a. General. Submerged arc welding is a process in which the joining of
metals is produced by heating with an arc or arcs between a bare metal electrode
or electrodes and the work. The arc is shielded by a blanket of granular fusible
material on the work. Pressure is not used. Filler metal is obtained from the
electrode or from a supplementary welding rod.
b. Equipment.
(1) The equipment components required for submerged arc welding are shown by
figure
10-59. Equipment consists of a welding machine or power source, the wire
feeder and control system, the welding torch for automatic welding or the
welding gun and cable assembly for semiautomatic welding, the flux hopper and
feeding mechanism, usually a flux recovery system, and a travel mechanism for
automatic welding.
(2) The power source for submerged arc welding must be rated for a 100
percent duty cycle, since the submerged arc welding operations are continuous
and the length of time for making a weld may exceed 10 minutes. If a 60 percent
duty cycle power source is used, it must be derated according to the duty cycle
curve for 100 percent operation.
(3) When constant current is used, either ac or dc, the voltage sensing
electrode wire feeder system must be used. When constant voltage is used, the
simpler fixed speed wire feeder system is used. The CV system is only used with
direct current.
(4) Both generator and transformer-rectifier power sources are used, but the
rectifier machines are more popular. Welding machines for submerged arc welding
range in size from 300 amperes to 1500 amperes. They may be connected in
parallel to provide extra power for high-current applications. Direct current
power is used for semiautomatic applications, but alternating current power is
used primarily with the machine or the automatic method. Multiple electrode
systems require specialized types of circuits, especially when ac is employed.
(5) For semiautomatic application, a welding gun and cable assembly are used
to carry the electrode and current and to provide the flux at the arc. A small
flux hopper is attached to the end of the cable assembly. The electrode wire is
fed through the bottom of this flux hopper through a current pickup tip to the
arc. The flux is fed from the hopper to the welding area by means of gravity.
The amount of flux fed depends on how high the gun is held above the work. The
hopper gun may include a start switch to initiate the weld or it may utilize a
"hot" electrode so that when the electrode is touched to the work, feeding will
begin automatically.
(6) For automatic welding, the torch is attached to the wire feed motor and
includes current pickup tips for transmitting the welding current to the
electrode wire. The flux hopper is normally attached to the torch, and may have
magnetically operated valves which can be opened or closed by the control
system.
(7) Other pieces of equipment sometimes used may include a travel carriage,
which can be a simple tractor or a complex moving specialized fixture. A flux
recovery unit is normally provided to collect the unused submerged arc flux and
return it to the supply hopper.
(8) Submerged arc welding system can become quite complex by incorporating
additional devices such as seam followers, weavers, and work rovers.
c. Advantages and Major Uses.
(1) The major advantages of the submerged arc welding process are:
(a) high quality of the weld metal.
(b) extremely high deposition rate and speed.
(c) smooth, uniform finished weld with no spatter.
(d) little or no smoke.
(e) no arc flash, thus minimal need for protective clothing.
(f) high utilization of electrode wire.
(g) easy automation for high-operator factor.
(h) normally, no involvement of manipulative skills.
(2) The submerged arc process is widely used in heavy steel plate fabrication
work. This includes the welding of structural shapes, the longitudinal seam of
larger diameter pipe, the manufacture of machine components for all types of
heavy industry, and the manufacture of vessels and tanks for pressure and
storage use. It is widely used in the shipbuilding industry for splicing and
fabricating subassemblies, and by many other industries where steels are used in
medium to heavy thicknesses. It is also used for surfacing and buildup work,
maintenance, and repair.
d. Limitations of the Process.
(1) A major limitation of submerged arc welding is its limitation of welding
positions. The other limitation is that it is primarily used only to weld mild
and low-alloy high-strength steels.
