Manual arc welding is performed using electrodes. It is this metal rod with a special coating (or without it) that provides the melting arc and forms a welding seam with certain parameters.

To obtain a high-quality, durable, and aesthetically beautiful connection, you need to choose the right consumables. Criteria for selecting electrodes for welding:

1. According to the type of material being welded. Steel with to varying degrees alloying, cast iron, aluminum, copper, etc.;
2. According to the welder used. Alternating current, direct current of selected polarity;
3. Type welding work– connection, fusing;
4. Welding method, seam position;
5. Welding conditions - in the atmosphere, in a certain gas environment, in water.

All electrodes are divided into two main types. Non-metallic (carbon, graphite) and made of wire. Accordingly, metal electrodes can be non-consumable or melting. The latter can be without coating or with it.

Piece uncoated electrodes were used at the dawn of the development of welding. Today they are practically not used. This type has evolved into a welding wire that is continuously fed to the arcing zone in semi-automatic welding machines. Thanks to carrying out work in an environment of inert gases, sticking of the electrode does not occur.

The coating (coating) of piece electrodes is intended to form the correct arc, create the necessary chemical environment at the welding point, and give the seam the required characteristics.
Manufacturers offer various types and brands.

The range includes hundreds of varieties. An experienced master can immediately tell which consumables are needed for certain type works However, you need to know exactly what electrodes there are and be able to decipher the designation on the packaging.

Marking of stick electrodes for manual arc welding

Symbols, markings and even brief instructions for storage, preparation and use is usually printed on the packaging or offered as an insert on a separate piece of paper.

Such information can be provided in any form, even in comic-style pictures. However, the official one (for which, among other things, you can make claims to Rospotrebnadzor) is the GOST marking.

Production of products is regulated by standards. The most common segment is covered by GOST 9466-75, which determines the procedure for production, testing, and marking on packaging for piece electrodes.

According to this standard, each package must contain the following information.

All welding electrodes are marked and intended for use. It contains all the information about the electrode itself, for example about its composition, and sometimes even about the manufacturer. Understanding all these designations, you can always independently select the required materials for the connection.

First of all, it is always worth checking whether the selected electrode meets state standards. To do this, the packaging must have the inscription “GOST” and several numbers after it.

If all this is present, you can safely continue choosing welding electrodes, selecting them according to other indicators, without fear of fakes and low-quality goods.

The electrode is made in the form of a rod; it can be either metal or made of other materials, depending on its purpose. But in general its purpose is to supply current to the welding site. Therefore, an experienced welder will always pay attention to the electrical conductivity of the material. For the production of electrodes, it is customary to use wire that contains alloys with varying degrees of alloying.

It is worth paying attention to the external coating. It is applied to provide protection against external irritants such as nitrogen or oxygen. Other advantages of the coating include maintaining the stability of the welding arc and removing possible impurities - they may be in the molten metal.

Let's consider several components that ensure the quality of the electrode coating:

1. Manganese ore.
2. Titanium concentrate.
3. Quartz sand.
4. Kaolin.
5. Marble.

Components that create a gas-forming environment include dextrin and flour. The goal of any welding is to ensure a high-quality weld, with corrosion resistance and high strength. To do this, the electrode must contain the following alloying impurities:

• vanadium;
• manganese;
• nickel;
• chromium;
• titanium.

There can be many more of them, these are just the main ones and the most common ones.

Marking

All electrodes are globally divided into two types: melting and non-melting. The first include copper, bronze, steel and copper materials. Sometimes uncoated products are found; they are usually used as wire for connections using protective gas. And non-consumable ones are lanthanum tungsten or thoriated electrodes.

By type of coverage

If the product is marked with the letter "A" - this indicates that its coating is acidic, it should be used for steel structures if there is high level carbon and sulfur.

The letter “B” will indicate that working with such products in a vertical position is prohibited - by the way, as is the case with the letters “A” and “P”. The letter “C” means that there is no prohibition on any non-standard positions and these electrodes can produce high-quality work in any position. But one drawback was noticed - in the form of excessive spattering and constant monitoring of the temperature of the product.

