What is welding slag

What is the essence of the electroslag welding process?

The process of joining parts, in which the melting of the filler wire and the edges of the parts occurs due to the heating of molten flux to a high temperature, is called electroslag welding. The slag has a high resistance and when current passes through it, it heats up everything around it. As a result, liquid metals combine. The slag floats to the top and forms a protective film. Provides uniform cooling.

Application area

The essence of the process and scope of submerged arc welding is to join large parts. Most often these are sheets with a thickness of 40 mm to 500 mm. The seam is applied in one pass and has virtually no restrictions on length.

The most popular area of ​​application in heavy industry is for the manufacture of large-area bench plates and welding of parts with elements of different thicknesses. During the construction of heavy-duty pipelines, automatic equipment is used to connect pipes with preliminary preparation and subsequent heat treatment and insulation.

Varieties

When connecting 2 parts, between the surfaces of which there is a gap, welding is performed . It is divided into types according to the type of current supply element, its shape and design. There are varieties:

• single-electrode;
• multielectrode;
• with wire;
• plates;
• melting mouthpiece;
• flat.

Welding with one current-feeding wire is used to join thin sheets using automatic and semi-automatic machines.

With wire

There can be from 1 to 3 wire electrodes. They are fed into the slag bath at a constant speed. When connecting joints of large width, they can perform a zigzag movement perpendicular to the axis of the seam.

The current is applied directly to the wire itself and passes through the flux, heating it and melting the wire-electrode itself.

With plates

Wide gap-sized plates are used for welding large parts. The filler wire is fed from the side or laid along the bottom of the seam. The electrode is lowered into the bath and mixed along the seam, immersed in flux.

With melting mouthpiece

The mouthpiece is a plate immersed in slag, through channels inside which wire is fed into the melting bath. It moves at a constant speed. Depending on the width of the seam, there may be 2 or 3 holes for the wire.

Technology

Electroslag welding technology is the process of joining parts by melting their edges and filler wire in a weld pool. The main source of heating is liquid slag - molten flux through which an electric current passes. The melt in the bath has high electrical resistance and gets very hot.

Connect the minus to the part to be welded or both, and the plus to the electrode. The current passes through the high-resistance molten slag located between them and heats the melting bath. In this case, the edges of the part are melted and the filler wire is completely melted, filling the gap.

If there is a solid surface under the electrode instead of a joint, electroslag surfacing . Its essence is the combination of metals with different mechanical properties or an increase in its size.

What fluxes are used?

The use of fluxes is determined by their electrical conductivity and viscosity in the liquid state. High-quality and fast welding of medium-carbon and low-alloy steels takes place under fluoride fluxes, which have high electrical conductivity. For work with low currents, for example welding high-alloy steels, it is not suitable due to its high viscosity. It hardens quickly, interferes with the advancement of the electrode, and presses out the sliders.

The tarnish colors show that the heating of the part around the seam does not have transition zones.

Manganese influences the detachability of the crust after cooling the compound. The smaller it is, the easier it is to remove slag. Manganese-free, low-silicon compounds are used to ignite the arc; they can be poured at the beginning of the weld. Then, during welding, it is recommended to use fluxes that form a good coating of the seam and guarantee gradual cooling:

• low-silicon manganese;
• high-silicon manganese.

Alloy metals are prone to cracking when cooled suddenly. For them, it is best to use high-silicon manganese fluxes, which will ensure operation at low currents and slow cooling without air access.

Product preparation

The edges of the joined parts do not need to be cleaned. The metal is cut using a gas cutter. Irregularities and protrusions up to 3 mm in size are allowed for sheet thickness up to 200 mm. The deviation from parallelism of the edges of the mating parts can be within 4 mm in height.

When connecting the side planes of rolled products, it should be cleaned of scale and rust. For this purpose, a grinding machine or manual cleaning with grinders with coarse-grained wheels is used.

Castings and forgings at the joint must be processed mechanically on machines. If copper or steel plates are used to increase the depth of the bath, you can cook without treatment.

Before welding parts of different thicknesses, the edges are aligned by removing a larger part at an angle or extending a thin strip of metal.

Excitation of the ES process

During a cold start, the joint between the parts being welded is filled with flux . A mouthpiece is inserted into it and a current is excited. An arc occurs under the flux, and it melts, turning into liquid slag with high electrical resistance.

The welding arc dies out after the first portion of flux has melted. The slag through which the current passes generates a large amount of heat and melts the next portion of the flux, the filler wire and the edges of the parts being welded.

The hot method is used less frequently . Flux, previously melted in the furnace, is poured into the bath formed by the copper plates on the sides at the beginning of the seam.

Equipment and materials used

Automatic and semi-automatic installations are used for electroslag welding. They include:

• welding machine;
• guides for its movement;
• flux hopper;
• sliders that forcefully form a seam;
• wire spool and wire feed mechanism;
• power supply.

Special devices control the welding process and the position of the pool. The area of ​​melting and weld formation should be in the space between the cooling copper plates.

Advantages and disadvantages

Electroslag welding has its pros and cons in its application areas. Positive characteristics include:

• relatively low current;
• there is no metal spattering;
• the possibility of surfacing the surface with metal with a different chemical composition;
• the ability to weld thick joints in one pass;
• absence of a transition zone when heating;
• weld metal and parts do not mix;
• welding in several passes is carried out in one mode without removing slag;
• no shrinkage cavities;
• simple edge preparation.

Disadvantages include:

• large release of harmful substances when the flux boils;
• sheets thinner than 1.6 mm are not boiled;
• parts for welding must be laid out and turned over;
• It is difficult to weld radial joints.

If you accidentally stop welding, the seam will end up with a large number of defects. It cannot be overcooked. It is necessary to completely select the already laid metal and boil it all over again.

Electroslag welding allows large parts to be welded quickly and at low cost . To connect using the electric arc method, cutting, thorough cleaning and application of a multi-layer seam are required.

Source: https://svarka.guru/vidy/thermo/dugovaya/elektroshlakovaya.html

Why does the weld seam slag?

What causes defects to appear? What should a welder be able to do to avoid them? What should be done if defects occur? The main causes of defects in welding seams can be divided into three groups:

1. Quality and storage of basic and auxiliary materials;

2. Preparation for welding of main and auxiliary materials;

3. Welder qualification.

Poor arc ignition

Poor ignition - sticking of the electrode, excessive increase in arc length - leads to lack of penetration at the beginning of welding, slagging, and pore formation. Poor quality production of electrodes, namely excessive exposure of the end of the electrodes at the ignition site, results in a bunch of pores, the so-called “starting pores”.

