Arc Behavior Research Articles

Numerical Study of Tungsten Cathode Characteristics During TIG Welding

Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) is widely utilized across various industries. The understanding of tungsten electrode behavior, key component in this process, is vital for optimizing processes and enhancing weld quality. The shape of the electrode tip, influenced by its operational characteristics, significantly impacts the behavior of the electric arc and, consequently, the quality of the welded assembly. This study aims to analyze the influence of current intensity on the thermal and electrical characteristics of the cathode tip during TIG welding, using numerical simulations conducted with Comsol software. The analyses are carried out by applying Direct Current (DC) welding on an aluminum alloy sheet. The results show a similar evolution in the operational characteristics of the electrode as its tip angle varies. In contrast, the current intensity affects only the temperature, which increases with a higher tip angle, while the current density depends solely on the geometry of the electrode tip. The appropriate selection of welding parameters is imperative to preserve the electrode shape and ensure an efficient welding process.

A dataset of voltage and current waveforms in an electric arc under low pressure for aircraft power systems

This paper presents an experimental dataset developed for the detection of parallel arc faults in aircraft electrical systems. This dataset is based on a total of 960 experiments performed in a low-pressure chamber under different conditions using two electrodes placed on the surface of an insulating material. These experiments correspond to 2 insulating materials, 12 electrode distances, and 10 pressure conditions representative of aircraft environments. Each experimental condition was repeated four times, resulting in 960 experimental recordings, each containing one million samples of time, current, and voltage signals of the electric arc induced on the surface of the insulating material. The dataset can be used to model arc behavior under different pressure conditions, to identify patterns that indicate the presence of an arc, and to accelerate the improvement of arc identification. This dataset has the potential to be used to develop arc fault detection and identification methods for more electric and all-electric aircraft and other electric vehicles.

Study of Process, Microstructure, and Properties of Double-Wire Narrow-Gap Gas Metal Arc Welding Low-Alloy Steel.

Narrow-gap arc welding is an efficient method that significantly enhances industrial production efficiency and reduces costs. This study investigates the application of low-alloy steel wire EG70-G in narrow-gap gas metal arc welding (GMAW) on thick plates. Experimental observations were made to examine the arc behavior, droplet transition behavior, and weld formation characteristics of double-wire welding under various process parameters. Additionally, the temperature field of the welding process was simulated using finite element software (ABAQUS 2020). Finally, the microstructure and microhardness of the fusion zone in a double-wire, single-pass filled joint under the different welding speeds were compared and analyzed. The results demonstrate that the use of double-wire GMAW in narrow-gap welding yielded positive outcomes. Optimal settings for wire feeding speed, welding speed, and double-wire lateral spacing significantly enhanced welding quality, effectively preventing side wall non-fusion and poor weld profiles in the welded joints. The microstructure of the fusion zone produced at a higher welding speed (11 mm/s) was finer, resulting in increased microhardness compared to welds obtained at a lower speed (8 mm/s). This is attributed to the shorter duration of the liquid molten pool and the faster cooling rate associated with higher welding speed. This research provides a reference for the practical application of double-wire narrow-gap gas metal arc welding technology.

Microstructural Evolution and Mechanical Property Enhancement in WAAM Components

Abstract Wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) is increasingly being recognized as a favourable method for producing large-scale products. The microstructural evolution during the solidification of molten pool in WAAM is influenced by factors such as heat input and the deposited layer sequence. In this study, the impact of different layering sequences on grain growth, microstructure, and mechanical properties was investigated by depositing Inconel 825 alloy using gas metal arc welding. Different layering sequences were employed to minimize the development of columnar grains that typically outcome from oscillating beads and bead upon bead within a single layer. The unidirectional heat flow in conventional layering techniques encourages grain growth in the direction of the heat source, with grains forming at the fusion boundaries and growing upwards. At the interface between previously solidified beads and the liquid metal, nucleation and epitaxial grain growth occur, prominent to the formation of transverse columnar grains, with their size determined by the grain structure of the preceding layer. While traditional stacking sequences tend to produce columnar grains, a zigzag layering approach was found to refine grain growth by disrupting the direction of heat flow and grain development. This resulted in smaller, more fragmented grains, which enhanced the isotropic properties of the material. The study further demonstrated that the anisotropic behavior of wire arc additively manufactured components is closely related to grain growth direction and size, both of which are significantly influenced by the layering sequence. The zigzag layering sequence not only improved hardness and tensile strength compared to conventional layering methods but also enhanced the resolution and linearity of the deposited walls.

