High performance wire for hardfacing, welding and thermal spraying

A look at the characteristics and advantages that can result in overall cost
savings
Quick highlights - Metal Cored Wire:

High deposition efficiency

High deposition rates
Increased duty cycles

In todays industrial world, metal fabricators have an array of choices to select from when
deciding which welding process and consumable to use for a specific application. As always,
product cost, efficiency, and quality will play a key role in these decisions. It is a continuing
struggle to find consumables that can reduce costs without sacrificing the integrity of the work.
Many fabricators, however, are finding that metal cored wire is quite a beneficial change. While
this type of consumable is not new to the welding industry, the classification and the advantages
of using metal cored wire are not always recognized.

MetalCored
CoredWires
Wires
Metal
The American Welding Society classifies metal cored wires under the same specification as solid
MIG wires. Metal cored wires have a very similar construction to flux cored wires but the
performance and functionality parallel solid MIG wires. The basic composition of metal cored
wire is a tubular electrode comprised of an outer metal sheath and a core of powdered
materials. Both the outer sheath and internal powder composition can be formulated to meet
specific requirements.
The outer metallic sheath can be cobalt,
nickel, iron or stainless steel-based. This
sheath conducts the electrical current
during the welding process and the
current carrying density is greater in
metal cored wires, therefore increasing
the deposition rate as compared to solid

High performance wire for hardfacing, welding and thermal spraying

MIG wires. Also, improved penetration and sidewall fusion capabilities are made possible due
to these increased deposition rates.
Metal cored wire internal composition consists of both elemental and alloyed powders such as
nickel, cobalt, chromium, tungsten, molybdenum, and manganese to name a few. This internal
composition of metallic powders is far less conductive than the outer sheath carrying the
electrical current, resulting in a more controlled weld pool.

Advantages
Advantages of
of Metal
Metal Cored
Cored Wires
Wires
Making the change to metal cored wire can be extremely advantageous. There are a number of
factors that contribute to the success of metal cored wires, including:

High deposition efficiency

High deposition rates

Increased duty cycles

The deposition efficiency of a consumable is the amount of
material that converts to weld metal. During the welding
process, a portion of the consumable is lost to slag, spatter,
and fumes. The lower this percentage of lost consumable is,
the higher the deposition efficiency will be. Depending on
the transfer used, metal cored wire can exhibit a deposition

efficiency range of 92-98%. This high efficiency is due to a decreased volume of slag and
spatter that require removal from the weld and parent material. Reduced fume levels are also
reflected in the deposition and create a healthier work environment for the welder.
Higher deposition rates are also seen in the implementation of metal cored wire. The deposition
rate is the amount of weld metal
deposited during a given time.
The deposition rate of metal
cored wire is about 57% higher
This ultimately results in higher
achievable welding speeds.
Travel speeds rely on duty

Rate (lb/hr)

per hour than solid MIG wire.

cycles. During the welding

process, a duty cycle refers to
Amperage

High performance wire for hardfacing, welding and thermal spraying

the amount of continuous arc time. Factors such as travel time, equipment, slag removal, and
replenishing consumables affect the duty cycle. Shielded metal arc welding using stick
electrodes can only produce about 12 minutes of welding every hour, whereas metal cored wire
yields a duty cycle of about 30 minutes an hour. While solid MIG and flux cored wire can
achieve these high duty cycles as well, only metal cored wire can take the process to a whole
new level with faster travel speeds. Metal cored wire can account for increased travel speeds of
35-40%. Fabricators can practice automatic application with high duty cycles and travel speeds
without jeopardizing weld integrity and appearance.

Conclusion
As stated earlier, the main objectives for fabricators are to achieve productivity and efficiency at
a lower cost. While metal cored wire has a higher cost per pound than other consumables, the
true economic payback is seen during the process itself, not in the initial cost of materials.
Labor costs are generally a substantial portion of total cost and therefore welding efficiency and
productivity must be weighed heavily. When assessing the change to metal cored wire, keep in
mind these key points that result in overall cost savings: high deposition efficiencies, high
deposition rates, increased duty cycles and faster travel speeds.

About
About Polymet
Polymet
Polymet (www.polymet.us), a world-class manufacturer of high performance wire for hardfacing,
welding and thermal spraying, produces high quality products used in the aerospace,
automotive, cement, mining, lumber, nuclear, power generation and many other industries. Our
wires are ideal for demanding applications such as metal to metal, metal to earth, high impact,
high abrasion, corrosion and high temperature, or combinations of these wear factors.
For more information please contact:
Danny Newman
Polymet Corporation
10073 Commerce Park Drive
Cincinnati, OH 45246
1-888-765-9638
USA Tel: 1-513-874-3586
dnewman@polymet.us
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