WELDING PROCESSES

By

Amit Kumar Singh

Manager- LQA,
Tata Marcopolo Motors Ltd.
Permanent Joining Techniques Joining of Metals

WELDING

Can anybody define the term

‘Welding’?
Definition Joining of Metals

No welding!! No industry!!! almost

Welding is an industrial art of joining metals by pressure after

heating to a plastic state( Below melting temp of base metal) or
joining two pieces of metals by fusion or by pressure to form a solid
union or a compact mass.

But it’s a common man definition…..

AWS - Definition Joining of Metals

American Welding Society (AWS)

 The AWS defines a welding process is "a materials joining

process which produces coalescence of materials by heating them
to suitable temperatures with or without the application of
pressure and with or without the use of filler material".

Coalescence
 Growing together or growth into one body of the metal being
joined
Things to know Joining of Metals

• Type of Joints & Weld

geometry
• Welding Positions
Things to know • Welding Arc
for the better • Welding Power Source
understanding of • OCV & Duty Cycle, Polarity
Welding
• Electrodes, Shielding Gases
• Classification of welding
process
Types of Joints Joining of Metals
American Welding Society refers five types of joints in welding.

Butt joint Tee Joint

Edge Joint Lap Joint Corner Joint

Types of Joints Joining of Metals
Edge Preparation Joining of Metals

EDGE PREPARATIONS
Why do we need edge preparations?

 To control the amount of weld reinforcement

 To maintain the ratio of weld width to weld depth (1.25-1.5)

 To get the desired root penetration

 To get the desired volume of metal

Edge Preparation Joining of Metals
Edge Preparations Joining of Metals

Edge Preparations – Tee Joint

Edge Preparations Joining of Metals

Edge Preparations – Butt Joint

Welding Positions Joining of Metals

Welding Positions – Plate

1G - Flat position
2G - Horizontal position G – Groove Weld
3G - Vertical position F – Fillet Weld
4G - Overhead position
Weld Positions Joining of Metals

Welding Positions – Pipe

1G - Flat position (Job Rotated)
2G - Horizontal position
5G - Vertical position (Pipe axis fixed – Horizontal)
6G - Overhead position (Inclined Position)
Welding Positions Joining of Metals
Weld Geometry Joining of Metals

WELD GEOMETRY
Schematic diagram Joining of Metals

ARC WELDING

In this operation, electric arc is used to produce heat energy and the base metal is heated.
Sometimes, both pressure and heat are applied.
Welding Arc Joining of Metals

WELDING ARC
 Arc = electrical discharge between two
bodies without physical contact

Electrode Open circuit voltage = voltage without

the arc

Breakdown voltage = the voltage required

for ionization of the intervening medium.
Arc

Arc voltage = Voltage drop across the arc.

Plate The voltage depends on the arc-length.
Welding Arc Joining of Metals

WELDING ARC
 Ionization = breaking down of atoms into electrons
and +ve nucleus (ions)
Electrode
(+ve)
Plasma = Ions and electrons at high
temperature (>10,000 deg C)
Welding Arc +
column - Current = movement of electric charges
+
-  Maintenance of arc through AC cycle is achieved by
- +
adding Sodium/potassium salt to electrode coating
-
- + - + Cellulosic electrodes release hydrogen which has
higher breakdown voltage consequently higher arc
Plate (-ve) voltage which results in a penetrating arc.
Welding Arc Joining of Metals

WELDING ARC

 Resistive heating by flow of current through ionized gas generates extremely

high temperatures – More than 10,000 degrees in the core of arc plasma

 When used for welding, one of the body is the work piece and therefore a
plane surface, while the other body is the electrode which approximates to a
point
Welding Power Source Joining of Metals

Power source in arc welding

The voltage supplied by the electricity Board is

230 V for Single Phase

440 V for Three Phase

Can we use this high voltage?

 This high voltage are not safe. Because human beings can withstand only 20 V
to 80 V.

 So we need to step down the voltage through a device called power source
namely Transformer (Rectifier , Generator, Inverter, etc)

 The output of the power source may be DC or AC.

 Welding processes use direct current (dc), alternating current (ac) or pulsed
current.
Welding Power Source Joining of Metals

Power source in arc welding

 Power-Sources are generally classified as constant current (DC),

constant voltage (DC) & waveform control or pulse welding (AC).

 The relationship between current & voltage is expressed

graphically in a static volt-ampere characteristic diagram.

