Welding is the process of fusing two pieces of metals together. It is achieved by passing electric current from a welding electrode to the metal pieces, which creates an electric arc.The two metals heat and melt, fusing together in a stronger bond.
Welding electrodes refer to a metal wire or rod with an outer flux coating. This coating protects the metal from damage, stabilizes the arc, and improves the weld.Depending upon the welding process, the electrode is either consumable or non-consumable.
There are different types of welding rods available in the market. The electrode must be chosen based on the welding process it will be used for.
Here is the most common list of welding electrodes you can choose from.
6013 Electrodes
The 6013 welding rod is one of the most popular electrodes among professional welders. It has a tensile strength of 60,000 lbs, making it pretty strong and capable of completing most welding projects.
These electrodes technically create a soft arc at the end helping the welders to mold metal sheet. This feature makes these electrodes ideal for that purpose.
The third digit being 1 indicates the electrode can be used for all welding positions. The last two digits also mean that it has a high titanium-potassium coating, which makes it compatible with almost all types of power supplies and currents.The welding rod has high versatility as it can be used with different types of currents.
The 6013 electrode is ideal for smaller welding jobs. It is suitable for working with thinner metal sheets, allowing a medium-range penetration.
7018 Electrodes
The 7018 welding rod is coated with very low moisture.This feature is immensely beneficial as it reduces the level of hydrogen stopping it from seeping into a weld too much.The low hydrogen content of these electrodes produces smooth yet high-quality welds that are also crack-resistant against medium to low penetration.
The 7018 is capable of withstanding pressure of 70,000 pounds per cubic square inch. The third digit indicates it can be applied in all welding positions. The last two digits mean that the electrode is coated with iron powder with low hydrogen coating. They can be operated under both AC and DC+ currents.
One thing to keep in mind is that the 7018 welding electrodes must be kept in a moisture-free storage. Exposure to moisture will diminish the lifespan of these rods.
6011 & 6010
The 6011 welding rod and 6010 welding rod are very much alike in many aspects, barring a few. Both these electrode scan withstand 60,000 pounds of pressure.The third digit tells us both of them can be used for all welding positions.
The difference between the two welding electrodes lies in the last two digits. The 6011 has very high coating level of cellulose potassium.This makes it compatible with both AC and DC+ currents.It can be used to operate with bigger sized welding machines. The 6011 rod is ideal for repair welding works.It is capable of deep welding penetration, making it suitable to use it with dirty and corroded metals.
The 6010 welding rod has the coating of high cellulose sodium, which means it can only be used with DC+ current.This too can achieve deep penetration and can work with dirty and corroded metals.
