FILARC welder guide

book No.1
Welder Guide Book No. 1
PZ6125 basic flux-cored wire
and related types for high ten-
sile and creep resistant steels

Index page 1

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FILARC PZ6125 basic flux-cored wire

and related types for high tensile
and creep resistant steels

A new generation of basic cored wires with excellent

welding characteristics for positional work
on high quality fabrication
FILARC welder guide
book No.1
PZ6125 basic flux-cored wire
and related types for high ten-
sile and creep resistant steels
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Next page
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Due to its policy of continual improvements
in its welding consumables, FILARC reserves
the right to change data in this guide without notice.
FILARC Welder Guide Books provide practical information on
the use of specific FILARC flux and metal-cored wires. The
contents will assist welders to apply correct welding parame-
ters and use the FILARC cored wire effectively, to achieve op-
timum productivity and avoid faults.
The information provided will be helpful to welders both quali-
fied or still to qualify for cored wire welding. There is also help-
ful information for welding engineers establishing appropriate
welding procedures, also training instructors and welding fore-
men.
Overall the guide will enhance results from the FILARC flux or
metal-cored wire(s) described.
Introduction
FILARC PZ 6125 represents a new generation of basic flux-
cored wires, with much improved weldability. PZ 6125 yields
excellent mechanical properties, including satisfactory CTOD
values, both as-welded and stress relieved, with hydrogen
content dependably below 3ml /100g.
PZ 6125 and related types provide good all-position weldabili-
ty, with useful tolerance in welding parameter setting; they are
far easier to use than conventional basic cored wires.
However, due to the new flux formulation, weldability has dis-
tinctive, but not difficult, characteristics.
This Guide Book provides all the information you need to en-
sure fully satisfactory use of these new basic cored wires.
Index
Correct use of equipment...........................................Page 2
Torch, liners and cable assembly ...........................................2
Wire drive unit.........................................................................2

Gas regulation ........................................................................2

Gas cup and contact tip combination ....................................4

Correct stickout length ...........................................................4

Gas cup sizes .........................................................................4

FILARC PZ6125 is decribed in this guide, together with re-
lated types, listed below, having identical welding perfor- Power source facilities............................................................6
mance. All types come in diameter size 1.0, 1.2 and 1.6mm
and are developed for use in Ar/CO2 mixed gas. Welding parameter setting......................................................8

Low alloyed types AWS A5.29 EN 758 Choice of wire size ...............................................................10
FILARC PZ 6125 E71T5-G T 42 6 1Ni B M 1 H5
Recommended average parameter setting ..........................12
High tensile types
FILARC PZ6145 E81T5-G T 50 5 Mn1Ni B M 1 H5 ASME and EN welding positions..........................................15
FILARC PZ6146 E91T5-K2 –
Back to catalogue/ FILARC PZ6147 E101T5-K3 – Welding advice .....................................................................16
FILARC PZ6148 E111T5-K4 –
product page FILARC PZ6149 E121T5-G – Torch positions for positional welding ..................................18

Creep resistant AWS A5. .. / Weaving technique ...............................................................22

types DIN 8575
FILARC PZ6201 DIN: SGCrMo1 – Grinding ................................................................................24
FILARC PZ6202 29:E71T5-A1 –
FILARC PZ6203 DIN: SGCrMo2 – Trouble shooting ...................................................................26
FILARC PZ6204 22:E502T-1 –
FILARC PZ6205 29:E81T5-B2 – Causes of weld defects ........................................................27

