The article provides information about new filler metals used in the welding of popular stainless steel grades and discusses the formation of Cr6+ in dusts as well as alkaline metals connected with the process. Newly developed covered electrodes and flux-cored wires are characterised by the reduced emission of dust during welding and by the lower content of carcinogenic hexavalent chromium in dust. One of the major difficulties, i.e. the obtainment of required properties of the electrode cover, was solved by using a two-layer cover. New grades of electrodes and flux-cored wires were subjected to tests, among others at the British TWI, to compare the emission of dust and that of Cr6+ with those generated by standard materials. The above-named tests revealed that the at-the-source emission of Cr6+ was 4 times lower in terms of the electrodes and 3 times lower as regards the flux-cored wires than emissions accompanying the use of standard materials.

doi: 10.17729/ebis.2018.5/7