Abstract
Abstract Inadequate storage for welding electrode rods might cause humidity absorption by these rods. Humidity effects directly and negatively on the weld quality. This paper is devoted to study such an effect on the quality, strength and stiffness of the weld. Some of Non Destructive Testing (NDT) and Destructive Testing (DT) were implemented on various samples of the same low carbon steel (AISI 1010) with same dimensions. These samples were cut into two pieces and joined by means of Metal Inert Gas welding (MIG) using dry and wet electrode rods separately. A comparison between these samples which were welded by dry electrode rods and wet electrode rods has been made. Unlike the samples which were welded by dry electrode rods, the obtained results of (NDT) showed obviously internal and external defects due to using such wet electrode rods. Meanwhile, (Tensile Testing) results demonstrated a decreasing in stiffness for the samples which were welded by wet electrode rods. Keywords: welding electrode rods, humidity, weld quality, weld stiffness & strength, NDT, DT, MIG welding, low carbon steel, weld joint.