Another variety is mixed marking of electrodes for welding; it may look like this: “AC”, “RB”. They have found their main application in welding various types of structures or pipelines.

Fine marking details

Naturally, this is not all the designations. There are a lot of nuances. The first numbers and letters usually indicate the maximum load limit. If the following marking is present: “E41”, this means that the parts that were welded can withstand a load of 41 kilograms per 1 square mm. There are also other options that allow you to characterize the welding product:

1. “U” - shows that you can safely work with low-alloy and carbon steels;
2. “T” and “B” - you can connect high-alloy and heat-resistant steel;
3. “L” - work with alloyed structural alloys;
4. “N” - useful in the case of surfacing a layer with any properties.

Coating layer thickness designation:

• "M" - thin;
• "D" - thick;
• "C" - average;
• "G" - maximum.

The numbers at the end of the marking are written to understand the spatial position of the products and the current value that is recommended to be used in this case.

More details:

• “1” - parts can be welded in any position;
• “2” - except for the top-down position;
• “3” - restrictions on ceiling orientation are added to the second option;
• “4” - only for the bottom seams.

Additionally, the box containing the products may be marked with marks indicating that the product inside is fragile and should not be exposed to moisture. All these markings are easy to decipher even on an intuitive level, having general knowledge of welding. This will greatly facilitate the search for the required material for welding.

The connection of several parts into a monolithic structure often occurs using welding equipment. To get required quality connections, it is necessary not only to rationally select the welding method, but also the corresponding welding electrodes.

Welding work

Basic requirements for electrodes

The variety of substances to be welded and welding methods involves wide range electrodes used.

But they all have to answer general requirements:

• ensure stability of the arc, a small radius of spattering of the rod, coating, high productivity of welding work;
• create conditions for the formation of a high-quality weld;
• make the welding process uniform;
• maintain physical, chemical, technological properties during a specific welding.

A special place in the requirements is toxicity. Electrodes should emit a minimum amount toxic substances while working.

Classification of welding fittings

Electrodes are used as the main element for manual arc welding. There are two types of electrodes:

• melting, which correspond to the composition of the substances being welded;
• non-melting three types: carbon, graphite, tungsten.

Several methods are used to classify electrodes. According to their purpose, electrodes are distinguished for connecting stainless steel, non-ferrous metals, various types steel, cast iron.

Pay attention! Electrodes for manual arc welding are marked in the following way: B - high-alloy steel, L - alloy steel in structures with temporary tensile strength, T - heat-resistant steel, U - carbon and low-alloy steel, N - surface layers with special properties.

The type of construction involves obtaining different types of seams. This can be a vertical, ceiling or bottom seam. For each type of seam, a special electrode is selected:

• for any position;
• not used for welding vertically from top to bottom;
• for the lower, vertical from bottom to top and for horizontal, located in the vertical plane;
• for the bottom.

The variety of coating material and its thickness are also classified by electrodes. On top, the electrodes are covered with a protective layer of a composite composition, which includes the following substances:

• stabilizers for the arc combustion process;
• granite, silica, titanium and manganese ores, components for the formation of slag from which the film is created. This slag film prevents oxidation processes;
• marble, magnesite, starch, wood flour, forming a gas film to protect the weld pool. Can be inorganic and organic;
• silicon, magnesium, titanium as deoxidizers and alloying elements;
• ferromanganese, ferrosilicon, ferrotitanium for the recovery of metals from oxides;
• bentonite, kaolin, dextrin to improve plastic properties.

Pay attention! To classify types of coating, the following designations are used: A - acidic, B - basic, - C cellulose, R - rutile, P - other. Sometimes a combination of letters is used if the coating is of a mixed type.

The electrodes are covered with a thin protective layer, medium, thick and even especially thick. Marking of the thickness of the coating, which is defined as the ratio of two diameters - with the coating and the rod itself:

• M - ratio up to 1.2;
• C - ratio up to 1.45;
• D - ratio up to 1.8;
• G - ratio more than 1.8.

An important technical indicator is the type used electric current. There are electrodes connected to direct or alternating current sources, as well as with different types of polarity.