It is necessary to stop, perform mechanical cleaning, removal, or cut out the defective beginning with a chisel, and only then resume the ignition.

Excessively “convex” rollers

Excessively “convex” beads when welding corner and butt joints lead to welding of subsequent beads to the slag, lack of penetration between the groove edge and the convex seam, or between deep recesses between the beads (Fig. 80).

Such rollers are usually obtained in the following cases:

• low welding speed without manipulation - increase the forward movement of the electrode;
•     manipulating the “arc backward” when welding vertical and ceiling seams - switch to the “ladder” or “arc forward” method;
•     angle of inclination of the electrode (welding “backward angle”) for ceiling seams - switch to welding “forward angle” or at a right angle to the welding direction;
•     low welding current for the lower position - increase the current;
•     Excessive welding current for vertical and ceiling seams - reduce to a minimum.

During welding, it is necessary to monitor the completeness and geometry of the seam, the liquid pool and control it by manipulating the speed and inclination of the electrode. Edge delay is very important. The more we heat the edge, the better the liquid weld metal forms on it when the electrode moves to the other edge, and does not collect in the middle of the seam.

Undercuts

Undercuts lead to slagging and lack of penetration. In Fig. 81a shows undercuts: 1 - in the body of the weld section, very dangerous, especially when welding stainless steels.

An undercut is formed; 1) when the electrode leaves the edge early (the crater is not filled with electrode metal); 2) with a very short arc (“support welding”), when the “visor” of the coating trims the crystallizing weld metal; 3) when abruptly moving away from the edge. Liquid slag fills the undercut.

While we are melting the other edge, the slag solidifies in the undercut and when returning it it is not always possible to melt it. This leads to a defect.

To avoid this, a delay at the edge is necessary until the crater is completely filled with electrode metal. The transition to the other edge should be carried out smoothly, without sudden fluctuations.

Surges

Rice. 81b. If there is an excessive delay at the edge, a leak of liquid metal occurs, as well as with a high welding current, when the welder cannot cope with the liquid metal of the seam. Cut down the flood and clean it up.

Lack of penetration

In drawings, technical processes or welding reference books, the gap during assembly can be set from 0 to 2-3 mm.

Assembly without a gap or with a gap less than recommended when welding a V-shaped groove (without welding the weld root on the reverse side) will lead to defects - lack of penetration and slagging of the weld root (Fig. 82); and for 2-sided welding, X-shaped and V-shaped (with back welding on the reverse side), it will require additional costs and time for deeper sampling of the reverse side of the root of the weld, partial bevel of the edges and unnecessary consumption of electrodes to fill the deep sampling.

Fistulas

Fistulas in the weld crater at the end of welding occur when the welding current is excessive, and also when the arc is separated by lengthening the arc.

Shrinkage shell

Shrinkage cavity most often appears when welding a root bead, large metal thicknesses, large gaps and especially when welding austenitic steels, as well as excessively high current and an excessive size of the weld pool.

When shrinkage occurs, a crack sometimes appears in the crater of the roller. This sharply reduces labor productivity due to the need for mechanical cleaning after finishing each electrode. When welding pearlitic steels with rigid fastening of parts, a shell with a crack is most often formed, and when welding austenitic steels, the reason for the appearance of shells with cracks is low heat transfer and high linear expansion. It is necessary to bring the crater back to the seam or to the cutting edge.

It is recommended to carry out welding:

•     in a reverse stepwise manner;
•     continuously (by two welders) with arc interception;
•     using the "arc-to-arc" method.

Pores

Pores in a weld are formed for many reasons:

•     poor-quality edge preparation (dirt, scale, rust) - clean;
•     high moisture content leads to the formation of pores, it is necessary to preheat the welded edges and calcinate the electrodes;
•     drafts in the welding zone;
•     poor-quality electrodes: rusty metal rod, eccentric coating leads to a “peak” and an increase in arc length;
•     strong magnetic blast, which causes a large deflection of the arc, which increases its length;
•     mismatch between the base metal and filler material in terms of chemical composition. And other reasons that require preparation in a specific case.

Reasons that cause pores, depending on the qualifications of the welder:

•     unclear ignition of the arc (sticking, rise of the electrode after ignition to a very high arc length) and an attempt to remelt such ignition leads to defects;
•     long arc welding.

A detailed study of practical tips, practicing during training, and applying them in practice will help welders improve the quality of welding operations performed during the manufacture and installation of critical products for nuclear power plants, thermal power plants, chemical and other equipment at enterprises where high demands are placed on treacherous joints.

Tudvasev V.A. “Recommendations for welders”, 1996

Source: https://rem-serv.com/pochemu-shlakuetsya-svarochnyy-shov/

Slag when welding with an inverter

This material is a by-product because it must be removed after direct connection.

In the case when, for some reason, it begins to come into contact with the hardening part and becomes part of the resulting seam, this is a serious defect. This result is called slag inclusions. They are visually visible on the surface of the product.

You can remove slag inclusions when they are already completely in the hardened part only by drilling, and then weld it again.

The reason for the occurrence of slag inclusions is a situation when a small volume of metal hardens too quickly, as a result of which all the slag does not have time to “exit” beyond the weld pool area. If this defect is present, the connection will not be able to be used for its intended purpose.

Slag inclusions can be macroscopic or microscopic. The first ones appear in case of poor edge cleaning or its absence at all. They are a spherical material with elongated tails. Their occurrence can be avoided by thoroughly cleaning the edges of the parts being connected. Microscopic inclusions can arise during chemical reactions during the welding process, when the metal crystallizes.

Complete elimination of such manufacturing defects is impossible; with minor slag inclusions, the connection can be considered high quality.

There are certain conditions and signs under which the acceptable value of the presence of this type of defect on a product is established.

Such tolerances are established depending on the number, location and size of the defective seam; from the percentage ratio of the area of ​​the entire defect to the area of ​​deposited metal on the product; on the specific gravity of the deposited metal.

Reasons why a defect must be removed after work

1. When removing slag, the product visually looks better.
2. When many layers are produced.
3. Often the product needs to be coated on top, for example with paint.
4. To check how well the seam is made.

The main reasons for the appearance of slag inclusions

1. Rapid solidification of small volumes of metal, as a result of which the slag does not have time to go beyond the boundaries of the weld pool.
2. The use of electrodes and flux of high specific gravity and/or from refractory materials.
3. Low rates of metal deoxidation. Deoxidation involves the process of removing oxygen molecules from an already soft metal.

   Oxygen is a harmful component for it, which deteriorates the quality.

