METAL-CORED ELECTRODE FOR PRODUCING LOWER SLAG VOLUME WELDS

Utilizing a hydrogen compound source as an arc stabilizer is counter-intuitive to standard formulation design practices which often strive to limit or eliminate hydrogen from the welding arc and weld pool. The present disclosure is directed to a tubular metal-cored welding electrode that comprises a metallic sheath disposed around a granular metal core in which the granular metal core comprises an alginate arc stabilizer (as a hydrogen compound source) configured to release hydrogen near a surface of a workpiece during welding. The tubular metal-cored welding electrode may further comprise primary de-oxidizers such as manganese and silicon. In certain embodiments, the amount of manganese in the tubular metal-cored welding electrode may be minimized or eliminated. The tubular metal-cored welding electrode may also comprise nickel or titanium.