Submerged Arc Welding

By
L D Poyyara

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 SAW
Fusion Welding Process
Automatic / Semi Automatic
Arc Between Consumable Electrode And Work
Arc Covered Under granular Flux
Wire / Electrode Continuously Fed To Weld Pool
Wire / Arc Under Flux Moves Along The Groove
Wire, BM & Flux Close to Arc Melt Under Flux
On Cooling Weld Metal Solidifies
Molten Flux Forms Thick Slag
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Coating On Weld
 SAW
Hopper

Flux Power Source

Wire +
+
Slag
Flux Weld
Base Metal

Arc

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 Flux For SAW

Sodium Chloride
Potassium Chloride
Titanium Dioxide
Sodium Silicate
Deoxidizing Agents

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 Types Of Flux

Fused Flux

Agglomerated Flux
Neutral Flux
Active Flux

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 Types Of Flux

Neutral Flux
-Wire compatible to base metal
- Single flux suitable for several material
Active Flux
- Single flux suitable for specific application
- Wire may be different from basemetal
- To be welded within the recommended parameters

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 Function Of Flux In SAW
Stabilizes Arc
Prevents contamination of weld metal
Cleans the weld from unwanted impurities
Increases Fluidity of molten metal
Generates inert gas shielding while metal transfers
Forms slag after melting & covers weld
Allows deposited metal to cool slowly
Compensates alloying elements Within the weld
Eliminates spatter generation
Helps in even & uniform bead finish
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 Baking Requirements For Flux

Spread the loose Flux in a Tray Of baking Oven

Identify The Tray With The Quality/Grade Of Flux
Bake Tray in an Oven Between 300 C to 350 C
Baking Time 2 Hrs to 3 Hrs
Reduce the temperature to 100 C to 150 C
Hold the Flux at this temperature till use

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 Why Baking Flux?

To remove the moisture (H2O)

To avoid possible cracking of weld due

to H2

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 How Does Moist Flux Generate
Crack Within Weld?
Moist Flux introduce atomic hydrogen at high
temperature in weld
On cooling, atomic hydrogen try to form
molecules
The reaction results in stresses and fine cracks
Cracks occur within hardened metal - HAZ
Known as Hydrogen Embrittlement or Under
Bead Crack or Delayed Crack

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 Reuse Of Flux

Flux May Be Reused Provided

- Weld Not Highly Critical In Impact / Chemistry
- Reuse Limited To Maximum Twice
- All Slag Particles Are sieved & Removed
- Rebaked If not Remained In Hot
- Minimum 50% Fresh Flux Well Mixed
- Customer Spec. Doesn't Prohibit The Same
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Types Of Power Source

Thyrester DC

Rectifier DC

Motor Generator DC

Transformer - AC

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 Characteristic Of Power Source

Machine welding
Drooping Cons. A Linear Cons. V
V V
V1

V1
V2
V2

A A
A1 A2 A1 A2
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 SAW Wire - Electrode
Consumable Electrode / Wire
Layer Wound On Spool / Coil
CS & LAS Wires Coated with Cu
Conducts Current and generates Arc
Chemistry Compatible To Base Metal
Grade Of Flux Can Be Same For CS & LAS
Wire melts & deposited as filler in joint

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 Typical Welding Parameter

Sr Wire Voltage Speed Dep. Rate

Current A Wire & Flux
no mm V mm/min Per Arc Hr
1 1.6 200-300 22-26 750-1500 3 4 kgs CS wire
2 2 250-350 24-26 750-1250 3- 4.5 kgs
+
4 2.5 300-350 25-27 750-1250 4 4.5 kgs
Neutral
5 3 400-500 28-30 500-100 5 5.5 kgs
Flux
6 4 550-650 30-32 400-750 5.5 - 7 kgs
7 5 600-800 30-34 350-700 6 - 8 kgs

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 Important Terminology used in
Critical SAW

Preheating
Post Heating or Dehydrogenation
Intermediate Stress leaving
Inter pass Temperature
Post Weld Heat Treatment

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 What Is Preheating?
Heating the base metal along the weld joint
to a predetermined minimum temperature
immediately before starting the weld.
Heating by Oxy fuel flame or electric
resistant coil
Heating from opposite side of welding
wherever possible
Temperature to be verified by thermo chalks
prior to starting the weld
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 Why Preheating?
Preheating eliminates possible cracking of weld
and HAZ
Applicable to
-Hardenable low alloy steels of all thickness
-Carbon steels of thickness above 25 mm.
-Restrained welds of all thickness
Preheating temperature vary from 75C to 200C
depending on hardenability of material, thickness
& joint restrain
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 How does Preheating Eliminate
Crack?

Preheating promotes slow cooling of weld

and HAZ
Slow cooling softens or prevents hardening
of weld and HAZ
Soft material not prone to crack even in
restrained condition

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 What Is Post Heating?
Raising the pre heating temperature of the weld
joint to a predetermined temperature range (250
C to 350 C) for a minimum period of time (3 Hrs)
before the weld cools down to room temperature.
Post heating performed when welding is completed
or terminated any time in between.
Heating by Oxy fuel flame or electric resistant coil
Heating from opposite side of welding wherever
possible
Temperature verified by thermo chalks during the
period
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 Why Post Heating?
Post heating eliminates possible delayed
cracking of weld and HAZ
Applicable to
-Thicker hardenable low alloy steels
-Restrained hardenable welds of all
thickness
Post heating temperature and duration
depends on hardenability of material,
thickness & joint restrain
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 How does Post Heating Eliminate
Crack?
SAW introduces hydrogen in weld metal
Entrapped hydrogen in weld metal induces
delayed cracks unless removed before
cooling to room temperature
Retaining the weld at a higher temperature
for a longer duration allows the hydrogen to
come out of weld

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 What Is Intermediate Stress
Relieving?
Heat treating a subassembly in a furnace to
a predetermined cycle immediately on
completion of critical restrained weld joint /
joints without allowing the welds to go down
the pre heat temperature. Rate of heating,
Soaking temperature, Soaking time and rate
of cooling depends on material quality and
thickness
Applicable to
Highly restrained air hardenable material
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 Why Intermediate Stress
Relieving?
Restrained welds in air hardenable steel
highly prone to crack on cooling to room
temperature.

Cracks due to entrapped hydrogen and built

in stress

Intermediate stress relieving relieves built in

stresses and entrapped hydrogen making
the joint free from crack prone
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 What Is Inter- Pass Temperature?
The temperature of a previously layed weld
bead immediately before depositing the next
bead over it
Temperature to be verified by thermo chalk
prior to starting next bead
Applicable to
Stainless Steel
Carbon Steel & LAS with minimum
impact
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 Why Inter Pass Temperature?

Control on inter pass temperature avoids

over heating, there by
-Refines the weld metal with fine grains
-Improves the notch toughness properties
-Minimize the loss of alloying elements in
welds
-Reduces the distortion

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 What Is Post Weld Heat
Treatment?
Heat treating an assembly on completion of
all applicable welding, in an enclosed
furnace with controlled heating/cooling rate
and soaking at a specific temperature for a
specific time.
Rate of heating, Soaking temperature,
Soaking time and rate of cooling depends on
material quality and thickness
Applicable to
-All type of CS & LAS
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 Why Post Weld Heat Treatment?
Welded joints retain internal stresses within
the structure

HAZ of welds remains invariably hardened

Post Weld Heat Treatment relieves internal

stresses and softens HAZ. This reduces the
cracking tendency of the equipment in
service
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Thank You

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