Submerged Arc Welding (SAW)

Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) is an automatic or semi-automatic arc welding process where the electric arc burns beneath a layer of granular flux. It is mainly applied to long straight seams or circumferential seams on medium and thick plates of carbon steel, low-alloy steel and other materials.

Advantages

High efficiency: High welding current (up to over 1000 A) delivers great penetration, suitable for single-pass welding or multi-layer & multi-pass welding of medium and thick plates.

Excellent weld quality: Slag and flux effectively isolate air, resulting in clean weld metal with fewer defects.

Low fume and minimal arc radiation: The arc is covered by flux, offering better working conditions compared with manual arc welding and gas-shielded welding.

High degree of automation: Ideal for mass production and long welds (such as pressure vessels, bridges, ships and pipelines).

Limitations

Only applicable to flat welding or horizontal fillet welding positions.

Strict requirements for groove machining and joint fit-up; uneconomical for short and irregular welds.

Dedicated equipment is required, less flexible than manual welding.