INSPECTION OF ELECTRODES

REFERENCE STANDARDS:
RDSO STANDARDS
IRSM 28

IRSM 39

IRSM 46

INDIAN STANDARDS

IS 814: 2004 – CARBON & C-Mn

STEELS – MMAW
IS 5206: 2003 - SS & HIGH ALLOY

STEELS
IS 5511: 2003 – CAST IRON
SELECTION OF ELECTRODE FOR MMAW
AS PER IRS M28
 INSPECTION / TESTING
 QUANTITY VERIFICATION AS PER PO
 (FULL / PART QTY. ACCEPTABLE. BUT THE
OFFERED QTY. SHOULD BE AVAILABLE)
 SAMPLE SELECTION
 VERIFICATION OF PACKING
 RUNNING PERFORMANCE TEST
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
 RADIOGRAPHY TEST ON BUTT WELD
 HYDROGEN CONTENT TEST
 DEPOSITION EFFICIENCY TEST
 FILLET WELD TEST
 CORROSSION RESISTANCE TEST
 VERIFICATION OF PACKING

 MOISTURE PROOF POLYTHENE PACK &

SEALED
 CARD BOARD CARTONS
 VERIFY PRINTED MATTER AS PER CLAUSE
5.1.1.2
 MAX TOTAL WEIGHT OF CARTON <= 7KG
 CARTON PUT IN PLOYTHENE BAG &
SEALED
 IN ESSENCE TWO POLYTHENE PACKING +
TWO CARDBOARDS
 PLASTIC BOX FOR SS ELECTRODE
 VACUUM PACKING FOR BASIC COATED
ELECTRODE (CLAUSE 5.2)
 ELECTRODE LENGTH

CLASS DIA (MM) LENGTH (MM)

A-3, - D, F & H-4 EXCEPT 2.5 450
2.5 350
A-1, A-2 4.0 & ABOVE 450
2.5 & 3.15 350
ALL OTHER ALL DIA 350
CLASSES
GAS WELDING <=2.5 500
RODS
>2.5 1000
 ACCELERATED STORAGE
STABILITY TEST
 KEEP 10 ELECTRODES IN 48 deg C + 90% RH
FOR 8 HRS
 SWITCH OFF & KEEP FOR 16 HRS

 ATLEAST 8 ELECTRODES SHALL NOT SHOW

ANY
 PEELING OF FLUX
 CRACKING
 LOSS OF TEXTURE
 RUSTING OF CORE WIRE
 RUNNING PERFORMANCE TEST
 APPLICABLE FOR ALL CLASSES
 DEPUTE QUALIFIED WELDER (IS:7310/7318)

 GENERAL
 NO DAMAGE IN COATING
 NO RUST IN CORE WIRE
 DIA & LENGTH WITHIN LIMITS
 COATING FACTOR – LIGHT / MEDIUM / HEAVY
 SIZE OF STUB END & QUALITY OF BRUSHING
o CURRENT CONDITION
o CHECK IN BOTH MIN & MAX CURRENT
RECOMMENDED BY MFG
o CHECK IN MIN VOLTAGE
o SHALL NOT BECOME RED HOT UPTO MIN 50 MM
BEYOND STUB END
 RUNNING PERFORMANCE TEST
 CHECK FOR
 EASE OF ARC STRIKING
 ARC STABILITY
 ARC LENGTH
 SPATTER QUALITY & QUANTITY – SHALL BE LESS
& SOFT
 SMOKE QUALITY & QUANTITY – SHALL BE
NORMAL & ARC SHALL BE VISIBLE
 VISCOSITY & CONTROLLABILITY OF SLAG
 SLAG DETACHABILITY – EASILY REMOVABLE
 RIPPLE FORMATION – SMOOTH & EVEN
 TENDENCY TO UNDERCUT – NO TENDENCY
 CRACK / POROSITY - FREE
DIAGARM FOR TEST PIECE (ALL WELD)
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
DIAGARM FOR TEST PIECE (CHEMICAL)
 OTHER TESTS
 USABILITY TEST – FOR G&F CLASS
 RADIOGRAPHY TEST