1
FILARC welder guide
book No.1
PZ6125 basic flux-cored wire
and related types for high ten-
sile and creep resistant steels
Previous page
Next page
Back to index page 1
Back to catalogue
Replace worn contact tip.
Correct use of equipment
FILARC PZ 6125 and other cored wires will always perform
well when welding sets are used correctly and maintained ac-
cording to the maker’s instructions.
Following are some simple guidelines for preventive inspection
and maintenance. When carried out regularly, the most com- concentric hole worn hole
mon causes of malfunctioning are avoided.
Torch, liners and cable assembly
Inspect torch connec-
Ensure that the contact tip has the right size and is mounted tions and clean liner
tight. Ideally, contact tips are checked for wear upon wire weekly.
spool change and replaced when necessary.
Check gas cups for spatter built-up and clean if necessary. Im-
peded gas flow from clogged cups may cause porosity.
Blowing-out the liner into the direction of wire delivery should
be a regularly recurring routine. Check liners for damage at
least weekly, and replace when necessary. Spiral steel liners Exit to torch
are recommended.
Check gas and water connections for leaks. When fitted, en-
sure water cooler is filled and pump operates satisfactorily.
Correct location of wire guide tubes. Minimal space between
Wire drive unit guide tubes and rollers. Proper alignment is essential.
Wire guide tubes must be as close to the rollers as possible to
prevent kinking of a cored wire. Proper alignment is essential
to avoid unnecessary friction. A substantial amount of fine
metallic swarf underneath the drive wheels indicates misalign-
ment (or excessively worn drive wheels). Exit to torch
Use drive wheels with a V-groove and, by preference, flat pres-
sure wheels. Check that the groove of the drive wheel is cor-
rectly selected for the wire diameter, and that the pressure
wheel is correctly tensioned. Too much pressure may flatten
the cored wire, giving increased wear of liner and contact tip. Excessive space between wire guide tubes and rollers can
Insufficient pressure may result in slip, causing erratic wire feed cause kinking of wire. Misalignment, also in the plane per-
and burn-back. Limit the use of knurled wheels to situations pendicular to the one shown here, causes friction.
where friction in the liner causes wheels with a V-groove to slip.
This is only likely to happen with long, extremely curved cable
assemblies, and/or with units with one set of rolls. Knurled
wheels cause increased wear of liner and contact tip. Test wire Check gas pressure
delivery at the torch; this must be regular. and flow rate.
Gas regulation
Check that Ar/CO 2 (80/20) gas is used. Adjust the flow rate be-
tween 15 and 20 l /min to suit wire Ø and joint configuration.
Outdoors, use 20l. Make a short test run to assure no porosity
arises from incorrect gas flow.
Always check gas flow with a flow meter which fits on the nozzle,
to be sure that required gas flow is available.
2 3
FILARC welder guide
book No.1
PZ6125 basic flux-cored wire
and related types for high ten-
sile and creep resistant steels
Previous page
Next page
Back to index page 1
Back to catalogue
Gas cup and contact tip combination
It is essential to mount the gas cup and contact tip at the right
distance relative to each other. The ideal 2mm distance is
± 2mm ± 10mm
shown right. Correct positioning Incorrect. Left: increased stickout caus-
A larger distance increases stickout length, causing slag traps of contact tip. es slag traps and fusion faults, mainly in
and lack of fusion, mainly in narrow joints. narrow joints. Right: contact tip extends
beyond gas cup. Risk of insufficient
shielding gas protection.
Correct stickout length
The stand-off, here and in other FILARC sales literature referred
to as stickout, is the distance between the tip of the contact tip
and the workpiece. It must be held constant at 10 to 15mm for
PZ 6125 and related types in 1.0 and 1.2mm sizes and 15 to
20mm for 1.6mm size.
Ideal stickout length for 1.0
Correct, constant stickout length must be maintained, as far as
and 1.2mm wire sizes.
joint preparation will allow. Variations will cause arc voltage
and welding current to fluctuate and in turn adversely influence
droplet transfer. 10
-1
Overlong stickout results in larger droplets, causing spatter, also 5m
m
reducing gas protection, so bringing weld porosity.
Gas cup sizes
Various cup diameters must be available, to allow satisfactory
access to the joint, and maintain the stickout length recom-
mended above, according to wire size.
Small diameter gas cups are used for first layers only. Revert
to the standard gas cup diameter when access to the weld
10-
joint allows this, so full gas protection can be assured. 15m >10
m -15
mm
Check gas flow after a change of gas cup size.
Correct. Smaller gas cup Incorrect. Too large gas cup
Trouble shooting diameter for 1st layers of diameter restricts access to
joints with limited access. narrow joints, resulting in too
Porosity is normally the result of draught, the presence of con-
