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3G FCAW Welding Certification

Passing a 3G (Vertical Up) Flux Cored Arc Welding
Certification

E3 Tungsten Electrodes
Technology - Not old habits! Replace 2% Thoriated Tungsten

MarkingoftheFCAW3GWelding
CertificationTest

FCAW3GWeldCapCleaned

3GFCAWRootandFaceBend
withtheAlternate

This page is about how to pass a 3G flux cored arc welding certification. Just like my other
welding certifications I wrote down all of the detail on how to pass this welding
certification and took pictures to illustrate the procedure.
This is a very easy welding certification to
pass as long as the welding machine is set
right. I literally have not picked up flux
cored welding wire since 1996 and it took
about ten minutes of practice before I took
this welding certification. If you can Stick
and MIG weld, then flux cored welding
should not be a problem for you. As easy as
this test is I did fail it the first time. So this is
the second time I am taking this welding
certification. The failure of the first 3G
certification was not caused by any weld defects. The weld held up fine but what
happened was the test coupons broke about 1/8 of an inch outside of the weld area. At the
time I was taking the test many other welders were failing their welding certifications for
the same reason. What we all had in common was, when taking our welding certifications
our test coupons were too close to the exhaust vents. Failing a welding certification that
costs only $20 was not a big deal to me, but the fact I had to do it again got me thinking.
When I went home I pulled out my metallurgy book and started looking for an
explanation. The most likely cause for this type of coupon failure seems to be coming from
the Heat Affected Zone. I dont know if what I am about to mention is completely true.
Remember I am not a metallurgist or a welding engineer. I am just a welder and this is
just a theory! Since all of the welding certifications that failed were too close to the vents
in the welding booths and none of them broke in the weld area. I believe that the cause
was coming from the test plates cooling too fast. The area where the test coupons failed is
also where the metal is known for forming a coarse grain structure, causing that area to
harden. Since that time, nobody at the school has tested with their test plates to close to

the exhaust vets, and since that change, no one has had this type of coupon failure!
The pictures I am posting are going to be mixed up between the first and the second test.
When I did this certification the first time, I took a lot of pictures showing how to prepare
the test coupons, and how to remove a backing bar. Outside of preparing the test coupons
and removing the backing bar all of the other pictures are from the test I passed.

Who Should Take a 3G FCAW Certification?

Flux cored arc welding is typically used when there is a lot of welding to do and it is out
doors. FCAW is used in industrial shut downs for welding of boilers and pretty much any
industrial construction projects that need high quality welds fast. For certain jobs having a
3G flux cored arc welding certification will get you in the door before someone who does
not. It may also help in getting a structural welding job in a shipyard. I do want to mention
that if you are going to test at a shipyard, you will also need to pass a 4G welding
certification. The standard shipyard qualification test for structural flux cored arc welders
is a 2G, 3G, and 4G, 1 inch thick plate test, with a ceramic backing tape. So if you are going
to test for a shipyard, make sure you can pass their tests!

AWS D1.1 FCAW (Vertical Up) Welding Certification

Procedure Specifications

The specifications for this welding procedure are very simple compared to my other
welding certifications. The AWS D1.1 3G FCAW procedure qualifies you to weld in the 1F,
2F, and 3F positions and the 1G, 2G, and 3G positions. You are qualified to weld in the flat,
horizontal, and vertical positions and not the 4G or overhead position.
This welding certification I passed is the limited thickness procedure that qualifies me to
weld carbon steel from 1/8 to of an inch thick plate.
The welding certification is just like any other AWS welding certification when it comes to
expiring. If you do not weld using the FCAW process, this welding certification expires in
six months, or 180 from the time the test was taken. Every six months an employer or a
welding school needs to sign the welding log in the back of the certification to keep it up to
date. If you are not working simply take a refresher course at a local welding school to

keep the welding certification up to date.

Here are the procedure specifications:
Welding Process. FCAW
Position. Vertical
Vertical Progression. Up
Joint Type. Butt
Backing. Yes
Backing Material. ASTM A36
Root Opening. 1/4 to 5/16
Grove Angel. 45 degrees
Back Gouge. No
Base Metal. ASTM A36
Type or Grade. Steel
Thickness. Groove. (in) .375
Filler Metals AWS Classification. E71T-1
Shielding Gas. 75% Argon / 25% Co2
Gas Flow Rate. 40 50 CFH
Gas Cup Size. 5/8
Contact Tube to Work Distance. 5/8 to 3/4
Electrical Characteristics. DCEP(direct current electrode positive)
Stringer or Weave Bead. Either
Interpass Cleaning. Mechanical or Wire Brush
Electrode Diameter. .045

How to Pass the FCAW D1.1 Welding Certification

E3 Tungsten Electrodes
Technology - Not old habits! Replace 2% Thoriated Tungsten

FCAW Machine Set Up

Setting up of the flux cored welder was not hard. I used the same Millermatic 350P that I
did my 3G vertical up MIG welding certification with. All I did was change the wire from
MIG wire, to flux cored E71T-1 dual shielding wire, and then the rollers. The bottle of gas

on the machine was already C25 gas. The gas

flow rate the procedure specifies is 40 to 50
CFH but I only used about 30 CFH. I am
welding indoors, inside of a welding booth,
with no real drafts, so my gas coverage was
more than enough.
The settings I used were 23 volts and my
wire speed was at 218 IPM (inches per
minute). I dont remember the exact
amperage but those settings on most
machines should put you into the proper
range for vertical up welding. Remember
each machine is different; even if you are
using the same make and model, the settings
will vary depend on how the machine is
calibrated. When welding the sound had a
fast deep crackle to it. With flux cored arc
welding there are two types of wire transfer.
Globular and spray transfer. True spray
transfer has just a hissing sound to it,
otherwise when the amperage crosses a
certain threshold the weld crackles but it is spray transferring to the joint. This is
especially true with flux cored welding!