(2) The high-heat input, slow-cooling cycle can be a problem when welding
quenched and tempered steels. The heat input limitation of the steel in question
must be strictly adhered to when using submerged arc welding. This may require
the making of multipass welds where a single pass weld would be acceptable in
mild steel. In some cases, the economic advantages may be reduced to the point
where flux-cored arc welding or some other process should be considered.
(3) In semiautomatic submerged arc welding, the inability to see the arc and
puddle can be a disadvantage in reaching the root of a groove weld and properly
filling or sizing.
e. Principles of Operation.
(1) The submerged arc welding process is shown by figure 10-60.
It utilizes the heat of an arc between a continuously fed electrode and the
work. The heat of the arc melts the surface of the base metal and the end of the
electrode. The metal melted off the electrode is transferred through the arc to
the workpiece, where it becomes the deposited weld metal. Shielding is obtained
from a blanket of granular flux, which is laid directly over the weld area. The
flux close to the arc melts and intermixes with the molten weld metal, helping
to purify and fortify it. The flux forms a glass-like slag that is lighter in
weight than the deposited weld metal and floats on the surface as a protective
cover. The weld is submerged under this layer of flux and slag, hence the name
submerged arc welding. The flux and slag normally cover the arc so that it is
not visible. The unmelted portion of the flux can be reused. The electrode is
fed into the arc automatically from a coil. The arc is maintained automatically.
Travel can be manual or by machine. The arc is initiated by a fuse type start or
by a reversing or retrack system.
(2) Normal method of application and position capabilities. The most popular
method of application is the machine method, where the operator monitors the
welding operation. Second in popularity is the automatic method, where welding
is a pushbutton operation. The process can be applied semiautomatically;
however, this method of application is not too popular. The process cannot be
applied manually because it is impossible for a welder to control an arc that is
not visible. The submerged arc welding process is a limited-position welding
process. The welding positions are limited because the large pool of molten
metal and the slag are very fluid and will tend to run out of the joint. Welding
can be done in the flat position and in the horizontal fillet position with
ease. Under special controlled procedures, it is possible to weld in the
horizontal position, sometimes called 3 o'clock welding. This requires special
devices to hold the flux up so that the molten slag and weld metal cannot run
away. The process cannot be used in the vertical or overhead position.
(3) Metals weldable and thickness range. Submerged arc welding is used to
weld low- and medium-carbon steels, low-alloy high-strength steels, quenched and
tempered steels, and many stainless steels. Experimentally, it has been used to
weld certain copper alloys, nickel alloys, and even uranium. This information is
summarized in table
10-21.
Metal thicknesses from 1/16 to 1/2 in. (1.6 to 12.7 mm) can be welded with no
edge preparation. With edge preparation, welds can be made with a single pass on
material from 1/4 to 1 in. (6.4 to 25.4 mm). When multipass technique is used,
the maximum thickness is practically unlimited. This information is summarized
in table
10-22. Horizontal fillet welds can be made up to 3/8 in. (9.5 mm) in a
single pass and in the flat position, fillet welds can be made up to 1 in. (25
mm) size.
(4) Joint design. Although the submerged arc welding process can utilize the
same joint design details as the shielded metal arc welding process, different
joint details are suggested for maximum utilization and efficiency of submerged
arc welding. For groove welds, the square groove design can be used up to 5/8
in. (16 mm) thickness. Beyond this thickness, bevels are required. Open roots
are used but backing bars are necessary since the molten metal will run through
the joint. When welding thicker metal, if a sufficiently large root face is
used, the backing bar may be eliminate. However, to assure full penetration when
welding from one side, backing bars are recommended. Where both sides are
accessible, a backing weld can be made which will fuse into the original weld to
provide full penetration. Recommended submerged arc joint designs are shown by
figure
10-61 below.
(5) Welding circuit and current.
(a) The welding circuit employed for single electrode submerged arc welding
is shown by figure 10-59.
This requires a wire feeder system and a power supply.
