A W E L D I N G R E V I E W P U B L I S H E D B Y E S A B V O L. 5 6 N O.

1 2 0 0 1

Repair &
Maintenance
 A welding review published by ESAB AB, Sweden No. 1, 2001

Articles in Svetsaren may be reproduced without permission but with

an acknowledgement to ESAB.
Publisher
Bertil Pekkari
Editor
Lennart Lundberg
Editorial committee
Klas Weman, Lars-Göran Eriksson, Johnny Sundin, Johan Elvander, Sten Wallin,
Bob Bitzky, Stan Ferree, Ben Altemühl, Manfred Funccius, Dave Meyer
Address
ESAB AB, Box 8004, SE-402 77 Göteborg, Sweden
Internet address
http://www.esab.com
E-mail: info@esab.se Repair & Maintenance.
Printed in Sweden by Geson Skandiatryckeriet, Kungsbacka

Contents Vol. 56 No. 1 2001

The repair of aluminium structures Submerged-arc strip cladding of

3 Some of the more common

considerations associated with 17 continuous casting rollers using OK
Band 11.82 and OK Flux 10.07
the repair of aluminium alloys. Surface welding of continuous casting
rollers with submerged arc welding is
preferred because of its higher deposition
rate compared to MAG welding.

Advanced production technology leads ESAB delivers engineered automatic

6 to time savings of 25 %
Large pistons for diesel engines are
20 welding station to Ghana in Africa for
build-up welding of worn railway wheels
refurbished by welding rather than Re-building of worn parts of wheel surfaces
putting a totally new piston into service. by welding is an effective method.

Corrosion- and wear-resistant 17% Cobalarc: The future of manual hardfacing

8 Cr strip weld overlays
The strip weld-overlay technique used for
22 Electrodes mainly used for hardfacing in
applications where the prime factor of wear
renovating of parts in the machinery is abrasion.
manufacturing industry increases productivity
and reduces the likelihood of defects.

ESAB: your digital partner for welding Repair welding of blades for rubber

11 and cutting
A guide to the 21 ESAB websites 25 mixing
Re-building of the mixing equipment
used for manufacturing tyres for vehicles.

Stubends & Spatter

13 Short news

2 • Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001
The repair of aluminium
structures
by Tony Anderson, Technical Services Manager AlcoTec Corporation, USA

Without a doubt, aluminum is being increasingly used within the welding

fabrication industry. We are seeing a major increase in usage within the
automotive industry, where the use of aluminum continues to develop. Also
within other industries such as furniture, recreation and sporting equipment,
shipbuilding, transportation and containers, military and aerospace we see
continued developments with aluminum, often as a replacement for steel.

As more components are produced from aluminum, the

need for reliable repair work on aluminum weldments
is also increasing. Repair work to aluminum structures
is conducted extremely successfully on a regular basis,
such items as truck body’s and boat hulls are repaired
after damage from collision or after wear and tear
during severe service conditions. This article shall
examine some of the more common considerations
associated with the repair of aluminum alloys in an
attempt to help prevent problems associated with
repair work and also to help ensure consistently
successful repairs.

Identification of alloy type

Probably the most important consideration
encountered during the repair operation is the
identification of the aluminum base alloy type. If the
base material type of the component requiring the
repair is not available through a reliable source, it can
be difficult to select a suitable welding procedure.
There are some guides as to the most probable type of
aluminum used in different applications, such as, most
extruded aluminum is typically 6xxx series (AL-Mg-Si).
The most important consideration before repair welding is
Air-conditioning systems and heat exchangers,
the identifcation of aluminum base alloy type.
within the automotive industry, are typically made from
3003, 5052, plate and 6061 tubing. Car wheels are often
made from 5454, which because of its controlled most suitable filler alloy and welding procedure can be
magnesium (less than 3% Mg), is suitable for made. It is very important to be aware that incorrect
temperature applications. Ship hulls are often assumptions as to the chemistry of an aluminum alloy
manufactured from 5083 (5%Mg), which is recognized can result in very serious effects on the welding results.
as a marine material. Unfortunately, if the base There are 7 major types of aluminum alloys which
material type is not known, or unavailable, there is only have a wide range of mechanical properties and,
one reliable way of establishing the exact type of consequently, a wide range of performance and
aluminum alloy, and that is through chemical analysis. applications. Some have very good weldability, and
A small sample of the base material must be sent to a others are considered to have extremely poor
reliable aluminum testing laboratory, and a chemical weldability, and are unsuitable, if welded, for structural
analysis must be performed. Generally, the chemistry applications. Some can be welded with one type of
can then be evaluated and a determination as to the filler alloy, and others will produce unacceptable,
Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001 • 3
 Special care should be taken
when welding high
performance components
such as car rims.

extremely poor mechanical properties if welded with

that same filler alloy. Filler alloy and base alloy
chemistry mixture is one of the main considerations
relating to welded joint suitability, crack sensitivity, and
joint performance. Consequently, without knowing the
base material type, you are unable to assess the correct
filler in order to prevent an unsuitable filler alloy, base
alloy, mixture.
I must definitely recommend that, if an aluminum
component is to be repair welded, and after this, used
for any structural application, particularly, if a weld
failure, can in any way damage property and/or create
injury, do not weld it without understanding its alloy
type, and being satisfied that the correct welding Some automotive components in aluminum that have been
procedure is to be followed. repaired by welding.

The repair of some high performance

aluminum alloys component is in service. The completed weld joint can
Another problem associated with the repair of a small appear to be of excellent quality immediately after
group of aluminum structures is the temptation to welding. X-rays and ultrasonic inspection shortly after
repair high performance, typically high replacement welding will typically find no indication of a welding
price components, made from exotic aluminum alloys. problem. However, changes which occur within the
These materials are often found on aircraft, hand base material adjacent to the weld during the welding
gliders, sporting equipment and other types of high- process, can produce a metallurgical condition within
performance, safety-critical equipment and are not these materials which can result in intergranular micro
usually welded on the original component. There are a cracking, which may be susceptible to propagation and
small number of high- performance aluminum alloys eventual failure of the welded component.
which are generally recognized as being unweldable. It The probability of failure can be high, and the time
can be very dangerous to perform welding on these to failure is generally unpredictable and dependent on
components and then return them to service. Probably variables such as tensile stress applied to the joint,
the two most commonly found aluminum alloys within environmental conditions, and the period of time which
this category are 2024, which is an aluminum, copper, the component is subjected to these variables.
magnesium alloy and 7075, an aluminum, zinc, copper, It is strongly recommended that great care be taken
magnesium alloy. Both these materials can become when considering the repair of components made from
susceptible to stress corrosion cracking after welding. these materials. Again, it must be stressed that if there
This phenomenon (stress corrosion cracking)is is any possibility of a weld failure becoming the cause
particularly dangerous because it is generally a type of of damage or injury to person or property, do not
delayed failure, not detectable immediately after perform repair work by welding on these alloys and
welding, and usually develops at a later date when the then return them to service.