 HYDROGEN CONTENT TEST – MERCURY

APPARUTUS
 DEPOSITION EFFICIENCY – OUT OF 3
ELECTRODES:
 (WT. OF DEPOSIT) /

(WT. OF CORE WIRE – WT. OF STUB) * 100

 CORROSION RESISTANCE TEST – FOR CLASS
D ELECTRODE
 HARDNESS SURVEY & MACRO EXAM – FOR
H3 & H4 ELECTRODES
 FILLET WELD TEST

 FOR ‘D’ CLASS & ‘M’ SERIES ELECTRODES

ONLY
 VISUAL:

REASONABLY FREE FROM UNDERCUT,

OVERLAP, SLAG INCLUSION, SURFACE
POROSITY
 SHALL BE FREE FROM CRACKS

 DIMENSIONAL & MACRO

 ADEQUATE PENETRATION

 FREE FROM OTHER DEFECTS

FILLET WELD TEST
CORROSION TEST PAD
CORROSSION RESISTANCE TEST
CORROSSION RESISTANCE TEST
 INSPECTION & TESTING OF
WIRE & FLUX FOR SAW

 INSPECTION OF WIRE
 INSPECTION OF FLUX

 INSPECTION OF COMBINED WELD

 PACKAGING CONDITIONS

 WIRE
 COPPER COATING
 STORAGE STABILITY
 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
 INSPECTION & TESTING OF
WIRE & FLUX FOR SAW

 FLUX
 GRAIN SIZE
 BASICITY INDEX
 TAP DENSITY
 MOISTURE CONTENT
 PACKAGING
o WIRE FLUX COMBINATION
o MECHANICAL
o RADIOGRAPHY
o CHEMICAL
o CORROSSION RESISTANCE
INSPECTION & TESTING OF
WIRE & FLUX FOR SAW
INSPECTION & TESTING OF
WIRE & FLUX FOR SAW
 VISUAL & DIMENSIONING

WIRE
 Wire surface shall have smooth surface without
imperfections
 Uniform, well bonded, smooth copper coating

 Tolerance in diameter is + / - 0.05%

WIRE SPOOL
 Continuous in length from single heat

 Free from kinks, burrs & sharp bends

 Free to unwind

 Shall not exceed 25 kg

 PACKAGING

 WOODEN / METALLIC / PLASTIC SPOOL

 SMOOTH WINDING

 LABEL WITH DETAILS PRINTED

 3 MOISTURE PROOF POLYTHENE LAYERS /

2 POLY WITH ONE LAYER GUNNY
 CARD BOARD BOX

 ATLEAST ONE INNER LAYER MUST BE

EVACUATED & SHRINK PACKED
 COPPER CONTENT IN COATING

 TAKE ABOUT 50 GMS WIRE (W1)

 KEEP IN AMMONIA SOLN FOR 10-12 HRS

 OR ELSE ADD 1-3 CC HYD.PEROXIDE TO

COMPLETE THE TEST IN 1 HR
 AFTER ALL COATED COPPER DISSOLVE
WEIGH AGAIN (W2)
 % OF COPPER COAT = (W1-W2)/W1

 SHOULD BE 0.3 TO 0.4%

INSPECTION & TESTING OF WIRE
COPPER CONTENT IN BASE WIRE

 CLEAN THE COPPER COATING

 CUT IN TO SMALL PIECES

 WET ANALYSIS AS PER IS: 228

 WEIGHT OF COPPER SHOULD BE LESS

THAN 0.40% INCLUDING COPPER COATING
INSPECTION & TESTING OF WIRE & FLUX
COPPER CONTENT IN WELDMENT

 Deposit 15 mm thick weldment on MS plate

 Collect chips by suitable machining

 Wet analysis as per IS:228

OR
 Spectrometric analysis on 3 places on the weld
pad
 Take average value

 Copper content shall be 0.4% max.

