SMAW · Cast iron
ENi-CI
A high nickel rod for repairing grey cast iron, laying down a soft deposit that can be machined afterwards and tolerates the carbon picked up from the base metal.
What the designation means
Point at any character to see what it claims. The classification is a sentence written in fields, not a product name.
- ECovered electrode for shielded metal arc welding.
- NiA nickel base core wire, chosen because the deposit stays soft and takes up graphite from the cast iron without forming brittle carbides.
- -CIIntended for welding cast iron rather than steel.
At a glance
- Process
- SMAW
- Family
- Cast iron
- Positions
- All positions, though flat gives the best control
- Polarity
- DCEN, or AC
- Shielding
- Self-shielded by the covering
- Minimum tensile
- -
Typical uses
- Crack repair and filling on grey cast iron castings
- Machinery bases, housings, and manifold repairs
- Weld areas that will be drilled, tapped, or machined after repair
How it runs
- Soft, readily machinable deposit compared with the nickel-iron alternative
- Short stringer beads with peening between runs to relieve contraction stress
- Low current and low heat input to limit the hardened zone in the casting
- Slag lifts easily but must be cleaned completely between short beads
Storage and handling
Store sealed and dry. Moisture in the covering raises the risk of porosity and cracking in an already difficult base metal.
Compare with
SMAWENiFe-CIThe nickel-iron cast iron rod, stronger and more crack resistant than the pure nickel version and the usual choice for ductile iron and heavily restrained repairs.SMAWECuSn-AA phosphor bronze rod for joining and overlaying copper alloys, and for building up bearing and wear surfaces where a soft, low friction deposit is wanted.SMAWEFeMn-AA work hardening manganese steel surfacing rod that stays soft and tough as deposited, then hardens dramatically at the surface once impact loading starts.