Investigation on mechanical properties of

welded material under different types of

welding filler (shielded metal arc welding)
Cite as: AIP Conference Proceedings 1958, 020003 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5034534
Published Online: 09 May 2018

Abdullah Mohd Tahir, Noor Ajian Mohd Lair and Foo Jun Wei

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AIP Conference Proceedings 1958, 020003 (2018); https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5034534 1958, 020003

© 2018 Author(s).
 Investigation on Mechanical Properties of
Welded Material under Different Types of Welding Filler
(Shielded Metal Arc Welding)

Abdullah Mohd Tahir 1,a), Noor Ajian Mohd Lair 2,b), Foo Jun Wei 3.
1
Mechanical Engineering, Faculty Of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, 88400 Kota Kinabalu Sabah,
Malaysia
2,3
Mechanical Engineering, Faculty Of Engineering, Universiti Malaysia Sabah,88400 Kota Kinabalu Sabah,
Malaysia
a)
[email protected]
b)
[email protected]

Abstract. The Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) is (or the Stick welding) defined as a welding process, which melts
and joins metals with an arc between a welding filler (electrode rod) and the workpieces. The main objective was to study
the mechanical properties of welded metal under different types of welding fillers and current for SMAW. This project
utilized the Design of Experiment (DOE) by adopting the Full Factorial Design. The independent variables were the
types of welding filler and welding current, whereas the other welding parameters were fixed at the optimum value. The
levels for types of welding filler were by the models of welding filler (E6013, E7016 and E7018) used and the levels for
welding current were 80A and 90A. The responses were the mechanical properties of welded material, which include
tensile strength and hardness. The experiment was analyzed using the two way ANOVA. The results prove that there are
significant effects of welding filler types and current levels on the tensile strength and hardness of the welded metal. At
the same time, the ANOVA results and interaction plot indicate that there are significant interactions between the
welding filler types and the welding current on both the hardness and tensile strength of the welded metals, which has
never been reported before. This project found that when the amount of heat input with increase, the mechanical
properties such as tensile strength and hardness decrease. The optimum tensile strength for welded metal is produced by
the welding filler E7016 and the optimum of hardness of welded metal is produced by the welding filler E7018 at
welding current of 80A.

INTRODUCTION
Since the industrial revolution began, the metal joining methods play an important role in manufacturing
industries. This is because all of the products are fabricated by joining process. Joining can be defined as the process
of combining two or more parts of surface into close contact in order to assemble them together [1]. The joining
process can be divided into three major types; temporary, semi-permanent and permanent. Each case of joining
process offers different load carrying reliability, capability, and compatibility in joining of similar or different
material. Besides that, the consideration of cost effectiveness is also an important factor when selecting the joint for
manufacturing processes [2].

The common joining processes are welding, brazing, soldering, riveting, screwing, adhesive bonding, keys and
cotters joints, and nut and bolt joints. Welding is a permanent process for connecting two or more pieces of metal
together localized coalescence resulting from a desirable combination of temperature, pressure and metallurgical
condition [3]. The heat required for the fusion process of the material can be obtained by electric arc. Welding
process is widely utilized in fabrication because of simple welding procedure and minimum preparation of
equipment. Furthermore, the cost of welding is also economical if compared with other processes. However, this
project focused only on the Shielded Metal Arc Welding Process (SMAW).

3rd International Conference on the Science and Engineering of Materials (ICoSEM 2017)
AIP Conf. Proc. 1958, 020003-1–020003-7; https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5034534
Published by AIP Publishing. 978-0-7354-1659-8/$30.00

020003-1
 Welding parameters significantly influence the mechanical properties of the welded materials. The major types
of welding parameters are current (affecting the heat input), voltage usage, polarity, welding filler type, welding
filler size, arc length, electrode angle, arc travel speed and welding technique [4].

METHODOLOGY

Materials
The types of welding filler used were E6013, E7016 and E7018, which were manufactured by the Nikko Steel.
The low carbon steel with AISI 1020 was chosen as the workpieces. The steel chemical composition is C (0.17-
0.23%), Mn (0.3-0.6%), P (0.04% max), S (0.05 max) and Fe.

