Submerged Arc Welding Advantages and Disadvantages

May 14, 2017

Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) includes the formation of an arc by electrodes, using the electrical charge to pass through a welding wire. There are some advantages of Submerged Arc Welding: it prevents hot materials from splashing onto workers, the flux prevents high levels of radiation from being emitted into the air, and it does not require added pressure to weld. Overall, SAW brings increased productivity, faster speeds, and greater repeatability delivering a higher quality product.

Submerged Arc Welding, also known as SAW, is the process that involves the formation of an arc by electrodes. The arc then uses its electrical charge to pass through a welding wire and the work piece for the application. The difference between submerged arc welding and regular arc welding is that the welding wire, arc, and weld joint are covered by a layer of flux. The flux creates a pathway for the arc to travel through to the material that is being welded. The flux creates a shield for the molten material which prevents splatters and contamination.

Advantages of Submerged Arc Welding

One of the top advantages of submerged arc welding is that it prevents hot materials from splattering and splashing onto workers. Another benefit is that the flux prevents high levels of radiation from being emitted into the air. Submerged arc welding does not require added pressure to weld because it is already generated by the electrode. This application is excellent for quickly welding together thin metal sheets and creates a secure fusion between welds. This application also produces high productivity, fast travel speed, high repeatability, and quality results.

Disadvantages of Submerged Arc Welding

Like most applications there are some limitations to submerged arc welding. One is that materials that can be welded by SAW are limited to steel, stainless steel, and some nickel. Submerged arc welding is also limited to materials that are long and straight or are rotated pipes. And despite having some safety advantages there is still the risk of having the residue from the flux left behind, which could be harmful to employee health.

Implementing Submerged Arc Welding Applications

When implementing a SAW application, it is important to select a robot with at least a 20kg capacity. This will allow the robot to be able to hold the wire feed and flux. Units such as the Fanuc ARC Mate 120iC and the Fanuc ARC Mate 120iB would be good choices for a SAW application. It is also important to have a large power supply, one that is at least capable of pulling 1000 amps of weld current.

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