Welding Inspector

MIG/MAG Welding
Section 12
 Gas Metal Arc Welding
The MIG/MAG welding process was initially developed in the
USA in the late 1940s for the welding of aluminum alloys.
The latest EN Welding Standards now refer the process by the
American term GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding)
• The process uses a continuously fed wire electrode
• The weld pool is protected by a separately supplied
shielding gas
• The process is classified as a semi-automatic welding
process but may be fully automated
• The wire electrode can be either bare/solid wire or flux
cored hollow wire
MIG/MAG - Principle of operation
MIG/MAG process variables
Welding current

•Increasing welding current

•Increase in depth and width
•Increase in deposition rate

Polarity
 MIG/MAG process variables

Arc voltage

•Increasing arc voltage

•Reduced penetration, increased width
•Excessive voltage can cause porosity,
spatter and undercut

Travel speed
•Increasing travel speed
•Reduced penetration and width, undercut
 Gas Metal Arc Welding
Types of Shielding Gas
MIG (Metal Inert Gas)
• Inert Gas is required for all non-ferrous alloys (Al, Cu, Ni)
• Most common inert gas is Argon
• Argon + Helium used to give a ‘hotter’ arc - better for thicker
joints and alloys with higher thermal conductivity
MIG/MAG – shielding gases
Type of material Shielding gas

Carbon steel CO2 , Ar+(5-20)%CO2

Stainless steel Ar+2%O2

Aluminium Ar
 MIG/MAG shielding gases
Ar Ar-He He CO2

Argon (Ar):
higher density than air; low thermal conductivity  the arc has a
high energy inner cone; good wetting at the toes; low ionisation
potential
Helium (He):
lower density than air; high thermal conductivity  uniformly
distributed arc energy; parabolic profile; high ionisation potential
Carbon Dioxide (CO2):
cheap; deep penetration profile; cannot support spray transfer;
poor wetting; high spatter
 MIG/MAG shielding gases
Gases for dip transfer:
CO2: carbon steels only: deep penetration; fast welding speed; high spatter
levels
Ar + up to 25% CO2: carbon and low alloy steels: minimum spatter; good
wetting and bead contour
90% He + 7.5% Ar + 2.5% CO2:stainless steels: minimises undercut; small
HAZ
Ar: Al, Mg, Cu, Ni and their alloys on thin sections
Ar + He mixtures: Al, Mg, Cu, Ni and their alloys on thicker sections (over 3
mm)
 MIG/MAG shielding gases
Gases for spray transfer
Ar + (5-18)% CO2: carbon steels: minimum spatter; good wetting and
bead contour
Ar + 2% O2: low alloy steels: minimise undercut; provides good
toughness
Ar + 2% O2 or CO2: stainless steels: improved arc stability; provides good
fusion
Ar: Al, Mg, Cu, Ni, Ti and their alloys
Ar + He mixtures: Al, Cu, Ni and their alloys: hotter arc than pure Ar to
offset heat dissipation
Ar + (25-30)% N2: Cu alloys: greater heat input
 Gas Metal Arc Welding
Types of Shielding Gas
MAG (Metal Active Gas)
Active gases used are Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide
Argon with a small % of active gas is required for all steels
(including stainless steels) to ensure a stable arc & good droplet
wetting into the weld pool
Typical active gases are
Ar + 20% CO2 for C-Mn & low alloy steels

Ar + 2% O2 for stainless steels

100% CO2 can be used for C - steels

 MIG/MAG Gas Metal Arc Welding

Electrode
orientation

Penetration Deep Moderate Shallow

Excess weld metal Maximum Moderate Minimum
Undercut Severe Moderate Minimum

Electrode extension

•Increased extension
MIG / MAG - self-regulating
arc
Stable condition
Arc length L = 6,4 mm
Arc voltage = 24V
Welding current = 250A
WFS = 6,4 m/min
Melt off rate = 6,4 m/min
L’
L 19 mm
Voltage (V)
Sudden change in gun position
Arc length L’ = 12,7
mm
Arc voltage = 29V
Welding current = 220A
WFS = 6,4 m/min
Melt off rate = 5,6
25 m/min
mm

