Electric Arc Welding

Introduction
Electric arc welding

A group of fusion welding processes that use an electric arc to produce the heat required for melting the metal. Advantages

Inexpensive power source Relatively inexpensive equipment Welders use standard domestic current. Portable equipment is available Process is fast and reliable Short learning curve Equipment can be used for multiple functions

Electric arc is about 9,000 oF

Introduction-cont.

All fusion welding process have thee requirements.

Heat Shielding Filler metal

The method used to meet these three requirements is the primary difference between arc welding processes.

Arc Welding Requirements

Filler Material Stick Electrode Wire Electrode

Process SMAW

Heat Electric Arc Electric Arc

Shielding Inert Gas (Flux) Inert Gas (Cylinder)

GMAW

Seven Additional Electric Arc Welding Processes

1.

FCAW

Flux Core Arc Welding Gas Tungsten Arc Welding Submerged Arc Welding Electroslag Welding Electrogas Welding Plasma Arc Welding Arc Stud Welding

2.

GTAW
SAW

3.

4.

ESW
EGW

5.

6.

PAW
ASW

7.

Safe Practices

Welders need protection from:

Arcs rays
Welding fumes Sparks Contact with hot metal

Arc Welding Power Supplies

The current for arc welder can be supplied by line current or by an alternator/generator.

The amount of heat is determined by the current flow (amps) The ease of starting and harshness of the arc is determined by the electrical potential (volts). Amperage Voltage Polarity High frequency current Wave form

Welding current adjustments can include:

Arc Welding Power Supplies--cont.

The type of current and the polarity of the welding current are one of the differences between arc welding processes.

SMAW GMAW GTAW

Constant current (CC), AC, DC+ or DCConstant voltage (CV) DC+ or DCConstant Current (CC) ), AC, DC+ or DC-

Twelve (12) Considerations When Selecting An Arc Welding Power Supply

1.
2. 3. 4.

Maximum Amperage
Duty cycle Amperage range Amperage adjustment mechanism Input power requirements Initial cost and operating cost Size and portability

8.

Future needs for a power supply

9.

Available skills

10. Safety 11. Manufacturer's support 12. Open circuit voltage

5.

6.

7.

Amperage Output & Duty cycle

The optimum output amperage is determined by the thickness of the metal, the type of joint, welding position and type of electrode. The amount of continuous welding time a power supply can be used is determined by the duty cycle of the power supply. Duty cycle may be 100%, but usually is less.
Duty cycle is based on a 10 minute interval. Many power supplies have a sloping duty cycle.

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Five Common Output Currents

1. AC (Alternating Current) 2. DC (Direct Current) 3. ACHF (Alternating Current-High Frequency) 4. PC (Pulsed Current) 5. Square wave

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Electric Arc Welding Electrical Terms

To understand how an electric arc welder works, you must understand the following thirteen electrical terms.
1.
2. 3.

Electrical Circuit
Direct current (DC) Alternating current (AC)

8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13.

Constant potential Constant current Voltage drop Open circuit voltage Arc voltage Polarity

4. 5. 6. 7.

Ampere

Volt
Resistance Ohms Law

12

Electrical Circuit

An electrical circuit is a complete path for electricity. Establishing an arc completes an electric circuit .

13

Alternating Current
Alternating current: The type of current where the flow of electrons reverses direction (polarity) at regular intervals.

Recommended current for SMAW general purpose electrodes and flat position.

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Direct Current

Direct current: The type of current where the flow of electrons (polarity) is in one direction. Controlling the polarity allows the welder to influence the location of the heat. When the electrode is positive (+) it will be slightly hotter than the base metal. When the base metal is positive (+), the base metal will be slightly hotter than the electrode. DC current is required for GMAW It is frequently used for SMAW

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Ampere

Amperes: the unit of measure for current flow. One ampere is equal to 6.241509481018 electrons passing by a point per second. Electricity passing through a resistance causes heat. An air gap is a high resistance

The greater the amperage flowing through the resistance (air gap)--the greater the heat. The electrode also has resistance. Excessive amperage for the diameter of the electrode (current density) over heats the electrode. Insufficient amperage for the diameter of electrode makes the electrode hard to start.

16

Voltage

Voltage is the amount of electromotive force.

Measured in units of volts

One (1) volt is defined as the potential difference across a conductor when a current of one ampere dissipates one watt of power.

