Welding Rods and Wires

When a welding wires form a part of electrical circuit it is called as welding electrode. eg: GMAW &SAW If it is not a part of electrode it is called as wire. Eg: GTAW &PAW. Wires are used for short length welding and rods, long length welding.

Features of welding wires:

Most wires used for welding structural steel usually have 0.10% carbon and 0.35 to 0.60% manganese. Maximum silicon in welding wire is permitted up to 0.95%, where excess Si cause more spatter, gas and non-metalic materials. Harmful impurities like sulfur and phosphorous should not exceed 0.04% each. Wire are in range from 0.5 to 2.5 mm diameter is available.

Features of welding wires :(Contd) The wires are usually copper coated to prevent rusting and to improve current pickup from the contact tube. Apart from low carbon steel, wires are available in Al, Stainless Steel, Ni alloys, Mg alloys, Cu alloys and Ti alloys.

Specifications of solid wires and rod: Prefix Letter E R Indications Welding electrode A welding rod Welding rod/brazing filler An electrode or a welding rod

RB

ER

AWS identification for bare carbon electrode and rod for gas shielded arc welding.
ER70S1 ER-Prefix indicates electrode or a welding rod. 70-indicates minimum as-welded tensile strength of 70,000psi (5000N/mm2) S-indicates solid electrode or rod. 1..6-suffix number indicates chemical analysis.

Tubular Electrode or Flux-Cored Wires

The flux cored wire consists of a metal sheath which encloses a core of flux. It is rutile type wherein TiO2 is the main slag forming constituent. Flux cored wire is of basic type. The slag forming constituents calcium fluoride, lime stone, alkaline earth carbonates and oxides.

E60T-7 E-indicates electrode 60- indicates 60,000 psi (420N/mm2) as the minimum as welded tensile Strength. T-Indicates tubular, fabricated, or flux cored electrode. 7- A figure indicates between 1 to 8 as suffix indicates the chemistry of the deposited weld metal, shielding gas and usability factor.

Recommended Electrodes for GMAW