After the discovery of the short pulsed electric arc in 1800 by Humphry Davy[3][4] and of the

continuous electric arc in 1802 by Vasily Petrov,[4][5] there was little development in electrical welding
until Auguste de Mritens developed a carbon arc torch that was patented in 1881.[1]
In 1885, Nikolay Benardos and Stanisaw Olszewski developed carbon arc welding,[6] obtaining
American patents from 1887 showing a rudimentary electrode holder. In 1888, the consumable
metal electrode was invented by Nikolay Slavyanov. Later in 1890, C. L. Coffin received U.S. Patent
428,459 for his arc welding method that utilized a metal electrode. The process, like SMAW,
deposited melted electrode metal into the weld as filler.[7]
Around 1900, A. P. Strohmenger and Oscar Kjellberg released the first coated electrodes.
Strohmenger used clay and lime coating to stabilize the arc, while Kjellberg dipped iron wire into
mixtures of carbonates and silicates to coat the electrode.[8] In 1912, Strohmenger released a heavily
coated electrode, but high cost and complex production methods prevented these early electrodes
from gaining popularity. In 1927, the development of an extrusion process reduced the cost of
coating electrodes while allowing manufacturers to produce more complex coating mixtures
designed for specific applications. In the 1950s, manufacturers introduced iron powder into the flux
coating, making it possible to increase the welding speed.[9]
In 1938 K. K. Madsen described an automated variation of SMAW, now known as gravity welding. It
briefly gained popularity in the 1960s after receiving publicity for its use in Japanese shipyards
though today its applications are limited. Another little used variation of the process, known
as firecracker welding, was developed around the same time by George Hafergut in Austria.[10]

Operation[edit]

SMAW weld area

To strike the electric arc, the electrode is brought into contact with the workpiece by a very light
touch with the electrode to the base metal then is pulled back slightly. This initiates the arc and thus
the melting of the workpiece and the consumable electrode, and causes droplets of the electrode to
be passed from the electrode to the weld pool. Striking an arc, which varies widely based upon
electrode and workpiece composition, can be the hardest skill for beginners. The orientation of the
electrode to workpiece is where most stumble, if the electrode is held at a perpendicular angle to the
workpiece the tip will likely stick to the metal which will fuse the electrode to the workpiece which will
cause it to heat up very rapidly. The tip of the electrode needs to be at a lower angle to the
workpiece, which allows the weld pool to flow out of the arc. As the electrode melts, the flux covering
disintegrates, giving off shielding gases that protect the weld area from oxygen and
other atmospheric gases. In addition, the flux provides molten slag which covers the filler metal as it
travels from the electrode to the weld pool. Once part of the weld pool, the slag floats to the surface
and protects the weld from contamination as it solidifies. Once hardened, it must be chipped away to
reveal the finished weld. As welding progresses and the electrode melts, the welder must
periodically stop welding to remove the remaining electrode stub and insert a new electrode into the
electrode holder. This activity, combined with chipping away the slag, reduces the amount of time
that the welder can spend laying the weld, making SMAW one of the least efficient welding
processes. In general, the operator factor, or the percentage of operator's time spent laying weld, is
approximately 25%.[11]
The actual welding technique utilized depends on the electrode, the composition of the workpiece,
and the position of the joint being welded. The choice of electrode and welding position also
determine the welding speed. Flat welds require the least operator skill, and can be done with
electrodes that melt quickly but solidify slowly. This permits higher welding speeds.
Sloped, vertical or upside-down welding requires more operator skill, and often necessitates the use
of an electrode that solidifies quickly to prevent the molten metal from flowing out of the weld pool.
However, this generally means that the electrode melts less quickly, thus increasing the time
required to lay the weld.[12]
Quality[edit]
The most common quality problems associated with SMAW include weld spatter, porosity, poor
fusion, shallow penetration, and cracking.
Weld spatter, while not affecting the integrity of the weld, damages its appearance and increases
cleaning costs. It can be caused by excessively high current, a long arc, or arc blow, a condition
associated with direct current characterized by the electric arc being deflected away from the weld
pool by magnetic forces. Arc blow can also cause porosity in the weld, as can joint contamination,
high welding speed, and a long welding arc, especially when low-hydrogen electrodes are used.
Porosity, often not visible without the use of advanced nondestructive testing methods, is a serious
concern because it can potentially weaken the weld. Another defect affecting the strength of the
weld is poor fusion, though it is often easily visible. It is caused by low current, contaminated joint
surfaces, or the use of an improper electrode.
Shallow penetration, another detriment to weld strength, can be addressed by decreasing welding
speed, increasing the current or using a smaller electrode. Any of these weld-strength-related
defects can make the weld prone to cracking, but other factors are involved as well. High carbon,
alloy or sulfur content in the base material can lead to cracking, especially if low-hydrogen
electrodes and preheating are not employed. Furthermore, the workpieces should not be excessively
restrained, as this introduces residual stresses into the weld and can cause cracking as the weld
cools and contracts.[13]
Safety[edit]
SMAW welding, like other welding methods, can be a dangerous and unhealthy practice if proper
precautions are not taken. The process uses an open electric arc, which presents a risk of burns
which are prevented by personal protective equipment in the form of heavy leather gloves and long
sleeve jackets. Additionally, the brightness of the weld area can lead to a condition called arc eye, in
which ultraviolet light causes inflammation of the cornea and can burn the retinas of the eyes.
Welding helmets with dark face plates are worn to prevent this exposure, and in recent years, new
helmet models have been produced that feature a face plate that self-darkens upon exposure to high
amounts of UV light. To protect bystanders, especially in industrial environments, translucent
welding curtains often surround the welding area. These curtains, made of a polyvinyl
chloride plastic film, shield nearby workers from exposure to the UV light from the electric arc, but
should not be used to replace the filter glass used in helmets.[14]
In addition, the vaporizing metal and flux materials expose welders to dangerous gases
and particulate matter. The smoke produced contains particles of various types of oxides. The size
of the particles in question tends to influence the toxicity of the fumes, with smaller particles
presenting a greater danger. Additionally, gases like carbon dioxide and ozone can form, which can
prove dangerous if ventilation is inadequate. Some of the latest welding masks are fitted with an
electric powered fan to help disperse harmful fumes.[15]
Application and materials[edit]
Shielded metal arc welding is one of the world's most popular welding processes, accounting for
over half of all welding in some countries. Because of its versatility and simplicity, it is particularly
dominant in the maintenance and repair industry, and is heavily used in the construction of steel
structures and in industrial fabrication. In recent years its use has declined as flux-cored arc welding
has expanded in the construction industry and gas metal arc welding has become more popular in
industrial environments. However, because of the low equipment cost and wide applicability, the
process will likely remain popular, especially among amateurs and small businesses where
specialized welding processes are uneconomical and unnecessary.[16]
SMAW is often used to weld carbon steel, low and high alloy steel, stainless steel, cast iron,
and ductile iron. While less popular for nonferrous materials, it can be used on nickel and copper
and their alloys and, in rare cases, on aluminium. The thickness of the material being welded is
bounded on the low end primarily by the skill of the welder, but rarely does it drop below 1.5 mm
(0.06 in). No upper bound exists: with proper joint preparation and use of multiple passes, materials
of virtually unlimited thicknesses can be joined. Furthermore, depending on the electrode used and
the skill of the welder, SMAW can be used in any position.[17]

