Welding Processes

SMAW

GTAW

GMAW

FCAW

SAW
 Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)
• Manual arc welding Electrode
– Heat for welding generated 1
by electric arc established Travel direction
between flux-covered
consumable metal rod
(electrode) and work Shielding Gas
– Heat of arc melts electrode 4
and surface of base metal
– Tiny globules of molten
metal form on tip of electrode Slag
6 Slag
and transferred by arc into 6
molten pool on work surface
• Combustion and decomposition Weld Puddle 3
of electrode creates gaseous 3 Weld Puddle Arc
2
shield 2 Arc
– Protects electrode tip, weld
puddle, arc, and highly 5 Solidified Weld Metal
heated work from
atmospheric contamination 5 Solidified Weld Metal
• Additional shielding
provided by covering of
molten slag (flux)
Play
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 1- The Electrode
• Is a consumable - it gets melted during the
welding process
• Is composed of two parts
– Core Rod (Metal Filler)
 Carries welding current
 Becomes part of the weld
– Flux Coating
 Produces a shielding gas
 Can provide additional filler
 Forms a slag

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

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6
 Striking an Arc
• To begin the SMAW Process, you must first strike an arc. This
can be done using one of the following techniques:
– Scratch start – scratch the electrode on the base metal like
a match
– Tap Start – tap the rod against the base metal

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 2-Shielding Gas

• A shielding gas is formed

when the flux coating Shielding Gas
4
melts.
• This protects the electrode
tip, weld puddle, arc, and 3
2
highly heated work piece
from atmospheric
contamination during the
molten state.

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 3- Solidified Weld Metal

• As the molten weld puddle solidifies, it forms a joint or

connection between two pieces of base material
• When done properly on steel, it results in a weld stronger
than the surrounding base metal.

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 4- Slag
• Slag is a combination of the
flux coating and impurities
from the base metal that float
to the surface of the weld.
• Slag quickly solidifies to form
a solid coating.
• The slag also slows the
cooling rate of the weld This welder chips the slag
• The slag can be chipped off of a weld during the
away and cleaned with a wire repair of railroad tracks
brush when hard.
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 SMAW Process Variables
• Settings on the machine
– Polarity : AC, DC+,
DC-
– Amperage Output
• Operator Controlled
Variables
– Work Angle
– Travel Angle
– Arc Length
– Travel Speed A straight AC machine will not have
a polarity switch like this AC/DC
machine 11
 Work Angle
• The work angle is the angle
between the electrode and
the work piece

• Work angles can vary

90°
depending on the position the
weld is being made in

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Travel Angle
• Also commonly called
Lead Angle
• The travel (lead) angle
is the angle between
the electrode and the
plane perpendicular to
the weld axis

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 Arc Length
– If the arc length becomes too short, the electrode
will get stuck to the workpiece or ‘short out’

– If the arc length becomes too long; spatter,

undercut, and porosity can occur

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 Travel Speed
• The travel speed is the
speed at which the End of Weld
electrode moves along the
base material while
welding
• The travel speed impacts
the shape of the bead.

– Too fast of a travel speed

results in a ropey or convex
weld
– Too slow of a travel speed
results in a wide weld with
an excessive metal deposit
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 Filling the Crater
• At the end of the weld, the operator breaks the arc
which creates a ‘crater’
• Use a short pause or slight back step at the end of
the weld to fill the crater
• Large craters can cause weld cracking

Back stepping is a short

move in the opposite
direction of weld travel

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 Restarting a Bead

• Here is the proper technique for restarting a weld:

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 Welding Power Sources
• Also known as power supplies and welding machines
• Two classifications
– Output slope
• Whether constant current or constant voltage

– Power source type

• Transformer: AC
• Transformer-rectifier: AC/DC
• Inverter: DC
• Generator: AC, DC, AC/DC

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 Output Slope
• Each arc welding process
has characteristic output
slope:

