Abstract :
Welding is a metal joining technique by melting some of the parent metals
and fillers. This technique is used in various fields, such as shipping, pressure
vessel manufacture, rail construction, bus frames, transportation facilities,
bridge construction, and various other industries.
The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of welding current on
the tensile strength, hardness, and microstructure of SMAW welding using an E
6013 electrode with the diameter of 3.2 mm in welding galvanized steel. This
study used a variation of the welding current of 90 A, 100 A, and 110 A. The
results of the material strength test showed that there were differences in tensile
strength and hardness between welding currents of 90 A, 100 A, and 110 A.
The highest value of tensile strength occurred at the current of 110 A with
the average strength of welded joints of 557.100 N/mm2 while the lowest tensile
stress was at the current of 90 A with the average tensile strength of 483.096
N/mm2. The lowest HAZ hardness value was at the current of 90 A with the
value of 133,450 VHN while the highest HAZ hardness value occurred in
welding with the current of 110 A with the value of 160.314 VHN. In the
welding area, the lowest hardness value was at 90 A with the value of 143.974
VHN while the highest weld area hardness value was at the current of 110 A
with the value of 182.840 VHN. Therefore, the good microstructure was at the
current of 110 A and the higher the welding current, the more pearlite is
formed.