 Wet analysis is the referral method in disputes

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
 ACCELERATED STORAGE STABILITY TEST

WIRE
 KEEP A COIL OF WIRE AT 95 – 100 % RH & 48
deg C for 24 Hrs
 AFTER REMOVAL THE WIRE SHALL BE
FREE FROM RUST & PEELING OF COPPER
COATING
 FLUX
 AGGLOMERATED / FUSED
 GRANULAR IN NATURE

 HOMOGENEOUS

 FREE FLOW

GRAIN SIZE
 SIEVE ANALYSIS

 100 GMS OF DRIED FLUX (150 deg C, 1 hr)

 SET SIEVE & PUT IN VIBRATION FOR 2 MIN

 (350MIC, 500 MIC & 1.7 MM) >90%

 <150 MIC = 2% MAX

 REFERENCE FOR SIEVE IS:460 Pt.I

 FLUX
 BASICITY INDEX
 DRY FLUX TO 150 deg C FOR 1 HR
 MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE VALUE = 1.6

 TAP DENSITY
 DRY FLUX TO 150 deg C FOR 1 HR
 TAKE 100 CC GRADUATED CYLINDER &
WEIGH & TAKE ABOUT 50 GM OF FLUX &
WEIGH EXACTLY
 SLIGHTLY VIBRATE / TAP THE CYLINDER
TO GET CONSTANT VOL. OF FLUX
 CALCULATE THE FLUX DENSITY
 VALUE SHOULD BE 1.0 TO 1.6 GM / CC
 FLUX

MOISTURE CONTENT TEST

 TAKE ABOUT 50 GM OF FLUX & WEIGH

EXACTLY (W1)
 DRY FOR 2 HRS AT 150 deg C

 AGAIN WEIGH (W2)

 REPEAT THEPROCESS TILL GETTING

CONSTANT WEIGHT
 MOISTURE CONTENT = {(W1 – W2) / W1} * 100

 VALUE SHOULD BE LESS THAN 0.3

 ALL WELD ASSLY. & TEST PIECE

TEST PIECE
 600 X 150 X 20 MM

 EDGE ANGLE = 10 deg

BACKING STRIP
 700 X 40 X 12 MM

 SET TO ROOT GAP OF 25 MM

 USE PARAMETERS RECOMMENDED BY

MANUFACTURER
 INTERPASS TEMPERATURE 110 – 180 deg C
 TESTS
 RADIOGRAPHY (IIW BLUE STANDARD) OR
UT ( RDSO MC-4)
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES AS PER TABLE 5

 TWO TENSILE TEST PIECES (TEST AS PER

IS: 1608) – VALUE OF BOTH SHOULD MEET
REQUIREMENT
 SIX CHARPY IMPACT TEST PIECES

 KEEP 1 PIECE AS RESERVE

 TEST 5 PIECES

 DISCARD TWO EXTREME VALUES

 TAKE AVERAGE OF OTHER 3 VALUES

 INDIVIDUAL VALUES SHOULD NOT BE

BELOW 20% OF MIN. VALUE SPECIFIED
 TWO RUN WELD TEST
 SIZE: 600 X 15 X 20 MM
 EDGE PREPARATION AS PER IS: 3613
 ROOT GAP 1 – 2 MM
 ONE RUN ON EACH SIDE
 RADIOGRAPHY / UT
 TRANSVERSE TENSILE TEST – TWO PIECES
 TRANSVERSE BEND TEST – TWO NOS.
ONE FACE BEND & ONE ROOT BEND
NO CRACKS SHALL APPEAR
 SIX CHARPY TEST PIECES
 TEST FIVE PIECES
 DISCARD TWO EXTREME VALUES
 TAKE AVERAGE OF REMAINING THREE
 INSPECTION OF GMAW WIRE AS PER
IRS M 46

 SOLID WIRE
 FLUX CORED WIRE WITH SHIELDING GAS

 FLUX CORED WIRE WITHOUT SHIELDING

GAS
 WIRE & SPOOL

QUALITY OF WIRE:
SHALL BE SMOOTH & FREE FROM SURFACE
IMPERFECTIONS & CORROSION. COATING
SHALL BE UNIFORM
SIZES:
 SOLID WIRE: 0.8, 1.2 & 1.6 MM
 FLUX CORED WIRE : 1.2 & 1.6 MM
(WITH SHIELDIN GAS)
 FLUX CORED WIRE : 1.8, 2.0 & 2.4 MM
(WITHOUT SHIELDIN GAS)
 WIRE SPOOL

