Flux Core Welding and Welding Information

According to Wikipedia, Flux core welding is a semi-automatic or automatic welding process. This means that the welder needs a way to continuously feed a tubular electrode (consumable) that has flux with a constant voltage. Sometimes the welder may use a shielding gas but it is not necessary; the flux will protect the process from contamination.

Because this is a process that is quick, it is used in construction. This is also a portable process.

There are basically two types of Flux Core Welding overview that are used: one type uses a shielding gas and the other one does not. With the first type a shielding gas is not used because the flux already has characteristics to resolve a contamination problem so it acts as its own shield. Most welders prefer this type because it penetrates well with the base metal and because it is portable.

The second type uses an outside source for its shielding gas and generally is used to weld different steels together. This type of welding process is used when you have very thick metals to join together or when you have metals that are out of position for some reason. You will have to be wary of outside air conditions when using this one because too much wind could make slag on your metal.

There are many advantages of using this type of welding process. Some of them include:

·         You can generally use this in every position if you use a consumable electrode for the filler metals.

·         You can use it outside and in windy conditions if you use the first type of welding because you don’t need a shielding gas.

·         The deposition rate is high

·         Some of the processes, like when you are using it in the automotive industry, are higher speed than other processes.

·         You don't have to pre-clean the metal as much as in other processes.

·         The operator doesn't need a high level of skill to operate this procedure.

There are also a few disadvantages with this process too, and some of them include:

• Sometimes you can have an incomplete fusion that happened between your base metals.
• When a welder's hand isn't quite steady they may touch the base metal with the electrode and this can result in a melted contact tip.
• If the machine isn't feeding the wire properly it will result in having an irregular feed of the wire.
• You can have a condition called porosity if the gases aren't releasing properly before the metal you are working with hardens. This will cause holes to be made inside your metal that has been welded.
• This can't be used when the metal you are going to weld needs painted.

The good news is that you can use this on most steels. It is good for some of the higher nickels, stainless steels and some of the wearfacing or surfacing metals.

If you need to understand more about how to do this process there are a variety of websites that have step-by-step videos of how to do many aspects of this process.