Welding Processes 27

In flash butt welding surface contaminations are removed in the spatter during
flashing and molten metal is expelled in the final upset of forging operation. A
small fin is created at the weld joint consisting of the remaining molten metal and
oxides. This fin can be trimmed off by grinding. The advantage of this process lies
in the fact that the molten metal and the arc afford an efficient protection to the
plastic metal which ultimately forms the weld, so that the danger of oxidation can
be avoided.
The applied pressure in the cold (not preheated) condition may range from 70
MPa for low alloy and mild steels to 110 MPa for medium carbon steel and 177
MPa for stainless steel and tool steels. With preheating, the applied pressure can
be reduced to approximately half the above values.
Flash butt welding is easily applied to highly alloyed steels which cannot be
welded by other process satisfactorily. Flash butt welding is cheap and simple. It
can be readily used for small sub-assemblies as in motor car industries. The cost of
current per weld is small and production rate will be high.

Fig. 1.14 Electro-slag welding process