ELECTRIC

ARC
WELDING

1- E
ELECTRIC ARC WELDING

PROCESS DEFINITION

Arc welding is a group of welding processes that produce

coalescence of work-pieces by heating them with an arc.

The processes are used with or without application of

pressure and with or without filler metal

Contd. 2- E
LAY OUT FOR METAL ARC WELDING

Contd. 3- E
COMMON TYPES OF ARC WELDING

Following types of arc welding are very common in

industries like fertilizer, petrochemical, refineries, oil and

gas purification plants, etc.;

 Arc welding with consumable electrodes

 Arc welding with non-consumable electrodes

Contd. 4- E
EQUIPMENT AND ACCESSORIES (ELECTRIC ARC WELDING)

Following equipment and accessories are required for an

electric arc welding;

EQUIPMENT ACCESSORIES
 Power source  Shielding Gases and regulators
 Power cable  Hoses, clamps, thimbles
 Ground cable  Electrodes
 Electrode holder  Oven
 Earth clamp  Welding gadgets

Contd. 5- E
EQUIPMENT (ELECTRIC ARC WELDING)

TYPES OF POWER SOURCES (WELDING MACHINES)

Following types of welding machines are commonly used to

supply power for electric arc welding:
 Welding Generators
 Welding Rectifiers
 Welding Transformers
 Welding Invertors

Contd. 6- E
WELDING GENERATOR

Contd. 7- E
8- E
WELDING GENERATOR

 Welding generator is a dynamo, which is driven by an

electric motor or an auto engine that produces electricity
(AC/DC)
 Welding generator produces high current (Upto 400/500
Amps) at low potential (72 Volts)
 Current produced by generator is steady and is used for
arc welding processes e.g. in SMAW or GTAW
 Direct current straight polarity (DCSP) and direct current
reverse polarity (DCRP) are obtained from welding
generators
Contd. 9- E
WELDING GENERATOR (CUT- VIEW)

Contd. 10- E
WELDING RECTIFIER

 Rectifier type arc welding machine consists of a

transformer and a rectifier that converts alternating
current (AC) into direct current (DC)
 Straight and reverse polarities can be obtained from
rectifier
 Very quiet in operation because of no moving parts
(except cooling fan)
 It is used for various arc welding processes e.g. in
SMAW or GTAW

Contd. 11- E
WELDING RECTIFIER

Contd. 12- E
WELDING TRANSFORMER

A welding transfer is a step down transformer which uses

single phase 220 volts or 3 phase 440 volts supply. It
produces AC current with high amperage and low voltage.
 A transformer consists of primary and secondary
coils
 Primary terminals are connected to power source
(Main supply)
 Secondary terminals are connected to electrode
holder and ground cable
 Its use is limited to only SMAW
Contd. 13- E
WELDING TRANSFORMER

Contd. 14- E
CABLES
 Welding cables or leads carry welding current from
welding machine to workpiece and back to welding
machine

 Lead from welding machine

to work is called electrode
lead or power lead

 Lead from work to welding

machine is called ground or
work lead

15- E
Contd.
ELECTRODE HOLDERS AND EARTH CLAMPS

 Electrode holder is part of arc welding equipment that

holds electrode firmly when welding. Different styles and
models are available.
Holders are specified according to:
• Types of insulation on the jaws
• Current capacities
 Good ground connections are important when welding
with AC or DC. Work lead is permanently fastened to
work bench or table by earth clamp.

Contd. 16- E
ELECTRODE HOLDERS AND EARTH CLAMP

ELECTRODE HOLDER ELECTRODE HOLDER

EARTH CLAMP 17- E

Contd.
ACCESSORIES
SHIELDING GAS
 The purpose of the shielding gas is to protect the arc

area from atmosphere

 Shielding gas displaces air and does not allow

atmospheric gases e.g. nitrogen, oxygen, CO2 and

water vapors to come into contact with molten metal,

the electrode or the arc

Contd. 18- E
TYPES OF SHIELDING GASES

Shielding gases are classified as inert or active

 Inert gases do not combine with other elements
• Most commonly used gases are argon and
helium
• Inert gases are used in TIG and GMAW
welding processes
 Active shielding gases include CO2 and others

Contd. 19- E
SHIELDING GAS REGULATORS
 Shielding gas cylinders are filled at
high pressure . For shielding, inert
gas is required at low pressure and
controlled flow.
 To let-down cylinder high
pressure into workable
pressure, gas regulator with
flowmeter is used.