Welding Process Procedures

The dimension of specimen for tensile test is modified as [5] from the ATME E8/E 8M -08 standard.

Design of Experiment
The experiment was design using the Full Factorial Design with the types of welding filler and current as factors.
The levels for types of welding filler were welding fillers type E6013, E7016 and E7018 and the levels for welding
current were 80A and 90A. The responses were the mechanical properties of welded material, which include tensile
strength and hardness. The experiment was then analysed using the two way ANOVA.

DATA COLLECTION AND DISCUSSION

Experiment Result for Rockwell Hardness Test

The two ways ANOVA was used to analyse the two factors; the effect of the types of welding filler and welding
current, on the Rockwell hardness of the welded material. Each condition was run under 5 replications. The result
was summarized in TABLE 1.

TABLE 1: The Result of Rockwell Hardness Test.

Welding Current Rockwell Hardness, HRC
Electrode
(A) 1 2 3 4 5 Average
E6013 80 30.567 30.700 30.667 30.600 30.633 30.633
E6013 90 28.333 28.400 28.300 28.100 28.267 28.280
E7016 80 36.467 36.533 36.367 36.433 36.500 36.460
E7016 90 33.133 32.933 33.233 33.167 33.033 33.100
E7018 80 37.467 37.600 37.733 37.700 37.567 37.613
E7018 90 35.467 35.433 35.367 35.267 35.167 35.340

The ANOVA results are summarised in TABLE 2. Since all the p < 0.05, it can be concluded that the two
factors are significant and that there is a significant interaction between the two independent variables (welding filler
types and welding current) on the hardness as also supported by the interaction plot in FIGURE 1

020003-2
 TABLE 2: Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)- Two Way ANOVA Result for Hardness.
Adjacent
Degree of Sequential Adjacent Sum
Source of variation Mean ࡲ࢕ P
Freedom Sum of Square of Square
Square
Welding Filler 2 268.326 268.326 134.163 13 438.57 0.000
Current (A) 1 53.157 53.157 53.157 5 324.58 0.000
Interaction 2 1.835 1.835 0.917 91.89 0.000
Error 24 0.240 0.240 0.010
Total 29 323.558

Interaction Plot for Hardness

Data Means
80 90
37.5 Welding
Filler
35.0 E6013
E7016
E7018
Welding Filler 32.5

30.0

37.5 Current
(A )
35.0 80
90

32.5 Current (A)

30.0

E6013 E7016 E7018

FIGURE 1: The Interaction Plots of Hardness for Weldment versus Welding Filler and Welding Current.

Experiment Result for Tensile Test

The two-way ANOVA was used to evaluate the effects of the two factors; the types of welding filler and welding
current, on the tensile strength of the welded material. Each condition was run under 5 replications with total run of
30 sets. The result was summarized in TABLE 3.

TABLE 3: The Result of Tensile Test.

Welding Tensile Strength, MPa
Electrode Current
1 2 3 4 5 Average
(A)
E6013 80 404.8991 403.0321 401.8251 405.9898 407.0011 404.5494
E6013 90 377.8915 374.2103 376.1971 372.9981 375.5089 375.3612
E7016 80 489.2014 486.0010 485.9941 490.0298 486.9002 487.6253
E7016 90 462.1354 465.8894 460.0454 464.2112 461.9991 462.8561
E7018 80 435.8789 433.0512 437.9816 438.0972 439.1564 436.8331
E7018 90 414.2561 412.9984 409.0239 413.1794 410.2021 411.9320

The ANOVA results summarised in TABLE 4. Since all the p < 0.05, it can be concluded that the two factors are
significant and that there is a significant interaction between the two independent variables on the tensile strength of
the welded materials as supported by FIGURE 2.

