Advanced Welding applications in ship

building

By
Madhan Kumar
M.Sc Mechanical Engineering(2016-2017)
G1602076B
Introduction

Welding is most widely used metal joining process. It is used in a wide variety of industries including ship building
and repair. Welding in each shipyard is a key factor for shipbuilding and is directly related to production cost and
quality. Welding and related processes represents approximately 30% of production hours and approximately 10%
of total cost. Hybrid Laser Arc Welding (HLAW) method is considered to be the newest method that offers high
performance welding process which produces in a very narrow heat-affected zone (HAZ) and high travel speeds
relative to traditional Arc welding processes. Its advantages also has very low distortion in thin material
welding process. However, it depends to shipbuilders to apply any methods into the construction

Based on the heat source and filler metal the welding processes can be classified into four types

Arc Welding
Energy Beam welding
Resistance welding.
Gas Welding

Arc welding processes are major part of a ship building industry as the process is fast and simple compared to
resistance and gas welding. Most of the Arc welding processes can be fully mechanized and automated.

Welding process such as GTAW, GMAW, Laser Beam welding and Resistance spot welding can be fully automated
and programmed(Welding robots) to achieve high welding speeds and consistent quality of welds.

History

In the first decades of the 1900s, covered electrodes were introduced that served to both stabilize the arc (carbonates
and silicates patented by Oscar Kjellberg in 1907) and eventually to purify the weld metal (blue asbestos and sodium
silicate patented by A. P. Strohmenger in 1912). Despite these advances, the high cost of producing the electrodes
limited its widespread use until World War I, when arc welding was found to offer faster production for bombs,
torpedoes, ships, and even aircraft fuselages compared with conventional techniques such as riveting and gas
welding, use of which was constrained owing to gas shortages. After the war, use of arc welding was still limited
owing to the high production cost of quality electrodes. In 1927, an extrusion process was developed whereby a
coating could be inexpensively applied to a metal core. The availability of low-cost electrodes with tailored coatings
enabled the shielded-arc electrode welding process to grow significantly. In the 1930s, international treaties that
limited the gross tonnage of national navies encouraged the expansion of arc welding for shipbuilding applications
by reducing weight compared with conventional joining methods.

In 1935, the submerged arc process was developed, in which granular flux is deposited immediately ahead of the
bare steel filler wire electrode in order to provide adequate shielding for the arc, as well as flux to prevent oxidation
of the molten weld puddle. By 1946, the process was refined for use in a hand-held, semi-automatic gun with
controlled voltage and current to decrease the dependence of bead quality on operator skill. Owing to the granular
nature of the flux, the process was, and remains, only suitable for down hand welding.

In the late 1920s and early 1930s, arc welding processes were developed that utilized inert gases as a process
shielding agent. These gas-based arc processes were often employed with a high melting point tungsten electrode
and helium (He) or argon (Ar) shielding to produce the arc. The process became known as Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG)
welding, and later changed to the more generic Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW), as it was recognized that
certain applications may benefit from utilization of non-inert process gases. This process enabled welding of
reactive metals such as aluminum and magnesium for which suitable fluxes could not be developed. An additional
benefit is that the absence of flux significantly reduced potential for slag inclusions. Owing to the relatively low heat
input, the process was not suitable for joining of thick sections of conductive materials. The process was modified in
1953 to direct the arc through a nozzle, resulting in a weld process eventually known as plasma-arc welding.

Though process concepts in which an inert gas is used to shield a weld process that utilizes a consumable weld
electrode were first introduced in the 1920s, it was not until 1948 that the Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding process
was commercialized. In the 1950s the process became quite wide-spread and a desire to reduce gas costs led to the
use of less expensive reactive gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), and so the process is now commonly referred to
as the Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) process.

Additional arc welding and manufacturing developments in the 1950s and 1960s led to the commercial use of
consumable, tubular electrodes that encased fluxing and shielding agents. The process eventually became known as
Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW), and is employed both with and without gas shielding. This self-shielded
electrode enabled quite high deposition rates for automated and semi-automated equipment.

