Manufacturing

Process I

LECTURE 2: ARC WELDING PROCESS

Arc
Welding

Arc welding is a group of welding processes wherein coalescence is produced by

heating with electric arc, mostly without the application of pressure and with or
without the use of filler metal depending upon the base plate thickness.
In Electric Arc Welding a sustained arc provides the heat required for melting the
parent as well as filler material.

Carbon Arc
Welding (CAW)

The carbon arc welding (CAW) process is the oldest of all the arc welding
processes and is considered to be the beginning of arc welding. The Welding
Society defines carbon arc welding as "an arc welding process which
produces coalescence of metals by heating them with an arc between a
carbon electrode and the work-piece. No shielding is used. Pressure and
filler metal may or may not be used." It has limited applications today, but a
variation or twin carbon arc welding is more popular.

Joint Welded by Arc

Welding

Carbon Arc Welding:

Principles of operation

The workpiece and the electrode are connected to the two materials of the power
source. The arc is started by momentarily touching the electrode on to the
workpiece and then withdrawing it to a short distance (a few mm) from the
workpiece.
When the electrode and workpiece are in contact, current flows and when they are
separated an arc is generated and the current continues to flow.
The arc is generated by the electrons liberated form cathode and moving towards
anode. The arc changes electrical energy into heat and light.

About 70% of the heat liberated due to striking of electrons at

anode raises the anode temperature to a very high values
(5,000 to 30,000oC). This heat melts the base metal as well
as tip of the electrode in the area surrounding the arc.

A weld is formed when the mixture of molten base and electrode

metal solidifies in the weld area.

Since 70% heat is generated at anode a workpiece connected to

anode will melt 50% faster as compared to if connected
with cathode. This is why work piece is usually made
positive and electrode as negative and is termed as
straight polarity.

Carbon Arc
Welding
Advantages

Heat input to the workpiece can be easily controlled by

changing the arc length.

Process can be easily mechanized.

Process is simple and good welding skill can be acquired in

short time.

Total welding cost is less as compared to other welding

processes.

Equipment required for carbon arc welding is simple and easily

available.
Disadvantages

There are chances of carbon being transferred from electrode to

weld metal, thus causing a harder weld deposit in case of
ferrous materials.

In the absence of proper electrode geometry and in confined

spaces arc blow results which gives poor welds with blow holes
and porosity.

A separate filler metal is needed; which (when used) slows

down the welding speed.
Applications

Carbon arc welding process can be used for welding steel,

aluminium, nickel, copper and a good number of other alloys.

Shielded
Metal
Welding (SMAW)

Arc

Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW), is a manual arc welding

process that uses a consumable electrode coated in flux to lay
the weld. An electric current, in the form of either alternating
current (AC) or direct current (DC) from a welding power supply,
is used to form an electric arc between the electrode and the
metals to be joined.

Shielded
Metal
Welding (SMAW)

Arc

Arc temperature and thus the arc heat can be increased or decreased. A
high current arc and smaller arc length produces a very intense heat.
Consumable electrodes usually have a coating on its outer surface which
on melting release gases like hydrogen or carbon dioxide to form a
protective covering around the molten pool.
The electrode coating also reacts to form slag which is a liquid, lighter
than the molten metal.
The slag therefore rises to the surface and on solidification
forms a protective covering over the hot metal.
This also slows down the rate of cooling of the weld. The
slag layer can be removed by light chipping.
More than 50% industrial arc welding is done by this
method.

Shielded
Metal
Welding (SMAW)

Arc

Advantages

The equipment can be portable and the cost is fairly low.

Welding can be carried out in any position with highest weld

quality.

Joints which because of their position are difficult to be welded

by automatic welding machines are easily accomplished by flux
shielded metal arc welding.
Disadvantages

Because of the limited length of each electrode and brittle flux

coating on it mechanization is difficult.

In welding long joints (e.g., in pressure vessels), as one

electrode finishes, the weld is to be progressed with the next
electrode. Unless properly cared, a defect (like slag inclusion or
insufficient penetration) may occur at the place where welding
is restarted with the new electrode.

The process uses stick electrodes and thus it is slower as

compared to M1G welding.
Applications

Almost all the commonly employed metals and their alloys can
be welded by this process.

SMAW is used both as a fabrication process and for

maintenance and repair jobs.

Submerged
Arc Welding
For continuous arc welding operations, the consumables electrode is bare
wire in the form of a coil and the flux is fed into the welding zone, or the
weld area is covered by an inert gas. In Submerged Arc Welding the base
electrode is shielded by granular flux consisting of silica, lime, manganese
oxide, calcium fluoride and other compounds supplied from a hopper.

