QUICK GUIDE TO MMA ELECTRODE WELDING

MMA WELDING

> WHAT IS WELDING

Welding is a process that allows two or more metals to melt one into the other in a permanent way.
Protagonists in this process are: Steel, Stainless Steel, Aluminum, Copper, Bronze, Titanium, metal alloys
and galvanized surfaces.

Welding is anywhere it is necessary to guarantee the highest performance, even in the most extreme
environmental and use conditions, but it is also an ally capable of adapting to our simplest but no less
important needs - as in the world of do-it-yourself - as well as to be flexible to all plant engineering and
maintenance needs in all civil and professional fields.

There are various welding processes: the most common and simplest one is Arc Welding with coated
electrodes (the so-called MMA - Manual Metal Arc – welding process), to follow is the Continuous Wire Arc
Welding process either with gas (GMAW - Gas Metal Arc Welding) or without gas protection (FLUX or Self
Shielded Wire) and the Inert Gas Arc Welding with infusible Tungsten electrode (TIG - Tungsten Inert Gas).

Wherever welding is required, Telwin is there, with a range of products which, for extent and typology fears no
comparison on the market. Technological products that are functional, reliable and safe, the quality of which
is certified/ acknowledged by the most important international certifying bodies in the sector.
To any request, Telwin guarantees the best response.

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> THE MMA WELDING PROCESS

Arc welding with coated electrodes is
a manual process in which the heat Electrode
generated by an electric arc between a Core
coated electrode and the piece to be welded
leads to the fusion of these two elements. Welding arc Coating

The protection of the molten metal is

Gaseous protection
ensured by the electrode coating which Melting pool
by evaporating, creates a protective
atmosphere. Base material
Slag
The part of the coating that melts becomes
protective slag for the melting pool and is to
be removed later on.

> WHAT YOU NEED TO WELD IN MMA

Electrode Welding is a process easy to perform: just a few elements are enough to start welding.

POWER GENERATOR
It supplies the electric arc, generated between the base material
and the electrode, and keeps it on. Its most important feature is to
supply the current constantly to ensure arc stability and facilitate
the operator’s work.

ELECTRODE HOLDER CLAMP

It holds the electrode ensuring the electrical

contact for the passage of current and serves as
an electrical insulator for the welder.

COATED ELECTRODE

It consists of a core that

conducts the current and, by
melting, fills in the piece and
EARTH CLAMP
a coating that protects the
It closes the electrical circuit melting pool and stabilizes the
between the generator and the arc.
piece to be welded.

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ELECTRODES

Types of electrodes
There are 3 types of electrodes: rutile, basic and cellulosic.

Rutile electrodes, the most common ones, are suitable for horizontal, vertical and
angled/corner welding for small thicknesses. They are easy to strike and guarantee a
stable arc. They are easy to store and are cheap.

Basic electrodes allow welding in all positions even on large thicknesses; however,
they are difficult to strike and store and can be used on DC welding machines only.

Cellulosic electrodes are those with greater penetration and allow

welding in all positions, thanks also to a low production of slag.
They are used to weld pipes, exclusively on dedicated DC welding
machines.

Choice of the electrode

The diameter of the electrode must be chosen according to the thickness of the material to be welded and
how it has been prepared.

AVERAGE VALUES OF WELDING CURRENT (A)

Electrode diameter
1,6 mm 2 mm 2,5 mm 3,25 mm 4 mm 5 mm 6 mm
Ø (mm)

RUTILE 30-55 A 40-70 A 50-100 A 80-130 A 120-170 A 150-250 A 220-370 A

BASIC 50-75 A 60-100 A 70-120A 110-150 A 140-200 A 190-260 A 250-320 A

CELLULOSIC 20-45 A 30-60 A 40-80 A 70-120 A 100-150 A 140-230 A 200-300 A

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PPE (PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT)

Welding helmets
The mask is one of the PPE which is essential to protect the eyes and face from smoke, splashes, ultraviolet
and infrared rays emitted by the welding arc. The helmet type provides the best protection even in case of
small maintenance or DIY works. There are several types of masks:

“TRADITIONAL” MASKS WITH PASSIVE GLASS

Inactinic (dark)
glass They are equipped with a window containing an
inactinic glass that always remains dark, ensuring
constant protection. Cheap and easy, however, they
have the disadvantage for the operator of having to
raise the mask or the window every time he has to
look at the welding result and the joint.

