Submerged Arc Welding: by L D Poyyara
Submerged Arc Welding: by L D Poyyara
By
L D Poyyara
Poyyara Consultants
SAW
• Fusion Welding Process
• Automatic / Semi Automatic
• Arc Between Consumable Electrode And Work
• Arc Covered Under granular Flux
• Wire / Electrode Continuously Fed To Weld Pool
• Wire / Arc Under Flux Moves Along The Groove
• Wire, BM & Flux Close to Arc Melt Under Flux
• On Cooling Weld Metal Solidifies
• Molten Flux Forms Thick Slag Coating On Weld
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SAW
Hopper
Wire +
+ –
Slag
Flux Weld
Base Metal
••••••••••••••••
••• Arc
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Flux For SAW
• Sodium Chloride
• Potassium Chloride
• Titanium Dioxide
• Sodium Silicate
• Deoxidizing Agents
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Types Of Flux
• Fused Flux
• Agglomerated Flux
» Neutral Flux
» Active Flux
» Alloy Flux
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Types Of Flux
• Neutral Flux
- Very little deoxidizers
- Wire compatible to base metal with deoxidizers
- Best suitable for multi pass welding
- No significant change in weld chemistry due to change in
arc length
- Consistent weld chemistry trough out the weld volume
- Single flux suitable for several material
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Types Of Flux
• Active Flux
- Contains Mn & Si as deoxidizers
- Suitable for single pass welding on rusted
surfaces
- Mn & Si in weld metal vary with change in
arc length
- To be welded within the recommended
parameters
- Not suitable for better impact properties of
weld metal
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Types Of Flux
• Alloy Flux
- To be used with CS wire to produce alloy steel
weld metal
- Required quantity and quality of alloys added to
flux
- Single flux for specific application
- Wire will be different from base metal
- To be welded within the recommended parameters
- Inconsistent weld chemistry
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Function Of Flux In SAW
• Stabilizes Arc
• Prevents contamination of weld metal
• Cleans the weld from unwanted impurities
• Increases Fluidity of molten metal
• Generates inert gas shielding while metal transfers
• Forms slag after melting & covers weld
• Allows deposited metal to cool slowly
• Compensates alloying elements Within the weld
• Eliminates spatter generation
• Helps in even & uniform bead finish
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Baking Requirements For Flux
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Why Baking Flux?
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How Does Moist Flux Generate
Crack Within Weld?
• Moist Flux introduce atomic hydrogen at high
temperature in weld
• On cooling, atomic hydrogen try to form
molecules
• The reaction results in stresses and fine cracks
• Cracks occur within hardened metal - HAZ
• Known as “Hydrogen Embrittlement” or “Under
Bead Crack” or “Delayed Crack”
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Reuse Of Flux
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Types Of Power Source
• Thyrister – DC
• Rectifier – DC
• Motor Generator – DC
• Transformer - AC
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Characteristic Of Power Source
Machine welding
Drooping – Cons. A Linear – Cons. V
V V
V1
V1
V2
V2
A A
A1 A2 A1 A2
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SAW Wire - Electrode
• Consumable Electrode / Wire
• Layer Wound On Spool / Coil
• CS & LAS Wires Coated with Cu
• Conducts Current and generates Arc
• Chemistry Compatible To Base Metal
• Grade Of Flux Can Be Same For CS & LAS
• Wire melts & deposited as filler in joint
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Typical Welding Parameter
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Tandem SAW
Hopper
Power Sources
Flux
DC AC
+ –
Wires
+
AC
Slag
Flux Weld
•••••••••••••••• Arcs
_
Base Metal AC
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Tandem SAW
DC Wire
AC Wire
Slag Welding Direction
Flux Weld 35 mm gap
•••••••••••••••• Arcs
Base Metal
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Tandem SAW
DC Wire
AC Wire
Slag Welding Direction
Flux Weld 35 mm gap
•••••••••••••••• Arcs
Base Metal
Advantages Disadvantages
Double the weld deposit Requires uniform - jerk free -
1 movement of welding nozzle / job
(15kg / arc hr)
Requires precise placement of wires
2 Higher productivity in the groove
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Multi Wire SAW
Wire1
Wire 2 Nozzle
Slag Welding Direction
Flux Weld 3 mm gap DC
•••••••••••••••• Arcs + –
Base Metal
Advantages Disadvantages
Requires higher capacity power
1 Higher weld deposit source
Requires precise placement of
2 Higher productivity nozzle in the groove
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Important Terminology used in
Critical SAW
• Preheating
• Post Heating or Dehydrogenation
• Intermediate Stress leaving
• Inter pass Temperature
• Post Weld Heat Treatment
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What Is Preheating?
• Heating the base metal along the weld joint
to a predetermined minimum temperature
immediately before starting the weld.
• Heating by Oxy fuel flame or electric
resistant coil
• Heating from opposite side of welding
wherever possible
• Temperature to be verified by thermo chalks
prior to starting the weld
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Why Preheating?
• Preheating eliminates possible cracking of weld
and HAZ
• Applicable to
-Hardenable low alloy steels of all thickness
-Carbon steels of thickness above 25 mm.
-Restrained welds of all thickness
• Preheating temperature vary from 75°C to 200°C
depending on hardenability of material, thickness
& joint restrain
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How does Preheating Eliminate
Crack?
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What Is Post Heating?
• Raising the pre heating temperature of the weld
joint to a predetermined temperature range (250° C
to 350° C) for a minimum period of time (3 Hrs)
before the weld cools down to room temperature.
• Post heating performed when welding is completed
or terminated any time in between.
• Heating by Oxy fuel flame or electric resistant coil
• Heating from opposite side of welding wherever
possible
• Temperature verified by thermo chalks during the
period
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Why Post Heating?
• Post heating eliminates possible delayed
cracking of weld and HAZ
• Applicable to
-Thicker hardenable low alloy steels
-Restrained hardenable welds of all
thickness
• Post heating temperature and duration
depends on hardenability of material,
thickness & joint restrain
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How does Post Heating Eliminate
Crack?
• SAW introduces hydrogen in weld metal
• Entrapped hydrogen in weld metal induces
delayed cracks unless removed before
cooling to room temperature
• Retaining the weld at a higher temperature
for a longer duration allows the hydrogen to
come out of weld
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What Is Intermediate Stress
Relieving?
• Heat treating a subassembly in a furnace to
a predetermined cycle immediately on
completion of critical restrained weld joint /
joints without allowing the welds to go down
the pre heat temperature. Rate of heating,
Soaking temperature, Soaking time and rate
of cooling depends on material quality and
thickness
• Applicable to
Highly restrained air hardenable material
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Why Intermediate Stress
Relieving?
• Restrained welds in air hardenable steel
highly prone to crack on cooling to room
temperature.
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