Analisa Pengaruh Variasi Kuat Arus dan Diameter Elektroda Metode Pengelasan SMAW Pada Material Stainless Steel 304 Terhadap Kekuatan Tarik dan Bending
Analysis Of The Influence Of Current Strength And Electrode Diameter Variations In Smaw Welding Method On The Tensile And Bending Strength Of Stainless Steel 304 Material
The equipment in industries is closely associated with metal raw materials, and thus, these raw metal materials cannot be separated without joining processes. One of the frequently utilized joining processes is Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW). In PT Unilever Indonesia Tbk's bar soap manufacturing industry (Personal Wash), the mixing of soap chips, colors, and fragrances is performed using a stainless steel metal blade. However, despite the welding joining process, the mixing blade often fractures when subjected to heavy loads due to the weight of the soap chips. The objective of this research is to determine the influence of variations in current strength and electrode diameter on the tensile and bending strength of Stainless Steel 304 material.
This study adopts an experimental approach. Stainless Steel 304 plates will be welded using the SMAW method employing NSN-308 electrodes with diameters of 2 mm and 2.6 mm, and currents of 70 A, 80 A, and 90 A in the downhand welding position (1G). Subsequently, specimen formation will be conducted, followed by tensile strength testing adhering to ASTM E8 standards, and bending strength testing following ATSM E290 standards. Experimental data will be analyzed using one-way ANOVA and t-tests.
The results reveal a significant impact of variations in current strength and electrode diameter on the Stainless Steel 304 material's tensile and bending strength. The highest tensile strength values for electrode diameter variations of 2 mm and 2.6 mm are 358,00 N/mm² and 483,79 N/mm² at a current of 90 A, while the lowest tensile strength values are 305,96 N/mm² and 305,49 N/mm² at a current of 70 A. Regarding bending strength, the highest values for electrode diameter variations of 2 mm and 2.6 mm are 1490,60 N/mm² and 2451,66 N/mm² at a current of 90 A, and the lowest bending strength values are 948,78 N/mm² and 1108,15 N/mm² at a current of 70 A.
Keywords: Stainless Steel 304, Tensile and Bending Strength, SMAW, Current Strength, Electrode Diameter.