour at 350oC in a vented oven.

DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.4 : E2209-16

WELDWELL PH 22.9.3LR is an all position, rutile coated AS/NZS 1553.3 : E2209-16
electrode with some basicity. It is suitable for welding Duplex
grades of stainless steel such as 2205, 2304 and 3RE60.
Weldwell PH 22.9.3LR has a ferritic-austenitic structure, with WELDWELL
a ferrite number of greater than 25 when measured with a
severn gauge. It is resistant to inter-granular corrosion, and
has very good resistance to pitting and stress corrosion cracking.

Welding Techniques 22.9.3

Welding is possible in all positions, except vertical down. LR
Welding should be carried out using a short arc. Keep
amperages as low as possible to achieve good fusion and
weld pool control. The electrode has good re-ignition properties.
ELECTRODES
FOR WELDING
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal STAINLESS STEEL
Tensile Strength Min 550 MPa
Elongation Min 25% TIP COLOUR Green
Typical Ferrite > 45% FLUX MARKING PH 22.9.3LR
Stainless Steel

Recommended Amperages Welding Positions:

Dia. Length Amperes F, H V, OH
mm mm
2.0 300 25-60 Typical Chemical Analysis
2.5 300 40-80 C 0.03% Cr 23.10%
3.2 350 60-100 Mn 0.85% Ni 9.80%
4.0 350 90-140 Si 0.84% Mo 3.20%
AC 70 OCV DC+
Storage
To recondition moist electrodes bake for
one hour at 350oC in a vented oven.

61
 WELDWELL WELDING ELECTRODES

ELECTRODES
FOR WELDING PROBLEM STEEL

Through the years many types of steels have been developed to suit specific kinds of work. In many cases they were not
formed with the ultimate aim of weldability.

The question often arises when a repair or such like is required, is what filler metal should be used, this is often difficult to
answer without the material specifications.

However, the so called rule of thumb can make these decisions much easier. Usually the part or body of the machine or
implement etc will have been designed to suit a certain work force, ie strength in tensile or vibration, toughness and resistance
to compression as in punch and die tooling.

There are two types of electrodes in the ELITE range, RSP and Hi Ten 8. Each is listed with its own description, which in
most cases will enable the end user to select a suitable welding electrode for that problem weld.

Please remember that Weldwell do have technical people who can assist and we advise - IF IN DOUBT, PLEASE ASK
US.
Elite Series - Problem Steels

62
DESCRIPTION:
ELITE RSP is a rutile-coated electrode depositing a weld metal
of an austenitic-ferritic structure, which is highly crack resistant.
Hence its use for welding Problem Steels where the risks of
cracking do occur. Elite RSP deposits a smooth dense weld WELDWELL
and its slag releases very easily. It can be used to join steels ELITE
which differ from one another, ie stainless and mild steel.
The Elite RSP is also suitable to weld creep-resistant steels
such as 5% Cr - 0.5% Mo steel, where no heat treatment can
be applied after welding. It is most appropriate for joining high- RSP
alloy and/or low-alloy steels which differ from one another.
Due to the type of composition the weld metal is highly
acceptable for buffer layers prior to hard surfacing because of
its toughness and ability to absorb stresses. Although the
appearance is similar to stainless steel, Elite RSP should not ELECTRODES
be used as a corrosion-resistant alloy and is not stabilised. FOR WELDING
PROBEM STEELS
Recommended Amperages
TIP COLOUR Gold
Dia. Length Amperes FLUX MARKING Weldwell RSP
mm mm
2.5 300 40-75
3.2 350 60-100 Welding Positions:
4.0 350 90-140
AC 75V DC + F, H (V, OH for 4mm and smaller)

Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal Typical Chemical Analysis

Tensile Strength 640-750 MPa C Max 0.04% Cr 17.0-20.0%
Elongation(1 = 5d) Min. 25% Mn Max 2.50% Ni 10.0-14.0%
Deposited 200 Brinell Si Max 1.00% Mo 2.0-3.5%
Work Hardens to 500 Brinell
Typical Ferrite 22% Storage
To recondition moist electrodes bake for
one hour at 350oC in a vented oven.

Elite Series - Problem Steels

63
 DESCRIPTION:
ELITE HI-TEN 8 has a special coating which permits smooth,
dense deposits, porosity free and with little or no spatter.
Welds are made with highest possible speed using the lowest WELDWELL
practical amperage, the deposit will take a high polish. ELITE
Exceptionally good where high strength, impact, heat and
corrosion resistance are required. It is very insensitive to
cracking. Recommended for use when the analysis of the
various stainless steels is unknown or doubtful, the repair of
HI-TEN
die and tool steels. Elite Hi-Ten 8 can not be heat treated, but 8
can be work hardened to over 1200 MPa tensile strength.

Typical Applications
Elite Hi-Ten 8 is used in the jet aircraft, coal mining, chemical, ELECTRODES
oil and gas industries. The general engineering industry finds FOR WELDING
it exceptional for welding spring steels, dies, gears, pumps, PROBLEM STEELS
shafts, nickel-clad steels, tools and saltwater pumps. It will
weld or overlay aluminium bronzes with very good results.
Ideal to repair or overlay petrol engine exhaust valves. TIP COLOUR Light Blue
FLUX MARKING Weldwell Hi-Ten 8
Welding Techniques
Ensure that weld areas are thoroughly cleaned and follow rules
for good joint preparation. AC or DC reverse polarity, ie
electrode positive. Welding Positions
F, H, V, OH
When applying in some of the high alloy steels a preheat of
approximately 200-300 o C ie a "light blue colour" is Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
recommended. Tensile Strength As deposited up to
825 MPa
It is good practice before commencing welding to make test Tensile Strength Work hardened up to
runs on scrap steel to ensure that the amperage condition is 1200 MPa
ideal. In most cases use stringer beads and let each pass Yield Strength Up to 625 MPa
cool prior to flux removal. A short arc is very necessary. Elongation in 50 mm Minimum 22%
Peening will remove internal stresses. When using multi- Hardness 200 Brinell
passes ensure that the slag is completely removed with each Typical Ferrite > 45%
pass.

Recommended Amperages Storage

To recondition moist electrodes bake for one
Elite Series - Problem Steels

Dia. Length Amperes hour at 350oC in a vented oven.

mm mm
2.5 300 40-75
3.2 350 75-125
4.0 350 90-140

AC 50V DC +

64
 WELDWELL WELDING ELECTRODES

ELECTRODES FOR GOUGING AND CUTTING

There are conditions when metals need to be removed or parted and sometimes the oxygen-acetylene system is
not always suitable.

There are two types in the range which perform very well, these are the AUSTARC C&G and the WELDWELL
PH C18

With powerful arc welding machines the type AUSTARC C&G is the most efficient, with the PH C18 working
very well where the power supply is not so high.

These types will operate successfully on steels, cast irons, copper base, stainless, nickel and aluminium metals.

Gouging and Cutting Electrodes

65
 DESCRIPTION:
Austarc C & G is a heavy coated electrode providing a highly
mobile means of cutting, gouging and piercing most steels,
using standard AC or DC arc welding equipment. Austarc
C & G produces a very high arc force and can be used for AUSTARC
general cutting and grooving in joint preparation, removing C&G
defective welds and reclaiming scrap metal, etc.

Typical Applications
Oxy-acetylene and carbon arc-air cutting and gouging are two
processes available to industry capable of giving high quality,
smooth preparations. Austarc C & G will not replace these
C&G
processes but rather provide a convenient, easy to use and
mobile tool for the arc gouging and cutting of most metals. It
is particularly useful to the maintenance welder operating in ELECTRODES
awkward locations to remove welds, open up joints and trim FOR GOUGING
off bolt or rivet heads, etc. AND CUTTING

Welding Techniques
Cutting: Direct the electrode into the work in the desired cutting TIP COLOUR PLAIN
direction, working from the outside edge. Use an up and down
sawing motion, the “up” arc length being increased to increase
heating, the “down” arc length being decreased to contact point Recommended Amperages
to force the molten metal out of the groove. Angle of electrode Dia. Length
should be approximately 70o to the horizontal. mm mm Amperes
3.2 380 170-250
Gouging: Point the electrode in the direction of gouging at 4.0 380 220-350
approximately 10-20o to the plate surface. Strike the arc and
move forward rapidly. If slag and molten metal start to clog AC 70 OCV or DC +
the groove bring the electrode up to clear, and, without breaking
the arc, circle backwards and move forward again. This latter Storage
technique may prove more necessary than straight forward Store electrodes in a dry place.
motion on lower amps or as the electrode becomes hotter. If
amps are excessive, C & G will tend to “cut out” on AC and Note:
overheat, causing premature charring of the coated and reduced As these electrodes demand very high arcing
arc force. volts, it must be taken into account that the
Gouging and Cutting Electrodes

amperes indicated by mechanical means on

Piercing: For holes, plunge the electrode into the plate at
slightly off right angles. With a small circular motion to the
holder, force the electrode into the plate until full penetration
is achieved. Once the hole has been made it may be trimmed
with an up and down sawing motion.
WARNING: The fire hazard potential of arc cutting is much
greater than for welding, therefore ensure the arc is clear of
all flammable materials before proceeding. Do not cut on or
near oil drums, gas cylinders, etc.
welding machines will be much lower and
therefore compensation adjustment will be
necessary. In addition when comparing AC to
DC in values, it is normal to add 15% to the
AC range to allow for the slightly weaker AC
value.

66
 WELDWELL WELDING ELECTRODES

ELECTRODES FOR WELDING

CAST IRON

Cast iron contains 3-5% carbon and smaller quantities of silicon and manganese; phosphorus and especially
sulphur are undesirable impurities. Alloyed cast irons may also have additions of nickel, molybdenum, chromium
or copper. In normal grey cast iron the carbon is present in the form of flakes of free graphite which is responsible
for the comparatively low tensile strength. With special metallurgical techniques cast irons with improved
properties can be produced, the effect being that the strength impairing flakes of graphite are replaced by nodules
of graphite. These ductile irons (nodular cast irons; spheroidal cast irons; SG irons) are more ductile and have
tensile strengths two to three times that of grey iron. Both grey cast iron and ductile iron are weldable. As may
be expected, the latter is easier to weld than grey iron, which is more likely to develop fusion-line and base-metal
cracks. However relatively little is demanded of joints in this material in terms of mechanical properties, since
service stresses are mainly compressive. Cast iron must be joined with adapted welding-techniques and suitable
weld metal compositions. The major part of cast-iron welding is carried out with nickel base electrodes designed
for low energy input, ie "Low Heat". Low Heat input restricts expansion and contraction stresses, which, due
to the low degree of plastic deformation of the base metal, easily result in cracks. Moreover, the zone adjacent
to the weld develops, under the influence of the welding-heat and the inherently fast cooling-rates, undesirable
hard and brittle structures. The depth of this zone is relative to the heat input. Nickel-based electrodes have
emerged as the most satisfactory filler metal for the welding of cast irons, generally because of their good ductility
and bond strength and their ability to precipitate the carbon picked up from the base metal in the form of free
graphite.