Equipment[edit]

SMAW system setup

Shielded metal arc welding equipment typically consists of a constant current welding power supply
and an electrode, with an electrode holder, a 'ground' clamp, and welding cables (also known as
welding leads) connecting the two.
Power supply[edit]
The power supply used in SMAW has constant current output, ensuring that the current (and thus
the heat) remains relatively constant, even if the arc distance and voltage change. This is important
because most applications of SMAW are manual, requiring that an operator hold the torch.
Maintaining a suitably steady arc distance is difficult if a constant voltage power source is used
instead, since it can cause dramatic heat variations and make welding more difficult. However,
because the current is not maintained absolutely constant, skilled welders performing complicated
welds can vary the arc length to cause minor fluctuations in the current.[18]
A high output welding power supply for Stick, GTAW, MIG, Flux-Cored, & Gouging

The preferred polarity of the SMAW system depends primarily upon the electrode being used and
the desired properties of the weld. Direct current with a negatively charged electrode (DCEN) causes
heat to build up on the electrode, increasing the electrode melting rate and decreasing the depth of
the weld. Reversing the polarity so that the electrode is positively charged (DCEP) and the
workpiece is negatively charged increases the weld penetration. With alternating current the polarity
changes over 100 times per second, creating an even heat distribution and providing a balance
between electrode melting rate and penetration.[19]
Typically, the equipment used for SMAW consists of a step-down transformer and for direct current
models a rectifier, which converts alternating current into direct current. Because the power normally
supplied to the welding machine is high-voltage alternating current, the welding transformer is used
to reduce the voltage and increase the current. As a result, instead of 220 V at 50 A, for example,
the power supplied by the transformer is around 1745 V at currents up to 600 A. A number of
different types of transformers can be used to produce this effect, including multiple coil
and inverter machines, with each using a different method to manipulate the welding current. The
multiple coil type adjusts the current by either varying the number of turns in the coil (in tap-type
transformers) or by varying the distance between the primary and secondary coils (in movable coil or
movable core transformers). Inverters, which are smaller and thus more portable, use electronic
components to change the current characteristics.[20]
Electrical generators and alternators are frequently used as portable welding power supplies, but
because of lower efficiency and greater costs, they are less frequently used in industry. Maintenance
also tends to be more difficult, because of the complexities of using a combustion engine as a power
source. However, in one sense they are simpler: the use of a separate rectifier is unnecessary
because they can provide either AC or DC.[21] However, the engine driven units are most practical in
field work where the welding often must be done out of doors and in locations where transformer
type welders are not usable because there is no power source available to be transformed.
In some units the alternator is essentially the same as that used in portable generating sets used to
supply mains power, modified to produce a higher current at a lower voltage but still at the 50 or
60 Hz grid frequency. In higher-quality units an alternator with more poles is used and supplies
current at a higher frequency, such as 400 Hz. The smaller amount of time the high-frequency
waveform spends near zero makes it much easier to strike and maintain a stable arc than with the
cheaper grid-frequency sets or grid-frequency mains-powered units.
Electrode[edit]

Various accessories for SMAW

The choice of electrode for SMAW depends on a number of factors, including the weld material,
welding position and the desired weld properties. The electrode is coated in a metal mixture called
flux, which gives off gases as it decomposes to prevent weld contamination, introduces deoxidizers
to purify the weld, causes weld-protecting slag to form, improves the arc stability, and provides
alloying elements to improve the weld quality.[22] Electrodes can be divided into three groupsthose
designed to melt quickly are called "fast-fill" electrodes, those designed to solidify quickly are called
"fast-freeze" electrodes, and intermediate electrodes go by the name "fill-freeze" or "fast-follow"
