A.4.CBLM (Competency-Based Learning Material)
A.4.CBLM (Competency-Based Learning Material)
Welcome to the module Welding Carbon Steel Plates and Pipes Using
SMAW. This module contains training materials and activities for you to complete.
The unit of competency “Weld Carbon Steel Plates and Pipes Using SMAW”
and module title Welding Carbon Steel Plates and Pipes Using SMAW contains the
knowledge, skills and attitudes required for SMAW NC II. It is one of the modules for
National Certificate II.
You may already have some or most of the knowledge and skills covered in
this learner’s guide because you have:
● Been working for some time
● Already completed training in this area
If you can demonstrate to your trainer that you are already competent
in a particular skill or skills, talk to him/ her about having them formally
recognized so you don’t have to do the same training again. If you have a
qualification of Certificate of Competency from previous trainings, show it to
your trainer. If the skills, you acquired are still current and relevant to the unit/
s of competency they may become part of the evidence you can present for
RPL. If you are not sure about the currency of your skills, discuss this with
your trainer.
Remember to:
● Talk to your trainer and agree on how you will both organize the training of
this unit. Read through the module carefully. It is divided into sections, which
covers all skills, and knowledge you need to successfully complete this
module.
Unit of Competency: Weld Carbon Steel Plates & Pipes Using SMAW
Module Title: Welding Carbon Steel Plates & Pipes Using SMAW
Module Description: This unit covers the skills, knowledge and attitudes
required in welding carbon steel plates and pipes using
SMAW process.
INTRODUCTION:
Upon completion of this module, ask your instructor to assess you. You will be
given a certificate of completion as proof that you met the standard requirements
(knowledge and skills) for this module. The assessment could be in different
methods prescribed in the competency standards.
Assessment Criteria
1. Equipment
● Welding machine (AC or AC/DC)
● Welding table or jig
● Portable grinder
● Welding booth
● Portable oven
2. Tools/Accessories
● Welding mask
● Steel brush
● Clear glass
● Chipping hammer
● Dark glass
3. Supplies/ Materials
● Electrodes
● Carbon steel plates
● Cutting grinding disk
4. Personal protective equipment
● Safety shoes
● Apron
● Leggings
● Safety goggles
● Gloves
5. Training Materials
● Arc welding manuals
● Welding procedures specifications (WPS)
● Welding standards
METHODOLOGY:
1. Lecture/demonstration
2. Self-paced learning
3. Online
4. Blended
ASSESSMENT METHODS:
1. Written/Oral
2. Direct observation
3. Interview
4. Demonstration
Learning Objectives:
I.Essentials of welding
II.Safe welding practices
III.Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS)
I. ESSENTIALS OF WELDING
Preparation
● All surfaces in the weld area must be free of dust, dirt, grease, and oxide prior
to starting a weld. Greasy or oily steel sheet should be degreased. Rusty steel
sheet, or sheet covered in dark mill scale, must be cleaned back to bare
metal. A hand-held wire brush sand blasting or grinding.
Procedure
● When learning to use arc welding equipment, the first step are to practice
striking an arc, depositing some well metal and then breaking the arc. Get a
piece of low carbon steel scrap plate 10 mm thick and clean off any paint,
loose scale or grease. Prepare and assemble the welding equipment as
described in SMAW NC I (6.3.1)
Electrode Selection
● The type of electrode chosen will depend on the material to be welded. You
are going to practice on a piece of 10 mm low carbon steel. The electrode
size to use will be a mild steel general purpose rod, size 4 mm. The electrode
size is determined by the thickness of material and the type of joint to be
welded. To prevent burning holes through thin material, a smaller size
electrode would use.
Amperage Selection
● Suitable amperages for various diameters of electrode are usually printed on
the electrode packet, although they can be varied to suit conditions. Welds on
thin plate require low amperages to prevent burn through, whilst deeper
penetration is achieved by using higher amperages.
Reminder:
Safety Precaution
● Electric shock can kill - Touching live electrical parts can cause fatal shocks
or severe burns The electrode and work circuit is electrically live whenever the
output is on. The input power circuit and machine internal circuits are also live
when power is on. Incorrectly installed or improperly grounded equipment is a
hazard.
1. Do not touch live electrical parts.
2. Wear dry, hole-free insulating gloves, and body protection.
3. Do not use AC output in damp areas, if movement is confined, or if there is
a danger of falling.
4. Use AC output ONLY if required for the welding process.
5. Properly install and ground the welding equipment.
6. Always verity the supply ground – check and be sure that input power cord
ground wire is properly connected to ground terminal in disconnect box or
that cord plug.