Submerged
Arc Welding

Submerged
Arc Welding
Advantages

Because of high heat concentration, considerably higher speeds

can be used.

Welding is carried out without sparks, smoke, flash or spatter.

It can be used for welding in exposed area.

Disadvantages

Since the operator cannot see the welding being carried out, he
cannot judge accurately the progress of welding.

The process is limited to weld in flat positions

Applications

Automotive, aviation, ship-building and nuclear power industry.

Rebuilding of worn out part.

For welding metals like mild steel.

Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)

or Gas
MIGMetal
Welding
Arc Welding is frequently referred to as MIG welding.

MIG welding is
a commonly used high deposition rate welding process. Wire is continuously
fed from a spool. MIG welding is therefore referred to as a semiautomatic
welding process.
Principle of Operation
Before igniting the arc, gas and water flow is
checked. Proper current and wire feed speed is
set and the electrical connections are ensured.
The arc is struck by any one of the two methods.
In the first method current and shielding gas
flow is switched on and the electrode is
scratched against the job as usual practice for
striking the arc. In the second method,
electrode is made to touch the job, is retracted
and then moved forward to carry out welding;
but. before striking the arc, shielding gas, water
and current is switched on. About 15 mm length
of the electrode is projected from the torch
before striking the arc. During welding, torch
remains about 10-12 mm the job and length is
kept between 1.5 to 4 mm. Arc length is
maintained constant by using the principles of
self-adjusted arc, and self-controlled arc in
semi-automatic (manually operated) and
automatic welding sets respectively.

Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) or

Metal Inert Gas (MIG) Welding

MIG Welding
Advantages
Because of continuously fed electrode, MIG welding process is much faster as
compared to TIG
Thick and thin, both types of workpieces can be welded effectively
Large metal deposition rates are achieved by MIG welding process
The process can be easily mechanized
No flux is used. MIG welding produces smooth, neat, clean, and spatter free
welded surfaces, which require no further cleaning AND reducing welding
cost.
Disadvantages
The process is slightly more complex as compared to TIG because a number
of variables (like electrode stick out, torch angle, welding parameters, type
and size of electrode, welding torch manipulation, etc.) are required to be
controlled effectively to achieve good results.
Welding equipment is more complex, more costly and less portable
Since air drafts may disperse the shielding gas, MIG welding may not work
well in outdoor welding applications
Applications
The process can be used for welding of carbon and low alloy steels, stainless
steels, aluminum, magnesium, copper, nickel, and their alloys, titanium, etc.
For welding tool steels and dies, For the manufacture of refrigerator parts
MIG welding has been used successfully in industries like aircraft, automobile,

Shielding Gas
The shielding gas, forms the arc plasma, stabilizes the arc on the metal
being welded, shields the arc and molten weld pool, and allows smooth
transfer of metal from the weld wire to the molten weld pool. There are
three primary metal transfer modes:
Spray transfer
Globular transfer
Short circuiting transfer
The primary shielding gasses used are:
Argon
Argon - 1 to 5% Oxygen
Argon - 3 to 25% CO2
Argon/Helium
CO2 is also used in its pure form in some MIG welding
processes.However, in some applications the presence of CO2 in the
shielding gas may adversely affect the mechanical properties of the
weld.

Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) Welding

Heating the job with an
electric
arc
struck
between
a
tungsten
electrode and the job
A shielding gas is used
to avoid atmospheric
contamination
of
the
molten weld pool. (Like
MIG Welding)
A Welding

filler metal current,

may be
water
inert gas
added, and
if required

supply are turned on

The arc is struck
either by touching the
electrode with a scrap
metal tungsten piece or
using a high frequency
unit

Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) Welding

Advantages
No flux is used, hence there is no danger of flux entrapment when welding
refrigerator and air conditioner components
Clear visibility of the arc and the job, the operator can exercise a better control
on the welding process
TIG welding is very much suitable for high quality welding of thin materials (as
thin as 0.125 mm)
It is a very good process for welding nonferrous metals (aluminium etc.) and
stainless steel
Disadvantages
MIG welding is a much faster process as compared to TIG welding, since. TIG
welding requires a separate filler rod
Tungsten if it transfers to molten weld pool can contaminate the same.
Tungsten inclusion is hard and brittle
Filler rod end if it by chance comes out of the inert gas shield can cause weld
metal contamination
Equipment costs are higher than that for flux shielded metal arc welding
Applications
Welding aluminium, magnesium, copper, nickel and their alloys, carbon, alloy
or stainless steels, inconel, high temperature and hard surfacing alloys like
zirconium, titanium etc.
Welding sheet metal and thinner sections
Precision welding in atomic energy, aircraft, chemical and instrument
industries