4. High surface tension force of slag. At the same time, it does not float to the surface.
5. The edges of the parts or seam beads are poorly cleaned.
6. Poor quality of the electrode, or rather its coating, which melts unevenly; its particles end up in the weld pool.

7. Failure to comply with the rules and techniques and modes of connecting parts (choosing the wrong speed, angle of inclination of the electrode), changing the arc length for no reason.
8. Unprofessional welder. If you need a quality product, it is better to involve a specialist in this field in this difficult task.

   If you want to do everything yourself, then before you take on important, complex work, you need to gain practice with simple connections.

This is what welding slag looks like after being removed from a seam.

Professional welders are able to immediately distinguish slag from metal during welding and “drive” it out during the work process, however, everyone has their own advice on how to do this. Some argue that it is better to use new electrodes in which the coating is darker and the metal is red (this does not apply to rutile electrodes), others say that the metal is more liquid and the slag is viscous. Its viscosity is affected by temperature.

To prevent the slag from covering the weld pool, it is necessary to adjust the position of the electrode. The position must be such that the direction of the gas from the evaporation of the electrode coating blows this defect onto the surface of the seam. Under no circumstances should the welder leave it in the weld pool. Welding slag should quickly succumb to the crystallization process and be removed without much effort.

It is inevitable that slag gets into the finished joint; such a defect, if not impossible to eliminate, is often very difficult. That is why there are acceptable standards for the presence of “extra” inclusions in an already welded product.

For example, in the interstate standard regarding building steel structures (put into effect in 2001). The annex to this document provides requirements for the quality of welded joints and permissible defects.

The requirements for slag inclusions are shown in the table below.

Long defects	Not allowed
Short defects:
h ≤ 0.2 S	h ≤ 0.25 S	h ≤ 0.3 S
fillet weld	h ≤ 0.2 K	h ≤ 0.25 K	h ≤ 0.3 K
Maximum inclusion size	2 mm	3 mm	4 mm

Thus, to ensure that slag appears correctly on the surface of the weld, you need to know how to distinguish it from the metal. If it is noticeable that the slag remains in the weld pool and does not come up, you need to change the angle of the electrode.

Before the joining process, it is necessary to take care of the proper condition of the edges, as well as the correct choice of modes and parameters. Electrodes must be chosen of high quality, then the weld will be of high quality. If all conditions are met, then the slag will be non-viscous, of low specific gravity, with low surface tension.

Only in this case, slag compounds will interact with the part, increasing its deoxidation rates, removing oxygen. And only then will the welding slag easily come out to the surface of the seam. Here you cannot do without the professionalism of the welder performing the work.

He must be able to distinguish slag from metal during welding and know why it appears in the first place. Only an experienced specialist will be able to make a high-quality and durable connection.

Carrying out manual welding using an inverter is gaining increasing popularity among home craftsmen, due to the wide offer of various models with different price ranges.

To connect iron products using inverter welding, a minimum of equipment is required, characterized by its versatility along with low energy consumption and compact dimensions, which further attracts the attention of inexperienced craftsmen.

Learning inverter welding technology for beginners will not be the slightest difficulty.

Operating principle of a welding inverter

A welding inverter is a powerful power supply, which in terms of energy conversion is similar to a switching power supply.

The main stages of energy conversion in the inverter:

1. Reception and rectification of network current with a voltage of 220 V and a frequency of 50 Hz.
2. Converting the resulting rectified current into alternating current with a high frequency from 20 to 50 kHz.
3. Stepping down and rectifying high frequency alternating current into currents ranging from 100 to 200 A and voltages from 70 to 90 V.

Converting high-frequency electric current to a current of the required value allows you to get away from the inconvenient dimensions and heavy weight of the inverter, which are found in conventional transformer devices, in which the current value is achieved by converting the EMF in an induction coil.

Also, when the welding inverter is connected to the network, there will be no sharp jumps in electrical energy, and moreover, the device contains in its circuit special storage capacitors that protect the machine when welding during an unexpected power outage and allow the inverter arc to be ignited more gently.

Arc welding diagram

Obtaining a high-quality weld when welding depends on many factors, therefore, before starting work, the master must familiarize himself with how to properly use the inverter according to the attached instructions, as well as the basic rules and nuances of performing welding work, which will be described in detail below.

Particular attention should be paid to the diameter of the welding electrodes. It is important to know that the amount of energy consumed directly depends on the thickness of the welding rods, and, accordingly, the larger their diameter, the higher the energy consumption.

This information will help to correctly calculate the maximum electrical energy consumption of the inverter, which will prevent adverse consequences from its operation as reflected on household appliances.

There is also a dependence of the diameter of the electrode on the current selected for the work, a decrease in which will lead to deterioration in the quality of the seam, and an increase - to an excessive combustion rate of the welded rod.

Inverter design for welding

In order to understand how to properly use a welding machine, a novice master should familiarize himself with the design of the inverter.

Source: https://MyTooling.ru/instrumenty/shlak-pri-svarke-invertorom

What is electroslag welding and how is it done?

Electroslag welding refers to one of the types of joining metal structures, but in its principle it differs significantly from the electric arc welding that everyone can imagine. Moreover, not only the essence of the process of joining parts differs, but also the scope of application of this welding. The only thing in common is that the edges of the parts get very hot. But the nature of the transfer of heat is different here.

An electric current passing through the electrode heats and melts the slag, which is a flux. This welding method, although not trivial, has an advantage when welding in vertical planes. One more area of ​​applicability of electroslag welding can be indicated. An example is the situation when the thickness of the parts is tens of millimeters.

• Technology
• Types
• Fluxes used
• Peculiarities

Types

To determine the classification method, it is necessary to select the parameter that will have distinctive properties. In the case of electroslag welding (ESW), there is no certainty. For example, you can divide processes according to the method of forming the bath. In this case, welding is divided into two types: with free formation of the pool and with forced welding.

Most often, classification is associated with differences in electrodes, as well as with different methods of immersion.

• Welding with wire. An electrode in the form of a wire is gradually fed into the slag bath area. As it melts, it must be constantly added. The electrode itself is movable; it can move forward in a horizontal plane. The edges of the parts being welded are heated evenly over the entire thickness. Experts note the complexity of the process, as it requires sufficient experience.
• Welding with plates. With the same principle, this type of welding differs in that the electrodes are made in the form of plates. They are supplied to the bath at certain time intervals. The amount of molten metal must be sufficient to bridge the gap, forming a high-quality seam. The device itself has a simpler design, since the plate electrodes are not driven horizontally. This also includes welding with large diameter electrodes. The cross-section of such a rod can be any and is selected based on the geometry of the workpiece.
• Welding with a consumable tip. If we consider the principle diagram of this process, it is a combination of the two described types of welding. A feeding wire is used as an electrode. It is fixed in the gap and remains motionless on the plane. There is enough molten metal to fill a metal bath. This type of welding is used when working with complex structures, since there are practically no restrictions on the thickness of the edges and the length of the seam.

