Flux Core Arc Welding

FCAW

5 Essentials of Arc Welding

• Arc Length• Travel Speed• Electrode Angle• Electrode• Machine Setting

FCAW Machine Settings

• Machine setting depends on thickness of metal.

• Voltage/Arc heat (see chart on machine)• Wire speed (see chart on machine)

Electrode (wire)

• Tubular welding electrode(wire) with flux in the center.

• Type of wire depends on base metal.– Mild steel base metal = mild steel wire.– Various sizes (.030”, .035”, .045”)– All machines in our shop are set up with .030”

mild steel wire.

Electrode Angle

• Work angle (front to back)– Flat welds = 90– T – Joint = 45

• Travel angle (right to left)– Always 90

Travel Speed

• Resulting weld should be 1/8” – 3/16” wide.

Arc Length

• Stickout: Length of wire sticking out from the welding tip. Should be around 1/2”.

• Listen carefully to your weld, should have a constant sizzle, no cracking or popping.

Welding Gun

• When you pull the trigger on the welding gun 2 things happen simultaneously:– Wire-feed starts– Arc starts

FCAW Related Terms

• Cold lap: Non-penetrating weld; weld sits on top of or overlaps base metal.– Causes: Improper machine setting, low heat,

improper arc length(stickout).

• Slag: Layer of impurities that form around the resulting weld.– After each weld always:• Chip slag with a chipping hammer.• Clean weld with a wire brush.