Numerical simulation of CuCr alloys vacuum arc under conditions of arc contraction, deflection, and anode vapor

In practical arc ignition processes of high-current vacuum arcs, despite the calibration effect of the axial magnetic field, the strong magnetic constriction force still causes the arc to contract. Additionally, during the actual electrode opening process, due to the random nature of the arcing position, the center of the arc column is often not located at the center of the electrode. At this point, the behavior of the vacuum arc can be understood as an asymmetric three-dimensional (3D) process under the influence of the spatial magnetic field, affecting the generation of anode vapor and the characteristics of arc species. Therefore, it is useful to conduct simulation studies on multi-species vacuum arc behavior considering arc contraction and arc deflection. In this paper, the spatial magnetic field distribution under different electrode effective areas and different arc center deflection distances have been simulated, and the influence of actual magnetic field-induced by arc contraction and deflection on 3D spatial distribution characteristics of arc plasma has been studied based on a 3D multi-species (CuCr alloys) vacuum arc model with anode vapor. The simulation results show that with the contraction of the arc column, the area occupied by neutral atomic vapor decreases correspondingly, but the ionization and recombination process between the arc column regions becomes more intense. The axial current density and electron temperature distribution around the neutral atomic vapor area become more non-uniform. When the arc column deviates from electrode center, the neutral atomic vapor area shows an asymmetrical distribution on both sides of the arc column center axis, and the axial current density and electron temperature gather and enhance in the opposite direction of the arc deflection, thereby significantly affecting the distribution of arc species.

Multi-pass weld influence on metallurgical, tensile, impact toughness and fatigue crack growth behavior of gas tungsten arc welded Ti-6Al-4V joints

A comparative study on the influence of changing the number of weld passes on the metallurgical and mechanical properties of Ti-6Al-4 V alloy was carried out. Two welded joints involving 3-pass and 4-pass welding procedure were fabricated for 7 mm thick Ti-6Al-4 V plates using gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process. A compatible solid filler of Ti-6Al-4 V was used to weld these plates. A significant variation in the microstructure and the microhardness of the upper part of the fusion zones of these welds was observed. Equiaxed microstructure possessed by the base metal resulted into relatively better transverse tensile strength, ductility, and impact toughness than the 3-pass and the 4-pass weld. Widmanstätten and martensite-α′ microstructure associated with the fusion zone of the 3-pass weld resulted into a larger fraction of high angle grain boundaries (HAGBs) which accounted for higher resistance to fatigue crack propagation in this weld. Fusion zone of the 4-pass weld possessed lamellar and basketweave microstructure which had a lower fraction of HAGBs and, hence exhibited relatively lower resistance to fatigue crack propagation as compared to the 3-pass weld. However, equiaxed microstructure of the base metal could not offer much resistance to fatigue crack propagation, which resulted into relatively poor fatigue performance of the base metal. These fatigue studies indicate that both the weld joints exhibited better fatigue crack resistance than the base metal. This study established that 7 mm thick Ti-6Al-4 V joint welded using 3-pass welding procedure resulted into superior mechanical properties than those obtained by using 4-pass welding procedure.