The commonly used nickel-based electrodes are represented in the Weldwell range by the Supercast Ni containing
over 96% nickel and the Supercast Ni Fe, a 60/40 nickel-iron type. These electrodes operate on a low current
intensity and a low arc voltage, thus ensuring minimum heat input.

The Austarc 16TC electrode is ideally suitable for the welding of dirty and heat affected cast iron, where machine
ability is not necessary. Also suited for buttering and sealing runs prior to using Supercast Ni.

Elite Series - Cast Iron

67
 DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.15 : E Ni - Cl
Supercast Ni is a basic, graphite-coated AC/DC electrode for
the lower strength welding of cast irons. It is characterised by
a soft, smooth arc with low penetration and spatter levels on
both AC and DC power sources. Ease of striking is a feature
of Supercast Ni and it also has a particularly good wetting Supercast
action resulting in well bonded welds of regular contour and Ni
attractive appearance.
This electrode is made from a pure nickel core wire and ELECTRODES
produces a ductile, fully machinable weld deposit. Supercast FOR WELDING
Ni may be used for the repair and reclamation of all standard CAST IRON
grades of grey cast iron, malleable iron, austenitic cast iron.

Recommended Amperages TIP COLOUR Plain

FLUX MARKING WIA SCNi
Dia. Length Amperes
mm mm Welding Positions
2.5 300 30-80 F, H (V, OH for smaller sizes)
3.2 350 50-100
4.0 350 80-130 Typical Chemical Analysis
AC 45 OCV DC + or - Nickel 97.0%
Manganese 0.03%
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal Silicon 0.006%
Tensile Strength 400 MPa To recondition moist electrodes bake
Yield Value 220 MPa for one hour at 150o in a vented oven.
Deposit Hardness 150-170 HV (30)

DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.15 : E NiFe - Cl

Supercast Ni Fe is a basic, graphite-coated AC/DC electrode
for the higher strength welding of cast irons. It is characterised
by a soft, smooth arc with low penetration and spatter levels
on both AC and DC power sources. Ease of striking is a feature Supercast
of Supercast Ni Fe. Ni Fe
This electrode is made from a nickel-iron core wire and produces
a ductile, machinable weld deposit with the extra strength ELECTRODES
required for welding SG (spheroidal graphite) irons. Supercast FOR WELDING
Ni Fe may also be used for the repair and reclamation of all CAST IRON
standard grades of grey cast iron, malleable iron, austenitic
cast iron. It is ideally suited to the dissimilar welding of these
irons to steels. TIP COLOUR Green
Elite Series - Cast Iron

FLUX MARKING WIA SCNi/Fe

Recommended Amperages
Dia. Length Amperes Welding Positions
mm mm F, H (V, VD, OH for smaller sizes)
3.2 350 50-100
4.0 350 80-130 Typical Chemical Analysis
Nickel 57.8%
AC 45 OCV DC + or - Manganese 0.85%
Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal To recondition moist electrodes bake for
Tensile Strength 500 MPa one hour at 150o in a vented oven.
Yield Value 300 MPa
Deposit Hardness 200-220 HV (30)

68
 WELDWELL WELDING ELECTRODES

ELECTRODES FOR HARDFACING

Hardfacing is applying wear-resistant alloys on a metal surface, to improve the wear resistance of components
subject to abrasion, impact, heat and corrosion, or a combination of these. The purpose of the hardfacing is
primarily to increase the service time of the component, thus limiting shut-down time. In addition, and this is
often overlooked, production rates and quality of the product are frequently considerably improved.

The alloys used in combating wear are usually classified according to their functions as build-up alloys and hard
facing alloys. In general practice badly worn components are restored to size by the softer and less wear-resistant
build up alloys, which possess good deformation resistance and provide good support for the hard-surfacing
alloy. The latter has been designed to give maximum resistance to a specific form of wear or to a combination
of wear factors.

The wear resistance of the hardfacing deposit depends on the amount of carbides (chromium, tungsten, molybdenum
carbides, etc) and on the matrix, which through alloying with elements such as nickel, manganese, silicon and
cobalt, can be given specific properties for optimum performance under certain service conditions. Though
abrasion is involved in most cases, sometimes conditions call principally for greater toughness, and when heavy
impact or metal-to-metal wear with heavy impact dominates, austenitic manganese steel is the preferred material.
Surfacing electrodes yielding a 13% manganese deposit are often employed to rebuild 13% manganese steel,
but also as an overlay deposited on a carbon-steel base.

It is a good thing to bear in mind that the properties of the hard surfacing alloy stated by the manufacturers usually
relate to those of the pure weld metal. However, hardness and structure can be appreciably affected by dilution
of the deposit with the parent metal. Generally speaking little effect is apparent after the third layer. Cooling-
rates can likewise modify the structure, and hence the wear resistance, of some of the hard facing alloys (air-
hardening types).

Selection of the hard facing alloy should be after careful analysis of the service conditions. Data relevant to
mechanical and physical properties of the weld metal and base metal should be taken into consideration and a
welding-procedure be established accordingly. Rather than the "try-and-see" method, this approach to wear will
ultimately result in the highest savings.

Hardsurfacing Electrodes

69
 DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.13 : E Fe Mn-B
The WELDWELL PH MN is a basic coated hard facing electrode AS/NZS 2576 : 1220-A4
which deposits a 13% manganese weld metal which is very
tough and dense, with a high yield and tensile strength. The
high work-hardening capacity of PH MN makes it very suitable WELDWELL
for withstanding heavy impact loads. It performs well in cases
of metal to metal wear. The weld metal of the PH MN is less
sensitive to embrittlement due to carbide precipitation than
conventional 13% manganese electrodes, yet has the same
compressive strength. The deposit can be flame-cut.

The PH MN is used as a final overlay when impact values are

too high for hard facing, and for rebuilding austenitic manganese
base materials prior to the application of a more abrasion- ELECTRODES
resistant overlay. Whenever unalloyed or low alloy steel must FOR HARDFACING
be covered with this type, it is necessary to apply a buffer layer
of Weldwell Elite RSP weld metal. The tough layers then TIP COLOUR Blue
absorb the high contractional stresses caused by the high FLUX MARKING PH MN
coefficient of thermal expansion and low thermal conductivity
of 13% manganese steel (Hadfields).
Welding Positions:
Welding Techniques F, H
The PH MN is used in the downhand position. Craters should Recommended Amperages
be filled up through reversal of the direction of travel.
Dia. Length Amperes
When welding is done on the manganese steel it is essential mm mm
to prevent heat build-up in the component. Therefore welding 4.0 380 125-170
with little or no weaving, while a short arc is maintained, and AC 60 OCV DC +
using minimum current are recommended. For the same
reason it is advisable to cover the surface evenly with a pattern
of short beads approximately 100 mm in length, each bead at Typical Undiluted Hardness
a distance of at least 150 mm from the preceding one and to As Welded After Work
fill up the spaces in between according to the same procedure. Hardening
Heavy peening immediately after welding is recommended to Vickers 250 HV 540 HV
stress-relieve the weld. Artificial cooling by a stream of water Brinell 250 HB 495 HB
or partial immersion in water are beneficial aids for gaining Rockwell 25Rc 50Rc
high cooling rates.

Applications Typical Chemical Analysis

Crusher jaws and rolls, impact bars, hammers, ball and tube C 0.6%
mill liners, rail frogs and switch points, shovel bucket and teeth, Mn 14.8%
Hardsurfacing Electrodes

manganese steel castings, etc. Mo 0.9%

Storage
Store electrodes in a dry place. To recondition
moist electrodes bake for one hour at 350oC
in a vented oven.

70
DESCRIPTION: AS/NZS 2576 : 1120-A4
The WELDWELL PH 250 is an electrode which deposits strong,
tough and machineable weld material.
The application of this electrode is specially suited to the
reinforcing of tram and railway rails by depositing a tough WELDWELL
surface on rails and crossings. It is also used for the resurfacing
of axles, lightly-alloyed steels, and the edges of dies.
The composition of the weld deposit corresponds, with respect
to carbon and manganese contents, to that of the steel used
for modern rails.
250
The hardness of the deposited metal depends upon the number
of layers, upon the speed with which the material cools, and
upon the temperature of the work-piece. By quenching the ELECTRODES
deposited metal at a temperature of 816-904oC in water, a FOR HARDFACING
Brinell hardness of about 400 can be obtained.
By quenching at a temperature of 954oC in oil, a Brinell
hardness of about 350 is achieved. Grinding tends to increase TIP COLOUR Green
the surface hardness of the deposit. FLUX MARKING PH 250

Due to the fairly heavy iron powdered coating the PH 250

electrode can take higher currents which increase the deposition Welding Positions:
rates to approximately 120% efficiency. F, H
The hardness of PH 250 weld metal is low enough to make it
easy to machine, so that it finds use for facing components Recommended Amperages
which require only moderate wear resistance, and which have Dia. Length Amperes
to be machined after building up, as often as necessary on mm mm
shafts, axles and other machinery parts. 3.2 380 95-145
The weld deposit is readily carburised for case hardening. 4.0 450 125-180
PH 250 can be applied as a build up prior to using higher AC 50 OCV DC + or -
hardness electrode weld metal deposits

Applications: Typical Undiluted Hardness

Tractor sprockets - Idler shafts - Carbon steel rails - Wheel
assembly shafts - building up of parts which require subsequent Vickers 250 HV)
machining. Brinell 250 HB) Refer to text above
Rockwell 24RC)
Welding Techniques
No special precautions are necessary when overlaying mild Typical Chemical Analysis
or medium tensile steels. A preheat is desirable when dealing C 0.1%
with the hardenable carbon or alloy steels, this is to avoid hard Mn 0.83%

Hardsurfacing Electrodes
zone cracking beneath the weld deposit. Si 0.4%
If the type of steel is not known a preheat of 150o-205oC and Storage
the use of a buffer layer of PH 77 or PH 56S weld metal ensures Store electrodes in a dry place. To recondition
a result which is safer with most types of hardenable steels moist electrodes bake for half an hour at 120oC
which could be encountered. in a vented oven.

71
 DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.13 : E Fe2
The weld metal deposit of PH 400 is a tough chromium- AS/NZS 2576 : 1120-A4
manganese alloy steel exhibiting a hardness of approximately
350 Brinell when applied to mild steel as a single layer. Multi-
layer deposits may develop greater hardness as high as 400 WELDWELL
Brinell so long as the cooling rate is fairly fast. Due to dilution,
deposits of PH 400 may have higher hardness values when
applied to carbon or alloy steels.
The iron powder in the PH 400 electrode coating gives fast
rates of deposition and allows the use of higher welding currents
than normal. 400
These electrodes ae very smooth running and easy to use
with either a short arc or the touch-weld technique, so that a ELECTRODES
minimum time is used to cover large areas. FOR HARDFACING
The slag releases very easily and there is virtually no spatter.

