Submerged Arc Welding

CSWIP 3.
1 Welding Inspection
Submerged Arc Welding
TWI Training & Examination Services
Copyright © TWI Ltd 2008

Course Reference WIS 5
Course notes section reference 14
Submerged Arc Welding Introduction
• Submerged arc welding was developed in the Soviet Union

during the 2nd world war for the welding of thick section steel.
• The process is normally mechanized.
• The process uses amps in the range of 100 to over 2000, which
gives a very high current density in the wire producing deep
penetration and high dilution welds.
• A flux is supplied separately via a flux hopper in the form of either

fused or agglomerated.
• The arc is not visible as it is submerged beneath the flux layer
and no eye protection is required.
SAW Principle of operation

SAW Basic Equipment
Transformer/
Rectifier
Power return
cable Welding carriage
Power control control unit
panel
Welding carriage

Granulated Electrode wire
flux reel
Granulated
flux
SAW equipment
Ancillary equipment
•tilting-rotating positioners bring the area to be
welded on irregular parts into flat position

Courtesy of ESAB AB Courtesy of ESAB AB
SAW equipment
Ancillary equipment
•roller beads rotate cylindrical parts under the

weld head

Courtesy of ESAB AB Courtesy of ESAB AB
Principles of operation
Factors that determine whether to use SAW chemical

composition and mechanical properties required for the weld
deposit
• thickness of base metal to be welded
• joint accessibility
• position in which the weld is to be made
• frequency or volume of welding to be performed

SAW methods
Semiautomatic Mechanised Automatic

SAW equipment
Power sources can be:

• transformers for AC
• transformer-rectifiers for DC
Static characteristic can be:
• Constant Voltage (flat) - most of the power sources

• Constant Current (drooping)
SAW equipment
Constant Voltage (Flat Characteristic) power sources:

• most commonly used supplies for SAW
• can be used for both semiautomatic and automatic welding
• self-regulating arc
• simple wire feed speed control
• wire feed speed controls the current and power supply
controls the voltage

• applications for DC are limited to 1000A due to severe arc
blow (also thin wires!)
ARC CHARACTERISTICS
Constant Voltage Characteristic
Small change in voltage =

OCV
large change in
Large arc gap amperage
Small arc gap
The self
Volts

adjusting arc.
Amps
SAW equipment
Constant Current (Drooping Characteristic) power sources:
• Over 1000A - very fast speed required - control of burn off
rate and stick out length
• can be used for both semiautomatic and automatic welding
• not self-regulating arc
• must be used with a voltage-sensing variable wire feed
speed control

• more expensive due to more complex wire feed speed
control
• arc voltage depends upon wire feed speed whilst the
power source controls the current
• cannot be used for high-speed welding of thin steel
ARC CHARACTERISTICS
Constant Current/Amperage Characteristic
Large change in voltage =

OCV Smaller change in
amperage
Volts
Large arc gap
Welding Voltage

Small arc
gap
Amps
SAW equipment
Welding heads Wire reel
Slides
Flux
hopper Wire feed
motor

Feed roll
assembly Torch
assembly
Tracking
system Courtesy of ESAB AB
Contact tip
SAW equipment
Welding heads can be mounted on a:

Tractor type carriage
• provides travel along straight or
gently curved joints
• can ride on tracks set up along the
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joint (with grooved wheels) or on
the workpiece itself
• can use guide wheels as tracking

device
• due to their portability, are used in
field welding or where the piece
cannot be moved
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SAW Equipment
Welding heads can be mounted

on a:
Column / Beam carriage
•provides linear travel only
•are capable of linear motion in 3

axes
•because workpiece must be
brought to the weld station, they
are use mostly in the workshop
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SAW operating variables
• welding current
• current type and polarity
• welding voltage
• travel speed
• electrode size

• electrode extension
• width and depth of the layer of flux
Welding current
•controls depth of penetration and the amount of
base metal melted  dilution

Welding current
•too high current  excessive excess weld metal
(waste of electrode)  increase weld shrinkage and
causes greater distortions
•excessively high current  digging arc, undercut,
burn through; also a high and narrow bead 
solidification cracking

•too low current  incomplete
fusion or inadequate
penetration
•excessively low current 
unstable arc
Current type and polarity

•Usually DCEP 
deep penetration,
better resistance to
porosity
•DCEN increase
deposition rate but

reduce penetration
(surfacing)
•AC used to avoid
arc blow; can give
unstable arc
Current type and polarity