Examination of Microstructure, Mechanical Properties, and Fatigue Strength in a Wire Arc Additively Manufactured Material Comprising Dissimilar Materials: AISI 316L Stainless Steel and Carbon Steel

This study provides a comprehensive investigation into the microstructure, hardness, tensile strength, and bending fatigue behavior of a Wire Arc Additively Manufactured (WAAM) component composed of dissimilar materials—Carbon Steel (CS) and 316L stainless steel. Microscopic analysis reveals distinct microstructural characteristics, such as equiaxed ferrite grains in WAAM CS and a coarse columnar structure with delta-ferrite phases in WAAM 316L. A macroscopic phase map indicates a predominantly Body-Centered Cubic (BCC) structure near the interphase, suggesting element migration between CS and 316L due to high heat input. Higher magnification scans highlight martensitic structures on both sides of the interphase, with the CS side exhibiting larger grain sizes. Hardness assessment along the built direction shows a peak hardness of 407 HV near the interphase on the 316L side, contrasting with the CS side's average interphase hardness of 316 HV due to larger grain sizes. The yield strength of both WAAM CS and WAAM dissimilar material was consistently measured at 392 MPa. In comparison, WAAM 316L exhibited a slightly lower yield strength of 359 MPa. Notably, WAAM 316L demonstrated the highest tensile strength among the materials, reaching 656 MPa. Meanwhile, WAAM CS displayed a robust tensile strength of 503 MPa, and the WAAM dissimilar material exhibited a yield strength of 520 MPa. In terms of elongation, WAAM CS and WAAM 316L showcased values of 44.9% and 49.6%, respectively. On the other hand, WAAM dissimilar material exhibited a somewhat lower elongation of 20.4%, suggesting a different mechanical behavior in terms of ductility. Bending fatigue tests on WAAM 316L, WAAM CS, and the dissimilar material reveal a fatigue limit of approximately 225 MPa for WAAM 316L, 210 MPa for WAAM CS, and approximately 210 MPa for the dissimilar material. In the low-cycle and medium-cycle regimes, the dissimilar material exhibits slightly superior fatigue strength, potentially due to its marginally higher static strength. Notably, consistent fractures on the CS side during fatigue tests underscore a recurring behavior in the dissimilar material.

Axial compressive behaviour and design of concrete-filled wire arc additively manufactured steel tubes

The axial compressive behaviour of concrete-filled wire arc additively manufactured (WAAM) steel tubular columns is investigated experimentally in this paper. Firstly, the manufacture of a series of WAAM steel plates and tubes is described. The results of tensile testing performed on coupons cut from the WAAM plates, to obtain the mechanical properties of the printed material, are summarised. 3D laser scanning was employed to generate digital models and to capture the geometric features of the WAAM steel test specimens. Concrete was then cast into the WAAM steel tubes, creating a total of nine concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) specimens of different diameters, thicknesses and lengths that were subjected to compressive loading. The axial compressive load-deformation responses and ultimate loads of the specimens were obtained and the influence of the as-built surface undulations of the WAAM sections was assessed. Comparisons of the test results against existing structural design provisions highlight the need to consider the influence of the weakening effect of the geometric undulations that are inherent to the WAAM process on the structural response of CFST sections, in order to achieve safe-sided strength predictions.

Geometric analysis and local buckling behavior of wire arc additively manufactured ER110S cruciform section stub columns

The recent prominence and potential of wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) in the civil engineering industry have gained significant attention due to its ability to produce complex geometric shapes in a cost-effective and flexible manner. This paper presents the geometric analysis and local buckling behavior of WAAM ER110S cruciform section stub columns. A total of eight specimens with a broad range of width-to-thickness ratios were manufactured. 3D laser-scanning was conducted to capture the geometric characteristics of all the WAAM ER110S cruciform section stub column specimens. Material testing with coupons cut from various orientations of WAAM ER110S plates was performed and this is followed by the stub column testing where digital image correlation (DIC) was employed to monitor the full-field deformations of the specimens. The obtained test data were then employed to assess the applicability of current design rules specified in European, American and Australian standards to WAAM ER110S cruciform section stub columns. The assessment results revealed that (i) the current Class 3 slenderness limits (i.e. slender/non-slender slenderness limits) can be safely used for the classification of outstand plate elements of cruciform sections in compression and (ii) all the three specifications can lead to safe though marginally scattered failure load predictions of WAAM ER110S cruciform section stub columns.

