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We are building a hopper out of 3/8 in. AR400 abrasion-resistant steel plate that will have vibrators mounted to it. I am wondering what GMAW filler metal you would recommend, along with any other information about welding this material.
Welding AR400 is not a difficult operation as long as you observe several issues.
First, filler metal should be low hydrogen - good quality GMAW wires are low hydrogen. Typically, filler metal with less than an H4 rating is used, but it must not have rust or have been stored improperly. In general, an E70 series MIG wire such as ER70S-6 would be appropriate as long as you have no additional strength requirements for the weld. Staying with the lowest strength filler metal that meets your intended service requirements for the weldment is strongly recommended.
Secondly, the materials to be welded must be clean, dry and free of rust, millscale, or any other hydrocarbon- producing material.
Third, you should watch the total heat input that you use to make the weld. If you are welding two 3/8 in. pieces of AR400 together, you should keep the heat input per pass under 35 kj per inch. Heat input is...