What are the precautions for using welding materials?

With the continuous advancement of science and technology, various industries have experienced significant growth, and the prospects for welding materials are equally promising. Consequently, demand has been steadily increasing, leading to a surge in the number of manufacturers on the market. As a producer, it is therefore essential for us to share some important precautions for the proper use of welding materials. Those who are interested are welcome to read on. 
 

Before using this welding consumable, many questions often arise. Therefore, to achieve optimal performance, it is essential to understand its key characteristics. First and foremost, ensure that the welding consumable is properly matched to the base metal before use. Prior to application, bake the consumable according to the manufacturer’s instructions; however, re-baking should be limited to no more than two cycles. For critical joints, the consumable should be kept in a dedicated insulated container maintained at 80–110°C during storage and transport, and carried with you as needed. Before use, thoroughly clean the surface to remove oil, rust, and other contaminants. In addition, welding consumables are generally available in two types: titanium-calcium and low-hydrogen. Whenever possible, use direct current (DC) to help mitigate issues such as electrode redness and insufficient penetration. Titanium-calcium coated electrodes are not suitable for all-position welding; they are recommended only for flat and horizontal fillet welds, whereas low-hydrogen coated electrodes can be used in all positions. It is also advisable to keep the consumables dry during handling and storage. To prevent defects such as cracking, porosity, and surface craters, titanium-calcium coated electrodes should be dried at 150–250°C for one hour prior to welding, while low-hydrogen coated electrodes should be dried at 200–300°C for one hour before use. Avoid repeated drying, as this can easily cause the coating to flake off.

When performing welding, the joint surfaces must be thoroughly cleaned, and the electrode should be kept free from oil, grease, and other contaminants to prevent an increase in carbon content in the weld and subsequent adverse effects on service performance and weld quality. To avoid intergranular corrosion caused by heating, the welding current should not be too high—typically about 20% lower than that used for carbon steel electrodes—and the arc length should be kept short; any interlayers should be cooled promptly. In particular, when striking the arc, care must be taken to avoid striking the arc directly on non-welded areas, and a shield made of the same material as the weld should be used to initiate the arc. Short-arc welding is also recommended, with an arc length generally maintained at 2–3 mm; an excessively long arc can easily lead to hot cracking. Alternatively, rapid short-arc welding may be employed, with no lateral weaving allowed, in order to minimize heat input and the width of the heat-affected zone, thereby enhancing the weld’s resistance to intergranular corrosion and reducing its susceptibility to hot cracking. When welding dissimilar steels, careful selection of the electrode is essential to prevent hot cracking and embrittlement resulting from improper electrode choice or phase transformation during high-temperature post-weld heat treatment. The selection process should follow the relevant standards for stainless steel and various other steels, and appropriate welding procedures should be adopted. If you have any questions or uncertainties, feel free to contact our customer service representatives—they will be happy to assist you.

The above has outlined the precautions for using welding materials. If you have any further questions, please feel free to call us for assistance. That’s all for today’s key points—we hope they’ve been helpful. In our next installment, we’ll share even more information on this topic.