Contd. 20- E
TERMINAL CONNECTIONS/THIMBLES
 To carry consistently heavy
currents of welding, all parts in the
circuit are of heavy duty
construction and design
 Welding leads are fastened to
various types of thimbles and lugs
to make connections with the
machine
 Thimbles provide firm jointing of
lead to give smooth flow of current,
further, current losses are
minimum
 Possibilities of short circuiting and
sparking are minimum 21- E
Contd.
ELECTRODES
Welding electrode is the terminal point to which electricity is
brought in welding operation, from which arc is produced to
perform welding. Electrodes are classified into consumable
and non-consumable types :
a- CONSUMABLE ELECTRODES;
• Covered electrodes
• Bare electrodes
b- NON-CONSUMABLE ELECTRODES;
• Carbon electrodes
• Tungsten electrodes
It is evident that covered and bare electrodes are
consumed during welding process as compared to non-
consumable electrode. Contd. 22- E
TYPES OF COVERINGS/FLUXES (COVERED ELECTRODES)

There are four main groups of electrode coverings as given below.

Sometimes these coverings are added with Iron Powder to increase
electrode efficiency.
 ACID COVERINGS;
• Mainly composed of oxides and silicates
• Give good profile and are easy to detach
• Weld strength is low
• Not widely used
 CELLULOSIC COVERINGS;
• Large variety of organic material
• Penetration is better
• Surface profile is poor and slag layer is thin
• Mechanical properties are good
Contd. 23- E
RUTILE COVERINGS;
• These are based on titanium oxide
• Good slag forming properties
• Widely used in fabrication industry
• Profiles are acceptable and slag is easily removable
BASIC COVERINGS;
• Contain calcium compounds – calcium fluoride and calcium
carbonate (Lime Coated)
• Used for welding of high strength steels
• Minimizes weld cracking and Slag is difficult to remove

24- E
STORAGE OF COVERED ELECTRODES
Care and storage of covered electrodes is of extreme
importance. Electrodes should be protected from;
 Cracking and peeling off covering
 Moisture – resulting bad quality weld
 Aging – to be used within recommended period after
opening of boxes
Following cares shall be taken to have better welds;
 Loose electrodes to be heated in oven prior to start
welding
 Paper packed electrodes shall be heated in oven
before use
 Do not use moist and damaged covering electrodes
 Avoid usage of unidentified electrodes
Contd. 25- E
BARE ELECTRODES
Electrodes without coating are called bare electrodes

 These are used when post cleaning of weld joint is

difficult

 Bare electrodes are used in Gas, TIG, MIG etc.

welding processes.

 Carbon and low alloy steel electrodes are supplied with

thin layer of copper coating – Current pick-up and storage

life are increased.
Contd. 26- E
NON-CONSUMABLE ELECTRODES

CARBON ELECTRODE;
Carbon electrode is a non filler metal electrode, used in arc
welding or cutting. Applications include carbon arc welding,
twin carbon arc welding, carbon cutting, gouging, etc.
TUNGSTEN ELECTRODE;
Tungsten is also a non filler metal electrode, used in arc
welding or cutting. Applications are GTAW, plasma arc
welding, atomic hydrogen welding, etc.

Contd. 27- E
OVEN
 Electrodes become unusable when exposed to moisture
for an extended length of time. Coating on some types of
electrodes absorbs moisture when exposed to humid
atmosphere
 Cellulose, rutile, and acid electrodes
are fairly insensitive to moisture and
can tolerate quite high moisture
content
 Coatings of low-hydrogen electrodes,
particularly EXX16, EXX18 types,
pickup moisture quickly when
exposed to humid atmosphere
OVENS OR SPECIAL CONTAINERS ARE USED TO HEAT
OR KEEP DRY THE COVERED ELECTRODES Contd. 28- E
WELDING GADGETS
 Welding Helmet  Leather Jacket
 Leather gloves  Welding Shoes
 Welding Apron  Sleeves for arms