In the ensuing years, tremendous advances in manufacturing technology, metallurgy, robotics, power electronics and
power source technology (including most recently computer technology), and in the scientific under-standing of the
arc welding process, have resulted in arc welding becoming a critical enabler for modern society. Scarcely a modern
building or manufactured article exists that does not rely upon arc welding for some portion of its fabrication.
Today, arc welding is extensively used in such in disposable and ubiquitous industries such as buildings and
construction, bridges, heavy machinery, automobiles, trains, ships, mining equipment, oil and gas, and wind power.

Major Arc Welding Techniques in Ship Building

Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW)

Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) is a process that melts and joins metals by heating them with an arc established
between a stick like covered electrode and the metals, as shown in Figure below. It is often called stick welding. The
electrode holder is connected through a welding cable to one terminal of the power source and the work piece is
connected through a second cable to the other terminal of the power source (Figure a). The core of the covered
electrode, the core wire, conducts the electric current to the arc and provides filler metal for the joint. For electrical
contact, the top 1.5 cm of the core wire is bare and held by the electrode holder. The electrode holder is essentially a
metal clamp with an electrically insulated outside shell for the welder to hold safely. The heat of the arc causes both
the core wire and the flux covering at the electrode tip to melt off as droplets (Figure b). The molten metal collects
in the weld pool and solidifies into the weld metal. The lighter molten flux, on the other hand, floats on the pool
surface and solidifies into a slag layer at the top of the weld metal.

The covering of the electrode contains various chemicals and even metal
powder in order to perform one or more of the functions like.
A. Protection
B. Deoxidation
C. Arc Stabilization
D. Metal Addition
Advantages
The welding equipment is relatively simple, portable, and inexpensive as compared to other arc welding
processes. For this reason, SMAW is often used for maintenance, repair, and field construction.
Less skilled welder than GTAW.
No Gas shielding is required, so the equipment in not complex.
Best suited for site welding like ship repair etc.

Disadvantages
The electrode handling to be carried very carefully to attain a good quality or defect free weld.
The limited length of the electrode (about 35 cm) requires electrode changing, and this further reduces the
overall production rate.
The deposition rate is limited by the fact that the electrode covering tends to overheat and fall off when
excessively high welding currents are used.
The gas shield in SMAW is not clean enough for reactive metals such as aluminum and titanium.

Gastungsten arc welding

Gastungsten arc welding (GTAW) is a process that melts and joins metals by heating them with an arc established
between a non-consumable tungsten electrode and the metals, as shown in Figure below. The torch holding the
tungsten electrode is connected to a shielding gas cylinder as well as one terminal of the power source, as shown in
Figure 1.11a. The tungsten electrode is usually in contact with a water-cooled copper tube, called the contact tube,
as shown in Figure 1.11b, which is connected to the welding cable (cable 1) from the terminal. This allows both the
welding current from the power source to enter the electrode and the electrode to be cooled to prevent overheating.
The workpiece is connected to the other terminal of the power source through a different cable (cable 2). The
shielding gas goes through the torch body and is directed by a nozzle toward the weld pool to protect it from the air.
Protection from the air is much better in GTAW than in SMAW because an inert gas such as argon or helium is
usually used as the shielding gas and because the shielding gas is directed toward the weld pool. For this reason,
GTAW is also called tungsteninert gas (TIG) welding. When a filler rod is needed, for instance, for joining thicker
materials, it can be fed either manually or automatically into the arc.

Polarity

A. Direct-Current Electrode Negative (DCEN) This, also called the straight polarity, is the most common polarity
in GTAW.

B. Direct-Current Electrode Positive (DCEP) This is also called the reverse polarity. The electrode is connected
to the positive terminal of the power source. DCEP can be used for welding thin sheets of strong oxide-forming
materials such as aluminum and magnesium, where deep penetration is not required.

C. Alternating Current (AC) Reasonably good penetration and oxide cleaning action can both be obtained, as
illustrated in Figure (C).This is often used for welding aluminum alloys.

Advantages
Gastungsten arc welding is suitable for joining thin sections because of its limited heat inputs.
The feeding rate of the filler metal is somewhat independent of the welding current, thus allowing a
variation in the relative amount of the fusion of the base metal and the fusion of the filler metal. Therefore,
the control of dilution and energy input to the weld can be achieved without changing the size of the weld.
It can also be used to weld butt joints of thin sheets by fusion alone, that is, without the addition of filler
metals or autogenous welding.
Since the GTAW process is a very clean welding process, it can be used to weld reactive metals, such as
titanium and zirconium, aluminum, and magnesium.
In the hot-wire GTAW process, the wire is fed into and in contact with the weld pool so that resistance
heating can be obtained by passing an electric current through the wire.
Disadvantages
Lower deposition rate in due to limited heat input.
Multiple pass required to complete the weld.
Excessive welding currents can cause melting of the tungsten electrode and results in brittle tungsten
inclusions in the weld metal.
Skilled personnel are required.