4 • Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001
Base material strength reduction after repair welding: hydrocarbons which can cause porosity in the weld
There are considerations relating to the effect of the during the welding operation. The other source of
heating of the base material during the repair welding hydrogen which we need to consider is moisture, often
process. Aluminum alloys are divided into two groups: introduced through the presence of hydrated aluminum
the “heat treatable” and the “non-heat treatable” oxide. For these reasons it is important to completely
alloys. We should consider the differences between clean the repair area to be welded prior to performing
these two groups and the effect on each during the the weld repair. This is typically achieved through the
repair process. Typically, the non-heat treatable alloys use of a degreasing solvent to remove hydrocarbons
are used in a strain-hardened condition. This being the followed by stainless steel wire brush to remove any
method used to improve their mechanical properties, as hydrated aluminum oxide. More aggressive chemical
they do not respond to heat treatment. During the cleaning my be required for some applications.
welding process, the heat introduced to the aluminum In the case were we are required to remove existing
base will generally return the base material, adjacent to weld or base material in order to conduct the repair.
the weld, to its annealed condition. This will typically We need to consider the methods available to perform
produce a localized reduction in strength within this this operation and their effect on the finished weld. If
area and may or may not be of any design/performance we need to remove a crack in the surface of a weld prior
significance. to re-welding we must use a method which will not
The heat treatable alloys are almost always used in contaminate the base material to be welded. Care
one heat-treated form or another. Commonly they are should be taken when using grinding discs, some have
used in the T4 or T6 condition (solution heat-treated been found to contaminate the base material by
and naturally aged or solution heat-treated and depositing particles into the surface of the aluminum.
artificially aged). Base materials in these heat-treated Routing and chipping with carbide tools is often found
tempers are in their optimum mechanical condition. to be a successful method of material removal. Care
The heat introduced to these base materials, during the must be exercised if using plasma arc cutting or
repair welding process, can change their mechanical gouging, particularly on the heat-treatable aluminum
properties considerably within the repair area. Unlike alloys. This can produce micro cracking of the material
the non-heat treatable alloys, which are annealed and surface after cutting which is typically required to be
returned to this condition when subjected briefly to a removed mechanically prior to welding.
specific temperature, the heat- treatable alloys are Conclusion: There are many considerations
affected by time and temperature. The effect from the associated with the repair of aluminum alloys. Perhaps
heating during the welding repair on the heat-treatable the most important is to understand that there are
alloy is generally a partial anneal and an over-aging many different aluminum alloys which require
effect. Because the amount of reduction in strength is individual consideration. The majority of the base
determined largely by overall heat input during the materials used for general structural applications can
welding process, there are gridlines as to how this be readily repaired using the correct welding
reduction can be minimized. Generally, minimum procedure. The majority of aluminum structures are
amounts of pre-heating and low interpass temperatures designed to be used in the as-welded condition and,
should be used to control this effect. therefore, with the correct consideration, repair work of
However, even with the best designed welding previously welded components can and is conducted
procedures, considerable loss in tensile strength is satisfactorily.
always experienced within the heat-affected zone when
arc welding these types of materials.
Unfortunately, it is usually either cost restrictive or,
more often, impractical to perform post weld solution
heat treatment because of the high temperatures
required and the distortion associated with the process.

Cleaning and material preparation prior to

welding
Even when welding on new components made from
new material we need to consider the cleanliness of the About the author
part to be welded. Aluminum has a great attraction for Tony Anderson is Technical Services Manager of
hydrogen and hydrogen’s presence in the weld area is AlcoTec Wire Corporation USA, Chairman of the
often related to the cleanliness of the plate being American Aluminum Association Technical Committee
welded. We need to be extremely aware of the for Welding, and member of the Amerivan Welding
potential problems associated with used component Society (AWS) Committee for D1.2 Structural Welding
which may have been subjected to contamination Code – Aluminum.
through their exposure to oil, paint, grease, or
lubricants. These types of contaminants can provide

Svetsaren nr 3 • 2000 • 5
Advanced production technology
leads to time savings of 25%
Twin-wire submerged arc welding with flux-cored wires

by Martin Gehring, ESAB GmbH, Solingen

Pistons for large diesel engines like those in ships wear out during their
lifetime. Larger pistons with diameters of 700 mm are refurbished by
welding rather than putting a totally new piston into service. This is
usually done by submerged arc welding using a single solid wire.

approximately 350 HB (~ 37 HRC). The piston heads

were also welded in the same way.
Several trials finally led to the decision to weld this
application with flux-cord wires in the twin-wire mode.
The fluxes and chemical composition of the hard-facing
wire were not changed. The change that was made was
from solid wire to basic flux-cored wire by replacing the
single 4.0 mm solid wire with two 2.4 mm wires. The
wire that was chosen was OK Tubrod 15.21S containing
0.5% molybdenum. As it is a basic wire by nature, it has
a high degree of cracking resistance.
Figure 1. Nowadays, the faces between the grooves are
Previously: machined away. This results in a 300 mm wide area that
welding in
is rebuilt, Figure 2. Positioning the electrodes and
the piston
ring grooves controlling the weld bead is much easier. The wires and
the set-up permit a tremendous increase in deposition
rate. Additionally, the current was increased slightly. It
Changing the consumables to flux-cored wires in the was not possible to obtain a similar result with a single
twin-wire mode (two wires with the same potential in solid wire.
one contact tip) leads to increases in productivity of In fact, compared with the previous method, the
more than 25% without any increase in production deposition rate has increased by more than 50%.
costs. Welding is performed at 720 A, 29 V with a travel speed
When the engines are working, the piston ring of 68 cm/min. Moreover, the change to a 300 mm wide
grooves wear continuously because of the motion of the machined area has resulted in fewer welding defects
piston rings. Additionally, the surface of the piston with a more consistent bead deposit. When the welding
heads wears due to the severe thermal conditions is completed, the grooves are machined out of the solid
experienced inside the cylinder. material. The piston heads are refurbished with fewer
The base materials for these pistons are 34CrMo4 layers at a higher welding speed.
and 42CrMo4. A preheating temperature of 250°C
prior to welding is therefore required. Before the Why flux-cored wires?
customer started a project joint venture with ESAB, The deposition rate for flux-cored wires for submerged
circumferential welding was carried out on the edges of are welding is as much as 20% higher than that of solid
the grooves, Figure 1. A solid S2Mo wire with a wires of same size welded at the same current, Figure 3.
diameter of 4.0 mm was welded at 620 A. Firstly, the Basic flux-cored wires consist of a current-carrying,
required number of build-up layers were welded, mild-steel tube with a non-conductive powder filling.
followed by two layers of hard-surfacing. In Since all the current has to pass along the metal tube,
combination with the silicon and manganese alloying the current density is much higher compared with solid
OK Flux 10.80, the hardness of the surface was wire. Consequently, the resistance heating is greater,

6 • Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001
 which leads to a higher melting rate and thereby to a
higher deposition rate. Additionally, the basic slag
“cleanses” the molten weld pool, reducing the risk of
hot cracking.

Why twin wire?

Using two electrodes of smaller diameter results in an
increase in deposition rates of up to 20% compared
with one single wire of a larger diameter at the same
current. Again, the current density is greater with two
smaller wires. The wider arc results in a wider weld bead
with less penetration. A shallow penetration bead is
preferred for the repair welding of base materials with
a high carbon content because dilution and sensitivity
to cracking are minimised. For twin-wire welding, only
one power source, one control box and one feed system
with two grooves in the rollers are used, Figure 4. Both
electrodes are fed through the same contact tip.

The customer benefits

Prepared cost and time calculations with real
parameters revealed reductions in welding times of
Figure 2. Today: easy handling. An increase of more than more than 25%. Although the welded area was larger,
50% in deposited weld metal there is an additional cost saving of more than 10%.
After some time in production with the modified
welding process, the customer confirmed the following
results.
Previously, the welding time for one particular
piston was four shifts. The same piston is now welded in
three shifts. The customer therefore saves 25% welding
time using this advanced welding technology.

Figure 3. Increased deposition rate using flux-cored wires

About the author

Martin Gehring works as product manager for
consumables at ESAB GmbH in Solingen in Germany
since 1994 and focuses primarily on the design of
customer-specific systems within SAW and on welding
using solid wire and shielding gas.

