Lecture 4: Arc Welding Processes

ME 418: Manufacturing Processes

Meysam Haghshenas, PhD
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of North Dakota

Spring 2019
 CHAPTER 29
Arc Welding (AW)

A fusion welding process in which joining of the metals is

achieved by the heat from an electric arc between an
electrode and the work.

– Electric energy from the arc produces temperatures

~10,000 °F (5500 °C), hot enough to melt any metal
– Most AW processes add filler metal to increase
volume and strength of weld joint

– The AW processes with NO filler metal is called

autogenous welding.
Arc Welding: The most common fusion welding

• A pool of molten metal is formed near electrode tip, and as electrode

is moved along joint, molten weld pool solidifies in its wake.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeBX6cKKHWY
What is an electric arc?

Electric arc is a discharge of electric current across

a gap in a circuit.

– It is sustained by an ionized column of gas

(plasma) through which the current flows
– To initiate the arc in AW, electrode is brought into
contact with work and then quickly separated from it
by a short distance
Manual Arc Welding and Arc Time

• Problems with manual welding:

– Weld joint quality

– Productivity

• Arc Time = (time arc is on) divided by (hours worked)

– Also called “arc-on time”

– Manual welding arc time = 20%

– Machine welding arc time ~ 50%

Two Basic Types of Arc Welding Electrodes

• Consumable electrodes
– consumed during welding process
– source of filler metal in arc welding
• Non-consumable electrodes
– not consumed during welding process (i.e.
Tungsten)
– filler metal must be added separately if
it is added
Arc Shielding
• At high temperatures in arc welding, metals are
chemically reactive to O2, N2 and H2 in air
– Mechanical properties of joint can be degraded by these
reactions

– To protect operation, arc must be shielded from surrounding

air in AW processes

• Arc shielding is accomplished by:

– Shielding gases (Ar, He, CO2)

– Flux
Shielded Metal Arc Welding (Stick Welding)

Uses a consumable electrode consisting of a filler metal

(rod or stick) coated with chemicals that provide flux
and shielding.

Power parameters:
– 30 to 300 Amp.
1. Coating material
– 10 kW
2. Rod
– 15 to 45 V 3. Shield Gas
4. Fusion
5. Base metal
6. Weld metal
7. Solidified Slag

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeBX6cKKHWY
 Welding stick in SMAW
• Composition of filler metal is usually close to base
metal.
• Coating: powdered cellulose (cotton and wood
powders) mixed with oxides and carbonates, and
held together by a silicate binder.
• The heat of the welding process melts the coating to
provide a protective atmosphere and slag for the
welding operation.

Length: 9- 18”
Diameter: 0.375” or less
Advantages and limitations of SMAW
Advantages:
• The equipment is portable and low cost (few thousands)
• Highly versatile and probably the most widely used of the
AW processes
• Applicable for thick sections, i.e. above 5 mm (3/16 in)

Disadvantages:

• It is, almost always, a manual process

• Sticks must be periodically changed
• High current may melt/burn coating prematurely
• It is not used or seldom used for aluminum and its alloys,
copper alloys, and titanium
Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)
• Uses a consumable bare metal wire as electrode with shielding
by flooding arc with a shielding gas.
• The term MIG (Metal Inert Gas) welding is often applied to this
process.

GMAW in 2D
GMAW in 3D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPeHA9Szhhg
 Arc shielding (gases)
• Right shielding gas prevents porosity and provides proper penetration,
proper mechanical properties, and overall weld quality.
• Gases can be separated into two categories: Inert and Reactive.

1. Inert Shielding Gases (He & Ar)

• Argon: the most widely used inert gas (readily available and inexpensive).
• Argon produces a finger-like penetration.
• Helium: very high thermal conductivity; it is used for a hotter arc.
• Helium: a broad but shallow penetration.
• Mixture of He & Ar: welding aluminum that is 1” or thicker.

