UNIT 17

ELECTRODES

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 UNIT 17
ELECTRODES

Structure

17.1 Introduction

17.2 Objectives

17.3 Electrodes Types

17.3.1 Bare Wire Electrodes

17.3.2 Carbon Electrodes

17.3.3 Extruded Electrodes

17.4 Electrodes Classifications

17.5 Electrode Materials

17.6 Electrode Coating

17.7 Coding of Welding Electrodes

17.8 What you have learnt

17.9 Terminal Questions

17.1 INTRODUCTION

Electric arc welding carne into being when Bernados of Petro grad patented carbon arc
~16 :: Welding Technology

welding in 1887. The next process to be used was bare-wire a welding. These two processes

were the only arc-welding processes used until the 1920s.

By this time the advent of the motor car had brought with it the need for underground bulk
fuel containers. In America these were first made by using bare-wire arc-welding with a
direct current generator as a power source. In Australia the shortage of suitable DC welding

equipment led to a search for an alternative welding method. From this came the

development of the flux-coated arc-welding electrode used with an alternating current

transformer as a power source.

Early electrodes were simply a bare wire dipped in sodium silicate and allowed to dry. In

operation, the wire formed the weld-metal, and the sodium silicate acted as a reducing

agent that consumed some of the surrounding oxygen and stopped it from attacking the
molten weld-metal.

Latter electrodes consisted of a bare wire which was first wrapped with asbestos of string

and then dipped in sodium silicate. The asbestos string served to stop the sodium silicate
from breaking away from the electrode during handling and welding.

Over the years other ingredients were added to the flux coating:

(a) Cellulose (wood powder) which gives deeper penetration.

(b) Silica (Powered sand), a reducing agent that consumes oxygen surrounding the
weld-pool.

(c) Manganese, another reducing agent.

(d) Extra carbon to compensate for that percentage that is burnt out of the weld-pool
during welding.

(e) Rutile, the basic ingredient of many general purpose electrodes.

 Electrodesr 217

17.2 OBJECTIVES

After going through this unit you will be able to:

• list various types of electrodes used by welding industry;

• differentiate between different types of coating used;

• classify electrodes;

• selection of electrodes;

.• suggest electrode material;

• carry out coding of electrodes.

17.3 ELECTRODES: TYPES

The electrodes types in use today fall into the following broad classifications:

17.3.1 Bare-Wire Electrodes

They consist of a bare wire that is used in an electrode connected to a DC welding supply.
They are little used nowadays because the oxygen in the surrounding air attacks the molten
metal, and forms iroil oxide, resulting in a weak, brittle weld.

The most recent use of this method observed by the author was the building up of worn
surfaces on mine trolley axles. For this application a cheap, fast, low-quality weld deposit
was suitable.

17.3.2 Carbon Electrodes

They consist of copper-coated graphite electrodes of the type used in theatre projector
arc lamps. The graphite is a good conductor and bums away slowly when an arc is formed.
The copper coating prevents the graphite from collapsing while hot. The arc is formed
 218 :: Welding Technology

between the electrode and the work to be welded. Abare wire is fed into the weld-pool
to provide the filler metal required.

Another method of carbon arc-welding is by the use of a carbon-arc torch. This handpiece
holds electrodes at right angles to each other. Welding current is fed to both electodes, and
the operator can adjust the arc length with a thumbscrew. Because the arc is between the
two carbon electrodes, this torch should be reasonably manoeuvrable In relation to the
work.

Carbon electrodes bum slowly, the 8 nun size lasting, say 20 minutes, and will operate on
AC or DC current.

A typical application is the carbon arc-welding of 1.5 in galvanised steel sheet in air-
conditioning ductwork. A 4 mm electrode is used with 2.5 mm "cusilman" filler wire. A
low current density means that the galvanised coating on the work is disturbed very little.
As this application has onlyto provide a sealwithout great strength, oxidation and subsequent
weakness of the weld are comparatively minor problems.

17.3.3 Extruded Electrodes

Most electrodes in use today are extruded. During manufacture the wire passes through a
bath offlux mixture. The wire and flux pass through a sizing die and then into a drying oven
to cure the flux. The result is an electrode with a strongly adhering flux that easilywithstands
the rigours of handling and welding.

17.4 ELECTRODE CLASSIFICATION

When we look at an electrode packet, we see many figures which are obviously code
classifications but which may baffle even competent tradesmen.

- In Australia we have a Standard Electrode Code compiled by the Australia Standards

Association but many British and American Codes are still in use: Such things as ship
repairs, refinery and pipeline welding, fabricated goods and electrodes sold on overseas
 Electrodes: 219

markets may still have to comply with overseas code requirements. Electrode packets in
Australia are branded with all the relevant codes.

Here we shall consider only the Australian Standard Code for Covered Electrodes for
Metal Arc-Welding of Carbon and Low Alloy steels, known as "Classification of Covered
Electrodes" .

For the most common electrodes this code consists of the letter "E" followed by four
digits, e.g., E 4113. The "E" stands for metallic arc-welding electrodes. Thefirst two
digits stand for approximate tensile strength of the deposit.

The last two digits show the type of electrode andthe flux coating, the type of current to be
used with this electrode and the positions inwhich the weld-metal may be deposited with
these electrodes.

Selecting the Electrode

Selection of proper electrode for a givenjob isvery important as the recommended electrode
is essential for sound weld joint for different metal thicknesses. The electrode material
should be according to job metal to obtain proper strength ofthe joint.