Figure 4. Twin-wire set-up

Consumables for high deposition rates for twin-wire welding

Build-up layers: Diameter Flux

OK Tubrod 15.21S 0.5% Mo
AWS A 5.23: F7A2-EC-A4 (10.71) 2 x 2.4 mm OK Flux 10.71
EN 760: SA AB 1 67 AC H5
Hard facing:
OK Tubrodur 15.40 DIN 8555:
UP1-GF-BCS 189-350 2 x 2.4 mm OK Flux 10.80
EN 760: SA CS 1 89 AC
Deposition rate: 11 kg/h

Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001 • 7
Corrosion- and wear-resistant
17% Cr strip weld overlays
by Martin Kubenka, ESAB VAMBERK s.r.o., and Petr Kuba, ZDAS a.s. Zdar nad Sazavou

Machinery manufacturers are constantly being pressurised by market

competitors to sharply reduce the cost of their final products. The
sale of very expensive spare parts frequently represents one way of
reversing this problematic economic situation.

Figure 1. SAW strip-cladding

of test piece

Users of the above-mentioned equipment are often The strip weld-overlay technique basically increases
burdened by the enormous cost of equipment productivity and reduces the likelihood of defects
maintenance and repair due to part replacement. appearing, together with the need for weld overlay.
Welding and weld-overlay techniques have been the
most frequently used procedures for the renovation of
steel parts for equipment in virtually every industrial Customer requirements
sector. During production at ZDAS a.s. Zdar nad Sazavou, a
Weld-overlay techniques are a very inexpensive and leading company when it comes to the production of
high-quality way of renovating the parts attacked by heavy hydraulic components, the need to renovate the
some primary and secondary wear factors, such as piston rods in hydraulic surface mining equipment
abrasion, pressure, corrosion, wear caused by metal-to- made of forged steel and designed according to CSN 13
metal contact and so on. 123 (see Table 1) became clear.
Originally, the weld overlay had been performed
Designation C Mn Si Cr V using SAW with wire A 406 (Table 1) produced by ZAZ
CSN 13123 < 0.23 1.2 0.30 0.25 Vamberk. This weld overlay was then partially removed
A 406 < 0.1 0.5 0.50 16.0 before renovation could once again take place.
E-B 511 0.2 0.6 0.30 13.0
The customer wanted to produce a one-layer weld
overlay with a chromium content of above 12% and a
Table 1. Repaired materials minimum hardness of 35 HRC.

8 • Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001
 Figure 2. Hydraulic piston

Designation C Mn Si Cr Ni Mo V Nb

OK TUBRODUR 15.73 0.14 1.2 0.3 13.0 2.5 1.5 0.25 0.25
Table 2
PZ 6163 0.15 0.5 0.7 17.0 1.0 Welding
OK BAND 11.82 0.06 < 0.5 < 1.0 17.0 <1 consumables
used

Cored wire/strip Ø mm Flux/gas C Mn Si Cr Ni HRC

OK TUBRODUR 15.73 3.2 OK FLUX 10.03 0.12 1.0 0.38 8.54 1.60 43
OK FLUX 10.09 0.11 0.76 0.55 10.08 1.55 43
PZ 6163 1.6 AGAMIX 18 0.20 0.59 0.71 15.57 0.20 29.9
OK FLUX 10.07 0.11 0.50 0.78 13.94 2.16 48
OK BAND 11.82 30 x 0.5 OK FLUX 10.03 0.05 0.30 0.45 14.47 0.22 33
OK FLUX 10.07 0.05 0.30 0.48 13.27 2.89 45 Table 3
OK FLUX 10.09 0.06 0.25 0.57 12.54 0.52 35 Weld-overlay
properties

Characteristics of welding procedures

Cored wire/strip OK TUBRODUR 15.73 OK BAND 11.82

Welding equipment ESAB 1200A ESAB 1200A
Current 800 A 400 A
Voltage 30 V 28 V
Welding speed 600 mm/min 160 mm/min
Distance orifice-base material 8 mm 25 mm Table 4
Position of orifice In the axis 15 m before turning point Characteristics
Number of layers 1 1 of welding
procedures

Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001 • 9
 Figure 3. Piston after welding
overlay and machining

Test weld overlay The weld-overlay conditions were the same as in the
In collaboration with ZDAS a.s., several series of weld case of the test specimens.
overlay test specimens were produced by the The weld-overlay trajectory was a helix. During weld-
laboratory at ESAB VAMBERK, s.r.o. in order to find overlaying, it was intensively cooled by air.
the optimum welding procedure and to choose suitable,
correct filler metals.
Individual weld overlays were gradually prepared
Economic evaluation
using flux-cored wires designated OK TUBROD 15.73,
in combination with fluxes OK FLUX 10.03 and OK
Materials used: strip electrode OK BAND 11.82
FLUX 10.09, plus flux-cored wire PZ 6163 (Table 2) in
flux OK FLUX 10.07
the gas shield AGAMIX 18 or flux OK 10.07
respectively.
The next test specimen series was weld-overlaid Strip weight: 77 kg
using strip electrode OK BAND 10.82 (Table 2) in Flux weight: 77 kg
combination with fluxes OK FLUX 10.03, OK FLUX Strip price: CZK 22,215
10.07 and OK FLUX 10.09.The test specimens were Flux price: CZK 12,320
first buttered using coated electrode E-B 511 (Table 1) Cost of work: CZK 75,715
and then partially machined in order to simulate weld Cost of repair: CZK110,250
overlay wear.
Weld overlays were performed on both plates and ZDAS a.s. saved the sum of:
on the cylinder with a diameter of 174 mm using a table
rotary positioner. The weld overlay conditions are Price of new part: CZK 281,500
specified in Appendices 1 and 2. The test results are Cost of repair: CZK 110,250
shown in Table 3 and Figure 1. Total savings: CZK 171,250
On the basis of results that were obtained, it has
been possible to demonstrate that all the customer
requirements were totally fulfilled by the combination
of OK BAND 11.82/OK FLUX 10.07.

Practical application About the authors

The first application of the above-mentioned filler
Martin Kubenka works at ESAB s.r.o. in Vamberk in the
metal combination was made at the SKODA JS a.s. Czech Republic.
Pilsen welding shop on piston rods with a diameter of He is responsible for technical customer service.
176 mm and a length of 4,659 mm (Figs 2 and 3).
Due to the increase in the deposition rate and in Petr Kuba is a welding engineer at ZDAS a.s. Zdar nad
order substantially to reduce weld-overlay defects, strip Sazavou.
electrode OK BAND 11.82 and flux OK FLUX 10.07
were chosen for this purpose.
10 • Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001
ESAB: your digital partner for
welding and cutting
ESAB has now been on the World Wide Web for some time. New
and extended sites for ESAB Europe and ESAB Norway were
launched in December 1999 and other ESAB companies followed
during 2000. In all, 21 ESAB sites have been launched. These sites
are attracting many visitors and there have been words of praise for
the mine of information they contain.

