A study on the mechanisms of the CWW SAW process

Abstract

Forty-nine-wire submerged arc welding (SAW), an innovative arc welding process, uses cable-type welding wire (CWW) as a consumable electrode. This process can overcome many of the shortcomings of single-wire SAW, including the wire being too large in diameter to twist around the plate and being difficult to align and feed. As a new welding method with high quality, high efficiency and low energy consumption, 49-wire SAW is promising for industrial applications. In this paper, 49-wire SAW (Φ5.4 mm) and single-wire SAW (Φ5.0 mm) are used to compare the deposition rate, energy consumption and processing properties of welding joints. The welding wire melting and metal deposition rates are 60% higher for 49-wire SAW than those for single-wire SAW when the same welding parameters are used. This process also requires less electric energy (30% or more) and a shorter deposition time when depositing the same weight of metal. Meanwhile, the microstructure and processing properties of the welding joints from 49-wire SAW are basically the same as those of the welding joints from single-wire SAW. The 49-wire SAW process displayed a double rotating arc, which was generated by wire feeding and melting, with revolution and rotation. Furthermore, the resistance heat generated by the wire extension of 49-wire SAW was 1.8 times higher than that generated by the wire extension of single-wire SAW.