GASMETAL ARC WELDING

Gasmetal arc welding (GMAW) is a process that melts and joins metals by heating them with an arc established
between a continuously fed filler wire electrode and the metals, as shown in Figure below. Shielding of the arc and
the molten weld pool is often obtained by using inert gases such as argon and helium, and this is why GMAW is also
called the metalinert gas (MIG) welding process. Since non-inert gases, particularly CO2, are also used, GMAW
seems a more appropriate name. This is the most widely used arc welding process for aluminum alloys.
Unlike in GTAW, DCEP is used in GMAW. A stable arc, smooth metal transfer with low spatter loss and good weld
penetration can be obtained. With DCEN or AC, however, metal transfer is erratic.

Shielding Gases
Argon, helium, and their mixtures are used for nonferrous metals as well as stainless and alloy steels. The arc energy
is less uniformly dispersed in an Ar arc than in a He arc because of the lower thermal conductivity of Ar.
Consequently, the Ar arc plasma has a very high energy core and an outer mantle of lesser thermal energy. This
helps produce a stable, axial transfer of metal droplets through an Ar arc plasma. The resultant weld transverse cross
section is often characterized by a papillary- (nipple-) type penetration pattern. With pure He shielding, on the other
hand, a broad, parabolic-type penetration is often observed. With ferrous metals, however, He shielding may
produce spatter and Ar shielding may cause undercutting at the fusion lines. Adding O2 (about 3%) or CO2 (about
9%) to Ar reduces the problems. Carbon and low-alloy steels are often welded with CO2 as the shielding gas, the
advantages being higher welding speed, greater penetration, and lower cost. Since CO2 shielding produces a high
level of spatter, a relatively low voltage is used to maintain a short buried arc to minimize spatter; that is, the
electrode tip is actually below the work piece surface.

Modes of Metal Transfer

The molten metal at the electrode tip can be transferred to the weld pool by three basic transfer modes: globular,
spray, and short-circuiting.

A. Globular Transfer Discrete metal drops close to or larger than the electrode diameter travel across the arc gap
under the influence of gravity. Globular transfer often is not smooth and produces spatter. At relatively low welding
current globular transfer occurs regardless of the type of the shielding gas. With CO2 and He, however,
it occurs at all usable welding currents. As already mentioned, a short buried arc is used in CO2-shielded GMAW of
carbon and low-alloy steels to minimize spatter.

B. Spray Transfer Above a critical current level, small discrete metal drops travel across the arc gap under the
influence of the electromagnetic force at much higher frequency and speed than in the globular mode. Metal transfer
is much more stable and spatter free. The critical current level depends on the material and size of the electrode and
the composition of the shielding gas.

C. Short-Circuiting Transfer The molten metal at the electrode tip is transferred from the electrode to the weld pool
when it touches the pool surface, that is, when short circuiting occurs. Short-circuiting transfer encompasses the
lowest range of welding currents and electrode diameters. It produces a small and fast-freezing weld pool that is
desirable for welding thin sections, out-of position welding (such as overhead-position welding), and bridging large
root openings.

Advantages
Like GTAW,GMAW can be very clean when using an inert shielding gas.
The main advantage of GMAW over GTAW is the much higher deposition rate, which allows thicker workpieces to
be welded at higher welding speeds. The dual-torch and twin-wire processes further increase the deposition rate of
GMAW (12). The skill to maintain a very short and yet stable arc in GTAW is not required. However,

Disadvantages
GMAW guns can be bulky and difficult-to-reach small areas or corners.

FLUX-CORE ARC WELDING

Flux-core arc welding (FCAW) is similar to GMAW. However the wire electrode is flux cored rather than solid; that
is, the electrode is a metal tube with flux wrapped inside. The functions of the flux are similar to those of the
electrode covering in SMAW, including protecting the molten metal from air. The use of additional shielding gas is
optional.

