Flux Cored Arc Welding Electrodes for Ultra-Clean Weld Deposits and Extreme Toughness

Producing a very clean, low-oxygen weld deposit has long been a goal of welding consumable manufacturers. Basic flux-cored arc welding (FCAW) electrodes of the EXXT-5 designation offer excellent toughness and weld metal cleanliness, however the operation of most T-5 electrodes is very harsh with high levels of spatter. What’s more, the puddle tends to be too fluid for out-of-position welding. Rutile-based FCAW electrodes, such as EXXT-1 and EXXT-12, offer smooth operation and good all-positional capabilities. Because the weld deposits tend to be relatively high in oxygen, however, impact toughness will typically be much lower than what can be achieved with a basic slag system. Furthermore, as weld metal tensile strength increases, it is common to see a drop-off in impact toughness. As a consequence, many users will opt for EXX18 shielded metal arc welding (SMAW or “stick”) electrodes to achieve good toughness and all-positional capabilities, thereby sacrificing the high productivity that can be achieved with a flux-cored product.

Hobart Filler Metals has taken on the challenge of producing a flux-cored wire that provides the excellent toughness and low oxygen levels of a basic flux-cored wire or stick electrode with operability and out-of-position welding capabilities that are closer to those of rutile-based flux-cored wire.