ELECTRIC WELDING

Prof. M.T. Shah

APEE, IT, NU
15/02/2012
TYPES OF WELDING PROCESSES
Welding is a material joining process for a
permanent combining of two (or more) parts that
involves melting and subsequent solidification of
the material from two parts thus forming a strong
joint between them.
The assemblage of parts is called a weldment.
There are two groups of welding processes
according to the state of the base material during
the welding process:
1. Liquid-state welding (fusion welding),
2. Solid-state welding.
 Fusion welding is by far the more important category. In
fusion welding, the base material is heat to melt.
The most important processes in this group fall in the
following categories:
Oxyfuel gas welding: An oxyfuel gas produces a flame
to melt the base material;
Arc welding: Heating and melting of the material is
accomplished by an electric arc;
Resistance welding: the source of heat is the electrical
resistance on the interface between two parts held
together under pressure.
 In solid-state welding, two parts are jointed together
under pressure or a combination of pressure and heat.
If heat is applied, the contact material temperature is
below the melting point of the base metal.
Two welding processes are the most popular from this
group,
Diffusion welding: parts combine by solid-state
diffusion;
Friction welding: Combination is achieved by the heat of
friction between two parts
OXYFUEL GAS WELDING
OXYFUEL GAS WELDING
Oxyfuel gas welding is the term used to describe the group
of fusion operations that burn various fuels mixed with
oxygen to perform welding or cutting and separate metal
plates and other parts.
The most important oxyfuel gas welding process is
oxyacetylene welding.
Oxyacetylene welding (OAW) is a fusion welding process
performed by a high-temperature flame from combustion
of acetylene and oxygen.
The flame is directed by a welding torch and a filler metal in
the form of rod is added if the process is applied to weld.
Composition of the filler must be similar to that of the base
metal.
OXYFUEL GAS WELDING
Oxyacetylene welding uses equipment that is
relatively inexpensive and portable.
It is therefore an economical, versatile process
that is well suited to low-quantity production and
repair jobs.
It is rarely used on the welding of sheet and plate
stock thicker than 6 mm because of the
advantages of arc welding in such applications.
OAW is usually performed manually and is hence
dependent on the skill of the welder to produce a
high-quality weld joint.
ARC WELDING
Arc welding (AW) is a fusion welding process in which combination of
the metals is achieved by the heat from an electric arc between an
electrode and the work.
An electric arc is a discharge of electric current across a gap in a
circuit. To initiate the arc in an AW process, the electrode is brought
in to contact with the work and then quickly separated from it by a
short distance.
The electric energy from the arc thus formed produces temperatures
of 5000 C or higher, sufficiently hot to melt any metal.
A pool of molten metal, consisting of base metal(s) and filler metal (if
one is used), is formed near the tip of the electrode.
In most arc welding processes, filler metal is added during the
operation to increase the volume and strength of the weld joint.
As the electrode is moved along the joint, the molten weld pool
solidifies in its wake.
ARC WELDING
Movement of the electrode relative to the work is
accomplished by either a human welder (manual welding) or
by mechanical means (machine welding, automatic welding,
or robotic welding).
In manual arc welding, the quality of the weld joint is very
dependent on the skill and experience of the human welder.
The weld quality is much better in the machine, automatic,
and robotic welding.
Electrodes in AW process are classified as :
Consumable, which melts continuously in the process of arc
welding thus providing the required filler material, and
Non-consumable, which resist melting by the arc. The filler
material must be supplied separately.
ARC WELDING
SHIELDED METAL ARC WELDING
Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) is an arc welding
process that uses a consumable electrode consisting
of a filler metal rod coated with chemicals that provide
flux and shielding.
SHIELDED METAL ARC WELDING

The coated welding stick (SMAW is sometimes called stick

welding) is typically 200 to 450 mm long and 1.5 to 9.5 mm in
diameter.
The heat of the welding process melts the coating to provide a
protective atmosphere and slag for the welding operation.
During operation the bare metal end of the welding stick is
clamped in an electrode holder connected to the power source.
The holder has an insulated handle so that it can be held and
manipulated by a human welder. Currents typically used in
SMAW range between 30 and 300 A at voltages from I5 to 45 V
depending on the metals being welded, electrode type and
length and depth of weld penetration required.
SHIELDED METAL ARC WELDING

Shielded metal arc welding is usually performed

manually. Common applications include construction,
pipelines, machinery structures, shipbuilding,
fabrication job shops, and repair work.
It is preferred over oxyfuel welding for thicker sections
above 5 mm because of its higher power density.
The equipment is portable and low cost, making SMAW
highly versatile and probably the most widely used of
the AW welding processes.
Base metals include steels, stainless steels, cast irons,
and certain nonferrous alloys.
SUBMERGED ARC WELDING