29- E
Contd.
 FILTER SHADE NUMBER FOR EYE PROTECTION
Welding or Cutting Electrode Size (mm) Welding Minimum Suggested Shade
Operation or Metal Thickness Current (A) protective numbera (Comfort)
Shade
Shielded metal arc welding Less than 3 (2.5) Less than 60 7 --
3-5 (2.5-4) 60-160 8 10
5-8 (4-6.4) 160-250 10 12
More than 8 (6.4) 250-550 11 14
Gas metal arc welding and Less than 60 7 --
flux -cored arc welding 60-160 10 11
160-250 10 12
250-500 10 14
Gas tungsten arc welding Less than 50 8 10
50-150 8 12
150-500 10 14
Air carbon (Light) Less than 500 10 12
Arc cutting (Heavy) 500-1000 11 14
Plasma arc welding Less than 20 6 6 to 8
20-100 8 10
100-400 10 12
400-800 11 14
Plasma arc cutting (Light)b Less than 300 8 9
(Medium)b 300-400 9 12
(Heavy)b 400-800 10 14
Torch brazing -- -- 3 or 4
Torch soldering -- -- 2
Carbon arc welding -- -- 14
Plate Thickness
In. mm
Gas welding
Light Under 1/8 Under 3.2 4 or 5
Medium 1/8 to 1/2 3.2 to 12.7 5 or 6
Heavy Over 1/2 Over 12.7 6 or 8
Oxygen cutting
Light Under 1 Under 25 3 or 4
Medium 1 to 6 25 to 150 4 or 5
Heavy Over 6 Over 150 5 or 6
a
As a rule of thumb, start with a shade that is too dark to see the weld zone. Then go to a lighter shade which gives sufficient view of the weld zone without
going below the minimum. In oxy-fuel gas welding or cutting where the torch produces a high yellow light, it is desirable to use a filter lens that absorbs the
yellow or sodium line in the visible light of the (spectrum) operation.
These values apply where the actual arc is clearly seen. Experience has shown that lighter filters may be used when the arc is hidden by the workpiece. 30- E
b
ARC WELDING-CONSUMABLE ELECTRODES

DEFINITION

In this technique, electrode is melted and molten metal is

carried across the arc gap. A uniform arc length is

maintained between electrode melting end and weld pool

by feeding electrode into the arc as fast as it melts

Contd. 31- E
ARC WELDING-CONSUMABLE ELECTRODE

TYPES
Consumable electrodes are used in following welding
processes;

 Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)

 Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)

 Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW)

 Electro Gas Welding (EGW)

 Submerged Arc Welding (SAW)

Contd. 32- E
SHIELDED METAL ARC WELDING (SMAW)

DEFINITION

Shielded Metal Arc Welding is an arc

welding process where in coalescence

is produced by heating with an arc

between covered metal electrode and

workpiece.

Contd. 33- E
SHIELDED METAL ARC WELDING LAYOUT (SMAW)

Contd. 34- E
OPERATION

Following procedure is used to perform welding with SMAW;

 Set-up welding system as per layout and switch-on
machine
 Select AC or DC type current and adjust current
amperage
 Select polarity - straight or reverse
 Maintain correct arc length and weld the weldments as
per joint details and design

Contd. 35- E
ARC WELDING-NONCONSUMABLE ELECTRODES

DEFINITION
In this technique, electrode is not melted and filler metal is
fed into the arc gap, generated between base metal and
non-consumable electrode.
TYPES
Following welding processes use non-consumable
electrode;
 Gas Tungsten Arc Welding(GTAW)
 Plasma Arc Welding(PAW)
 Carbon Arc Welding (CAW) Contd. 36- E
GAS TUNGSTEN ARC WELDING (GTAW)

PROCESS DEFINITION

Gas Tungsten Arc Welding is a process where in

coalescence is produced by heating with an arc between

tungsten electrode (nonconsumable) electrode and the

workpiece. Shielding is obtained from an inert gas or inert

gases mixture. The process may or may not require filler

metal.
Contd. 37- E
SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM (GTAW)

Contd. 38- E
SMAW vs GTAW

39- E
ADDITIONAL EQUIPMENT-GTAW
PROCESS

 TIG welding torch - Air or water cooled including

torch accessories

 Tungsten electrode
 Shielding gas and gas
control regulators
 Soft leather gloves,
specially for TIG
welding

