ADDING POWDERED METAL FILLER SPEEDS DEPOSITION RATE.

The origins, development, applications (particularly in hardfacing and cladding) and the future of the Bulkweld process are considered. This method of improving arc welding deposition rates is particularly effective in submerged arc welding. A metal powder with carefully controlled composition is fed, at a rate proportional to the wire feed speed, into the joint gap ahead of the electrode. Only excess heat from the arc is used to melt the powder so that no extra energy input is required to increase rates of deposition, and dilution caused by parent metal melting is reduced because of the reduction in excess energy free to effect melting. Details are given of welding parameters and filler compositions.