(b) The submerged arc welding process uses either direct or alternating
current for welding power. Direct current is used for most applications which
use a single arc. Both direct current electrode positive (DCEP) and electrode
negative (DCEN) are used.
(c) The constant voltage type of direct current power is more popular for
submerged arc welding with 1/8 in. (3.2 mm) and smaller diameter electrode
wires.
(d) The constant current power system is normally used for welding with 5/3 2
in. (4 mm) and larger-diameter electrode wires. The control circuit for CC power
is more complex since it attempts to duplicate the actions of the welder to
retain a specific arc length. The wire feed system must sense the voltage across
the arc and feed the electrode wire into the arc to maintain this voltage. As
conditions change, the wire feed must slow down or speed up to maintain the
prefixed voltage across the arc. This adds complexity to the control system. The
system cannot react instantaneously. Arc starting is more complicated with the
constant current system since it requires the use of a reversing system to
strike the arc, retract, and then maintain the preset arc voltage.
(e) For ac welding, the constant current power is always used. When multiple
electrode wire systems are used with both ac and dc arcs, the constant current
power system is utilized. The constant voltage system, however, can be applied
when two wires are fed into the arc supplied by a single power source. Welding
current for submerged arc welding can vary from as low as 50 amperes to as high
as 2000 amperes. Most submerged arc welding is done in the range of 200 to 1200
amperes.
(6) Deposition rates and weld quality.
(a) The deposition rates of the submerged arc welding process are higher than
any other arc welding process. Deposition rates for single electrodes are shown
by figure
10-62. There are at least four related factors that control the deposition
rate of submerged arc welding: polarity, long stick out, additives in the flux,
and additional electrodes. The deposition rate is the highest for direct current
electrode negative (DCEN). The deposition rate for alternating current is
between DCEP and DCEN. The polarity of maximum heat is the negative
pole.
(b) The deposition rate with any welding current can be increased by
extending the "stick out." This is the distance from the point where current is
introduced into the electrode to the arc. When using "long stick out" the amount
of penetration is reduced. The deposition rates can be increased by metal
additives in the submerged arc flux. Additional electrodes can be used to
increase the overall deposition rate.
(c) The quality of the weld metal deposited by the submerged arc welding
process is high. The weld metal strength and ductility exceeds that of the mild
steel or low-alloy base material when the correct combination of electrode wire
and submerged arc flux is used. When submerged arc welds are made by machine or
automatically, the human factor inherent to the manual welding processes is
eliminated. The weld will be more uniform and free from inconsistencies. In
general, the weld bead size per pass is much greater with submerged arc welding
than with any of the other arc welding processes. The heat input is higher and
cooling rates are slower. For this reason, gases are allowed more time to
escape. Additionally, since the submerged arc slag is lower in density than the
weld metal, it will float out to the top of the weld. Uniformity and consistency
are advantages of this process when applied automatically.
(d) Several problems may occur when using the semiautomatic application
method. The electrode wire may be curved when it leaves the nozzle of the
welding gun. This curvature can cause the arc to be struck in a location not
expected by the welder. When welding in fairly deep grooves, the curvature may
cause the arc to be against one side of the weld joint rather than at the root.
This will cause incomplete root fusion. Flux will be trapped at the root of the
weld. Another problem with semiautomatic welding is that of completely filling
the weld groove or maintaining exact size, since the weld is hidden and cannot
be observed while it is being made. This requires making an extra pass. In some
cases, too much weld is deposited. Variations in root opening affect the travel
speed. If travel speed is uniform, the weld may be under or over filled in
different areas. High operator skill will overcome this problem.
(e) There is another quality problem associated with extremely large
single-pass weld deposits. When these large welds solidify, the impurities in
the melted base metal and in the weld metal all collect at the last point to
freeze, which is the centerline of the weld. If there is sufficient restraint
and enough impurities are collected at this point, centerline cracking may
occur. This can happen when making large single-pass flat fillet welds if the
base metal plates are 45° from flat. A simple solution is to avoid placing the
parts at a true 45° angle. It should be varied approximately 10° so that the
root of the joint is not in line with the centerline of the fillet weld. Another
solution is to make multiple passes rather than attempting to make a large weld
in a single pass.