Basic labeling standards

All designations can comply with two systems for marking electrodes for welding: according to GOST and the international ISO standard. The European standards EN and the American standard AWS are also used.

Electrode marking

Domestic manufacturers are guided by GOST 9466-75, 9467-75, 10051-75, 10052-75 and brands of electrodes for welding are applied in two groups of marks. The markings include both numbers and letters. The first group is only internal, and the second is adapted to international standard.

The first group of marking symbols consists of five positions:

1. electrode type. This designation will help you figure out what type of steel it can weld. Manual welding is designated by the letter E. Further numbers indicate compliance with the tensile strength of steel. This group may end with the letter A if it is intended to form a plastic seam. May also include a hyphen indicating that the number after it indicates the carbon content as a percentage;
2. brand of electrode according to the composition of the coating;
3. wire diameter, indicated by numbers with the dimension mm;
4. the type of steel for which this electrode is used;
5. coating thickness.

The second group of marking symbols has six positions and is more consistent with international requirements:

• a figure showing the value of the tensile strength of steel with a dimension of 10-7 Pa;
• a number indicating the relative elongation;
• index number defining the minimum temperature at which impact strength meets the standard;
• type of coating, indicated by one or two letters. Two letters are placed in cases where a mixed coating is used;
• a number that will help determine whether a given electrode is suitable for performing the required welding position;
• welding current parameter in index form. Each index from 0 to 9 corresponds to a pair of parameters: polarity and permissible open-circuit voltage in V.

The choice of electrode depends on many components. This includes the type of metal and its thickness, and the method of welding. To be able to carry out various welding operations, several electrodes are selected at once or with more universal indicators, which can be found out from the applied markings.

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Marking of electrodes for manual arc welding

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Manufacturing of critical metal structures is carried out using electric arc welding. There are many ways to obtain permanent connections - MIG/MAG (mechanized method in protective gases), TIG (argon arc method). But in everyday life, manual stick welding (MMA) is most often used.

How to decipher electrode markings?

Regulatory documentation regulates certain markings of coated electrodes, which indicate their main characteristics. To choose the right welding material, you need to know and be able to decipher all the symbols.

For example:

E46 – ANO-21– 3.0 – UD E – 430(3) – R11

Symbols:

• E46 – electrode type;
• ANO-21 – name;
• 3.0 – section;
• U – designed for welding structural carbon steels with tensile strength up to 600 MPa;
• D – powder coating thickness (thick);
• E – electrode;
• 430(3) – indicates technical specifications deposited metal (determined in accordance with GOST 9467, as well as 10051 and 10052);
• P – type of powder coating (rutile);
• 1 – recommended positions of the electrode rod during the welding process (all);
• 1 – requirements for the arc power source.

Description and types of letter and number positions in markings

The types of electrodes are E38, 42, 42A, 46, 50, 50A, 55, 60, 70, 85, 100, 125 and 150. According to this brand, the mechanical properties of the welded joint are determined.

Marking of electrode purpose:

• U – structural steels;
• L – alloy steel grades with a strength of more than 600 MPa;
• T – heat-resistant metal;
• B – for metals with a high percentage of alloying elements;
• N – for surfacing works.

Thickness and type of protective coating:

Possible spatial position of the piece electrode during the welding process:

1. Can be cooked in any position.
2. An exception is vertical welding, when the electrode moves from top to bottom of the part.
3. Welding is possible in the lower position, horizontal (with the position of the welded part in a vertical plane) and vertical, when the electrode is from top to bottom.
4. Welding can only be done in the lower position.

• What is soldering flux used for?
• Electrodes for cast iron: marking

samanka.ru

We study the marking of electrodes for welding

All welding electrodes are marked and intended for use. It contains all the information about the electrode itself, for example about its composition, and sometimes even about the manufacturer. Understanding all these designations, you can always independently select the required materials for the connection.

First of all, it is always worth checking whether the selected electrode meets state standards. To do this, the packaging must have the inscription “GOST” and several numbers after it.

If all this is present, you can safely continue choosing welding electrodes, selecting them according to other indicators, without fear of fakes and low-quality goods.