Electroslag welding devices have a complex structure, but each functional element is made according to GOST 15164, which defines welding parameters. When working with parts with thick edges, ESW devices are used with oscillatory movements of the electrodes, ensuring uniform heating, or devices with large-diameter plates and electrodes.

When using wire, it is possible to obtain seams with a thickness of 20 to 600 mm. The plate installation allows for wider seams, but the length of the seam should not exceed 1.5 m. In some cases, cast iron electrodes can be used.

Fluxes used

As mentioned above, slag can have different compositions, which determine its physical properties. They are taken into account when working with a particular material. There are several types of fluxes for ESW.

• AN-348A flux is characterized by a high iron content with a valence of 3. This slag is used for welding unalloyed steels.
• Flux FC-7. Its characteristics are similar to the previous one. Found application in processes where a slag bath of small depth is formed.
• Fluxes AN-8, FC-21 or AN-22 are considered in one category as low-silicon manganese mixtures. Used for welding carbon and medium alloy steels, as well as pearlitic steels.
• AN-9 and AN-25 are manganese-free fluxes. They were developed in pre-war times. They were used in welding tank armor.
• Stainless steel has to be welded using ANF-5 flux.

Peculiarities

Here you can highlight not only the distinctive characteristics of the results obtained, but also highlight all the advantages and disadvantages of this type of welding.

When performing arc welding, the release of gases leads to such an unpleasant consequence as metal spattering. In this regard, ECS has a clear advantage. The slag bath does not need to be covered with protective sheets.

During the welding process, slag is dosed in small portions. The result is increased process productivity while reducing energy costs.

If we continue the comparison, it will become obvious that the edges of the workpiece, which begin to partially melt, are located at a considerable distance from the electrode. In arc welding, the electrode is located much closer to the surface.

Material savings should also be noted. Of the total share of deposited metal, slag makes up only 5%. Flux during arc welding is consumed tens of times faster. EHS is indispensable in the heavy engineering industry, where we often have to deal with massive parts. In one pass, you can join two workpieces up to 200 mm thick. But the installation possibilities are not limited to this. If there are several electrodes, the thickness can be significantly higher.

The process itself also has certain advantages. Welding does not require fluctuations in electric current. There is no such need to adjust it as when conducting arc welding work. There is no need to process the edges at the preparatory stage.

Disadvantages include restrictions on the direction of welding. ESW allows the formation of only vertical seams. As an exception, cases with a slight deviation of the seam from the vertical are considered. Another disadvantage is the inability to interrupt the process. The suture must be applied in one pass. Negative ambient temperatures will not allow welding. The lack of edge processing is compensated by the time spent on making the pocket and attaching the sliders.

Source: https://svarkoy.ru/teoriya/elektroshlakovaya-svarka.html

Electroslag welding: what is the essence of technology, advantages and disadvantages

This is also welding. Also metals. Also through heating the parts being connected. But the heat for this heating is generated from the current that passes through the molten slag. Why such difficulties when you can heat the parts without unnecessary fuss?

Here's why: this is a cool method for welding in the most problematic planes for welders - vertical. Or for working with thick metal edges, which are also very difficult objects for craftsmen.

More details about the welding method

How is electroslag welding performed?

Now it’s official: ESW electroslag welding is a method based on the release of heat as a result of the passage of current through a special molten slag. This slag melts in the bath - the space between the edges of the metal parts being joined. An electrode made of a metal rod is immersed in the bath so that current flows between the electrode and the metal of the part.

The temperature in the slag bath must be very high, up to 1600 – 1700°C; in any case, it must exceed the melting temperature level of the electrode and base metal. When the electrode wire melts, the arc goes out, and the further process occurs due to the heat received from the current in the slag. Then the melting is already arcless.

A little physics and slag

The electroslag welding scheme is, in principle, simple: when the electrode and the edge of the workpiece melt in the slag, the molten metal settles to the bottom, forming a new metal bath. This pool hardens and eventually forms a weld. In this process, the electrode is always fed from top to bottom.

This is a technology of forced formation of a weld pool, which is excellent for vertical axes of seams. The essence of this technology is artificial cooling of that very “new” metal bath.

What does slag have to do with it? its function is to convert electrical energy into thermal energy. Therefore, the slag itself must be electrically conductive. The conductivity of slag is, unfortunately, not a constant value. It increases sharply with increasing temperature, especially in the melting state. And when the temperature drops, the slag stops conducting current altogether.

This factor does not make the work process any easier. The main condition for welding stability is a constant temperature in the slag bath.

Of course, conductivity also depends on the composition of the slag. If it contains, for example, titanium, the slag is a good conductor even in the solid state at ordinary temperatures. This is called electronic conductivity. As for the usual conductivity that appears in liquid molten slag, it is called ionic.

Calcium fluoride is also a very desirable component of the slag: its electrical conductivity is simply excellent, it helps to save both time and energy, which are needed to transform the arc melting stage into the electroslag stage.

Classification of types of electroslag welding

Scheme of an apparatus for electroslag welding.

Electroslag welding can be classified according to a variety of criteria.

By type of weld pool formation:

• free formation of the bath;
• forced formation of a bath.

If we take into account the type of electrodes and the method of immersing them in the weld pool, ESW is divided into three types:

EHS with wire

According to this technology, the electrode wire is fed into the welding slag pool gradually, as it melts. The electrodes move in the horizontal plane slowly and evenly - their movement is translational.

As a result, even heating of the thickness of the edges of the metal workpieces being welded is ensured. An important factor: to implement this method you need practical experience as a welder; it will not be easy for beginners.

EHS with plates

This is a method using electrodes in the form of plates and with a large diameter, which is needed in order to maximally close the gap between the workpieces being connected. The electrode plates are fixed to be fed into the bath at short intervals, depending on whether there is enough molten metal in the bath to fill the gap between the surfaces.

It should be answered that the design of devices for ESW with plates or electrodes with a large diameter is easier to use than for ESW using wire.

Large-diameter electrodes come in different shapes: their cross-sections can be rectangular or round if you need to work with cylindrical workpieces. They are even hollow inside, filled with metal grit.

