Rating of the best brands of welding wire in 2022

The quality of semi-automatic welding largely depends not only on the skill of the performer. Much is determined by the welding wire manufacturer that supplies consumables, the diameter of the wire and the characteristics of the device. As a rule, experienced craftsmen give preference to one manufacturer whose products guarantee high quality seams.

Our review presents the best companies producing copper-plated or flux-cored wire for semi-automatic welding machines of various diameters. In the ranking, places were distributed based not only on the characteristics of the products produced - such parameters as cost and availability for sale were taken into account. Also influential were reviews from users who gave reasonable preferences to one of the participants.

Wire classification

When welding in semi-automatic mode, the wire acts as a consumable electrode. The heat generated from the electric arc melts the edges of the metals and the electrode. A weld pool is formed, which, after final crystallization, forms a weld bead.

GOST 2246 establishes more than 70 names (grades) of wire, which are divided by application, type of materials being fused, and size.

Popular brands

The most popular brands of welding wire presented on the domestic market are:

• Sv-08GSMT. This type of product belongs to copper materials and is used in welding operations using automatic and semi-automatic machines. The wire works well with carbon metals and alloys that contain a low percentage of alloying components. It is characterized by a high level of resistance to tensile loads. This parameter is in the range of 1000-1300 MPa. This grade of wire is widely used for joining thin-walled parts operating under high pressure. Welding is carried out in an environment of protective gases (argon and carbon dioxide);
• Sv-06Х19Н9Т. This grade of wire is intended for working with stainless steel in a protective gas environment. Thanks to the content of elements such as chromium, manganese and nickel, it has good corrosion resistance. Used in the production of food industry products;
• PP2DS. This is a representative of cored wire. This brand allows operations to be carried out in strong winds, which gas shielded welding cannot do. The wire is intended for connecting parts made of steel (carbon and low-alloy), cast iron and non-ferrous metals. Used in shipbuilding and oil industry;
• OK Autrod 19.40 . This wire is from a foreign manufacturer ESAB. It is used for working with rolled aluminum bronzes and for surfacing anti-corrosion layers on metal parts. Its yield strength is 175 MPa, and its strength reaches 400 MPa. Welding operations are carried out in pure argon. This product is used in the chemical industry and automotive industry.

Recommendations

You need to understand that for each type of welding wire there are a large number of classifications. This depends on the application conditions, shielding gas and many other factors. All this must be taken into account when choosing consumables and further work.

If you decide to use a solid cord, its composition must be similar to the composition of the metal with which you will be working. This is because the mixture contains different amounts of deoxidizers, so you need to carefully select the variety.

When using powder electrodes, you need to take into account that they are carbon and low-alloy steels and cast iron. Their classification is based on the mechanical properties of the metal used for welding.

Types and markings of welding wire

Welding wire for semi-automatic machines is used as a consumable electrode when carrying out welding work on a semi-automatic machine.

There are about 77 grades of welding wire, the quality and composition of which is regulated by GOST 2246-70. Cold-drawn wire produced from low-carbon steel, alloy steel, and high-alloy steel fully complies with this standard. Welding wire for semi-automatic machines is divided according to its purpose into:

• directly for welding;
• for the manufacture of electrodes (additional designation E).

Low-carbon and alloy wires are sorted according to the type of surface treatment into non-copper-plated and copper-plated (O).

Despite the large number of different brands of wire for semi-automatic welding, only a few are widely used in production and construction. The rest are special or narrow-profile brands. During production, they are subject to special requirements. This wire is intended for welding work during the construction of scientific complexes and laboratories, nuclear industry facilities and for other modern industries that use high technology.

Currently, technologies are used that allow semi-automatic welding not only in a neutral shielding gas environment, but also using wire, under a layer of flux. The type of wire used, its diameter and grade always depend on the thickness and chemical composition of the structures and parts to be welded. In this regard, welding wire for semi-automatic machines is divided into three main categories:

• low-carbon - wire grades such as Sv-08AA, Sv-08, Sv-10GA, Sv-08GA and Sv-10G2;
• alloyed - wire grades Sv-12GS, Sv-08GS, Sv-10GN, Sv-08G2S, as well as Sv-08GSMT, etc.;
• high-alloy – grades Sv-10Х11НВМФ, Sv-12Х11НММФ, Sv-Х13, Sv-20Х13, etc.

If you know the labeling, then one glance at the name will be enough to find out its composition. Thus, the name Sv-08G2S says the following: The abbreviation Sv means that this wire is welding. The letters and numbers that follow tell about the content of the constituent elements in a particular wire. Further, the numbers 08 indicate the mass of carbon in hundredths of a percent, in this case it is 0.08%. G - indicates that the wire contains manganese, the next number 2 indicates its two percent content. The letter C indicates silicon in the wire; if there are no further numbers, then its content does not exceed 1%.

In some cases, it is necessary to know additional wire markings:

A - at the end of the marking means that this wire has a reduced content of harmful substances, such as sulfur or phosphorus, and two letters (AA) indicate that the wire contains a minimum of harmful impurities, and the wire itself is made of highly purified metal. In addition, inside the marking A indicates the presence of nitrogen in the composition.

X and N – (chromium, nickel), are mainly used as alloying additives when welding wire for stainless steel is produced.

Other elements found in the markings:

B - tungsten; T - titanium; Yu - aluminum; F - vanadium; B - niobium; D - copper; M - molybdenum; C—silicon; C - zirconium.

There are several of the most famous manufacturers of welding wire. This is a company that produces such popular wire brands in our industry as Sv-08GSNTi Sv-08G2S, Sv-08GNM, Sv-08ХМ, etc. Svarmontazhstroy LLC, whose production is based on a number of foreign technologies and the quality of its products meets basic international standards. Moscow.

What to look for when choosing welding wire

When the desired type of welding wire has already been selected. It is necessary to pay attention to the high-quality preparation of the workplace and the conditions in which welding will be carried out.

First of all, you need to take care of the cleanliness of the metal with which you plan to perform welding work.

• It must be thoroughly cleaned of dust; sponges or brushes are used for this purpose.
• If there are burrs or chips on its surface, they must be carefully cleaned with sandpaper.
• After this, the material must be degreased so that the welding quality is higher.
• Degreasing is done using a solvent. At this stage, you should carefully choose a solvent, guided by the specific type of metal.

Only after preparatory procedures and checking the electrodes for integrity and quality can welding of parts begin.