Advantages and Disadvantages

The advantages are similar to GMAW except for slag removal in between Weld pass
Due to flux inside the wire core slag discontinuities may be expected due to improper weld technique.
SUBMERGED ARC WELDING
Submerged arc welding (SAW) is a process that melts and joins metals by heating them with an arc established
between a consumable wire electrode and the metals, with the arc being shielded by a molten slag and granular flux,
as shown in Figure below. This process differs from the arc welding processes discussed so far in that the arc is
submerged and thus invisible. The flux is supplied from a hopper which travels with the torch. No shielding gas is
needed because the molten metal is separated from the air by the molten slag and granular flux. Direct-current
electrode positive is most often used. However, at very high welding currents (e.g., above 900A) AC is preferred in
order to minimize arc blow. Arc blow is caused by the electromagnetic (Lorentz) force as a result of the interaction
between the electric current itself and the magnetic field it induces.

Advantages
The protecting and refining action of the slag helps produce clean welds in SAW.
Since the arc is submerged, spatter and heat losses to the surrounding air are eliminated even at high
welding currents.
Both alloying elements and metal powders can be added to the granular flux to control the weld metal
composition and increase the deposition rate, respectively.
Using two or more electrodes in tandem further increases the deposition rate.
Because of its high deposition rate, work pieces much thicker than that in GTAW and GMAW can be
welded by SAW.
With use of multiple wire a weld deposit of 1in thickness can be achieved.

Disadvantages
The relatively large volumes of molten slag and metal pool often limit SAW to flat-position welding and
circumferential welding (of pipes).
The relatively high heat input can reduce the weld quality and increase distortions.
The equipment size limits the mobility
Contaminants in the flux can effect weld quality
Highly susceptible to Solidification cracking due to high heat input

PLASMA ARC WELDING

Plasma arc welding (PAW) is an arc welding process that melts and joins metals by heating them with a constricted
arc established between a tungsten electrode and the metals, as shown in Figure below. It is similar to GTAW, but
an orifice gas as well as a shielding gas is used. The arc in PAW is constricted or collimated because of the
converging action of the orifice gas nozzle, and the arc expands only slightly with increasing arc length. Direct-
current electrode negative is normally used, but a special variable polarity PAW machine has been developed for
welding aluminum, where the presence of aluminum oxide films prevents a keyhole from being established.

Arc Initiation
The tungsten electrode sticks out of the shielding gas nozzle in GTAW while it is recessed in the orifice gas nozzle
in PAW. Consequently, arc initiation cannot be achieved by striking the electrode tip against the work piece as in
GTAW. The control console allows a pilot arc to be initiated, with the help of a high-frequency generator, between
the electrode tip and the water-cooled orifice gas nozzle. The arc is then gradually transferred from between the
electrode tip and the orifice gas nozzle to between the electrode tip and the work piece.

Keyholing
In addition to the melt-in mode adopted in conventional arc welding processes (such as GTAW), the keyholing mode
can also be used in PAW in certain ranges of metal thickness (e.g., 2.56.4mm).With proper combinations of the
orifice gas flow, the travel speed, and the welding current, keyholing is possible. Keyholing is a positive indication
of full penetration and it allows the use of significantly higher welding speeds than GTAW.

Advantages
PAW is less sensitive to unintentional arc length variations during manual welding and thus requires less
operator skill than GTAW. The short arc length in GTAW can cause a welder to unintentionally touch the
weld pool with the electrode tip and contaminate the weld metal with tungsten.
the keyhole is a positive indication of full penetration, and it allows higher welding speeds to be used in
PAW.
Due to lower thermal density compared to laser welding for the same thickness plasma welding will have
wider HAZ and higher deformation. So PAW can be replaced with laser welding