Joint Preparation for the FCAW Certification

The test coupon preparation is the same as all of my other 3G welding certifications. In
this 3G welding procedure the notes are taken from the same section of the AWS code that
are used for the 3/8 inch limited thickness test procedure.
I received my test coupons that were pre-cut and ready to prepare. All I did was grind the
face of the test plates a minimum of one inch back from the bevel and a minimum of a
quarter of an inch back on the back of the bevel. Next I cleaned the backing bar to bare
metal with a grinder. And then cleaned the oxidation off of the bevel to bare metal.
After that the bevel angles were checked with a protractor by myself, then the welding
instructor rechecked them. Everything was good and then I tacked up my coupons. I set to
root opening with two 1/8 inch welding electrodes and then the test plate was inspected
for fit-up.

Pre-Inspection of the Test Coupon

The test coupon was put into the vertical position and marked with a white marker to
make sure I do not move the plate anytime during welding or cleaning. This is done
because the AWS procedure notes state:

The Root Pass

Now the test will be placed in the fixed
position. The test piece will be marked in
position with a marker and the inspector may
see the test anytime during the testing.
(DURING THE TEST, THE PIECES SHALL NOT
BE MOVED IN ANY DIRECTION AND OR
REMOVED FROM THE TESTING PLACE
WITHOUT THE INSPECTORS APPROVAL.)
The root pass was done by building a shelf of weld and moving upward from there. I using
a side to side weave while washing into the sides of the bevel. I did not pause much on the

sides. All I did was use a steady weaving motion and the root came out fine. This specific
procedure does not say you need any restarts so I did not have any. The first picture below
is the weld still covered in slag. All I did to clean the weld is use a wire wheel and the slag
came off with ease. The second picture is the cleaned root pass. After that the root of the
weld was inspected because the welding procedure states:

The root of the weld shall be inspected, and there shall be no evidence
of cracks, incomplete fusion, or inadequate joint penetration. A concave
root surface is permitted within the limits shown below, providing the
total weld thickness is equal to or greater than that of the base metal. The
maximum root surface concavity shall be 1/16 in. (1.6 mm) and a
maximum melt-through shall be 1/8 in. (3 mm)

The Hot Pass

Before welding the hot pass I did let the plate cool to the point that I could almost touch it.
The hot pass was done using the same technique as the root pass. All I did was just use a
steady side to side weave with-out pausing too much on the sides. I did the fill in a single

pass and had no restarts. With flux cored welding the wire does most of the work. It is
such an easy process to use and takes very little skill. All I did to clean the slag was use a
wire wheel and the weld was cleaned.

The Cap Weld

Again before welding the cap I let the plate cool down till I could almost touch it. The cap
of the weld was done using a weave technique while washing the weld about 1/16 of an
inch past the edge of the bevel. I held the sides for about a second before moving back to
the other side. The cap was also done in a single pass just like the root and hot pass. I
typically weld past the edge of most bevels. What that does is give good weld penetration,
preventing face bend failure and undercut. The cap of the weld came out to be 3/32 of an
inch over the face of the bevel (just perfect). It had almost no undercut and it was more
than acceptable. The acceptance criteria for the face of the weld are as follows in the
words of the AWS:

The face of the weld shall be flush with the surface of the base metal,
and the weld shall merge smoothly with the base metal. Undercut shall
not exceed 1/32 in. (1 mm). Weld reinforcement shall not exceed 1/8 in. (3

mm)
The first picture below is the weld still covered in slag. The second picture is the slag
lifting itself off of the cap. What I like about flux cored arc welding is how easy the weld is
to clean and in many times the slag just falls off by itself. The last picture is the cap
cleaned with a wire brush.

Bend Test Coupon Preparation

The test coupons were prepared just like my
other welding certifications. First you mark a
center-line on the plate. Then another line 1
inch above the center line and another line 1
inch below the center line. This is the section
that can be used as an alternate coupon in
the event of corner cracks with no evidence
of slag inclusions. Next is marking of the
actual root and face bend specimens. Using
the top and bottom line, mark another line a
minimum of 1 inches above the top line,
and then 1 inches below the bottom line. The minimum width of a test specimen needs
to be 1 inches wide. Otherwise that test specimen will fail on the spot! After that they
were marked by the welding instructor for a root and face bend followed by me cutting
them on a band saw.

Backing Bar Removal

The backing bar removal was mostly done using a vice. First I put the coupon into the vice
and took a grinder to the center of the backing bar gouging it. I kept grinding out the
center till I was about 1/16 or so away from the back of the test plate. Next I locked onto
one side if the split backing bar with the vice firmly. After that all I had to do was press
down on it like a lever. I kept repeating this until all of the backing bars were removed on
the test coupons. The pictures below are from the first welding certification that I failed. I

am posting them because they give a good illustration of how to remove a backing bar.
After the backing
bar is removed,
the face and the
root of the weld
need to be
ground flush to
the base metal. If
you grind past
the base metal
the test will be
rejected for
excessive
material removal. After grinding down the root and face of the weld, I used a belt sander
to round the square corners, followed by a buffing wheel to polish the weld area.

FCAW 3G Bend Test

The bend test went very well on these coupons. If you remember I took this test before
and the test coupons failed before the weld area got a chance to bend all the way. On this
test I had two bends done, a root bend, and a face bend. Below are pictures of the test
specimens being bent.
Both coupons
were bent and I
did not need the
alternate. The
results were
flawless and this
is how I passed the AWD D1.1 FCAW 3G Welding Certification!

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