HOBART BROTHERS

Metal core Process

Basics of Welding
Metal Cored Wires
AWS Metal Core Classification
AWS A5.18
E 70 C-6 M
Electrode
Electrode

Tensile
Tensile (ksi)
(ksi)

Composite
Composite

Impact
Impact Strength
Strength
3=20
3=20 ft.
ft. lbs.
lbs. @
@ 00 FF
6=20
6=20 ft.
ft. lbs.
lbs. @@ -20
-20 FF

Shielding
Shielding Gas
Gas
C=
C= CO2
CO2
M=
M= min.
min. 75%
75% Ar,
Ar, Balance=CO2
Balance=CO2
 What is Metal Core?
A composite tubular electrode
consisting of a metal sheath and a
core of various powdered
materials, producing no more than
slag islands on the face of the
weld bead
 Hybrid: Characteristics & Benefits
of Solid Wire & Flux-Cored Wire

Metal Core
Wire

Flux-Cored
Solid Wire Wire
How Is Metal Core Manufactured?
Metal Powders Continuous
Metal Strip
Hopper

Shaping Dies
Metal Powder Drop

Closing Dies

To Drawing
Operation
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE
MAJOR CHARACTERISTICS
OF METAL CORE?
 Metal-Cored vs. Solid Wire
Current Path

Metal-Cored
Wire Has
Higher
Current
Density
Metal-Cored Wire Solid Wire
Metal-Core
has greater
ability to
bridge gaps
without
burn
through
 Metal-Cored vs. Solid Wire

Ability to
weld thin
materials at
high
amperage
Metal-Cored Wire w/o burn Solid Wire
through

Able to use
one or two
electrode
diameter larger
than solid wire
w/o burn
through
 Metal-Cored vs. Solid Wire

Spatter is
almost non-
existent
with high
argon
Metal-Cored Wire levels Solid Wire

Metal-cored
wire has wider
projection
area giving
excellent
side wall
penetration
 Metal-Cored vs. Solid Wire
Metal-cored wire
has higher
current density,
so, with the same
electrode
diameters at the
Metal-Cored Wire same operating Solid Wire
parameters
(amperage),
metal core
typically has a
higher
deposition rate,
resulting in
higher travel
speeds for the
same size weld
Nugget Profile
Cross Sections
METAL SOLID
CORE WIRE
WIRE
 METAL CORE VS. SOLID WIRE

350 350
AMPS AMPS

566 460
WIRE FEED SPEED WIRE FEED SPEED

14.9 Lbs./Hr. .045 Diameter 13.2 Lbs./Hr.

Deposition Deposition
Higher wire feed speeds for a given arc current
giving higher deposition rates
METAL CORE

SOLID WIRE
Wire Feeders / Drive Rolls

Wire feeders have either two or four drive

rolls to help push the wire through the liner
Proper type of drive is dependent upon the
type of wire used :
U-grooved
Soft
Soft solid
solid wires,
wires, eg.
eg. Aluminum
Aluminum
V-grooved
Hard
Hard solid
solid wires,
wires, eg.
eg. Mild
Mild steel,
steel, stainless
stainless steel
steel
V-knurled
Flux
Flux cored
cored wires,
wires, Metal
Metal cored
cored wires
wires
Wire Feeders / Drive Rolls

Proper size drive rolls are important for

good feeding
Proper pressure on wire is also important
for good feeding
Too much pressure deforms the wire
Too little pressure cause slippage resulting in
erratic feeding and wear spots that can jam in
the contact tip
 Contact Tips

The main function of the contact tip is to

transfer the electrical energy to the wire
Contact tips are made of copper for the
following reasons :
Good conductivity
Can dissipate heat quickly
Unfortunately, copper is a soft metal and the
contact tips will wear over time
Use tight tolerance tips for Metal core
Welding Guns
Contact Tips

Why is correct contact tip size so important ?

Correct tip size Oversize tips create

maintains electrical potential condition
contact at all times where arc can initiate
between the contact between the contact
tip and the welding tip and the welding
wire. wire.
Metal Core Wire Set-up
Setting Welding Variables

Gun angle
Wire feed speed
Voltage
Contact Tip to Work Distance (stick-out)
Travel speed
Gas flow rate
Whipping
 Welding Variables
Gun Angle
Recommended technique :
Lean
Lean gun 15oo-20
gun 15 -20oo into
into direction
direction of
of 15oo - 20oo
travel
travel
For
For Metal
Metal Cored
Cored Wires
Wires
Use
Use forward
forward (push)
(push) technique
technique

Direction
Direction of
of Travel
Travel for
for
Metal
Metal cored
cored wires
wires
-- Forward
Forward (push)
(push) technique
technique
Welding Variables
Gun Angle

Gun angle is also used to control bead

appearance and weld quality
As seen on following slide, gun angle affects
bead width, bead profile and penetration
Incorrect gun angle can cause weld defects
such as :
Undercut on fillet welds
Lack of penetration
Welding Variables
Gun Angle Effect on Penetration

Direction
Direction Of
Of Welding
Welding

(A)
(A) Forehand
Forehand (Push)
(Push) (B)
(B) Torch
Torch (C)
(C) Backhand
Backhand (Drag)
(Drag)
Technique
Technique Perpendicular
Perpendicular Technique
Technique
Welding Variables
Wire Feed Speed
Wire feed speed (WFS) is generally set at the
wire feeder
WFS is proportional to the average amperage
Amperage translates to penetration
WFS is also a measure of the deposition rate
Units of WFS:
inches per minute (ipm) or meters per
minute (m/min)
The correct WFS is generally determined by
size of weld bead required
weld position and thickness of material
Welding Variables
Voltage