The voltage at the electrode determines the ease of starting and the harshness of the arc. Voltage is adjustable in dual control SMAW machines. Changing the voltage adjusts a GMAW machine for different metal thickness. 17

Resistance

Def: that characteristic of a material that impedes the flow of an electrical current. Measured in units of Ohms ( ) When an electrical current passes through a resistance heat is produced. The amount of heat produced is a function of the amount of resistance (Ohms) and the amount of current (amps).
Is the resistance adjustable in the SMAW process?

18

Ohms Law

Ohm's law states that, in an electrical circuit, the current passing through a material is directly proportional to the potential difference. Commonly expressed as: Ohms law also be used to teach a principle of electrical safety.

V=IR
V I= R
19

Amperage is the harmful portion of electrical current. Rearranging Ohms Law for amperage shows that amperage (current flow) is determined by the voltage divided by the resistance. The higher the resistance, the less current that will flow for a given voltage.

Constant Current

In the normal operation of a transformer as amperage is increased, the voltage decreases, and vies versa. Electrical arc welding power supplies are constructed so that either the voltage or the amperage is relatively constant as the other factor changes.
Constant current Constant potential

This allows two different types of power supplies:

In a constant current power supply, the current (amperage) stays relatively constant when the voltage is changed.
GMAW

In a constant potential power supply, the voltage stays relatively constant when the amperage is changed.
SMAW

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Constant Current--cont.
Characteristics of constant current power supply.
The machine provides a high voltage for striking the arc.
Open circuit voltage (OCV) OCV is not adjustable for most machines

When the arc is struck the voltage drops to the welding voltage.
Arc voltage

Arc voltage varies with the arc length.

As the welding proceeds the current will not vary much as the arc length changes.

21

Constant Current-cont.
Increasing the voltage from 20 to 25 volts (25%) only decreases the amperage from 113 to 120 Amp (5.8%).

22

Constant Potential

The constant potential power supply is modified to produce a relatively constant voltage as the amperage changes.
80 70 60 50

Volts

40 30 20 10 0 0 50 100 A nperes 150 200 250

Characteristic of GMAW power supplies.

23

Voltage Drop

Voltage drop is the reduction in voltage in an electrical circuit between the source and the load.

Primary cause is resistance.

When an excessive voltage drop exists, the electrical circuit will not perform as designed.

Localized resistance (connection) can cause excessive heat. Excessive heat can cause component failure.

When extra long welding leads are used, the amperage must be increased to have the same heat at the weld.

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Joints, Welds & Positions

Electric arc welding uses five (5) types of joints and five (5) types of welds and five (5) positions. Five (5) joints:

Corner

Butt
Lap

Edge

25

Joints, Welds & Positions Five types of welds

1. 2.

3.
4. 5.

Surface Groove Fillet Plug Slot

26

1. Surface Welds
Surface welds are welds were a material has been applied to the surface of another material. May or may not be blended with the work piece.

Two common applications are for hard surfacing and padding.

27

2. Groove Welds
Groove welds are used to fuse the sides or ends of two pieces of metal.
The primary use of groove welds is to complete butt joints.

28

3. Fillet Welds
Fillet welds have a triangular cross section and are used to fuse two faces of metal that are at a 90 degree angle to each other.

Lap Joint Outside Corner T Joint

29

4. Plug Welds

Plug welds are used to attach two surfaces together when a complete joint is not required and the design does not allow for any weld bead outside the dimensions of the metal.
The weld is completed by establishing the arc on the bottom plate and then continuing to weld until the hole is full.

The holes can be made with a drill bit or punch.

30

5. Slot Welds

Slot welds are identical to plug welds except for the shape of the holes. For slot welds, slots are machined or stamped in the upper plate.

They are complete the same as plug welds.

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Joints, Welds & Positions Arc Welding Positions

Flat

Horizontal

Vertical Up

Vertical Down

Overhead

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Weld Nomenclature

Penetration

Bead

Base metal Joint Angle Reinforcement Bead

Root Face Root Opening

Excessive Penetration

33

Weld Nomenclature-cont.

Reinforcement Toe Face Throat

Leg

Toe

Root

Leg

34

Weld Nomenclature-cont.

In multiple pass welds, each pass has a specific function. Cover Pass Filler Pass Root Pass A tack weld is used to hold the joint at the desired gap.
If it is not used, the heat of the weld will cause the joint to close.

The root pass is used to fuse the root of the weld.

