ShieldedMetalArcWelding(SMAW/Stick)

ShieldedMetalArcWelding(SMAW/Stick)
Theshieldedmetalarcwelding(SMAW/Stick)processgeneratesanarcbetweenafluxcoated
consumableelectrodeandtheworkpiece.SMAWiswellknownforitsversatilitybecauseitcanbe
usedinallweldingpositions,andinbothproductionandrepairweldingsituations.Itisoneofthe
simplestweldingprocessesintermsofequipmentrequirementsandcanbeeasilyoperatedinremote
locations.However,itisstrictlyamanualweldingprocessthatgenerallyrequiresahighwelderskill
level.Inaddition,itistypicallyrestrictedtomaterialthicknessgreaterthanapproximately0.062in(1.6
mm).

HASTELLOYandHAYNEScoatedelectrodesforSMAWundergoanumberofqualificationteststo
determinetheusabilityoftheelectrode,thechemicalcompositionofthewelddeposit,andthe
soundnessandmechanicalpropertiesoftheweldmetal.Coatedelectrodesaregenerallyformulatedto
produceawelddepositwithachemicalcompositionthatcorrespondstothatofthematchingbase
metal.Thecoatingformulationsaregenerallyclassifiedasslightlybasictoslightlyacidicdependingon
theparticularalloy.ForfurtherinformationontherequirementsfortheclassificationofNibasecoated
electrodes,thereaderisreferredto:AWSA5.11/A5.11M,SpecificationforNickelandNickelAlloy
WeldingElectrodesforShieldedMetalArcWelding,AmericanWeldingSociety.

Priortotheiruse,coatedelectrodesshouldremainsealedinamoistureproofcanister.Afterthe
canisterhasbeenopened,allcoatedelectrodesshouldbestoredinanelectrodestorageoven.Itis
recommendedthattheelectrodestorageovenbemaintainedat250to400F(121to204C).Ifcoated
electrodesareexposedtoanuncontrolledatmosphere,theycanbereconditionedbyheatingina
furnaceat600to700F(316to371C)for2to3hours.

TypicalSMAWparametersarepresentedinTable3forflatpositionwelding.Whilethecoated
electrodesareclassifiedasAC/DC,inalmostallsituationselectricalpolarityshouldbedirectcurrent
electrodepositive(DCEP/reversepolarity).Formaximumarcstabilityandcontrolofthemolten
pool,itisimportanttomaintainashortarclength.Theelectrodeisgenerallydirectedbacktowardthe
moltenpool(backhandwelding)withabouta20to40dragangle.Eventhoughstringerbeadwelding
techniquesaregenerallypreferred,someelectrodemanipulationandweavingmayberequiredtoplace
themoltenweldmetalwhereitisneeded.Theamountofweaveisdependentonweldjointgeometry,
weldingposition,andtypeofcoatedelectrode.Aruleofthumbisthatthemaximumweavewidth
shouldbeaboutthreetimestheelectrodecorewirediameter.Oncedeposited,weldbeadsshould
preferablyexhibitaslightlyconvexsurfacecontour.Appropriateweldingcurrentisbasedonthe
diameterofthecoatedelectrode.Whenoperatedwithinthesuggestedcurrentranges,theelectrodes
shouldexhibitgoodarcingcharacteristicswithminimumspatter.Theuseofexcessivecurrentcanlead
tooverheatingoftheelectrode,reducedarcstability,spallingoftheelectrodecoating,andweldmetal
porosity.Excessivespatterisanindicationthatarclengthistoolong,weldingcurrentistoohigh,
polarityisnotreversed,ortherehasbeenabsorptionofmoisturebytheelectrodecoating.The
suggestedtravelspeedforSMAWis3to6inchesperminute(ipm)/75to150mm/min.

Outofpositionweldingisrecommendedonlywith0.093in(2.4mm)and0.125in(3.2mm)diameter
electrodes.Duringoutofpositionwelding,theamperageshouldbereducedtothelowendofthe
suggestedrangeinTable3.Inordertokeepthebeadprofilerelativelyflatduringverticalwelding,a
weavebeadtechniqueisnecessary.Using0.093in(2.4mm)electrodeswillreducetheweavewidth
thatisrequiredandproduceflatterbeads.Inverticalwelding,arangeofelectrodepositionsispossible
fromforehand(upto20pushangle)tobackhandwelding(upto20dragangle).Inoverheadwelding,
backhandwelding(dragangleof0to20)isrequired.

Startingporositymayoccurbecausetheelectroderequiresashorttimetobegingeneratinga
protectiveatmosphere.Thisisaparticularproblemwithcertainalloys,suchasHASTELLOYB3
weavebeadtechniqueisnecessary.Using0.093in(2.4mm)electrodeswillreducetheweavewidth
thatisrequiredandproduceflatterbeads.Inverticalwelding,arangeofelectrodepositionsispossible
fromforehand(upto20pushangle)tobackhandwelding(upto20dragangle).Inoverheadwelding,
backhandwelding(dragangleof0to20)isrequired.

Startingporositymayoccurbecausetheelectroderequiresashorttimetobegingeneratinga
protectiveatmosphere.Thisisaparticularproblemwithcertainalloys,suchasHASTELLOYB3
alloy.Theproblemcanbeminimizedbyusingastartingtabofthesamealloyastheworkpieceorby
grindingeachstarttosoundweldmetal.Smallcratercracksmayalsooccurattheweldstops.These
canbeminimizedbyusingaslightbacksteppingmotiontofillthecraterjustpriortobreakingthearc.It
isrecommendedthatallweldstartsandstopsbegroundtosoundweldmetal.

Theslagformedontheweldsurfaceshouldbecompletelyremoved.Thiscanbeaccomplishedbyfirst
chippingwithawelding/chippinghammer,thenbrushingthesurfacewithastainlesssteelwirebrush.In
multipasswelds,itisessentialthatallslagisremovedfromthelastdepositedweldbeadbeforethe
subsequentbeadisdeposited.Anyremainingweldslagcancompromisethecorrosionresistanceof
theweldment.

Table3:TypicalShieldedMetalArcWeldingParameters(FlatPosition)

Electrode Arc Welding

Diameter Voltage Current
in mm Volts Amps
0.093 2.4 2225 4575
0.125 3.2 2225 75110
0.156 4.0 2326 110150
0.187 4.7 2427 150180