electrodes. Fast-fill electrodes are designed to melt quickly so that the welding speed can be
maximized, while fast-freeze electrodes supply filler metal that solidifies quickly, making welding in a
variety of positions possible by preventing the weld pool from shifting significantly before
solidifying.[23]
The composition of the electrode core is generally similar and sometimes identical to that of the base
material. But even though a number of feasible options exist, a slight difference in alloy composition
can strongly impact the properties of the resulting weld. This is especially true of alloy steels such
as HSLA steels. Likewise, electrodes of compositions similar to those of the base materials are often
used for welding nonferrous materials like aluminium and copper.[24] However, sometimes it is
desirable to use electrodes with core materials significantly different from the base material. For
example, stainless steel electrodes are sometimes used to weld two pieces of carbon steel, and are
often utilized to weld stainless steel workpieces with carbon steel workpieces.[25]
Electrode coatings can consist of a number of different compounds, including rutile, calcium
fluoride, cellulose, and iron powder. Rutile electrodes, coated with 25%45% TiO2, are characterized
by ease of use and good appearance of the resulting weld. However, they create welds with high
hydrogen content, encouraging embrittlement and cracking. Electrodes containing calcium fluoride
(CaF2), sometimes known as basic or low-hydrogen electrodes, are hygroscopic and must be stored
in dry conditions. They produce strong welds, but with a coarse and convex-shaped joint surface.
Electrodes coated with cellulose, especially when combined with rutile, provide deep weld
penetration, but because of their high moisture content, special procedures must be used to prevent
excessive risk of cracking. Finally, iron powder is a common coating additive that increases the rate
at which the electrode fills the weld joint, up to twice as fast.[26]
To identify different electrodes, the American Welding Society established a system that assigns
electrodes with a four- or five-digit number. Covered electrodes made of mild or low alloy steel carry
the prefix E, followed by their number. The first two or three digits of the number specify the tensile
strength of the weld metal, in thousand pounds per square inch(ksi). The penultimate digit generally
identifies the welding positions permissible with the electrode, typically using the values 1 (normally
fast-freeze electrodes, implying all position welding) and 2 (normally fast-fill electrodes, implying
horizontal welding only). The welding current and type of electrode covering are specified by the last
two digits together. When applicable, a suffix is used to denote the alloying element being
contributed by the electrode.[27]
Common electrodes include the E6010, a fast-freeze, all-position electrode with a minimum tensile
strength of 60 ksi (410 MPa) which is operated using DCEP. E6011 is similar except its flux coating
allows it to be used with alternating current in addition to DCEP. E7024 is a fast-fill electrode, used
primarily to make flat or horizontal welds using AC, DCEN, or DCEP. Examples of fill-freeze
electrodes are the E6012, E6013, and E7014, all of which provide a compromise between fast
welding speeds and all-position welding.[28]
Process variations[edit]
Though SMAW is almost exclusively a manual arc welding process, one notable process variation
exists, known as gravity welding or gravity arc welding. It serves as an automated version of the
traditional shielded metal arc welding process, employing an electrode holder attached to an inclined
bar along the length of the weld. Once started, the process continues until the electrode is spent,
allowing the operator to manage multiple gravity welding systems. The electrodes employed (often
E6027 or E7024) are coated heavily in flux, and are typically 71 cm (28 in) in length and about
6.35 mm (0.25 in) thick. As in manual SMAW, a constant current welding power supply is used, with
either negative polarity direct current or alternating current. Due to a rise in the use of semiautomatic
welding processes such as flux-cored arc welding, the popularity of gravity welding has fallen as its
economic advantage over such methods is often minimal. Other SMAW-related methods that are
even less frequently used include firecracker welding, an automatic method for making butt and fillet
welds, and massive electrode welding, a process for welding large components or structures that
can deposit up to 27 kg (60 lb) of weld metal per hour.[10]

