RELATED SEARCHES
Sponsored Welding Rod Results:
Welding Rod Lawyer, Aluminum, Plastic, 6011, 7018
By:
Published: July 30, 2007
Metalworking is a fascinating and complex process. Without it, humanity would still be - literally - in the Stone Age. It has been a key component in shaping human civilization. But it can also be a dangerous process; metals are a two-edged sword, both helpful and harmful. People must handle them with the utmost care, especially when working with them at lethally hot temperatures.
Such processes include welding. There are actually three main types of welding, which altogether consist of 60 different welding methods among them. Welding, by definition, is the process of melting two separate pieces of metal in order to join them. The entire piece of metal is not melted, but only the section which is to be connected with the other object. And the melting process is only partial; the intent is to make the metal just soft enough to be malleable.
A welding rod is one of the most important tools used in welding. A welding rod is a long and very thin stick of a metallic substance known as a filler metal. It is called so because during the process of melting the two metals in order to connect them, a welding rod is completely melted to fill the joint, helping the metal items to better fuse together. A welding rod is also referred to as an electrode.
A welding rod can be made of any one of various metals, such as aluminum or tungsten, although some are made from plastic as well. Metallic welding rods are classified by a coded number system delineated by the American Welding Society. These numbers are four or five digits long; in a four-digit number, the first two digits stand for the minimum tensile strength that a weld will have after a rod has been added to it. The position in which the welding rod can be used is revealed by the third digit; the last two digits taken together will tell which coating is on the rod and the correct welding current to use it with.
Two good examples are the 6011 and 7018 rods. The "60" in 6011 means that the tensile strength would be 60,000 pounds per square inch; the 7018 would be 70,000 pounds. The "1" in the third place of both numbers indicates that these can be used in any position.
The different kinds of plastic used in a plastic welding rod include polyethylene (about half are made from this type), PVC, polyamide and polypropylene. When using a plastic welding rod, it should be made of thermoplastic rather than thermoset plastic. The welding rod must absolutely be of the same kind of plastic from which the objects being welded are made.
A major concern with welding rods has recently erupted, due to suspicion fumes from the manganese in welding rods have caused brain damage to some of their users, Parkinson's disease in particular. Doctors have known for well over a century manganese can be poisonous to the nervous system, resulting in an illness called manganism, documented as early as 1837 and noted officially by the World Health Organization in 1981. Some law firms have been encouraging each victim to immediately seek a lawyer for possible monetary remuneration.
Of course, the welding rod companies have had to launch a defense against these accusations, citing numerous studies in which welding rods have been proven safe and the many cases they have won against plaintiffs. These include their very recent victories in the Solis case on June 27, 2006, and the Goforth and Quinn cases, on November 30 of that same year.
Whether or not it is dangerous, a welding rod continues to be a necessary part of welding techniques. Concerned welders are encouraged to be cautious and implement proper workshop protection strategies when using welding rods. After all, healthy welders are desperately needed, as welding plays a key part in those industries which produce half of the nation's gross national product.
Sources:
Askeland, Donald R. Welding. World Book Encyclopedia. 2007.
Bauerlein, Bruce." A Basic Guide of Arc Welding Electrodes." 7 March 2007. WebRing, Inc. 26 July 2007. http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/weldrod.html
Plastic Welding – Filler Rods. Tempatron. 25 July 2007. http://www.tempatron.co.uk/weld_rods.htm
"Welding Rods and Welding Rod Fumes Linked to Parkinson's Disease." Personal-Injury.com. 25 July 2007. Personal-Injury.com 25 July 2007. http://www.personal-injury.com/practice_areas/Weld ing_Rods.asp
Such processes include welding. There are actually three main types of welding, which altogether consist of 60 different welding methods among them. Welding, by definition, is the process of melting two separate pieces of metal in order to join them. The entire piece of metal is not melted, but only the section which is to be connected with the other object. And the melting process is only partial; the intent is to make the metal just soft enough to be malleable.
A welding rod is one of the most important tools used in welding. A welding rod is a long and very thin stick of a metallic substance known as a filler metal. It is called so because during the process of melting the two metals in order to connect them, a welding rod is completely melted to fill the joint, helping the metal items to better fuse together. A welding rod is also referred to as an electrode.
A welding rod can be made of any one of various metals, such as aluminum or tungsten, although some are made from plastic as well. Metallic welding rods are classified by a coded number system delineated by the American Welding Society. These numbers are four or five digits long; in a four-digit number, the first two digits stand for the minimum tensile strength that a weld will have after a rod has been added to it. The position in which the welding rod can be used is revealed by the third digit; the last two digits taken together will tell which coating is on the rod and the correct welding current to use it with.
Two good examples are the 6011 and 7018 rods. The "60" in 6011 means that the tensile strength would be 60,000 pounds per square inch; the 7018 would be 70,000 pounds. The "1" in the third place of both numbers indicates that these can be used in any position.
The different kinds of plastic used in a plastic welding rod include polyethylene (about half are made from this type), PVC, polyamide and polypropylene. When using a plastic welding rod, it should be made of thermoplastic rather than thermoset plastic. The welding rod must absolutely be of the same kind of plastic from which the objects being welded are made.
A major concern with welding rods has recently erupted, due to suspicion fumes from the manganese in welding rods have caused brain damage to some of their users, Parkinson's disease in particular. Doctors have known for well over a century manganese can be poisonous to the nervous system, resulting in an illness called manganism, documented as early as 1837 and noted officially by the World Health Organization in 1981. Some law firms have been encouraging each victim to immediately seek a lawyer for possible monetary remuneration.
Of course, the welding rod companies have had to launch a defense against these accusations, citing numerous studies in which welding rods have been proven safe and the many cases they have won against plaintiffs. These include their very recent victories in the Solis case on June 27, 2006, and the Goforth and Quinn cases, on November 30 of that same year.
Whether or not it is dangerous, a welding rod continues to be a necessary part of welding techniques. Concerned welders are encouraged to be cautious and implement proper workshop protection strategies when using welding rods. After all, healthy welders are desperately needed, as welding plays a key part in those industries which produce half of the nation's gross national product.
Sources:
Askeland, Donald R. Welding. World Book Encyclopedia. 2007.
Bauerlein, Bruce." A Basic Guide of Arc Welding Electrodes." 7 March 2007. WebRing, Inc. 26 July 2007. http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/weldrod.html
Plastic Welding – Filler Rods. Tempatron. 25 July 2007. http://www.tempatron.co.uk/weld_rods.htm
"Welding Rods and Welding Rod Fumes Linked to Parkinson's Disease." Personal-Injury.com. 25 July 2007. Personal-Injury.com 25 July 2007. http://www.personal-injury.com/practice_areas/Weld ing_Rods.asp
Featured Welding Rod Products:
