2 Introduction
General Description of Submerged Arc
Welding Definition
Submerged are welding is a method in
which the heat required to fuse the metal is generated by an arc
formed by an electric current passing
between the welding wire and the workpiece. The tip of the welding
wire, the arc, and the workpiece are
covered by a layer of granulated mineral material known as submerged
arc welding flux. There is no visible
arc and no sparks, spatter or smoke. General
Scope Welding Current
- Currents up to 2,000 amperes, a.c. or d.c., on a single
welding wire electrode have been used.
Thicknesses -
One-pass welding up to 1-1/2-in. thick and multipass welding to any thickness
can be done. Practical
minimum thickness is 18-gage. Welding
Speed - Up to 150 inches per minute
with a single welding wire. Higher speeds may be attained
with multiple electrodes in the same
welding zone. Position
- High welding current with resulting high rate of heat
input creates a large pool of liquid metal. Under
such conditions, welds must be kept horizontal to prevent spilling. Welds in which
the pool is small may
be inclined as much as 15 degrees from the horizontal without causing difficulties.
If the size of the individual
passes is limited, horizontal welds can be made on vertical surfaces if a suitable
support is provided
for the welding flux. Continued
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