(f) Another quality problem has to do with the hardness of the deposited weld
metal. Excessively hard weld deposits contribute to cracking of the weld during
fabrication or during service. A maximum hardness level of 225 Brinell is
recommended. The reason for the hard weld in carbon and low-alloy steels is too
rapid cooling, inadequate post weld treatment, or excessive alloy pickup in the
weld metal. Excessive alloy pickup is due to selecting an electrode that has too
much alloy, selecting a flux that introduces too much alloy into the weld, or
the use of excessively high welding voltages.
(g) In automatic and machine welding, defects may occur at the start or at
the end of the weld. The best solution is to use runout tabs so that starts and
stops will be on the tabs rather than on the product.
(7) Weld schedules. The submerged arc welding process applied by machine or
fully automatically should be done in accordance with welding procedure
schedules. Table
10-23 and figure 10-63,
below, show the recommended welding schedules for submerged arc welding using a
single electrode on mild and low-alloy steels. The table can be used for welding
other ferrous materials, but was developed for mild steel. All of the welds made
by this procedure should pass qualification, tests, assuming that the correct
electrode and flux have been selected. If the schedules are varied more than 10
percent, qualification tests should be performed to determine the weld quality.
(8) Welding variables.
(a) The welding variables for submerged arc welding are similar to the other
arc welding processes, with several exceptions.
(b) In submerged arc welding, the electrode type and the flux type are
usually based on the mechanical properties required by the weld. The electrode
and flux combination selection is based on table 10-24,
below, to match the metal being welded. The electrode size is related to the
weld joint size and the current recommended for the particular joint. This must
also be considered in determining the number of passes or beads for a particular
joint. Welds for the same joint dimension can be made in many or few passes,
depending on the weld metal metallurgy desired. Multiple passes usually deposit
higher-quality weld metal. Polarity is established initially and is based on
whether maximum penetration or maximum deposition rate is required.
(c) The major variables that affect the weld involve heat input and include
the welding current, arc voltage, and travel speed. Welding current is the most
important. For single-pass welds, the current should be sufficient for the
desired penetration without burn-through. The higher the current, the deeper the
penetration. In multi-pass work, the current should be suitable to produce the
size of the weld expected in each pass. The welding current should be selected
based on the electrode size. The higher the welding current, the greater the
melt-off rate (deposition rate).
(d) The arc voltage is varied within narrower limits than welding current. It
has an influence on the bead width and shape. Higher voltages will cause the
bead to be wider and flatter. Extremely high arc voltage should be avoided,
since it can cause cracking. This is because an abnormal amount of flux is
melted and excess deoxidizers may be transferred to the weld deposit, lowering
its ductility. Higher arc voltage also increases the amount of flux consumed.
The low arc voltage produces a stiffer arc that improves penetration,
particularly in the bottom of deep grooves. If the voltage is too low, a very
narrow bead will result. It will have a high crown and the slag will be
difficult to remove.
(e) Travel speed influences both bead width and penetration. Faster travel
speeds produce narrower beads that have less penetration. This can be an
advantage for sheet metal welding where small beads and minimum penetration are
required. If speeds are too fast, however, there is a tendency for undercut and
porosity, since the weld freezes quicker. If the travel speed is too slow, the
electrode stays in the weld puddle too long. This creates poor bead shape and
may cause excessive spatter and flash through the layer of flux.
(f) The secondary variables include the angle of the electrode to the work,
the angle of the work itself, the thickness of the flux layer, and the distance
between the current pickup tip and the arc. This latter factor, called electrode
"stickout," has a considerable effect on the weld. Normally, the distance
between the contact tip and the work is 1 to 1-1/2 in. (25 to 38 mm). If the
stickout is increased beyond this amount, it will cause preheating of the
electrode wire, which will greatly increase the deposition rate. As stickout
increases, the penetration into the base metal decreases. This factor must be
given serious consideration because in some situations the penetration is
required. The relationship between stickout and deposition rate is shown by figure 10-64.
