Produce High-Performance Electrodes with Consistent Coating Quality

The powder raw materials used in welding electrode production require a high degree of process control due to their differing particle sizes, densities, and flow characteristics. VOLDE designs and commissions, on a turnkey basis, fully automatic, recipe-driven powder blending facilities suited to rutile, basic, and cellulosic electrode formulas, as well as agglomerated flux (submerged-arc welding flux) production

| Precise Dosing with Difficult Raw Materials

In the installed system, 42 different powder raw materials are managed from a single center. Two independent production lines are configured to operate with different recipes at the same time. The facility can carry out batch production in the range of 100 kg–1,000 kg; a 100 kg blend is prepared in about 3 minutes, with very tight tolerances. The same quality standard is maintained for both small and large batches.

The raw materials used in welding electrode production may be fine or coarse-grained, highly flowable or difficult to flow, heavy or light, volatile or fibrous. Powders of very different character — such as iron powder, feldspar, kaolin, titanium-based raw materials, and cellulose — are dosed safely within the same recipe.

VOLDE's bin and feeding design is built to prevent this diversity from disrupting process stability. Raw materials are brought into the bin feeding via overhead crane in big-bag or bag form. The gravimetric feeders located beneath each bin operate automatically according to the recipe, providing high precision across a wide weighing range from 100 grams to 40 kg. Flow continuity is supported by bin geometry and process-appropriate auxiliary equipment; feeding stability is maintained throughout production.

VOLDE brings together speed, precision, and process safety in electrode powder blending facilities.

| Homogeneous Blending and Traceable Production

Raw materials weighed according to the recipe are transferred to the collection conveyor below and fed into the mixer. As needed, this transfer is carried out via pneumatic conveying, preserving formula integrity and eliminating the risk of segregation. During blending, powders of different particle sizes and densities are homogeneously distributed; silica is added during the mixer discharge stage in a controlled manner according to the recipe.

The entire process is managed via the SCADA system, and operator interventions are controlled according to authorization levels.

• Weighing data
• Batch records
• Recipe history

are monitored in real time and can be reported retrospectively.

The system warns the operator in the event of incorrect material-recipe matches, automatically stopping the process when necessary. All production data is transferred to production planning, stock tracking, and quality management systems via ERP integration.

Raw material entries are verified via a barcode system; each big bag or bag is matched with the bin it is to be loaded into and the active recipe. There are both mechanical safety hardware and software lockouts against loading the wrong raw material.