Notes[edit]
1. ^ Jump up to:a b Houldcroft, P. T. (1973) [1967]. "Chapter 3: Flux-Shielded Arc Welding". Welding
Processes. Cambridge University Press. p. 23. ISBN 0-521-05341-2.
2. Jump up^ Cary & Helzer 2005, pp. 102103
3. Jump up^ Hertha Ayrton. The Electric Arc, pp. 20 and 94. D. Van Nostrand Co., New York, 1902.
4. ^ Jump up to:a b Anders, A. (2003). "Tracking down the origin of arc plasma science-II. early
continuous discharges". IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science. 31 (5): 1060
9. doi:10.1109/TPS.2003.815477.
5. Jump up^ Great Soviet Encyclopedia, Article " " (eng. electric arc)
6. Jump up^ US 363320, Benardos, Nikoaj & Stanisaw Olszewski, "Process of and apparatus for
working metals by the direct application of the electric current", issued 17 May 1887
7. Jump up^ Cary & Helzer 2005, p. 5
8. Jump up^ Cary & Helzer 2005, p. 6
9. Jump up^ Lincoln Electric 1994, pp. 1.1-41.1-6, 1.1-8
10. ^ Jump up to:a b Cary & Helzer 2005, pp. 115116
11. Jump up^ Cary & Helzer 2005, pp. 102, 115
12. Jump up^ Lincoln Electric 1994, pp. 6.2-1
13. Jump up^ Lincoln Electric 1994, pp. 6.2-186.2-20, 3.2-1
14. Jump up^ Cary & Helzer 2005, pp. 42, 4951
15. Jump up^ Cary & Helzer 2005, pp. 5262
16. Jump up^ Lincoln Electric 1994, pp. 5.1-15.1-2
17. Jump up^ Cary & Helzer 2005, p. 103
18. Jump up^ Jeffus 1999, p. 47.
19. Jump up^ Jeffus 1999, pp. 4647.
20. Jump up^ Jeffus 1999, pp. 4953.
21. Jump up^ Jeffus 1999, pp. 49, 5253.
22. Jump up^ Cary & Helzer 2005, p. 104
 23. Jump up^ Lincoln Electric 1994, p. 6.2-1
24. Jump up^ Lincoln Electric 1994, pp. 6.2-13, 9.2-1, 10.1-3
25. Jump up^ Lincoln Electric 1994, pp. 7.2-5, 7.2-8
26. Jump up^ Weman 2003, pp. 6566
27. Jump up^ Cary & Helzer 2005, p. 105
28. Jump up^ Lincoln Electric 1994, pp. 6.2-76.2-10

References[edit]
Cary, Howard B.; Helzer, Scott C. (2005), Modern Welding Technology, Upper Saddle River,
New Jersey: Pearson Education, ISBN 0-13-113029-3
Jeffus, Larry (1999), Welding: Principles and Applications (4th ed.), Albany, New York: Thomson
Delmar, ISBN 0-8273-8240-5
Lincoln Electric (1994), The Procedure Handbook of Arc Welding, Cleveland, Ohio: Lincoln
Electric, ISBN 99949-25-82-2
Miller Electric Mfg Co (2013). Guidelines For Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) (PDF).
Appleton, Wisconsin: Miller Electric Mfg Co.
Weman, Klas (2003), Welding processes handbook, New York: CRC Press, ISBN 0-8493-1773-
8

External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has
media related to Manual
metal arc welding.

Guidelines for Shielded Metal Arc Welding (.pdf)