Submerged Arc Welding [SAW] Process
Compiled by :
Prof. P. A. SHAH
Assistant professor,
Department of Mechanical engineering
DDU
Working principle :SAW Process
• Fusion Welding Process
• Semi Automatic
• Arc Between Consumable Electrode And Work
• Arc Covered Under granular Flux
• Wire / Electrode Continuously Fed To Weld Pool
• Wire / Arc Under blanket of Flux Moves Along The Groove
• Wire and BM Close to Arc Melt Under Flux
• On Cooling Weld Metal Solidifies
• Molten Flux Forms Thick Slag Cover On Weld
Working principle
Flux Recovery
Wire from spool system
Flux From Hopper
Blanket of Flux
• It is an arc welding process wherein coalescence is
produced by heating with an electric arc setup between a
bare metal electrode/ electrodes and the job.
• The arc, end of the electrode and molten pool remain
completely hidden and are invisible being submerged
under a blanket of granular material (flux).
• The continuously fed bare metal electrode melts and acts
as a filler rod. No pressure is applied for the welding
purpose.
SAW SYSTEM
• Welding power Source :
❖ Constant voltage type: Self regulating arc & small diameter of
electrode
❖ Constant Current type: over 4 mm dia. Electrode
• Welding Head :
▪ Wire spool
▪ Wire feed unit (Wire straightening and roller to feed wire )
▪ Contact tube
▪ Flux delivery hopper
▪ Flux recovery unit(optional system)
• SAW welding head is moves on tractor with flux hopper and coiled
electrode.
SAW Wire - Electrode
• Consumable Electrode / Wire
• Layer Wound On Spool / Coil
• CS & LAS Wires Coated with Cu
• Conducts Current and generates Arc
• Chemistry Compatible To Base Metal
• Grade Of Flux Can Be Same For CS & LAS
• Wire melts & deposited as filler in joint
Flux For SAW
•Sodium Chloride
•Potassium Chloride
•Titanium Dioxide
•Sodium Silicate
•Deoxidizing Agents
Function Of Flux In SAW
• Stabilizes Arc
• Prevents contamination of weld metal
• Cleans the weld from unwanted impurities
• Increases Fluidity of molten metal
• Generates inert gas shielding while metal transfers
• Forms slag after melting & covers weld
• Allows deposited metal to cool slowly
• Compensates alloying elements Within the weld
• Eliminates spatter generation
• Helps in even & uniform bead finish
Baking Requirements For Flux
• Spread the loose Flux in a Tray Of baking Oven
• Bake Tray in an Oven Between 300° C to 350° C
• Baking Time 2 Hrs to 3 Hrs
• Reduce the temperature to Min 120 ° C
• Hold the Flux at this temperature till use
Why Baking Flux?
•To remove the moisture (H2O)
•To avoid possible cracking of weld due to
H2
Why Weld backing is required ?
• To control penetration and to support large amount of molten
metal
• For butt welding in one pass where complete or full penetration is
desired
• A backing (strip) is a piece of metal that is placed on the backside of a
weld joint
• To prevent the molten metal from dripping through the open root
(burn through).
• It helps to ensure that 100% of the base metal's thickness is fused by
the weld (full penetration).
Weld backing methods are:
1. Permeant steel Back-up plate/ strip
2. Backing weld( sealing run )
3. Ceramic backing strip or bar
4. Integral backing shelf
5. Copper backing
Permeant steel Back-up plate/
strip
Backing weld( sealing run )
Ceramic backing strip or bar
Copper backing
SOURCE: Welding technology :Nptel :Dr. [Link]
Typical Welding Parameter
Sr Wire Ø Dep. Rate Per
Current A Voltage V Speed mm/min Wire & Flux
no mm Arc Hr
1 1.6 200-300 22-26 750-1500 3 – 4 kgs CS wire
2 2 250-350 24-26 750-1250 3- 4.5 kgs
+
Neutral Flux
4 2.5 300-350 25-27 750-1250 4 –4.5 kgs
5 3 400-500 28-30 500-750 5 – 5.5 kgs
6 4 550-650 30-32 400-750 5.5 - 7 kgs
7 5 600-800 30-34 350-750 6 - 8 kgs
Advantages
• Easy pile off slag, so easily can remove from weld
bead surface (compare to SMAW, FCAW)
• Molten flux provides suitable conditions for high
current to flow
• Higher welding speed due to high concentration of
heat
• Weld distortion is less due to high welding speed.
• High metal deposition rate – single pass weld is
possible for thick plates.
Advantages (Cont.)
•Welding is carried out without sparks,
flashes (invisible ARC).
•Very neat appearance and smooth weld
shapes.
•Can be performed in open areas where
there is moderate wind speed
Disadvantages
• Invisible arc necessitates accurate guidance of
welding head :Operator can not judge the progress of
welding.
• Process is limited to welding in flat position only
• Pre-placing of flux is required which is not possible at
all the time.
• Not suitable for thickness of plate below 6 mm .
• In small thickness risk of burn through.
• Flux is subjected to contamination that may cause
weld porosity.
Application :
• Welding of Heavy plate thickness in longer straight length and Large
diameter pipes and vessel
• Welding overlays.
• Structural and pressure vessels industries
• Ship building
• Fabrication of Hydro- Turbines Components
• Fabrication of Process equipment for chemical as well as
petrochemical industries.
CIRCUMFRENCIAL WELD of two shell from outside
Flux –belt baking for CIRCUMFRENCIAL WELD from inside
Longitudinal weld of Shell
SAW- Narrow groove
Courtesy
[Link] Prof. L.D. Poyyara Kirit D. Patel [Link]
Assistant [Link] Former Head, Welding Professor,
professor, Assistant [Link]-weld Engg., Department of
Department of professor, ing GMM Pfaudler Mechanical
Mechanical Department of &Production Ltd, engineering,
engineering, Mechanical Engg, Anand. (IIT-Roorkee)
DDU engineering L&T LTD.
,DDU -Former
Technical
Assistant
(IIT-Bombay)
39
Thank you