(g) The depth of the flux layer must also be considered. If it is too thin,
there will be too much arcing through the flux or arc flash. This also may cause
porosity. If the flux depth is too heavy, the weld may be narrow and humped. Too
many small particles in the flux can cause surface pitting since the gases
generated in the weld may not be allowed to escape. These are sometimes called
peck marks on the bead surface.
(9) Tips for using the process.
(a) One of the major applications for submerged arc welding is on circular
welds where the parts are rotated under a fixed head. These welds can be made on
the inside or outside diameter. Submerged arc welding produces a large molten
weld puddle and molten slag which tends to run. This dictates that on outside
diameters, the electrode should be positioned ahead of the extreme top, or 12
o'clock position, so that the weld metal will begin to solidify before it starts
the downside slope. This becomes more of a problem as the diameter of the part
being welded gets smaller. Improper electrode position will increase the
possibility of slag entrapment or a poor weld surface. The angle of the
electrode should also be changed and pointed in the direction of travel of the
rotating part. When the welding is done on the inside circumference, the
electrode should be angled so that it is ahead of bottom center, or the 6
o'clock position. Figure 10-65
illustrates these two conditions.
(b) Sometimes the work being welded is sloped downhill or uphill to provide
different types of weld bead contours. If the work is sloped downhill, the bead
will have less penetration and will be wider. If the weld is sloped uphill, the
bead will have deeper penetration and will be narrower. This is based on all
other factors remaining the same. This information is shown by figure 10-66.
(c) The weld will be different depending on the angle of the electrode with
respect to the work when the work is level. This is the travel angle, which can
be a drag or push angle. It has a definite effect on the bead contour and weld
metal penetration. Figure 10-67
shows the relationship.
(d) One side welding with complete root penetration can be obtained with
submerged arc welding. When the weld joint is designed with a tight root opening
and a fairly large root face, high current and electrode positive should be
used. If the joint is designed with a root opening and a minimum root face, it
is necessary to use a backing bar, since there is nothing to support the molten
weld metal. The molten flux is very fluid and will run through narrow openings.
If this happens, the weld metal will follow and the weld will burn through the
joint. Backing bars are needed whenever there is a root opening and a minimum
root face.
(e) Copper backing bars are useful when welding thin steel. Without backing
bars, the weld would tend to melt through and the weld metal would fall away
from the joint. The backing bar holds the weld metal in place until it
solidifies. The copper backing bars may be water cooled to avoid the possibility
of melting and copper pickup in the weld metal. For thicker materials, the
backing may be submerged arc flux or other specialized type flux.
(10) Variations of the process.
(a) There are a large number of variations to the process that give submerged
arc welding additional capabilities. Some of the more popular variations are:
1. Two-wire systems--same power source.
2. Two-wire systems--separate power source.
3. Three-wire systems--separate power source.
4. Strip electrode for surfacing.
5. Iron powder additions to the flux.
6. Long stick out welding.
7. Electrically "cold" filler wire.
(b) The multi-wire systems offer advantages since deposition rates and travel
speeds can be improved by using more electrodes. Figure 10-68
shows the two methods of utilizing two electrodes, one with a single-power
source and one with two power sources. When a single-power source is used, the
same drive rolls are used for feeding both electrodes into the weld. When two
power sources are used, individual wire feeders must be used to provide
electrical insulation between the two electrodes. With two electrodes and
separate power, it is possible to utilize different polarities on the two
electrodes or to utilize alternating current on one and direct current on the
other. The electrodes can be placed side by side. This is called transverse
electrode position. They can also be placed one in front of the other in the
tandem electrode position.
