Welding to Industry

Metal Transfer
Surface Tension Transfer

Prepared by: DSc Dževad Hadžihafizović (DEng)

Sarajevo 2023
 Metal Transfer
Metal transfer occurs in using two methods. One is by the short-circuiting method. The second is to transfer metal across the arc.

Methods of transferring metal across the arc include: Globular transfer, Spray transfer, Pulsed spray transfer.

Short-Circuiting GMAW (GMAW–S)

Short-circuiting gas metal arc welding (GMAW–S) is used with relatively low welding currents. Welding current, which is controlled

by the wire feed speed, is lower for short-circuiting transfer than for globular or spray transfer. Globular and spray transfer are

covered in the next two headings.

Short-circuiting transfer is particularly useful on thin metal sections. Short-circuiting transfer is also useful to fill large root gaps or

gaps between poor fitting parts. Short-circuiting transfer can be used in all positions. All position welds are made easily because

there is no metal transfer across the arc. The weld pool cools and solidifies rapidly using the short-circuiting arc. Short-circuiting

transfer results in low heat input into the base metal. Since short-circuiting gas metal arc welding has a low heat input, it is also

used to weld thick sections in the overhead or vertical welding position.

Refer to Figure to see how the short-circuiting arc method deposits metal. The arc is terminated when the electrode touches the

molten weld pool. Surface tension from the weld pool pulls the molten metal from the end of the electrode into the pool. A pinch

forcearound the electrode squeezes the molten end of the electrode. The combined effects of surface tension and the pinch force

separate the molten metal and the electrode. This separated portion of the electrode flows into the weld pool and flattens out.
 Metal Transfer
Once the molten metal from the electrode is separated from the electrode, the current
jumps the gap between the new end of the electrode and the weld pool, reestablishing the
arc. The continuously fed electrode again touches the molten pool and the process repeats.
The process of shorting the electrode to the work repeats itself about 20 to 200 times per
second.
The pinch force, which acts to separate the end of the electrode, is created by current
flowing through the electrode. Arc voltage, the slope of the power source, and the circuit
resistance determine the strength of the pinch force. These factors—voltage, slope, and
resistance—also affect the welding current.
If a 150A current is set on the arc welding machine, the amperage may rise rapidly to the
maximum output of the machine when the electrode short circuits; that could be 500A or
more. An inductance circuit is built into the arc welding machine to control and slow down
any rapid rises in current.

Inductance is the property in an electric circuit that slows down the rate of the current
change. Some arc welding machines have an electric coil built in near the welding current
transformer coils. The current traveling through an inductance coil creates a magnetic field.
This magnetic field creates a current in the welding circuit that is in opposition to the
welding current. Increasing inductance in a welding machine slows down the increase of the
welding current. Decreasing the inductance increases the rate of change of the welding
current.
 Metal Transfer
Current rises too rapidly when too little inductance is used. The pinch force is so great
that the molten metal at the end of the electrode literally explodes. A great deal of
spatter occurs in this case. Current does not rise fast enough when too
much inductance is used. The molten end on the electrode is not heated sufficiently.
An ideal short-circuiting transfer rate and pinch force can be obtained by properly
balancing the inductance and slope. Shielding gas also has an effect on short-circuiting
transfer.
http://www.halversoncts.com/92-metal-transfer.html
Carbon dioxide (CO2) may be used as a shielding gas for short-circuiting transfer of
carbon and lowalloy steels. CO2 produces greater penetration, but creates more
spatter than an inert gas used for shielding. Mixtures of argon and CO2 are often used.
They provide a good combination of improved penetration with minimal spatter.
Stainless steel usually requires a mix of three gases.

A typical mixture is 90% helium, 7 1/2% argon, and 2 1/2% CO2.