7. Frequently insect input power cord for damage or bare wiring.
8. Turn off all equipment when not in use.
9. Do not use worn, damaged, undersized, or poorly spliced cables
10. Do not drape cables over your body.
11. Do not touch electrode if you are in contact with the work, ground, or
another electrode from a different machine.
12. Use only well-maintained equipment. Repair or replace damaged parts at
once.
13. Wear a safety harness if working above floor level.
14. Clamp work cable with good metal-to-metal contact to work piece or
worktable as near the weld as practical.
15. Do not connect more than one electrode or work cable to any single weld
output terminal.
Electrodes
Shielded metal arc welding electrodes, sometimes referred to as stick electrodes or
simply electrodes have two parts. These two parts are the inner core wire and a flux
covering. In general, all electrodes are classified into five main groups:
● Mild steel
● High-carbon steel
● Special alloy steel
● Cast iron
● Nonferrous
The widest range of arc welding is done with electrodes in the mild steel group.
Electrodes are manufactured for use in specific positions and for many different
types of metal. They also are specially designed to use with ac or dc welding
machines. Some manufacturer's electrodes work identically on either ac or dc, while
others are best suited for flat-position welding. Another type is made primarily for
Core Wire
As the electrode is burned off by the arc, the core wire is melted and transfers across
the gap. The metal is transferred as a spray, small droplets, or large globs.
Heat generated by the arc causes the flux covering to burn and vaporize,
forming the shielding gases. These gases prevent the atmosphere from
contaminating the weld as it transfers across the arc gap. They also protect the
molten weld pool as it cools to form solid metal again. The shielding gas protects
the molten metal in two ways. First atmospheric contaminants, such as oxygen,
may be burned to form CO2 or other gases which serve to further protect the
weld.
The letter E prefixes the number and represents the electrode. The E is used as
prefix for any filler metal that uses electricity to perform a weld.
E6012
E - Electrode
60 - Tensile Strength
1 - Welding position
2 - Welding current
The first two or three numbers indicate the minimum tensile strength of a good weld.
The tensile strength is given in pounds per square inch(psi)
The actual strength is obtained by adding three zeros to the right of the number
given.
E6011 Electrodes
● The E6011 electrodes are designed to be used with ac or dc reverse polarity
and have an organic-based flux. These electrodes have many of the welding
characteristics of E6010 electrodes. Using this welding electrode on ac only
slightly reduces its penetration but will help control any arc blow problem.
(Note: arc blow is the magnetic deflection of the arc from its normal path)
E6013 Electrodes
● The E6013 electrodes are designed to be used with ac or dc, either polarity.
They have a rutile-based flux. The slag layer is usually thicker and is easily
removed. The arc of the E6013 is as stable but there is less penetration.
E7018 Electrodes
● The E7018 electrodes are designed to be used with ac or dc reverse polarity.
They have a low hydrogen-based flux with iron powder added. It has
moderate penetration and buildup. The slag layer is heavy and hard but can
be removed easily by chipping. The E7018 welding electrodes are very
susceptible to moisture which may lead to weld porosity. The weld metal is
protected from the atmosphere primarily by the slag layer and not by rapidly
expanding gases.
SELF-CHECK 1.1
1. Heat generated by the arc causes the flux covering to burn and vaporize, forming
the shielding gases.
2. Are identified by a system that uses a series of numbers to indicate the minimum
tensile strength of a good weld, the position in which the electrode can be used, the
type of flux coating, and the types of welding currents.
A. Tensile Strength
B. Reverse Polarity
C. Mild Steel Electrodes
D. Core Wire
A. Core Wire
B. Tensile Strength
C. Reverse Polarity
D. Mild steel
4. These two parts are the inner core wire and a flux covering.
A. High-carbon steel
B. Electrodes
C. Special alloy steel
D. Cast iron
5. When learning to use arc welding equipment, the first step is to practice striking an
arc, depositing some well metal, and then breaking the arc.
A. Procedure
B. Electrode Selection
C. Amperage Selection
D. Preparation
6. All surfaces in the weld area must be free of dust, dirt, grease, and oxide prior to
starting a weld. Greasy or oily steel sheet should be degreased.
A. Procedure
A. Procedure
B. Electrode Selection
C. Amperage Selection
D. Preparation
8. Suitable amperages for various diameters of electrode are usually printed on the
electrode packet, although they can be varied to suit conditions.
A. Procedure
B. Electrode Selection
C. Amperage Selection
D. Preparation
Learning Objectives:
Welding Characteristics
Welding techniques and procedures
The Arc is the term used to describe the distance from the tip of the electrode to
the base metal and can be varied from lightly touching the metal at an angle
sufficient to maintain an arc to a distance far enough from the base metal to
extinguish the arc.
