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SHIELDED METAL ARC WELDING

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Advandtages of SMAW
• Low cost equipment.

• Can weld many different metals including the most commonly used
metals and alloys.

• Relatively portable and useful in confined spaces.

• Same equipment welds thicknesses from 1⁄ 16 inch (16 gauge or 1.5


mm) to several feet in thickness with different current settings.

• Welds can be performed in any position.

• The process is less affected by wind and drafts than gas-shielded


processes.

• There is no upper limit on thickness of metal to be welded.


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Disadvandtages of SMAW

• Not suitable for metal sheets under 1/16 inch (1.5 mm) thickness.

• SMAW process must be stopped when the electrode is consumed and


needs to be changed.

• Not all of the electrode can be used, the remaining stub in the
electrode handle must be discarded wasting one to two inches of
electrode.

• Frequent stops and starts during electrode changes provide the


opportunity for weld defects.

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WELDING CURRENT

• DCEN: In direct-current electrode negative, the electrode is


negative, and the work is positive.
• DCEP: In direct-current electrode positive, the electrode is
positive, and the work is negative.
• ALTERNATING CURRENT (AC) : is an electrical current that has
both a positive and a negative half-cycle value (polarities)
alternately.
WELDING POWER SUPPLY
Transformer
• Changes mains supply voltage to a voltage suitable for welding. Has
no moving parts and is often termed static plant.
Rectifier:
• Changes a.c. to d.c., can be mechanically or statically achieved.
Generator:
• Produces welding current. The generator consists of an armature
rotating in a magnetic field, the armature must be rotated at a
constant speed either by a motor unit or, in the absence of electrical
power, by an internal combustion engine.
Inverter:
• An inverter changes d.c. to a.c. at a higher frequency.
WELDER ACCESSORIES
1. Welding Cables
• Cables used for welding must be flexible, well-insulated, and the
correct size for the job.
• Most welding cables are made from copper and aluminum.
2. Electrode Holders

• The electrode holder should be of the proper amperage rating and


in good repair for safe welding. Make sure that the correct size
holder is chosen.
3. Work Clamp
• The work clamp must be the correct size for the current being used,
and it must clamp tightly to the material.

• Many welding problems are related to poor welding circuit caused by


poor contact surfaces or weakened clamp spring.
4. Electrode
• Electrodes contain a solid or cast metal core wire covered by a thick
flux coating.

• The arc is formed between the end of the electrode and the work.

• The arc melts the electrode coating, electrode metal, and the base
metal.

• The flux covering around the electrode to burn or vaporize into a


gaseous cloud that surrounds, purifies, and protects at the end of the
electrode and molten pool of base metal

• The molten pool on the metal to form the weld.


MMA welding parameters
Travel speed

Travel
Too low speed Too high

•wide weld bead contour •lack of root fusion


•lack of penetration •incomplete root
•burn-through penetration
•undercut
•poor bead profile,
difficult slag removal

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MMA welding parameters
Type of current:
 voltage drop in welding cables is lower with AC
 inductive looses can appear with AC if cables are coiled
 cheaper power source for AC
 no problems with arc blow with AC
 DC provides a more stable and easy to strike arc,
especially with low current, better positional weld, thin
sheet applications
 welding with a short arc length (low arc voltage) is
easier with DC, better mechanical properties
 DC provides a smoother metal transfer, less spatter

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MMA welding parameters
Welding current
– approx. 35 A/mm of diameter
– governed by thickness, type of joint and welding
position

Welding
Too low current Too high

•poor starting •spatter


•slag inclusions •excess
•weld bead contour too penetration
high •undercut
•lack of •burn-through
fusion/penetration
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MMA welding parameters
Arc length = arc voltage
Arc
Too low voltage Too high

•arc can be extinguished •spatter


•“stubbing” •porosity
•excess
penetration
•undercut
•burn-through

Polarity: DCEP generally gives deeper penetration


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MMA - Troubleshooting

MMA quality (left to right)


current, arc length and travel speed normal;
current too low;
current too high;
arc length too short;
arc length too long;
travel speed too slow;
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travel speed too high
Constant Current Power Source
(Drooping Characteristic)
100

O.C.V. Striking voltage (typical) for arc


90
initiation
80

70

60
Voltage

50

40 Large voltage variation, e.g. +


Normal Operating 10v (due to changes in arc
30 Voltage Range length)
Small amperage change
20
resulting in virtually constant
current e.g. + 5A.
10

20 40 60 80 100 120 130 140 160 180 200


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Amperage 7
MMA electrode holder

“Tongs” type with


Collet or twist type 4/23/200
spring-loaded jaws
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MMA Welding Consumables

MMA Covered Electrodes

The three main electrode covering types used in MMA welding

• Cellulosic - deep penetration/fusion


• Rutile - general purpose
• Basic - low hydrogen
(Covered in more detail in Section 14)

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MMA welding typical defects
Most welding defects in MMA are caused by a lack of welder
skill (not an easily controlled process), the incorrect settings
of the equipment, or the incorrect use, and treatment of
electrodes
Typical Welding Defects:
•Slag inclusions
•Arc strikes
•Porosity
•Undercut
•Shape defects (overlap, excessive root penetration, etc.)

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Manual Metal Arc Welding (MMA)
Advantages:
• Field or shop use
• Range of consumables
• All positions
• Portable
• Simple equipment
Disadvantages:
• High welder skill required
• High levels of fume
• Hydrogen control (flux)
• Stop/start problems
• Comparatively uneconomic when compared with some
other processes i.e MAG, SAW and FCAW

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