TROY, Ohio. July 8, 2013 — Hobart Brothers Company has announced the availability of a new self-shielded flux-cored wire for overmatch welding on API 5L Grade X80 steel pipelines. The new Hobart® Fabshield® X90 wire features excellent low-temperature impacts, ensuring the welds remain ductile and resist cracking, which could lead to costly rework on these high-strength pipeline materials. The wire’s lower diffusible hydrogen designation (6.2 ml per 100 g of weldment) further minimizes the opportunity for cracking.

The new Fabshield X90 wire meets the American Welding Society (AWS) E91T8-G H8 classification and features a fast-freezing slag that allows for consistent vertical-down welding capabilities without the concern for slag entrapment. The slag also removes easily to reduce downtime for post-weld cleaning and help increase productivity — welding operators can spend more time welding as opposed to grinding welds between passes.

Available in an industry-standard diameter of 5/64 inch, the Fabshield X90 wire operates on direct current electrode negative (DCEN) and requires no shielding gas, making it highly portable for pipeline job sites. It offers a tensile strength of 101,100 psi. The wire’s impact strengths vary per temperature, with properties as high as 86 foot-pounds at -40 degrees Fahrenheit (-40 degrees Celsius). Greater impact values can be achieved at higher temperatures; for example, 122 foot-pounds at -4 degrees Fahrenheit (-20 degrees Celsius).

The Fabshield X90 wire is available in a 10-pound vacuum-packed spool or a 14-pound coil.