The amount of weld metal deposited (weld deposition rate) and the travel speed
may vary with the type and size of electrode being used. The correct weld speed
Since the travel speed is not timed in stick welding, the welder must be able to
read the molten weld pool as the electrode is manipulated across the joint. A
weld speed that is too fast results in a thin stringy weld with poor strength. A
weld bead that is too slow a speed will result in a heavy weld that has too much
convexity.
Weld Characteristics
● Electrode position in electrode holder for running a flat weld
● Lower your head shield and strike the arc. There are two methods for striking
the arc, the Scratch Method, and the Tapping Method. The Scratch
Method is recommended
● Two basic methods are used for starting the arc: the Striking or Brushing
method (fig. 7) and the Tapping method (fig. 8). In either method, the arc is
started by short circuiting the welding current between the electrode and the
work surface. The surge of high current causes the end of the electrode and a
small spot on the base metal beneath the electrode to melt instantly.
When welding in the horizontal position, angle the electrode 20° to 25° in the
direction of travel.
When welding in the vertical up position holds the electrode to 10° to15° below
perpendicular and at a 90° angle from the base metal.
When welding in the overhead position holds the electrode perpendicular to the base
metal at 90° and incline it 10° to 15° in the direction of travel.
All welding is done in one of four positions: (1) flat, (2) horizontal, (3 vertical, or (4)
overhead. Fillet or groove welds can be made in all these positions. Figure 14 shows
the various positions used in plate welding. The American Welding Society (AWS)
identifies these positions by a number/letter designation; for instance, the 1G
position refers to a groove weld that is to be made in the flat position. Here the 1 is
Industry Requirements
Welding Symbols
Reference Line:
Arrow:
The arrow is the other required part of a welding symbol and is placed at one or the
other end of the reference line and connects the reference line to the joint that is to
be welded.
Quite often, there are two sides to the joint to which the arrow points, and therefore
two potential places for a weld. For example, when two steel plates are joined
together into a T shape, welding may be done on either side of the stem of the T.
The weld symbol distinguishes between the two sides of a joint by using the arrow
and the spaces above and below the reference line. The side of the joint to which the
arrow points is known as the arrow side, and its weld is made according to the
instructions given below the reference line. The other side of the joint is known as
the other side, and its weld is made according to the instructions given above the
reference line. The below and above rules apply regardless of the arrow's direction.
Each type of weld has its own basic symbol, which is typically placed near the center
of the reference line (and above or below it, depending on which side of the joint it's
on). The symbol is a small drawing that can usually be interpreted as a simplified
cross-section of the weld. In the descriptions below, the symbol is shown in both its
arrow-side and other-side positions.
Fillet Plug
Groove Welds
Weld Weld
The all-around element is only used when it is possible to weld all the way around a
single surface (see below).
The other element seen on the reference line resembles a flag and is located where
the leader line joins the reference line. This element is called a "field weld" and
means the weld will be done in another location. For instance, this weld may be
applied at the job site not in the shop. Sometimes clarification will be given in the
welding symbol tail or as a specification on the print.
The fillet weld (pronounced "fill-it") is used to make lap joints, corner joints, and T
joints. As its symbol suggests, the fillet weld is roughly triangular in cross-section,
although its shape is not always a right triangle or an isosceles triangle. Weld metal
is deposited in a corner formed by the fit-up of the two members and penetrates and
fuses with the base metal to form the joint. (Note: for the sake of graphical clarity, the
drawings below do not show the penetration of the weld metal. Recognize, however,
that the degree of penetration is important in determining the quality of the weld.)
The perpendicular (straight up and down) leg of the triangle is always drawn on the
left side of the symbol, regardless of the orientation of the weld itself. The leg size is
written to the left of the weld symbol. If the two legs of the weld are to be the same
size, only one dimension is given; if the weld is to have unequal legs (much less
common than the equal-legged weld), both dimensions are given and there is an
indication on the drawing as to which leg is longer.
The welding symbol above shows that the weld is to be done on the other side and
the thickness of the weld is 5/16.
Used more frequently than the length alone, the length and pitch (length first,
spacing second) are two numbers located at the right of the fillet weld symbol.
The length appears first as before followed by a hyphen then the pitch is shown.
The pitch refers to a dimension from the center of one weld to the center of the next
weld.
The pitch is not the space between welds but a measurement from center to center
of the welds. To get the spacing for layout subtract the length of one weld from the
pitch.