Welding Hints TIP COLOUR Yellow

Applications The deposit hardness of PH 400 is sufficient to FLUX MARKING PH 400
preserve it from very serious deformation spreading under
fairly heavy rolling and impacting loads, whilst the weld metal Welding Positions:
has good resistance to abrasion and wear. F, H
It is ideal for overlaying many types of worn machine
components which require subsequent maching to specified Recommended Amperages
dimensions. Dia. Length Amperes
The WELDWELL PH 400 may be used to deposit multi-layer mm mm
welds. Very good use can be made in rebuilding parts before 3.2 380 95-145
a final layer of a higher hardness deposit is used. PH 400 has 4.0 450 125-180
a tougness and strength which provides support necessary for 5.0 455 190-280
impact or rolling loads.
AC 50 OCV DC + or -
The deposit of PH 400 will respond to heat treatment, and oil
quenching from 899oC will produce a hardness of approximately
400 Brinell. Typical Undiluted Hardness
Some typical Applications are Vickers 375 HV)
Dipper idlers Tank links Brinell 363 HB) Refer to text above
Wheel flanges Shovel pads Rockwell 38RC)
Car couplers Clevis pins
Drive wobblers Idler wheels Typical Chemical Analysis
Drive sprockets Idler shafts C 0.14%
Grouser plates Top rollers Mn 0.60%
Bulldozer trunions Tow hooks
Hardsurfacing Electrodes

Si 0.40%
Dragline pins and links Crane hooks Cr 2.90%
Welding Techniques Storage
In general the recommendations as given for PH 250 will also Store electrodes in a dry place. To recondition
apply to PH 400 since they are similar in welding characteristics. moist electrodes bake for half an hour at 120oC
in a vented oven.

72
DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.13 : E Fe 3
The WELDWELL PH 600 is a heavy coated iron powder AS/NZS 2576 : 1855-A4
electrode which deposits a weld metal containing carbon
chromium and manganese. This resultant deposit is martensitic,
containing finely divided chromium carbides which are highly WELDWELL
resistant to abrasive wear, and also have very good properties
against sliding and rolling friction.
PH 600 is not recommended for loads encountering high
impact.
The deposit is malleable when hot and therefore is forgeable.
When applied as a deposit without dilution PH 600 exhibits a
600
Brinell hardness of approximately 600. This hardness can be
varied if slow cooling is used or by quenching in water. The ELECTRODES
weld metal will not stand large shrinkage stresses, therefore FOR HARDFACING
in some cases where the deposits are heavy, a preheat may
be desirable.
Machining of the deposit is not recommended, and grinding is TIP COLOUR Pink
the usual method. FLUX MARKING PH 600
Often, intermediate layers made with "softer" electrodes are
employed; a layer of PH 600 can be preceded by a layer of, Welding Positions:
for instance, WELDWELL PH 77 or PH 250 or PH 400. These F, H, (V, OH for 2.50 mm)
tougher deposits will then absorb the stress resulting from the
PH 600 deposit.
There is another group of electrodes of the austenitic type Recommended Amperages
which are sometimes employed for this use, namely Weldwell Dia. Length Amperes
Elite RSP. These are deposited in alternate beads with PH mm mm
600. As a result the resistance to impact loads increases largely 3.2 380 95-145
whilst the hardness decreases very little. 4.0 455 125-180
5.0 455 190-280
Applications
PH 600 electrodes may be used to reclaim tips of excavator AC 50 OCV DC + or -
tools, dredging bucket rims, hammers of hammer mills, etc.
New manganese steel which is soft before work hardening is
often overlayed with PH 600 to counter the initial rapid wear Typical Undiluted Hardness
period whilst work hardening occurs. Vickers 741 HV)
Brinell 614 HB) Refer to text above
Some Typical Applications are Rockwell 59 RC)
Bulldozer blades Harrow tynes
Swing hammers Ploughshares Typical Chemical Analysis
Crusher jaws Shear blades
Cultivator blades Ripper teeth C 0.40%

Hardsurfacing Electrodes
Picks and mattocks Bucket teeth and lips Mn 0.74%
Dies Cutter heads Si 0.41%
Excavator teeth Mover shoes Cr 5.30%
Track pads Post hole diggers
Chutes Chisels and anvils Storage
Store electrodes in a dry place. To recondition
Welding Techniques moist electrodes bake for half an hour at 120oC
The welding characteristics of PH 600 are similar to WELDWELL in a vented oven.
PH 250, therefore please refer to the PH 250 description.

73
 DESCRIPTION: AS/NZS 2576 : 2360-A4
The WELDWELL PH 700 electrodes when welded, deposit a
High Chromium, High Carbon type alloy commonly known
as Chromium Carbide. A mild steel core wire with a high alloy
content and heavy coating permits the use of fairly high currents WELDWELL
and fast deposition rates.
The PH 700 alloy is designed to combat the effects of both
abrasion and impact, because the micro-structure of the deposit
consists of very hard chromium carbide particles (up to 1700
VPN) imbedded in a tough matrix of austenite (approximately
400 VPN).
700
The high chromium content allows the weld deposit very good
resistance to corrosion and scaling at high temperatures (up ELECTRODES
to 980oC). FOR HARDFACING
Due to the fact that the coefficient of thermal expansion of 30%
Cr steel is about 50% higher than carbon steel, small cracks
can be expected in the deposited weld metal. These will have TIP COLOUR Red
no adverse influence on the wear-resistance, because stresses FLUX MARKING PH 700
will be eliminated, thus reducing the risk of crumbling of the
weld metal.
Welding Positions:
PH 700 can only be sized by grinding because the deposit F, H
cannot be softened by annealing.
Recommended Amperages
Welding Techniques
PH 700 electrodes can be used over a wide current range and Dia. Length Amperes
have a very stable arc with low open circuit voltage AC machines. mm mm
When first striking, a medium to long arc is held for a few 3.2 380 110-130
seconds to create a hot pool which allows a flat deposit to 4.0 380 130-180
form, but a short arc should be held during welding so as to 5.0 380 150-220
reduce chromium loss due to oxidation.
AC 50 OCV DC + or -
Either stringer bead or a weaving technique may be employed.
A weave three or four times the electrode diameter allows the Typical Undiluted Hardness
shape of the deposit to be controlled for smoothness and
flatness. Vickers 820 HV)
Brinell 653 HB) Refer to text above
As with general practice the PH 700 can be hardness controlled Rockwell 62RC)
by the use of higher currents for greater weld deposit dilution,
which allows for better impact properties. When low currents
are used, then the weld deposit reaches its highest hardness Typical Chemical Analysis
for superior abrasion resistance.
C Minimum 3%
In general, a single layer deposit is recommended, but multi Cr Minimum 18%
Hardsurfacing Electrodes

layers may be used to combat high abrasion in service.

The deposit hardness of PH 700 on austenitic manganese Storage
steel is reduced, but this condition is excellent for heavier Store electrodes in a dry place. To recondition
impact loads. moist electrodes bake for half an hour at
150oC in a vented oven.
Applications
Furnace parts Bucket lips
Rolling mill guides Chutes
Conveyor screws Ploughshares
Brick machines Drag chain links
Feed spouts Pins and rider blocks
Muller tyres Wire straightening rollers
Dozer blades Cement mill drive shaft
Ripper teeth bearings and bushings

74
DESCRIPTION: AS/NZS 2576 : 2465-A4
Abrasocord 43 is a heavy coated, hard surfacing electrode
depositing a complex, extremely hard, abrasion resistant
chromium/niobium carbide in an austenitic matrix. It is ideal
for hard surfacing applications where resistance to extreme WELDWELL
abrasion and moderate to heavy impact are required. Due to
the nodular shape of the complex carbides, Abrasocord 43
deposits are capable of withstanding heavier impact levels
than standard chromium grades.

Welding Techniques
43
Abrasocord 43 deposits are non-machinable, grindable, prone ABRASOCORD
to fine relief checking and should be restricted to three layers
high.
ELECTRODES
While two layers of Abrasocord 43 may be required for maximum FOR HARDFACING
wear resistance, this complex carbide alloy has lower dilution
sensitivity than straight chromium carbide deposits.
TIP COLOUR PLAIN
Applications FLUX MARKING WIA AC 43
Typical applications include bucket teeth/lips, grizzlies, press
screws, crusher hammers and ripper teeth to name but a few.

Recommended Amperages Welding Positions:

Dia. Length Amperes F, H
mm mm
3.2 380 115-140 Typical Chemical Analysis
4.0 380 140-185 Carbon 5.0%
AC 55 OCV DC + Manganese 0.7%
Chromium 22%
Typical Mechanical Properties - Hardness Niobium 7%
Single layer onto Mild Steel 60-65 HRc Storage
Multi-layer 64-69 HRc Store electrodes in a dry place. To recondition
moist electrodes bake for two hours at 200oC
in a vented oven.

Hardsurfacing Electrodes

75
 DESCRIPTION AS/NZS 2576 : 3360-A1
Vidalloy 11 contains a minimum of 60% Tungsten Carbide
classified as a diamond substitute and has the highest resistance
to abrasion of any commercially produced product. VIDALLOY
The electrode body consists of a thin walled tube densely packed
with coarse mesh cast tungsten carbide particles.
When welded the rough shaped tungsten carbide particles are
embedded in a tough alloy steel matrix and impart excellent
cutting efficiency. 11
Hardness Rating VIDALLOY
Single layer deposits on mild steel give a carbide hardness of
1800 VPN. ELECTRODES
If a finish is required then grind using special wheels. FOR HARDFACING
Welding Position TIP COLOUR Gold
Where necessary 6.3 mm Vidalloy 11 can be used in the vertical
and overhead position. Welding Positions:
F, H, V, OH
No Special Storage
The electrodes are completely moisture resistant because of Typical Undiluted Hardness
the non-hygroscopic flux coating. Vickers 1800 HV
Relief checks are normal. Fluidity is very good. Fume factor MOH Scale 9.9
low. Applications:
Deposits Bucket teeth, Bulldozer end tips, Trencher teeth,
May be made on cast iron, mild steel, low alloy steels, stainless Oil drill collars, Reamers, Posthole auger blades,
steels and austenitic manganese steels without preheat. High Churn drills, Raymond mill ploughs, Bituminous
carbon steels should be preheated to 500oC before welding mixer blades, Coal cutter bits, Diamond core
and allowed to cool slowly. drills

Recommended Amperages Approx area

Dia Approx No covered per kg Approx deposition
mm Amperes per kg 3.25 mm thick = CM2 rate Kg per hour
6.3 90-145 9.26 274-284 1.5 - 2
AC 50 OCV DC + or -

DESCRIPTION: AS/NZS 2576 : 2355-A1

Vidalloy 30 deposits an alloy known as Chromium Carbide VIDALLOY
Austenitic Iron and when applied to a mild steel base the
nominal composition is Carbon 5%, Chromium 35%,
Manganese 3.5%, balance Iron.
Hardness Figures
Single layer deposit 500-600 Brinell. Multi layer deposit 30
630-675 Brinell. VIDALLOY
No Special Storage
Hardsurfacing Electrodes

The electrodes are completely moisture resistant because ELECTRODES

of the non-hygroscopic flux coating. FOR HARDFACING
The stub end allows even the 11 mm diameter electrode to
fit most conventional electrode holders. TIP COLOUR Red
Vidalloy has very little spatter and a low fume factor. Relief Welding Positions:
checks are normal. Finish by grinding only. The high alloy F, H, (V, OH for 6.3 mm)
content in the deposited metal is the main reason for superior Applications:
service life results. Vidalloy contains the highest amount Parts subject to severe abrasion and good impact
of deposited metal per kg of electrodes. Contains the resistance. The deposited alloy gains a high
highest and best balanced proportions of alloying elements polish in wear and has a high erosion factor.
which means longest life for the lowest cost outlay. Examples are: Swing hammers, fixed hammers,
Typical Undiluted Hardness blow bars, shovel buckets, dragline buckets,
Single Layer Multi Layer bucket teeth, lips, crusher rolls (rock and shale),
Vickers 567 HV 717 HV gums and bottoms, Cement ball mill, Liner plates
Brinell 514 HB 601 HB (dry), Augers, Scraper blades, Brickpan tyres.
Rockwell 52 Rc 58 Rc Note: Excessively high amperages result in
greater dilution with base metal.