Inert gases must be used on all nonferrous base metals. Nonferrous base metals are
those that do not contain iron as the main element. This includes all metals except
steels, steel alloys, and cast irons. Adding helium to argon increases the penetration.
Argon and helium mixtures are used only on nonferrous base metals.
See Figure 9-3 for the metal deposition rate for the short-circuiting transfer method.
 Modified Short-Circuiting Transfer
Recent advancements in power supply technology have made modification of the short-circuiting
transfer process possible. Power supplies alter or modify the current output of the power supply.
An inverter power supply is used for modified short-circuiting transfer. The power supply uses
feedback information to determine when to change the current from a low background current to
a high peak current and to a near zero current. The result is a lower average current than regular
short-circuiting transfer and less heat into the weld joint. Also the spatter from the process is
significantly reduced.
Different power supply manufacturers have their own names for this modified process. The
Lincoln Electric Company calls their process Surface Tension Transfer or STT®. Miller Electric
Manufacturing Company calls their process Regulated Metal Deposition RMD™.

Figure 9-4 shows the current during a short-circuit cycle of the modified short-circuiting transfer
process. At point A, the lower background current is flowing. The arc melts the end of the wire
and the base metal. Just as the electrode shorts to the base metal at point B, the power supply
reduces the current to near zero. There is no arc. After the short occurs, the current increases. At
point C, the current is increasing to create the pinch force, which necks down the welding wire. A
very important part of this process is that just as the molten end of the electrode is about to
separate, the current is again reduced to a very low level at point D. The surface tension of the
molten weld pool pulls the molten droplet off the end of the electrode and into the weld pool.
There is no high current present when the molten droplet separates from the electrode. This low
current prevents the end of the electrode from exploding or creating spatter.
 After the droplet leaves the end of the electrode, the current increases to the peak current amount. The peak current is
shown as point E in Figure 9-4. During this peak current period, the weld pool is very fluid. The high current helps the weld
pool flow out to the toe of the weld. Finally, Point F shows a new droplet forming on the end of the electrode, the same as in
point A. One complete short-circuit cycle is completed and a new one begins. This process is repeated 20 to 200 times per
second.

This process introduces less heat into the base metal. Two current settings are used: a peak current and a background
current. Peak current is necessary to establish the arc after a short circuit. Background current maintains the arc and is
significantly less than the peak current. The average of these two currents is less than the current value set during the
standard short-circuiting process covered earlier.
In 2006, Lincoln Electric Company developed and patented a new GMAW technique known as the Surface Tension Transfer (STT) process. STT is a
modified shortcircuiting metal transferral technique that uses a high-frequency inverter power source to control the metal transfer rate. Unlike other
current-voltage GMAW machines, the STT machine does not have any knob of voltage control. The work gets accomplished without doing any
alteration to the voltage settings. In 1999, Dodson claimed that any fluctuation in the length of the filler wire does not affect the heat value because
the power source offers control to the filler wire with no dependency of wire feed speed during the process. This indicates that a varying degree of
current (higher or lower) can be exerted without attaching a fresh wire electrode [33,34].

STT technique operates an advanced electronic technology, known as waveform control technology that optimizes the weld current (waveform) and
arc characteristics for a particular work. This technology supervises and regulates the surface tension of the filler droplet as it coheres to the weld
pool. To do this, a high-speed inverter is utilized that accurately tunes the output current waveform throughout the shorting phase. Therefore, this
process has been named STT [33–35].

The setting programs take care of all the relevant factors, namely type of material, the thickness of the material, weld type, travel rate, type of
electrode, size of electrode, and the shielding gas for weld arc before obtaining the optimal arc for a particular work [34,35]. As claimed by DeRuntz,
in 2003, that the STT process amalgamates the best attributes of the short arc and TIG processes [35].

The power source that operates the STT process is in neither the constant voltage nor the constant current mode. Rather it regulates the primary
modules of STT current waveform, that is, background current, peak current, and tail-out current [14,35]. The current waveform has a specific curve-
shaped formation, which can be categorized into four major phases, corresponding to the five stages of droplet separation and arc generation. Fig.
3.11 illustrates the STT current waveform along with the droplet separation from the wire electrode and the arc re-ignition. The details of the
primary modules and the process (Table 3.1) have been discussed as follows: [35,36]
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/surface-tension-transfer
 GMAW – STT
• GMAW – STT: gas metal arc welding with Surface tension transfer technology!