long stickout length.
dense water, rust or paint on the plate material or an overlong
stickout length. Also insufficient gas flow, due to clogged gas
nozzles is a common cause. Check the above, if porosity oc-
curs.
Unstable arc or large droplets are a sign of excessive stickout,
possibly due to gas cup size not allowing suitable access to Correct gas cup for
the joint; replace gas cup with smaller size. filling ensures good
Also refer to the checklist of process faults and weld defects gas protection and
as from page 26. correct stickout.
Incorrect. Too small gas cup
diameter for filling reduces
gas protection and brings
porosity.
4 5
FILARC welder guide
book No.1
PZ6125 basic flux-cored wire
and related types for high ten-
sile and creep resistant steels
Previous page
Next page
Back to index page 1
Back to catalogue
Power source facilities Use negative polarity for
PZ6125 and related types
(straight polarity).
Power source rating must be suitable for the basic cored wire
size at 60% duty cycle. These should have selectable choke
settings; automatic chokes are not recommended. Power
sources fall into the following categories for setting welding
parameters (arc voltage, wire feed speed/welding current,
choke setting).
– +
• Manual selection, with or without Voltage and Ampère me-
ters.
• Pre-programmed with variable selection of wire feed speed.
Available programs for flux-cored wires may not necessari-
ly suit FILARC PZ 6125 and related wires. Test these care-
fully, and if not fully satisfactory check with equipment sup-
plier for program revisions. – polarity
• Programmable, select the parameters recommended for
FILARC PZ 6125 in preference to any already installed pro-
gram(s) for flux-cored wires.
Polarity –negative
It is essential to weld FILARC PZ 6125 and related types on Choke setting values may be indicated by various symbols.
– negative polarity, to avoid slag inclusions and lack of fusion, Typical examples are shown here.
also to obtain deeper penetration, especially when welding in
position.
–1 –2 –3
Choke setting
A welder often has a preference for a particular setting, so will
minimum maximum
adjust this until arriving at what is considered to be satisfactory.
Due to the variety of welding equipment available, it is imprac-
tical to define the exact setting. However, a minimum choke
value is best suited for FILARC PZ 6125, in all positions.
Advice
A B C
Start with a minimum value and adjust the arc voltage and wire
feed speed to recommended values, and trim these for
minimum maximum
smoothest weldability in the welding position required. Only if
spatter is excessive, use the next higher choke setting.
A B C
minimum maximum
Recommended setting
for PZ6125 and related
types.
6 7
FILARC welder guide
book No.1
PZ6125 basic flux-cored wire
and related types for high ten-
sile and creep resistant steels
Previous page
Next page
Back to index page 1
Back to catalogue
Welding parameter setting
Arc voltage is related to welding current, which is established
by the wire feed speed adjustment on the wire drive unit.
Correct arc length.
Note, the arc voltage setting for FILARC PZ6125 is higher than Arc is just over weldpool,
usually required for normal basic cored wires. with smooth droplets or
spray arc.
Advice
After selecting the minimum choke value, set the recommend-
ed arc voltage (V) and wire feed settings/current values, see
following pages for examples.
Test weldability in the required welding position. Power sour-
ces fitted with voltage and current meters allow settings to be
monitored.
Correct parameter setting will bring the arc over the weld pool,
delivering either a smooth, fine droplet transfer at lower wire
feed speeds, or spray arc at higher speeds.
Too short or long arcs can arise from incorrect setting of para-
meters for the welding position. To obtain correct results:
• adjust the wire feed speed slightly.
If the arc length remains unsatisfactory, or weldability un-
smooth,
Arc length too short.
• adjust arc voltage in steps of 1 or 2V. Stubbing. Wire dips into
weldpool, caused by
Results may be further improved by slight adjustment of wire too high a wire speed
feed speed/welding current. or too low an arc voltage.
In case of continuing difficulty, especially at lower arc volt-
age/welding currents, use a higher choke value and repeat the
above adjustments.
Note, irregular wire feeding due to incorrect wire drive roller ad-
justment, a damaged torch cable liner, or a worn contact tip
can cause difficulties. Check these if weldability fluctuates; ad-
justment of welding parameters will not overcome these
equipment faults.
Arc Voltage and Welding Current Meters
Usually fitted to power sources, these are helpful for training or
monitoring purposes. They are not a substitute for correct ad-
justment of welding parameters to suit the best combination of
wire size and welding position.
Arc length too long.
Wire speed too low, or arc
voltage too high.
8 9
FILARC welder guide
book No.1 Choice of wire size Wire Ø 1.0mm 1.2mm 1.6mm