Disadvantages
The PAW torch is more complicated. It requires proper electrode tip configuration and positioning,
selection of correct orifice size for the application, and setting of both orifice and shielding gas flow rates.
Because of the need for a control console, the equipment cost is higher in PAW than in GTAW.
 Energy Beam Welding
LASER BEAM WELDING
Laser beam welding (LBW) is a process that melts and joins metals by heating them with a laser beam. The laser
beam can be produced either by a solid- state laser or a gas laser. In either case, the laser beam can be focused and
directed by optical means to achieve high power densities. In a solid-state laser, a single crystal is doped with small
concentrations of transition elements or rare earth elements. For instance, in a YAG laser the crystal of yttrium
aluminumgarnet (YAG) is doped with neodymium. The electrons of the dopant element can be selectively excited
to higher energy levels upon exposure to high-intensity flash lamps, as shown in below Figure (a). Lasing occurs
when these excited electrons return to their normal energy state, as shown in Figure (b).The power level of solid-
state lasers has improved significantly, and continuous YAG lasers of 3 or even 5 kW have been developed.
In a CO2 laser, a gas mixture of CO2, N2, and He is continuously excited by electrodes connected to the power
supply and lases continuously.

Laser beam welding with solid-state laser: (a) process; (b) energy absorption and emission during laser action.

Higher power can be achieved by a CO2 laser than a solid-state laser, for instance, 15kW. Figure (a) below shows
LBW in the keyholing mode. Figure (b) shows a weld in a 13-mm-thick A633 steel made with a 15-kW CO2 laser at
20mm/s

Besides solid-state and gas lasers, semiconductor-based diode lasers have also been developed. Diode lasers of
2.5kW power and 1mm focus diameter have been demonstrated . While keyholing is not yet possible, conduction
mode (surface melting) welding has produced full-penetration welds with a depthwidth ratio of 3 : 1 or better in 3-
mm-thick sheets.

Laser beam welding with CO2 laser: (a) process; (b) weld in 13-mm-thick A633 steel
Reflectivity
The very high reflectivity of a laser beam by the metal surface is a well-known problem in LBW. As much as about
95% of the CO2 beam power can be reflected by a polished metal surface. Reflectivity is slightly lower with a YAG
laser beam. Surface modifications such as roughening, oxidizing, and coating can reduce reflectivity significantly.
Once keyholing is established, absorption is high because the beam is trapped inside the hole by internal reflection.

Shielding Gas
A plasma (an ionic gas) is produced during LBW, especially at high power levels, due to ionization by the laser
beam.T he plasma can absorb and scatter the laser beam and reduce the depth of penetration significantly. It is
therefore necessary to remove or suppress the plasma. The shielding gas for protecting the molten metal can be
directed sideways to blow and deflect the plasma away from the beam path. Helium is often preferred to argon as the
shielding gas for high-power LBW because of greater penetration depth

Since the ionization energy of helium (24.5 eV) is higher than that of argon (15.7 eV), helium is less likely to be
ionized and become part of the plasma than argon. However, helium is lighter than air and is thus less effective in
displacing air from the beam path. Helium10% Ar shielding has been found to improve penetration over pure He at
high-speed welding where a light shielding gas may not have enough time to displace air from the beam path

Advantages
LBW can produce deep and narrow welds at high welding speeds, with a narrow heat-affected zone and
little distortion of the workpiece.
It can be used for welding dissimilar metals or parts varying greatly in mass and size.

Unlike Electron Beam Welding, however, vacuum and x-ray shielding are not required in LBW.

Disadvantages
However, the very high reflectivity of a laser beam by the metal surface is a major drawback, as already
mentioned.
The equipment cost is very high, and precise joint fit-up and alignment are required.

Hybrid Laser Arc Welding

Hybrid laser-arc welding is a joining process simultaneously combining arc and laser welding in the same weld
pool. In theory, the beam from any welding laser source (CO 2 , Nd:YAG, diode, Yb fibre, Yb:YAG disk etc) can be
combined with any arc process (MIG/MAG, TIG, SAW, plasma). Typically, however, hybrid laser-MIG/MAG and
laser-TIG are the most common process combinations.

The hybrid process has the individual advantages of both welding processes. Deep penetration hybrid welds can be
made, comparable with the penetration depths achieved by laser welds, but at the same time having a tolerance to
joint fit-up and a weld cap profile more comparable with arc welds. Furthermore, arc welding consumables (and gas
mixtures) can be used, offering a degree of control over weld quality and properties than is possible with autogenous
laser welding.
In this process. welding speeds are 3-5 times higher than GMAW and up to ten times higher than Submerged Arc
Welding/SAW with heat input reduced by upto 80-90% operational savings can be expected of around 50%
compared to GMAW. Most importantly, the unique benefits of deep penetration and low distortion in HLAW