Self-darkening glass

AUTOMATIC DARKENING MASKS

They are equipped with a filter that automatically
darkens the viewing area when the welding arc strikes
on and quickly returns to the transparent state when
it is switched off. Automatic masks can have fixed or
variable dimming. Those with variable dimming allow
dimming adjustment to better adapt to the welding
process (MMA, MIG-MAG, TIG).
Darkening
adjustment

Welding gloves
Essential to protect your hands from the heat
generated by welding and from sparks or splashes,
welding gloves are generally made of fire-retardant
leather and are longer than common safety gloves, so
as to cover also the part of the forearm.

Forearm
protection

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> HOW TO WELD

Connect the welding current return cable to the piece

being welded or to the metal bench supporting it, as
close as possible to the joint being made. This cable is
connected to the terminal with the symbol (-).

Almost all of the coated electrodes must be

connected to the positive pole (+) of the generator;
exceptionally, for electrodes with acid coating, to the
Plug in the power cord negative pole (-).

HOW TO PROCEED / TO START

Rub the tip of the electrode on the piece to be welded
by performing a movement as if you were lighting a
match.

WARNING: DO NOT TAP the electrode on the piece;

you risk damaging the coating and make it difficult to
strike the arc.

Once the arc is triggered, keep a distance from the 20°

piece equivalent to the diameter of the electrode used,
keeping it as constant as possible.

WARNING: the inclination of the electrode in the

direction of advancement must be about 20 ° - 30 °.

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At the end of the weld bead, bring the end of the electrode slightly behind the direction of advancement.
Quickly lift the electrode from the melt pool to get the arc extinguished.

The most modern welders are equipped with 3 devices that allow for optimal and safe use.

ARC FORCE: it eases the transfer of drops of melted material from the electrode to the base material,
preventing the arc from extinguishing when the drops cause contact (i.e. a short circuit) between the
electrode and the weld pool.
HOT START: it facilitates the striking of the electric arc, by supplying an overcurrent every time welding
restarts.
ANTI-STICK: it automatically switches the power source off if the electrode sticks to the base material,
thus allowing it to be removed manually without ruining the electrode holder clamp.

THE WELDING POSITIONS

The EN ISO 6947:2011 standard classifies the following welding positions:

flat vertical vertical frontal overhead

REMOVAL OF SLAG
Once the weld seam has cooled, it is necessary to clean the workpiece from the slag.

Use a hammer to chisel the electrode coating deposited on the piece and a brush to finish the cleaning.

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> WHAT DOES THE SHAPE OF THE WELDING SEAM TELLS YOU
The shape of the bead can indicate any execution errors:
PROBLEM CAUSE POSSIBLE SOLUTION

Excessive spatter Too high amperage for the Reduce amperage or select a larger electrode.
electrode.
Too long arc length or too high Reduce either arc length or voltage.
voltage.

Incomplete fusion/ Insufficient heat input. Increase the amperage. Select a larger electrode
Lack of penetration and increase the amperage.

Improper welding technique. Try to keep the weld bead centered between the two
pieces exactly over where the seam is to be created.
Change the welding angle or increase the crimping
of the piece in order to penetrate the weld on the
base of the piece.

Dirty piece. Remove grease, oil, moisture, rust, paint or coatings

from the work surface.

Wrong joint preparation. Too thick material. The preparation and design of
the joints must allow access to the bottom of the
groove.