Composition and purpose of the electrode

The electrode is made in the form of a rod; it can be either metal or made of other materials, depending on its purpose. But in general its purpose is to supply current to the welding site. Therefore, an experienced welder will always pay attention to the electrical conductivity of the material. For the production of electrodes, it is customary to use wire that contains alloys with varying degrees of alloying. It is worth paying attention to the external coating. It is applied to provide protection against external irritants such as nitrogen or oxygen. Other advantages of the coating include maintaining the stability of the welding arc and removing possible impurities - they may be in the molten metal.

Let's consider several components that ensure the quality of the electrode coating:

1. Manganese ore.
2. Titanium concentrate.
3. Quartz sand.
4. Kaolin.
5. Marble.

Components that create a gas-forming environment include dextrin and flour. The goal of any welding is to ensure a high-quality weld, with corrosion resistance and high strength. To do this, the electrode must contain the following alloying impurities:

• vanadium;
• manganese;
• nickel;
• chromium;
• titanium.

There can be many more of them, these are just the main ones and the most common ones.

Marking

All electrodes are globally divided into two types: melting and non-melting. The first include copper, bronze, steel and copper materials. Sometimes uncoated products are found; they are usually used as wire for connections using protective gas. And non-consumable ones are lanthanum tungsten or thoriated electrodes.

By type of coverage

If a product is marked with the letter “A,” this indicates that its coating is acidic and should be used on steel structures if the metal being joined has high levels of carbon and sulfur.

The letter “B” will indicate that working with such products in a vertical position is prohibited - by the way, as is the case with the letters “A” and “P”. The letter “C” means that there is no prohibition on any non-standard positions and these electrodes can produce high-quality work in any position. But one drawback was noticed - in the form of excessive spattering and constant monitoring of the temperature of the product.

Fine marking details

Naturally, this is not all the designations. There are a lot of nuances. The first numbers and letters usually indicate the maximum load limit. If the following marking is present: “E41”, this means that the parts that were welded can withstand a load of 41 kilograms per 1 square mm. There are also other options that allow you to characterize the welding product:

1. “U” - shows that you can safely work with low-alloy and carbon steels;
2. “T” and “B” - you can connect high-alloy and heat-resistant steel;
3. “L” - work with alloyed structural alloys;
4. “N” - useful in the case of surfacing a layer with any properties.

Coating layer thickness designation:

• "M" - thin;
• "D" - thick;
• "C" - average;
• "G" - maximum.

The numbers at the end of the marking are written to understand the spatial position of the products and the current value that is recommended to be used in this case.

More details:

• “1” - parts can be welded in any position;
• “2” - except for the top-down position;
• “3” - restrictions on ceiling orientation are added to the second option;
• “4” - only for the bottom seams.

Additionally, the box containing the products may be marked with marks indicating that the product inside is fragile and should not be exposed to moisture. All these markings are easy to decipher even on an intuitive level, having general knowledge of welding. This will greatly facilitate the search for the required material for welding.

Sergey Odintsov

electrod.biz

Electrode marking

Home page» Electrode marking

For welding carbon and low-alloy steels, as well as alloyed steels with increased and high strength, the electrode type designation consists of:

• - index E - electrode for manual arc welding and surfacing:
• - numbers following the index, indicating the value of tensile strength σв;
• - index A, indicating that the weld metal has increased properties of ductility and impact strength.

For welding heat-resistant, high-alloy steels and for surfacing, the electrode type designation consists of:

• - index E - electrode for manual arc welding and surfacing;
• -hyphen (dash);
• - the number following the index indicating the average carbon content in hundredths of a percent:
• - letters and numbers indicating the percentage of chemical elements.

The order of arrangement of letter designations of chemical elements is determined by a decrease in the average content of the corresponding elements in the deposited metal. With an average content of the main chemical element less than 1.5% the number after the letter designation of the chemical element is not indicated. If the average content of silicon in the deposited metal is up to 0.8% and manganese up to 1.0%, the letters C and G are not affixed.

For welding carbon and low-alloy steels with σв up to 490 MPa (50 kgf/mm2), 7 types of electrodes are used: E 38; E 42; E 46; E 50; E 42A; E 46A; E 50A.