Current (A)
MIG/MAG - self-regulating arc
Sudden change in gun position
Arc length L’ = 12,7 mm
Arc voltage = 29V
Welding current = 220A
WFS = 6,4 m/min
Melt off rate = 5,6
m/min
L’ 25 mm
L
Voltage (V)
Re-established stable condition
Arc length L = 6,4 mm
Arc voltage = 24V
Welding current = 250A
WFS = 6,4 m/min
Melt off rate = 6,4
m/min
25 mm
Current (A)
 Terminating the arc
Crater fill
Burnback time
– delayed current cut-off to prevent wire freeze in the
weld end crater
– depends on WFS (set as short as possible!)

Contact tip
3 mm
8 mm Current - 250A
14 mm
Insulatin Voltage - 27V
g slag WFS - 7,8 m/min
Wire diam. - 1,2 mm
Burnback time 0.05 sec 0.10 sec 0.15 sec
Workpiec Shielding gas -
e Ar+18%CO2
 MIG/MAG - metal transfer modes

Contact tip Electrode

Contact tip recessed extension
extension Electrode
(3-5 mm) 19-25 mm
(0-3,2 mm) extension
6-13 mm

Set-up for dip transfer Set-up for spray transfer

MIG/MAG - metal transfer modes
Electrode diameter = 1,2 mm
Voltage
WFS = 8,3 m/min
Current = 295 A
Voltage = 28V

Globular Spray
transfer transfer

Electrode diameter = 1,2 mm

WFS = 3,2 m/min
Current = 145 A

Dip transfer Voltage = 18-20V

Current

Current/voltage conditions
MIG/MAG-methods of metal transfer
Dip transfer
Transfer occur due to short circuits
between wire and weld pool, high level
of spatter, need inductance control to
limit current raise
Can use pure CO2 or Ar- CO2 mixtures
as shielding gas
Metal transfer occur when arc is
extinguished
Requires low welding current/arc
voltage, a low heat input process.
Resulting in low residual stress and
distortion
Used for thin materials and all position
welds
MIG/MAG-methods of metal transfer
Spray transfer
Transfer occur due to pinch effect
NO contact between wire and
weld pool!
Requires argon-rich shielding gas
Metal transfer occur in small
droplets, a large volume weld pool
Requires high welding current/arc
voltage, a high heat input process.
Resulting in high residual stress
and distortion
Used for thick materials and
flat/horizontal position welds
MIG/MAG-methods of metal transfer
Pulsed transfer
Controlled metal transfer, one droplet per pulse,
No transfer between droplet and weld pool!
Requires special power sources
Metal transfer occur in small droplets (diameter equal to that of
electrode)
Requires moderate welding current/arc voltage, a reduced heat
input . Resulting in smaller residual stress and distortion compared
to spray transfer
Pulse frequency controls the volume of weld pool, used for root runs
and out of position welds
 MIG/MAG - metal transfer modes
Pulsed transfer

Controlled metal transfer. one droplet

per pulse. NO transfer during
background current!
Requires special power sources
Metal transfer occur in small droplets
(diameter equal to that of electrode)
Requires moderate welding current/arc voltage, reduced
heat input’ smaller residual stress and distortions
compared to spray transfer
Pulse frequency controls the volume of weld pool, used
for root runs and out of position welds
MIG/MAG-methods of metal transfer
Globular transfer
Transfer occur due to gravity or
short circuits between drops and
weld pool
Requires CO2 shielding gas
Metal transfer occur in large drops
(diameter larger than that of
electrode) hence severe spatter
Requires high welding current/arc
voltage, a high heat input process.
Resulting in high residual stress
and distortion
Non desired mode of transfer!
Flat or Constant Voltage Characteristic