 More advanced Power-Sources with dedicated electronic devices

can reach higher levels of control.

 Then the output is truly constant, generally supplied in pulses over

a range of frequencies, as required for special applications.
Welding Power sources Joining of Metals
Welding Power sources Joining of Metals
Power Source Characteristics Welding Processes
-- Polarity
Welding Power Source Characteristics

Constant Current or Drooping Characteristics

 Gradual current increase with decreasing of

arc length and arc voltage.

 The steeper curve starts from the highest

maximum open circuit voltage (OCV).

 The less steep curve starts from the minimum

OCV.

 It should be remarked that the no-load or

Open Circuit Voltage is always much higher
that the actual voltage drop across the arc.
Power Source Characteristics Welding Processes
-- Polarity
Welding Power Source Characteristics
Constant Voltage or Flat Characteristics

 Gradual current increase with decreasing of

arc length and arc voltage.

 The steeper curve starts from the highest

maximum open circuit voltage (OCV).

 The less steep curve starts from the

minimum OCV.

 It should be remarked that the no-load or

Open Circuit Voltage is always much higher
that the actual voltage drop across the arc.
Power Source Characteristics Welding Processes

OCV
 The voltage at the output terminals in welding power source when it is
energized but current is not being drawn.

 It is mainly for Arc ignition & stability

 This kind of Power-Sources is generally used for manual welding

processes as SMAW, GTAW and PAW.

Duty Cycle
It is a welding equipment specification which defines the number of
minute within a10 minutes time period during which the given welding
machine can safely produce a particular welding current.
Example:
60% duty cycle means, 6 min welding 4 min idle time.
Shielded Metal Arc welding - DC Polarity Welding Processes
-- Polarity
DC Polarity

Straight Polarity Reverse Polarity

(–) (+)

(+) (–)

Work piece is positive and Work piece is negative and electrode is

electrode is negative positive

Suitable for shallow weld Suitable for deeper weld penetration

penetration (like in sheets) and
joints with wide gap

AC has no polarity, but wave form or pulsed form

Heat Input Welding Processes

Power Density of Heat Source

As the power density of the heat source
increases, the heat input to the work piece that
is required for welding decreases.
Power density increases
Weld penetration
Welding speed
Weld quality

Heat Input

Weld Strength
Variation of heat input to the work piece with
power density of the heat source.

Variation of weld strength with unit

thickness of work piece heat input per unit
length of weld.
Welding Consumables Joining of Metals

WELDING CONSUMABLES

ELECTRODES

 CONSUMABLE  NON CONSUMABLE

 Low melting point  High melting point
 SMAW, SAW, GMAW  GTAW
 Compatible to parent  Tungsten and alloys
metal
Electrodes Welding Processes

Electrodes
Two types of electrodes are used:

Consumable Electrode
Non-consumable Electrode

Consumable electrodes

 The electrode is consumed by the arc during the welding process and
added to the weld joint as filler metal.

 Present in rod or wire form with less than 10 mm diameter. This is the source
of filler rod in arc welding.

 The consumable electrodes will be changed periodically as it is consumed

for each welding trials.

 This becomes a disadvantage for welder and reduces the production rate.
Consumable Electrodes Welding Processes

Consumable Electrode

SMAW – Shielded Metal Arc Welding

GMAW – Gas Metal Arc Welding

SAW – Submerged Arc Welding

Non Consumable Electrodes Welding Processes

Non-Consumable Electrodes

 The electrodes are not consumed during arc welding.

 Though this is the case, some depletion occurs because of vaporization.

 Filler metal must be supplied by means of a separate wire that is fed into
the weld pool

Non-Consumable Electrode

GTAW – Gas Tungsten Arc Welding

PAW – Plasma Arc Welding

Electrodes vs Filler Metal Joining of Metals

Electrode vs Filler Metal

 Electrode – A wire or rod used to conduct the welding current across an air or gas
filled gap (Arc column) to the work piece.

 Filler metal – The metal or alloy to be added in making a welded joint. It doesn’t
conduct current

33
Shielding Gas Welding Processes

SHIELDING GAS

 Reactive and Non reactive (Inert) shielding gases

 The metals being joined are chemically reactive to oxygen, nitrogen, and hydrogen in the
atmosphere.

 The atmospheric conditions can reduce the quality of the weld or make the welding more
difficult.

