Coreweld 46 LS from ESAB
Coreweld 46 LS: for faster, cleaner and more efficient welding African Fusion talks to ESAB South Africa’s product manager for filler metals, Kevin Xaba, about the premium gas- shielded, low-silica metal-cored wire, Coreweld 46 LS, a high- deposition, low-heat-input welding consumable designed to deposit exceptionally low amounts of silica on the weld surface.
E SAB Coreweld metal-cored wires have been developed to meet the needs of demanding welding ap- plications for structural steel, heavy equip- ment, pressure vessels, petrochemical plants, offshore rigs, railway vehicles, ships and general fabrication. “ESAB pioneered the development of gas-shielded flux-cored welding (FCAW) nearly 60 years ago, so we can now offer the broadest variety of carefully crafted mild steel and low alloy flux- and metal-cored wires,” says Kevin Xaba, ESAB South Africa’s product manager for filler materials.
“Fabricators have a wide range of weld- ing processes and consumables to choose from, each with their own advantages and disadvantages. Within this mix, metal- cored wires are becoming increasingly popular because they offer higher deposi- tion rates and faster travel speeds, and improved cost-effectiveness,” he continues. Metal-cored welding wire comprises tubular wire filled with metal powders, alloying elements and arc stabilisers. “Our Coreweld metal-cored wires combine high deposition rates and efficiencies, high travel speeds, excellent penetration and ease of use. They also provide excellent arc stability and outstanding penetration and wetting, with superior root and sidewall fusion,” Xaba notes. ESAB Coreweld 46 LS Coreweld 46 LS is a high productivity wire capable of welding at high deposition rates with relatively low heat input compared to solid wires. This is due to a higher cur- rent density. “Coreweld 46 LS is a fantastic metal-cored wire for fabricating and/or repairing yellow-metal equipment such as the dump truck and excavator buckets used in South Africa’s mining and construction sectors,” notes Xaba. Most notably, he says the Coreweld 46 LS is formulated to remove silica deposits from the weld metal, producing an excep- tionally clean weld surface free of silicon islands. Designed for welding both thin and thick steel plates with Ar+CO 2 shielding gas mixtures, Coreweld 46 LS produces a wider
arc than conventional solid wires, allowing larger gaps to be accommodated. The wire classification is SFA/AWS A5.18: E70C‑6M H4; EN ISO 17632-A: T 46 4 M M20 2 H5 and has approvals from all the following: BV: 4Y40 H5 (M20 and M21); DB: 42.039.38; VdTÜV: 12152; ABS: 4Y400M H5; BV: 4Y40 H5; CE: EN 13479; DNV: IV Y40MS(H5) (M20 & M21); and UKCA: EN 13479. Delivering yield strength of 485 MPa, tensile strength of 545 MPa, 29% elonga- tion, Charpy impact values of 72 J at -40 °C, and diffusible hydrogen levels of less than 4.0 ml/100 g, this wire is ideal for welding C-Mn steels, including those susceptible to hydrogen-induced cracking. “Deposition rates are a particular advantage, with the 1.2 mm wire diameter offering 1.3-8.0 kg/h, depending on amperage and voltage set- tings,” Xaba adds. A yellow-metal success story In a case study for a component fabrica- tor supplying a mobile equipment OEM, the fabricator increased productivity by 17% by switching from a conventional metal-cored welding consumable to ESAB’s Coreweld 46 LS. “The fabricator was producing hydraulic links for mobile vehicles using two robot- based welding systems and a competitor’s metal-cored wire. Production capacity was limited by the accumulation of sili- con islands during multi-pass welds. This forced the operator to stop each robot for five minutes to remove the silicon islands from the welds of every component before restarting the welding cycle. “The switch to using a 1.2 mm Coreweld 46 LS eliminated the need for inter-pass grinding, enabling the robots to complete each component without interrupting the cycle. In addition, the welding capacity at both welding stations increased by 17%. Combined, the switch resulted in total production cost savings of 13% and an an- nual cost savings of €60 000,” Xaba explains. “While very low levels of silica on the weld surface were key to this success,
ESAB offers complete fabrication solutions, along with the support needed to ensure that products such as Coreweld deliver the results fabricators need.
A component fabricator supplying a mobile equipment OEM increased productivity by 17% by switching from a conventional metal-cored welding consumable to ESAB’s Coreweld 46 LS.
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November-December 2025
AFRICAN FUSION
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