Cadweld welding powder is a type of welding powder used to join copper conductors together to make low-impedance, durable electrical connections at physical joints. It is a brand name of the generic process called exothermic welding.
Composition:
- Mixture of aluminum metal and magnesium compound
Application:
- Used to connect copper to copper or copper to steel in grounding and bonding applications .
- Can be used to connect rebar , cable , and other conductors .
- Common applications include :
- Electrical grounding systems
- Lightning protection systems
- Substation connections
- Power plant connections
- Railway track bonding
Advantages:
- Portable : The equipment needed for exothermic welding is relatively portable, making it ideal for field use .
- Cost-effective : Exothermic welding is a relatively inexpensive welding process .
- Efficient : Exothermic welding creates a permanent, low-resistance electrical connection .
- Easy to use : The exothermic welding process is relatively simple to learn and use .
Disadvantages :
- Produces smoke and gas: Exothermic welding requires proper ventilation due to smoke and gas generation .
- Requires skill: Although exothermic welding is relatively simple, some skill and experience are necessary for optimal results .
- Limited to copper and steel: Exothermic welding can only be used to join copper to copper or copper to steel .
Types:
- Cadweld welding powder is available in a variety of sizes and types to accommodate different applications.
- The most common type of Cadweld welding powder is the copper-to-copper type.
- Other types of Cadweld welding powder include:
- Copper-to-steel
- Tin-plated copper
- Silver-plated copper