Contd. 40- E
ADVANTAGES OF GTAW
The outstanding features of arc welding process are:
 It will make high quality welds in all metals and
alloys
 Very little post cleaning is required
 Arc and weld pool are clearly visible to welder
 No filler metal carried across the arc, so no spatter
 Welding can be performed in all positions
 There is no slag produced that might be trapped in
the weld
Very good cleaning of the joint is required for good welding
by GTAW
41- E
SELECTION OF POWER SOURCE AND
WELDING PROCESSES
a- POWER SOURCE
 The type of welding indicates type of welding machine
to be used. This depends on thickness, size, material,
application of technique to produce weldment.
 Following are considered to select the right power
source;
• Process selection - Welding process defined by the
weldments to be
produced
• Welding current - Required type of current i.e. Dc,
Contd. 42- E
Ac, steady state
• Machine rating - Job size governs machine rating,
heavier jobs require heavy
currents
• Type of power - Electricity or engine driven
• Oxiliary devices - water and shielding gas control
systems, current control
systems, wire feeders, etc.
• Duty cycle - Measure of amount of work that
the power source will do.
Categories are low
duty, heavy duty cycles. Duty
cycle is the ratio of arc time to total
Contd. 43- E
ARC WELDING POWER SOURCES

44- E
b- PROCESS SELECTION
 All metals cannot be joined by each welding process,
some welding processes are developed to join
specific metals, certain metals are known as “difficult
to weld”, which means that specific precautions and
procedures are required. The given table shows
general selection of various processes against base
metals to be welded.

Contd. 45- E
46- E
WEAVING A BEAD
Weaving is a technique of depositing weld metal in which
the electrode is oscillated in a transverse motion along the
weld direction

Weaving provides following advantages

 Improve penetration at both faces of weld joint
 Allow slag to come on to surface of puddle
 Avoid porosity
 Allow gases to escape weld puddle
 Keep metal in molten state for short time
47- E
TYPES OF WEAVING
Most commonly used weaving motions
are as following;
 Rotary weave – used for gas
welding
 Curved weave – good fusion,
used for root weld, hot pass
 Straight bead – to keep puddle
hot and cold at the same time
 Whip – to avoid undercut at
overhead or vertical positions
 Box weave – used for capping of
weld
 Figure 8 weave – used with tig
welding 48- E
TYPICAL WEAVING MOTIONS FOR A WELD JOINT

49- E
POWER SOURCE Vs WELDING PROCESSES
Welding Machine Output Characteristics
Direct (Dc): Alternating (Ac):
Pulsed:
CC CV CC
Arc Welding Process CV or CC
Drooping Flat Drooping
Flat or Drooping
Nonconsumable electrode process
Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) Yes No Yes Yes
Plasma arc welding (PAW) Yes No No Yes
Carbon arc welding (CAW) Yes No Two carbons Not used
Stud welding (SW) Yes Possible No Not used
Consumable electrode processes
Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) Yes No Yes Not used
GMAW inert gas, nonferrous MIG Possible Yes No Yes
GMAW spray arc transfer MIG Possible Yes No Yes
GMAW globular transfer MIG Possible Yes No No
GMAW short circuiting transfer MIG No Yes No Yes
GMAW pulsed arc transfer MIG, pulsed Special Special Possible Yes
Flux cored arc welding (FCAW) Yes Yes Experimental Yes
Submerged arc welding (SAW) Yes Yes Yes Not used
Electrogas welding (EGW) Possible Yes No Not used
Electrogas welding (EW) Possible Yes Yes Not used
50- E
 ARC WELDING - POLARITIES
 Arc welding processes where
direct current (DC) supply
machines are employed, have
option of selecting polarities to
connect workpiece or electrode.
 There are certain electrodes,
that work on only one polarity

 Reverse Polarity
– When electrode is connected to positive terminal of welding
machine, it is called reverse polarity
– There is high heat input into the electrode, therefore,
reverse polarity is used for SMAW process
 Straight Polarity
– When electrode is connected to negative terminal of
welding machine, it is called straight polarity
– There is less heat input in the electrode, therefore straight
51- E
polarity is used for GTAW process Contd.
WELDING CURRENTS
 Welding currents play important role in the arc welding
processes to get quality welds. Power source should be
able to supply current to have a stable arc during
operation
 Different current systems and combinations are obtained
from various welding machines. These are:
• Constant - Current (CC);
– It provides maximum flexibility in manual arc
welding to lengthen or shorten the arc, required to
get appropriate penetration.
– This is rarely used for automatic welding
processes and small diameter electrodes.
52- E
• Constant - Voltage (CV);
– Voltage is maintained and current varies
depending on resistance of weldments.
– Stable arc is obtained when welding with different
electrode sizes and metals in varying welding
atmospheres.
– Usage example - Semi automatic gas arc welding.
• Pulsed Current;
– It is a change from higher to lower current on
repetitive basis.
– Used for materials having varied root opening,
different root faces or different thicknesses.
– Usage example is in GMAW process.
53- E
 HAZARDS AND
SAFETY MEASURES
OF
ELECTRIC ARC WELDING