DCSP (DCEN) gives melt-off rates about
1/3 greater than DCRP (DCEP)
Welding voltage •welding voltage controls arc
length
•increase in voltage produce a
flatter and wider bead
•increase in voltage increase
flux consumption
•increase in voltage tend to
reduce porosity

•an increased voltage may
help bridging an excessive
root gap
•an increased voltage can increase pick-up of alloying elements
from an alloy flux
Welding voltage
•low voltage produce a

“stiffer” arc  improves
penetration in a deep
weld groove and resists
arc blow

•excessive low voltage
produce a high narrow
bead  difficult slag
removal
Welding voltage
•excessively high voltage

produce a “hat-shaped” bead
 tendency to crack
increase undercut  make slag
removal difficult in groove

welds

produce a concave fillet weld
that is subject to cracking
Travel speed
•increase in travel speed decrease heat input  less
filler metal applied per unit of length  less excess
weld metal  weld bead becomes smaller

Travel speed
•excessively high speed

lead to undercut, arc
blow and porosity
•excessively low speed

produce “hat-shaped” beads
 danger of cracking
•excessively low speed produce rough beads and

lead to slag inclusions
Electrode size
•at the same current, small electrodes have higher
current density  higher deposition rates

Electrode extension
•increased electrode extension adds resistance in the
welding circuit  increase in deposition rate  decrease in
penetration and bead width
•to keep a proper weld shape, when electrode extension is

increased, voltage must also be increased
•when burn-through is a problem (e.g. thin gage), increase
electrode extension
•excessive electrode extension  it is more difficult to
maintain the electrode tip in the correct position
Depth of flux
•depth of flux layer influence the appearance of weld
•usually, depth of flux is 25-30 mm
•if flux layer is to deep  arc is too confined  result a
rough ropelike appearing weld
•if flux layer is to deep  gases cannot escape  the

surface of molten weld metal becomes irregularly
distorted
•if flux layer is too shallow  flashing and spattering
will occur  poor appearance and porous weld
SAW

SAW

SAW

SAW

SAW technological variables
Travel angle effect - Butt weld on plates

Penetration Deep Moderate Shallow
Excess weld metal Maximum Moderate Minimum
Tendency to undercut Severe Moderate Minimum
Effect of work angle - Fillet welds on plate in the HV

position

Smaller work Larger work
Typical work angles reduce angles increase
angle = 40° penetration penetration
Effect of electrode position - Fillet welds on plate in the
flat position

Exception - when more than usual
Correct amount of penetration is required
Effect of electrode position - Circumferential welds

•too little displacement  slag spills out of the weld
•too much displacement  slag runs ahead welding head
Earth position +
Direction of
travel
•welding towards earth produces backward arc blow

•deep penetration
•convex weld profile
•little resistance to porosity
Earth position
+
Direction of
travel

•welding away earth produces forward arc blow
•normal penetration depth
•smooth, even weld profile
•high resistance to porosity
Weld backing
Backing strip
Backing weld

Copper backing
Starting/finishing the weld

?
Any Questions

SAW variants
Twin wire SAW welding •two electrodes are feed
into the same weld pool
•wire diameter usually 1,6 to
3,2 mm
•electrodes are connected
to a single power source 
a single arc is established

•normally operate with
DCEP  arc blow
•offers increased deposition
rate by up to 80% compared
to single wire SAW
SAW variants
Wires can be oriented

for maximum or
minimum penetration

SAW variants
Tandem arc SAW process •usually DCEP on lead

and AC on trail  reduce
arc blow
•requires two separate
power sources
•the electrodes are active
in the same puddle BUT

there are 2 separate arcs
•increased deposition
rate by up to 100%
compared with single
wire SAW
SAW variants
SAW tandem arc with two wires

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SAW variants
Single pool - highest deposition rate

Twin pool - travel speed limited by undercut;
very resistant to porosity and cracks
SAW variants
Tandem arc SAW process - multiple wires
•only for welding thick

sections (>30 mm)
•not suitable for use in
narrow weld
preparations (root
passes)

•one 4 mm wire at 600 A
 6,8 kg/hr
•tandem two 4 mm wires
Courtesy of ESAB AB at 600 A  13,6 kg/hr
SAW variants
Strip cladding •requires a special
welding head
(sometime problems
with arc stability)
•can be applied on
complicated shapes
(e.g. dished heads)
•higher productivity

and smaller dilution
than twin arc process
•strip electrode more
expensive than wire
SAW variants
Strip cladding

SAW variants
Narrow groove welding
max. 8°

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SAW variants
Narrow gap welding •for welding thick
materials
•less filler metal required
•requires special groove
preparation and special
welding head
•requires special fluxes,

otherwise problems with
slag removal
•defect removal is very
difficult
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SAW variants
Narrow gap welding

SAW variants
Cold wire welding
•the cold wire is not connected to power source
•increase deposition rates up to 75%
•high deposition rate at fixed heat input results in
lower penetration!