FILARC PZ 6125 and related types are all available in 1.0, 1.2 Welding Suitability for average application
PZ6125 basic flux-cored wire and 1.6mm diameters, so allowing optimal productivity for var- position
and related types for high ten- ious combinations of plate thicknesses and welding positions.
The chart opposite shows recommended use. Root 1G/PA not recomm. on backing on backing
sile and creep resistant steels The 1.2mm size is recommended for general all-positional use. Fill 1G/PA not recomm. yes yes
Diameter 1.6mm is a more productive choice when the major-
ity of welding takes place in the downhand position. Root 2G/PC not recomm. on backing on backing
Although it is not recommended by FILARC, the 1.2mm size is Fill 2G/PC not recomm. yes yes
also an option when fabricators wish to weld root passes with-
Previous page out ceramic weld metal support.
The 1.0mm size is advantageous for pipe work and tubular
Root
Fill
3G/PF
3G/PF
not recomm.
yes
on backing
yes
not recomm.
not recomm.
constructions with minimal 10-12mm wall thickness and mini-
mal 4inch diameter, bringing excellent control of the weld pool Root 4G/PE not recomm. not recomm. not recomm.
Next page in the 3 to 9 o'clock positions. Fill 4G/PE yes yes1 not recomm.

Use with ceramic backing Root 5G/PF not recomm. not recomm. not recomm.
High quality root runs can be deposited economically when Fill 5G/PF yes possible1 not recomm.
Back to index page 1 using ceramic weld metal support. Both the 1.2mm as well as
the 1.6mm size are very suited. Consult the special FILARC Root 6G
brochure on ceramic backing materials. HL045 not recomm. not recomm. not recomm.
The 1.6mm size is very productive for root passes in the 1G Fill 6G
and 2G positions. The thick root pass layer allows filling at HL045 yes possible1 not recomm.
higher welding currents.
– 1F/PA possible2 yes yes
Back to catalogue Chart recommendations are for average situations. There will
be exceptions for plate size, application area, etc. where the – 2F/PB possible2 yes yes
versatility of PZ 6125 will still provide excellent results.
For additional advice contact your FILARC welding engineer or – 3F/PF not recomm. yes not recomm.
nearest sales office.
A guide to ASME and EN welding positions is given on page 15. – 4F/PD not recomm. yes not recomm.

1 For thicknesses below 20mm, 1.0mm size is recommended

2 1.2 or 1.6mm sizes will improve productivity.

10 11
FILARC welder guide
book No.1 Recommended average FILARC PZ 6125, 1.2mm Ø, negative (–) polarity.

parameter settings
PZ6125 basic flux-cored wire
and related types for high ten- 1G/PA Root*: 180-230A /8.0-11.0m/min
FILARC PZ 6125, 1.0mm Ø, negative (–) polarity. 22-28V (spray arc)
sile and creep resistant steels Fill : 240-320A/12.5-19.0m/min
28-34V

1G/PA Not recommended. Diameters 1.2 and 1.6mm are

best suited.
Previous page 2G/PC Root*: 170-230A/7.0-11.0m/min
21-28V (spray arc)
2G/PC Not recommended. Diameters 1.2 and 1.6mm are Fill : 190-280A /9.0-16.0m/min
best suited. 23-33V
Next page
3G/PF Root : not recommended
Fill : 140-160A/8.5-9.8m/min
Back to index page 1 18-21V

3G/PF Root*: 150-180A /6.5-8.0m/min

3F/4F/PF/PD Fill : not recommended 19-22V (spray arc)
Fill : 180-200A /8.0-9.5m/min
22-25V
Back to catalogue
4G/PE Root : not recommended
Fill : 130-150A /4.0-6.5m/min
18-19V
4G/PE Root : not recommended
Fill : 130-150A/7.8-9.2m/min
18-19V

5G+6G/H-L000+H-L045 Root : not recommended

Fill : 130-180A /4.0-8.0m/min
5G/PF Root : not recommended 18-22V
Fill : 130-160A/7.8-9.8m/min
18-19V