EHS with a melting mouthpiece

At its core, it is a combination of the first two technologies. The electrode plate is also fixed in the gap into which the wire is fed using guide tubes. During the welding process, the plates are motionless, because there is enough molten metal in the bath due to the feeding wire.

The apparatus for ESW with a mouthpiece includes a special portable mechanism for feeding wire. All details and small structural elements in the EHS are described in GOST 15164.

What conclusions can be drawn? To weld metal parts with thick edges, you need to use either special oscillatory movements of the electrodes for gradual heating, or electrodes with plates or large diameters. And the best option would be a combination of these methods.

Wire welding is extremely popular in industry. These are seams of various shapes with any length, edges of parts of any thickness: from 20 to 600 millimeters. If plates are used, seams of any thickness can also be welded, but with a limited length of up to 1.5 meters. Plate ESW is possible with cast iron electrodes, because it is almost impossible to make wire from cast iron.

Features and differences of EHS, pros and cons

To begin with, let’s define the features of ESW in comparison with arc technology – both manual and automatic.

Saving resources

In ESW, the current passes through the slag, so there is no spatter during the process, which usually occurs in arc welding due to the massive release of gases. The slag does not splash out at all. Thanks to this fact, the welding slag pool can remain open.

Slag is fed into it very little by little: its amount should be the same as in the 1.5 mm thick slag crust on the surface of the weld. Such small doses make possible high productivity and energy savings; it is completely spent on melting the metal and electrode.

In addition, melting of the edges of metal workpieces is carried out at a much greater distance from the electrode. This is almost impossible with arc welding.

Any thickness of metal up to the shoulder

Electroslag welding diagram.

Electroslag welding is a true favorite in heavy engineering due to its enormous capabilities in welding massive metal parts with large thickness edges. One electrode can be used to weld edges with a thickness of 150 to 200 mm in one pass.

And if there are several electrodes, then the thickness of the edges is practically unlimited. These properties make ECS technology very promising in industry.

Equipment for EHS

Electroslag welding technology is a special method. The equipment and consumables are also special for her. This concerns, first of all, the chemical composition of the numerous flux options offered on the market for ESW.

• Manganese fluxes with high proportions of silicon and iron. Excellent for working with low alloy steels.
• Low-silicon manganese fluxes are also intended for heat-resistant steels of the pearlitic class, as well as for low- and medium-alloy steel alloys.
• Manganese-free low-silicon mixtures are suitable for armored metals.
• Fluoride fluxes are chosen for welding parts made of stainless steel or cast iron.

A few words about the high quality welding seam.

The quality of the weld seam is ultimately the most important criterion for the effectiveness of all metal working technologies. The peculiarity of ESW in the form of a minimal and very gradual replenishment of the slag pool with new doses of flux results in a constant chemical composition of the weld metal. And this directly affects its high quality.

We have already written above that electroslag welding is carried out with a vertical position of the weld axis. Thanks to this fact, gas bubbles and slag particles float up and are removed more easily and quickly than in a horizontal position. As a result, the voids in the seam are filled with metal much better.

With ESW, practically no pores or other low-density areas are formed; at least, these defects are observed much less frequently and in smaller quantities than with arc welding in a lower location.

The next advantage is excellent temperature conditions for the working area. Heating of the edges of metal parts starts at the surface level of the slag bath, and the melting of these edges begins only in the very vicinity of the newly formed metal bath.

Between these processes - the beginning of heating the edges of the metal workpieces being welded and their melting - a very short time passes - only 2 - 3 minutes. But they are quite enough so that the heating rate and the subsequent cooling rate are lower than with other welding methods. This is called stability, which directly affects the high quality of the seam.

Before welding using ESW technology, the edges of metal parts do not need to be cut. They are folded with a gap, which in theory replaces this cutting. This approach makes it possible to reduce resource costs when preparing edges for the welding process.

Electroslag welding involves a symmetrical arrangement of electrodes. Therefore, when using it, there are no angular changes in the form of deformation. If the thickness of the metals being welded is small, for example, in the range of 40 - 50 mm, the resource costs for ESW are higher than for arc welding using flux technology, so it is better to weld thin parts without slag.

But if the thickness of the edges is large, above, for example, 100 mm, then it is better to use ESW, which is much more productive and economical than arc.

Of course, there are some disadvantages. The seam orientation should only be vertical, sometimes this is not very convenient. The welding process must be continuous, otherwise defects may form, as a result of which it will be necessary to re-weld. The suture in ESHS has a unique structure - it is special, coarse-grained.

Where and why is EHS needed?

Electroslag welding modes.

Saving metals, their durability and reliability, reducing the metal consumption of structures while increasing their strength are only part of the ongoing tasks facing industries related to modern mechanical engineering.

It has long been calculated that in the production of welded metal structures, the costs of intermediate resources and consumables account for more than half of the total costs. This is especially true for industries dealing with massive large-sized equipment of various types, but most of all gas, oil and energy.

If from the very beginning electroslag technology was invented exclusively for welding in a vertical position, then later serious advantages of this method were discovered in terms of saving resources.

Important to know before starting

There are a number of nuances that you should always remember:

• A mandatory requirement is to thoroughly clean the surfaces at the welding site from dirt and any traces of oxidation. If this is not done, one of the most important advantages will be lost inside the slag bath: melting stability.
• Another mandatory condition is maintaining the same metal heating and melting temperatures; this should be as close as possible.

Source: https://tutsvarka.ru/vidy/elektroshlakovaya-svarka

Electroslag welding: description of the technology, where it is used, features, pros and cons

Even in production facilities with a small number of employees, it is sometimes possible to produce large batches of a decent product. It seems impossible, but in reality everything is simple.

Some welding technologies are designed specifically to save resources by getting the job done quickly. They often become the basis of workshops of any size.

Electroslag welding is one of these working methods. What is its essence? Why is she good, and what problems does she have?

We will answer these questions and even tell you how to choose consumables for EHS, and what equipment is best suited for its use.

general information

In electroslag welding, metals are joined under the influence of high temperature and molten solid ore residue - slag. This method does not require an arc, since the electrode is dipped into the slag and a current is passed through it.

The slag heats up, forming a seam at the junction of the elements. Most often, electroslag welding helps in soldering vertical structures. In this case, the seam starts at the bottom of the part and goes up.

Kinds

Electroslag welding comes in four types:

• using a fixed electrode (it may also fluctuate slightly);
• using two rods that oscillate synchronously;
• using electrode rods in the form of plates;
• using a nozzle that melts (a method that combines the properties of plate and wire electrode welding).

It is impossible to talk about all methods of electroslag welding in one article, since each of them has a large list of advantages and nuances.