(c) The two-wire tandem electrode position with individual power sources is
used where extreme penetration is required. The leading electrode is positive
with the trailing electrode negative. The first electrode creates a digging
action and the second electrode fills the weld joint. When two dc arcs are in
close proximity, there is a tendency for arc interference between them. In some
cases, the second electrode is connected to alternating current to avoid the
interaction of the arc.
(d) The three-wire tandem system normally uses ac power on all three
electrodes connected to three-phase power systems. These systems are used for
making high-speed longitudinal seams for large-diameter pipe and for fabricated
beams. Extremely high currents can be used with correspondingly high travel
speeds and deposition rates.
(e) The strip welding system is used to overlay mild and alloy steels usually
with stainless steel. A wide bead is produced that has a uniform and minimum
penetration. This process variation is shown by figure 10-69.
It is used for overlaying the inside of vessels to provide the corrosion
resistance of stainless steel while utilizing the strength and economy of the
low-alloy steels for the wall thickness. A strip electrode feeder is required
and special flux is normally used. When the width of the strip is over 2 in. (51
mm), a magnetic arc oscillating device is used to provide for even burn off of
the strip and uniform penetration.
(f) Another way of increasing the deposition rate of submerged arc welding is
to add iron base ingredients to the joint under the flux. The iron in this
material will melt in the heat of the arc and will become part of the deposited
weld metal. This increases deposition rates without decreasing weld metal
properties. Metal additives can also be used for special surfacing applications.
This variation can be used with single-wire or multi-wire installations. Figure 10-70
shows the increased deposition rates attainable.
(g) Another variation is the use of an electrically "cold" filler wire fed
into the arc area. The "cold" filler rod can be solid or flux-cored to add
special alloys to the weld metal. By regulating the addition of the proper
material, the properties of the deposited weld metal can be improved. It is
possible to utilize a flux-cored wire for the electrode, or for one of the
multiple electrodes to introduce special alloys into the weld metal deposit.
Each of these variations requires special engineering to ensure that the proper
material is added to provide the desired deposit properties.
(11) Typical applications. The submerged arc welding process is widely used
in the manufacture of most heavy steel products. These include pressure vessels,
boilers, tanks, nuclear reactors, chemical vessels, etc. Another use is in the
fabrication of trusses and beams. It is used for welding flanges to the web. The
heavy equipment industry is a major user of submerged arc welding.
f. Materials Used.
(1) Two materials are used in submerged arc welding: the welding flux and the
consumable electrode wire.
(2) Submerged arc welding flux shields the arc and the molten weld metal from
the harmful effects of atmospheric oxygen and nitrogen. The flux contains
deoxidizers and scavengers which help to remove impurities from the molten weld
metal. Flux also provides a means of introducing alloys into the weld metal. As
this molten flux cools to a glassy slag, it forms a covering which protects the
surface of the weld. The unmelted portion of the flux does not change its form
and its properties are not affected, so it can be recovered and reused. The flux
that does melt and forms the slag covering must be removed from the weld bead.
This is easily done after the weld has cooled. In many cases, the slag will
actually peel without requiring special effort for removal. In groove welds, the
solidified slag may have to be removed by a chipping hammer.
(3) Fluxes are designed for specific applications and for specific types of
weld deposits. Submerged arc fluxes come in different particle sizes. Many
fluxes are not marked for size of particles because the size is designed and
produced for the intended application.
(4) There is no specification for submerged arc fluxes in use in North
America. A method of classifying fluxes, however, is by means of the deposited
weld metal produced by various combinations of electrodes and proprietary
submerged arc fluxes. This is covered by the American Welding Society Standard.
Bare carbon steel electrodes and fluxes for submerged arc welding. In this way,
fluxes can be designated to be used with different electrodes to provide the
deposited weld metal analysis that is desired. Table 10-24
shows the flux wire combination and the mechanical properties of the deposited
weld metal.