54- E
HAZARDS – TYPES

a. Electric shock hazard

b. Arc radiation hazard
c. Air contamination hazard
d. Compressed gases hazard
e. Fire hazard:

55- E
HAZARDS
 Electric arc welding has hazards like other operations
involved in fabrication of metals. These are hazardous
to the health of welder and other workers in the vicinity.
 OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Act) and
American National Standard “safety in welding and
cutting” classify following hazards of arc welding;
a. Electric shock hazard:
• These hazards are associated with all electrical
equipments involved in the arc welding.
• Electric shock occurs when a leaking current
flows through human body.

Contd. 56- E
b. Arc radiation hazard:
• Bright light of arc emits high intensity ultraviolet
and infrared radiations. Ultraviolet radiations
are damaging to both eyes and skin.
c. Air contamination hazard:
• Harmful gases are produced when metal and
fluxes are heated in the arc welding.
• Heat generated during welding operation
depletes oxygen from atmosphere and
produces carbon mono oxide, which is
poisonous for human health.
• High concentrations of small solid particles of
metal suspended in the air are extremely
dangerous for human health.
• Lubricants and degreasing solvents produce
toxic fumes when heated during arc welding
operations. Contd. 57- E
d. Compressed gases hazard:
• Certain arc welding processes use
compressed gases for shielding. These gases
should be handled and stored carefully.
e. Fire hazard:
• In arc welding, hot metal pieces or spatters
may produce fire when fall on any combustible
material.

Contd. 58- E
SAFETY MEASURES
 Always use recommended cables for arc welding.
 Make sure that welding equipment is installed,
grounded and connected properly, and is in good
working condition.
 Check that insulation of electrode holder and cables are
in healthy condition.
 Always use recommended filters for breathing in
contaminated atmosphere.
 Always wear protective clothing suitable for type of
welding to be done.
 Recommended eye protection to be used for grinding,
cutting and welding etc.
 Keep the work area free from objects, flammable,
volatile or explosive materials.
Contd. 59- E
 Handle all compressed gas cylinders with extreme care.
 Secure compressed gas cylinders with walls or
supports.
 Do not weld in confined space without special
precautions.
 Do not weld on containers that have hold combustibles
without special precautions.
 Always use mechanical exhaust while welding lead,
cadmium, chromium, brass, or galvanized steel etc.
 Always use rubber boots or wooden stand, when it is
necessary to weld in a damp or wet area.
 When electrode holder is not in use, hang it on the
stand and never let it touch a compressed gas cylinder.
 Dispose off electrode stubs in proper container.

60- E
APPENDICES: (1 ÷ 10A/B)
1. Welding cables comparison table
2. Table for welding cable size
3. Current carrying capacities and voltage drops in
welding cables
4. Power cable sizes for welding machines
5. Electrode storage recommendations
6. Inert gas properties
7. Shielding gases for welding processes
8. Samples for welding operator qualification test
(WPQ)
9. Procedure qualification for welding process (PQR)
10.A/B Welding procedure specification (WPS)
61- E
BASIC MATERIALS
 Construction and maintenance Engineer is required to
have basic knowledge about the material or metals that
are going to be joined together.
 American Welding Society (AWS) and American Society
of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) defines materials
under different P-Numbers according to their
metallurgical characteristics;

Contd. 62- E
P-Numbers Materials
-1 Carbon Steels - 0.35% max. carbon
-2 Wrought Irons
- 3 to 7 Alloy Steels - having various combinations
of chrome and other
alloying elements in
different %ages
-8 High Alloy Steels - Austenitic (300 series)
- 9 to 11 Nickle Alloy Steels- Having different %ages of Ni.
63- E
COVERED ELECTRODE IDENTIFICATION SYSTEM

67- E
OTHER WELDING PROCESSES

69- E