Ferrosilicon used for welding materials is mainly composed of silicon and iron, and may contain a small amount of impurity elements such as carbon, manganese, phosphorus, and sulfur. Common ferrosilicon grades such as ferrosilicon 75 (silicon content is about 72%-80%) and ferrosilicon 72 (silicon content is about 72%) can be used for welding materials. Silicon is its key component and plays an important role in the welding process. Different silicon contents will affect the performance of welding materials. Generally, ferrosilicon with appropriate silicon content will be selected according to specific welding requirements.
Size: When used as a welding material, ferrosilicon is often processed into different sizes. Powdered ferrosilicon particle sizes usually have 40 mesh, 60 mesh, 80 mesh, 100 mesh and other specifications. Ferrosilicon of different sizes are suitable for different welding processes and welding material forms. For example, finer ferrosilicon is more conducive to uniform dispersion in welding materials.
Role in welding
Deoxidizer:
During the welding process, high temperature will cause the weld metal to come into contact with oxygen in the air, resulting in oxides in the weld and reducing the quality of the weld. The silicon in ferrosilicon has a strong affinity with oxygen and can preferentially combine with oxygen to form oxides such as silicon dioxide, thereby effectively removing oxygen from the weld, playing a deoxidizing role, improving the purity and mechanical properties of the weld metal, and reducing the generation of welding defects such as pores and slag inclusions.
Alloying effect:
Silicon is an important alloying element. Adding it to the weld metal can play an alloying role and change the structure and properties of the weld metal. An appropriate amount of silicon can improve the strength, hardness and toughness of the weld metal, and improve the crack resistance and corrosion resistance of the weld. For example, in the welding of some high-strength steels, the alloying effect of ferrosilicon helps to match the properties of the weld metal with the parent material.
Arc stabilization effect:
Adding ferrosilicon to welding materials such as welding rods or welding wires can also play a role in stabilizing the arc. Ferrosilicon can improve the stability of the welding arc, make the welding process smoother, reduce spatter, and improve the convenience of welding operation and the stability of welding quality.
Application range
Welding rod:
It is one of the common application forms of ferrosilicon in welding materials. Adding an appropriate amount of ferrosilicon to the coating of the welding rod can make the welding rod better play the role of deoxidation, alloying and arc stabilization during the welding process, and is suitable for welding of various carbon steels, low-alloy steels and other materials.
Welding wire:
Whether it is solid welding wire or flux-cored welding wire, ferrosilicon can be added to adjust its performance. Adding ferrosilicon to solid welding wire can directly transition alloy elements into the weld; ferrosilicon in flux-cored welding wire is filled inside the welding wire together with other components, and they work together during welding to meet the requirements of different welding processes and materials.
Submerged arc welding flux:
In the process of submerged arc welding, flux is used in combination with welding wire. Ferrosilicon can be used as one of the components of flux, interacting with the elements in the welding wire to jointly affect the composition and properties of the weld metal, and is suitable for welding of large thickness workpieces and automated welding production.