020003-3
 TABLE 4: Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)- Two Way ANOVA Result for Tensile Strength.
Sequential Adjacent Adjacent
Degree of
Source of variation Sum of Sum of Mean ࡲ࢕ P
Freedom
Square Square Square
Welding Filler 2 36818.0 36818.0 18409.0 4041.57 0.000
Current (A) 1 5182.2 5182.2 5182.2 1137.72 0.000
Interaction 2 31.6 31.6 15.8 3.47 0.047
Error 24 109.3 109.3 4.6
Total 29 42141.1

Interaction Plot for Tensile Strength

Data Means
80 90
500
Welding
Fillet
E6013
450 E7016
E7018
Welding Fillet

400

500
C urrent
(A )
80
450 90

Current (A)

400

E6013 E7016 E7018

FIGURE 2: The Interaction Plots of Tensile Strength for Weldment versus Welding Filler and Welding Current.

DISCUSSION
The FIGURE 3 shows that the welding filler E6013 produces the lowest average hardness value of the welded
materials, which is about 29.4 HRC. However, the welding filler E7018 produces the highest average hardness value
of the welded materials, which is about 37.5 HRC. This result is parallel with Bracarense, (1994) and Sarian (1999)
research. The figure 4 also shows that as the current increased, the weldment hardness will decrease. As the welding
current increase from 80A to 90A, the average Rockwell hardness value decrease from 34.8 HRC to 32.2 HRC This
result is parallel with Bahman (2010), Asibeluo, (2015) and Bodude, (2015) research. The relationship is that as the
welding current increase, the welding heat input also increase and decrease in hardness of welded material.

020003-4
 Main Effects Plot for Hardness
Data Means

Welding Filler Current (A)

37

36

35

34
Mean
33

32

31

30

29
E6013 E7016 E7018 80 90

FIGURE 3: The Main Effects Plot of the Weldment Hardness.

The FIGURE 4 shows that the welding filler E6103 produces the lowest average tensile strength value of the
welded materials which about 390Mpa However, the welding filler E7016 produces the highest average tensile
strength value of the welded materials which about 475Mpa. This result is parallel with Bracarense, (1994) and
Sarian (1999) research. The figure 5 also shows that as the current increased, the weldment tensile strength will
decrease. As the welding current increase from 80A to 90A, the average tensile strength value decrease from
444Mpa to 418Mpa. This result is parallel with Bahman (2010), Asibeluo, (2015) and Bodude, (2015) research. The
relationship is that as the welding current increase, the welding heat input also increase and decrease in tensile
strength of welded material

Main Effects Plot for Tensile Strength

Data Means

Welding Fillet Current (A)

480

470

460

450

440
Mean

430

420

410

400

390

E6013 E7016 E7018 80 90

FIGURE 4: The Main Effects Plot of the Weldment Tensile Strengths.

The ANOVA results and interaction plot indicates that there are significant interactions between the welding
filler types and the welding current on both the hardness and tensile strength of the welded metals, which have never
been reported before.

The difference in performance between different type of welding filler can be explained theoretically by the
material composition. The material composition for welding filler E6013 is C (0.09%), Mn (0.5%) and Cr (0.06%);
and welding filler E7016 is C (0.1%), Mn (1.0%) and Cr (0.14%) and welding filler E7018 is C (0.1%), Mn (1.0%)
and Cr (0.1%). The results show that the welding filler E6013 has the lower hardness and tensile strength because

020003-5
the composition of C, Mn and Cr is lower compared to E7018 and E7016. At the same time, the welding filler
E7018 has the highest hardness value and E7018 has the highest tensile strength value due to Cr composition.
Similar to Sirian (1999) findings, this research proved that an increase in Mn, C or Cr individually may increase of
tensile strength values and hardness values of welded joint [7]. The experimental studies on microstructure of
welding join under different type of welding filler will be investigate in future research.