6G/HL045 Root : not recommended 1F/2F/PA/PB 3F/4F/PF/PD

Fill : 140-150A/8.5-9.2m/min
18-20V 240-320A/ 3F: 180-200A/
12.5-19.0m/min 8.0-9.5m/min
28-34V 22-25V
4F: 160-230A/
6.5-11.0m/min/18-28V
* One-sided root pass on ceramic backing (round groove)
12 13
FILARC welder guide
book No.1
PZ6125 basic flux-cored wire
and related types for high ten-
sile and creep resistant steels
Previous page
Next page
ASME and EN Welding Positions
FILARC PZ 6125, 1.6mm Ø, negative (–) polarity. Generally
used for plate thickness of 20mm and higher.
Also used with ceramic backing for plate thicknesses down to
16mm.
1G /PA 2G /PC
With ceramic backing
1G/PA Root*: 220-260A /4.0-5.0m/min
26-28V (spray arc)
Fill : 220-380A /4.5-12.0m/min
27-36V

Back to index page 1

3G ↑↓/ PF & PG 4G /PE
2G/PC Root*: 200-240A /3.5-4.5m/min
24-26V (spray arc)
Fill : 240-270A /4.5-5.5m/min
26-30V

Back to catalogue

Plate thickness ≥ 20mm 5G ↑↓ / PF & PG-H-L000 6G ↑↓ / H-L045

1F/PA Fill : 240-380A/4.5-12.0m/min

27-36V

1F/ PA 2F/ PB

2F/PB Fill : 240-320A/4.5-8.0m/min

30-35V

3F ↑↓ / PF & PG 4F / PD

* One-sided root pass on ceramic backing (round groove)

14 15
FILARC welder guide
book No.1
PZ6125 basic flux-cored wire
and related types for high ten-
sile and creep resistant steels
Previous page
Next page
Back to index page 1
Back to catalogue
Welding advice
Following pages provide advice on welding techniques for typ- direction of travel
ical applications, followed by troubleshooting for typical faults. 70-90°
Welding characteristics
FILARC PZ 6125 has distinctive, but not difficult welding cha-
racteristics. These differ from conventional basic cored wires,
by way of:
• Higher arc voltage with smoother droplet transfer.
•
•
Semi-spray arc operation aids positional work.
Greater tolerance for arc voltage/welding current setting.
Figure A
Correct backhand welding (trailing) with torch at 70-90°.
• Warmer, more fluid weldpool for higher penetration.
• Flatter weld beads.
• Less risk of fusion faults and slag traps.
• Less slag.
• Grinding requirements considerably reduced.
These impressive advantages, including welder comfort, will
bring improved results when the welding guidelines are cor-
rectly followed. Some training is obviously needed to gain fa-
miliarity with the welding characteristics of the PZ 6125, also to direction of travel
avoid using methods associated with rutile cored wires, or con-
ventional basic types where colder weld pools and short arc
dip transfer lead to less favourable weldability.
Positive penetration
To ensure positive penetration, and so avoid the most common
cause of weld defects:
Figure B
Always try to weld backhand Forehand welding (pushing). Risk of insufficient penetration,
lack of fusion and slag traps.
This ensures good penetration and prevents slag running
ahead of the weldpool. See figure A.
Forehand welding can deliver a reasonable appearance, but
penetration is often poor, due to the slag running ahead of the
weldpool. There is also the chance of overflowing the weld-
pool, causing slag traps and lack of fusion, see figure B.
Correct torch angle is 70-90° as shown figure A. At lower an-
gles, see figure C, insufficient penetration and lack of fusion
can be expected.
direction of travel
Figure C
Backhand welding with too small a torch angle, causing insuf-
ficient penetration and lack of fusion.
16 17
FILARC welder guide
book No.1
PZ6125 basic flux-cored wire
and related types for high ten-
sile and creep resistant steels
Previous page
Next page
Back to index page 1
Back to catalogue
Torch positions for C. Third layer builds up
weld thickness.
positional welding
PZ 6125 and related types are well suited for all-position weld-
ing. Following are typical situations where correct torch posi-
tioning plays an important role in avoiding weld defects.
2G/PC 10°
Torch position depends on plate thickness and bevel angle of
the joint. If the torch positions shown cannot be used, it is rec-
ommended that the bevel angle is enlarged.
Always maintain the torch angle of 70-90° relative to the weld
D. Fourth layer creates
bead and direction of travel as advised on page 17.
favourable angle for
Maintain a steady travel speed to achieve a regular bead thick-
following pass.
ness, without sagging.
See page 22 for guidance on weaving.
A. Root pass.
Without backing: grind opposite side. 45°
With backing: use round ceramic. Avoid overthick bead.
E. Fifth layer. Note how
layers are always
built up from bottom
side of joint as weld
thickness increases.
30°
10°
Avoid sagging
Slag traps and fusion faults arise from sagging (rollover), typi-
cally caused by:
B. Second layer, using flatter bead.
• Wrong travel speed.
• Incorrect torch angle.
• Too high welding current.
• Wrong weld bead sequence.
Sagging requires grinding to
eliminate weld defects. This
can be avoided by keeping
weld beads as flat as possible
45° as shown by the diagrams, so
reducing repair rates and un-
productive grinding. wrong right
18 Weaving advice is given on page 22.
19
FILARC welder guide
book No.1
PZ6125 basic flux-cored wire
and related types for high ten-
sile and creep resistant steels
Torch positions, continued 4G/PE
Use basic electrode or TIG-welding for root pass. Use FILARC
3G↑/3F↑/PF PZ 6125 and related types for filling.
Note the torch positions shown below for root run and filling Figures A and B give ideal torch positioning.
layers.
Joint bevelling must allow good access to the root area. If nec-
essary use a narrower gas cup. A B

