Stick welding and its applications

Stick welding accounts for almost over half of all welding and is one of the most popular welding process. It has maintained a dominant position in the maintenance and repair industry due to its versatility and simplicity. The stick welder is heavily used in the construction of steel structures and in industrial fabrication.

Recently its usage has seen a partial decline as flux core arc welding and gas metal arc welding have surpassed in the construction industrial environments. However the process would surely stay in the market owing to its low equipment cost and wide applicability. Usually it has been used by amateurs and small business businesses where there is less demand for specialized welding processes.

The shielded metal arc welding or the stick welding is commonly used to weld carbon steel, low and high alloy steel, stainless steel, cast iron and ductile iron. It can also be effectively used for welding nickel and copper and their alloys, even though the stick welding is less popular for nonferrous materials. In rare cases, even the SMAW welder is used for aluminum. The thickness of the metal being welded would be kept on the low end primarily by the skill of the welder. It would be usually on the level of 0.05 as in 1.5mm. Materials of virtually unlimited thickness can be welded with proper joint preparation and use of multiple passes as there is no upper bound. Moreover the stick welder can be used in any position depending on the electrode used and the capability of the welder.