INFORMATION SHEET

Course Name : BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION

Course Unit : FABRICATION AND WELDING TECHNOLOGY

Course Level : YEAR 11 SEMESTER 11 Course Code: SOG 2202

ARC WELDING

Arc welding is one of the several fusion processes for joining metals. By applying
intense heat, metal at the joint between two parts is melted and caused to
intermix directly with an intermediate filler metal. Upon cooling and solidification,
a metallurgical bond is created.

ARC WELDING SAFETY

There are many ways in which welding can damage your health. The following
are some of the arc welding hazards that you will encounter when welding.

1) Arc UV light
2) Fumes
3) Spatter
4) Slag

Arc UV Light

Because arc welding uses high amps, the light generated by the arc is normally
very bright.
Effects

o sunburn any exposed skin

o Looking directly at a welding arc even for a short time causes arc eye
where the UV from the arc burns the cornea.

Mitigation measures

o Overalls and welding gloves must be worn at all times

o Auto-darkening helmets are very useful for arc welding - with fixed shade
helmets, it is difficult to judge where the end of the rod will first make
contact with the work.
o Also warn others in the area not to look at the arc and keep the welding
area screened from public view.

Fumes

Fumes from all welding rods including 6013 mild steel rods are harmful if
breathed in regularly.

Mitigation measures

o Keep the work area well ventilated

o Keep your head out of the fumes.
o Local fume extractors can also be used.
o For galvanized metal, stainless steel and hard facing alloys (in fact
anything other than mild steel) at least a fume mask should be used,
preferably an air fed helmet, in addition to ventilation.
Spatter

There can be a lot of sparks and spatter flying around especially when learning
to arc weld. Spatter down the neck or shoes can be especially annoying.

Mitigation measures

o Overalls should be made from cotton since they are more resistant to
spatter than other fabrics,
o Leather aprons should also be used in addition to overalls to offer
excellent protection.
o A welding cap can also be used to help protect the head when
overhead welding.

Slag

Don't look closely at the weld while it cools - as the weld contracts, tiny hot
pieces of slag can ping off and burn themselves into your eyes. This is especially
true of stainless rods.

Slag is lightweight and brittle so can fly a fair distance. Wear eye protection
when chipping.
Here’s a good example of a welder wearing all the proper welding protection

BASIC SHIELDED METAL ARC WELDING CIRCUIT

An AC or DC power source is connected by an earth cable to the work piece

and by a cable to an electrode holder, which makes an electrical contact
between the work piece and the welding electrode.
The arc produces a temperature of about 6500oF at the tip. This heat melts both
the base metal and the electrode, producing a pool of molten metal. The
molten metal solidifies as the electrode is moved along the joint resulting in a
fusion bond.

ARC SHIELDING

Metals at high temperatures or in a molten state tend to react chemically with

elements like oxygen and nitrogen in the air. When metal in the molten pool
comes into contact with air, oxides and nitrides form which destroy the strength
and toughness of the weld joint. Therefore many arc welding processes provide
some means of covering the arc and the molten pool with a protective shield of
gas, vapour or slag. This is called shielding. This shielding prevents or minimizes
contact of the molten metal with air.
STARTING THE ARC

Arc welders don't have a button to start the arc unlike MIG and TIG welders.

The arc is started by touching the electrode momentarily against the work to
complete the electrical circuit before raising the electrode to establish the arc.
This needs to happen quickly to avoid the rod sticking to the work. "Tap Starting"
and "Scratch Starting" are the two common methods of starting the arc.

Tap Starting

A sharp tap of the rod against the work removes excess flux from the end of the
rod and create the electrical contact needed to start the arc.

Scratch Starting

An alternative starting method is to lightly scratch the rod against the work (like
a match) and then lift it slightly to form the arc gap.
WEAVING

Sometimes a wide bead is required. This can be obtained by weaving the

electrode from side to side while moving the electrode forward to advance the
weld.

CLASSIFICATION OF WELDING ELECTRODES

In classification of welding electrodes, we have a number of identification

systems which include:
 American Welding Society (ASW) Electrode Identification system
 British Electrode Classification. It’s also called Strength Toughness Covering
(STC) Code System

American Welding Society (AWS) Identification System.