SAW variants
Hot wire welding

•the hot wire is connected to power source  much
more efficient than cold wire (current is used entirely
to heat the wire!)
•increase deposition rates
up to 100%
•requires additional

welding equipment,
additional control of
variables, considerable
set-up time and closer
operator attention
SAW variants
SAW with metal powder addition
•increased deposition rates up to 70%; increased
welding speed
•gives smooth fusion, improved bead appearance,
reduced penetration and dilution from parent metal 
higher impact strength
•metal powders can modify chemical composition of
final weld deposit

•does not increase risk of cracking
•do not require additional arc energy
•metal powder can be added ahead or directly into the
weld pool
SAW variants

•forward-feed powder addition

SAW variants

•magnetic attachment of powder

•SAW with metal cored wires
SAW variants
Storage tank SAW of circular welds

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Submerged Arc Welding Process (SAW)
Submerged arc welds are difficult to predict as the weld is
made up of three elements. The dilution may be as much as
60% resulting in a high susceptibility to solidification cracking

Advantages of SAW
• high current density, high deposition rates (up to 10 times
those for MMA), high productivity
• deep penetration allowing the use of small welding grooves
• fast travel speed, less distortion
• deslagging is easier
• uniform bead appearance with good surface finish and good
fatigue properties
• can be easily performed mechanised, giving a higher duty
cycle and low skill level required

• provide consistent quality when performed automatic or
mechanised
• Virtually assured radiographically sound welds
• arc is not visible
• little smoke/fumes are developed
Disadvantages of SAW
• limited mainly between flat and horizontal positions
• limited to carbon, low alloy, creep resisting, stainless steels
and nickel alloys
• due to the high heat input, impact strength of weld
metal/HAZ may be low; also high dilution
• slag must be cleared away after welding due to the danger
of slag inclusions
• need flux storage, handling and recirculation control

• difficult to apply on-site due to complicated equipment
• high capital costs
• weld line must be regular (straight or circumferential seams
only) with accurate fit-up
Submerged Arc Welding
Advantages Disadvantages
• Low weld-metal cost • Restricted welding
positions
• Easily automated
• Arc blow on DC
• Low levels of ozone current
• High productivity • Shrinkage defects

• No visible arc light • Difficult penetration
• Minimum cleaning control
• Limited joints
?
Any Questions

Questions
Submerged Arc Welding Process
QU 1. State the possible problems when using damp
and contaminated fluxes when using the sub-arc
process
QU 2. State the two flux types used in the sub-arc welding

process.
QU 3. Generally what power source characteristic is

required for the SAW welding process

QU 4. State three main items of sub-arc fluxes, which
require inspection
QU 5. State the advantages and disadvantages of the sub-
arc welding process

Submerged Arc Welding

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What are the two types of fluxes used in submerged arc welding?

What are the two types of fluxes used in submerged arc welding?

What power source characteristic is generally required for the SAW welding process?

What power source characteristic is generally required for the SAW welding process?

CSWIP 3.

Submerged Arc Welding

TWI Training & Examination Services

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2008

• Submerged arc welding was developed in the Soviet Union

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2008

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2008

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2008

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2008

•roller beads rotate cylindrical parts under the

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2008

Factors that determine whether to use SAW chemical

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2008

Semiautomatic Mechanised Automatic

Power sources can be:

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2008

Constant Voltage (Flat Characteristic) power sources:

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Constant Voltage Characteristic

Small change in voltage =

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Copyright © TWI Ltd 2008

Constant Current/Amperage Characteristic

Large change in voltage =

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Welding heads Wire reel

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Welding heads can be mounted on a:

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Welding heads can be mounted

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Copyright © TWI Ltd 2008

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Copyright © TWI Ltd 2008

Current type and polarity

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•low voltage produce a

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•excessively high voltage

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•excessively high voltage

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•excessively high speed

•excessively low speed

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•excessively low speed produce rough beads and

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•to keep a proper weld shape, when electrode extension is

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2008

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2008

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2008

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2008

Copyright © TWI Ltd 2008