Recommended Amperages Approx area

Dia Approx No covered per kg Approx deposition
mm Amperes per kg 3.25 mm thick = CM2 rate Kg per hour
6.3 80-125 12.4 144-155 1.65 - 2.50
8.0 140-190 5.4 155-180 2.50 - 2.75
11.0 190-250 4.0 180-206 3.00 - 4.00
The 6.3 mm diameter is designed for all positional welding.
AC 50 OCV DC + or -

76
 WELDWELL WELDING ELECTRODES

ELECTRODES FOR SPECIAL METALS

These types are for the brass and bronzes and for aluminium.

BRONZE ARC is a general purpose phosphor bronze electrode.

ALLY-ARC is for welding aluminium castings and extrusions.

Special Welding Electrodes

77
 BRONZE-ARC is a phosphor bronze alloy with an extruded
coating which gives exceptional arc stability. With this versatile AWS A5.6 : E CuSn-C (Closest)
electrode you can "arc braze" the same as you "arc weld"
using a DC arc welding machine.

The Bronze-Arc alloy has good saltwater and general corrosion WELDWELL
resistance and colour match comparable to red bronzes.
Bronze-Arc may be used to fabricate and join phosphor bronzes,
copper alloys and some iron base metals. It has a relatively BRONZE ARC
high strength, ductility, free flowing and crack resistant
characteristics. It is particularly suited for surfaces exposed
to corrosion.

Copper alloys of high lead content will require two or three

passes of Bronze-Arc to produce porosity free welds. Brasses ELECTRODES
of high zinc content should be welded with very little fusion. FOR WELDING
SPECIAL METALS
Certain variations will occur due to the welding conditions.

Typical Applications TIP COLOUR Green

Bronze-Arc may be used to weld or overlay cast or malleable
irons which are oil soaked, extremely dirty, rusty or burned.
It will give excellent results where many others fail. In addition, Recommended Amperages
it will braze cast iron or steel, bronzes or brasses, etc. Very Dia. Amperes
useful for some of the many problems involved in maintenance mm
welding shops. 3.2 100-150
4.0 125-190
Welding Techniques
Clean all joint areas by removal of scale, dirt, grease and soft DC +
solder which may be there. Materials over 5 mm thick should
be bevelled, a double-vee if possible. Because copper and Typical Mechanical Properties of Weld Metal
its alloys conduct heat rapidly, a preheat is essential to avoid
non bonding, non flowout and porosity. With sufficient preheating Tensile Strength Up to 414 MPa
the alloy from Bronze-Arc will flow readily, using low amperages. Yield Point Up to 240
Brinell Hardness 85-100 HB
Multiple passes will add extra heating making for easier welding
or brazing. Each pass should be thoroughly cleaned, whilst Storage
peening will increase the strength and toughness. Preheat Store electrodes in a dry place. To recondition
thick sections to 200oC. moist electrodes bake for one hour at 95oC in
a vented oven.
Weld, using a medium to long arc length. Carry arc on to the
Special Welding Electrodes

leading edge of the weld pool and do not weave wider than
four times the electrode diameter. Avoid deep penetration and
over heating because cracking and porosity may result.

78
DESCRIPTION: AWS A5.3 : E4043
ALLY-ARC is an aluminium electrode with an extruded covering.
It operates smoothly, with an easy to control quiet arc, and
provides a dense spatter-free deposit. Corrosion resistance
is good, together with good colour match. It is characterised WELDWELL
by low amperage application and easy slag removal. Tensile
strength is up to 28,000 psi or 193 MPa.

Typical Applications
ALLY ARC
Recommended for use on aluminium plates, sheets and
castings. Ideal for tanks, railings, pipe, truck and automotive
construction and repairs. Outstanding for repairing cracks,
build-up of missing sections, cladding and reinforcing. ELECTRODES
FOR WELDING
ALUMINIUM
Welding Techniques
After cleaning weld area it is advisable to preheat to 204o-
315oC before welding commences. A short-arc should be
maintained, tilting the electrode slightly in the direction of travel.
Either stringer or weaving technique, as used in welding steel,
is suitable except that the rate of welding speed must be Recommended Amperages
considerably greater. As with all aluminium welding, the flux Dia. Amperes Voltage
must be removed and this can be done with a wire brush and mm
hot water solution containing 5% nitric or 10% sulphuric acid. 3.2 85-135 18-22
Rinse with clean hot water. Can only be used on DC + current.
DC +

Storage
Store electrodes in a dry place. To recondition
moist electrodes bake for one hour at 95oC in
a vented oven.

Special Welding Electrodes

79
 Section Four
MISCELLANEOUS

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VARIOUS UNITS

OF STRESS AND ENERGY
UNITS OF STRESS UNITS OF ENERGY

MPa tonf/in2 lbf/in2 kgf/mm2

(N/mm2) x 1000 (kp/mm2) kgf/m joules ft.lbf

250 175
1700 110
240 170 150
1650 200
105 165 20
1600 230
160
1550 100 190 140
220 155 19
1500
95 150 180 DEPOSITION RATE
1450 210 18 130 CONVERSION CHART
145
1400 90 170
200 140 17 Kg/hr lbs/hr
1350
85 135 120 50 5
190 160
1300 16
130
1250 80 180
125 150 110
1200 15 40 4
75 170 120
1150 140
115 14
1100 160 100
Kilogram/hour, Kg/hr

70 110 30 3
130
1050 150 13
105
65 90
1000 100 120
140 12 20 2
950 60 95
900 130 110
90 11 80
850 55 10 1
120 85 100
800 10
50 80 70
110
750 75 90 0 0
9
700 45 100 70 0 2 4 6 8 10
80 60 20 40 60 80 100
650 65 8 0
40 90
600 60 one pound/hour = 0.4536 kilogram/hour
7 70
550 35 80 50
55
one kilogram/hour = 2.205 pounds/hour
500 70 50 6 60
30
450 45 40
60 5 50
400 25 40
350 50 35
4 40 30
20
300 40 30
250 25 3 30
15 20
30
200 20
10 2 20
150 20 15
10
100 10 10
5 10 1
50 5
0 0 0 0 0 0 0

To convert ksi to MPa multiply ksi x 6.895

eg 20 ksi = 137.9 MPa

80
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF METALS AND ALLOYS

Melting Density Coeff. of Thermal Electrical

Point deg. C gm/cc Expansion Conductivity Resistance
x 10 - 6 CGS units Microhms/cm3

Aluminium 659.7 2.70 23.5 0.57 2.69

Cadmium 320.9 8.64 31 0.20 7.4
Chromium 1890 7.1 6.5 0.165 21
Cobalt 1495 8.71 12.5 0.165 6.24
Copper 1083 8.96 17.0 9.94 1.673
Gold 1063 19.3 14.1 0.70 2.3
Iron 1535 7.87 12.1 0.17 9.71
Lead 327.3 11.34 29.0 0.082 20.6
Magnesium 651 1.74 26.0 0.40 4.4
Manganese 1260 7.4 23.0 - 160
Mercury -38.87 13.55 61 0.022 95.8
Nickel 1455 8.9 13.3 0.21 6.84
Platinum 1773.5 21.45 9.0 0.17 10.6
Silver 960.8 10.5 19.1 1.00 1.6
Tin 231.9 7.3 23.5 0.155 12.8
Titanium 1800 4.5 8.8 0.036 55.0
Tungsten 3370 19.3 4.5 0.394 5.5
Zinc 419.5 7.14 31 0.265 5.9

Cast iron-low Phos 1240-1120 - 11.6 0.148 -

0.5% Carbon Steel 1500-1420 7.85 13.3 0.100 -
12% Chromium steel 1530-1510 7.70 11.4 0.046 55.0
27% Chromium steel 1510-1490 - 10.9 0.05 67.0
18/8 Cr-Ni stainless 1420-1395 7.92 18.1 0.033 73.0
80/20 Ni-Cr 1420-1400 8.40 13.9 0.038 108.0
Monel 1350-1300 8.80 15.0 0.06 42.5
Brass 70/30 copper/zinc 950-925 8.53 19.8 0.290 6.9
Bronze 7.5% tin
0.06% Phos. 1030-850 8.73 18.2 0.148 10.5
Aluminium Bronze 93/7 1042-1040 7.6 17.8 0.192 12.1
Everdur A 1050-1000 8.54 18.0 0.112 26.0
Aluminium silicon 13% -577 2.66 21.0 0.35 5.4
Aluminium magnesium 7% 620-550 2.63 24 0.31 5.7

CONVERSION CHART - INCH/MILLIMETRE

1 INCH = 25.399978 MILLIMETRES 1 MILLIMETRE = .039370113 INCH

Inches m/m Inches m/m Inches m/m Inches m/m

1/64 .0156 .3969 .2559 6.5 .5118 13 49/64 .7656 19.4469
.0197 .5 17/64 .2656 6.7469 33/64 .5156 13.0969 .7677 19.5
1/32 .0313 .7937 .2756 7 17/32 .5313 13.4937 25/32 .7813 19.8437
.0394 1 9/32 .2813 7.1437 .5315 13.5 .7874 20
3/64 .0469 1.1906 .2953 7.5 35/64 .5469 13.8906 51/64 .7969 20.2406
.0591 1.5 19/64 .2969 7.5406 .5512 14 .8071 20.5
1/16 .0625 1.5875 5/16 .3125 7.9375 9/16 .5625 14.2875 13/16 .8125 20.6375
5/64 .0781 1.9844 .3150 8 .5709 14.5 .8268 21
.0787 2 21/64 .3281 8.3344 37/64 .5781 14.6844 53/64 .8281 21.0344
3/32 .0938 2.3812 .3346 8.5 .5906 15 27/32 .8438 21.4312
.0984 2.5 .5938 15.0812 .8465 21.5
11/32 .3438 8.7312 19/32 .6094
7/64 .1094 2.7781 .3543 9 39/64 15.4781 55/64 .8594 21.8281
.6102
.1181 3 23/64 .3594 9.1281 .625 15.5 .8661 22
1/8 .125 3.175 .3740 9.5 5/8 .6299 15.875 7/8 .875 22.225
.1378 3.5 3/8 .375 9.5250 .6406 16 .8858 22.5
9/64 .1406 3.5719 25/64 .3906 9.9219 41/64 .6496 16.2719 57/64 .8906 22.6219
5/32 .1563 3.9687 .3937 10 .6363 16.5 .9055 23
.1575 4 13/32 .4063 10.3187 21/32 .6693 16.6687 29/32 .9063 23.0187
11/64 .1719 4.3656 .4134 10.5 .6719 17 59/64 .9219 23.4156
.1772 4.5 27/64 .4219 10.7156 43/64 .6875 17.0656 .9252 23.5
3/16 .1875 4.7625 .4331 11 11/16 .6890 17.4625 15/16 .9375 23.8125
.1969 5 7/16 .4375 11.1125 .7031 17.5 .9449 24
13/64 .2031 5.1594 .4528 11.5 45/64 .7087 17.8594 61/64 .9531 24.2094
.2165 5.5 29/64 .4531 11.5094 .7188 18 .9646 24.5
7/32 .2188 5.5562 15/32 .4688 11.9062 23/32 .7283 18.2562 31/32 .9688 24.6062
15/64 .2344 5.9531 .4724 12 .7344 18.5 .9843 25
.2362 6 31/64 .4844 12.3031 47/64 .7480 18.6531 63/64 .9844 25.0031
1/4 .25 6.35 .4921 12.5 .75 19 1.0 25.4
1/2 .5 12.7 3/4 19.05

