Tag Archives: silicon islands

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5 Factors that Contribute to Silicon Island Formation in Welds

The formation of silicon islands on welds made with the GMAW (mig) and MCAW (metalcore) processes is very common.  For the most part, these silicon islands are not a problem.  However, if the weld is to be painted, you better remove these islands. Otherwise, they will eventually pop off and leave an unpainted spot in […]

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Mig Welding With S3 vs S6 Wire

Is ER70S-3 even necessary anymore?

One of the most frequently asked questions is if there is a valid reason to use an ER70S-3 (S3) mig wire versus the more commonly used ER70S-6 (S6) wire.    Both wires belong to AWS Specification A5.18 and can be used interchangeably in most applications because they provide almost identical mechanical properties.  There is subtle difference between the two […]