Welding electrode
An electrode ( 10 ) is presented including a sheath ( 14 ) formed of a ductile material, an outer coating ( 16 ) including a flux material, and a core ( 12 ) including at least one of flux material and alloying material. The ductile material may be an extrudable subset of elements of a desired superalloy material and the alloying material may include elements that complement the ductile material to form a desired superalloy material when the electrode is melted. The outer coating may be formed of a flexible bonding material or it may be segmented ( 18, 20 ) to facilitate bending the electrode onto a spool. Any hygroscopic material of the electrode may be included in the core to protect it from exposure to atmospheric moisture.
1. An electrode comprising:
a sheath formed of a ductile material;
an outer coating comprising flux material disposed on the sheath, wherein the outer coating comprises a plurality of discrete segments of the flux material, wherein the plurality of discrete segments comprise non-parallel arcuate ends formed to cooperate with respective ends of adjacent discrete segments to facilitate bending of the electrode; a core comprising at least one of flux material and alloying material disposed within the sheath;
wherein the outer coating comprises a cellulose bonding material with adequate flexibility to facilitate bending of the electrode onto a spool; wherein the bonding material comprises fibrous cellulose; and
wherein fibers extend inward from an outermost surface of the electrode to make contact with the core.
2. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the outer coating further comprises alloying material.
3. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the core comprises both flux material and alloying material.
4. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the outer coating further comprises fibers.
5. The electrode of claim 1 , further comprising fibers interconnecting adjacent ones of the discrete segments.
6. The electrode of claim 1 , wherein the core comprises hygroscopic material and the outer coating comprises no hygroscopic material.
7. An electrode comprising:
a sheath;
a core comprising a flux material and an alloying material disposed within the sheath;
wherein the sheath comprises an extrudable subset of elements of a desired superalloy material and wherein the alloying material comprises elements that complement the sheath to form the desired superalloy material when the electrode is melted;
an outer coating comprising a plurality of discrete segments;
wherein the segments comprise non-parallel arcuate ends formed to cooperate with respective ends of adjacent segments to facilitate bending of the electrode;
wherein the outer coating comprises a cellulose bonding material with adequate flexibility to facilitate bending of the electrode onto a spool; wherein the bonding material comprises fibrous cellulose; and
wherein fibers extend inward from an outermost surface of the electrode to make contact with the core.
8. The electrode of claim 7 , further comprising an outer coating comprising at least one of alloying material and flux material.
9. The electrode of claim 7 , further comprising fibers interconnecting adjacent ones of the discrete segments.
10. The electrode of claim 7 , wherein any hygroscopic material of the electrode is disposed in the core.
11. An electrode characterized by a segmented outer coating disposed along an axial length of a central core; wherein the segmented outer coating comprises a plurality of segments with respective adjacent non-parallel arcuate end surfaces;
wherein the segmented outer coating comprises a cellulose bonding material with adequate flexibility to facilitate bending of the electrode onto a spool; wherein the bonding material comprises fibrous cellulose; and
wherein fibers extend inward from an outermost surface of the electrode to make contact with the central core.
12. The electrode of claim 10 , further comprising reinforcing fiber interconnecting adjacent segments of a segmented outer coating.