For welding carbon and low-alloy steels with σw from 490 MPa (50 kgf/mm2) to 588 MPa (60 kgf/mm2), 2 types of electrodes are used: E 55; E 60.

For welding alloy steels of increased and high strength with σ in excess of 588 MPa (60 kgf/mm2), 5 types of electrodes are used: E 70; E 85; E 100; E 125; E150.

For welding heat-resistant steels - 9 types: E-09M; E-09MH; 3-09X1 M; E-05X2M; E-09X2M1; E-09Х1МФ; E-10Х1МНБФ; E-YUHZSHBF; E-10Х5МФ.

For welding high alloy steels with special properties- 49 types: E-12X13; E-06X13N; E-10X17T; E-12X11NMF; E-12X11NVMF and others.

For surfacing surfaces of layers with special properties - 44 types: E-1 OG2; E-1 OGZ; E-12G4; E-15G5; E-16G2ХМ; E-ZOG2ХМ and others.

For welding carbon and low-alloy steels with σв up to 588 MPa (60 kgf/mm2) - marked with the letter U: For welding alloy structural steels with σв over 588 MPa (60 kgf/mm2) - marked with the letter L: For welding heat-resistant steels - marked with the letter T: For welding high-alloy steels with special properties - marked with the letter B; For surfacing surfaces of layers with special properties - the letter H;

Depending on the ratio of the diameter of the electrode coating D to the diameter of the electrode rod d, electrodes are divided into the following groups:

• with a thin coating (D/d ≤ 1.2) - marked with the letter M;
• with medium coverage (1.2
• with thick coating (1.45
• with particularly thick coating (D/d > 1.8) - G.

6.1 For electrodes used for welding carbon and low-alloy steels with σв up to 588 MPa (60 kgf/mm2)

Marking welding electrodes contains all the necessary information about them - from the manufacturer to the composition. You can ideally select a material for working in certain conditions with specific metals and alloys, just by examining the signs printed on the packaging, without even opening it.

1 Main purpose and composition of electrodes

An electrode is a metal or non-metallic rod that delivers current to the product. Therefore, a mandatory requirement for the material from which these elements are composed is good electrical conductivity. Alloy wires are mainly used for their manufacture. varying degrees doping.

Besides, required properties achieved through coverage. It provides reliable protection against gases such as nitrogen and oxygen, promotes stable arc burning and even removes all harmful impurities that are in the molten metal. Also, it is thanks to the coating that this metal or alloy is saturated with the necessary alloying elements.

In general, in order to achieve all the above properties, the coating must contain the following components. Thanks to slag-forming substances (kaolin, manganese ore, chalk, titanium concentrate, marble, quartz sand, etc.) reliable protection from negative impact nitrogen and oxygen, which can lead to oxidation. And in order to remove oxygen from already molten metal, ferroalloys of titanium, manganese, aluminum and silicon, which belong to the group of deoxidizing substances, are needed.

Protective gas environment create special gas-forming components, these include wood flour and dextrin. In order for the seam to have decent characteristics (wear resistance, not subject to corrosion, etc.), special alloying additives will be needed. There are a lot of them, we will list only the main ones: chromium, titanium, nickel, again manganese and vanadium. Potassium with sodium and calcium belong to the stabilizing group that promotes ionization of the welding arc. In order for all the components of the coating, as well as the electrode rod, to be reliably connected to each other, binders are required; this role is mainly performed by silicate glue.

2 Marking of electrodes and requirements for them

So, electrodes are divided into melting and non-melting. The first type includes steel, copper, cast iron and bronze products that have an additional coating. There are also consumable uncoated elements, but they are mainly used only as wire for the use of shielding gases. Non-consumable are tungsten, thoriated and lanthanum.

In addition, they are divided by type of coating. If the marking of electrodes for welding contains the letter A, then the coating is acidic, and such a product is not recommended for use with steels having increased content carbon and sulfur. What about the spatial position, any position is allowed except vertical, when the electrode is brought from top to bottom. Defects include excessive spattering and the possibility of cracks in the seam.