Submerged arc welding (SAW) is an arc welding

process that uses a continuous, consumable
uncovered wire electrode.
The electrode wire is fed automatically from a
coil in to the arc. The flux is introduced into the
joint slightly ahead of the weld arc, as shown in
the figure.
SUBMERGED ARC WELDING
SUBMERGED ARC WELDING
The blanket of granular flux completely submerges the arc welding
operation, preventing sparks, spatter, and radiation that are so
hazardous in other arc welding processes.
The portion of the flux closest to the arc is melted, mixing with the
molten weld metal to remove impurities and then solidifying on top
of the weld joint to form a glass like slag.
The slag and infused flux deposit on top, provide good protection
from the atmosphere and good thermal insulation for the weld
area. This results in relatively slow cooling and a high-quality weld
joint.
The infused flux remaining after welding can be recovered and
reused. The solid slag covering the weld must be chipped away
usually by manual means.
This process is widely used for automated welding of structural
shapes, longitudinal and circumferential seams for large-diameter
pipes, tanks, and pressure vessels.
GAS METAL ARC WELDING
Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) is an arc welding process in which
the electrode is a consumable bare metal wire and shielding is
accomplished by flooding the arc with a gas.
The bare wire is fed continuously and automatically from a spool
through the welding gun.
Wire diameters ranging from 1 to 6 mm are used in GMAW, the size
depending on the thickness of the pats being joined.
Gases used for shielding include inert gases such as argon and
helium and active gases such as carbon dioxide.
Selection of gases depends mainly on the metal being welded.
Inert gases are used for welding aluminum alloys and stainless steel
and in this case the process is often referred to as MIG/MAG welding
(for metal-inert gas/metal-argon welding).
In welding steel, carbon dioxide (CO2), which is less expensive than
inert gases, is used. Hence, the term CO2 welding is applied.
GAS METAL ARC WELDING
ARC WELDING WITH NON-CONSUMABLE
ELECTRODES : GAS TUNGSTEN ARC WELDING
Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) is an arc welding process
that uses a non-consumable tungsten electrode and an inert
gas for arc shielding. Shielding gases typically used include
argon, helium or a mixture of these gases.
The GTAW process can be implemented with or without a
filler metal.
When thin sheets are welded to close tolerances, filler metal
is usually not added.
When a filler metal is used, it is added to the weld pool from
a separate rod or wire.
The term TIG welding (tungsten inert gas welding) is often
applied to this process.
GAS TUNGSTEN ARC WELDING
GAS TUNGSTEN ARC WELDING
GTAW is applicable to nearly all metals in a wide range
of stock thickness. It can also be used for joining various
combinations of dissimilar metals.
Its most common applications are for aluminum and
stainless steel.
The process can be performed manually or by machine
and automated methods for all joint types.
Advantages of GTAW in the applications to which it is
suited include high-quality welds, no weld spatter
because no filler metal is transferred across the arc, and
little or no post-weld cleaning because no flux is used.
PLASMA ARC WELDING

Plasma Arc Welding (PAW) is a special form of gas

tungsten arc welding in which a plasma arc is directed
at the weld area.
The tungsten electrode is contained in a specially
designed nozzle that focuses a high-velocity stream of
inert gas (for example, argon or argon-hydrogen
mixtures, and helium) into the region of the arc to
produce a high-velocity plasma jet of small diameter and
very high-energy density.
Temperatures in plasma arc welding reach 30,000o C or
greater, hot enough to melt any known metal.
PLASMA ARC WELDING
Plasma Arc Welding is used as a substitute for GTAW in
applications such as automobile subassemblies, metal
cabinets, door and window frames, and home appliances.
The process can be used to weld almost any metal, including
tungsten.
WELD QUALITY IN ARC WELDING

The rapid heating and cooling in localized

regions of the work during fusion welding,
especially arc welding, result in thermal
expansion and contraction, which cause
transverse and longitudinal residual stresses in
the weldment.
These stresses is likely to cause distortion of
the welded assembly.
WELD QUALITY IN ARC WELDING
WELD QUALITY IN ARC WELDING
The welding begins at one end and travels to the
opposite end of the welded joint. As it proceeds,
the molten metal quickly solidifies behind the
moving arc. The portions of the work immediately
adjacent to the weld bead become extremely hot
and expand, while portions removed from the weld
remain relatively cool.
This results in an additional shrinkage across the
width of the weldment, as seen in the figure.
Residual stresses and shrinkage also occur along
the length of the weld bead.
WELD QUALITY IN ARC WELDING
Various techniques can be employed to minimize
distortion in a weldment. Some of these techniques
include the following:
Welding fixtures that physically restrain movement of
the parts during welding;
Tack welding at multiple points along the joint to create
a rigid structure prior to continuous welding;
Preheating the base parts, which reduces the level of
thermal stresses experienced by the parts;
Stress relief heat treatment of the welded assembly.
DEFECTS
Cracks: Fracture-type interruptions either in the weld or in the base
metal a djacent to the weld. This type is perhaps the most serious
welding defect because it constitutes a discontinuity in the metal that
causes significant reduction in the strength of the weldment.
Cavities: These include various porosity and shrinkage voids.
Porosity consists of small voids in the weld metal formed by gases
entrapped during solidification. Porosity usually results from inclusion
of atmospheric gases, or contaminants on the surfaces.
Solid inclusions: Solid inclusions are any nonmetallic solid material
entrapped in the weld metal. The most common form is slag
inclusions generated during the various welding processes that use
flux.
Incomplete fusion: Fusion does not occur throughout the entire cross
section of the joint.