Electrode sizevaries from 1.6 mm dia. to 9 mm dia. but normally following size of electrodes
are used :
Electrode dia Diameter Currentrange Voltage across Thickness of
(mm) (S. W. G.) (Amps) Arc (Volts) base metal (mm)

2.0 14 50-70 15 Upto 1.5

2.5 12 70 - 100 15 1.5-3

3.15 10 85 - 120 20 3-6

4.0 8 140 - 180 20 6 -10

5.0 6 180 - 230 25 10 - 20

I 6.3 4 230 - 290 30 20 - 35 I

220 Welding Technology

17.5 ELECTRODE MATERIALS

The following electrode materials are in use depending upon job material :

(1) Mild steel

(2) Low alloy steel

(3) Nickel steel

(4) Chrome - moly steel

(5) Manganese - moly steel

(6) Nickel manganese - moly steel

(7) Nickel- moly - vanadium steel

(8) Aluminium

(9) Copper-aluminium

(10) Lead - bronze

(11) Phosphor bronze

For Inert Gas Metal Arc Welding (MIG) coil form bare electrodes With following chemical

composition are used:

Carbon 0.08-0.13%.

Manganese 0.30-0.40 %

Phosphorus 0.012-0.018%

Silicon 0.03-0.30 %

Sulphur 0.026-0.028%
 Electrodes:: 221

17.6ELECTRODE COATING

In flux coated electrodes the flux, during arc process, changes to neutral or reducing gases
such as carbon monoxide or hydrogen which surround the arc and prevent air form coming
in contact with the molten met~ thereby preventing oxide formation and the chemical
composition of flux promote fusion and help in removing impurities form the molten metal.

. Hand operated electrodes are normally "extruded wire with coating" over it. The coating
may contain-ingredients like Si, 02, Ti 02, FeO, MgO, Al2 03 and cellulose in various
proportions.

Over 100 formulations of electrode coatings are made to perform different purposes e.g.

(1) Help stabilise and direct the arc for effective penetration.

(2) Provide a gaseous shield to prevent atmosphric contaminations.

(3) Control surface tension in the pool to influence the shape of the bead formed when
the metal freezes.

(4) Act as scavengers to reduce oxides.

(5) Add alloying elements to the weld.

(6) Form a slag to carry off impurities, protect the hot material and slow the cooling
rate.

(7) Electrically insulate the electrode.

(8) Minimise splatter of the weld metal.

(9) Form a plasma to conduct current across the arc.

-
 222 : Welding Technology

17.7 CLASSIFICATION AND COADING OF WELDING

ELECTRODES

Each electrode is coded by a prefix letter, followed by number of six digits in numerals and
a suffix letter each indicating a specific property of the electrode. Welding electrode is
coded and classified as under:

Prefix Letter indicates the method of manufacture of the

electrode e.g. solid extrusion E or extruded with
reinforcement indicated by prefix letter G.

First digit code number indicates the type of covering and is denoted by a
number varying from 1 to 6.

Second digit code number indicates welding position in which the electrode
may be used and is denoted by 0, 1,2,3,4,9.

Third digit code number indicates welding current conditions

recommended by the manufacturer and is denoted
by the number 0, 1,2,3,4,5,6, 7, 9.

2
Fourth digit code number indicates range oftensile strength in kg/mm in
combination with the yield stress and is denoted
by 41,51.

Sixth digit code number indicates percentage elongation in combination

with the impact value of deposited metal and is
denoted by 0, 1,2, 3,4, 5.

Suffix letter There may be one or more suffix letters each

indicating a specific property or characteristic or
both of the electrode and are indicated as H, J,
K,L, P.

. ---------..,.-----------------------------
 Electrodes:': 223

Thus a welding electrode is classified and coded as under:

E The electrode is manufactured by solid extrusion process and is suitable for metal
arc welding of mild steel.

3 The electrode coating contains an appreciable amount of titanium and produces

fluid slag.

The electrode is suitable for welding in the flat, horizontal, vertical and overhead
position.

6 The electrode is suitable for welding on D.C. with straight or reverse polarity and is
also suitable for welding on A. C. with an open circuit voltage not less than 70 V.
")

41 The range of tensile strength of deposited weld metal is 410 to 510 N/mm - with a
2
yield stress of3 30 N/mm •

2 The minimum percentage elongation of deposited weld metal is 24 of 5.65 and the
average impact test value of the deposited weld metal is 47 J at - 220°C.

J The electrodes has iron powder in the covering giving a metal recovery of 100 to
130 percent.

For complete detail refer to

BIS: 815 -1947,1966,1974.

Classification of Arc Welding Electrodes

The arc welding electrodes are classified as

- (1) Consumable Electrodes: These are made of various metals depending upon their
purpose and the chemical composition of the parent metals being welded. These get
consumed during welding .-?Cration.
224 : Welding Technology

(2) Non-Consumable Electrodes: These electrodes do not get conswned during welding

operation. These are usually made of carbon, graphite, tungsten or copper and are suitable

in carbon, arc, inert -gas arc, atomic hydrogen processes and for resistance welding.

Gas used in Welding

Various gas combination can be used for producing a hot flame. It is a combination of
oxygen with a fuel gas. The types of fuel gases available are acetylene, propane, hydrogen

and coal gas. Among these, acetylene gives the hottest flame and is the most widely used

and is know as oxy-acetylene welding.

17.8 WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNT

Selection of proper electrode for a given job is very important as the recommended electrode

dia is essential for sound weld joint, for different metal thickness. The electrode material

should be according to the job metal to obtain proper strength of the joint. In the present
unit electrode coding, material, classification and coating have been described .Bare wire,

carbon ,extruded electrodes are types of electrodes. Arc welding electrodes can be

classified as conswnable and non conswnable electrodes.

17.9 TERMINAL QUESTION

1. What is the purpose of coating an electrode used for arc welding?

2. What are the different types of electrodes used in the welding?

3. How are the electrodes classified?

4. How are the electrodes coded?

5. What is the significance of electrode coding?