81
 WORK, ENERGY: FOOT POUNDS - FORCE TO JOULES

Basis: 1 ft = 30.48 cm 1 kgf = 980 655 dyn

= 107 dyn cm

ft lbf 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
joules
20 27.1164 28.4722 29.8280 31.1838 32.5396 33.8954 35.2513 36.6071 37.9629 39.3187
30 40.6745 42.0304 43.3862 44.7420 46.0978 47.4536 48.8094 50.1653 51.5211 52.8769
40 54.2327 55.5885 56.9444 58.3002 59.6560 61.0118 62.3676 63.7234 65.0793 66.4351

50 67.7909 69.1467 70.5025 71.8583 73.2142 74.5700 75.9258 77.2816 78.6374 79.9933
60 81.3491 82.7049 84.0607 85.4165 86.7723 88.1282 89.4840 90.8398 92.1956 93.5514
70 94.9073 96.2631 97.6189 98.9747 100.331 101.686 103.042 104.398 105.754 107.110
80 108.465 109.821 111.177 112.533 113.889 115.245 116.600 117.956 119.312 120.668
90 122.024 123.379 124.735 126.091 127.447 128.803 130.159 131.514 132.870 134.226

100 135.582 136.938 138.293 139.649 141.005 142.361 143.717 145.073 146.428 147.784

STEEL TESTING BY SPARK METHOD

Wrought Iron Mild Steel High-Carbon Stainless Steel

Cast Steel Steel Alloy Steel

Colour - Colour - white Colour -

Colour - white Straw Yellow
Straw Yellow Average length
of stream with Average stream
Average length with power Stream length
power grinder - varies with types
stream length 178 mm. grinder - 140mm.
with power and amount of
grinder 165 mm. Volume - large alloy content
Volume -
moderately
Volume - large large
Long Shafts Shafts may end in
Shafts shorter forks, buds or
ending in forks than wrought
and arrowlike arrows, frequently
iron and in forks with break
appendages and appendages between shaft and
arrow. Few, if any,
Forks becoming sprigs
more and more
Colour White numerous and Numerous small and Colour - White
springs appear as repeating sprigs
carbon content
increases

White Cast Iron Grey Cast Iron Malleable Iron Nickel and Monel

Colour -Red Colour -Red Colour - Colour - Orange

Straw Yellow

Colour - Colour - Average

Straw Yellow Straw Yellow stream length
with power
Average stream grinder 76mm.
length with power
grinder - 50mm. Volume - moderate Average stream length with power
grinder - 25mm.
Volume - small
Average stream length with Short shafts with no forks
power grinder - 50mm. Longer shafts than or sprigs.
grey iron ending in
Volume - very small Many sprigs small and repeating. numerous small,
repeating sprigs.
Sprigs - finer than grey iron,
small and repeating

The Welder is often at a loss to determine the exact quality of a piece of metal, and if a successful weld is to be secured this
forehand knowledge is necessary.
An easy and useful method is to touch the metal against a high-speed emery wheel and observe the sparks against a black
background and compare against the chart.
While this is only a guide, practice will assist the operator to select steels by comparison.

82
AWS A2.4.93 American Welding Society Standard Welding Symbols

Groove
Other Side Other Side Other Side
Flare Flare- Arrow Side Arrow Side Arrow Side
Square Scarf V Bevel U J V Bevel Arrow Side Other Side Arrow Side Arrow Side
Other
Other Side Side

(a) Arrow and Other Side of Weld

(b) Weld on Arrow Side

Plug Spot Back Flange

Fillet or Stud or Seam or Surfacing c) Weld on Other Side
Slot Projection Backing Edge Corner
Significance of Arrow

(d) Weld on Both Sides

Basic Weld Symbols
RSW RSEW

Contour
Consumable Backing or (e) No Arrow or Other Side Significance
Weld All Melt Insert Spacer Flush or
around Field Weld Through Convex Concave
(Square) (Rectangle) Flat
A.2 B3S CJP

(f) Welding Symbol with Reference

Significance of Arrow

Supplementary Symbols

Finish Symbol Groove Angle: Included

angle of Countersink
Contour Symbol for Plug Welds
Root Opening: Depth of Filling
for Plug and Slot Welds
Length of Weld
Groove Weld Size Symbol
Pitch (Centre-to-Centre
Spacing) of Welds Desired Weld
Depth of Preparation: Size or
Strength for certain welds (a) H-Beam to Plate
Field Weld Symbol
Specification, Process,
Other
Side
Sides

or other Reference Arrow connecting ref-

erence line to Arrow-
side Member of Joint
Tail or Arrow Side of Joint
Arrow
Both

Side

(Tail omitted
when reference Symbol
is not used) Weld-All-Around Symbol
Desired Weld
Reference Line (b) Round Bar to Plate
Number of spot, stud
or projection welds
Basic Weld Symbol
or Detail Reference
Elements in this area
remain as shown when
tail and arrow are
reversed
Symbol
Desired Weld
Standard Location of Elements of a Welding Symbol (c) Weld in Several Planes around Periphery

Weld-All-Around Symbols

3/8 12 0.2 15 Dimensions in inches

1/4 12 0.2 6

6 150
6 150 Dimensions in mm
Field Weld Symbol
Weld Size and Length
(a) Contour without Finishing
G
M

(a) Placement of Melt-Through Symbol 1/8

C
G
G - Grinding M - Machining
C - Chipping U - Unspecified Method

(b) Contour with Finishing 1/8

Desired Weld Symbol
Contour Symbols (b) Reinforcement with Melt-Through
Combined Weld Symbols

Melt-Through Symbol
83
 1st S(E)
3rd Operation
2nd Operation 2nd
3rd
1st Operation

(a) Multiple Reference Lines 55o

1/2
CJP Desired Weld Symbol
60o CTSM
3/4 NOTE: DEPTH OF PREPARATION (S) EQUALS THE RADIUS OF THE ROUND MEMBER
First 1/16
Weld
60o (a) Single-Flare-Bevel-Groove Weld
3/4 1/8 S(E)

Second
1/2 1/16 Weld Symbol
55o
Desired Weld Joint Note GTSM - Gouge to sound metal
CJP - Complete Joint Penetration
Depth of preparation (arrow side) - 3/4 in Symbol
Depth of prepration (other side) - 1/2 in E
Root Opening - 1/16 in
Groove angle (arrow side) = 60o Desired Weld
Groove angle (other side) = 55o (b) Single-Flare-Bevel-Groove Weld
(b) Application of Multiple Reference Lines
Flare Bevel and Flare-V Welds
Multiple Reference Lines

INMa1

5/16
(a) Consumable Insert Symbol 5/16
R See See
Note Note 5/16 Symbol

R - Backing removed Note: Materials and Dimensions Desired Weld

after welding of backing as specified Size of Weld - 5/16 in
(b) Backing Symbol (a) Fillet Weld, with Equal Legs

See 1/4 See

See Note Note
Note (1/4 x 1/2)

Double-Bevel-Groove Double-V-Groove
1/2 Symbol
Note: Materials and Dimensions of spacer as specified Desired Weld
Size of Vertical Leg - 1/4 in Note: Vertical Leg to be
Size of Horizontal Leg - 1/2 in 1/2 Horizontal Leg
(c) Spacer Symbol
(b) Fillet Weld, with Unequal Legs
Consumable Insert, Backing, and Spacer Symbols

60o Fillet Welds

3/8 (1/2) 0 o
60

3/8 1/2

Desired Weld
3/4
45o
1 3/4 4
Desired Weld Symbol 45o
Depth of preparation - 3/8 in 3/4
Groove weld size (always shown in parentheses) - 1/2 in
Root Opening - 0
Groove angle - 60o 1

Section of Desired Weld Symbol

(a) Single-V-Groove Weld from Arrow Side Size - 1 in Depth of Filling - 3/4 in
Angle of Countersink - 45o Pitch(centre to centre spacing) - 4 in

Single-V- and Double-V-Groove Welds Plug Welds

5 5
r
be

3/8 2.5
em

0.13 3/8 2.5

M

0.06 + 0.13
de

0.06 R
0.09
Si
w
ro
Ar

2 2 2 Symbol
Desired Welds
0.09
(a) Length and Pitch of Increments of Chain Intermittent Welds 1/2 See Detail A
Desired Weld
5 10
1/4 3 - 10
Symbol 1/4 3 - 10
Desired Weld
3/4 Symbol 8 A
(b) Corner-Flange Welds
1/2
3 3 3 3 Symbol
Desired Welds
2-1/2 A
Radius of Flange - 0.06 in (b) Length and Pitch of Increments of Staggered Intermittent Welds Sec. A-A
See Detail A
Height of Flange above point of tangency - 0.13 in
Weld Thickness - 0.09 in

Flange Welds Dimensioning Intermittent Fillet Welds Slot Welds

84
MENSURATION

85
 COMPARATIVE HARDNESS SCALES AND

WELDWELL ELECTRODE DEPOSIT HARDNESS

VPN or DPN Approx Weldwell

Rockwell Tensile Electrodes
Brinell Pyramid No N/mm2 Single Layer
C B on M/S
780 1150 70 2640
755 1080 68
725 1000 67
712 960 66 2500
699 900 65
685 885 64 Abrasocord 43
653 820 62
627 765 60 2250 PH 700
601 717 58
578 675 57 2000 PH 600
555 633 55 120
534 598 53 119 RSP (work
514 567 52 119 hardened)
495 540 50 117
477 515 49 117
461 494 47 116
444 472 46 115 1500
424 456 45 115
415 437 44 113
401 420 42 112 PH 400
388 404 41 112
375 389 40 110
363 375 38 110
341 350 36 109
321 327 34 108 1075
302 305 32 107 1000
285 287 30 105 900
262 263 26 103 870
248 248 24 102 835 PH 250
235 235 22 99 800 RSP as
223 223 20 97 760 deposited
212 212 17 96 750 PH 118
202 202 15 94 650
192 192 12 92 630
187 187 10 91 615
174 174 7 88 600
166 166 4 86 585
156 156 1 83 575 PH 56S
149 149 _ 81 525 PH 27 PH C6H
146 146 _ 80 510
143 143 _ 7 500 PH 46 PH 48A