As a result of the structured set-up, every visitor is able

to find the information he or she wants. You will find a
wealth of product and process information, while on
another page you can ask who the dealer in your local
area is. Obviously, you can also ask questions
interactively and it is possible to be kept in touch with
our latest news. This is just a random selection of what
ESAB has to offer on the Internet!
Start surfing by typing www.esab.com. You now
have the option of choosing any of the 21 ESAB
regional or national sites.
At the top of each site you will find the heading
‘Products’.
• Click on Products and you will arrive at the sub-
page ‘Products’. This page breaks down into four
parts: Welding and cutting equipment, Welding
consumables, Welding automation and Industrial
cutting systems. You can now choose one of the four
product groups by clicking on the related picture. It
is also possible to use the main menu (left-hand side
of the screen) and make your choice there.
• Click on ‘Welding and cutting equipment. This page
appears with another pop-up menu, consisting in
this case of six options.
• The choice this time falls on ‘SMAW (Stick MMA)’.
When this link is clicked, you reach the level at
which ESAB handwelding equipment is presented.
• If you want the detailed data for a 250 A inverter,
for example, click on ‘Caddy Professional 250’. A
brief description of the machine, an illustration, the
technical data and ordering information will then
appear on screen.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have specific questions about anything to do with
welding or cutting, you can put these questions to
ESABs product specialists (not possible on the regional
sites). On the horizontal bar at the top of the page, you

Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001 • 11
will see the FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) tab. • respond interactively to questions and problems
• When you click on this tab with your left mouse • provide considerable background information by
button, a pop-up list of categorised questions and linking to both related ESAB pages and external
answers appears. sources
• Choose one of the subjects and see whether your • provide electronic service as a product plus
question is there and has been adequately answered.
If this is not the case, it is possible to type it in on the Bookmark your preferred ESAB site and visit us
form you can activate by clicking in the framed box regularly. You’ll find it there.
showing ‘Fill in this form’. Your question will then be
sent directly to the product specialist
concerned, who will reply to you by e-
mail. Your question with the accom-
panying reply will also be placed under
FAQs.
It is also worthwhile regularly visiting
the latest news. Campaigns, trade fairs and
reference projects are just some of the
subjects that can be found here. You do not
need to visit our website constantly to keep
abreast of the latest news.
• At the bottom right of the homepage
(first page), the most up-to-date news
constantly scrolls by.
• If you click on the words ‘Latest news’,
you access the news and events page
where you can register so that you are
automatically notified by e-mail when
ESAB has news.

Finally, the Internet as a medium for ESAB

is a means not an end in itself. By making
use of this medium, we are able to:
• respond to the customer’s needs quickly
and efficiently
• communicate the latest product
information quickly
• offer promotional campaigns exten-
sively and quickly

12 • Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001
 Qingshan Shipyard
Stub- In September of last year, ESAB
Asia/Pacific managed to obtain an

ends
&
order for duplex consumables for
the building of chemical carriers.

Spatter
The customer is the Qingshan
Shipyard, in the city of Wuhan, 750
km east of Shanghai. The city is
built on both sides of the large
Yangtsekiang river, where another
river, the Han Shui, also joins the
Yangtsekiang.
Railtrac was the only option The order is from a European
shipowner and the size of the ship is
complete the job, which required
~ 6.800dwt, indicating that the
520 kg of consumables. Stringer
amount of duplex consumables will
beads were deposited to control
be about 35MT. The plate material
heat input. The wire OK Tubrod
is standard 2205 from CLI. ESAB
15.13 was set at 33 V and 240 amps
will supply the following
with a stickout of 18 mm. The travel
consumables: OK 67.62, OK 67.50,
speed was 55 cm/min to 70 cm/min,
OK 67.60, OK 14.27, OK 14.22, OK
depending on the desired build-up.
16.86 and flux 10.93. The ship is
The interpass temperature was
being built according to GL rules.
maintained at 300°C. The weld
The project team, consisting of
deposit was checked continuously
people from different countries, is
by UT for cracks and so on
running extensive support activities
At Petron Emirates, an oil and gas Railtrac once again proved its
for the yard. The programme
industry in Dubai, there was an efficiency and it was a great
consists of assisting with pWPSs,
urgent need to restore the walls of a experience to bring the project to a
training personnel - both engineers
regenerator. The regenerator successful conclusion as man and
and welders, engineering support,
converts sulphur into sulphur machine raced against time during
production start-up support, 24-
dioxide, So2, at a temperature of the shut-down.
hour telephone support and a six-
500°C, which is then used in the
month schedule to make visits to
processing of crude oil. The inside
Facts about Railtrac assist.
lining of ceramic is supposed to
Railtrac is a modular system with This is a very good example of
maintain the So2 in gas form, but,
many different components that practical work according to the
due to temperature differences, the can be used to create suitable ”local to global” way of utilising
lining sometimes cracks and the gas systems and solutions for ESAB’s resources. So far in the
comes in contact with the base mechanised welding and cutting.
above-mentioned schedule, the
metal where it initiates corrosion. Four basic versions are available as
standard: engineer and welder training has
Railtrac F1000 Flexi been completed. It took place last
Thin walls
Railtrac FW1000 Flexi Weaver year with support from Singapore,
In this case, the metal wall thickness
Railtrac FR1000 Flexi Return the Netherlands and Sweden.
had been reduced from 28.5mm to Railtrac FWR1000 Flexi Weaver The project team is looking
11.0mm and it was therefore Return forward to the progress of this
essential to restore the area. Due to
project and will use the experience
space restrictions, the only method The Railtrac tractor runs on a
universal rail, which can also be that is acquired in other similar
available was welding. ESAB
used on bent surfaces. The projects in this region.
Middle East recommended
operator controls the welding from
cladding using OK Tubrod 15.13,
a digital programming box, which
1.2mm. Using two Railtrac F1000 can store as many as five different
and LAX 380+MEK2+PSF 400, the welding programs. Functions
entire area, with a length of 8 m include interval welding, weaving
and a height of 1.5 m, was built up and backfill.
to a thickness of 29.00mm. ESABs welding guns, wire-feed
units and power sources can be
Round-the-clock work connected to Railtrac 1000.
Railtrac 1000 weighs six or seven
The machines were in use 24 hours
kilograms, depending on the
a day with six welders working in model.
shifts. It took eight days to From the welder training

Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001 • 13
Hydro Power Repair and maintenance electrodes in new
Generation PZ 6166 VacPac wrapper
goes Latin American
The hydro-power turbine ESAB brand coated electrodes for
fabricator IMPSA in Argentina repair and maintenance that are
acclaims the PZ 6166 metal-cored manufactured at our plant in
wire from ESAB. Perstorp, Sweden, will only be
PZ 6166 is designed for welding available in the new VacPac
the 410NiMo martensitic stainless wrapper from now on. This type of
steel, which is widely used for pack offers a remarkable way of
hydro-turbine components like storing electrodes on the shelf in
runners. PZ 6166 is without doubt your stores for up to three years, if
the ESAB leading-edge product in they are kept unopened. An
this segment. excellent reason for any customer
The very good all-positional to take a closer look at ESAB
operability combined with the R&M quality electrodes.
resulting defect-free welds are the This is a real benefit because the
features the company praises in this ageing of the electrodes is inhibited For repair and maintenance
product. as they are protected from harmful electrodes, the full-pack 1/1 type of
IMPSA is also using other atmospheric content. plastic container is now being
welding consumables from ESAB The new VacPac is available in discontinued.
Europe for its hydro-turbine three different sizes. 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 The smaller dimensions of the
fabrication. In fact, the company packs. most sophisticated types of
has successfully used most of the 1. Quarter packs contain the electrode in the R&M range
products ESAB offers for this smallest number of electrodes. namely nickel-based electrodes,
application in its production There are nine 1/4 packs to one electrodes for welding dissimilar
operations. For submerged arc carton. The approximate weight steels and copper-based electrodes
welding, it uses our combination of of a 1/4 pack is between 0.7 and are available in the 1/4 packs. A
OK Flux 10.63/OK Autrod 16.79, 1.0 kg and the number of positive factor for a purchaser as
the metal-cored PZ 6166 wire for electrodes varies according to this eliminates the need to purchase
semi-automatic welding and the the diameter. more electrodes than are necessary.
stainless, low-hydrogen OK 68.25 2. The half pack is the next size up Coated electrodes for
covered electrode. In addition, and there are six so-called 1/2 aluminium welding will still be
IMPSA has tested various types of packs to one carton. supplied in the older similar type of
ceramic backing for one-sided 3. The largest VacPac is the 3/4 size VacPac including the plastic
welding. and there are four of these to a container.
carton.