The main coating is designated by the letter B; they, like the previous ones, are prohibited from being cooked in a vertical position. Rutile coatings (R) also have a similar prohibition regarding the welding method. The letter C corresponds to cellulose electrodes; such electrodes behave perfectly in absolutely any position, but their disadvantages include splashing and the need to ensure that there is no overheating. The last type of AC, RB, is mixed, which has found its application for welding pipelines and various structures. The ceiling position is prohibited for them.

Having understood what these elements are and what they consist of, it is worth paying a little attention to the requirements that apply to them. So, the welding electrode in mandatory must ensure stable arc burning, due to which the metal will melt evenly. Also, the resulting weld must have a given chemical composition, which is determined depending on the operating conditions of the part and the composition of the metal of the products being welded.

Productivity should be maximum, and splashing, release carbon monoxide And toxic substances, on the contrary, minimal. It is necessary that the slag crust is easily separated from the seam. In addition, the required mechanical properties must be achieved, as well as wear resistance and resistance to such harmful corrosion. Now let's look at other marking features.

3 Decoding the marking of electrodes for welding - we get more information

Now let's look more specifically at how to decipher the markings of electrodes for welding. So, the first characters always indicate the type indicating the maximum permissible load. For example, E46 means that the connected elements can withstand a load of 46 kg per 1 mm 2. This is followed directly by the brand indicating the manufacturer, followed by the thickness and purpose:

• if you see the letter U, this means that this electrode is suitable for welding low-alloy and carbon steels;
• L – processing of alloyed structural alloys;
• if it is necessary to work with heat-resistant or high-alloy steels, then the electrodes should have letter designations - T and B, respectively;
• when surfacing of a layer with special properties is required, this material corresponds to the letter N.

The marking showing the thickness of the coating is indicated as follows: M - thin, medium - C, then thick - D and the maximum possible is characterized by the letter G. The diameter is indicated next. In the case where there are no numerical designations, but only an icon, it means that the size is indicated on the seal. Then comes the index and its value, indicating the characteristics of the metal, namely its relative elongation, impact strength and tensile strength. These values ​​can be clarified more specifically in GOST 9467–75.

Not all electrodes allow welding in any spatial orientation, and this can also be read in the code.

The penultimate type of coating is written; it was described in detail above. And the last two digits are the possible spatial position of the electrode and the recommended current value. 1 – electrodes for welding in any position, 2 allows you to work almost anywhere except “top to bottom”. If the penultimate number is 3, then the restrictions also apply to ceiling orientation. The lower seams, as well as the lower “boat” seams, are welded with electrodes designated 4.

The last digit corresponding to the current will have the following values:

This number is also selected depending on the polarity of the current: 1, 4, 7 - any, 2, 5, 8 - forward, and the remaining 3, 6, 9 - reverse.

In addition, additional markings are applied to the packaging, indicating that inside there is a rather fragile product that is afraid of dampness. Also a mandatory addition is the presence of an appropriate document, which indicates that the goods are made strictly in accordance with state standard. At this point, we consider the decoding complete; this will help to read the concise code and highlight as much information as possible.

For a high-quality, durable connection metal structures and alloys, welding work is used. It is important to choose the right brand of electrode. To do this, you need to know the classification of electrodes, their marking methods, and the areas in which they are recommended for use.

Two large groups of electrodes are consumable and non-consumable, in turn consumable electrodes are divided into some subtypes, such as coated or uncoated (wire).

Consumable electrodes

Depending on the type of steel being welded or deposited, there are several types of electrodes:

for welding carbon steels (marking – “U”). These are electrodes E38, E42, E46, E50.

alloyed (marked “L”). These are electrodes E70, E85, E100, E125, E150.

heat-resistant (marked “T”). Welding of such steels is carried out with preheating and final heat treatment seams. Typically, electrodes are used that are not described in GOST (for example ANZHR-2).

for steels with special properties, such as corrosion-resistant, heat-resistant, heat-resistant (marked “B”). The list of electrode types is regulated by GOST 10052-75.

for surfacing surface layers metal (marked “N”). These are electrodes E-09M, E-09MH, E-09H1M, E-05H2M, E-09H2M1, E-09H1MF, E-10H1M1NFB, E-10HZM1BF, E-10H5MF.

