1. Welding Rods

1. Precautions

(1) Pay attention to the ventilation and dryness of the storage room for welding rods, with relative humidity controlled below 60%. When stacking, maintain a distance of 30cm from the ground and walls.

(2) Store by distinguishing models and specifications; do not mix them.

(3) During handling and stacking, be careful not to damage the coating. For welding rods with weaker coating strength, such as stainless steel rods, overlay rods, and cast iron rods, extra caution is needed. Do not stack welding rods too high.

2. Effects of Moisture on Welding Rods

When welding rods absorb moisture, the coating generally darkens in color, and the rods lose their crisp metallic sound upon collision; some may even develop alkali return and appear 'white'.

Effects of damp welding rods on welding processes:

(1) Unstable arc, increased spatter, and excessively large particles.

(2) Greater penetration depth, prone to edge burn-through.

(3) Poor slag coverage, rough weld bead.

(4) Difficult slag removal.

Effects of damp welding rods on welding quality:

(1) Prone to welding cracks and porosity, especially with alkaline rods.

(2) Mechanical properties may be significantly lower.

3. Drying Welding Rods

(1) Welding rods stored for too long are prone to moisture; if the core is not rusted and the coating has not deteriorated, drying the rods can maintain their original performance without affecting usability.

(2) The baking temperature should not be too high or too low. If the temperature is too low, moisture cannot be removed; if too high, it may cause the coating to crack, become brittle, peel off, or change in composition, affecting welding quality.

(3) Alkaline welding rods should not be exposed outdoors for more than 4 hours after drying.

(4) The number of times welding rods are dried should not be excessive; otherwise, it may lead to coating peeling off.

4. Scrapping Welding Rods

If the core is rusted, the coating is stuck or peeling off, or if severely damp (especially for low-hydrogen type rods, heat-resistant steel rods, low-temperature steel rods), such welding rods should no longer be used and should be scrapped.

2. Welding Wires

1. Precautions

(1) Welding wires should be stored in a dedicated welding material warehouse with attention to ventilation and dryness; relative humidity should be controlled below 60%, maintaining a distance of 30cm from the ground and walls when stacking.

(2) Store by distinguishing models and specifications; do not mix them.

(3) During handling, avoid throwing or placing them carelessly to prevent packaging damage. Once packaging is damaged, it may cause the wires to absorb moisture and rust.

(4) For barrel-packaged welding wires, do not roll during transport; containers should not be laid down or tilted to avoid tangling of wires inside the barrel that could hinder use.

(5) Do not stack welding wires too high.

(6) Generally speaking, flux-cored wires do not need drying; they should be used up quickly after opening. If there are unused wires that need to stay overnight in a wire feeder, cover the feeder (or wire spool) with canvas, plastic sheeting, or other materials to reduce contact with moisture in the air.

(7) The CO2 used for flux-cored wires should be pure and free of moisture.

2. Effects of Moisture on Welding Wires

Moisture-absorbed wires can increase the hydrogen content in the deposited metal, leading to defects such as pits and porosity; this deteriorates both welding process performance and mechanical properties of the weld metal, potentially causing weld cracking in severe cases.

3. Flux for Submerged Arc Welding

1. Flux is generally bagged and should be transported properly to prevent packaging damage;

2. Flux should be stored in a dry room to prevent moisture from affecting welding quality; room temperature should be between 5-50°C and should not be placed in high-temperature or high-humidity environments.

3. Before use, bake the flux according to the parameters specified in the instructions. During baking, spread the flux in a tray with a thickness not exceeding **50mm.