Advantages over Laser Welding and Arc Welding:

The lower heat input and distortion introduced when hybrid welding, when compared with MAG welding
or SAW, reduces the costs associated with distortion correction and rework.
Improved tolerance to joint fit-up: for example, hybrid welding can extend the tolerance to joint gap by a
factor of at least 2-3 times over laser welding, or greater, if real-time adaptive control of hybrid welding
parameters is carried out.
Improved weld quality: hot cracking (e.g. in some higher strength Al alloys) can be avoided, and internal
porosity content reduced, with respect to laser welds.
Increases in single pass penetration depth: this is controlled principally by the choice of laser and welding
parameters used, but single pass penetrations >6-12mm can be achieved using higher power (5kW) lasers.
Increases in welding speed: this is also dependent on the laser used and materials being welded, but speeds
of >5m/min can be possible in thinner materials.
The increases in penetration depth and/or welding speed, when compared with arc welding, are particularly
significant: the net heat input can be reduced, resulting in lower distortion, rendering hybrid welding of
particular interest for the making of long seam welds between plates or between sections, the welding on
attachments etc.

Comparison between various welding processes used in ship building

Process SMAW GTAW SAW GMAW FCAW Plasma Laser beam Hybrid laser

Thickness Less(5<mm) Less(<3mm) High Less Less Less(<6mm) Moderate(<13mm) Moderate(<20mm)

range in single (<25mm) (<10mm (<10mm
pass with with
multiple multiple
wire) wire)

Skill Less skill Very skilled Less skill Less skill Less skill Very skilled skilled skilled

Deposition rate low low Very High moderate moderate moderate Not applicable high

Ease of Cannot be Easily Easily Easily Easily Easily Easily automated Easily automated
automation automated automated automated automated automated automated

Heat input Low Low Very high Moderate Moderate High Low Low

Weld quality Moderate Very High Moderate High Moderate Moderate High High

Position all all Very all all all all all

limited (flat
position
only)

Joint tolerance No effect No effect Moderate No effect No effect High High Tolerance Moderate
Tolerance
Laser beam and Hybrid laser welding in Ship building
Though SAW is used to weld long plates in hull and bulk heads in some of the shipyards currently, the susceptibility
of solidification cracking and hot cracking is more when welding high thickness. High heat input in SAW leads to
high distortion. Also the Weld position is limited to flat position. Conventional arc welding methods and their
associated re-work have been estimated to constitute up to 20-30% of overall manufacturing costs.

The laser welding process offers many potential advantages over conventional arc welding technologies. The ability
to perform deep penetration welds with keyhole mode makes it possible to weld extremely thick substrates with a
single weld pass, thus presenting fewer opportunities for defects. The ability to weld thick sections in a single pass
can also have a substantial impact on the amount of required consumables and subsequent reduction in hazardous
emissions. The precisely controlled beam energy enables low heat input that can result in significantly reduced
distortion. Low heat can also lead to improved metallurgical microstructures in the heat-affected zone and
sometimes in the fusion zone, which can result in improvement to mechanical properties of direct interest to
designers, such as fatigue and formability. The precisely controlled heat and keyhole weld mode can also lead to
welding at speeds which are impossible with arc processes (up to 10 m/min).

Joint fit up, and therefore fixturing, is critical and gap must be limited or filler material must be added to ensure
adequate fusion. Fast cooling rates associated with high-speed laser welding can lead to centreline cracking, hot
cracking, liquation cracking, or formation of brittle and non-ductile solidification microstructures. Increased safety
concerns, especially with eye safety of Nd:YAG, fiber lasers, and direct diode lasers, leads to added implementation
complexity and cost. The safety issues also make it difficult to utilize laser welding technology in portable or
manual operations. The safety issues also make it difficult to utilize laser welding technology in portable or manual
operations.

While the application of laser beam welding requires an extremely accurate edge preparation (in the order of
magnitude of (0.5-mm gap), the development of hybrid processes which combine the benefits of arc and laser beam
welding, has led to a breakthrough of laser welding in shipyards. Hybrid processes, as compared to pure laser
welding, allow the handling of larger gap tolerances and further increase the welding speed (e.g., 3 to 4.5 m/minute
for a 5-mm butt joint). Butt joints of up to 15 mm can be performed in one single pass, and good metallurgical
properties of the joint lead to excellent structural performance.