Consumable coated electrodes

A coating or coating is applied to the welding electrodes in order to ensure good ignition and stable arc burning, protection of the weld pool from environment, obtain the desired properties of the seam, reduce losses due to spattering, increase the speed of welding work, reduce the toxicity of gases released during welding, and eliminate the loss of coating properties during storage.

Based on the thickness of the coating (coating), by calculating the ratio of diameters D (coated electrode) and d (rod), electrodes are divided into:

• thin-coated, with a D/d ratio of up to 1.2, designated by the letter “M”;
• coated electrodes medium thickness, D /d up to 1.45, are designated by the letter “C”;
• thick-coated (otherwise, high-quality), D / d from 1.45 to 1.8, designated by the letter “D”;
• with a particularly thick layer of coating, D / d greater than 1.8, marked with the letter “G”.

Based on the type of chemical composition, there are several types of electrode coatings:

• Electrodes with an acid coating (contains iron or manganese oxide). This type of coating is characterized high temperature arcs, respectively, high speed welding, however, manganese oxide is highly toxic and hazardous if inhaled. They are designated by the letter “A” (DIN – A).
• Rutile-coated electrodes, which contain titanium dioxide, are characterized by a quiet weld pool and low spatter, which allows thin seams to be applied to the parts being welded. They are designated by the letter “P” (DIN – R). Electrodes with a mixed coating are also common, which include rutile-cellulose (RC), rutile-basic (RB), rutile-acid (RA) and rutile with iron powder (RZH). (DIN – RC, RB, RA and RR respectively).
• Electrodes with basic coatings (indicated by the letter “B”, DIN – B) contain calcite, magnesium carbonate and in small quantities fluorite. Such coatings are sensitive to moisture, so it is necessary to take responsibility for their storage conditions. However, the seam obtained using these electrodes has excellent mechanical properties, is not prone to cracking or aging, and contains virtually no nitrogen and oxygen. These electrodes are used to weld the most loaded and critical structures.
• Electrodes with cellulose coating (indicated by the index “C”) contain organic matter, which, when burned, envelop the weld pool with protective gases. They are used mainly when working with high-strength structures and pipelines. They are often used for welding vertically located seams, but they form during operation. large number splash
• Electrodes coated with iron powder are used for butt welding of products with large gaps. When using such electrodes, stable arc burning is observed, there is practically no spatter, the welding seam cools faster, and the appearance of slag is minimized, which is easily separated from the metal.

The electrode marking must contain an indicator (in the form of numbers from 1 to 4) or an international designation (diagram) for the spatial position of the weld:

1 – any position;

2 – any, except vertical from top to bottom;

3 – lower position, horizontal and vertical from bottom to top;

4 – bottom or corner connections from below “boat”.

If the position of the weld is indicated by a diagram, then the arrows indicate its direction in space.

When selecting electrodes for different modes When welding, it is necessary to take into account the polarity of the DC source and the rated (base) voltage (Uxx) of the no-load power source (AC). These parameters on the electrodes are indicated by a number from “0” to “9”:

Index:	Polarity used		U xx
	Straight	Reverse
	No	Yes	n/a
	Yes	Yes	50 V
	Yes	No	50 V
	No	Yes	50V
	Yes	Yes	70V
	Yes	No	70V
	No	Yes	70V
	Yes	Yes	90V
	Yes	No	90V
	No	Yes	90 V

GOST 9466-75, which regulates the manufacture and marking of consumable electrodes, requires that the packaging contain all the necessary information:

- - -

E - -

Position “1” indicates the type of electrode.

Then, in position “2” its brand is indicated.

In position “3” either the diameter is written explicitly (in mm), or the Ø sign is placed, which means that the diameter is indicated separately.

Positions “4” and “5” are intended to indicate the purpose and thickness of the coating.

In position “6” the index is indicated.

Type of coverage according to chemical composition indicated in position "7".

Positions “8” and “9” indicate, respectively, the position of the seam in space and a number indicating the type of welding current.