The hardfacing electrode dedicated to the sugar cane processing industry

Enormous rollers like the one seen with OK 84·76 is very easy and the 450 mm. The welding current can
here are used in the sugar cane welding characteristics are superb range between 140 and 220 amps.
crushing process and are subjected in the environment to which the The weld metal hardness, as
to excessive wear during the electrodes are exposed. welded, is 55 to 60 HRC.
season. They have to be OK 84.76 is a high chromium- The welding positions are:
continuously welded, even when carbide type and contains
the process is in full swing. No approximately 4-5% carbon and as
stopping the presses here! This much as 35% chromium. The
means that a welder must be electrode deposits a dispersion of
present on a three-shift basis to be small, hard and very wear-resistant
able to work the roller surface. The globules that fasten to the side walls This electrode is tried and tested
roller, which is located near the end of the ridges of the roller. and it appeals to welders in the
of the crushing process, is It is used on positive current for DC cane industry.
smothered in crushed, sludgy cane power sources, whereas it needs an For further information, please
and its surface is therefore wet. The open circuit voltage of at least 65 contact:
characteristics of our electrode volts for AC transformers. ESAB AB, Jeff Ramsay at
must be able to accommodate OK 84·76 is available with a e-mail: consumables@esab.se
these conditions. Striking an arc diameter of 4 mm and a length of or fax +46 31 50 91 70

14 • Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001
 arc markers and two triple-torch
head units. The initial target of
30% has been more than met! The
machine is used on three shifts,
seven days a week!
Today, the new target is once
again to increase productivity by
30% compared with the existing
machine. This target can be realised
by increasing the cutting speed
using plasma instead of flame
cutting.
The new TXB 25000 machine
will be equipped with a grinding
unit, two arc markers, one triple-
torch head and a dry VBA plasma
head. In order completely to extract
the fumes that are generated, an
The most sophisticated panel cutting machine! exhaust table measuring 20 m x 20
Chantiers de L’Atlantique is the Systems designed a panel machine m will be installed. This is a brand-
largest shipyard in France. Its order with an integrated grinding device. new concept and all the equipment
book is full until 2004-2005. The The grinding head removes paint should be installed within three
company specialises in passenger from the surface (50 mm grinding weeks and commissioned at the end
cruise liners and, as such, it has just width) where the stiffeners will of August. ESAB, always a cut
received an order for the largest subsequently be welded, at a speed above the rest!
passenger ship ever built and called of 15 m/min instead of 3 m/min with
the Queen Mary 2. a “normal” shot-blasting device. For more information, please
Three years ago, the target was This speed guarantees that less than contact Arnaud Paque at
to increase productivity on the 5 microns of paint will remain after e-mail: arnaud.paque@esab.fr
panel line by 30%. In order to grinding. The machine was or fax +33 (0) 1 30 75 55 20
achieve this target, Esab Cutting equipped with a grinding unit, two

Continued success for ESAB Super Stir™

Interest in the Friction Stir Welding machine is of the same gantry-type
(FSW) technique for aluminium design as the one for TWI, but it is
continues to grow. Even if the cost designed for a welding area of 3 x 5
of the investment is substantial, metres and is equipped with one
experience acquired from the welding head.
systems that have been installed so The third contract was signed
far indicates that good profitability with EADS/Institute de Soudure in
is possible. France and involved a basic
The FSW process offers many longitudinal FSW machine. This
benefits. The strength and quality machine is also equipped with a
are superior to those provided by unit for circumferential welding
other welding methods and the and, furthermore, the welding head
process requires no special surface is designed not only for normal
treatment prior to welding. tools but also for retractable pin-
Another of the advantages of FSW SuperStir™ equipment will now be tool and bobbin-tool techniques.
is the opportunity to join alloys that installed where the entire process All three systems will initially
could not previously be welded. was invented and where Friction start with test welding and
During the latter part of 2000, Stir Welding actually began. The laboratory operations.
ESAB’s FSW team in Laxå, equipment has a gantry-type design ESAB has previously delivered
Sweden,signed three new contracts with a welding area of 5 x 8 metres some ten sets of Super Stir™
involving deliveries of the ESAB and it is equipped with two heads equipment to companies in the
Super Stir™ system. of different sizes. marine sector and the aerospace
The first contract was signed The second contract was signed and automotive industries.
with TWI in the UK. ESAB with DanStir ApS in Denmark. This

Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001 • 15
Repairing cement kilns
North-west of Sofia lies the small village of Vratsa. it was fixed in place. The joint was filled with OK 92.26,
When the Holderbank Company of Switzerland a nickel-based electrode with high strength properties
purchased the cement works there, the plant was in at high temperatures.
great need of repair. In the past, a total of seven kilns Picture 2 shows the plate in position and welding
produced cement at this plant, but today only two completed on the outside of the kiln. Two teams of two
remain. The things that needed repairing included one welders worked two shifts for four days to complete the
of the kilns. welding. The welding team was a Sofia-based company
which had been commissioned to carry out the work on
the kiln.

The finishing touches

The joint was X-rayed and passed 100%. Before
assembling the fire bricks, the joint on the inside of the
kiln was ground, Picture 3. The new fire bricks were
then carefully re-assembled and the kiln was fired up
once again. It is now back in production.
Another part of the plant, the ball mill, was also in
need of repair. Longitudinal cracks had occurred
between the fixing bolts in the 25-year-old mill and they
had to be completely eliminated by repairing. Dye
penetrant was used to define the extent of the cracks,
which were then drilled or gouged out using the OK
21.03 gouging electrode. After thoroughly checking the
Figure 1. The kiln with a two by four metre opening. joints for remaining cracks, they were welded with OK
55.00. This repair work required 37 hours of non-stop
welding to complete.

Figure 2. The replacement plate after welding.

The diameter of this kiln is a little over six metres.

On a circumferential section in the middle of the above Figure 3. Grinding of the joint on the inside of the kiln.
picture, the shell was badly damaged because the
fireproof bricks on the inside had collapsed, rupturing
the 40 mm thick shell. A two by four metre opening was
made in which a new 40 millimetre thick replacement
plate would be fitted, see Figure 1.
The plate was cut, bevelled and prepared in the
workshop on site at the plant. The joint preparation was
an asymmetrical X type with a 3 mm root face and a 60°
bevel on each side. The corners of the plate and, later,
the opening were rounded. A mobile crane lifted the
eight square metre plate 25 metres into position, where

16 • Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001
Submerged-arc strip cladding of
continuous casting rollers using
OK Band 11.82 and OK Flux 10.07
by Dipl.-Ing. Rolf Paschold, ESAB GmbH Solingen

Continuous die casting systems are very much used in modern steel plants.
The continuous die casting technique achieves for a steel plant and the
attached rolling mill considerably higher productivity when compared with
former standard gravity die casting technique.

Due to gravity, the continuous casting process takes

place in a vertical direction, followed by redirection of
the red-hot billet into horizontal position in order to be
able to carry out the subsequent working operations
like cutting to length in the latter position.
Billet guide rollers, so-called continuous die casting
rollers, are used for redirection of the red-hot billet
(Fig. 1). These are exposed to considerable strain in
service:

Thermal load and thermal shock

The surface gets very hot (approx. 950°C) through the
contact with the red-hot billet. The roller is subjected to
heat, scaling and because of fast local temperature
changes to thermal shock. As the temperature
fluctuates locally, the rollers circumference and cross-
section is exposed to thermal stress. As a result of such
thermal load, material loss through scaling and tearing
may develop.

