MMAW - Smaw Fillers

Stick Electrodes for Manual Metal Arc Welding
While unalloyed, soft cores are generally used for non-alloyed and low alloyed covered
electrodes, so that additional alloying for increasing strength and toughness is achieved via
the coating, for high-alloy covered electrodes a distinction is made between (rod) core- and
coating alloyed electrodes.
Stick electrodes are produced as extruded stick electrodes. The composed mixture, according
to the respective standards – (different mineral and metallic raw materials and coating
binder water glass) is pressed onto the (rod) core with a pressure of approx. 350 to 500 t.
The moistened electrodes will be “dried” (burned) at a temperature of approx. 180°C
(Cellulose) to 480 °C (Basic H5) in a Furnace.
Core rods for unalloyed electrodes include relatively similar compositions; the carbon or
manganese content can slightly fluctuate depending on the yield point and tensile strength:
Element %
Carbon 0.06 to max. 0.12%
Manganese 0.3 to max. 2.0%
Phosphorus, Sulphur  0.030 %
Silicon 0.06 %
High-alloy core rods contain the alloy composition required for the base material.
Composition of the Coating, Coating Materials The materials used for electrode coatings are
very numerous. These are mainly ores and minerals in the form of oxides, hydroxides,
carbonates, carbonyls, silicates, chlorides, fluorides and other structures of metals and non-
metals as well as ferrous alloys, organic substances and compositions.
Both the welding characteristics of a stick electrode and the mechanical properties of the
weld metal are influenced accordingly by the coating.
This homogeneous mixture generally includes the following main components:
 slag-forming substances - quartz, fluorspar
 deoxidising materials - ferromanganese, ferro-silicon, aluminium
 gas shield forming substances - cellulose, calcite
 arc-stabilisation substances - potash-feldspar, rutile
 binding material - potash and sodium water glass) and, if required
 alloying elements - ferrochromium, Nb, Si, nickel flux, etc.
Iron powder can also be added to increase the deposition rate.

Standard analysis of main coating types (data in %)²
Cellulose Type “C” Acid-Type “A” Rutile-Type “R” Basic Type “B”
Calcium fluoride
Cellulose 40 Magnetite Fe3O4 50 Rutile TiO2 45 45
CaF2
Magnetite Calcite
Rutile TiO2 20 Quarz SiO2 20 10 40
Fe3O4 CaCO3
Lime stone
Quarz SiO2 25 10 Quarz SiO2 20 Quarz SiO2 10
CaCO3
Lime stone
FeMn 15 FeMn 20 10 FeMn 5
CaCO3
FeMn 15
Waterglass Waterglass Waterglass
Waterglass
Droplet Transfer: Droplet Transfer: Fine Droplet Transfer: Droplet Transfer: Medium
Medium sized drops droplet and spray type Medium sized drops up sized drops up to large
to fine sized drops sized drops
Toughness values: Toughness values: Toughness values: Toughness values:

Good Normal Good Very Good
Functions of the Stick Electrode Coating
 Increasing the ignition properties, ionisation of the arc-area and stabilisation of the arc.
 Forming shielding gas for the protection of the damaging effect of the air (N and O).
 Slag formation for protecting the generated weld (weld surface and root), for a cooling
delay as well as for shaping of the weld.
 Metallurgical influence of the weld metal, i.e. oxidation and de-oxidation as well as for
setting of harmful accompanying elements (S, P) or additional alloying.
 Increasing the deposition rate by so-called “high-efficiency electrodes” with additives
like e.g. Iron powder.
The coating thickness and the composition of the coating of the stick electrodes have a
significant influence upon:
 The strength and toughness properties of the weld metal
(mechanical data of weld metal)
 Hot-cracking and/or cold-cracking behaviour (hydrogen content in the weld metal)
 The weld- and ignition characteristics of the stick electrode and the metal transfer
 The gap bridging abilities, the weld seam appearance and the penetration depth
Dimensions and permitted deviations of stick electrodes