 The purpose of shielding is to protect the weld area from oxygen, and water vapour.

 This covers the arc, electrode tip and weld pool from external atmosphere.

 Shielding gases are inert or semi-inert gases that are commonly used in several welding
processes, most notably GMAW and GTAW.

Common shielding gases: Argon, Helium ,Co2.

Classification of welding process Joining of Metals

CLASSIFICATION OF WELDING PROCESS

The AWS has grouped the processes together according to the following factors;

1. Mode of energy transfer (primary consideration)

Arc welding, Resistance welding & Solid State welding

2. Influence of capillary attraction in effecting distribution of filler metal

Brazing & Soldering
Classification of Welding Process Joining of Metals
 GMAW
[ Gas Metal Arc Welding ]

MIG MAG
Metal Inert Gas Welding Metal Active Gas Welding

Argon, Helium. CO2 or Argon+CO2 mixed gas.

Non-Ferrous metals Ferrous metals - All types of
Aluminum, Copper steels
GMAW – Gas Metal Arc Welding (MIG) Welding Processes
Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)-MIG/MAG
 Consumable Wire Electrode
 Shielding Provided by gas Metal Inert Gas (MIG) &
 Easily Automated Metal Active Gas (MAG)
 DC reverse polarity – hottest arc
 Ac – Unstable arc

Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) Torch

GMAW – Gas Metal Arc Welding (MIG) Welding Processes
Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)

Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) Torch

Gas Metal Arc welding (GMAW Process) Joining of Metals

Gas Metal Arc welding (GMAW Process)

 Produces the coalescence of metals by heating them with an arc between a
continuously fed filler metal electrode and the work.

 The process uses shielding to protect the molten weld pool.

 Generally requires DC+ (reverse) polarity to the electrode.

 The process lends itself to weld a wide range of both solid carbon steel and tubular
metal-cored electrodes.

 The process lends itself to semiautomatic, robotic automation and hard automation
welding applications.

 Lower heat input when compared to other welding processes

Gas Metal Arc welding (GMAW Process) Joining of Metals

Gas Metal Arc welding (GMAW Process)

 Higher electrode efficiencies, usually between 93% and 98%, when compared to
other welding processes.

 The lower heat input characteristic of the short-circuiting mode of metal transfer
restricts its use to thin materials.

 The use of argon based shielding gas for axial spray and pulsed spray transfer
modes is more expensive than 100% carbon dioxide (CO2).

 The alloy material range for GMAW includes: carbon steel, stainless steel,
aluminum, magnesium, copper, nickel, silicon bronze and tubular metal-cored
surfacing alloys.
 Process parameters

• Current
• Voltage
• Stand off distance
• Inductance
• Gas flow rate
 Shielding Gases

Shielding gases provide a protection to Types of shielding gases

the weld metal from the atmosphere used in GMAW
and have a pronounced effect on: • Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
• Arc characteristics • Argon
• Mode of metal transfer • Helium
• Penetration and weld bead profile • Oxygen
• Speed of welding • Nitrogen
• Undercutting tendency • Mixtures of the above gases
• Cleaning action
• Weld metal mechanical properties
 ray
Sp

l ar
( VOLTS)

o bu
Gl

uit
irc
tC
VOLTAGE

o r
Sh Transition Current

CURRENT (Amps)
Gas Metal Arc welding (GMAW Process) Joining of Metals

a) Short Circuit
Transfer
b) Globular Transfer
c) Spray Transfer
d) Pulse spray
Transfer
 Classification of Carbon steel consumable electrode wires
meant for GMAW applications [ AWS A5.18 ]

ER 70S-6
ER - electrode wire
70 - UTS of weldmetal in 10,000th psi.
S - Solid wire
6 - Chemical composition of the wire
Arc attachment and droplet formation
with different shielding gases
 CO2 arc repels droplet
(upward electromagnetic thrust)
Shielding gas profiles & effect on weld length
 Spatter generated
 1 metre of weld at 260 amps
using 1.2mm dia.
Savings with Argon / CO2 / O2 gas mixtures
 ray
Sp

( VOLTS)
lar
u
lob
G

u it
rc
Ci
VOLTAGE

r t
o Transition Current
Sh

CURRENT (Amps)
 Burn off characteristics
1.6 mm

1.2 mm

Current ( A)

0.8 mm

Wire Feed Rate ( m/min )

Influence of wire angle

Backhand Vertical Forehand

ANY QUESTIONS