Corrosion
The red-hot billet already carries a scale film on its
surface. Together with the cooling water sprayed onto
the billet, it produces an acidy medium (pH 4–5) which which one is in use and the other is being re-surfaced.
causes roller corrosion. The repair of the rollers is either carried out by an
individual unit of the steel plant or by a dedicated
Wear by friction external company. Soft martensitic weld metals are
There is a mixture of rolling and sliding friction at the commonly used as an alloy for surface welding. They
contact point with the billet. These frictions cause roller consist of approx. 13% chrome, 4% nickel and about
abrasion. Mill scale which contains very hard oxides, 1% molybdenum. These alloys have been a great
causes grinding wear (abrasion). success because of their combination of resistance to
heat, thermal shock, corrosion and wear.
Metal fatigue Different welding processes are applied for surface
To guide the steel billet, the rollers are exposed partly welding of continuous casting rollers. In some cases, the
to very high forces. The present reverse bending stress regeneration is carried out by MAG welding where
can cause fatigue cracks and, at the worst, roller cored wire electrodes are preferred. Because of its
breakage. higher deposition rate, submerged arc welding is often
The sum of these strains results in a limited service used. Wire electrodes used are also cored wires, a
life of the continuous casting rollers. The system typical one is OK Tubrodur 15.73. Suitable fluxes are
operators usually have at least two sets of rollers of OK Flux 10.61 and the specially developed OK Flux

Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001 • 17
 This is a special flux with excellent welding and self-
releasing slag properties also at high working
temperatures. It produces even and notch-free plating
Fig. 2. Worn
surfaces.
concast rollers
before repair and Alloy mechanism
maintenance Metallurgical reactions set-in during sub-arc welding,
when material transfers from the wire or strip electrode
to the molten pool and when it comes into contact with
the slag, or when the molten pool is in contact with slag.
These processes depend also on the welding
parameters. For example, an increased arc voltage
results in a more intensive contact of a droplet with the
slag and consequently a stronger reaction. The
metallurgical processes during production of a multi-
fig 3.
run soft martensitic weld metal with OK Band 11.82
and OK Flux 10.07 are briefly described here. A three-
run coating onto mild steel was carried out to show the
alloy distribution. OK Band 11.82 was used, dimensions
were 60 x 0,5 mm, the weld metal parameters were is =
900 A, Us = 26 V, vs = 13 cm/mm, stick-out length of the
strip: 30 mm

Chromium
Chrome is the main alloy element in a soft martensitic
weld metal with approx. 13% Cr content. The
chromium is added to the weld metal via the strip
electrode, which contains approx. 17% Cr. With mixing
with the base material or previous runs together with
flashburning through oxydic flux components, the
chromium content of the weld metal levels out at
Fig. 4. Sub-arc cored wire surface welding with OK desired 12–14%.
Tubrodur 15.73 and OK Flux 10.37

10.37, which is suitable for sub-arc surface welding of 15

13,8
Chromium %

continuous casting rollers. Its application secures 12,9

10
outstanding weld surface and slag removal at very high 9,9
working temperatures. 5
All previously mentioned methods work with
0
alloyed cored wires in combination with shielding gases
1 2 3
or neutral, non-alloying fluxes. Since the production of Layer No.
equivalent solid wire electrodes is quite difficult
because of their hardness, cored wire electrodes have Table 1. Chromium content in weld metal
been successfully produced for a long time. For sub-arc
strip cladding suitable strip electrodes using sinter
technique have been made available. However, Nickel
production of sintered strips is relatively complicated Nickel is exclusively added via flux to the weld pool.
and costly. The more cost effective alternative is a solid With reference to equilibrium reactions, the increase of
strip containing the alloying element chrome along with nickel content becomes smaller with each run. Finally
an alloyed flux which mixes the elements of nickel and the nickel content levels out at desired 4–5%.
molybdenum with the weld metal:
Molybdenum
Strip electrode: OK Band 11.82 Adding molybdenum via the flux is similar with that of
nickel. With increasing number of runs, the alloy
EN 12072: S 17
difference becomes smaller, until the equilibrium is
DIN 8556: UP X 8 Cr 17
reached at about 0,8–1,2%.
Werkstoff-Nr: 1.4015
Surface cladding of continuous casting rollers is
Flux: OK FIux 10.07 carried out in three runs. As a result, the requested
target analysis is achieved and a soft martensitic weld
EN 760: SA CS 2 NiMo DC
metal is produced. Before machining, the rollers are

18 • Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001
 5,0
4,0 4,4
Nickel %

3,0 3,9
3,0
2,0
1,0
0,0
1 2 3
Layer No.

Table 2. Nickel content in weld metal

1,5
Molybdenum %

1,0
0,87 0,96
0,5 0,66

0,0
1 2 3
Layer No.

Table 3. Molybdenum content in welding pool

annealed (e.g. 520°C/4h). The weld metal hardness after

annealing is 40±2 HRC. However – are there further
advantages using sub-arc strip cladding with OK Band Fig. 5. Strip cladding of smaller rollers with OK Flux 10.07
and OK Band 11.82 dimension 30 x 0.5 mm.
11.82 and OK Flux 10.07 apart from cost-effectiveness?
OK Band 11.82 is mostly used as a strip of 60 x 0,5 mm.
A welding current of 700–900 Amps is usually used for
that strip dimension, which results in a deposition rate
About the author
of 12–14 kg/h – a very good rate of profitability with Rolf Paschold, product manager at ESAB GmbH
surface cladding. In addition it must be considered that Solingen (Germany), graduated in 1990 as a mechanical
the weakest point of cladded rollers is the transition and welding engineer. He joined ESAB in 1991 and is the
between the weld beads. Due to the heat spread from sales support manager for welding consumables. Mr
the next run, annealing affects the overlap line. Here Paschold has always shown a special interest in tailor-
made process applications developed together with the
the hardness and wear resistance are a bit lower. Using
costumer.
wide strip electrodes, the number of weld bead overlaps
is reduced and abrasive resistance is in total better.

Fig. 6. The
principle of
continuous
casting and
hot rolling.

Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001 • 19
ESAB delivers engineered automatic
welding station to Ghana in Africa for
build-up welding of worn railway
wheels
by Peder Hansson, ESAB Welding Equipment, Laxå, Sweden

The wheels of rolling stock are exposed to extensive wear. Braking, acceleration
and passing bends all result in the gradual wearing down of the running surface
of the wheels. In particular, the lateral forces generated when a wheel passes a
bend cause a great deal of wear in the transitional zone between the “tyre” or
running surface of the wheel and the side flange. In most cases, this wear occurs
both radially and axially and results in a negative change in the profile of the
wheel.