But note that most often craftsmen use methods using one/pair of fixed or oscillating electrodes.

"Pros and cons"

EHS is stable at both alternating and direct current. If the current changes during the process, the electroslag welding process will not be affected (even when the current is interrupted from time to time).

To make a good seam using this method, you do not need any special qualifications.

The rod melts quickly, making the process very productive. If you have already worked with this type before, the speed will increase.

A small factory or workshop can initially invest in ESS, since it can quickly pay for itself through large batches.

This method uses ten times less flux than conventional electric arc welding. Savings also apply to electricity - with ESW you will spend one-fifth less electricity than with classical welding.

The cost of a set of equipment and other materials is small.

The edges of the elements do not need to be treated with special methods, as with other types of welding, and the weld pool itself is reliably protected from the “harmful” influence of atmospheric gases thanks to flux.

The main disadvantage is that you cannot weld elements located horizontally or at an angle of more than thirty degrees. In this case, the welder is constrained in his movements and will not be able to solder parts that were already fixed before.

The process must be completed from start to finish, since pauses will worsen the quality of the weld and the characteristics of the slag. The room temperature should not be below zero, otherwise the connection will have deformations.

It will also be inconvenient for you to pre-prepare small parts: “pockets”, sliders, strips.

Conclusion

If you were wondering whether you should try your hand at electroslag welding, this article should have helped you. Now you know how and where this technology is used, what are the rules for its use.

The brands of flux that we recommended are examples that you can rely on, but consider your preferences.

ESW is a solution to many problems of beginning welding enterprises. It allows you to save resources and working time, creating a high-quality product in large quantities. We wish you good luck in your endeavors!

Source: https://prosvarku.info/tehnika-svarki/ehlektroshlakovaya-svarka

Properties and applications of electroslag welding

A rather original and not well-known method for welding metal parts is electroslag welding. It is intended for the production of vertical (mainly) welds. For many reasons, a vertical seam, especially on thick metal, requires a special approach.

Process concept

The essence of the electroslag welding (ESW) process is that a slag mass is placed in the gap between the ends of the parts being joined, which is melted by turning on an electric arc between the electrode and the part itself.

Filler metal is fed into the molten mass of slag, which, in turn, begins to melt along with the metal along the edges of the parts being joined.

Liquid metal is heavier than liquid slag, so it sinks down, displacing the slag mass. It solidifies at the bottom of the gap, and the molten mass rises upward - this is how the vertical seam is welded.

Unlike more traditional types of electric welding, here it is the slag, and not the filler and base metal, that is initially heated and melted by an electric arc. The melting temperature of the slag must be significantly higher than the melting temperature of the metal.

After the slag melts, it shunts (extinguishes) the electric arc, but the current flow does not stop. The passage of current through the slag mass with optimally selected parameters of thermal and electrical conductivity causes stable and uniform heating of it to high temperatures.

It is very easy to distinguish slag from metal by its color and consistency. At the end of the welding process, it is easily separated from the monolithic joint.

To prevent the melt from leaking out, a protective fence is placed on the gaps - sliders, constantly cooled with water. During the electroslag welding process they slowly rise up.

Unique properties

The applied “indirect melt” principle determines the unique properties of the process. Features that are advantages are as follows:

• protection of the seam from atmospheric air with liquid slag, embodied in the very principle of electroslag technology;
• changes in current density when welding using this method have less effect on the quality of the seam than when welding with an arc;
• non-criticality of short-term interruption of current supply during the process;
• the ability to weld seams of any thickness in one pass;
• the ability to weld raw edges of parts;
• low power consumption;
• low cost of consumables - slag;
• high efficiency.

In addition, it is worth noting that electroslag welding is performed using alternating current, not direct current.

But EHS also has disadvantages. This method is used to weld only vertical seams, or seams at an acute angle to the vertical (the main reason for the low prevalence of the electroslag method).

The started process cannot be stopped in the middle, otherwise defects arise that can only be eliminated by breaking the seam and carrying out the work again.

The weld metal has a coarse-grained structure, so parts with such a connection are not intended for use at low temperatures - they become brittle.

The electroslag welding process requires a large amount of equipment, ranging from copper sliders, which must be pressed as tightly as possible to the seam (they should not be allowed to move away) to other auxiliary parts of the starting pocket . The minimum thickness of joints is 20 mm.

Welding methods

Electroslag welding is not suitable for all metals, but its scope of application cannot be called narrow. It is usually used to join low-carbon and medium-carbon steels, cast iron, non-ferrous metals (up to titanium and aluminum), and less often for alloy steels.

They are used in the production of massive, large-sized parts (thickness about 100-600 mm), and in waste remelting.

In practice, 3 main welding techniques are used. The first involves the continuous supply of a filler electrode directed in a horizontal plane into the melt. The movement of the electrode is reciprocal in nature to ensure maximum contact density.

The second electroslag technique is welding with large plate electrodes, which actually replace copper sliders.

In this case, the additive is used to a lesser extent - the electrodes themselves tightly close the gap and provide an effective melt: the ends of the parts are connected without an additive. But in this case, the electrodes must be adjusted in shape to the parts; this is a highly specialized method.

The third technique is based on combining the first two. It contains both a plate electrode and a special consumable electrode. The first remains stationary during the entire electroslag welding process, the second is fed into the melt zone and is, in essence, an additive.

Please note that the chemical composition of the additive must be similar to that of the base metals.

There are also two different operating principles for electroslag welding installations. Devices that implement the first method work with a solid slag mixture, which they independently melt. Installations operating on the second principle use a liquid mixture pre-melted in an oven.

The first ones require a more powerful starting current to start working, because a lot of energy is spent on bringing the slag to a liquid state. The latter, accordingly, requires a nearby smelting furnace.

What fluxes are used?

Flux is, in fact, slag, the main working substance of electroslag welding. Certain requirements are put forward to him. Fluxes must provide:

• the fastest possible start of the electroslag welding process at any voltage (the range of operating voltages is quite wide);
• maximum efficient edge penetration;
• the most durable seam;
• easy removal from the surface after cooking.

Each type of metal has its own fluxes. Thus, low-alloy steels and steels with a high carbon content are cooked using AN-8, AN-22 or AN-47 fluxes. For stainless steel - AN-45.

For high-alloy steel alloys, AN-9, ANF-1 and ANF-7 are used. Most often, this type of welding is used in production; in domestic conditions it is rarely found.

Source: https://svaring.com/welding/vidy/elektroshlakovaja-svarka

Why is there a lot of slag when welding with an inverter?

You bought a welding machine and want to learn how to weld with an inverter for beginners.

