Stainless Steel Electrodes
A variety of stainless steel electrodes are now being manufactured to produce weld metal similar to composition of most base metals. However, the analysis of the core wire may differ from that of the base metal in order to improve corrosion resistance of the weld deposit, eliminate under bead cracking and minimize carbide precipitation. In the transfer of metal through the arc very little nickel is lost from nickel bearing stainless steel electrodes. There is a slight loss of chromium and a greater loss of some of the other elements but this loss may be compensated by alloy additions to the coverings.
Manganese and silicon are included in the stainless steel electrode coverings to reduce oxidation. Titanium is added to promote weldability, to produce an easily removable slag and to prevent carbide precipitation. In most designs, columbium is used to prevent carbide precipitation. Lime has been an extremely important ingredient in the covering since it tends to eliminate hydrogen, the formation of which (as stated earlier in regard to low hydrogen electrode coverings) leads to under bead cracking.
Any material that is high in carbon is excluded because of the affinity of chromium for carbon especially at welding temperatures. The low hydrogen type covering used on stainless steel electrodes is similar to that employed on the low hydrogen type carbon steel welding electrodes.