20 • Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001
Welding and hardness

Wheel Consumables Hardness

C 0.7, Si 0.5, Mn 1.4 OK Flux 10.96, OK Tubrodur 14.71 Face edge 520 HV

C< 0.5, Si 0.3, Mn < 0.9 Ok Flux 10.71, OK Autrod 12.24 Face 200 HB

C< 0.5, Si 0.5, Mn 1.5 Ok Flux 10.71, OK Autrod 12.40 250 HB

C 0.45, Si 0.3, Mn 0.55, Cr 1.1, Mo 1.2 OK Flux 10.71, OK Tubrodur 15.40 32-40 Hrc

The wheel can naturally be given its original profile

once again using a lathe turning process. However, one
significant drawback of this method is that it involves Scope of Supply
the removal of a large amount of material that is not
worn out. This takes time and also results in a wheel of 1- Tiltable manipulator with head- and
smaller diameter. tailstock
A more effective method involves rebuilding the
worn part of the wheel surface by welding. Using a 2- Column and Boom, type MKR 300
suitable filler material and the correct welding method,
the welded material is equally good or even better than 2- Welding head, type A6S - Arcmaster
the base material and the wheel can then be given its for Twin or Single wire SAW
original profile by fine grinding.
2- Process controller, type PEG1
The process and the welding equipment
2- Joint tracking equipment, type A6 GMD
Welding is done without removing the wheel or bearing
housings and both wheels can be welded 2- Power sources, type LAE 1250
simultaneously using two submerged arc-welding
heads. 2- Flux recovery units, type OPC
The axle complete with wheels is rolled in on rails
into the bottom of the machine, build-up welding is
1- Flux feeding equipment, type OPC 75
performed and the axle is then rolled out again.
The manipulator, which is down in a pitch, clamps
the axle with the wheels and rotates the wheels. Spare part set
For welding in the best position, the manipulator Consumables, wire and flux
and the wheel set can be tilted ±50 degrees.
The two automatic A6 welding heads are mounted
on ESAB MKR columns and booms, allowing the
heads to be positioned in the desired position in
relation to the wheels.
The welding process is either single wire or twin
wire (two wires connected to same power source). The
power sources are two ESAB LAF 1250 for a
About the author
maximum of 1,250 A. Peder Hansson joined ESAB in Laxå in 1969 as a
The welding process controller is the ESAB mechanical designer. He is now responsible for the sale of
computerized PEH process controller. engineered solutions within ESAB Automation in Laxå,
Flux is automatically fed from floor level to the primarily in the shipyard and pipemill sectors.
welding heads, by means of pressure and hoses with
compressed air.

Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001 • 21
Cobalarc: The future of manual
hardfacing
A K De, Divisional Manager, Reclamation Consumables, Esab India Ltd.
S Sarkar, Product Manager, Reclamation Consumables, Esab India Ltd.

As the days pass and the pressure on industry to conserve

precious natural resources becomes immense, the issue of
hardfacing is becoming increasingly important. At the same time,
welding technology is moving towards increasing automation.

The regular reclamation applications in the industry,

however, do not always permit the use of continuous
consumables because of exigencies and the versatility
of alloys. Stick electrodes provide the greatest
flexibility in terms of the chemical composition and
microstructure of the deposited alloys. Bearing all these
aspects in mind, it can be inferred that the Cobalarc
range of electrodes will be the standard-bearer for
manual hardfacing as we look into the next millennium.

Hardfacing with carbides and Cobalarc

Cobalarc is a range of hardfacing stick electrodes
manufactured and marketed by Esab India Ltd. These
electrodes are mainly used for hardfacing in
applications where the prime factor of wear is abrasion.
As is well known in welding circles, the major
Figure 1.
ingredients that provide resistance to abrasion are
metallic and non-metallic carbides, owing to their very
high hardness. However, this feature also renders them
difficult, if not impossible, to use in coated electrodes. 1. Preformed carbides: In coated electrodes, the
This problem has really come as a blessing in formation of carbides to provide a high level of
disguise – the launch of Cobalarc electrodes. In this hardness takes place in the weld pool and subsequently
case, these preformed carbides are put into a mild steel as the weld cools. However, in Cobalarc, the preformed
tube, which is then subjected to normal manual arc carbides are packed into the tubes. So, the deposition of
welding. Welding is facilitated by the presence of a thin carbides is absolutely ensured.
coating of non-hygroscopic arc stabilizers on the tube.
This simple step has revolutionized hardfacing. As high 2. Low heat input: In hardfacing, minimizing the heat
volumes of carbides are packed into these steel tubes, input is absolutely essential in order to obtain the best
the resultant weld deposit provides excellent abrasion hardness in the deposit. In Cobalarc, the heat input is
resistance. In some applications, impact, oxidation very low indeed. As Cobalarc electrodes involve
and/or corrosion is also present, along with abrasion. In burning a mild steel tube with a very small cross-
such cases, the various types of carbide are packed in section, the requisite current density is obtained at low
combination. amperage. The heat input is therefore low. The
adjoining figure (Fig. 1) shows a comparative scenario
Benefits of heat input involved in different types of stick
Cobalarc electrodes offer the following advantages, the electrode welding.
cumulative effect of which is increased life for the
hardfaced components at an economical cost to the 3. Small HAZ: The heat-affected zone in the base metal
end-user: is almost absent or is very small. So the original
22 • Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001
component does not have any metallurgical side-
effects.

4. Negligible loss due to slag: The slag volume in

Cobalarc electrodes is very small. As a result, the metal
recovery of the electrode is very high.

5. No deslagging: The arc-on time is at its maximum

with Cobalarc electrodes because the welder does not
need to remove the slag from the weld bead between
two successive runs. The slag is very small in volume
and it solidifies at the sides of the bead instead of on
top. So any subsequent run without deslagging does not
affect the quality and hardness of the deposit.

6. Gaseous protection: The virtual absence of slag does

not mean that the Cobalarc deposits are exposed to the
atmosphere. The outer coating contains ingredients that
burn to generate a large volume of gases, which provide
the necessary shield.

7. Minimal butt end loss: One major factor when it

comes to losses in manual welding is the thrown-away
butt ends. In Cobalarc, the butt ends do not contain any
carbide material. So what the welder actually throws
away is only a piece of the hollow tube. The butt end
loss is therefore absolutely minimum. All these factors
add up to high recovery for these electrodes compared
with coated stick electrodes. This is evident in the
adjacent figure (Fig. 2).

8. Indefinite shelf life: The outer coating contains non- Figure 2.

hygroscopic ingredients, which render the mild steel
tube rust-free, thus giving the electrodes an indefinite sizing screens, crane grab shovels, ID fan blades,
shelf life. The rigid tube also protects the preformed impeller casings, ball mill liner plates, dragline teeth,
carbides from degeneration over time. agricultural implements and a host of other similar
applications. It is also suitable for giving improved
abrasion resistance to mild and low-alloy steels where
The range the impact resistance requirement is fairly limited, such
The Cobalarc range consists of the four brands which as rolling mill guides, muller tyres and so on.
have been designed for a host of applications, based on
the wear factors present. The selection of carbides and
their relative proportions are the main aspects for any Cobalarc 9
consumable to combat certain wear conditions. Features: The weld metal which is deposited contains a
combination of complex carbides that accommodate
compound wear patterns. The main ingredient is once
Cobalarc 1M again chromium carbide to provide the abrasion
Features: Chromium carbide particles are distributed in resistance, but some other metallic carbides are added
an austenitic matrix to provide resistance to abrasion. in tandem for high temperature abrasion resistance and
The matrix helps to provide resistance to moderate to oxidation.
medium impact. The presence of a large amount of Hardness: 60 – 62 HRC
chromium in the deposit gives it the added advantage Applications: This electrode is chiefly used in
of oxidation resistance. applications requiring resistance to abrasion and
moderate to heavy impact, even at higher temperatures.
They include coal burner nozzles, ID fans, rolling mill
Hardness: 56 – 60 HRC guides, railway tampers, pug mills, augers, pump casings
Applications: The electrode offers excellent wear and impellers, brick press screws, tie rods, sizing screens,
resistance to austenitic manganese steel and is dredger buckets and lips, agricultural implements and
therefore used on dredger buckets and lips, crusher so on. This electrode is also used to hardface steel
jaws, bulldozer cutting edges, pulveriser hammers, castings intended for high-temperature applications.
Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001 • 23
 Welding procedure
The procedure to be followed for depositing hard layers
with Cobalarc electrodes is somewhat different from
normal MMA welding.

