Finding the suitable flux core wire can prove to be challenging when planning to weld thick metals, especially if you have energy costs in mind.
Thick metals are hard materials to fabricate, so you need higher power and specialized wires for it.
Fortunately, a wire that fulfills these requirements exists in the form of dual shield flux core wires.
Let’s explore this welding wire and the best selections to use for whatever welding project you have.
What Is a Dual Shield Flux Core Wire
Alloy Rods, now owned by Swedish industrial manufacturer ESAB, developed the dual shield flux core wire or double-shielded electrode.
With a diameter of 0.35 inches or .9 millimeters, dual shield flux core wire delivers higher deposition rates and deep penetration, paving the way for highly productive welding.
Double-shielded electrodes provide better weldments than solid electrodes due to the alloy it deposits to the weld puddle. As a result, the final weld is more durable.
The metal electrode core, referred to as flux, that contains essential compounds coats the weld using the slag it produces during the welding process, resulting in a clean weld bead with almost non-existent ripples and spatters.
As its name implies, dual flux core wire provides double protection to the weld through the supplemental gas from the external cylinder gas container and the flux electrode.
This layered protection makes flux core wire a perfect option when you’re working on mild steel and materials that need alloy through the welding process called dual shield welding, also known as flux core arc welding (FCAW).
What is Dual Flux Core Welding
Dual shield welding is a method that benefits from two layers of shielding during welding. This double shielding is offered by the electrical arc and gas formed by the wire electrode and external gas around the weld pool as protection against contaminants from the surroundings.
The shielding gas is composed of two gases. The first one is 100% carbon dioxide, and the second type is a mixture of 75% – 85 % argon and 15% – 25% carbon dioxide, which functions as a reinforcing agent for the dual shield flux core wire to improve its welding usability. Without these gases, the weld becomes porous and low-quality.
The shielding gas makes dual shield welding a process that has to be performed indoors for a more stable and smoother arc. Nevertheless, the outdoor application is still possible as long as you set precautionary measures to prevent the breeze from dispersing the shielding gas.
Dual Shield Flux Core Wire Options
With that said, there are several good options for flux core wire you can choose from. Take a look at what we found below:
This wire from Blue Demon can be used in all positions from flat, horizontal, overhead, and vertical down. Available in diameter sizes ranging from 0.035 inches, 0.045 inches, and 0.063 inches, you can find good value from its spool sizes of about 11 lb and 33 lb.
Take note that this blue demon dual shielding wire requires a supplementary shielding gas that should only be 100% carbon dioxide. Also, the welding amperage should be around 150 to 165 amp or 26-27 volts.
Also available in diameter sizes ranging from 0.035 inches, 0.045 inches, and 0.063 inches, this is a wire you can also weld regardless of the welding position. As with most dual shielded flux core wires, Blue Demon 316LT1 creates a weld protection slag that you can easily remove once the weld pool cools down.
3. Dual Shield Flux Core Wires by ESAB
Now, if you are searching for an exhaustive list of dual shield flux core wires, look no more because ESAB provides you 9 mild steel-based dual-shield flux core wires and 21 wires with low alloy content for special welding requirements. All of which offer high deposition rates and clean weld bead results.
Their Dual Shield II Ultra 70, in particular, stands above many flux-cored wires from other brands due to its smooth arc and low welding fumes. Using a supplementary 100% carbon dioxide shielding gas, you can utilize this wire in flat and horizontal single or multi-pass applications on low or medium carbon steels.
Advantages of Dual Flux Core Wire
All dual shield flux core wires offer higher productivity, deposition rates, and deep penetration. But why does it matter when welding? Let’s delve into each of these advantages.
High deposition rate
Because dual shield flux core wires are thin, they melt much faster as compared to solid wires. And they also enable current to flow in one primary direction, which makes the heat become concentrated in one area, thus reaching their melting point at a much faster rate.
The shorter time it takes for the wire to melt, the higher the deposit on a weld, which results in stronger and more stable welds. The high deposition rate is why welders who use dual shield flux core wires see approximately more savings in their overall operations.
Deep penetration
Another advantage of the thinness of dual shield flux core wire is it allows for better control when it comes to penetration. As you weld, you can achieve a more concentrated impact in a particular area in the weld. So regardless of the thickness of the metal workpiece, heat still penetrates deep.
If heat penetrates deep into the welding material, you achieve a cleaner and stronger weld because it increases the effective throat of a fillet joint that only brings positive effects.
The deeper penetration also lowers the possibility of mistakes from occurring when welding out of position as it fuses sidewalls better, which increases the integrity of the weld, without compromising productivity.
Increased productivity
With a higher deposition rate and deeper penetration, home shop owners and businesses alike can expect better productivity in terms of labor and overhead.
The result? There is also higher cost savings even if various projects line up, as you can complete jobs quicker.
Welding novice-friendly
The best part about dual flux core wire is that even people new can use it, even without the skills and long hours of training.
And contrary to solid wires, dual shield flux core wire does not require the welder to be extra meticulous when it comes to the cleanliness of the workpiece joint. Any welding aspirant can start welding with dual flux core wire as long as they remove moisture, paint, and oil.
To wrap up everything
So when should you be using dual shield flux core wire? Well, there is one instance where you can fully utilize the properties of flux core: it is when you are working on thick metals vertically.
If you have a project or repair that involves thick metals and requires out-of-position welding, consider dual flux core wire your first choice. The resulting coating of dual flux core solidifies quickly, which is especially effective in holding the molten weld material overhead or vertically.
As our last advice, do not weld aluminum using dual shield flux core wire or any welding wire for that matter. The reason is simple. Aluminum is a non-ferric metal that is critically reactive with air, rendering the wire useless despite its outdoor welding capability.
