Plasma ARC Welding

(PAW)

Vivek

Content
O Introduction
O How Plasma Welding works?
O Equipment
O Welding Modes in PAW
O Difference between PAW

and TIG
O Control System
O Advantages
O Disadvantages
O Applications

tio
ucpro
trod
In
s
cesn
Arc
welding
produces
that
coalescence of metals
by heating them with
arc
constricted
a
between an electrode
and the work piece
(transferred arc) or
between the electrode
and the water-cooled
nozzle
constricting
(non transferred arc) .
Plasma:
A gaseous
mixture of positive
ions, electrons and
neutral gas molecules.

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picture

PAW Welding

How Plasma Welding

Works
Plasma:
O Gas

which is heated to an extremely high

temperature and ionized so that it becomes
electrically conductive.
O PAW process uses this plasma to transfer an electric
arc to the work piece.
O The metal to be welded is melted by the intense
heat of the arc and fuses together.

Objective of PAW:
O To increase the energy level of the arc plasma in a

controlled manner.
O This is achieved by providing a gas nozzle around a
tungsten electrode operating on DCEN.

2 Variants of PAW:
Transferred arc mode:
O Arc is struck between the electrode(-) and the work piece(+)
O Used for high speed welding and
O Used to weld Ceramics, steels, Aluminum alloys, Copper alloys,

Titanium alloys, Nickel alloys.

Non-transferred mode:
O Arc is struck between the electrode(-) and the nozzle(+), thus

eliminating the necessity to have the work as a part of the

electrical system.
O Arc process produces plasma of relatively low energy density.
O Since the work piece in non-transferred plasma arc welding is
not a part of electric circuit, the plasma arc torch may move
from one work piece to other without extinguishing the arc.

Fig. Arc in Plasma Arc Welding

Equipment
Power Supply
O A DC power source (generator or rectifier) having
drooping characteristics and open circuit voltage of
70 volts or above is suitable for PAW.
O Rectifiers
are generally preferred over DC
generators.
O Working with He as an inert gas needs open circuit
voltage above 70 volts. This voltage can be obtained
by series operation of two power sources; or the arc
can be initiated with argon at normal open circuit
voltage and then helium can be switched on.
High frequency generator and current limiting
resistors
O Used for arc ignition.
Plasma Torch
O Either transferred arc or non transferred arc typed

Shielding gases
O Shields the molten weld from the atmosphere.
O Two inert gases or gas mixtures are employed.
O Argon(commonly used), Helium, Argon+Hydrogen
O
O

O
O

and Argon+Helium, as inert gases or gas mixtures.

Helium is preferred where a broad heat input
pattern and flatter cover pass is desired.
A mixture of argon and hydrogen supplies heat
energy higher than when only argon is used and
thus permits higher arc alloys and stainless steels.
For cutting purposes a mixture of argon and
hydrogen (10-30%) or that of nitrogen may be used.
Hydrogen, because of its dissociation into atomic
form and thereafter recombination generates
temperatures above those attained by using argon
or helium alone.

Welding Parameters:
O Current 50 to 350 Amps,
O Voltage 27 to 31 Volts,
O Gas flow rates 2 to 40 liters/min. (lower range for orifice

gas and higher range for outer shielding gas),

O DCSP is normally employed except for the welding of Al
in which cases water cooled copper anode and DCSP
are preferred.
O Temp of Jet 50000F (28000C)

Current and gas decay control

O To close the key hole properly while terminating the

weld in the structure.

Fixture
O To avoid atmospheric contamination of the molten

metal under bead.

Modes in paw
Micro-plasma welding
O Welding Current from 0.1A to 15A.
O Arc Length is varied up to 20mm
O Used for welding thin sheets (0.1mm thick), and wire
and mesh sections.
Medium-plasma welding
O Welding current from 15Ato 100A.
Keyhole welding
O Welding Current above 100A, where the plasma arc
penetrates the wall thickness.
O Widely used for high-quality joints in aircraft/space,
chemical industries to weld thicker material (up to
10mm of stainless steel) in a single pass.

