SUBMERGED ARC WELDING METAL POWDER ADDITIONS, PRODUCTIVITY AND PROPERTIES.

Development for the offshore fabrication industry in the U. K. during recent times has been directed into two mainstream aspects of production activities in order to meet client demands. First, close attention has been paid to examining key welding processes to improve productivity and reduce the overall cost of platform and module assembly. One such technique is the use of metal powders in submerged arc welding process, which enables enhanced deposition rates to be achieved without increasing the energy input. Thus, both demands of the client are apparently met without one infringing on the integrity of the other. The principle of the technique is not new, but this paper aims to provide additional information regarding properties and to demonstrate some novel applications or variations.