– SMAW and GTAW require

steep output slope from
constant current welding
machine
– GMAW and FCAW require
relatively flat output slope
from constant voltage
power source
– SAW adaptable to either Typical output slope
slop
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 Constant Current Welding Machines
• Constant current welding
machines:
– Steep output slope
– Available in both d.c. and a.c.
welding current
• Current remains fairly constant
regardless of changes in arc
length
• Enables welder to control
welding current in specific
range by changing length of arc
• Steeper the slope, the smaller
current change
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 Duty Cycle
• 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.
• Note in the picture there is a circle
around the 75 amp setting. Why is it
there?
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 SMAW
Advantages Limitations
• Equipment less complex, • Lower consumable
more portable and less efficiency
costly
• Can be done indoors or
• Difficult to weld very thin
outdoors, in any location materials
and any position • Frequent restarts
• Electrodes available to
match properties and
strength of most base
metals
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 Process Capability
• Shielded metal arc welding one of most used
of various electric arc welding processes
9% 2%

13% SMAW
42% GMAW/FCAW
GTAW
SAW
Others

34%
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GTAW

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 GTAW Definition
• GTAW stands for Gas
Tungsten Arc Welding
• GTAW is also known as TIG
(Tungsten Inert Gas).
► non-consumable tungsten
electrode
► Filler metal, when required,
is added by hand
► Shielding gas (mostly Argon)
protects the weld and
tungsten from atmospheric
contaminants

Play 25
• welding power source.
• Shielding gas cylinders or The GTAW Station
facilities to handle liquid
gases.
• A shielding gas regulator.
• A gas flowmeter.
• Shielding gas hoses and
fittings.
• Electrode lead, workpiece
lead, and hoses.
• A welding torch (electrode
holder).
• Tungsten electrodes.
• Welding rods.
• Optional accessories.
A water cooling system with hoses for heavy duty welding operations. 26
 Power Source for GTAW
• Welding power sources for GTAW can be (ac), (dc), or
(ac/dc) in one machine.
– Your choice of a GTAW power source is driven by
the type and thickness of the material you will weld.
This will determine whether you require a machine
for all weldable metals except Aluminum and
Magnesium (DC) or one that is for all weldable
metals (AC/DC).
• The most popular arc welding power source is the
transformer-rectifier type.

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 Preparation for TIG Welding
Cleaning

►Oil, grease, shop dirt, paint, and rust or corrosion deposits

must be removed from the joint and metal surfaces to a
distance beyond the heat affected zone
►Their presence may lead to arc instability and contaminated
welds

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 Arc Starting with high Frequency
• Torch position shows recommended method of
starting the arc with high frequency when the torch is
held manually
• By resting gas cup on base metal there is little danger
of touching the electrode to the work
• After arc is initiated, torch can be raised to proper
welding angle

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Arc Length

► Arc length normally one electrode diameter, when AC

welding with a balled end electrode
► When DC welding with a pointed electrode, arc length
may be much less than electrode diameter

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31
GTAW Shielding Gases

 Argon
 Helium
 Argon/Helium Mixtures

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 GTAW Shielding Gases
Argon Helium
►Good arc starting ►Faster travel speeds
►Good cleaning action ►Increased penetration
►Difficult arc starting
►Good arc stability
►Less cleaning action
►Focused arc cone
►Flared arc cone
►Lower arc voltages ►Higher arc voltages
►10-30 CFH flow rates ►Higher flow rates (2x)
►Higher cost than argon

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 GTAW Shielding Gases
Argon/Helium Mixtures
►Improved travel speeds over pure argon
►Improved penetration over pure argon
►Cleaning properties closer to pure argon
►Improved arc starting over pure helium
►Improved arc stability over pure helium
►Arc cone shape more focused than pure helium
►Arc voltages between pure argon and pure
helium
►Higher flow rates than pure argon
►Costs higher than pure argon 34
Effects of Polarity

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 Advantages
► Welds more metals and metal alloys than any other process
► Superior quality welds, generally free from porosity, or other
defects
► Precise control of arc and fusion characteristics
► Used with or without filler wire
► Easily automated
► Used in all positions
► Aesthetic weld beads
► No sparks or spatter
► No flux or slag
► No smoke or fumes
► Deep penetration.

