Lecture4

ArcWeldingPowerSources:
The main requirement of a power source is to deliver controllable current at a voltage according to the demands of the welding
processbeingused.Eachweldingprocesshasdistinctdifferencesfromoneanother,bothintheformofprocesscontrolsrequiredto
accomplishagivenoperatingconditionandtheconsequentdemandsonthepowersource.Therefore,arcweldingpowersources
areplayingveryimportantroleinwelding.Theconventionalweldingpowersourcesare:
PowerSourceSupply
PowerSource
(i)WeldingTransformer
(ii)WeldingRectifier
(iii)WeldingGenerators

Supply
AC
DC
ACorDC(Dependingongenerator)

Welding transformers, rectifiers and DC generators are being used in shop while engine coupled AC generators as well as
sometimes DC generators are used at site where line supply is not available. Normally rectifiers and transformers are preferred
because of low noise, higher efficiency and lower maintenance as compared to generators. Selection of power source is mainly
dependent on welding process and consumable. The open circuit voltage normally ranges between 7090 V in case of welding
transformerswhileincaseofrectifiersitis5080V.However,weldingvoltagesarelowerascomparedtoopencircuitvoltageofthe
powersource.
Basedonthestaticcharacteristicspowersourcescanbeclassifiedintwocategories
Constantcurrentordroopingorfallingcharacteristicpowersource.
Constantpotentialorconstantvoltageorflatcharacteristicpowersource.
Constantvoltagepowersourcedoesnothavetrueconstantvoltageoutput.Ithasaslightlydownwardornegativeslopebecauseof
sufficient internal electrical resistance and inductance in the welding circuit to cause a minor droop in the output volt ampere
characteristics.
Withconstantvoltagepowersupplythearcvoltageisestablishedbysettingtheoutputvoltageonthesource.Thepowersource
shallsupplynecessarycurrenttomelttheelectrodeattheraterequiredtomaintainthepresetvoltageorrelativearclength.The
speedofelectrodedriveisusedtocontroltheaverageweldingcurrent.Theuseofsuchpowersourceinconjunctionwithaconstant
electrodewirefeedresultsinaselfregulatingorselfadjustingarclengthsystem.Duetosomeinternalorexternalfluctuationifthe
change in welding current occurs, it will automatically increase or decrease the electrode melting rate to regain the desired arc
length.

Fig4.1:ConstantPotentialorConstantVoltageorFlatCharacteristic.

Fig4.2:DroopingorConstantcurrentorFallingCharacteristic.
Thevoltampereoutputcurvesforconstantcurrentpowersourcearecalleddrooper'becauseofsubstantialdownwardornegative
slopeofthecurves.Thepowersourcemayhaveopencircuitvoltageadjustmentinadditiontooutputcurrentcontrol.Achangein
either control will change the slope of the volt ampere curve. With a change in arc voltage, the change in current is small and,
therefore,withaconsumableelectrodeweldingprocess,electrodemeltingratewouldremainfairlyconstantwithachangeinarc
length.Thesepowersourcesarerequiredforprocessesusingrelativelythickerconsumableelectrodeswhichmaysometimesget
stubbedtoworkpieceorwithnonconsumabletungstenelectrodewhereduringtouchingofelectrodeforstartingofarcmayleadto
damageofelectrodeifcurrentisunlimited.Undertheseconditionstheshortcircuitingcurrentshallbelimitedleadingtosafetyof
powersourceandtheelectrode.
Somepowersourcesneedhighfrequencyunittostartthearc,whichmayberequirementofprocesseslikeTIGandplasmaarc.High
frequency unit is introduced in the welding circuit but in between the control circuit and HF unit, filters are required so that high
frequencymaynotflowthroughcontrolcircuitanddamageit.Highfrequencyunitisadevicewhichsupplieshighvoltageofthe
orderoffewKValongwithhighfrequencyoffewKHzwithlowcurrent.Thishighvoltageionizesthemediumbetweenelectrodeand
workpiece/nozzlestartingpilotarcwhichultimatelyleadstothestartofmainarc.Althoughhighvoltagemaybefatalfortheoperator
butwhenitisassociatedwithhighfrequenciesthencurrentdoesnotenterbodybutitcausesonlyskineffecti.e.currentpasses
throughtheskinofoperatorcausingnodamagetotheoperator.
DutyCycle:
Dutycycleistheratioofarcingtimetotheweldcycletimemultipliedby100.Weldingcycletimeiseither5minutesasperEuropean
standardsor10minutesasperAmericanstandardandaccordinglypowersourcesaredesigned.Itarcingtimeiscontinuously5
minutesthenasperEuropeanstandarditis100%dutycycleand50%asperAmericanstandard.At100%dutycycleminimum
currentistobedrawni.e.withthereductionofdutycyclecurrentdrawncanbeofhigherlevel.Theweldingcurrentwhichcanbe
drawnatadutycyclecanbeevaluatedfromthefollowingequation

Duty cycle and associated currents are important as it ensures that power source remains safe and its windings are not getting
damagedduetoincreaseintemperaturebeyondspecifiedlimit.Themaximumcurrentwhichcanbedrawnfromapowersource
dependsuponitssizeofwindingwire,typeofinsulationandcoolingsystemofthepowersource.
Table4.1:WeldingProcesses,TypeofCurrentandStaticCharacteristic
WeldingProcess

Typeof
Current

StaticCharacteristicofThe
PowerSource

ManualMetalArcWelding

ConstantCurrent

TungstenInertGasWelding

ConstantCurrent

PlasmaArcWelding

ConstantCurrent
ConstantCurrent(ifelectrode=
2.4mm)

SubmergedArcWelding
ConstantPotential(ifelectrode
=2.4mm)
GasMetalArcWelding/MetalInertGasWelding/Metal
ActiveGasWelding

ConstantPotential
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