While increased productivity is often the prime argument to justify investments in new joining techniques, the
quality of structural joints also has a significant impact on the structural performance and thus on safety and
efficiency of the ship. Recent investigations (e.g., Remes 2003, Remes et al 2003) have shown that laser hybrid
welding can improve the fatigue performance of joints by up to 30% as compared to arc welding. This allows for the
efficient production of lightweight structures composed from thinner sheets. New joining techniques also pave the
way for new design solutions. Highly mechanized laser and laser hybrid welding processes can be used to produce
tailor made structures similar to the widely used tailored blanks in the automotive industry.

Laser stake welding is an efficient technique for the fabrication of metallic sandwich panels, which offer a number
of superior properties, such as low weight at high stiffness and explosion resistance. The efficiency of new structural
and outfitting materials, such as aluminum alloys, high-tensile steels, and composites, significantly depends on the
availability of suitable joining techniques and in some cases foster the application of joining processes, which are
not commonly used in shipbuilding to date.
Limitations and scope of use
With the availability of high-power laser systems on the market and the knowledge gained from various research
projects over the last decades, from the technological point of view, laser welding today can be used for all
applications in the preassembly phase of shipbuilding. However, to make laser applications in shipbuilding
sustainable and economically successful, a number of factors need to be considered, which differ in the shipbuilding
industry from most other sectors:
Large structures, thick sections, and difficult accessibility limit the potential use of standard equipment and call for
adaptations.
Re-engineering of the entire shipbuilding process chain is often necessary to fully exploit the high productivity and
other specific benefits of laser material processing.
Lacking standard procedures so far has made a costly and time-consuming case-by-case approval of laser welding
in shipbuilding necessary.
An efficient use of any new technologies requires special skills and experiences in the shipyards, which are often
not available in particular for small and medium enterprises. Sharing of know-how and resources is required to
achieve a critical mass. Although those factors often present obstacles for the wider application of laser processing
in shipbuilding, it is the strong opinion of the authors that they can be overcome with the knowledge, technology,
and experiences available today.

Robotic welding

GMAW/ FCAW, laser welding and Hybrid laser welding can be readily used with robotic welding.

Welding robots

The advantage are

1. Reduction in setup times
2. Uniform quality of weld.
3. Access while welding assemblies
4. No guiding assembly required unlike mechanized welding
5. Consistency in weld quality
Drawbacks
1. Initial investment is large
2. Training of skilled personnel
3. Maintenance costs are higher.

Even with higher initial cost in long run ship yards can benefit from high productivity and quality .For instance
Goeje shipyard in south korea boasts the world's highest dock turnover rate, launching around 30 ships a year The
shipyard's efficiency is partly down to its world-leading automation rate, with 68% of its production processes
carried out by robotic systems. Intelligent systems used at the facility include inspection and pipe-cleaning robots, as
well as units for welding, one of the first shipbuilding operations to be automated.

Conclusion
Hybrid laserarc welding is noted as a promising joining process since it can compensate for the drawbacks or
weaknesses in laser welding and arc welding by utilizing both features. Though some of conventional welding
techniques like SMAW & GTAW cannot be replaced completely. The use of robotic welding especially with hybrid
laser welding can increase the productivity and Quality in ship building. The combination of GMAW and Laser
welding, HLAW creates a new method that is faster, cheaper, less distortion and can be applied everywhere

References

1. Welding Metallurgy, Second Edition. Sindo Kou,, 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

2. Journal of Ship Production, Vol. 20, No. 3, August 2004, pp. 200210, Advanced Joining Techniques in European Shipbuilding,
Frank Roland,* Luciano Manzon, Pentti Kujala, Markus Brede, and Jan Weitzenbock.

3. Welding Robots Technology, System Issues and Applications J. Norberto Pires, Altino Loureiro and Gunnar Blmsjo, Springer-
Verlag London Limited 2006

4. TWI Website http://www.twi-global.com/capabilities/joining-technologies/lasers/hybrid-laser-arc-welding/

5. Olsen, Flemming Ove. (2009). Hybrid Laser-Arc Welding. Woodhead Publishing.

6. http://www.ship-technology.com/features/feature-the-digital-shipyard-robotics-shipbuilding/