History of Arc Welding

Arc welding dates back to the late 1800s

First developed following the invention of AC
electricity
Pioneered when a man was welding with a bare metal
rod on iron, the sparks from the welding caught a stack
of newspapers on fire near him and while welding, he
noticed that his welds started looking a lot better. The
reason for this was the smoke took the oxygen out of
his welding environment and decreased porosity.
What is Arc Welding?
The fusing of two or more pieces of
metal together by using the heat
produced from an electric arc welding
machine.
Basics of Arc Welding
The arc is struck between the electrode
and the metal. It then heats the metal
to a melting point. The electrode is
then removed, breaking the arc
between the electrode and the metal.
This allows the molten metal to
freeze or solidify.
How an arc is formed?
The arc is like a flame
of intense heat that is
generated as the
electrical current
passes through a
highly resistant air gap.
Welding Processes
SMAW (Shielded Metal Arc Welding)
GMAW (Gas Metal Arc Welding)
GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding)
Oxygen/ Fuel Welding
SMAW
Also referred to as Stick Welding
Used for everything from pipeline
welding, farm repair and complex
fabrication.
Uses a stick shaped electrode.
Can weld: steel, cast iron, stainless steel,
etc.
Examples of
SMAW Welds
GMAW
Also referred to as MIG welding
Uses a shield gas and a continuous wire
electrode
Used for all types of fabrication
Great for thin metals up to
Excellent speed of deposition
Used for metals such as: steel,
aluminum and stainless steel.
GMAW
Welds
MIG Welding Benefits
All position capability
Higher deposition rates than
SMAW
Less operator skill required
Long welds can be made without
starts and stops
Minimal post weld cleaning is
required
GTAW
Also referred to as TIG Welding
Uses a shield gas, a non-
consumable tungsten electrode and
a hand fed filler rod
Excellent for welding thin metals,
pipeline welding and exotic metals
Highly skilled labor needed for this
process
GTAW Welding Benefits
Superior quality welds
Welds can be made with or without
filler metal
Precise control of welding variables
(heat)
Free of spatter
Low distortion
Types of SMAW
Machines
AC Welding Machine
Most common
type found in
homes, farms,
etc.
Good for farm
repairs, light
jobs.
Low cost
DC Welding Machines
Often generator
type machines
Diesel or
gasoline engine
driven
Portable
Expensive
AC/DC Welders
Can weld in AC
or DC polarity
Less expensive
than DC
machine
Quieter than DC
machine
Oxygen/ Fuel Welding
Utilizes oxygen and a fuel gas to
heat metal until it is in a molten
state and fuse multiple pieces of
metal together. Can be used with or
without a filler rod.
Great for brazing dissimilar metals
together.
Older technology that can be
replaced by GTAW
Resistance Welding

Developed in the early 1900s

A process in which the heat required for welding is

produced by means of electrical resistance across the two
components

RW does not requiring the following:

Consumable electrodes
Shield gases
Flux
Resistance Spot Welding
RSW uses the tips of two opposing solid cylindrical electrodes

Pressure is applied to the lap joint until the current is turned off
in order to obtain a strong weld

Fig: (a) Sequence in the resistance spot welding

Resistance Spot Welding
Surfaces should be clean

Accurate control of and timing of electric current and of pressure are

essential in resistance welding

Fig: b)Cross-section of a spot weld,showing the

weld nugget and the indentation of the
electrode on the sheet surfaces.This is one
of the most commonly used process in
sheet-metal fabrication and in automotive-
body assembly
Resistance Seam Welding
RSEM is modification of spot welding wherein the electrodes are
replaced by rotating wheels or rollers
The electrically conducting rollers produce a spot weld

RSEM can produce a continuous seam & joint that is liquid and gas tight

Fig : (a) Seam-Welding Process in which rotating rolls act as electrode (b)
Overlapping spots in a seam weld. (c) Roll spot weld (d) Resistance-welded gasoline tank
Resistance Projection Welding

RPW is developed by
introducing high
electrical resistance at
a joint by embossing
one or more
projections on the
surface to be welded

Weld nuggets are

similar to spot
welding

Fig: a) Resistance projection Welding b)A welded bracket c) &

d) Projection welding of nuts r threaded hosses and stack
Resistance Projection Welding

The electrodes exert pressure to compress the

projections

Nuts and bolts can be welded to sheet and

plate by this process

Metal baskets, oven grills, and shopping carts

can be made by RPW
Flash Welding
Heat is generated from the arc as the ends as the two members
contacts
An axial force is applied at a controlled rate
Weld is formed in plastic deformation

Fig : (a)Flash-welding process for end-to end welding of solid rods or tubular parts
(b) & (c) Typical parts made by flash welding (d)Design Guidelines for flash welding
 Stud Welding
Small part or a threaded rod or hanger serves as a electrode
Also called as Stud arc welding
Prevent oxidation to concentrate the heat generation
Portable stud-welding is also available

Fig:The sequence of operation in stud welding,which is used for welding bars threaded rods and
various fasteners onto metal plates
Arc Welding
PPE