ARC WELDING LENSES

Welding Operation Electrode Size Approx Amps Shade Number

Shielded Metallic Arc 2.0 mm : 2.5 mm Up to 100 9

(stick) 3.2 mm : 4.0 mm 100 and over 10
4.0 mm : 5.0 mm 200 and over 11
5.0 mm : 6.0 mm 300 and over 12
Gas Tungsten Arc
(TIG)
Non Ferrous 11
Ferrous 12

Gas Metallic Arc 0.6 mm 9

(MIG-MAG) 0.8 mm : 0.9 mm 10
Non Ferrous 1.2 mm : 1.6 mm 11

Ferrous 0.8 mm : 0.9 mm 11

1.2 mm : 1.6 mm 12

86
CARE AND STORAGE OF ELECTRODES
Careless treatment of electrodes, particularly in on-site and
outdoor work, can seriously affect the quality of welded joints.
It is therefore essential that every welder, storekeeper and
foreman should have some elementary knowledge of the correct
methods for maintenance and storage.
Welders must treat electrodes with the care that every craftsman
should take in looking after his materials and tools; for example,
no carpenter of repute would leave his chisels to rust in the
rain.
The coatings of welding electrodes can be damaged by:-
1. Mechanical force
2. Absorption of moisture
3. Deterioration through age
There are other factors which will also produce damaged
coatings, but these are rare and beyond the scope of this
elementary survey. The three main sources of damage are
detailed as follows :-
Mechanical Force:
Coatings are generally robust (except for some low hydrogen
types) and can only be damaged by violent handling; by this
it is meant treading on them, bending them, or in general
treating them roughly.
Damage from such treatment is always so obvious that no
welder would consider using the electrodes.
Moisture Absorption:
Too high a percentage of moisture in an electrode can be
dangerous, in that it will seriously affect the quality of the
weld. In many cases, a welder will not be aware that an
electrode is unserviceable, and even if he is, he may not realise
the effects of excessive moisture.
He may not be able to see the porosity or piping forming in
the weld though it can be detected immediately by X-rays.
When leaving the manufacturer all electrodes contain a
percentage of moisture, the amount has been determined after
much research work, and is carefully controlled, but varies
with different types of electrodes.
The basic electrode E xx 16, E xx 18, E xx 28 class are dried
by a special process and contain practically no moisture. Acid
or Organic Rutile types, class E xx 12, E xx 13, E xx 27 are
less affected by moisture than the basic types and the Cellulosic
type E xx 10 and E xx 11 class will absorb a considerable
amount of moisture before causing piping or porosity.
The equilibrium moisture content of the coating of an electrode
varies with the relative humidity of the atmosphere, and it rises
rapidly when the relative humidity exceeds 70%.
The relative humidity is the percentage of moisture in the air
compared with the quantity required to saturate it at the same
temperature. The quantity of moisture that the air can hold
rises as its temperature rises, so that if there is no change in
the total moisture content of the air, the relative humidity falls
as the temperature rises, and increases as the temperature falls.
When the temperature falls below the point where the relative
humidity becomes 100%, moisture is deposited. The
temperature at which this happens is known as the dew point
temperature.
The relative humidity of the air in this country is often of the
order of 60 to 80%, and to reduce this to a reasonable value,
heating of an electrode store is desirable. The importance of
maintaining the heat during the nights and weekends may be
illustrated by the following example.
87
Air at 15oC and relative humidity 70% will deposit moisture
if it is cooled to 10oC. Alternatively, if its temperature is
raised to 21oC, its relative humidity falls to 50%.
The rate at which equilibrium is reached depends on the degree
of porosity of the coating. A relatively impervious coating
would seem desirable, but in practice this is not found to be
the case.
As soon as welding with the electrode is started, the electrode
becomes heated by the passage of the welding current and any
moisture in the coating is soon converted into steam. If the
coating is impervious this vapour cannot escape, and the coating
may burst. For example, it is possible for the coating of some
electrodes to burst when the moisture content is less than 0.5%;
yet others will weld satisfactorily with more than 6% of
moisture in the coating. The heating of a coating by passing
a current through the electrode is therefore not a good method
of judging its moisture content. An impervious coating can
be applied to the surface of electrodes after they have been
manufactured and dried; to prevent the ingress of moisture,
but the materials suitable for this purpose are expensive, and
generally produce objectionable fumes during the welding
operation. Their use is therefore confined to underwater
welding electrodes.
In general, basic coated low hydrogen electrodes require
protection against the absorption of moisture and are specially
packed to ensure that the electrodes will remain factory fresh
until opened for use.
These remarks on the moisture absorption of electrodes are
intended as general guidance only and because there may be
exceptions to these rules, it is usually indicated by the
manufacturer on the electrode packet label.
Damp electrodes are usually indicated by a fierce arc action
during welding and an undue amount of spatter. Also the slag
is sometimes difficult to remove from the weld bead.
Deterioration through age:
Another form of attack which can take place on electrode
coatings in storage for long periods produces more obvious
results in the form of a white or crystalline fur on the surface
of the coating.
This fur is produced by a chemical reaction between the carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere and the sodium silicate of the binder,
producing crystals of sodium carbonate and silica powder.
The rate of reaction appears to be extremely slow in the absence
of water and is favoured by conditions of fluctuating humidity.
When moisture is deposited, sodium carbonate and silica will
be formed and as the reaction is irreversible under these
conditions, will remain.
Further additions to the deposit will be made every time
moisture is deposited. Conditions favouring such deposition
can occur in a store or workshop that is heated during working
hours but allowed to cool excessively during the night or
weekend. The crystals formed do not appear to have any
serious effect on the welding quality of most electrodes, but
their presence in excess may lead to the disruption of the
coating as a result of rusting of the core wire. Their presence
may, however, be taken as an indication of old electrodes and
unsatisfactory storage conditions.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STORAGE AND DRYING OF ELECTRODES
Storage:
For bulk storage of unopened electrodes, the temperature of
the storage room should be maintained at not less than 20oC.
If the humidity in the room does not exceed 50% the electrodes
should be maintained in a suitable condition. When stored in
this manner, electrodes may be used direct from a previously
unopened packet. This includes low hydrogen types, however,
more specific storage is then required for low hydrogen
electrodes (see below).
Once the electrode packet has been opened, unused electrodes
should be stored in a heated, but ventilated cabinet, on perforated
shelves. The temperature should be maintained at a minimum
of 20oC or at least 10oC above ambient. The electrodes should
not be over-stacked, thus restricting ventilation.
Storage for Low Hydrogen Electrodes:
For highest weld quality and to obtain specific low hydrogen
weld metal levels low hydrogen electrodes should be baked
before use (see individual data sheets). For intermediate storage
(after baking, but before being used on site) the electrodes
should be stored in a holding oven at 120-150oC. Electrodes
can be held in the holding oven for a maximum period of six
weeks.
For site welding the electrodes should be held in a hot box at
a minimum temperature of 70oC, for no more than eight hours.
Unused electrodes should be returned to the holding oven.
88
Re-Drying:
When re-drying it is advisable to bring the oven up gradually
to the required temperature. Placing damp electrodes in an
already hot oven may cause cracking of the flux coating.
Rutile Electrodes: ie Weldwell PH 28, 46, 48A, 68, 78,
C18, WIA Austarc 12P. - Rutile type electrodes require
a small amount of moisture for best running characteristics.
Therefore it is essential that this small amount of moisture
is not dried out when drying these types. If electrodes
become damp, re-dry at 120oC for 30 minutes (110oC for
one hour for Austarc 12P). It will be necessary to test
weld the electrodes running characteristics to ensure no
other drying take place.
Cellulose Electrodes ie Weldwell PH 31A, Pipemaster
60, Pipemaster 70. These electrodes require a fairly high
percentage of moisture for optimum running characteristics,
and if dried will lose arc voltage.
Redrying is not recommended for these electrode types.
Iron Powder Electrodes ie Weldwell PH 22, 7024
As with rutile types, iron powder electrodes require a small
amount of moisture for best running characteristics, but
the re-drying temperatures are much higher. If electrodes
become damp re-dry at 250oC for 30 minutes.
Low Hydrogen Electrodes ie Weldwell PH 27, 27P, 56S,
56R, 75, 77, C6H, 118, KV range, WIA Austarc 16TC.
If electrodes become damp they must be re-dried for one
hour at the recommended temperatures (two hours for
Austarc 16TC). These temperatures can also be used to
obtain low or very low weld metal hydrogen levels (refer
to individual data sheets). Do not stack more than four
layers deep.
Stainless Steel electrodes ie Weldwell PH RS308LC,
RM318LC, BM310, RM316LC, RS309LC, RS309MoLC,
22.9.3LR, 22.12HTR, WIA Staincord 316L-16.
Stainless steel electrodes also require re-drying if they
become damp. Re-dry for one hour at 350oC except BM310
which should be re-dried for one hour at 280oC and
Staincord 316L-16 which should be redried for two hours
at 200oC. Do not re-dry more than five times otherwise
flux deterioration could occur.
ELECTRODES AGENCY APPROVAL GRADES

Electrodes Lloyds Register American Bureau Bureau Det Norske

of Shipping of Shipping Veritas Veritas

PH 28 2 2 2
PH 31A 3 3 3
Pipemaster 60 3 E6010
Pipemaster 70 3, 3Y E7010-P1
PH 46 2 2 2
PH 48A 2, 2Y 2
PH 68 1 1 1
PH 78 3 3
PH C18 2 2 2
PH 7024 2, 2Y 2 2
PH 27 3, 3YH15 3H5, 3Y 3, 3Y HH
PH 27P 3, 3YH5 3H5, 3Y 3, 3YHH
PH 22 2, 2Y 2, 2Y
PH 56S 3, 4YH5 3H5, 3Y 3, 3YHH
PH 75 5Y40H10 3H10, 3Y 3, 3YHH
PH 77 3, 4YH5 3H5, 3Y 3HH
PH C6H 3, 3YH5 3H5, 3Y 3, 3YHH
PH 118 E11018-G
PH KV3 E8015-B3L
PH KV5 E7015-B2L
PH RS308LC E308L-17
PH RM316LC E316L-17
PH RS309MoLC E309MoL-17
PH 22-9-3LR E2209-16
Austarc 12P 2, 2Y 2 2
Austarc 16TC 3, 4YH10 3H10 3YH10