Study on Arc Behavior and Weld Formation of Magnetically Controlled Narrow Gap TIG Welding

Study on Arc Behavior and Weld Formation of Magnetically Controlled Narrow Gap TIG Welding

Non-nematicity of the filamentary phase in systems of hard minor circular arcs.

This work further investigates an aspect of the phase behavior of hard circular arcs whose phase diagram has been recently calculated by Monte Carlo numerical simulations: the non-nematicity of the filamentary phase that hard minor circular arcs form. Both second-virial density-functional theory and further Monte Carlo numerical simulations find that the positional one-particle density function undulates in the direction transverse to the axes of the filaments while further Monte Carlo numerical simulations find that the mobility of the hard minor circular arcs across the filaments occurs via a mechanism reminiscent of the mechanism of diffusion in a smectic phase: the filamentary phase is not a {"modulated" ["splay(-bend)"]} nematic phase.

Corrosion performance of super duplex stainless steel and pipeline steel dissimilar welded joints: a comprehensive investigation for marine structures

This study investigates the corrosion behavior of dissimilar gas tungsten arc (GTA) welded joints between super duplex stainless steel (sDSS 2507) and pipeline steel (X-70) using electrochemical and immersion corrosion tests. The GTA welds were fabricated using ER2594 and ER309L filler metals. The study examined the electrochemical characteristics and continuous corrosion behavior of samples extracted from various zones of the weldments in a 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution, employing electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, potentiodynamic polarization methods, and an immersion corrosion test. EIS and immersion investigations revealed pitting corrosion in the X-70 base metal/X-70 heat-affected zone, indicating inferior overall corrosion resistance due to galvanic coupling. The corrosion byproducts identified in complete immersion comprised α-FeOOH, γ-FeOOH, Fe3O4, and Fe2O3, whereas γ-FeOOH and Fe3O4 were predominant in dry/wet cyclic conditions. Corrosion escalated with dry/wet cycle conditions while maintaining a lower level in complete immersion. The corrosion mechanism involves three wet surface stages in dry/wet cycles and typical oxygen absorption during complete immersion. Proposed corrosion models highlight the influence of Cl−, O2, and rust layers.

Interference effect of frequency selective surface on lightning attachment

Airborne electromagnetic functional devices represented by frequency selective surface (FSS) are receiving increasing attention due to the ever-growing complication of electromagnetic environment in air space. Previous investigations have highlighted the capability of FSS to induce the distorted electric field encompassing an airborne radome. This phenomenon interferes with lightning attachment behavior and compromises the effectiveness of anti-lightning devices. A current challenge is how to reveal the physical mechanism behind this interference. In this paper, a lightning model is established for a honeycomb sandwich composite-FSS structure and a single FSS array, respectively, to investigate the interference effect of FSS on lightning attachment. Arc behavior is verified by structural damage characteristics in relevant experiments. An equivalent circuit representing the process of an FSS array suffering a lightning strike is proposed to reveal the interference mechanism of FSS. The results indicate that the electrical connectivity of FSS has a significant impact on lightning attachment behavior. Patch FSS can induce partial discharge and exacerbate interface damage to a radome while aperture FSS eases energy accumulation, although the latter is prone to induce lightning leaders without integration with composites. The obtained results provide potential guidance for the structural and anti-lightning design of an airborne radome.

Regulating mechanisms of external axial magnetic field on flow and heat transfer behavior for process optimization in plasma beam polishing

Plasma beam polishing has emerged as an innovative alternative to conventional metal finishing techniques. However, the precision machining ability of plasma arc encounters challenges due to the formation of surface undulations, while previous research has predominantly focused on parameter adjustments. In this paper, the feasibility of optimizing the plasma beam polishing process was validated through magnetic field regulation, as the surface topography and subsurface structure were obviously flattened. Given this, a micro plasma arc model under inhomogeneous axial magnetic field was established to explore the regulating mechanisms of the external axial magnetic field on the flow and heat transfer behavior of the plasma arc. Through this model, the plasma characteristics (magnetic induction intensity, electric potential, arc current, Lorentz force, plasma velocity and electron temperature) were comprehensively discussed. The results indicate that the external shape of the plasma arc is determined by the self-induced magnetic field, while the externally applied axial magnetic field significantly influences the internal flow of the plasma arc. The axial and radial magnetic fields generated by the excitation coil can induce circumferential rotation by dragging the plasma arc with Lorentz force, creating a more suitable energy beam for the polishing process. To verify the model, the arc temperature was measured using spectroscopic diagnostics, and the arc shape was captured using a high-speed camera, both of which were basically consistent with the simulation results.