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 Disadvantages
► Lowest deposition rate of all arc processes
► Higher operator skill Required (Good hand-
eye coordination a required skill)
► Brighter UV rays than other processes
► Slower travel speeds than other processes
► Equipment costs tend to be higher than other
processes
► Tungsten inclusions
► Less economical than consumable electrode
processes for sections thicker than 3/8 inch
► Sensitive to drafts

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GMAW

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Problems with SMAW :
 Current restriction
 Need to change electrodes
(Both these → low welding productivity)
Defects in stop-start positions

Hence need to develop techniques for

continuous welding

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GMAW Definition
• GMAW stands for Gas Metal Arc
Welding
• GMAW is also known as MIG/MAG.
• GMAW is defined as arc welding
using a continuously fed
consumable electrode and a
shielding gas.
• During the GMAW process, a solid
metal wire is fed through a welding
gun and becomes the filler
material
• Instead of a flux, a shielding gas is
used to protect the molten puddle
from the atmosphere which results
in a weld without slag.
• Shielding gas flows through the
gun and out the nozzle
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 GMAW Circuit
• Current flows from the power source through the gun cable, gun, contact tip
to the wire and across the arc. On the other side of the arc, current flows
through the base metal to the work cable and back to the power source.

Play

41
 1 – Wire Electrode

• A GMAW electrode is:

– A metal wire
– Fed through the gun by
the wire feeder
– Measured by its diameter

GMAW electrodes are commonly

packaged on spools, reels and
coils ranging from 1lb to 1000lbs

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 2- Shielding Gas

• Shielding gas is usually

CO2, argon, or a
mixture of both

• Argon MIG

• CO2 CO2

• Argon & CO2 MAG The gauges on the regulator

show gas flow rate and bottle
pressure
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 Shielding Gas
• Shielding gas can
affect:
– Weld bead shape
– Arc heat, stability,
and starting
Ar Ar-He
He
CO2 – Drop size
– Puddle flow
– Spatter

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 Shielding Gas
• Carbon dioxide (CO2) has following
advantages:
– Low cost
– High density, resulting in low flow rates

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 3- Solidified Weld Metal

• The welder “lays a

bead” of molten metal
that quickly solidifies
into a weld
• The resulting weld is
slag free

An aluminum weld done with the

GMAW process

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 GMAW Equipment Set Up
1. Select electrode
a. Type
b. Diameter
2. Select shielding gas
3. Adjust gas flow rate
4. power supply
5. Adjust machine output
a. Wire feed speed
b. Voltage
Why would GMAW be a better choice
than SMAW for this job?
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GMAW Process Variables
• Welding variables
– Wire Feed Speed (WFS)
– Voltage
• Operator controlled variables
– Travel speed
– Gun angles
– Contact tip to work distance (CTWD)
– Gas flow rate

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 Arc Length
• Constant voltage welding machine used for GMAW
provides for self-adjustment of arc length
– Arc length shortened, arc voltage reduced
– Arc length lengthened, arc voltage increased
• No change in wire-feed speed occurs
• Corrected by automatic increase or decrease of
burnoff rate of filler wire
• Welder has complete control of welding current and
arc length by setting wire-feed speed on wire feeder
and voltage on welding machine

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Advantages of GMAW
• Deposition rates higher than SMAW
• Limited cleanup: no slag removal
• Productivity higher than SMAW:
continuous welding
• Use on many different metals:
stainless steel, mild (carbon) steel,
aluminum and more
• All position
• Easily automated
• High efficiency
• High Weld Quality
• Large gaps filled or bridged easily
• High welding speeds 50
Limitations of GMAW
• Equipment is more expensive
and complex than SMAW
• Sensitive to drafts (External
shielding gas can be blown
away by winds)
• High radiated heat
• Restricted access (GMAW gun
is larger than SMAW holder)
• Portability

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FCAW

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 Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW)
 Flux Cored Arc Welding (FCAW) uses a tubular wire that
is filled with a flux.
 The arc is initiated between the continuous wire electrode
and the workpiece.