(from DIN EN ISO 544)
Stick electrode⁴⁵ dimensions in mm

Core (rod) Diameter Length permitted
Length
diameter Deviation Deviation
1.6
2 ± 0.06 200 to 350 ±6
2.5
3.2
5 ± 0.10 275 ≤/< 450⁶ ±6
4 - Other dimensions may be agreed. For intermediate dimensions,

permitted deviations according to this table are to be applied.
5 - Dimensions for the core wire.
6 - For special cases (e.g. gravity arc welding) length / < 1,000mm.
Recommendation for storage and re-drying of coated electrodes
Storage:
Basically, the coated electrodes should be stored in their original package until they will be
used. The withdrawal of the electrode packages should be in accordance with their sequence
of storage entrance. In order to protect the coated electrodes from damages due to
moisture, they have to be stored in dry areas.
The minimum requirements for suitable electrode storage are:

 The storage room must be weatherproof, ventilated and if necessary be heatable.
 Ceiling, floor and walls must be dry
 No open water surfaces allowed in the room
 The room is equipped with shelving units or pallets
A direct contact of the electrode packages with the floor or walls should be avoided as well as
extreme storage temperature conditions below 0°C and above 30°C.
The electrode packages should be stored on wooden pallets or in shelves having a distance of
30cm of the wall.
Under these conditions, as mentioned above, conventional packed coated electrodes could be
stored for a longer period although the maximum storage period of 2 years should not be
exceeded. For special packed packages no specific restrictions are valid.
DO NOT throw packages during storage and retrieval or repositioning.
The storage height of the covering boxes and cases should be limited to 6 or max. 8 units
and for high efficiency electrodes max. 4 units.
High air humidity leads to higher moisture absorption
In principle coated electrodes should only be welded in their dry state condition.
Cellulose coated electrodes however are an exception to this: they require a certain
controlled rest humidity. That’s the reason why today’s packaging is specifically adjusted to
the required needs (plastics, tin can, vacuum etc.)
Re-drying:
For re-drying of coated electrodes the following reference values are valid:
Re-drying reference Values

Low Alloyed, Basic Coated
250° - 350°C / 2 hours
Electrodes
Medium Alloyed Basic Coated
Electrodes for fine-Grain Steels 300° - 350°C / 2 - 3 hours
and Creep-Resistant Steels
High Alloyed Coated Electrodes
300° - 25°C / 2.5 hours
Basic- and Rutile Coated
Cast Iron Electrodes 120° - 200°C / 1 hour
Excepted from this are special packed packages like vacuum packed electrodes which are
ready for use during 10-12 hours after opening.
The number of re-drying processing of each electrode is limited to about 3 times or the
maximum redrying time is set to 10 hours.
However, mandatory are always the manufacturer’s re-drying recommendations.

In order to prevent new moisture absorption, the electrodes should be, if not otherwise
stated by the manufacturer, stored (intermediate) after the re-drying until processing as
follows:
 100° - 150°C up to 8 hours in mobile quiver

 120° - 200°C up to 4 weeks in a stationary drying oven.
Source: IWE Reference

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Stick Electrodes for Manual Metal Arc Welding

This homogeneous mixture generally includes the following main components:

 slag-forming substances - quartz, fluorspar

 deoxidising materials - ferromanganese, ferro-silicon, aluminium

 gas shield forming substances - cellulose, calcite

 arc-stabilisation substances - potash-feldspar, rutile

 binding material - potash and sodium water glass) and, if required

 alloying elements - ferrochromium, Nb, Si, nickel flux, etc.

Iron powder can also be added to increase the deposition rate.

Toughness values: Toughness values: Toughness values: Toughness values:

 Hot-cracking and/or cold-cracking behaviour (hydrogen content in the weld metal)

Dimensions and permitted deviations of stick electrodes

Stick electrode⁴⁵ dimensions in mm

5 ± 0.10 275 ≤/< 450⁶ ±6

4 - Other dimensions may be agreed. For intermediate dimensions,

The minimum requirements for suitable electrode storage are:

DO NOT throw packages during storage and retrieval or repositioning.

High air humidity leads to higher moisture absorption

Re-drying reference Values

However, mandatory are always the manufacturer’s re-drying recommendations.

 100° - 150°C up to 8 hours in mobile quiver

Source: IWE Reference

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