 CLOSELY WOUND
 CONTINUOUS LENGTH

 SINGLE HEAT

 FREE FROM KINKS, BURRS & BENDS

 FREE TO UNWIND

 MAX WEIGHT: 12.5 OR 15 KG (EXCLUDING

SPOOL WT)
PACKAGING

 WOODEN / PLASTIC SPOOL

 PRINTED LABEL

 MOISTURE PROOF POLYTHENE / UNNY BAG

WRAPPING
 PLASTIC JACKET SEALED & EVACUATED

 CARD BOARD BOX

 IN TOTAL 3 MOISTURE PROOF PACKING &

MIN 1 EVACUATED & SHRINK PACKED
 RUNNING PERFORMANCE TEST
 BY QUALIFIED WELDER AS PER IS: 7310 / 18
 EASE OF ARC STRIKING
 ARC STABILITY
 ARC LENGTH
 SPATTER QUALITY & QUANTITY – SHALL BE LESS &
SOFT
 SMOKE QUALITY & QUANTITY – SHALL BE NORMAL
& ARC SHALL BE VISIBLE
 VISCOSITY & CONTROLLABILITY OF SLAG
 SLAG DETACHABILITY – EASILY REMOVABLE
 RIPPLE FORMATION – SMOOTH & EVEN
 TENDENCY TO UNDERCUT – NO TENDENCY
 CRACK / POROSITY - FREE
 ALL POSITIONAL WELDING SHOULD BE
POSSIBLE
 NO ADVERSE REMARKS
ACCELERATED STORAGE STABILITY TEST

 KEEP 10 METRE LENGTH OF WIRE IN 48 deg

C + 90% RH FOR 8 HRS
 SWITCH OFF & KEEP FOR 16 HRS

 SHALL NOT EXPOSE MORE THAN 10

CORROSSION SPOTS IN 10 METRE LENGTH
 COPPER COATING
 SHALL BE UNIFORM
 VALUE BETWEEN 0.20 TO 0.4 %

 TAKE 50 CM OF WIRE & WEIGH IN

CHEMICAL BALANCE
 DIP IN 25% AMMONIA SOLN. FOR 8 TO 10
HRS.
 OR ADD 1 – 3 CC HYDROGEN PEROXIDE TO
COMPLETE IN 1 HR
 COPPER COATING DISSOLVES

 RINSE IN WATER / ALCOHOL, DRY & WEIGH

 %COPPER = (DIFF. IN WT/ORIGINAL WT)*100

 CAST & HELIX
CAST
 CUT APPROX. 3 METRES OF WIRE FROM
THE SPOOL
 LAY ON A FLAT SURFACE WITHOUT
RESTRAINTS
 VALUE AS PER TABLE 3

HELIX
 SAME AS CAST

 THE MAX. DISTANCE OF ANY POINT ON

THE WIRE WHEN MEASURED FROM THE
FLAT SURFACE SHALL NOT BE MORE THAN
THE VALUE AS PER TABLE
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
 OTHER TESTS
 RADIOGRAPHY TEST – MIN IIW BLUE STD.
 HYDROGEN CONTENT TEST – BY MERCURY
APPARATUS
 HARDNESS SURVEY – FOR CLASS V

 MACRO EXAMINATION - FOR CLASS V

 FILLET WELD TEST – FOR CLASS IV, VI, VII

& VIII FILLER WIRES
 CORROSSION RESISTANCE TEST – CLASS IV
SAMPLING
 RETEST

 IF FAIL FOR ANY PARTICULAR TEST, DRAW

TWICE THE QTY. MENTIONED IN
SAMPLING PLAN FROM THE SAME LOT &
CONDUCT RETEST.
 ACCEPT ONLY IF BOTH THE SAMPLE PASS
THANK YOU ALL