Welding electrode wires having alkaline earth metals

A method of arc welding, comprising:

• providing a welding wire comprising one or more alkaline earth metal elements;
• applying power to the welding wire to generate a plasma arc sufficient to melt the welding wire;
• and
• depositing molten droplets formed by melting the welding wire onto a workpiece at a deposition rate exceeding 30 pounds per hour while regulating to maintain a constant power delivered to the plasma arc,
• wherein the welding wire is a metal-cored welding wire comprising a sheath and a core surrounded by the sheath, wherein the core comprises the one or more alkaline earth metal elements, and
• wherein, when present, non-metallic atomic elements in the core are present at a concentration not exceeding 5% based on the total weight of the welding wire.

A method of arc welding, comprising:

• providing a welding wire comprising one or more alkaline earth metal elements;
• applying power to the welding wire to generate a plasma arc sufficient to melt the welding wire;
• and
• depositing molten droplets formed by melting the welding wire onto a workpiece at a deposition rate exceeding 30 pounds per hour while regulating to maintain a constant power delivered to the plasma arc,
• wherein the welding wire is a metal-cored welding wire comprising a sheath and a core surrounded by the sheath, wherein the core comprises the one or more alkaline earth metal elements, and
• wherein the method is a gas metal arc welding (GMAW), and wherein the core comprises a fluoropolymer.