Characteristics of E7018 welding rod

For many contractors, stick welding is at the heart of their business. Over the years, materials used for structural applications have continued to lend themselves readily to the process, making the use of filler metals like AWS (American Welding Society) E7018 stick electrodes a prominent choice. These stick electrodes provide the chemical properties necessary for the applications, along with the low hydrogen levels needed to prevent issues like cracking. They also provide the appropriate mechanical properties for these jobs — most steel used for structural applications (A514, for example) requires filler metals that offer 70,000 psi of tensile strength. E7018 stick electrodes meet those specifications.

Characteristics
As a general rule, E7018 stick electrodes are a good choice for structural steel applications due to their smooth, stable and quiet arc, and their low spatter levels. Because these applications also require careful attention to heat input and are typically on strict deadlines, it’s important to have a filler metal that gives the welding operator good control over the arc and one that will minimize the need for post-weld cleanup — any time spent reworking or cleaning welds means less time focused on gaining productivity.

These stick electrodes also offer good penetration (typically designated as “medium penetration”) so that welding operators, with the right technique, can typically avoid weld defects like lack of fusion. They also offer good deposition rates, allowing welding operators to add more weld metal into the joint in a relatively short amount of time. This characteristic is made possible by the addition of iron powder to the coating of the stick electrode.

Other elements like manganese and silicon (both of which must be present in specific levels in all E7018 stick electrodes) also provide distinct advantages to these products. In particular, the elements function together as deoxidizers to help weld through certain levels of dirt, debris or mill scale that can be commonly found on structural steel applications.

Finally, E7018 stick electrodes offer good arc starts and restarts, which help eliminate issues like porosity at the start or end of the weld. If restriking is allowed, it’s necessary to remove the silicon deposit that forms at the end of the stick electrode in order to initiate an arc again. Note, however, some welding codes or WPS procedures do not permit the restriking of stick electrodes. Always consult with the specifications for the job beforehand.