ceramic backing

Previous page 90°

80-90°

Next page
10° 2F/PB
Figures A and B show the ideal torch positioning, using the
backhand method recommended.
Back to index page 1
A B 45°

A. Root pass
70 - 90°
Back to catalogue

Trouble shooting
Figures C and D show possible undercut and sagging faults,
and possible causes.

C D

10°

φ φ

B. Filling layers
C Undercut:
• Welding current too high.
• Arc voltage too high.
• Travel speed too high.
• Arc too close to vertical plane.
Weaving advice is given on page 22. • Torch angle (φ) too small.
D Sagging:
• Welding current too high.
• Arc voltage too high.
• Torch angle (φ) too big.
• Layer too thick.

20 21
FILARC welder guide
book No.1
PZ6125 basic flux-cored wire
and related types for high ten-
sile and creep resistant steels
Previous page
Next page
Back to index page 1
Back to catalogue
Weaving technique 3G/PF Position
Correct weaving technique is very important when welding
Use of correct weaving, in conjunction with the torch positions PZ 6125 in the 3G position. Incorrect weaving can lead to weld
described on previous pages, will avoid weld defects and re- defects.
duce grinding requirements. Apply a little weaving; stop at the plate edges for approx. 2
seconds to allow weld metal to solidify. Always ensure satis-
1G/PA Position factory side plate wetting, as shown figure A.
Restrict weaving width; try to weld stringer beads as far as
possible. For K joints, shown, restricted weaving and correct A. Correct
torch position are important. • Weave width 1.5-2.0cm.
The arc must point into the corner between plate material and • Use an upward triangle
weld as illustrated below. towards the joint centre.
• Remain approximately
2 seconds at the plate
A. Correct edges.
• Apply stringer beads as far • Assure good side plate
as possible. wetting.
• Correct torch position.
• Weave as little as possible.
• Backhand welding.
B. Incorrect
• Weave width correct
but wrong technique.
B. Incorrect • Downward triangle
• Excessive weaving. causes convex weld
• Wrong torch position. with risk of slag traps
• Forehand welding. and fusion faults.
2G/PC Position
A. Correct
• Torch pointed onto plate. C. Incorrect
• Correct weaving width. • Insufficient weaving,
• Good wetting onto plate giving a convex weld,
edges and weld. slag traps and fusion
faults.
B. Incorrect
• Torch not pointed onto
plate.
• Excessive weaving.
22 23
FILARC welder guide
book No.1
PZ6125 basic flux-cored wire
and related types for high ten-
sile and creep resistant steels
Grinding Sealing runs
Grind before welding, as shown figure D, to create a smooth,
Grinding requirements for PZ 6125 welds are not excessive slightly concave groove, giving easy access for the welding
when the recommended welding techniques are applied. torch.
Avoid overgrinding, this can cause defects.
Also do not create sharp edges, leading to slag traps and lack D Correct.
of fusion when filling.
Remove only the most obvious irregularities, like sagging,
starts, stops and undercut, always leaving smooth bead con-
tours.

Previous page
A Correct. B Incorrect.