89
 ELECTRODE
QUANTITIES
PER PACKET
TYPE MM APPROX KG TYPE MM APPROX KG TYPE MM APPROX KG
RODS PER RODS PER RODS PER
PKT PKT PKT
PH 28 2.5 159 2.5 PH 27 3.2 148 5 PH RM318LC 2.0 228 2.5
3.2 164 5 4.0 105 5 2.5 138 2.5
4.0 104 5 5.0 55 5 3.2 78 2.5
5.0 53 5 4.0 50 2.5
PH 27P 2.5 129 2.2
Austarc 2.0 250 2.5 3.2 90 5.0 Austarc 2.0 210 2.5
12P 2.5 160 2.5 4.0 60 5.0 Staincord 2.5 137 2.5
3.2 159 5 316L-16 3.2 71 2.5
Austarc 2.5 147 2.5
4.0 105 5 4.0 47 2.5
16TC 3.2 148 5
5.0 56 5 4.0 90 5 PH RS309LC 2.5 130 2.5
PH 45E 4.0 94 5 5.0 49 5 3.2 78 2.5
6.0 35 5 4.0 51 2.5
PH 46 2.0 201 2.5
PH 56S 2.5 131 2.2 PH RS309MoLC 2.5 118 2.5
2.5 144 2.5
3.2 151 5 3.2 76 2.5
3.2 142 5 4.0 50 2.5
4.0 80 5 4.0 99 5
5.0 56 5 PH 22.9.3LR 2.5 139 2.5
PH 48A 2.5 158 2.5 6.0 38 5 3.2 81 2.5
3.2 158 5 4.0 55 2.5
PH 56R 5.0 55 5
4.0 105 5
PH 75 3.2 138 5 ELITE RSP 2.5 143 2.5
PH 68 2.5 172 2.5 3.2 78 2.5
4.0 95 5
3.2 163 5 4.0 51 2.5
4.0 109 5 PH 77 2.5 107 2.2
3.2 126 5 ELITE HI-TEN 8 2.5 151 2.5
5.0 72 5 3.2 74 2.5
4.0 87 5
PH 78 2.5 148 2.5 4.0 51 2.5
5.0 47 5
2.2 148 5 Austarc C&G 3.2 83 4
PH C6H 3.2 75 5
4.0 99 5 4.0 69 4
4.0 42 5
PH C18 3.2 126 5 5.0 28 5 Supercast Ni 2.5 154 2.5
4.0 85 5 6.0 20 5 3.2 83 2.5
4.0 56 2.5
PH 22 3.2 90 5 PH 118 3.2 122 5
4.0 52 5 4.0 86 5 Supercast NiFe 3.2 89 2.5
5.0 45 5 4.0 57 2.5
PH 7024 2.5 97 2.5
3.2 91 5 PH KV3 2.5 115 22 PH MN 4.0 78 5
4.0 54 5 3.2 131 5 PH 250 3.2 126 5
5.0 32 5 4.0 91 5 4.0 68 5
PH KV5 2.5 111 2.2
PH 31A 2.5 166 2.5 PH 400 3.2 127 5
3.2 130 5 4.0 68 5
3.2 166 5
4.0 91 5 5.0 46 5
4.0 107 5
5.0 73 5 PH RS308LC 2.5 143 2.5 PH 600 3.2 133 5
3.2 77 2.5 4.0 67 5
Pipemaster 2.4 1500 4.0 50 2.5
60 3.2 850 22.7 5.0 45 5
4.0 600 PH BM310 2.5 140 2.5 PH 700 3.2 86 5
3.2 72 2.5 4.0 57 5
4.8 400
4.0 48 2.5 5.0 36 5
Pipemaster 3.2 850 PH RM316LC 2.5 141 2.5
70 4.0 600 22.7 Abrasocord 43 3.2 87 5
3.2 76 2.5 4.0 56 5
4.8 400 4.0 51 2.5

90
WELD DEPOSITION AND COSTING DATA
FIGURE 10
Tables 1.0 - 1.5 of this section are a convenient means of
determining the mass of weld metal per unit length of joint
for each of the simple joint cross-sections described. Simply
look up the appropriate dimensions of the shape in question,
and the weld metal mass, in kilograms per metre (kg/m), is
calculated for you. By referring to GUIDE 1, shown in the
following pages, a practical example is given illustrating the
correct usage of tables 1.0 - 1.5.
Where ready made Tables are not available or greater accuracy
is required, the weld cross-section may be drawn on graph
paper to a suitable scale; millimetres being ideal. By converting
the curves to stepped straight lines and counting the small
triangles and squares enclosed by the profile, the cross-sectional
area can be accurately determined. Given the length of the
required weld, the volume of weld metal can be calculated and
converted to the mass of weld metal, using an appropriate
density figure. For example, 1 mm2 cross-sectional area of
steel weld metal by 1000 mm (1 metre) long has a mass of
.00785 kg. Therefore, finding the cross-sectional area, in mm2,
and multiplying by .00785 will give the mass of weld metal
per metre of joint, in kg/m.
GUIDE 1 - A GUIDE TO USING TABLES 1.0 - 1.5
(a) FILLET WELDS
For fillet welds the user is directed to Table 1.5. Select
the desired leg length (L) with the likely degree of convexity
(h) given the electrode size/type used, the welding position
and process etc, and read off the mass of weld metal per
metre of joint (kg/m).
For acute angle or obtuse angle fillets or fillets of unequal
leg length, treat as for a butt weld and refer to (b).
(b) BUTT WELDS
For butt welds, first sketch the joint cross-section under
consideration, breaking it down into fundamental shapes
such as rectangles, triangles and reinforcement and radius
sections as shown in Figure 10.
Dimension the shapes, from available information, by
calculation or by "intelligent guessing". Using these dimensions,
the mass of weld metal per metre of joint can be arrived at for
each shape segment using the data from Tables 1.0-1.4. From
here, the total mass of weld metal required per metre of joint
can be simply calculated by adding the figures obtained for
each shape segment.
Practical Example 1
For the U-joint illustrated in Figure 10, assume the following
dimensions.
T (plate thickness) = 60 mm
= 100 (therefore, included angle is 20o)
r (root radius) = 10 mm
d2 (root face) = 8 mm
Side A Rectangular, Triangular and Radius Cross-Sections
With a root face (d2) of 8 mm and a root radius (r) of 10 mm,
the depth of the rectangular and triangular sections (d) will be,
d = T, - (d2 + r) = 60 - 18 = 42 mm. The width of the rectangle
(w) is of course equal to 2r - 20 mm.
From Table 1.0, the mass of weld metal per metre of joint
required for a rectangle of area, 20 x 42 mm = 840 mm2, is
approximately ............................ 6.59 kg/m (A)
From Table 1.1, two triangles with an included angle of 200
and a depth of 42 mm will need a mass of weld metal per
metre of joint of approximately ...................
2.50 kg/m (B)
From Table 1.3, a semi-circular section of radius 10 mm will
require a mass of weld metal per metre of joint of approximately ..................
1.23 kg/m (D)
Side A Reinforcement Cross-Section
The reinforcement width of Side A (fA) will be the addition of
2r (20 mm) and L (15 mm, taken from Table 1.1) plus whatever
overlap onto the parent metal is considered desirable practice.
For this example, assume an average overlap of 3 mm on each
side of the joint which gives fA = 6 + 20 + 15 = 41 mm. Also
let us assume a reinforcement height on Side A (hA) of 3 mm.
From Table 1.2, the mass of weld metal required per metre of
joint for the reinforcement section of Side A of f = 41 mm and
h = 3 mm is approximately .........................0.75 kg/m (C1)
Side B Back Gouged Cross-Section
Here the user will be guided by such factors as, the welding
process used for the root pass, to determine resultant root
penetration, the fracture toughness requirements of the root
and established workshop practices, etc, to determine the extent
of back gouging required. For this example, we will assume
a carbon-arc gouge carried out with a 10 mm carbon to produce
a groove 14 mm wide and 10 mm deep.
From Table 1.4, the mass of weld metal required per metre of
joint to fill a groove of these dimensions is approximately
......................0.86 kg/m (E)
Side B Reinforcement Cross-Section
With a gouge width of 14 mm (allow a little more for uneven
gouging) and estimating a 3 mm overlap onto each side of the
joint gives a reinforcement width for Side B (fB) of 21 mm.
From Table 1.2, the mass of weld metal required per metre of
joint for a reinforcement section of f = 21 mm and an assumed
height of h = 1.5 mm is approximately ........0.19 kg/m (C2)
Therefore, A + B + D + C1 + E + C2 gives the total mass of
weld metal required per metre of joint 6.59 + 2.50 + 1.23 +
0.75 + 0.86 + 0.19 = 12.12 kg/m.
91
WELD DEPOSITION AND COSTING DATA (contd)

Mass of Weld Metal in Joint

Table 1.0 RECTANGULAR WELD CROSS-SECTIONS

This table provides the mass of steel weld metal per metre of joint (kg/m) for known cross-sectional areas.

Simply, multiply “d” x “w” for cross-sectional area (mm2) and read directly from the table. Where a sectional or
total joint area is already known in square inches, multiply by 645.2 for mm2 and use this table.

Area
(mm2) 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

0 - 0.08 0.16 0.24 0.31 0.39 0.47 0.55 0.63 0.71

100 0.79 0.86 0.94 1.02 1.10 1.18 1.26 1.33 1.41 1.49
200 1.57 1.65 1.73 1.81 1.88 1.96 2.04 2.12 2.20 2.28
300 2.36 2.43 2.51 2.59 2.67 2.75 2.83 2.90 2.98 3.06
400 3.14 3.22 3.30 3.38 3.45 3.53 3.61 3.69 3.77 3.85
500 3.93 4.00 4.08 4.16 4.24 4.32 4.40 4.47 4.55 4.63
600 4.71 4.79 4.87 4.95 5.02 5.10 5.18 5.26 5.34 5.42
700 5.50 5.57 5.65 5.73 5.81 5.89 5.97 6.04 6.12 6.20
800 6.28 6.36 6.44 6.52 6.59 6.67 6.75 6.83 6.91 6.99
900 7.07 7.14 7.22 7.30 7.38 7.46 7.54 7.61 7.69 7.77
1000 7.85 7.93 8.01 8.09 8.16 8.24 8.32 8.40 8.48 8.56

Where increments of less than 10 mm2 are considered necessary, add to the above, on the basis of .008 kg/m for
every 1 mm2.