If the root pass does not have adequate penetration, it must be cut or gouged out before the weld is completed.

Tack Weld

The filler pass is used to fill in the joint.

A pattern bead or multiple stringer beads will be used. The cover pass isnt used for strength. It is used for appearance and to fill in surface voids.

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Bead Patterns
Pattern beads are used whenever a wider bead is needed.

Hardsurfacing Filler pass Cover pass Reduce penetration Circle Crescent Figure 8

Common patterns:

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Weld Defects

A weld defect is any physical characteristic in the completed weld that reduces the strength and/or affects the appearance of the weld. The mark of a good welder is the ability to identify weld defects and know their cause(s). Some weld defects are visible, but many are not. Defects that are not visible must be detect by using destructive or nondestructive testing. If the defects in a weld exceed the specifications, the weld must be removed and redone. Welds are removed by grinding, gouging and cutting. Correcting a weld is time consuming and expensive -- you must be able to complete the weld correctly the first time.

37

Common Defects and Causes

Description The depth of the weld is less than specifications.
The weld metal is not completely fused to base metal or passes are not completely fused.

Cause(s)
Excessive heat Excessive speed.

Incorrect angle Incorrect manipulation Insufficient heat

Weld material flows over, but is not fused with the base metal.

Slow speed

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Common Defects and Causes-cont.

Description
Weld material does not extend completely through the base metal

Cause(s)
Low heat Long arc Incorrect joint design

Small indentions in the Excessive gas in the surface of the weld weld zone.
Moisture Rust Dirt

Small voids throughout the weld material.

Accelerated cooling

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Common Defects and Causes-cont.

Description Usually visible cracks on the surface or through the weld
Cracks in the transition zone between the weld and base metal

Cause(s)
Accelerated cooling Constrained joint Small weld volume

Induced hydrogen Incompatible electrode or wire Accelerated cooling

Misshapen and/or uneven ripples

Irregular speed Incorrect manipulation Incorrect welder settings

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Arc Welding Processes

Lesson Objectives When you finish this lesson you will understand: The similarities and difference between some of the various arc welding processes Flux and gas shielding methods Advantages and disadvantages of the arc welding processes Need to select between the processes

Keywords Welding Flux, Inert Shielding Gas, Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW), Metal Transfer Mode, Flux Cored Arc Welding FCAW), Submerged Arc Welding (SAW),

Linnert, Welding Metallurgy, AWS, 1994

Arc Welding Processes

Welding processes that employ an electric arc are the most prevalent in industry

Shielded Metal Arc Welding Gas Metal Arc Welding Flux Cored Arc Welding Submerged Arc Welding Gas Tungsten Arc Welding

Electric Arc

These processes are associated with molten metal

Linnert, Welding Metallurgy, AWS, 1994

Protection of the Molten Weld Pool

Molten metal reacts with the atmosphere

Oxides and nitrides are formed Discontinuities such as porosity Poor weld metal properties

All arc welding processes employ some means of shielding the molten weld pool from the air

Welding Flux

Three forms

Granular Electrode wire coating Electrode core

Fluxes melt to form a protective slag over the weld pool Other purposes

Contain scavenger elements to purify weld metal Contain metal powder added to increase deposition rate Add alloy elements to weld metal Decompose to form a shielding gas

Shielding Gas

Shielding gas forms a protective atmosphere over the molten weld pool to prevent contamination Inert shielding gases, argon or helium, keep out oxygen, nitrogen, and other gases Active gases, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide, are sometimes added to improve variables such as arc stability and spatter reduction

Argon

Helium

Oxygen

Carbon Dioxide

What would happen if there was no flux on the wire to decompose into gas or no inert shielding gas was provided? What would the weld metal look like?

Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)

SMAW Electrode Classification Example

E7018

E indicates electrode 70 indicates 70,000 psi tensile strength 1 indicates use for welding in all positions 8 indicates low hydrogen

E7018-A1-H8R

ANSI/AWS - 5.1 : Specification for Covered Carbon Steel ANSI/AWS - 5.5 : Specification for Low Alloy Steel ANSI/AWS - 5.4 : Specification for Corrosion Resistant Steel

AWS Website: http://www.aws.org

Coating Materials -Partial List

Arc Stabilizers Titania TiO2 Gas-Forming Materials Wood Pulp Limestone CaCO3 Slag-Forming Materials Alumina Al2O3 TiO2 SiO2 Fe3O4 Slipping Agents to Aid Extrusion Clay Talc Glycerin Binding Agents Sodium Silicate Asbestos Starch Sugar Alloying and Deoxidizing Elements Si, Al, Ti, Mn, Ni, Cr