Next page

Back to index page 1

E Incorrect.
Grinding wheel
pushed into root,
bringing deep
groove.
Back to catalogue The narrow joint
is almost inac-
cessible to the
torch.

C Always grind starts and stops.

24 25
FILARC welder guide
book No.1
PZ6125 basic flux-cored wire
and related types for high ten-
sile and creep resistant steels
Previous page
Trouble shooting/process faults
Although good equipment maintenance and proper welder
training will help preventing process faults and weld defects,
they can never be avoided completely. In such cases, under-
standing of the most common causes will lead the welder to
quickly solving the problem encountered.
Listed below are the most common process faults and their
likely causes. For faults that result from incorrect setting or
wrong welding techniques, we refer to previous chapters
where correct handling of FILARC PZ 6125 and related types is
described in detail. Weld defects and their origins are dis-
cussed on next pages.
Trouble shooting/weld defects
Lack of fusion defects. There are several types of lack of fu-
sion defects, but all share the same feature that weld metal and
parent metal have not fused at one or more places.
Below, typical forms of lack of fusion are shown in a V-butt
weld. They can equally occur in other butt-weld types. Also
shown is a typical defect in fillet welds, where the weld metal
fails to fuse with, normally, the standing leg.
cold lap

Process faults Likely causes lack of interrun fusion

Next page lack of side wall fusion
1. wire stubbing - parameter settings

2. wire burn-back - wire reel brake too tight lack of root fusion
Back to index page 1 - parameter settings
- damaged/worn contact tip
- burn-back time too long

3. spatter - parameter settings

- wrong shielding gas/gas flow rate
too high, too low or irregular
Back to catalogue - irregular wire feed
- worn contact tip lack of fusion
- paint, rust or dirt in joint area

4. irregular wire feed/ - roll pressure too low

unstable arc/wire jam - damaged/worn contact tip
- wrong contact tip size
- overheated contact tip
- damaged/worn/bent liner
- dirty or rusty wire/wire kinks Possible causes Remedies
- misalignment of rolls and General
guide tubes/worn rolls • travel speed too high - reduce travel speed/allow
- wire reel brake too tight more dwell time at edges
- wire crossed on reel • wrong parameter setting - adjust parameters
(brake too loose) • forehand welding - backhand welding, 70-90°
- irregular gas flow torch angle

