General
Description
Joint
Design &
Preparation
Making the
Weld
Operating
Hints &
Procedures
Definition of
Supporting
Molten Metal
Edge
Preparation
Terms
Joint Cleaning
Basic Joint
Types
15 Supporting Molten Weld Metal a.   The Need for Molten Weld Metal Support Submerged arc welding creates a large volume of molten metal which remains fluid for an appreciable period of time. It is essential that this molten metal be supported and contained until it has solidified. b.   Weld Backing Methods to Secure Molten Support There are five generally used ways of supporting molten weld metal: Non-fusible backing Submerged arc flux backing Root backing Weld backing Fusible metallic backing The first two employ temporary backing which is removed after the weld is completed. In the other three, the backing becomes a part of the completed joint. 1. Non-Fusible Backing Copper backing is a frequently used non-fusible backing in the welding of steel. It is used when the base metal does not have sufficient mass to provide adequate weld metal support, or when complete weld penetration must be obtained in one pass. Copper backing is especially useful for welding gage thickness materials. Several types of copper-backed joints are shown in Fig. 3. Continued on next page...