Flux Cored GTAW Wires-EPRI Guideleines.

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Welding Guidelines
The manufacturers of the flux assisted filler materials recommend the use of a keyhole welding technique,
which allows the flow of the molten flux to the backside of the weld, similar to the SMAW process. Without
the keyhole technique the amount of slag reaching the backside would be insufficient to appropriately shield
the exposed molten weld metal resulting in surface oxidation and poor wet out. A keyhole welding technique
is commonly used for autogenous welding applications and automated processes, with a square butt weld joint
configuration, but is not common for manual welding with a flux assisted filler material. A skilled welder and
additional training will be required to perform acceptable SS root welds without a backing purge.
The welding technique for the flux-assisted electrodes is significantly different than the standard solid wire
techniques. A summary of guidelines established from manufacturers recommendations, technique
development feedback is listed below. It is recommended that additional training and mockup welds be
performed prior to implementation. Basic weld preparation is shown in the attached figure.
Fit up and Tack Welding

• Root gap should be as wide as or slightly larger than the electrode diameter. A root gap of 1/16-in to 1/8-in,
is acceptable and 3/32-in, was considered optimal.
• A less than optimal weld root gap resulted in insufficient flux transfer to the back of the root pass resulting
in ID sugaring and lack of penetration and ID reinforcement.
• A greater than optimal root gap, resulted in a decreased root thickness. A thinner root pass could potentially
cause hot pass problems (i.e. ID sugaring, blow through).
• Root Land: 0 to 1/16-in, land. A feathered edge (no land) was optimal.
• The pipe should be laid out in segments such that
• Roots welds are continuous from tack to tack.
• The welding current is highest in the overhead position and lower in the vertical position.
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• The last weld root connection should be at the 1:00 to 2:00 position for better weld root quality. Stops and
starts should not be at the 12:00 and 6:00 positions.
• Tacks should be large enough to assure the proper gap is maintained and is not allowed to close up during
the welding process.
• Tack welds should be made with solid filler material.
Root Welding Technique

• The initial root pass should be started on a tack.
• The flux-assisted filler should be used for root pass welding only and with a keyhole technique.
- Although not recommended a non-keyhole technique was found to be acceptable with the flux-
coated filler products, with excessive pipe misalignment or root gap.
- When a non-keyhole technique is used the filler rod is held tight in the gap with a short arc length,
and the arc is worked side to side (walking the cup).
- The non-keyhole technique with the excessive gap typically results in a thin root pass thickness.
Care must be taken when applying the hot pass to maintain ID surface integrity.
• Root pass welding must be performed in the vertical up position. Downhill welding inhibits the formation of
the keyhole and allows slag to form ahead of the molten weld bead leading to lack of penetration.
• Travel speed will be approximately 1.5 to 2 ipm for flux-cored and slightly faster (3.0 to 3.5 ipm) with the
flux-coated welding rods. The actual travel speed is difficult to maintain with the manual process and the
welder will be required to maintain the appropriate puddle size and keyhole.
• The keyhole size and shape directly affects the quality of the root pass.
- Maintain a sufficient and consistent molten pool size when dipping the filler rod into the keyhole.
- Maintain a tight arc while dipping the weld filler rod into the keyhole. The arc length should be as
short as possible, with an aim of .080 to .120-inch. This can be achieved through proper electrode
stick-out and contacting the nozzle/cup on in the groove faces/walls (walking the cup).
- Keep rod in leading edge of puddle while continually feeding.
• Use a slight oscillation to maintain the keyhole with constant dipping of the filler rod (every 1-2 sec.).
• The keyhole must be large enough such that the slag can be continuously flow to the back side of the root,
but small enough to maintain a proper shape on the inside of the pipe.
• The filler rod must be manipulated quickly or filler metal will freeze without penetrating to the ID.
• Avoid penetrating the backside of the root with the filler material.
• When cutting off the arc in the middle of welding, the crater should be moved back and toward the sidewall
in order to avoid crater defects.
• When restarting an arc, the arc should be struck approximately 3/8” from the end of the stop, on the existing
bead, while the previous bead is still hot and without removing any slag. The slag must not be removed from
the root side of the weld as this will lead to oxidation upon re-arcing.
• When root pass welding reaches a tack weld, the tack must be removed by grinding prior to restarting the
welding operation.
• The proper weld puddle will appear orange as opposed to a clear puddle characteristic of GTAW welding.
• Torch angle 10-20-degrees max.
• Cleaning: Do not remove slag until the entire root pass is complete. Wire brush and chip prior to subsequent
passes (hot pass).
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Hot Pass Welding Technique

• Travel speed increased to 2.5 to 3.0-ipm compared to root pass.
• Wire brush between at stops and starts, at the toe of the root weld bead and between the weld beads if a split
hot pass is utilized. Do not remove slag from ID surface.
• If scale or slag is not removed completely with a wire brush, power wire brush or grind to remove.
• The flux-coated products tend to have a more tenacious slag coverage and scale residue and may
require a power brush prior to subsequent weld passes.
• Larger cup size, #5 compared to root pass.
• Amperage increased 5-10 amps compared to root weld.
Split pass reduced the potential for burn through and ID sugaring, and may be beneficial for less skilled
welders. Figure 3-3 illustrates poor ID surface quality resulting from poorly applied single hot pass.

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1

Fit up and Tack Welding

Root Welding Technique

Hot Pass Welding Technique

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