The difference in performances induced by the welding current can be explained by the heat input. Using voltage
of 25V, welding speed is fixe3d at 90mm/min and assuming the efficiency of welding process is 90%, the heat input
of welding process for the experiment as below;
For welding current 80A;
͸Ͳ‫ܫݔܸݔ‬ ͸Ͳ‫ʹݔ‬ͷ‫ݔ‬ͺͲ
ܳൌ ܺߟ ൌ ܺͻͲΨ ൌ ͳ͵ͷͲ‫ܬ‬Ȁ݉݉
ܵ ͺͲ
For welding current 90A;
͸Ͳ‫ܫݔܸݔ‬ ͸Ͳ‫ʹݔ‬ͷ‫Ͳͻݔ‬
ܳൌ ܺߟ ൌ ܺͻͲΨ ൌ ͳͷͳͻ‫ܬ‬Ȁ݉݉
ܵ ͺͲ

The heat input affects the metallurgical behaviour of weld melt during solidification and chance of formation the
defects in different conditions of welding. As increasing the input energy, grain growth in weld microstructure
increases and grain boundaries are reduced in background. Reduction in grains boundaries as locks for movement of
dislocations, increases possibility and amount of dislocations movement as line defects in structure. It will cause
reduction in strength and hardness of weld metal [8] as sown by the inferior performance for welding current 90A. at
the same time, the weld microstructure is mainly controlled by cooling rate. When the energy input is lower, the
time for solidification was less and rapid cooling promotes smaller grains. However, the higher energy input, the
time required for solidification increase and cooling rate slow down which yield coarse grains. Since the grain size
becomes coarse when welding current increase, the mechanical properties such as hardness value and tensile
strength value reduce [1]. As the heat energy input was increased, the mechanical properties for tensile strength and
hardness decrease due to the microstructure of coarse pearlite in ferrite matrix become coarse as the grain size
increase. [9].

CONCLUSION
This research proved that there are significant effects of welding filler and heat input on the tensile strength and
hardness of the welded metal. At the same time, the ANOVA results and interaction plot indicates that there are
significant interactions between the welding filler types and the welding current on both the hardness and tensile
strength of the welded metals, which have never been reported before. This experiment also found that when the
amount of heat input (shown by the current) increase, the mechanical properties such as tensile strength and
hardness decrease. The optimum tensile strength for welded metal is produced by the welding filler E7016 and the
optimum of hardness of welded metal is produced by the welding filler E7018 at welding current of 80A.

REFERENCES
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Age International.
2. Swift, K. G. (2013). Manufacturing Process Selection Handbook: For Design to Manufacture. Wyman Street,
Waltham , USA: Butterworth-Heinemann, pp 291-344.
3. Khan, M. I. (2007). Welding Science and Technology. New Age International, pp1-5.
4. ESAB. (n.d.). ESAB Welding and Cutting Products- North America. Retrieved from Handbook-Welding
Techniques (Welding Parameter and Techniques):
http://www.esabna.com/euweb/mig_handbook/592mig7_1.htm, 10 September 2015
5. Kumar, E. (2013). Investigation of Various Welding Process Parameters on Mechanical Properties in SAW
Process. International Journal of Emerging Technology and Advanced Engineering, 113-120.

020003-6
6. Bracarense, A. a. (1994). Control of Covered Electrode Heating by Flux Ingredients Substitution. Welding and
Metal Fabrication Journal, 18-32.
7. Sarian, S. a. (1999). All Weld Metal Design for AWS E10018M, E11018M and E12018M Type Electrode.
Welding Research Supplement, 217-219.
8. Bahman, A. R. (2010). Change in Hardness, Yield Strength and UTS of Welded Joints Roduced in St37 Grade
Steel. Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 1162-1164.
9. Bodude, M. A. (2015). Studies on Effects of Welding Parameter on the Mechanical Properties of Welded Low
Carbon Steel. Journal of Minerals and Materials Characterization and Engineering, 3(03), 142-153.
10. Montgomery, D. C. (2014). Applied Statistics and Probability for Engineering; 6th Edition edition. River
Street, Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons Singapore Pte. Ltd.
11. Asibeluo, I. S. (2015). Effect of Arc Welding Current on the Mechanical Properties of A36 Carbon Steel Weld
Joints. SSRG, International Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 79-87.

020003-7