Linnert, Welding Metallurgy AWS, 1994

Linnert, Welding Metallurgy AWS, 1994

Shielded Metal Arc Welding

SMAW Advantages

Easily implemented Inexpensive Flexible Not as sensitive to part fit-up variances

Advantages

Equipment relatively easy to use, inexpensive, portable Filler metal and means for protecting the weld puddle are provided by the covered electrode Less sensitive to drafts, dirty parts, poor fit-up Can be used on carbon steels, low alloy steels, stainless steels, cast irons, copper, nickel, aluminum

Shielded Metal Arc Welding

Quality Issues

Discontinuities associated with manual welding process that utilize flux for pool shielding

Slag inclusions Lack of fusion

Other possible effects on quality are porosity, and hydrogen cracking

Shileded Metal Arc Welding

Limitations

Low Deposition Rates Low Productivity Operator Dependent

Other Limitations

Heat of welding too high for lead, tin, zinc, and their alloys Inadequate weld pool shielding for reactive metals such as titanium, zirconium, tantalum, columbium

Wood (cellulose) and limestone are added to the coating on SMAW Electrodes for gas shielding. What gases might be formed? How do these gases shield?

Gas Metal Arc Welding

Gas Metal Arc Welding

Gas Metal Arc Welding

GMAW Modes of Metal Transfer

Spray Globular

Short Circuiting

Pulsed Spray

Gas Metal Arc Welding

GMAW Filler Metal Designations

ER - 70S - 6
Electrode Rod (can be used with GMAW)

Composition 6 = high silicon Solid Electrode Minimum ultimate tensile strength of the weld metal

AWS Specifications for GMAW Wire

AWS A5.18 - Carbon Steel Electrodes AWS A5.28 - Low Alloy Steel Electrodes

Gas Metal Arc Welding

Shielding Gas

Shielding gas can affect

Ar

Ar-He

He

CO2

Weld bead shape Arc heat, stability, and starting Surface tension Drop size Puddle flow Spatter

Gas Metal Arc Welding

GMAW Advantages

Deposition rates higher than SMAW Productivity higher than SMAW with no slag removal and continuous welding Easily automated

Gas Metal Arc Welding

Quality

Spatter

Droplets of electrode material that land outside the weld fusion area and may or may not fuse to the base material Small volumes of entrapped gas in solidifying weld metal

Porosity

Gas Metal Arc Welding

Limitations

Equipment is more expensive and complex than SMAW Process variants/metal transfer mechanisms make the process more complex and the process window more difficult to control Restricted access

GMAW gun is larger than SMAW holder

When comparing processes that have spray and globular metal transfer, which type of transfer mode do you thnk results in more spatter? Why?

Flux-Cored Arc Welding

Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW)

Linnert, Welding Metallurgy, AWS, 1994

Flux-Cored Arc Welding

FCAW Electrode Classification

E70 T - 1
Electrode Minimum UTS 70,000 psi Position Type Gas, Usability and Performance Flux Cored /Tubular Electrode

American Welding Society Specification AWS A5.20 and AWS A5.29.

Linnert, Welding Metallurgy AWS, 1994

Flux-Cored Arc Welding

Advantages

High deposition rates Deeper penetration than SMAW High-quality Less pre-cleaning than GMAW Slag covering helps with larger out-of-position welds Self-shielded FCAW is draft tolerant.

Flux-Cored Arc Welding

Limitations

Slag must be removed More smoke and fumes than GMAW and SAW Spatter FCAW wire is more expensive Equipment is more expensive and complex than for SMAW

What do you suppose would happen if the powder inside the core did not get compacted good?

Submerged Arc Welding

Submerged Arc Welding

Submerged Arc Welding

Advantages

High deposition rates No arc flash or glare Minimal smoke and fumes Flux and wire added separately - extra dimension of control Easily automated Joints can be prepared with narrow grooves Can be used to weld carbon steels, low alloy steels, stainless steels, chromiummolybdenum steels, nickel base alloys

Submerged Arc Welding

Limitations

Flux obstructs view of joint during welding Flux is subject to contamination porosity Normally not suitable for thin material Restricted to the flat position for grooves - flat and horizontal for fillets Slag removal required Flux handling equipment