For example:

From the marking it is clear: electrode type - E46, brand - “LEZMR-3S”, the diameters are indicated in the table, the electrode itself with a thick coating (otherwise called high-quality) is used for welding work in any position of carbon steels. At the bottom of the marking it is indicated that the electrode is coated with rutile-cellulose; welding with both alternating current and constant reverse polarity is possible.

Tables of various indices (position “6”) for the characteristics of weld metal or surfacing of various types of steel are listed below:

These indices reflect various characteristics and weld or deposit properties (directly after welding, without heat treatment), such as toughness, elongation or tensile strength, specified by the electrode type. Information is taken from GOST 9467-75.

Uncoated consumable electrodes

Uncoated electrodes (or welding wire) are now widely used. Technical specifications and GOST (2246-70) define about 80 of its species. However, in household needs units are used for welding metal structures made of conventional rolled steel or stainless steel. The wire is divided into alloyed (represented in GOST by 30 grades, containing up to 10% alloying elements), low- (6 types, containing alloying additives up to 2.5%) and high-alloyed (41 grades in GOST, the content of alloying impurities exceeds 10%) , depending on the percentage of alloying substance.

Welding wire is designated by the letters “SV” at the beginning of the marking. Then comes the designation of hundredths of a percent of carbon, followed by the name and percentage of the alloying element(s). If the percentage is not explicitly stated, it ranges from 0.5 to 1%.

Alloying impurities in the wire composition are designated as follows:

Litera	Designation in the periodic table (number)	Element
"A"	N (7)	Nitrogen
"B"	Nb (41)	Niobium
"IN"	W (74)	Tungsten
"G"	Mn (25)	Manganese
"D"	Cu (29)	Copper
"M"	Mo (42)	Molybdenum
"WITH"	Si (14)	Silicon
"T"	Ti (22)	Titanium
"X"	Cr (24)	Chromium*
"N"	Ni (28)	Nickel*
"Yu"	Al (13)	Aluminum
"F"	V (23)	Vanadium
"C"	Zr (40)	Zirconium

Also, at the very end of the marking there may be one or two letters “A”, which means a high or very high degree of purification of the steel used.

Thus, the marking “Wire 3 SV04Х19Н9” means a 3-mm consumable electrode with a carbon content of 0.04%, chromium - 19% and nickel - 9%. Wire with chromium and nickel in the composition (indicated in the table with an asterisk) is used for welding alloy steels that are resistant to corrosion (stainless steel).

Non-consumable electrodes

Tungsten

Tungsten electrodes are designed for welding and cutting primarily in shielding gases such as argon, helium, nitrogen or mixtures thereof. In addition to tungsten, the electrode may contain various impurities that increase its wear resistance. This type of electrode provides high stability of the welding arc and allows you to work with any metals and alloys.

Designation	Welding mode		Metal	Color
	D.C	AC
	No	Yes	Magnesium, aluminum, alloys	Green
WT-20	Yes	No	Low alloy steel, stainless steel, carbon steel	Red
WC-20	Yes	Yes	Universal. All types of steel	Grey
W.L.-15	Yes	Yes	Stainless steel, alloy steel	Gold
W.L.-20	Yes	Yes	Stainless steel and laminated steel	Blue
W.Y.-20	Yes	No	Titanium, low alloy steel, stainless steel, carbon steel, copper	Dark blue
WZ-8	No	Yes	Aluminum and magnesium	White

Coal

There are also other types of non-consumable electrodes on the market, including carbon and graphite. Considering that coal is a soft material, copper plating is used to improve the quality and safety of the coating. They are used primarily for working with thin metals, as well as for surface cutting, edge processing, gouging, etc.

Several types of graphite or carbon electrodes are made, including round, connectable (endless, with a nipple), flat and semicircular. Round and endless electrodes are marked with an electrode diameter from 3 mm to 25 mm; flat electrodes can be presented as square or rectangular, with different cross-sections. In semicircular ones (the most universal) indicate the dimensions of the flat side, the radius of the circle and the length of the electrode.

There are also hollow electrodes used exclusively for gouging; they are produced mainly by foreign companies.