For example:
1. E6012
E – Electrode (Any filler metal that uses electricity)
60 – Minimum tensile strength
1 – Welding position
2 – Type of current
STC Code System

Examples
1. E5153B(16036H)

STC CODE : E5153B

E – Electrode
51 – Minimum tensile strength
5 – Temperature for minimum average impact strength of 28J
3 – Temperature for maximum average impact strength of 47J
B – Type of flux coating ( B – Basic)

ADDITIONAL CODE : (16036H)

160 – Electrode efficiency
3 – Welding position
6 – Type of welding current
H – Hydrogen controlled

Welding Positions

This refers to the way the metal to be welded is positioned. We have majorly 4
positions of welding which include: flat, horizontal, vertical and overhead. In
classification systems, the numbers are classified as below.
1 – All positions
2 – All positions except vertical up/Down
3 – Flat for fillet welds, Horizontal, Vertical
4 – Flat
5 – Flat, vertical down and for fillet welds, Horizontal
9 – Any other position or combination not classified above.
Welding Currents

Number Type of current

0 To be recommended by the manufacturer
1 a.c or d.c
2 a.c or d.c (negative polarity )
3 a.c or d.c ( positive polarity )
4 a.c or d.c
5 a.c or d.c (negative polarity )
6 a.c or d.c (positive polarity )
7 a.c or d.c
8 a.c or d.c (negative polarity )
9 a.c or d.c (positive polarity )

ELECTRODE COATING COMPOSITION

It is composed of natural ores, carbonates, silicates, organic substances and

various powder substances.
All these substances have a very important role that they play during the
welding process.
For example: the carbonates and silicates give carbon and silicon that act as
scavengers which pick up the contaminants and form part of the slag on top of
the weld.

Types Of Electrode Coating

1) Class C – Cellulosic
These fluxes are manufactured from organic materials containing cellulose like
wood and cotton.
Examples include: EXX10, EXX11

Advantages:
o They produce a large gas shield
o They give a good penetration
o They give a high deposition rate
o They have an easily removable slag
 2) Class B – Basic
These coatings are manufactured from carbonates like: calcium carbonates,
iron carbonates that are got from rocks like limestone, dolomite and siderite.
Examples include: EXX20

Advantages:
o They give carbon dioxide that protects the weld

3) Class BB – Basic, high efficiency:

These electrodes are similar to the basic class but they have an addition of
metallic material, usually iron powder which melts in the arc along with the core
wire and which can raise the electrode efficiency (amount of metal deposited).
Examples include: EXX27

Advantages:
o They give a high amount of metal deposition

4) Class R – Rutile:
They are mainly manufactured from oxides like titanium dioxide (rutile) but they
can also contain other hydrated minerals and organic cellulose.
Examples include: EXX12, EXX13

Advantages:
o They are easy to use
o They give a smooth finish with a medium penetration

5) Class RR – Rutile heavy coated:

These are similar to the rutile class but they have additions of iron powder, thus
raising their efficiency.
Examples include: EXXX4
FUNCTIONS OF FLUX COATING

o To provide an arc stabilizer

o To serve as an insulator
o To provide a slag cover to protect the weld bead
o To provide protective gaseous shield during welding
o Powders in the coating, help in increasing the deposition rate

PRINCIPLES OF WELDING ELECTRODE SELECTION

Selecting the best welding electrode for a certain job or work is delegated to
the welder. Electrode selection is one of the important decisions the welder
should make with care.
Some of the principles or conditions or factors to be considered when selecting
an electrode for welding include;

o Type of electrode
What the electrode has been specified in the contract for the job.
 o Type of current
Whether the electrode is using a.c or d.c or both, or whether the welding power
source supplies a.c or d.c or both.

o Amperage or current range

Different types of electrodes require different amperage or current settings even
for the same size of electrode.

For example: E6010 Electrode uses 75A – 125A

E7018 Electrode uses 90A – 165A

Yet the electrodes are both of Gauge 10

o Type of metal
Some electrodes may be used for joining only similar types of metals. Other
electrodes may be used for joining different types of metals. For example E30915
can be used for joining stainless steel to mild steel.

o Thickness of the metal

The penetration characteristics of each welding electrode may differ. Selecting
an electrode that will weld on a specific thickness of material is very important.

o Welding position
Some electrodes weld in all positions while others do not. Others may be
restricted to horizontal, flat or overhead positions only.

o Joint design
The type of joint is another very important factor to consider. Like when welding
a T-joint, electrode suitable for fillet welds should be used.

o Distortion
Welding electrode that operate on low currents will have less heat hence
causing less distortion whereas those which require high currents will have more
heat thus causing more distortion.

o Temperature
Some welds and metals react differently to temperature conditions. Other
metals become very brittle and crack easily in low temperatures.
Advantages of SMAW

1. Equipment is relatively simple, inexpensive and portable

2. Auxiliary gas shielding or granular flux are not required

3. The process is less sensitive to wind and draft than gas-shielded arc
welding processes

4. It can be used in areas where access is limited

Limitations of SMAW

1. Operator duty cycles are low compared with semi-automatic and

automatic processes

2. Deposition rates are generally lower than for other welding processes

3. The process is considered to be manual as it is not easily mechanized

4. Stick Welding is not suitable for reactive metals such as titanium,

zirconium, tantalum, and columbium because the shielding does not
prevent oxygen contamination of the weld