Base metal preparation

• The surface to be overlaid should be cleaned by
grinding, wire brushing, shot blasting or machining
to obtain the best results. Sharp corners should
preferably be rounded off to minimize dilution.
• Carburised or nitrided steels have to be ground off
to remove the case.
• Hardened high-carbon steels should be annealed.
• Austenitic manganese steels should not be
preheated.
• Prior to hardfacing high-carbon or alloy steels, it is
recommended that a tough and ductile buffer layer
be applied.

Cobalarc 4 Welding tips

Features: This electrode deposits fine tungsten carbide • Use the recommended current. Excess amperage
embedded in a hard, tough matrix. The matrix is a and deep penetration to reduce dilution.
composite of martensite and austenite phases. The • Direct the arc onto the previous bead to minimize
matrix-carbide combination provides excellent dilution.
resistance to severe abrasion supplemented by high • Allow deposits to cool slowly
stresses. Any other form of abrasion is perfectly taken • In the event of post-weld finishing, use wet grinding
care of by the weld metal. These properties are to avoid localized heating.
exhibited at low to moderate temperatures. In addition, • Relief checks on deposits are normal and desirable.
the deposit is resistant to high-temperature oxidation.
Hardness: 59 – 63 HRC Conclusion
Applications: Drill bits for rock drills, oil well drills and We can therefore conclude that the hardfacing of
churn drills, scrapers and mixer blades for sand and machine parts subjected to wear conditions is here to
refractory material mixers, pug mill augers and knives, stay and that stick electrodes will also be used for
fan and pump impellers, sand and gravel chutes, sudden emergencies The carbide combinations offered
choppers, feed screens, post-hole auger feed screws and by the Cobalarc range of electrodes, manufactured by
the like are some of the major applications for this Esab India Ltd. at its Khardah plant, will be the perfect
electrode. choice to accommodate the complex wear patterns
created by the diverse industrial conditions.

Cobalarc MX
Features: The weld deposit created by here is basically
stabilized carbides in a matrix that is reinforced by
hardeners that lock the grain boundaries to resist
movement at higher temperatures. The softening of the About the authors
primary carbides is also resisted. This produces hot
Amit De is Divisional Manager-Reclamation Consum-
hardness up to about 800°C. The carbides, from metals
ables for ESAB India. He has been in the welding
such as vanadium, chromium, molybdenum and industry for 21 years and has held sales management
tungsten, are complex in nature and are suited to resist positions in different parts of India. He is responsible for
all forms of wear. The carbides are very fine in size and the sale, marketing and manufacture of Reclamation
evenly distributed to resist even fine-particle abrasion. Consumables.
The corrosion resistance is also excellent. This is the
only electrode in this range that can be welded in the Soumya Sarkar graduated in Metallurgical Engineering
from Jadavpur University, Calcutta, in 1993. He also has a
HV position other than the normal downhand position.
Diploma in Business Management from the Indian
Hardness: 62 – 66 HRC Institute of Management in Calcutta. With experience of
Applications: The most common uses for this electrode sales, manufacturing and product development, he is now
are sinter plant components, ash ploughs, conveyor the Product Manager for the Reclamation Consumables
screws and flights, zinc blast furnace parts, copper Division of ESAB India.
ladles, exhaust fans handling high-temperature flue
gases with ash or catalyst particles and so on.

24 • Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001
Repair welding of blades
for rubber mixing
by Roland Bürgel, Dienst-Apparatetechnik GmbH + Co. KG, Siegen and Rolf Paschold,
ESAB GmbH Solingen

When manufacturing tyres for vehicles, it is necessary to

produce a special blend of rubber containing several
compounds which enhance properties that extend their life
span. These chemical additions consist of a certain amount
of solid, fine-grained materials like soot.

One of the main steps in production is the mixing After more than a year in operation, the repaired
process in which raw rubber is “alloyed” with the other mixer blades display no significant wear or damage. The
compounds. These finegrained materials act as owner of the mixer is very satisfied and approved both
abrasives on the mixing equipment. flux-cored wires and the welding procedure for this
As a result, a special kind of wear appears; it is application.
called erosion. After a certain life cycle, the mixing
equipment has to be re-built, because of excessive wear OK Tubrod 15.34 EN 12073: T 18 8 Mn M M 2
to the edges of the mixer blades.
DIN 8555: MF8-200-CKNPZ
The main task before rebuilding the edges of the
AWS A 5.22: E307LT1-G
mixer blades was to choose a suitable weld metal. It had
OK Tubrodur 15.81 DIN 8555: MF6-60-GP
to be hard enough to ensure wear resistance for one life
cycle and strong enough to withstand separation from
the base material during operation. The owner of the
rubber mixer has already encountered negative results
with weld metals consisting of a very high amount of
chromium and other carbides that were said to be very
resistant to wear. The problem was that parts of the
very brittle weld metal broke off during the mixing
operation.
Dienst-Apparatetechnik and ESAB preferred a
different weld metal. To ensure that the weld metal did
not separate from the base metal, it was decided to Fig. 1. First build-up layer welded on the mixer blade with
begin by applying a tough, strong buffer layer before OK Tubrod 15.34.
hardfacing. For this reason, OK Tubrod 15.34 was used
to weld the buffer layer on the machined edge of the
mixer blade (Fig. 1) and, for the hardfacing layers, OK
Tubrodur 15.81 was chosen, giving a martensitic weld
metal including fine-grained, dispersed carbides (Fig.
2). This is important when it comes to creating very high
wear resistance to fine-grained abrasives causing
erosion. OK Tubrodur 15.81 is also suitable for abrasion
from fine-grained materials combined with high
pressure or a medium impact load. If a weld metal with
large grained chromium carbides in a ledeburitic matrix
is used, the matrix between the carbides wears out
before the carbide itself. This is avoided by using OK Fig. 2. Repair welded mixer blade ready for profiling by
Tubrodur 15.81. grinding.

Svetsaren nr 1 • 2001 • 25
 Visit ESAB at
Schweissen & Schneiden 2001
Schweissen & Schneiden is the world’s largest welding and cutting exhibition
and is held every four years in Essen, Germany. This year’s exhibition will be the
15th.

Approximately 1,000 exhibitors from more than 40 nations will be participating

this year

The total exhibition area is 110,000 m2 and there are 19 halls.

Messe Essen estimates that more than 100,000 visitors from more than 90
countries will come to the fair.
12-18 September 2001
Information
For more information, go to ESAB’s homepage: www.esab.net. or send an
e-mail to info@esab.se.
On the homepage of Messe Essen, www.messe-essen.de you can also find
information.

Tickets
To get a free entrance ticket, please contact the ESAB sales company or
representative in your country. The addresses can be found on our web site
www.esab.net under the heading contact us.

Five good reasons why you should visit the ESAB stand in Hall 1
ESAB will be ESAB will be ESAB will have ESAB is an inno- and of course,
focusing on the demonstrating a product and vative company we at ESAB would
very lates in range of new process specialists with almost 100 like to meet you!
welding and cutting product and on hand to advise years of experience
technology process innovations on all aspects of in the welding and
welding and cutting cutting industry
 ✂ Svetsaren 1. 2001

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ESAB AB, SVETSAREN, Box 8004, SE-402 77 Göteborg, Sweden

ESAB AB, Box 8004, S-402 77 Göteborg, Sweden
Tel. +46 31 50 90 00. Fax. +46 31 50 93 90
Internet: http://www.esab.com