Voltage is generally set at the power source

Voltage is the force that causes current (amperage)
to flow
Voltage is also a measure of the heat into the weld
Changes in voltage affect :
Arc length
Arc length determines how well the weld
weld puddle
puddle will flatten
(wet) out
Weld bead width
Weld bead profile
Welding Variables
Voltage

Relationship Between Arc Length and Voltage

Increasing voltage will tend to
increase arc length
Contact
Tip For example
(at constant wire feed
speed) :

Y X = 25 Volts
X Y = 28 Volts
Welding Variables
Voltage

Relationship Between Bead Width and Voltage

Increasing voltage will tend to
Contact increase bead width
Tip
For example
(at constant wire feed
speed) :

X = 25 Volts
X Y = 28 Volts
Bead
Bead width
width Y
 Welding Variables
- Correct Technique Voltage

Smooth consistent arc, minimal

spatter, easy to manipulate arc
Flat bead appearance, smooth
transition between weld and base
metal
Good penetration at the root of
the weld

-44-
Droplet Transfer Modes

Changes in the wire feed speed (WFS) and

voltage settings can change the way that molten
metal droplets are transfer from the end of the
electrode to the weld pool
There are three common modes of metal droplet
transfer:
Short circuit transfer mode
Lower
Lower WFS
WFS and
and voltage
voltage
Globular transfer mode
Medium
Medium WFS
WFS and
and voltage
voltage
Spray transfer mode
Higher
Higher WFS
WFS and
and voltage
voltage
Droplet Transfer Modes
Short Circuit Transfer Mode

Short

40
40
Circuit

Volts
30
30
Region

20
20
10
10
50
50 100
100 150
150 200
200 250
250 300
300 350
350

Amperage
Features Applications
Low
Low Voltage
Voltage (less
(less than
than 22
22 volts)
volts) Thin
Thin Materials
Materials
Low
Low Amperage
Amperage Out
Out of
of Position
Position Welding
Welding
Low
Low Heat
Heat Input
Input
Spatter
Spatter is
is Common
Common
Droplet Transfer Modes
Short Circuit Transfer Mode

A B C D E
F

WORK

Mechanics of Short Circuit Transfer Mode

Droplet Transfer Modes
Globular Transfer Mode
Globular
Globular
Transfer
Transfer

40
40
Region
Region

Volts
30
30
20
20
10
10
50
50 100
100 150
150 200
200 250
250 300
300 350
350

Amperage
Features
Medium
Medium Voltage
Voltage (22
(22 -- 26
26 volts)
volts) Applications
Medium
Medium Amperage
Amperage Overlay
Overlay
Low
Low Heat
Heat Input
Input Hardfacing
Hardfacing
Gross
Gross Spatter
Spatter is
is Common
Common
Little
Little Penetration
Penetration
Droplet Transfer Modes
Spray Transfer Mode
Recommended Mode for Metal-Core Wire

40
40
Volts
30
30
Spray

20
20
Transfer

10
10
Region
50
50 100
100 150
150 200
200 250
250 300
300 350
350

Amperage
Features Applications
High
High Voltage
Voltage (over
(over 26
26 volts)
volts) High
High Deposition
Deposition
High
High Amperage
Amperage High
High Production
Production Welding
Welding
High
High Heat
Heat Input
Input Welding
Welding Thick
Thick Materials
Materials
No
No Spatter
Spatter isis Common
Common Typically
Typically used
used for
for flat
flat and
and
Fingernail-like
Fingernail-like Penetration
Penetration horizontal
horizontal fillet
fillet welding
welding
Welding Variables
Contact Tip to Work Distance (stick-out)

Tip to Work
Distance
The
The tip
tip to
to work
work distance
distance
is
is commonly
commonly calledcalled stick
stick out
out Gas Nozzle
The
The tip
tip to
to work
work distance
distance is is the
the
combination
combination of of the
the electrode
electrode Contact Tip
extension
extension andand the
the arc
arc length
length
Electrode
When
When welding,
welding, thethe tip
tip to
to work
work
distance
distance should
should be be kept
kept
Extension
relatively
relatively constant
constant
Changes
Changes in in the
the tip
tip to
to work
work
distance
distance affect
affect the
the quality
quality
and
and appearance
appearance of of the
the weld
weld
Base Material
Welding Variables
Contact Tip to Work Distance (stick-out)

5/8
5/8 --
Electrode
Electrode stick-out
stick-out

Base material
11 wire
wire diameter
diameter from
from joint
joint
root
root
Welding Variables
Travel Speed

For a given WFS and voltage setting an

optimum travel speed is obtained for
different weld sizes
Increases in travel speed will :
Decrease penetration
Reduces weld size
Reduces heat input
Welding Variables
Gas Flow Rate
Proper shielding gas flow rate must be
maintained to ensure that the molten weld puddle
is protected from the atmosphere
Too low or too high of a gas flow can have
detrimental effects on the weld quality
Too low can cause lack of proper shielding
Too high can cause turbulence which pulls in
outside air
Care should be taken to protect the weld area
from external drafts
Correct gas and or gas mixtures should be used
Correct nozzle diameter should be used
 Advantages of Metal core
More parts per hour
Better control of weld deposit
Less spatter
Less clean up
Faster weld travel speeds
Potential for less burn through
Improved quality of parts
 Questions?

Thank You for Your Time!