Insufficient heat output. Increase the amperage. Select a larger electrode

and increase the amperage. Reduce welding speed.

Excessive Excessive heat input. Select lower amperage and/or use a smaller
penetration/holes electrode. Increase and/or maintain a suitable and
constant welding speed.

Distortion Excessive heat input. Use the clamp to hold the base metal in place.
Spot welds along the joint before starting the
welding operation. Select an amperage suitable for
the thickness and the electrode. Increase the speed.
Weld in small segments and allow cooling between
welds.

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> TIPS & TRICKS

WELDING MACHINE
Use the shortest welding cables possible. If the power source is far away, it is better to lengthen the
power cables than the welding ones (max up to 3 meters).
Unwind the extensions if they are in roll and remember to increase the section of the extension every
15 meters or so, so as not to overheat the extension or drop in voltage.
Always make sure that the welding cables are well fixed, so as not to lose voltage or trigger
overheating or flames between the connectors with their rapid deterioration and loss of efficiency.

ELECTRODES
Start with the easiest electrodes (Rutile E6013); always check the manufacturer’s instructions on the
package.
Always store the electrodes in closed boxes and possibly in low humidity conditions.
If the electrode remains stuck, move the electrode slightly left and right: in this way it will easily
detach from the piece and you can start welding again.
Check the polarity of the electrodes before welding. Usually the Rutile electrodes are connected to
the negative pole and the Basic ones to the positive. The electrode box will provide you with this
indication.

TIPS FOR THE USE

Before welding, prepare the pieces by cleaning them well (there should be no paint or rust).
Always check for your PPE to be in good condition (mask and gloves). Choose a helmet mask for
greater protection from smoke and brightness.
While welding, keep the electrode almost in contact with the metal: this will allow you to be more
precise and make the weld flow better.
If you weld vertically, weld from top to bottom to perform the work more easily.
Make a zigzag movement (up & down electrode) to make a thicker joint (wider bead).
If you weld particularly large thicknesses, you can make two or more welding turns. At the end of the
first, remember to remove the slags before proceeding with the second.
Avoid using metal structures that are not part of the workpiece to replace the welding current return
cable; this can be dangerous for safety and give unsatisfactory welding results.

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> THE FORCE RANGE

Force is the 100% Made in Italy range of direct current (DC) MMA electrode welding machines, which has
established itself on the market as a standard of Telwin’s quality and reliability. Thanks to the inverter
technology, which guarantees exceptional stability of the welding current, and thanks to the arc force, hot
start and anti-stick devices, it is possible to weld on Steel, Stainless Steel and Cast Iron with extreme
simplicity and quality, any simple maintenance or artistic work.

Complete with accessories for electrode welding (electrode holder and earth clamp, complete with
welding cables).
Made in Italy by Telwin. Safety and Quality certified by TÜV SUD
Lightweight and compact with 230V power supply (can be used with 3kW domestic meters)
Thermostatic, overvoltage, undervoltage, overcurrent protections. Compatible for use with motor
generators (230V ± 15%).

Force 125 Force 145 Force 165 Force 195 Force 168 MPGE

A MIN
MAX
Current range
(min-max)
10-80A 10-130A 10-150A 15-170A 10-150A

Ø DC
MMA Electrode
1,6-2,5mm 1,6-3,2mm 1,6-4mm 1,6-4mm 1,6-4mm
MIN/MAX Diameter (min-max)

TELWIN

%USE20°C
Duty Cycle at 20°C 80A @ 50% 125A @ 60% 150A @ 60% 170A @ 40% 150A @ 60%

Mains Fuse 10A 16A 16A 16A 16A

> Are you sure you haven’t forgotten anything?

With Telwin you have everything you need,
from welding masks to gloves, as well
as other accessories such as magnetic
positioners and electrodes. Visit telwin.com
to discover the whole offer!

T E L W I N . C O M

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