 Sunken Bead Undercut too much

penetration
Welding current is too high
Travel Speed is too low
Bead too small, Irregular Little
Penetration
Welding Current and Plasma Gas Flow
is too low
Travel is too fast
Undercut and Irregular Edges
Plasma Gas Flow is too high
Proper Size Bead, Even Ripple and
Good Penetration
Correct Current, Even torch movement,
Proper Arc Voltage and Plasma Gas
Flow

Quality and Common

Faults

Difference between PAW and TIG

Plasma Arc Welding

Tungsten Inert Gas Welding

Two gases are used, One for Plasma

Gas and other for Shielding Gas.

Only one gas used, which forms

plasma as well as shields the arc
and molten weld pool.

Uses Constricted Arc.

Uses Non-Constricted Arc.

Temp. of about 11000C is achieved.

Temp. of about 4000C is

achieved.

Deep Penetration is achieved.

Penetration obtained is not so

deeper.

No Filler Material is required.

More Filler Material is required.

Fast Metal Deposition Rate.

Metal Deposition Rate is not so

faster.

Inert Gas Consumption is very high.

Inert Gas Consumption is very

low.

Costly welding equipment.

Less costly welding equipment.

Cutting of Hard and Brittle Material is

possible.

Cutting of Hard and Brittle

Material is not possible.

Control System

Advantages
O Permits faster metal deposition rate and high arc travel

speed as compared to TIG

O Uniform penetration with high welding rate is possible
O Stability of arc and Excellent weld quality
O Can produce radiographic quality weld at high speed
O Can weld steel pieces up to about half inch thick,
square butt joint
O Useful for semi automatic and automatic processes.
O Process is very fast and clean
O Requires less operator skill due to good tolerance of
arc to misalignments;
O High penetrating capability (keyhole effect);

Disadvantages
O Special protection is required as Infrared and UV

Radiations is produced
O Consumption of Inert Gas is high
O Needs high power electrical equipment.
O Gives out ultraviolet and infrared radiation.
O Operation produces a high noise of the order of 100dB.
O Expensive equipment;
O Can weld only upto 25mm thickness.
O High distortions and wide welds as a result of high heat
input (in transferred arc process).
O More chances of Electrical hazards.

ns
io
at
ic
pl
ap
Aerospace Industries
Cryogenics
Foodstuff and

Chemical Industries
Machine and Plant
Construction
Automobiles and
Railways
Ship Construction
Tank Equipment and
Pipeline Construction
etc.

Base Metal weldable by Plasma Arc

Process:
Easily Weldable:
O Al, Cu-base alloys (Cu, Cu-Ni), Magnesium, Ni-

base alloys (Inconel, Nickel, Monel), Precious

Metals, Steels (Low Carbon Steel, Low Alloy
Steel, Stainless Steel, Tool Steels), Titanium
(upto 8mm thick) etc...

Acceptable but weldable with care:

O Cast, Malleable, Nodular Iron, Wrought Iron,

Lead, Tungsten etc...

Possible but not Popular:

O Bronzes, Brass, Nickel Silver, Lead, Zinc etc...

Protected electrode, offers long times before electrode

maintenance (usually one 8 Hr Shift)

L
A

Low amperage welding capability (as low as 0.05 amp)

S
M

Stable arc in arc starting and low amperage welding

Arc consistency and gentle arc starting produce

consistent welds, time after time
Minimal high frequency noise issues, HF only in pilot
arc start, not for each weld

Arc energy density reaches 3 times that of GTAW.

Higher weld speeds possible

W
E

Weld times as short as 5 millisec (.005 sec)

Energy density reduces heat affected zone, improves
weld quality

Length of arc benefit due to arc shape and even heat

distribution

Diameter of arc chosen via nozzle orifice