If the welds are staggered the fillet weld symbol will be staggered on the reference
line.
Contours:
Some welding symbols may show a contour finish those details how the fillet weld
shape must be finished after welding. The contour may be flat or convex (having a
surface that is curved or rounded outward) and the element to describe this is placed
above the slope on the fillet weld symbol. A letter to indicate the method of finish
may be given above the finish element.
Test II. Multiple Choice. Encircle the letter of the correct answer.
1. The welding current or amperage is essential to producing welds with good
appearance and the required strength characteristics.
2. The rate of travel across the joint is controlled by the welder during welding and
greatly affects the appearance and strength characteristics of the weld.
3. There are a variety of electrodes available for welding a wide range of metals.
4. In the Shielded Metal Arc Welding (STICK) process there are two electrode angles
that the welder must control.
6. Used with high-deposit, fast-fill electrodes and consists of lightly dragging the
electrode tip along the base metal.
7. the other required part of a welding symbol and is placed at one or the other end
of the reference line and connects the reference line to the joint that is to be welded.
8. May be flat or convex (having a surface that is curved or rounded outward) and
the element to describe this is placed above the slope on the fillet weld symbol.
9. A line is a horizontal line with all the other required information drawn on or around
it.
10. The position refers to a groove weld that is to be made in the flat position.
A. 1G
B. 2G
C. 3G
D. 4G
6. D. Drag
7. B. Arrow
8. D. Contours
9. B. Reference Line
10. A. 1G
WELDING DEFECTS
Porosity
Incomplete Fusion
Lack of Penetration
Excessive Penetration
Burn-Through
Waviness of Bead
SELF-CHECK 1.3
11-15 Give at least 5 possible corrective actions of the given possible causes.
● Porosity
o Arc length too long - Reduce arc length
o Work piece dirty - Remove all grease, oil, rust, paint, coating, slag &
dirt from work surface before welding.
o Damp electrode - Use dry electrode
● Excessive Spatter
o Amperage too high for electrode - Decrease amperage or select larger
electrode
o Arc length too long or voltage too high - Reduce arc length or voltage
● Lack of Penetration
o Improper joint penetration - Material too thick joint penetration & design
must provide access to bottom of groove
o Improper weld technique - Keep arc on leading of weld puddle, Reduce
travel speed
o Insufficient heat input - Increase amperage, Select larger electrode &
increase amperage
● Burn – through
o Excessive heat input - Select lower amperage. Use smaller electrode,
Increase / or maintain steady travel speed
● Distortion
o Excessive heat input - Use restraint clamp to hold base metal in
position, make tack weld along joint before starting weld operations,
predict anticipated weld distortion & pre camber base metal, Select
Acceptable Weld
Defined as a weld that meets the applicable requirements. The requirements for an
acceptable weld depend on:
For instance, a weld that can hold two pieces of metal together in a production
setting might not be able to hold two components of a car frame together in the event
of an accident. Similar to this, a weld that works well in an outdoor environment
could not work well underwater.
It's crucial to use the right tools and observe all safety precautions when welding.
Additionally, it's crucial to guarantee that the location where you're welding is tidy
and debris-free. Additionally, it's critical to adhere to the precise requirements for the
sort of welding you're performing, the materials you're using, and the welding
environment to produce an appropriate weld.
Each section prescribes the minimum requirements for the design, materials,
fabrication, erection, testing and inspection of a particular type of piping system. Both
of these documents are American National Standards
American Petroleum Institute (API) has been the leader in developing equipment
and operating standards for the oil and natural gas industry.
British Standard BSI welding standards cover specifications, procedures and tests
for use by welders, quality controllers and manufacturers. The safety, reliability and
cost effectiveness of welded products requires the welds to be of adequate quality
Test IV. Matching Type. Match the correct definition of items from column A to
column B. Write the correct letter on the given space in Column A.
Column A Column B
1. G. Specification for carbon steel electrodes and rods for gas shielded arc welding
4. C. Specification for Class I arc welding of ferritic steel pipework for carrying fluids
CRITERIA
Did you…. YES NO
1. Performed root pass in accordance with WPS and/or
client specifications?
2. Performed tasks in accordance with company or
industry requirement and safety procedure.
3. Clean and free root pass from defects and
discontinuities?
4. Performed tasks in accordance with approved WPS?
5. Performed subsequent/ filling passes in accordance
with approved WPS?
6. Performed capping in accordance with WPS and/or
client specifications?
7. Visually checked weld for defects and repaired, as
required?
8. Check if the weld is visually acceptable in accordance
with applicable codes and standards?