Nov. 04, 2024
Hardware
Stick welding is an absolute art form that takes years to master. Like any art form, stick welding incorporates various techniques and equipment that must be understood before starting any professional work effort. This article will focus on the two most common welding sticks utilized within the world of professional welding, and .For more information on welding, read our beginner's guide to welding , which covers various welding techniques, materials, welding tools , and equipment.
So, what do the numbers on electrodes mean? A welding stick's letters and numbers signify the characteristics and how many kilopounds per square inch (KSI) of tensile strength the electrode will create. The first and second sets of printed numbers on a welding stick signify different characteristics that will determine the type of application used by the rods.
Once you learn the differences between these numbers, ordering what you need is easy. Follow our straightforward guide to stick welding electrode numbers to make it simple.
The most common electrode rods will start with 60 or 70. These digits correspond to how many kilopounds per square inch (KSI) of tensile strength the electrode will create. So, what do the 60 in e and the 70 in e stand for? 60 signifies 60,000 pounds, while 70 equals 70,000 pounds. Thus, in many cases, the weld is stronger than the materials you're fusing.If welding for a simple home project, you will likely use a lower number electrode. But if you're welding metal for a large-scale project, such as a construction site, you may require an electrode with a higher number.Once you know how many KSI you need, you can look at the second set of digits corresponding to the rod's flux coating. Higher numbers mean the rod has more coating. A rod will have more coating, while a rod will have less.
In addition to being part of the coating scale, the third number also signifies one of three possible electrode positions. The number 1 indicates an all-position electrode, which is the most flexible. The number 2 means flat or horizontal, while 4 means flat, horizontal, vertical down, and overhead.
If the letter 'E' appears on your welding rod, it can be ignored. The 'E' refers to 'electrode,' another name for a welding stick. There is no difference between rods with or without the 'E.' It's only the four-digit number that matters.
Industrial welding sticks are used for alternating and direct current applications where the maximum tensile strength is 60,000 psi. The electrode is best used for light to medium penetration on thin or sheet metal pieces. electrodes are commonly used in manufacturing truck frame bodies, metal furniture, storage tanks, farm implementations, or where aesthetics are critical.Manufactured from mild steel that provides a smooth penetrating arc, welding rods offer extreme versatility and can work in all positions throughout a welding job. The arc created by a welding rod is typically easy to maintain with low spatter loss. welding rods also hold a high titania potassium coating. This coating helps create deeper penetration, and the 60,000 PSI tensile is enough strength to cover most DIY welding jobs. welding rods are suitable for light and medium penetration jobs. Additionally, they are great for welding carbon steel and can weld at any angle. Some of the most common uses of welding rods include:Premium welding rods are designed for low, medium, and high carbon steels and higher strength low alloy steels. This rod will give you reasonable control over the arc and minimize the post-weld mess. welding sticks are easy to strike, cause little spatter, and create a smooth puddle flow and an easy slag release. One of the most significant benefits of the welding rod is that a weld can be made while holding the electrode in any position. welding sticks are ideal for high-strength low alloy steel structures and low, medium, and high carbon steels.Carbon steel-manufactured welding rods are used for structural and general-purpose welding applications requiring extra polish or high melting points. welding rods can be used in all positions while utilizing both AC and DC power sources. The welding rod's low-hydrogen iron coating makes it crack-resistant and protects the welding beam from oxygen and moisture, allowing it to perform well in freezing temperatures. stick welding rods are highly suitable for welding carbon steel and ideal for structural applications and jobs within the retail welding industry. Common welding rod applications include:The type of welding rod you choose will depend on your application and experience. Many beginners will learn to use a in their welding classes. Unless a building project calls for a higher KSI value, the is a commonly used and reliable option.In many cases, the is an industry standard. In addition to having the higher KSI and coating, it's also a low-hydrogen option, meaning it's less likely to cause cracking on crucial infrastructure projects like bridge construction. However, the rod's lack of hydrogen does mean you'll need to keep it in a rod oven to prevent it from absorbing moisture, which could weaken the rod.
Once you know which type of welding stick you need for your project, visit Industrial Metal Supply. We sell an assortment of welding stick sizes and options, including premium welding machines, tools, helmets and goggles that are perfect for tackling most projects.
For many contractors, stick welding is at the heart of their business. Over the years, materials used for structural applications have continued to lend themselves readily to the process, making the use of filler metals like AWS (American Welding Society) E stick electrodes a prominent choice. These stick electrodes provide the chemical properties necessary for the applications, along with the low hydrogen levels needed to prevent issues like cracking. They also provide the appropriate mechanical properties for these jobs ' most steel used for structural applications (A514, for example) requires filler metals that offer 70,000 psi of tensile strength. E stick electrodes meet those specifications.
As with any part of the welding process, knowing the basics about E low-hydrogen stick electrodes can be helpful in understanding their operation, performance and resulting welds. To help along the way, consider these details.
Characteristics
As a general rule, E stick electrodes are a good choice for structural steel applications due to their smooth, stable and quiet arc, and their low spatter levels. Because these applications also require careful attention to heat input and are typically on strict deadlines, it's important to have a filler metal that gives the welding operator good control over the arc and one that will minimize the need for post-weld cleanup ' any time spent reworking or cleaning welds means less time focused on gaining productivity.