There is no need to be afraid of difficulties! The inverter machine is easy to use; anyone without experience or knowledge can master the welding process in a short time.

Equipment, equipment, safety precautions

Safety precautions. Welding production is associated with electrical voltage, or in common parlance - current. The current is invisible, but can kill a person.

We check the welding cables for serviceability and connect them to the inverter equipment. Return cable with a clothespin on metal to the negative connector. Cable with electrode holder to connector +. We insert the electrode into the electrode holder.

When connecting the device to the network, visually evaluate the current-carrying cables for serviceability. After making sure that the cables are in good condition, we plug in the plug into the socket and the toggle switch on the device, having previously set the current regulator to the lowest value. If the cooling fan starts working smoothly, without crackling or noise, then everything is fine.

Metal weight. When connecting heavy structures, take precautions. If multi-ton products collapse, they can lead to death or disability.

Equipment. Welding production involves high temperatures. The welder must have:

• canvas mittens (gaiters);
• robe (special suit);
• mask with a light filter;
• respirator for work in confined spaces;
• boots with rubber soles.

Gaiters are used when welding at heights, when arms are raised up, and mittens in other cases.

• welding machine;
• hammer;
• brush;
• electrodes.

Electrodes are selected according to the metal (carbon content, additives) and diameter, depending on the thickness of the metal and the technical characteristics of the inverter.

Inverter Welding Basics

For beginners, experienced welders advise attaching the holder cable to the body, pressing it with the elbow of the arm and wrapping it along the forearm (from the elbow to the hand), and taking the holder in your hand. This way the shoulder joint will pull the cable, and the arm and hand will remain free.

The method will help you manipulate your hand with ease.

Correct placement of the cable on the forearm. You should not work with bare hands.

If you simply take the holder in your hand without wrapping the cable around your forearm, then during the welding process your hand will get tired and wrist movements will cause the cable to dangle. Which will affect the quality of the welded joint.

How to cook using inverter welding correctly? We set the welding current on the machine according to the diameter of the electrode, the type of connection and the welding position. Setup instructions are available on the device and the electrode pack. We take a stable stance, move our elbow away from the body (no pressing), put on a mask and begin the process.

For beginners, it is better to start welding with an inverter with metal workpieces larger than 20 cm.

It is known that a beginner, putting on a mask and lighting an arc, stops breathing, trying to boil the entire length of the workpiece in one breath. With short products, you will develop the habit of cooking in one go. Therefore, practice on long workpieces, learning to breathe properly when welding.

Workpieces (plates) on the work table can be placed in a horizontal plane - vertically towards you or horizontally, it makes no difference.

At the beginning of welding, place the electrode clamped in the holder at an angle of 90 degrees (perpendicular) and move it towards the seam by 30-45 degrees. Light the arc and start moving.

1. If welding is performed at an angle backwards, then the tilt of 30-45 degrees goes towards the seam.
2. If the connection occurs at an angle forward, then the electrode is tilted away from the seam.

The distance between the surface to be welded and the electrode is 2-3 mm, imagine that you are running a pencil along a sheet of paper.

Please note that when welding, the electrode decreases as it burns - gradually bring the melting rod closer to the surface at a distance of 2-3 mm and maintain an inclination angle of 30-45 degrees.

Watch a useful video on how to learn how to weld with electric welding for beginners:

How can a beginner learn to weld with a welding inverter?

First we learn to light and hold an arc. Feel the edge when to bring the electrode closer to the surface to be welded during combustion so that the arc does not interrupt.

The electrode is ignited in two ways:

The new electrode ignites easily. A slag film appears on the working rod, preventing ignition. You just need to tap longer to break the film.

1. To facilitate arc ignition, inverter devices have a built-in Hot Start function.
2. If a beginner quickly brings the electrode closer to the surface, the Arc Force function (arc force, anti-sticking) is activated, increasing the welding current, preventing the electrode from sticking.
3. If the melting rod gets stuck, the Anti Stick function cuts off the current, preventing the inverter from overheating.

What is arc force on a welding inverter and how to use it.

It is better for a beginner to first learn on a thread seam; the electrode is held smoothly, without oscillatory movements.

After mastering thread technology, proceed to welding metal with oscillatory movements. Which are used on thick metal for heating, holding the electrode at a certain point using movements - herringbone, zigzags, spiral or your own method.

Types of oscillatory movements

At the beginning of the connection, we carry out several movements from left to right, forming a weld pool and go along the seam making oscillatory movements. The angle of inclination of the electrode is 30-45 degrees. After passing, we beat off the slag with a hammer and clean it with a brush. Take care of your eyes, wear glasses.

Tip: at the end of the weld, make oscillatory movements to the sides and move the electrode towards the deposited metal. This trick will add beauty to the welded joint (get rid of the crater).

how to weld corner joints, butt joints and overlap joints.

• single-pass (one pass replenishes the thickness of the metal);
• multi-pass.

A single-pass weld is performed on metals up to 3 mm. Multi-pass seams are applied for large metal thicknesses.

Welders check the quality of the seam with a hammer - they strike next to the seam. If the seam is smooth, without irregularities, then after the impact the slag flies off completely, there is nothing for it to catch on. It is important to select the correct temperature regime: an overheated seam (hot) will break, an underheated one - there is a risk of lack of penetration.

The current is selected based on the diameter of the electrode, in theory 30 A per 1 mm of electrode diameter.

Direct and reverse polarity when welding with an inverter

Let's consider polarity when welding with an inverter. With a DC connection, the movement of electrons is constant, which reduces spattering of molten metal. The seam is of high quality and neat.

The device has a choice of polarity. What is polarity is the direction of movement of electrons depending on the connection of cables to equipment connectors.

1. Reverse polarity when welding with an inverter - minus on the workpiece, plus on the electrode. The current flows from minus to plus (from the workpiece to the electrode). The electrode heats up more. Used for welding thin metals, the risk of burn-through is reduced.
2. Straight polarity - minus on the electrode, plus on the workpiece. Current moves from the electrode to the workpiece. The metal heats up more than the electrode. Used for welding thick metals from 3 mm and cutting with an inverter.

The polarity is indicated on the pack of electrodes; these instructions will help you correctly connect the wires to the equipment.

Welding thin metal with an inverter

The essence of connecting thin plates comes down to selecting small-diameter electrodes and adjusting the welding current. For example, for metal with a thickness of 0.8 mm, electrodes with a diameter of 1.8 mm are used. The current on the inverter is set to 35 A.

Technology occurs in intermittent movements. Watch a video showing how to join thin plates in detail.

