Friday, June 27, 2014

The Process Of Stainless Steel Welding

By Sherry Gross


There are three classes of metals based in stainless steel; Austenitic, martensitic and ferritic. Classification is based on their crystal structure. Stainless steel has a chromium content of at least ten percent. Austenitic grades are available with lowered carbon content. The basic steps below act as a guide in stainless steel welding.

First ensure safety. Ensure self-protection and protect the others. Fumes and the gases used affect health and electric shock is dangerous. Read manufacturers guidelines and educate workers on their safety, Protect head form fumes. Ventilate the area and keep exhaust in the arc, Put on protective gears and avoid touching live wires.

Decide on which joint design you will use. This will ensures strength of welded steel. When connecting base metals, ensure strength, metal thickness, bonding position and how accessible the joints are. Joints are of five types; lap joint, edge joint, butt joint, cornet joint and t joint. They are arranged in different combinations to ensure a variety of welds. Make use of fixtures and jigs to secure pieces. When you are connecting, clamp metal sheet, joints and fillets when working.

Choose a welding process. For the stick electrode process, heat needed for welding is from the electric arc that is flanked by the metal at the base and the metal electrode. It is a cheaper process but it is inefficient because of the slang coating or stub loss. Tig welding process can be performed on various metals. Heat used in the welding process is generated at an electric arc between base meal and the tungsten electrode. Filler metal can be added if necessary. An inert gas shields the arc.

Mig welding is faster in metals with thin gauge and with heavy plate. Heat used in the process is produced in the arc in between base metal and the filler electrode. Mig welding process is done in two ways; short circuit transfer or the spray transfer. Use the short circuit transfer in small and thin gauges. For spray transfer, spraying of droplets of metal is done.

If your method of welding requires shielding, determine which gas to use. The Shield electrode does not require a shielding gas. For the tig process, shield with argon if the metal thickness is approximately half. Use argon helium mixture or just helium if the metal is thicker. Employ helium for deeper penetration. Two percent thiorated is used mostly. For mig welding, use between one percent and two percent argon or combined oxygen and argon. Mostly, one percent oxygen is used.

When the metal pieces are the same, make use of a filler metal that has the same composition with the base metals so that the weld will have uniform properties. Consider the mechanical characteristics, probability of cracking and compatibility when choosing filler metal with different applications of the base metal.

Make use of direct or an alternating current when using stick electrode method. The direct current has a one direction of flow. It makes use of straight polarity or a reverse polarity. It has an advantage as it works in settings of a low current. Use a direct current with a straight polarity.




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