Microstructural evaluation and optimization of wear behaviour of vacuum arc melted AlFeCrNiSi high entropy alloy

High-entropy alloys (HEA) are equiatomic, multi-element systems that, while having several elements with various crystal geometries to form a single phase. In this study, a novel equiatomic AlFeCrNiSi HEA is prepared using the vacuum arc melting process. The resulting microstructure featured dendritic and inter-dendritic structures with formations of intermetallic compounds such as Al₃Fe₂Si, NiAl, and AlCrNi phases. EDS analysis confirmed the presence of alloying elements and EBSD analysis revealed refined grains with an average size of 1 ± 0.15 µm size. Pin-on-Disc wear test with varying test parameters is conducted to optimize the wear parameters. Signal-to-noise ratio and analysis of variance identified the most significant wear parameters, with load being the most influential, followed by sliding distance and velocity. The wear rate is minimum at the lowest conditions of applied load, sliding distance, and sliding velocity. The improved microhardness also contributed to the improved wear resistance of the cast alloy. The subsequent worn morphology revealed the formation of grooves, microcracks, and oxide layers on the worn surface.

Mechanical and Metallurgical behavior of Manual Metal Arc Welded P91 Ferritic Martensitic Steel Joints

In the nuclear power plant industry, Cr-Mo ferritic steels are indispensable due to their high-temperature tensile strength, creep strength, and resistance to stress corrosion cracking. This study evaluated and analyzed the mechanical properties and metallurgical behavior of indigenously developed filler (over matched with base metal) manual metal arc welded Cr-Mo ferritic steel (hereafter referred as P91 steel). The analysis revealed that the ultimate tensile properties of the weld joint exceed those of the unwelded metal, being 6% higher than the base metal. Consequently, the joint efficiency for the weld joint is 106%. However, the impact toughness of the weld pad is significantly lower compared to the unwelded metal, nearly 2.5 times less than the base metal. The weld metal region’s microstructure is characterized by untempered lath martensite pinned with dense dislocations, which is attributed to rapid cooling from the liquidus range. Furthermore, a distinct Heat-Affected Zone (HAZ) was identified adjacent to the weld metal region, which results from the elevated temperature experienced in this area.

Anisotropic piezomagnetic behavior of wire and arc additively manufactured low carbon steel

The objective of this study is to investigate the piezomagnetic behavior corresponding to the mechanical properties of a low-carbon steel fabricated by wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM) under tensile stress. WAAM rectangular tubes with a nominal thickness of 4 mm were fabricated with ER70S-6 wires using a continuous path with single way stacking between layers. Tests were carried out on WAAM steel specimens with three different orientations relative to the deposition direction extracted from rectangular tubes, and the evolutions of magnetic field around the specimens were recorded. The variation characteristics of piezomagnetic response at different loading stages were analyzed, highlighting the anisotropic nature of the piezomagnetic field evolution. The internal correlation between piezomagnetic field and tensile stress was explored. It is found that the piezomagnetic behavior of WAAM steel during the tensile process corresponds to the mechanical response. The Villari reversal points can be used to predict the yield strength and tensile ultimate strength of WAAM steel, and the area of the magnetic field-stress curve may be a measure of the ductility of WAAM steel. The theory of microscopic magnetic domains and the constitutive relation of ferromagnetic materials considering magnetocrystalline anisotropy were used to explain the experimental results. This study provides new insights into the anisotropic piezomagnetic properties of WAAM steel, offering potential applications in non-destructive evaluation of mechanical performance.