These stick electrodes also offer good penetration (typically designated as 'medium penetration') so that welding operators, with the right technique, can typically avoid weld defects like lack of fusion. They also offer good deposition rates, allowing welding operators to add more weld metal into the joint in a relatively short amount of time. This characteristic is made possible by the addition of iron powder to the coating of the stick electrode.
Other elements like manganese and silicon (both of which must be present in specific levels in all E stick electrodes) also provide distinct advantages to these products. In particular, the elements function together as deoxidizers to help weld through certain levels of dirt, debris or mill scale that can be commonly found on structural steel applications.
Finally, E stick electrodes offer good arc starts and restarts, which help eliminate issues like porosity at the start or end of the weld. If restriking is allowed, it's necessary to remove the silicon deposit that forms at the end of the stick electrode in order to initiate an arc again. Note, however, some welding codes or WPS procedures do not permit the restriking of stick electrodes. Always consult with the specifications for the job beforehand.
Classification and designators
As with any filler metal, E stick electrodes are classified by the American Welding Society (AWS). In their nomenclature, the 'E' indicates that the product is a stick electrode; the '70' indicates that the filler metal provides 70,000 psi of tensile strength; the '1' indicates that it can be used in all welding positions; and the '8' refers to the low-hydrogen coating on the electrode, as well as the medium penetration it provides and the current types it requires for operation (see next section).
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In addition to the standard AWS classification, E stick electrodes can also have supplementary designators such as H4 or H8. These designators refer to the amount of diffusible hydrogen the stick electrode deposits in the weld. For example, H4 indicates that the product has 4 ml or less of diffusible hydrogen per 100 g of weldment. Similarly, the H8 designator indicates that the stick electrode has 8 ml or less of diffusible hydrogen per 100 g of weldment.
Some E stick electrodes will have an additional 'R' designator (e.g., E H4R). The 'R' indicates that the product has undergone specific testing and the filler metal manufacturer has deemed it to be moisture-resistant. Specifically, to obtain this designation, the product must be able to resist moisture (within a given range) after being exposed to 80 degree Fahrenheit temperature and 80 percent relative humidity for nine hours.
The addition of a '-1' on an E stick electrode (e.g., E-1) means that the product offers additional impact values to resist cracking at lower temperatures. Products classified as such offer impact values of 20 ft-lb at -50 degrees Fahrenheit compared to a standard E stick electrode that provides impact values of 20 ft-lb at -20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Operation
E stick electrodes are designed to operate with either a power source that provides either an AC or a DC (electrode positive-EP or electrode negative-EN) current.
During AC welding, the additional arc stabilizers and/or iron powder found in these filler metals' coating make it possible to maintain a stable arc even when the power source cycles through the alternating currents (at up to 120 times per second). The welds created with an E stick electrode may not be quite as smooth, however, because of the continuous changes in the direction of the current.
Conversely, welding with a DCEP current can make it easier to control the arc and gain a more appealing weld bead because the direction of the current flow is constant.
To gain the best results, it is always important to follow the manufacturer's recommendations for operating parameters for the given E stick electrode diameter. Approximations for these parameters are as follows:
' 3/32 inch ' 80 to 100 amps
' 1/8 inch ' 90 to 150 amps
' 5/32 inch '110 to 230 amps
' 3/16 inch ' 150 to 300 amps
' 7/32 inch ' 220 to 350 amps
' 1/4 inch ' 270 to 380 amps
Techniques
Proper technique is always important during welding and using an E stick electrode is no exception. For an E stick electrode maintain a good leading angle and 'drag' the stick electrode along the weld joint. A 3 to 5 degree angle is ideal for vertical up welding, and employing a slight weaving technique works well in this position, too. In the flat and horizontal positions, maintain a tight arc length, ideally, keeping the stick electrode almost on top of the weld puddle. Doing so helps minimize the opportunity for porosity.
A good rule of thumb is to maintain a weld bead width approximately two and a half times the diameter of the core wire inside the stick electrode for flat and horizontal welding applications. For vertical up welding, try to create a weld bead width around two and a half to three times the size of the core wire. Wider weld beads than these recommendations increase the potential for slag inclusions, which compromise the integrity of a structural weld.
Packaging, storage, handling and reconditioning
Because of the low-hydrogen designation of E stick electrodes, these products typically ship from the filler manufacturer in a hermetically sealed package. To protect from moisture damage, it is important to keep that package intact until the products are ready for use. It is also important to keep the stick electrodes in a dry storage area.
Once opened, welding operators should handle the stick electrodes with clean, dry gloves to prevent dirt and debris from adhering to the products' coating and to eliminate the opportunity for moisture pickup from the sweat or oils on their hands. These products also need to be held in an oven at the temperatures recommended by the filler metal manufacturer after being opened.
In some cases, certain job codes may dictate how long a stick electrode package can remain open on a jobsite and how often the product can be reconditioned in a holding oven ' frequent reconditioning can degrade the outer coating and minimize the product's shelf life. Always consult with the specifications and codes for the requirements on each job.
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