92
WELD DEPOSITION AND COSTING DATA (contd)
Mass of Weld Metal in Joint
Table 1.1 TRIANGULAR WELD CROSS SECTIONS

Table 1.TRIANGULAR WELD CROSS SECTIONS Table 1.TRIANGULAR WELD CROSS SECTIONS Contd

Mass of Steel Weld Metal per Metre of Joint (kg/m) Mass of Steel Weld Metal per Metre of Joint (kg/m)
Depth Width Width Width Width Depth Width Width Width Width
d L kg/m L kg/m L kg/m L kg/m d L kg/m L kg/m L kg/m L kg/m
(mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm) (mm)
6 3.5 0.08 6.0 0.14 2.1 0.05 3.2 0.08 6 5.6 0.13 6.9 0.16 8.4 0.20 12.0 0.28

8 4.6 0.14 8.0 0.25 2.8 0.09 4.3 0.14 8 7.5 0.24 9.2 0.29 11.12 0.35 16.0 0.50

10 5.8 0.23 10.0 0.39 3.5 0.14 5.4 0.21 10 9.3 0.37 11.5 0.45 14.0 0.55 20.0 0.79

12 6.9 0.32 12.0 0.57 4.2 0.20 6.4 0.30 12 11.2 0.53 13.9 0.65 16.8 0.79 24.0 1.13

14 8.1 0.45 14.0 0.77 4.9 0.27 7.5 0.41 14 13.1 0.72 16.2 0.89 19.6 1.08 28.0 1.54

16 9.2 0.58 16.0 1.00 5.6 0.35 8.6 0.54 16 14.9 0.94 18.5 1.16 22.4 1.41 32.0 2.01

18 10.4 0.73 18.0 1.27 6.3 0.45 9.6 0.68 18 16.8 1.19 20.8 1.47 25.2 1.78 36.0 2.54

20 11.5 0.90 20.0 1.57 7.1 0.56 10.7 0.84 20 18.7 1.47 23.1 1.81 28.0 2.20 40.0 3.14

22 12.7 1.10 22.0 1.90 7.8 0.67 11.8 1.02 22 20.5 1.77 25.4 2.19 30.8 2.66 44.0 3.80

24 13.9 1.31 24.0 2.26 8.5 0.80 12.9 1.22 24 22.4 2.11 27.7 2.61 33.6 3.17 48.0 4.52

26 15.0 1.53 26.0 2.65 9.2 0.94 13.9 1.42 26 24.2 2.47 30.0 3.06 36.4 3.71 52.0 5.31

28 16.2 1.78 28.0 3.08 9.9 1.09 15.0 1.65 28 26.1 2.87 32.3 3.55 39.2 4.31 56.0 6.15

30 17.3 2.04 30.0 3.53 10.6 1.25 16.1 1.90 30 28.0 3.30 34.6 4.07 42.0 4.95 60.0 7.07

35 20.2 2.77 35.0 4.81 12.3 1.69 18.8 2.58 35 32.6 4.48 40.4 5.55 49.0 6.73 70.0 9.62

40 23.1 3.63 40.0 6.28 14.1 2.21 21.4 3.36 40 37.3 5.86 46.2 7.25 56.0 8.79 80.0 12.56

45 26.0 4.59 45.0 7.95 15.9 2.81 24.1 4.26 45 42.0 7.42 52.0 9.18 63.0 11.13 90.0 15.90

50 28.9 5.67 50.0 9.81 17.6 3.45 26.8 5.26 50 46.6 9.15 57.7 11.32 70.0 13.74 100.0 19.63

55 31.8 6.86 55.0 11.87 19.4 4.19 29.5 6.37 55 51.3 11.07 63.5 13.71 77.0 16.62 110.0 23.75

60 34.6 8.15 60.0 14.13 21.2 4.99 32.2 7.58 60 56.0 13.19 69.3 16.32 84.0 19.78 120.0 28.26

65 37.5 9.57 65.0 16.58 22.9 5.84 34.8 8.88 65 60.6 15.46 75.1 19.16 91.0 23.22 130.0 33.17

70 40.4 11.10 70.0 19.23 24.7 6.79 37.5 10.30 70 65.3 17.94 80.8 22.20 98.0 26.93 140.0 38.47

75 43.3 12.75 75.0 22.08 26.4 7.77 40.2 11.83 75 69.9 20.58 86.6 25.49 105.0 30.91 150.0 44.16

80 46.2 14.51 80.0 25.12 28.2 8.85 42.9 13.47 80 74.6 23.42 92.4 29.01 112.0 35.17 160.0 50.24

93
WELD DEPOSITION AND COSTING DATA (contd)

Mass of Weld Metal in Joint

Table 1.2 WELD REINFORCEMENT CROSS-SECTIONS Table 1.3 RADIUS WELD CROSS-SECTIONS

Radius, Mass of Weld Metal

r Per Metre of Joint
(mm) (kg/m)
"U" "J"
3 0.11 0.06
4 0.20 0.10
5 0.31 0.15
6 0.44 0.22
7 0.60 0.30
8 0.79 0.39
Face Width Mass of Weld Metal per Metre of Reinforcement (kg/m) 9
(f) 1.00 0.50
(mm) REINFORCEMENT HEIGHT 10 1.23 0.62
H = 1.0mm H = 1.5mm H = 3.0mm H = 4.50mm H = 6.0mm 11 1.49 0.75
6 0.04 0.06 12 1.78 0.89
13 2.08 1.04
8 0.05 0.07
14 2.42 1.21
10 0.06 0.09 0.18 0.28 15 2.77 1.39
12 0.07 0.11 0.22 0.33
14 0.09 0.13 0.26 0.39
16 0.10 0.15 0.30 0.44 Table 1.4 BACK GOUGED WELD CROSS-SECTIONS

18 0.11 0.17 0.33 0.50 0.67

20 0.12 0.18 0.37 0.55 0.74 Mass of Weld
Depth Width Area Metal per
22 0.14 0.20 0.41 0.61 0.81 (mm) (mm) (mm2) Metre of Joint
(kg/m)
24 0.15 0.22 0.44 0.67 0.89 1.5 6 7.07 0.06
26 0.16 0.24 0.48 0.72 0.96 2.5 8 15.71 0.12
3.5 7 19.24 0.15
28 0.17 0.26 0.52 0.78 1.04 4 12 37.70 0.30
30 0.18 0.28 0.55 0.83 1.11 5 10 39.27 0.31
7 12 65.97 0.52
35 0.22 0.32 0.65 0.97 1.29
8 19 119.38 0.94
40 0.25 0.37 0.74 1.11 1.48 10 14 109.96 0.86
10 22 172.79 1.36
45 0.28 0.42 0.83 1.25 1.66
12 20 188.50 1.48
50 0.31 0.46 0.92 1.39 1.85 15 30 353.43 2.77

Note: For face widths in excess of 50 mm, estimate average Note: Appropriate reinforcement additions, selected from
height of reinforcement and calculate as for a rectangle, Table 1.2, will generally be required to be added to the
referring to Table 1.0 above figures.

94
WELD DEPOSITION AND COSTING DATA (contd)
Mass of Weld Metal in Joint
Table 1.5 FILLET WELDS

The table shows the mass of steel weld metal per metre of joint (kg/m)
for fillet welds of varying degrees of convexity and a typical concave
profile. The figures are based on actual leg length being maintained.
Note that the leg lengths shown are not applicable to the concave welds
which are designated in this table by throat thickness.
Note: For Aluminium weld metal divide the steel weld metal mass per
metre by 2.9.

Weld Size MASS OF WELD METAL METRE (Kg/m)

Flat and Convex Welds Concave Welds
Cross-
Leg Length Throat sectional Throat Typical
Thickness h=0 h= h= h= Thickness Concave
Area 2.5 mm
L(mm) T(mm) (mm2) (Theor.) 1.0 mm 1.5 mm T (mm) Weld
3.2 2.3 5.1 .04 .07 .08 - 2.3 0.05
3.5 2.5 6.1 .05 .08 .10 - 2.5 0.06
4.0 2.8 8.0 .06 .09 .11 - 2.8 0.07
4.8 3.4 11.5 .09 .13 .15 - 3.4 0.10
5.0 3.5 12.5 .10 .14 .17 - 3.5 0.11
5.6 4.0 15.7 .12 .17 .19 - 4.0 0.13
6.0 4.2 18.0 .14 .19 .22 - 4.2 0.15
6.4 4.5 20.5 .16 .22 .24 - 4.5 0.17
7.0 4.9 24.5 .19 .25 .28 - 4.9 0.21
8.0 5.7 32.0 .25 .32 .35 - 5.7 0.27
9.5 6.7 45.1 .36 .44 .48 .57 6.7 0.39
10.0 7.1 50.0 .39 .48 .52 .61 7.1 0.42
12.7 9.0 80.6 .63 .74 .80 .91 9.0 0.68
15.9 11.2 126.4 .99 1.13 1.20 1.34 11.2 1.06
19.0 13.4 180.5 1.42 1.59 1.67 1.84 13.4 1.52
22.2 ` 15.7 246.4 1.93 2.13 2.23 2.42 15.7 2.06
25.4 18.0 322.6 2.53 2.75 2.86 3.08 18.0 2.70

Quantity of Consumables Required

Given the mass of weld metal required to "fill" a metre of joint, the next step is to determine the mass of consumable(s) required.
The weld metal yield achieved from welding with a consumable electrode largely depends on the efficiency of the welding
process and the consumable in question.
QUANTITY OF
The "QUANTITY OF CONSUMABLE" CONSUMABLE
figures listed in Table 2.0 are for a ELECTRODE
weld metal yield of 1 kg and take CONSUMABLE TYPE LENGTH 50mm 75mm EXTRA
STUB STUB FOR
into account inherent wastage losses (MM)
LENGTH LENGTH WASTAGE
such as weld metal spatter, slag
coverage, stub ends, etc. An
additional percentage (listed in the High Efficiency (150%), Iron Powder 455 1.62 1.68 10%
Type Electrodes 380 1.63 1.75 10%
"EXTRA FOR WASTAGE" column) is PH 22, PH 7024
usually added to allow for typical
shop wastage. Conventional, Low Iron Powder or Basic- 455 1.65 1.75 10%
Hydrogen Controlled Electrodes 380 1.66 1.77 10%
PH 28, PH 48A, PH 77, PH 56S, PH C18
TO OBTAIN THE QUANTITY OF
CONSUMABLE REQUIRED TO YIELD Cellulose Type Electrodes 380 1.73 1.87 10%
1 KG OF WELD METAL READ DIRECTLY PH 31A, Pipemaster 60
FROM TABLE 2.0 FOR THE
APPROPRIATE ELECTRODE.
Table 2.0 Manual Metal-Arc Welding (MMAW)

95
WELD DEPOSITION AND COSTING DATA (contd)

Electrode Consumption for some Common Butt Joints

The following tables provide useful data on the mass of weld metal and MMAW electrodes required to complete some common
butt joints. Electrode consumption is calculated using the following simple equation:
M= D
1 - P
where M = Mass of electrodes required per metre of joint
D = Mass of weld metal deposited per metre of joint.
P** = Proportion of electrode lost, due to spatter, slag loss, stub end etc.

Square Groove Butt Joint

- welded both sides

reinforcement height, r = 2 mm

Joint Dimensions Mass of steel weld metal Mass of MMAW**

deposited per metre (D) electrodes required per
T R W (kg/m) metre (M) (kg/m)
3 0 7 0.17 0.28
3 1 7 0.20 0.33
6 1.5 10 0.32 0.53
6 3 10 0.39 0.64

Single-V Butt Joints

reinforcement height, r = 2 mm

Joint Dimensions Mass of steel weld metal Mass of MMAW**

deposited per metre (D) electrodes required per
T R L W (kg/m) metre (M) (kg/m)
6 3.5 1.5 10.0 0.26 0.43
8 3.5 1.5 13.0 0.57 0.95
10 3.5 1.5 15.0 0.79 1.31
12 3.0 3.0 15.0 0.83 1.39
16 3.0 3.0 19.0 1.38 2.29
20 3.0 3.0 23.0 2.06 3.43

Double-V Butt Joints

reinforcement height, r = 2 mm

Joint Dimensions Mass of steel weld metal Mass of MMAW**

deposited per metre (D) electrodes required per
T R L W (kg/m) metre (M) (kg/m)
12 3.0 3.0 10.0 0.71 1.18
16 3.0 3.0 12.0 1.06 1.75
20 3.0 3.0 15.0 1.50 2.48
25 3.0 3.0 18.0 2.13 3.53
50 3.0 3.0 32.0 6.97 11.58

** For 380 mm long EXX12, 13, 14, 16 & 18 type MMAW electrodes to AS 1553.1, P is typically 0.4. This figure assumes a
stub end length of 50 mm (See Table 2.0 for further details.)

96