METHOD OF INTERMITTENT ARC WELDING USING POTASSIUM AND MAGNESIUM ELECTRODE ADDITIVES

A consumable electrode arc welding process which can be used for welding in the horizontal, vertical or overhead positions which comprises applying a pulsating current to a welding electrode so that at recurring intervals a welding arc is periodically established and extinguished wherein the period of time in which the arc is extinguished ranges from 0.001 to 0.01 seconds. the arc is established for a first interval of between 0.001 to 0.01 seconds and wherein the ratio of the interval during which the arc is extinguished to the full cycle is 0.1 to 0.7. A consumable electrode useful in a consumable electrode arc welding process which comprises a mixture of potassium and magnesium or an alloy thereof wherein the quantity of potassium multiplied by the square of the quantity of magnesium exceeds 0.02. A consumable electrode arc welding apparatus comprising a welding current control circuit, a first circuit having at least one semiconductor controlled rectifying element connected in series with a welding electrode for enabling a welding current to be applied thereto, and a second circuit for controlling the gate of said element for effecting phase control such that when said welding current is applied to said electrode, it is of the pulsing type.