Bead contours for

various shielding gases
Arc shielding (gases)- cont.
2. Reactive Shielding Gases
• Reactive shielding gases: Carbon Dioxide, Oxygen, Nitrogen and
Hydrogen.
• Carbon Dioxide is the only one that can be used alone.
• All can be combined with Argon to get binary shielding gas blends.
Arc shielding (flux)

A substance that prevents formation of oxides and other

contaminants in welding, or dissolves them and
facilitates removal
• Provides protective atmosphere for welding
• Stabilizes arc
• Reduces spattering

Adding flux during welding operation:

• Pouring granular flux onto welding operation

• Stick electrode coated with flux material that melts during

welding to cover operation

• Tubular electrodes in which flux is contained in the core and

released as electrode is consumed
GMAW advantages over SMAW

• Better arc time because of continuous wire electrode

– Sticks must be periodically changed in SMAW
• Better use of electrode filler metal than SMAW
– End of stick cannot be used in SMAW
• Higher deposition rates
• Eliminates problem of slag removal
• Can be readily automated
Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)
• GTAW is an AW process that uses a non-consumable tungsten
electrode and an inert gas for arc shielding.
• The term TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding is often applied to
this process.
• GTAW can be implemented with or without a filler metal.
• GTAW is applicable to nearly all metals in a wide range of stock
thicknesses.
Advantages and Disadvantages of GTAW

• Advantages
– High quality welds for suitable applications
– No spatter because no filler metal through arc
– Little or no post-weld cleaning because no flux

• Disadvantages
– Generally slower and more costly than
consumable electrode AW processes
– The thickness cannot be as thick as GMAW
 Submerged Arc Welding (SAW)
• SAW: an arc-welding process that uses a continuous, consumable
bare wire electrode, and arc shielding is provided by a cover of
granular flux.
• The flux is introduced into the joint slightly ahead of the weld arc by
gravity from a hopper.
• The blanket of granular flux completely submerges the welding
operation, preventing sparks, spatter, and radiation.
• The slag and unfused flux granules on top provide good protection
from the atmosphere and good thermal insulation for the weld area.
• The unfused flux remaining after welding can be recovered and
reused.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zc3Fu1AVCjc
Applications of SAW
• Structural shapes (welded I-beams); longitudinal and
circumferential seams for large diameter pipes, tanks, and
pressure vessels;
• Welded components for heavy machinery (steel plates of 25
mm (1.0 in) thickness and heavier are routinely welded by SAW).
• Low-carbon, low-alloy, and stainless steels can be readily
welded by SAW.
• The parts must always be in a horizontal orientation (due to
gravity feed of the granular flux).
• A backup plate is often required beneath the joint during the
welding operation.
LASER welding (LW)
• A fusion-welding process in which coalescence is
achieved by the energy of a highly concentrated,
coherent light beam focused on the joint to be welded.
• LASER: Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of
Radiation.
• LW is normally performed with shielding gases and
without filler metal.
• LW produces welds of high quality, deep penetration,
and narrow HAZ.
• Because of the highly concentrated energy in the small
area of the laser beam, the process is often used to join
small parts.
LASER welding

Schematic representation of LW Schematic representation of LW & GMAW

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gsj44ObhL24
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Uek3qEb8TA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pw7EgFM30Q
Advantages of Laser Welding

• Similar and dissimilar metals can be welded easily.

• Laser beam can be controlled to a great precision
and hence, the welding spots could also be located
precisely.
• Heating and cooling rates are much higher in this
process.
• HAZ is very small.
• Clean weld joints can be obtained by this process.
Disadvantages of Laser Welding

• Rapid cooling rate cause problems such as cracking in

high carbon steels.
• High equipment costs (LASER equipment and welding
Robots).

Applications of Laser Welding:

• Electronics industry (connecting wire leads to small
electronic components).
• Medical equipment.
• Transmission components in automobiles and in
cladding process.