Flux is a bulk material from chemicals that is used to facilitate the processes of all types of welding. Thanks to him, weldable materials are connected. One of the popular varieties of material is the flux AN348A.
What is this material used for?
Gumboil AN348A (GOST 9078-81) is used in arc welding. It protects the arc and weld pool from environmental factors. In addition, the flux can help with the metallurgical processing of welds.
When welding (surfacing), the flux covers the wire. Due to this, the thermal efficiency increases. The AN348A flux is used in electric welding, protecting the working area from air and other gases. In this case, the necessary conditions are created for the correct performance of the work, which ensures the formation of a high-quality weld.
How to apply
It is often possible to repair broken appliances and parts using surfacing. This method saves money and time. The process will not be long. Thanks to him, you donβt have to wait long for spare parts that should arrive βsoonβ.
During welding, the AN348A flux and wire are fed together into the arc burning zone. There, the edges of the base metal, wire and flux are melted. As a result, a bubble appears around the arc, consisting of metal gases and flux substances. When moving the arc, the flux in the molten state rises to the surface of the weld pool. This forms slag. This allows you to protect the surface from atmospheric air, which is not needed here. The welding seam is smooth and of high quality. After cooling, the slag crust is easily removed.
In addition to the properties described above, flux helps protect the welder from the emission of harmful gases and dust.
Gumboil AN348A: characteristics
The material is a dark brown grain. Their size is approximately 0.35-0.5 ml. Grains in their structure resemble pieces of glass. Their bulk density is in the range 1.3-1.8 kg / dm 3 . When used, the material must be kept dry. If this is not the case, it must be dried. To do this, it is dried for an hour at a temperature of + 300-400 0 C.
One of the most important characteristics for fluxes is their chemical activity. In AN348A, this value is in the range of 0.7-0.75 Af. This means that flux AN348A belongs to the highly active category. In the welding process using material, radiation is emitted, the value of which corresponds to the standards established by the standards (no more than 18 ΞΌR / hour).
The flux includes oxides of silicon (up to 44% of the total volume of the substance), manganese (up to 38%), calcium (up to 12%), magnesium (up to 7%), aluminum (up to 13%) and iron (up to 2.2 %). In addition, sulfur and phosphorus are available. It also contains foreign particles that remain in the material during the production process (such as residues of coal, coke, graphite, metal chips and so on).
Flux AN348A can be used in various conditions and a wide range of ambient temperature. It is not recommended to use it in the North at very low temperatures (below -30 0 C).