FLUX CORED ARC WELDING

Called as FCAW
FCAW - Process

Development of traditional solid /wire

MIG/MAG Process

Wire takes form of a low carbon steel

tube

Tubular wire is filled with flux or metal

powder
FCAW - Process

The tubular wire is fed into the weld

pool in the same way as a solid MIG /
MAG Process

Wire diameter can range from 1 mm

upto 2.4 mm

Major wire diameter used is 1.2 mm

Why flux cored ?

Although GMAW with solid mild steel

wire is easy-to-use and effective for
many applications, it does have some
limitations
Why flux cored ?

GMAW is slow for out-of-position

welding

GMAW in short circuit transfer had

tendency for lack of fusion defects

GMAW requires clean steel

Why flux cored ?

A flux cored wire is optimized to obtain

performance not possible with a solid wire

For many welding applications like vertical

up welding and flat welding a flux cored
wire can do it better and faster.
Why flux cored ?

Ability to add a variety of materials to

the core of the welding wire allows
many performance enhancements to
be made wire
Why flux cored ?

Slag formers are added to shield the weld

pool and shape and support the weld

Iron powder is used to increase deposition

rate

Scavengers and fluxing agents are used to

refine the weld metal
FCAW -G

Gas shielded flux cored wires were

introduced around 1957

Core ingredients are formulated to

obtain performance impossible to
achieve with solid GMAW wire
FCAW -G

As all of shielding is provided by the

shielding gas , the core materials can
be carefully selected to maximize
certain area of welding performance,
such as obtaining spray type transfer
with 100% CO2 shielding gas and
welding speeds twice as fast in vertical
position
FCAW -S

Self shielded flux cored wires were

introduced around 1961

Core ingredients are formulated to

provide all the shielding. The core
materials generate its own shielding
gases, slag formers and compounds to
refine the weld pool.
FCAW Types of cored wire

Gas Shielded Rutile flux cored

Gas Shielded basic flux cored

Gas shielded metal powder cored

Self Shielded flux cored

FCAW-G Rutile flux cored

Contain high proportion of rutile in flux

Can be used in all position in spray

arc condition

Offer ease of use , low spatter levels

and self releasing slag
FCAW-G Rutile flux cored

Widely used in shipbuilding

All position capability gives high

production rates on components that
are too large to be turned to flat
position
FCAW-G Rutile flux cored
Typical welding parameters for 1.2
mm dia positional wire

vertical up position
at 160 -200 amps, 24-26 V

Horizontal & flat position

at 230 - 280 amps, 25 -28 V
FCAW-G Basic flux cored

Contain high proportion of calcium

carbonate and calcium fluoride in flux

Fluid slag cover limits use to flat and

horizontal positions

Arc is coarser than rutile wires, with

higher levels of spatter and more
tightly adhering slag
FCAW-G Basic flux cored

Weld metal has high toughness and

good crack resistance

Generally used to weld heavy sections

where there is increased risk of
cracking slag
FCAW-G Basic flux cored
Typical welding parameters for 1.2
mm dia

Horizontal & flat position

at 240 - 300 amps, 26 -29 V
FCAW-G Metal cored

Filled with very fine iron powder

Generally used for high deposition rate

welding in flat and horizontal positions

Arc is smooth with low levels of

spatter and minimal slag volume
FCAW-G Metal cored

Widely used in shipyard panel lines for

fillet welding of stiffeners to primed
panels

Increasingly used for mechanised

welding
FCAW-G Metal cored
Typical welding parameters for 1.2
mm dia

Horizontal & flat position

at 240 320 amps, 29 -31 V
FCAW-G Metal cored
Typical welding parameters for 1.6
mm dia

flat position
at 300 380 amps, 30 -33 V
FCAW-S Self shielded flux cored

Do not require gas shield

Generally used on open site conditions

in place of SMAW electrodes

Not as productive as gas shielded type

flux cored wires
FCAW-S Self shielded Flux cored

Significant advantage over SMAW

electrodes where gas shielded wires
cannot be used

More current / voltage sensitive