welding-alloys.com 10 Cored wire productivity in rail repair Manual rail repair: FCAW cored wire vs SMAW stick electrodes Coated electrodes require frequent stops to replace the electrode. Cored wire can be used in semi-automatic or automatic welding processes, reducing the number of starts and stops and helping to improve repair consistency. Key advantages: • Higher deposition rates: typically 4–8 kg/h for FCAW vs. around 1–3 kg/h for SMAW. • Continuous wire feeding: fewer stops for electrode replacement and more productive arc time. • Higher deposition efficiency: less consumable waste compared with stick electrodes. • Reduced repair time: particularly valuable during short railway and tramway maintenance windows. • Easy transition for welders: familiar manual welding approach with increased productivity. Reducing the carbon footprint of rail infrastructure requires cost-effective and sustainable maintenance methods. Weld restoration of worn embedded grooved rails can extend track service life and provide significant savings compared with rail replacement. Repairs can be carried out in situ, reducing disruption, maintenance time and the environmental impact associated with removing and replacing worn rails. Automatic rail repair: SAW cored wire vs solid wire When switching from solid wire to cored wire, the wire feed speed must be adjusted. In a cored wire, the welding current is carried mainly through the outer metallic sheath, making it easier to melt than a solid wire at a similar welding current. This results in a higher deposition rate during welding. The weld bead profile is also different, with lower penetration and approximately 25% less dilution. To take full advantage of the higher deposition rate, travel speed can be increased. This improves productivity while reducing heat input and the size of the heat-affected zone, helping to reduce the rail’s susceptibility to cracking. 350 Cored wire ∅ 3.2 mm 20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 Current (A) Solid wire ∅ 3.2 mm Deposition rate (kg/h) 400 +37% +46% +49% +54% +65% 450 500 550 600 650 700 +61%
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