Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW / Stick)

Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW / Stick )

Theshieldedmetalarcwelding(SMAW/Stick)processgeneratesanarcbetweenafluxcoated
consumableelectrodeandtheworkpiece.SMAWiswellknownforitsversatilitybecauseitcanbe
usedinallweldingpositions,andinbothproductionandrepairweldingsituations.Itisoneofthe
simplestweldingprocessesintermsofequipmentrequirementsandcanbeeasilyoperatedinremote
locations.However,itisstrictlyamanualweldingprocessthatgenerallyrequiresahighwelderskill
level.Inaddition,itistypicallyrestrictedtomaterialthicknessgreaterthanapproximately0.062in(1.6
mm).

HASTELLOYandHAYNEScoatedelectrodesforSMAWundergoanumberofqualificationteststo
determinetheusabilityoftheelectrode,thechemicalcompositionofthewelddeposit,andthe
soundnessandmechanicalpropertiesoftheweldmetal.Coatedelectrodesaregenerallyformulatedto
produceawelddepositwithachemicalcompositionthatcorrespondstothatofthematchingbase
metal.Thecoatingformulationsaregenerallyclassifiedasslightlybasictoslightlyacidicdependingon
theparticularalloy.ForfurtherinformationontherequirementsfortheclassificationofNibasecoated
electrodes,thereaderisreferredto:AWSA5.11/A5.11M,SpecificationforNickelandNickelAlloy
WeldingElectrodesforShieldedMetalArcWelding,AmericanWeldingSociety.

Priortotheiruse,coatedelectrodesshouldremainsealedinamoistureproofcanister.Afterthe
canisterhasbeenopened,allcoatedelectrodesshouldbestoredinanelectrodestorageoven.Itis
recommendedthattheelectrodestorageovenbemaintainedat250to400F(121to204C).Ifcoated
electrodesareexposedtoanuncontrolledatmosphere,theycanbereconditionedbyheatingina
furnaceat600to700F(316to371C)for2to3hours.

TypicalSMAWparametersarepresentedinTable3forflatpositionwelding.Whilethecoated
electrodesareclassifiedasAC/DC,inalmostallsituationselectricalpolarityshouldbedirectcurrent
electrodepositive(DCEP/reversepolarity).Formaximumarcstabilityandcontrolofthemolten
pool,itisimportanttomaintainashortarclength.Theelectrodeisgenerallydirectedbacktowardthe
moltenpool(backhandwelding)withabouta20to40dragangle.Eventhoughstringerbeadwelding
techniquesaregenerallypreferred,someelectrodemanipulationandweavingmayberequiredtoplace
themoltenweldmetalwhereitisneeded.Theamountofweaveisdependentonweldjointgeometry,
weldingposition,andtypeofcoatedelectrode.Aruleofthumbisthatthemaximumweavewidth
shouldbeaboutthreetimestheelectrodecorewirediameter.Oncedeposited,weldbeadsshould
preferablyexhibitaslightlyconvexsurfacecontour.Appropriateweldingcurrentisbasedonthe
diameterofthecoatedelectrode.Whenoperatedwithinthesuggestedcurrentranges,theelectrodes
shouldexhibitgoodarcingcharacteristicswithminimumspatter.Theuseofexcessivecurrentcanlead
tooverheatingoftheelectrode,reducedarcstability,spallingoftheelectrodecoating,andweldmetal
porosity.Excessivespatterisanindicationthatarclengthistoolong,weldingcurrentistoohigh,
polarityisnotreversed,ortherehasbeenabsorptionofmoisturebytheelectrodecoating.The
suggestedtravelspeedforSMAWis3to6inchesperminute(ipm)/75to150mm/min.

Outofpositionweldingisrecommendedonlywith0.093in(2.4mm)and0.125in(3.2mm)diameter
electrodes.Duringoutofpositionwelding,theamperageshouldbereducedtothelowendofthe
suggestedrangeinTable3.Inordertokeepthebeadprofilerelativelyflatduringverticalwelding,a
weavebeadtechniqueisnecessary.Using0.093in(2.4mm)electrodeswillreducetheweavewidth
thatisrequiredandproduceflatterbeads.Inverticalwelding,arangeofelectrodepositionsispossible
fromforehand(upto20pushangle)tobackhandwelding(upto20dragangle).Inoverheadwelding,
backhandwelding(dragangleof0to20)isrequired.

Startingporositymayoccurbecausetheelectroderequiresashorttimetobegingeneratinga
protectiveatmosphere.Thisisaparticularproblemwithcertainalloys,suchasHASTELLOYB3
weavebeadtechniqueisnecessary.Using0.093in(2.4mm)electrodeswillreducetheweavewidth
thatisrequiredandproduceflatterbeads.Inverticalwelding,arangeofelectrodepositionsispossible
fromforehand(upto20pushangle)tobackhandwelding(upto20dragangle).Inoverheadwelding,
backhandwelding(dragangleof0to20)isrequired.

Startingporositymayoccurbecausetheelectroderequiresashorttimetobegingeneratinga
protectiveatmosphere.Thisisaparticularproblemwithcertainalloys,suchasHASTELLOYB3
alloy.Theproblemcanbeminimizedbyusingastartingtabofthesamealloyastheworkpieceorby
grindingeachstarttosoundweldmetal.Smallcratercracksmayalsooccurattheweldstops.These
canbeminimizedbyusingaslightbacksteppingmotiontofillthecraterjustpriortobreakingthearc.It
isrecommendedthatallweldstartsandstopsbegroundtosoundweldmetal.

Theslagformedontheweldsurfaceshouldbecompletelyremoved.Thiscanbeaccomplishedbyfirst
chippingwithawelding/chippinghammer,thenbrushingthesurfacewithastainlesssteelwirebrush.In
multipasswelds,itisessentialthatallslagisremovedfromthelastdepositedweldbeadbeforethe
subsequentbeadisdeposited.Anyremainingweldslagcancompromisethecorrosionresistanceof
theweldment.

Table 3: Typical Shielded Metal Arc Welding Parameters (Flat Position)

Electrode Arc Welding
Diameter Voltage Current
in mm Volts Amps
0.093 2.4 2225 4575
0.125 3.2 2225 75110
0.156 4.0 2326 110150
0.187 4.7 2427 150180