Examination of Noxious Emissions of the Welding Process “Cold Metal Transfer (CMT)”

Abstract

For the examination of noxious emissions, cladding tests were performed according to EN ISO 6847. The filler materials were 1.2 mm diameter wire-electrodes, made of tin bronze, aluminium bronze, austenitic stainless steel, duplex stainless steel and nickel alloy.The low-energy metal transfer welding process, named CMT (cold metal transfer) was examined, on the welding source type Trans Puls Synergic 2700 CMT, of 270 A, produced by the company Fronius, Austria. For sampling welding smoke particles, an Apex type pump was used. For measuring the concentration of gases emitted by welding, a Triple Plus type multi-gas detector was applied.The particulate emission rate is 0.500 mg / m3 in the breathing zone, according to ISO 10882-1. For comparison, the measured emission rate is from 0.877 to 2.513 mg / m3 in the welding zone, according to ISO 15011-1. The concentration of the emitted gases is in the ranges: 0.14 to 0.16% CO2; 0.1-0.2 ppm NO2; 0-15 ppm H2; 0-5 ppm CO. These concentration levels are below the exposure limits (8 hours per day, five days a week): 5% CO2; 1.0 ppm NO2; 30 ppm CO. In conclusion, the emissions from the CMT welding process are without health risk for the welder.