Flat or Constant Voltage Characteristic Used With

MIG/MAG, ESW & SAW < 1000 amps
O.C.V. Arc Voltage
Virtually no Change.
33

32

31
Small Voltage
Voltage Change.
Large Current Change

100 200 300

Amperage
MIG/MAG welding gun assembly
Gas The Push-Pull gun
Contact diffuser
tip

Union nut

Trigger WFS remote

Gas
control
nozzle
potentiometer
Handle
 Gas Metal Arc Welding
PROCESS CHARACTERISTICS
• Requires a constant voltage power source, gas supply, wire
feeder, welding torch/gun and ‘hose package’
• Wire is fed continuously through the conduit and is burnt-off
at a rate that maintains a constant arc length/arc voltage
• Wire feed speed is directly related to burn-off rate
• Wire burn-off rate is directly related to current
• When the welder holds the welding gun the process is said
to be a semi-automatic process
• The process can be mechanised and also automated
• In Europe the process is usually called MIG or MAG
 MIG/MAG typical defects
Most welding imperfections in MIG/MAG are caused by lack of
welder skill, or incorrect settings of the equipment
•Worn contact tips will cause poor power pick up, or transfer
•Bad power connections will cause a loss of voltage in the arc
•Silica inclusions (in Fe steels) due to poor inter-run cleaning
•Lack of fusion (primarily with dip transfer)
•Porosity (from loss of gas shield on site etc)
•Solidification problems (cracking, centerline pipes, crater
pipes) especially on deep narrow welds
 WELDING PROCESS

Flux Core Arc Welding

(Not In The Training Manual)

 Flux cored arc welding
FCAW
methods

With gas Without gas With metal

shielding - shielding - powder -
“Outershield” “Innershield” “Metal core”
“Outershield” - principle of operation
“Innershield” - principle of operation
 ARC CHARACTERISTICS
Constant Voltage Characteristic

OCV Small change in voltage =

large change in
Large arc gap amperage
Small arc gap

The self
Volts adjusting arc.

Amps
 Flux Core Arc Welding (FCAW)

Flux core Insulated extension nozzle

Current carrying guild tube

Wire joint
Flux cored hollow wire

Flux powder
Arc shield composed of
vaporized and slag forming
compounds
Flux core
wires

Molten
weld Metal droplets covered
Solidified weld pool
with thin slag coating
metal and slag
 Flux cored arc welding
FCAW
methods

With gas Without gas With metal

shielding - shielding - powder -
“Outershield” “Innershield” “Metal core”
(114)

With active With inert gas

gas shielding shielding (137)
(136)
FCAW - differences from MIG/MAG
usually operates in DCEP
but some “Innershield”
wires operates in DCEN
power sources need to
be more powerful due to
the higher currents
doesn't work in deep
transfer mode
require knurled feed rolls

“Innershield” wires use a

different type of welding
gun
 Backhand (“drag”) technique
Advantages
preferred method for flat or horizontal position
slower progression of the weld
deeper penetration
weld stays hot longer, easy to remove dissolved gasses

Disadvantages
produce a higher weld profile
difficult to follow the weld joint
can lead to burn-through on thin sheet plates
 Forehand (“push”) technique
Advantages
preferred method for vertical up or overhead
position
arc is directed towards the unwelded joint , preheat
effect
easy to follow the weld joint and control the
penetration
Disadvantages
produce a low weld profile, with coarser ripples
fast weld progression, shallower depth of penetration
the amount of spatter can increase
 FCAW advantages
less sensitive to lack of fusion
requires smaller included angle compared to MMA
high productivity
all positional
smooth bead surface, less danger of undercut
basic types produce excellent toughness properties
good control of the weld pool in positional welding
especially with rutile wires
seamless wires have no torsional strain, twist free
ease of varying the alloying constituents
no need for shielding gas
 FCAW disadvantages
limited to steels and Ni-base alloys
slag covering must be removed
FCAW wire is more expensive on a weight basis than
solid wires (exception: some high alloy steels)
for gas shielded process, the gaseous shield may be
affected by winds and drafts
more smoke and fumes are generated compared
with MIG/MAG
in case of Innershield wires, it might be necessary to
break the wire for restart (due to the high amount of
insulating slag formed at the tip of the wire)
FCAW advantages/disadvantages
Advantages: Disadvantages:

1) Field or shop use 1) High skill factor

2) High productivity 2) Slag inclusions

3) All positional 3) Cored wire is

Expensive
4) Slag supports and
shapes the weld Bead 4) High level of fume
(Inner-shield)
5) No need for shielding
gas 5) Limited to steels and
nickel alloys