INTRODUCTION:

The term gas metal arc welding, also known as GMAW, is sometimes referred to by
its variants, namely, Metal Inert Gas and Metal Active Gas. In GMAW, an electric arc is
formed between a wire electrode and a workpiece, which then melts and becomes joinable. A
shielding gas is then fed to the welding gun to keep the air from getting contaminated.

GMAW was formerly introduced in the 1940s for welding aluminium and other non-
ferrous materials, but it was quickly applied to steels because it provided quicker welding
time than other welding processes. The cost of inert gas limited its use in steels until a few
years later when the use of semi-inert gases such as carbon dioxide became common.

Further evolutions in the 1950s and 1960s increased the process's versatility, allowing
it to become a widely used industrial process. GMAW is the most used industrial welding
process today, owing to its versatility, speed, and relative ease of adaptation to robotic
technology.

It is rarely used outdoors or in other areas with volatile air, in contrast to welding
processes that do not use shielding gas, such as shielded metal arc welding. Flux-cored arc
welding, a related process, frequently does not use a shielding gas and instead employs a
hollow and flux-filled electrode wire. Applications for robotic automation, hard automation,
and semiautomatic welding can all benefit from the GMAW process. The GMAW process
can be seen in the figure below:

Figure 1: Gas Metal Arc Welding Process (GMAW)

 The fundamental GMAW process consists of four distinct process techniques:
Globular Transfer, Short-Circuiting Transfer, Spray Arc Transfer, Pulsed-Spray, and a unique
technique known as Rotational Spray Transfer. Each of these techniques has unique
properties and corresponding benefits and drawbacks. These methods detail the process of
moving metal from the wire to the weld pool. In this experiment, we use Short-Circuiting
Transfer as our process techniques.

Short-Circuiting Transfer

With the appropriate adjustments, stainless steel materials can produce beads with a
good look. The stainless-steel electrodes with the highest prevalence are ER308L, ER309L,
and ER 316L. These electrodes are additionally offered in Si varieties, such as 308LSi. The
LSi kinds include more silicon than conventional alloys, which improves puddle fluidity and
facilitates welding. Short-circuit transfer (SCT), often known as short-arc welding, is a
version of the GMAW process where the current is less than in the globular approach.

Short Circuit Metal Transfer Also known as "short arc", "immersion transfer" and
"microwire", metal transfer occurs when an electrical short is established. This occurs when
the molten metal at the end of the wire touches the molten weld pool. In spray arc welding,
small droplets of molten metal break off the wire tip and are propelled into the weld pool by
electromagnetic forces.

Welding thinner materials while reducing distortion and residual stress in the weld
area is possible thanks to the lower current's significant impact on the short-arc variation's
heat input. Smaller-diameter electrodes, such as those with 0.023, 0.030, 0.035, 0.040, and
0.045 in., are typically required for this type of transmission. The welding current must be
adequate to melt the electrode; but, if it is too high, the short electrode may violently
separate, producing an excessive amount of spatter.

To improve the transfer and reduce spatter and encourage a flatter weld profile,
adjustable slope and inductance controls can be used. While inductance changes regulate the
time it takes to attain maximum amperage, slope adjustments limit the short-circuit amperage.
The silicon level for carbon steel electrodes is determined by the electrode classification, with
ER70S-3 and ER70S-6 being the most popular. Because they have lower silicon levels,
ER70S-2, ER70S-4, and ER70S-7 are occasionally employed for open-root work in.
 The decrease silicon produces a stiffer puddle and offers you extra manipulate of the
lower back bead profile. In an open-root weld, you could use an S-6 kind electrode with
much less inductance than an S-2 kind electrode because the S-6 kind has better degree of
silicon and the puddle is extra fluid. Maintaining a consistent touch tip-to-paintings distance
in short-circuit switch is essential to keep a clean switch. The maximum common shielding
gas and short-circuit switch mode for carbon metal electrodes is 75 %-Ar and 25 % CO2.

Using this way of transfer, numerous alternative three-part shielding gas mixes are
also accessible for carbon steel and stainless steel. This method of metal transfer allows for
welding in all positions with slower welding material deposition and produces higher weld
quality and fewer spatters than the globular variety.

For most applications, keeping a stable arc often requires setting the weld process
parameters (volts, amps, and wire feed rate) within a very narrow band, typically between
100 and 200 amperes at 17 to 22 volts. Due to the reduced arc energy and quickly freezing
weld pool, using just short-arc transfer can, however, result in a lack of fusion and inadequate
penetration when welding thicker materials. It can only be applied to ferrous metals, same as
the globular form.

Figure 2: Short Circuiting Transfer Process