Lack of root fusion

• root gap too small - enlarge gap

Fillet: lack of fusion at standing leg

• torch too much pointed at - change torch orientation
horizontal leg

26 27
FILARC welder guide
book No.1
PZ6125 basic flux-cored wire
and related types for high ten-
sile and creep resistant steels
Previous page
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Back to index page 1
Back to catalogue
Lack of weld penetration Porosity.
Lack of penetration occurs when the weld metal fails to extend Possible causes Remedies
into the complete root of a joint. Shown below are three typi- • draught /wind - close doors or windows/
cal cases. place wind screens
• paint, grease or dirt - clean plates
in the weld area
• gas cup clogged - clean/replace
• gas cup distorted - replace
• gas cup too small - replace with one suiting the
or too big joint geometry
• gas flow too high - adjust flow rate
or too low
• gas leaks in system - check by blocking gas cup;
aspirate air continued gas flow indicates
Examples of lack of root penetration leaks
• water leaks in cooled guns - check connections
• gas cup to workpiece - check positioning of contact tip
Possible causes Remedies distance too long relative to gas cup;
General readjust parameters
• welding current too low - increase wire feed/arc voltage
• arc voltage too high - reduce arc voltage
• travel speed too high - reduce travel speed Undercutting
• travel speed too low - increase travel speed; avoid
slag running ahead of weld pool
• forehand welding - backhand welding
• torch angle too small - use 70-90° torch angle; aim
the arc at the leading edge of
the pool
Butt welds
• root gap too small/ - increase gap/reduce face Undercutting is generally caused by an excessive welding cur-
face too big rent or arc voltage, or may be the result of a too high travel
• joint included angle - increase angle speed. To avoid this, lower wire feed speed and/or travel
speed until satisfactory bead appearance is obtained. If un-
Slag inclusions dercutting appears at one leg of a fillet weld, the torch position
Slag inclusions occur when molten slag is not allowed to es- may be wrong; try increasing the angle between torch and op-
cape to the surface of the weld pool, when the weld pool over- posite leg.
rides slag running ahead of it, or when slag remainders at the
toe of beads are not sufficiently remolten.
Possible causes Remedies
• welding current too low - increase wire feed/arc voltage
• travel speed too low - increase travel speed; avoid
slag running ahead of weld pool
• forehand welding - backhand welding
• torch angle too small - use 70-90° torch angle; keep
slag behind arc
• convex beads - increase arc voltage
• too much weaving - reduce travel speed; when
possible use split-weave
technique, otherwise reduce
weaving width.
Avoid thick layers.
28 29
FILARC welder guide
book No.1
PZ6125 basic flux-cored wire
and related types for high ten-
sile and creep resistant steels
Previous page
Next page
Back to index page 1
Back to catalogue
FILARC Welding Industries B.V.
P.O. Box 8086
NL-3503 RB Utrecht
The Netherlands
Tel : + 31 30 248 59 11
Fax : + 31 30 241 15 35
FILARC Welding Sales Organisations
Belgium & Luxembourg
S.A. Esab N.V.
Avenue Jules Bordetlaan 15
B-1140 Brussels
Tel : +32 2 726 84 00
Fax : +32 2 726 80 05
Czech Republic
ESAB VAMBERK a.s.
Smetanovo nábr̆ez̆ í 334
517 54 Vamberk
Tel : +42 445 50 11 11
Fax : +45 445 50 14 64
Denmark
V. Løwener
Smedeland 2, P.O. Box 1330
DK-2600 Glostrup
Tel : +45 43 20 03 00
Fax : +45 43 43 03 59
Finland
FILARC Hitsaustuotteet
Yliopistonkatu 37C
SF-20100 Turku
Tel : +358 2 251 3880
Fax : +358 2 251 3940
France
Esab France S.A.
Rue du Petit Albi
ZAC du Moulin à Vent
Batiment D, Porte 402
F-95800 Cergy St. Christophe
Tel : 33 1 30 75 55 00
Fax : 33 1 30 75 55 25
Germany
Esab GmbH
Beethovenstrasse 135
Postfach 100763
D-42648 Solingen
Tel : +49 212 298 0
Fax : +49 212 298 415
Great Britain
Esab Group (UK) Ltd
Hertford Road, Waltham Cross
Hertfordshire EN8 7RP
Tel : +44 1992 76 85 15
Fax : +44 1992 71 58 03
Italy
Esab Saldatura SpA
Via E Mattei 24, I-20010 Mesero (MI)
Tel : +39 297 96 81
Fax : +39 297 289 300
The Netherlands
FILARC Lastechniek B.V.
Kernkade 8, P.O. Box 8035
NL-3503 RA Utrecht
Tel : +31 30 248 59 11
Fax : +31 30 241 15 34
Member of The Esab Group
Norway
AS Esab
Frankendalsvn 97, P.O.Box 2050
N-3255 Larvik
Tel : + 47 331 210 00
Fax : + 47 331 152 03
Poland
Esab Sp. z o.o.
ul. St. Augusta 75, lok. 47
03-846 Warszawa
Tel : + 48 22 612 59 61
Fax : + 48 22 612 59 57
Portugal
Esab LdA
Av. Infante D.Henrique
Lote 332 - 2° Esq.
P-1800 Lisbon
Tel : +35 118 371 527
Fax : +35 118 591 277
Slovakia
Esab Slovakia s.r.o.
Rybnic̆ná 40
835 54 Bratislava - Vajnory
Tel : + 42 728 87 41
Fax : + 42 728 87 41
Spain
Esab Ibèrica SA
Calle Aragoneses, 17
E-28100 Alcobendas (Madrid)
Z.I. de Alcobendas
Tel : +34 1 661 55 80
Fax : +34 1 661 71 36
Sweden
Esab Sverige AB
Marknad Tillsatsmaterial
Herkulesgatan 72
P.O. Box 8004
S-402 77 Göteborg
Tel : +46 31 50 95 00
Fax : +46 31 50 92 22
Switzerland
Hulftegger & AG
Bahnhofstrasse 52
CH-8712 Stäfa
Tel : +41 1 928 81 11
Fax : +41 1 926 67 55
For countries not listed here:
FILARC Lastechniek B.V.
International Division
Utrecht, The Netherlands
Printed in The Netherlands
CW-WG1-9604/ 01