Insights into fatigue crack propagation behaviour of WAAM produced SS316 stainless steel: Molecular dynamics simulation and experimental analysis

The current work focuses on the crack growth mechanism / behavior of wire arc additively manufactured SS316L. Beside the experimental investigation, a molecular dynamics based polycrystalline model is developed to simulate the crack propagation under cyclic loading. The purpose of this work is to understand the crack growth behavior of wire arc additively manufactured SS316L, particularly the directional dependence of crack propagation. The experiments and molecular dynamics analysis are performed for the crack propagation along the build and traverse direction for the SS316L deposit. The experimental procedure involves fatigue crack growth rate tests, while the molecular dynamics simulations model the crack propagation in polycrystalline structures of different grain sizes. The ultimate tensile strength in build and traverse direction were 535±2 MPa and 495 ± 2 MPa, respectively. The experimental results reveal faster crack propagation along build direction in comparison to traverse direction. The values for Paris law material constants i.e. C and m are 7x10-15 and 6.78 along build direction while 8x10-14 and 6.02 along traverse direction, respectively. The crack growth along the build direction is primarily intergranular, which leads to high crack growth rate. The molecular dynamics simulations reveal the initiation and closure of secondary cracks for the traverse direction, which leads to slower crack growth rate along the traverse direction. The fractography of the fractured surfaces from fatigue crack growth rate test also indicate the formation of secondary cracks for the case of traverse direction. The molecular dynamics simulations performed with three grain sizes and thickness variation indicate the insensitivity of predicted crack growth mechanisms with respect to grain sizes used for simulations.

Magnetic controlled arc welding technology: a review

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to optimize and improve conventional welding using EMF assisted technology. Current industrial production has put forward higher requirements for welding technology, so the optimization and improvement of traditional welding methods become urgent needs.Design/methodology/approachExternal magnetic field assisted welding is an emerging technology in recent years, acting in a non-contact manner on the welding. The action of electromagnetic forces on the arc plasma leads to significant changes in the arc behavior, which affects the droplet transfer and molten pool formation and ultimately improve the weld seam formation and joint quality.FindingsIn this paper, different types of external magnetic fields are analyzed and summarized, which mainly include external transverse magnetic field, external longitudinal magnetic field and external cusp magnetic field. The research progress of welding behavior under the effect of external magnetic field is described, including the effect of external magnetic field on arc morphology, droplet transfer and weld seam formation law.Originality/valueHowever, due to the extremely complex physical processes under the action of the external magnetic field, the mechanism of physical fields such as heat, force and electromagnetism in the welding has not been thoroughly analyzed, in-depth theoretical and numerical studies become urgent.

Arc behavior and droplet transfer characteristics during oscillating laser-arc hybrid welding of 2024 Al alloy based on Zr-core-Al-shell wire

A novel zirconium (Zr)-core-aluminum (Al)-shell wire (ZCASW) combined with oscillating laser-arc hybrid welding (O-LAHW) process was employed for the welding of aluminum alloy 2024 (AA2024). The arc stability and characteristics, droplet transfer behavior and weld formation were systematically investigated. The results show that electrical signal waveform determines wire feeding rate, which affects the welding stability and weld quality. The increment in wire feeding rate increases magnetic field intensity and narrows arc cross-sectional area, which leads to arc contraction. The oscillating laser increases arc width and arc area, thereby expanding the conductive channel and greatly improving conductive ability of hybrid plasma, which promotes interactions between plasmas and helps to droplet transfer. Meanwhile, owing to the melting points differences between Zr wire and Al wire in ZCASW filler material, the melting rate of outer Al wire is larger than that of central Zr wire during welding, thereby resulting in two kinds of droplet transfer modes, and electromagnetic force and metal vapor reaction force strongly influence droplet transfer behavior. The oscillating laser improves the weld quality, which is deteriorated due to the appearance of spatters as wire feeding rate increases. When 1 m/min wire feeding rate is selected, a perfect formation is obtained. The current study offers insight into the formation mechanism of high-quality weld and welding stability during O-LAHW of AA2024 combined with ZCASW filler material.