Equipment Setup & Operation Flashcards
7 cards from real SAW practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Equipment Setup & Operation flashcards as text
In SAW, electrode extension (stick-out) beyond the contact tip affects the process primarily by:
Answer: Preheating the wire resistively, increasing deposition rate at a given amperage
Longer electrode extension increases resistive (I²R) heating of the wire before it enters the arc, boosting deposition rate without requiring higher amperage.
What is the main advantage of using AC current instead of DCEP in multi-wire SAW?
Answer: AC reduces arc blow between adjacent arcs in multi-wire configurations
In multi-wire SAW, AC on trailing electrodes reduces magnetic arc blow caused by interaction between the magnetic fields of adjacent DC arcs.
A flux with a high basicity index (BI > 2.0) is chosen over an acidic flux primarily because it:
Answer: Improves weld metal toughness and reduces sulfur content
Basic fluxes refine the weld metal by reducing sulfur and oxygen, resulting in higher impact toughness, which is critical for low-temperature or high-strength applications.
During SAW setup, the wire electrode must be aligned with the joint centerline. Misalignment by even a few millimeters can cause:
Answer: Lack of fusion on one side wall and overpenetration on the other
Off-center electrode placement shifts the arc toward one groove wall, causing incomplete fusion on the far side and excessive penetration or burn-through on the near side.
What does the term 'flux burden' refer to in SAW quality control?
Answer: The depth and width of flux coverage over the weld pool
Flux burden describes the depth and lateral coverage of granular flux blanketing the weld pool, which must be sufficient to prevent arc flash-through and ensure proper shielding.
When calibrating a SAW system's wire feeder, the wire feed speed is verified by:
Answer: Counting electrode revolutions on the drive roll for a timed interval and calculating speed
Wire feed speed is directly measured by running the feeder for a set time, measuring the length of wire paid out, and calculating inches or millimeters per minute.
A SAW procedure specifies a flux drying temperature of 300°F (149°C) for two hours. The primary reason for drying flux is to:
Answer: Remove absorbed moisture that could cause hydrogen-induced cracking
Moisture in flux dissociates in the arc and introduces hydrogen into the weld metal, which can cause hydrogen-induced (cold) cracking in susceptible steels.