• STT Surface Tension Transfer process has been developed and patented to achieve good weld
penetration with low heat input

• It is a GMAW (gas metal arc welding) short circuit transfer process, and the STT machine itself has no
voltage knob – it uses current controls to adjust the heat independent of wire feed speed, ensuring
changes in electrode extension do not remove heat from the bead. Good bead control and faster travel
speeds can replace GTAW (gas tungsten arc welding) in many applications, without sacrificing appearance.
The STT also makes welds that require low heat input much easier – without overheating
or burning through, weld distortion is therefore minimised. Good penetration at low heat
input also makes it ideal for “open roots”, gaps or thin material.

Spatter and fumes are also reduced as the electrodes are not overheated, even with larger
wire diameters and 100% Co2 gas – which in turn reduces consumable costs, the current is
controlled to achieve optimum metal transfer.

STT for Open Root welding Open root welding: is used for pipe and single-sided plate
welding in situations that preclude welding from both sides of the material. This type of
welding is common in the petrochemical and process piping industries.

The STT process: produces a low hydrogen weld metal deposit in open root joints with
easier operation, better back beads, better sidewall fusion and less spatter and fumes than
other processes. STT differs from the traditional GMAW short-arc welding process
because the arc current is precisely controlled independently from the wire feed
speed. Changes in the electrode extension do not affect the heat input. Additionally, the
arc current is carefully regulated to reduce puddle agitation and to eliminate violent
“explosions” that occur during the traditional short-arc GMAW process. In comparison with
traditional short-arc GMAW processes, STT is a controlled short circuit transfer GMAW
process that offers the operator increased control over the welding process and produces
less spatter and fumes.

STT is a viable option for welding in any position, and is effective for welding mild and
high strength steels, as well as stainless steel and related alloys. When welding duplex
stainless, the CPT (critical pitting temperature) is significantly better with STT than with
GTAW, and travel speeds three to four times that of GTAW.
Advantages of STT replacing short arc GMAW:
• Reduces lack of fusion
• Good puddle control
• Consistent x-ray quality welds
• Shorter training time
• Lower fume and spatter production
• Use of variable compositions of shielding gases
• 100% Co2 on mild steel
Advantages of STT replacing GTAW
• Four times faster
• Vertical down welding
• Shorter training time
• 100% Co2 (mild steel)
• Improved quality welds on stainless steel nickel
alloys and mild steel
• Consistent x-ray quality welds

https://shipbuildingknowledge.wordpress.com/2019/07/12/what-is-gmaw-stt/
 Surface Tension Transfer (STT)
Surface Tension Transfer (STT) welding is a GMAW, controlled short
circuit transfer process developed and patented by The Lincoln
Electric Company.

Unlike standard CV GMAW machines, the STT machine has no

voltage control knob. STT uses current controls to adjust the heat
independent of wire feed speed, so changes in electrode extension
do not affect heat. The STT process makes welds that require low
heat input much easier without overheating or burning through, and
distortion is minimized. Spatter and fumes are reduced because the
electrode is not overheated–even with larger diameter wires and
100% CO2 shielding gas. This gas and wire combination lowers
consumable costs.
Surface Tension Transfer (STT)
How STT works
A BACKGROUND CURRENT
between 50 and 100 amps maintains the arc and contributes to base
metal heating. After the electrode initially shorts to the weld pool, the
current is quickly reduced to ensure a solid short. PINCH CURRENT is
then applied to squeeze molten metal down into the pool while
monitoring the necking of the liquid bridge from electrical signals. When
the liquid bridge is about to break, the power source reacts by reducing
the current to about 45-50 amps. Immediately following the arc
re-establishment, a PEAK CURRENT is applied to produce plasma force
pushing down the weld pool to prevent accidental short and to heat the
puddle and the joint. Finally, exponential TAIL-OUT is adjusted to regulate
overall heat input. BACKGROUND CURRENT serves as a fine heat control.