How to cut metal with a welding inverter

To properly burn a hole in a pipe, we set the current on the device to 140 A for a 2.5 mm electrode. We light the electrode, placing it in one place to warm up the metal and press it in. We move the electrode to a new place, warm it up and press it in. Gradually, we cut a hole in the pipe.

When cutting, it is better to place the plate vertically so that the molten snot flows down. If you cut in a horizontal position, icicles will harden at the bottom of the cut. That's all the tricks!

Beginners are tormented by the question, which polarity of wires is better when cutting with an inverter?

1. When cutting with electric welding, straight polarity is preferable. The melting zone is narrow but deep.
2. With reverse polarity, the melting zone is wide but shallow.

Source: https://crast.ru/instrumenty/pochemu-mnogo-shlaka-pri-svarke-invertorom

Residues and cinders of steel welding electrodes

Any production process is accompanied by the formation of a secondary by-product, which can be reused to obtain raw materials or must be disposed of. The only question that remains open is specifying the type of scrap according to the type of work.

See also the article: Electrodes - recycling and scrap metal.

Welding waste

The modern level of access to information allows you to navigate in any aspect of interest. There are two ways to determine what waste is generated from welding with welding wire. The first option involves a search query, the second is to visit the 2017 welding waste codifier on the corresponding web resource.

The information collected in the FKKO online catalog identifies the following waste from welding and soldering work:

• residues and cinders of steel welding electrodes;

• remains of steel wire;

• decomposition products of calcium carbide.

This is what welding slag looks like

Electrode stubs

Each of the points is worth considering in more detail, especially for the first category.

Welding slag – FKKO classification

The waste codifier assigns its own number to each by-product resulting from human production activities. In particular, for welding slag, the FKKO code has three variations. This:

• 9 19 100 02 20 4 – directly the slag formed during the electric welding process;

• 9 19 111 21 20 4 – slag waste with a predominance of silicon dioxide;

• 9 19 111 24 20 4 – welding slag, mainly containing titanium dioxide.

The last two options allow us to determine the main component of this type of welding waste. A somewhat different situation arises if we consider welding slag in general. The composition of this type of waste will be determined by the type of electrodes used.

Chemical composition of welding slag

The melting process characteristic of electric welding is always accompanied by oxidation of the metal. This explains the entry of predominantly oxides into the slag crust. The hazard class of this type of waste is IV, which requires issuing a waste passport for welding slag. The chemical composition of such waste, as mentioned earlier, contains oxides of the following elements:

• silicon;
• titanium;
• manganese;
• iron;
• calcium;
• sodium;
• aluminum;
• potassium.

However, in some cases, calcium fluoride keeps company with the oxides. This is explained by the inclusion of the compound directly in the composition of salt fluxes, as well as certain coatings of welding electrodes.

The presence of basic oxides inside the slag crust is similarly related. In particular, manganese plays the role of a deoxidizer, removing sulfur from the metal, while simultaneously improving the quality of the weld. Silicon also has a similar effect. It allows you to avoid gas pores inside the weld seam, which are formed due to carbon monoxide that has not had time to release.

Weld

Thus, slag acts as a full-fledged “participant” in the welding process, determining the structure and quality of the seam, and not just a production waste. Therefore, the physical and chemical properties of welding slags are an important characteristic.

Basic parameters of the slag layer

All chemical properties of the slag are directly related to the weld seam. They include: the ability to deoxidize the seam, alloy it, form fusible compounds from oxides, as well as dissolve them and sulfides. From the physical side, important criteria for slag are:

1. Thermophysical parameters: heat capacity, threshold melting and softening temperatures.
2. Viscosity.
3. Specific gravity of liquid slag melt.
4. Properties of the hardened crust, causing its easy separation from the metal being processed.
5. Gas permeability.

The melting temperature allows us to divide slags into two groups: “short” with a range of 1100 – 1200 0C and “long” with large threshold values. Today, preference is given to short slags, therefore, in the production of electrodes, the composition of coatings and fluxes is mixed at lower melting temperatures.

Another important characteristic of slag is its viscosity. The mobility of individual layers of molten slag increases its chemical activity and, therefore, contributes to the refining of the weld metal. As a result, harmful impurities, in particular: manganese and iron sulfides, phosphorus anhydride, as well as oxygen and other gases; removed from the metal before the seam hardens.

Welding slag from a plasma cutter

The next criterion that attracts attention is waste density. Welding slag must have a low specific gravity in order to quickly rise to the surface of the bath. However, an excessively liquid slag melt is not able to evenly close the metal seam. Moreover, a higher density of welding slag (kg/m3 - unit of measurement) is especially important for vertical welding - ceiling, for example.

Steel cinders, other waste from the welding process

It is easy to determine the specific type of slag by knowing the composition of the electrodes: their coating, as well as the flux, if used. On the other hand, it is another type of arc welding waste. It is defined by FKKO as residues and cinders of steel welding electrodes.

This type of product is the main consumable material of the welding process. Despite the relatively small size of the waste: a part of the rod remains from the electrode, fixed in the holder fork; the total mass of cinders is quite large.

In some industries it amounts to hundreds of kilograms of scrap metal. Such waste is extremely rarely thrown away. Moreover, for the remains and cinders of steel welding electrodes, recycling is also extremely unprofitable.

It is more promising to use TX as a material for recycling.

Remains of welding electrodes

Indeed, most electrode cinders no longer have a coating and are ordinary metal wire of a certain diameter. In this case, the density of residues and cinders of steel welding electrodes is equivalent to a similar parameter of the metal. Thus, such waste can be melted down to produce new consumables.

Of course, the composition of welding electrode residues remains an important characteristic. Therefore, it is necessary to sort the cinders according to their type in order to obtain steel during the remelting process that is already alloyed with the required chemical composition and does not require further purification.

Sale of welding waste

The size of the cinders depends directly on the welder, more precisely on the place where he finished the work and is 50 - 100 mm. Thus, electrode waste remains a promising market for scrap metal. However, you should differentiate between web ads. Often, the phrase: let's buy the remains of electrodes means illiquid goods, and not a steel cinder, as such.

Disposal of welding waste, especially electrode residues, is becoming a regulated procedure. As a result, steel cinders are collected directly at the welding site and sorted according to the brand of the product. Next, the scrap metal is weighed and can be sold to a recycling site.

Alternatively, you can sell welding slag. The price for this type of waste will be significantly lower, and it is more difficult to find a buyer for it.

Source: http://xlom.ru/recycling-and-disposal/ostatki-i-ogarki-stalnyx-svarochnyx-elektrodov/