Play

53
There are two basic process variants:
• self shielded FCAW (without shielding gas)
• gas shielded FCAW (with shielding gas).

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Power Supply
• The FCA welding power supply is the same type that is
required for GMAW, called constant-potential,
constant-voltage (CP, CV).

• FCAW machines can be much more powerful than

GMAW machines and are available with up to 1500
amperes of welding power.
• the process can use DCEP or DCEN polarity (DCEP is
commonly employed as in the FCAW)

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 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.
• All-position Welding
• Flexibility
• Narrow Groove Angle
The narrower groove angle for FCAW compared
to other welding processes saves on filler metal,
welding time, and heat input into the part.
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 Limitations
• The main limitation is that it is confined to ferrous metals and
nickel-based alloys.
• Slag removal spending time
• High operator skill is required
• More smoke and fumes than GMAW and SAW
• Spatter
• FCAW wire is more expensive than GMAW
• The equipment and electrodes used for the FCAW process are
more expensive. However, the cost is quickly recoverable through
higher productivity.

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SAW

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The principle of submerged arc welding
• In submerged arc welding a mineral weld flux layer protects
the weld from the surrounding Atmosphere.
• Unfused flux can be extracted from behind the welding
head and subsequently recycled.

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The principle of submerged arc welding
• Bare wire fed through a wire-feed system and flux added
separately from a hopper
• Arc totally submerged beneath flux powder
• Weld pool & transferring drops completely surrounded by
molten flux/slag, on top of it unfused flux powder
• excellent protection against contamination

Play

Play

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The principle of submerged arc welding

• Unmelted flux acts as air shield, heat insulator, and

radiation shield, recovered for re-use.
• Importance of flux composition :
arc stability, slag-metal reactions, weld bead
appearance

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The principle of submerged arc welding

• Notice the relatively high current density in SAW, also

smaller size carries higher current density, hence higher arc
forces and deeper penetration.

• For increasing deposition rate, better to use larger electrodes

and higher currents.

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Parameters

–welding current
–welding speed
–Wire diameter

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 Welding Current
• Welding current is the parameter that is of greatest
importance for penetration.

• The current setting depends on the thickness of

the metal and the type of joint.

Increasing welding current results in deeper penetration.

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 Welding Speed
• The welding speed also affects the penetration.

• If the speed is increased relative to the original value,

penetration will be decreased and the weld will be
narrower.

• Reducing the speed increases penetration and results in

a wider weld.

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 Wire diameter
• For a given current, a change in wire size will result in
a change in current density.
• Greater wire diameter results in a reduction in
penetration. In addition, the arc will become more
difficult to strike and arc stability will be adversely
affected.

The effect of different wire diameters at constant welding current.

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 Filler Wire
• The filler wire is generally copper-plated in order
to:
• ensure good current transfer to it from the
contact jaws,
• reduce wear of the jaws.
• corrosion protection

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 Filler Wire
• The wire may be of various types:
round used for fabrication welding and cladding

– Solid

rectangular (strip electrodes) used only for cladding

– Tubular very suitable for cladding

 Advantages of SAW
• High deposition rates (27 to 45 kg/h)
• Arc totally enclosed (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
• very high currents possible without air entrainment or spatter
• Current densities also higher than other processes
• High thermal efficiency : insulation from heavy slag blanket
• No special precautions like shields / helmets against high-
current arcs & UV / IR radiation
• Large slowly-freezing weld pool in contact with fluid,
voluminous slag
• Unmelted flux can be reclaimed for further use

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 Limitations of SAW

• Restricted to flat or horizontal fillet positions

• No visibility of weld pool, necessity for prior fit-up of
joint, however easy ways of overcoming the problem
• Flux is subject to contamination
• Normally not suitable for thin material
• Slag removal required
• Flux handling equipment
• High heat input → Slow cooling → Coarse grain
structure → Poor toughness

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