Conventional Arc Welding Research Articles

Mechanical Properties and Microstructure Analysis of Mild Steel Welding Made by GTAW

This work discusses the effect of gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) variables on the welding transverse tensile strength and hardness of S 235JR at different groove configurations. The welding microstructure and numerical fracture mechanism are also discussed. GTAW is increasingly emerging in the local industry due to its advantages over conventional shielded metal arc welding (SMAW). The properties of steel welding have always concerned manufacturers and researchers. Since steel structures experience forces such as tensile, it’s vital that good welding has increased tensile strength. It was reported that the hardness of welding affects the welding properties and, therefore, the integration of welded structures. The groove shape of the joining ends determines the size of the FZ and affects the dilution; thus, it is important to study the groove shape due to its effect on the final properties of welding. The results showed an increased welding traverse tensile strength (251 MPa) at higher welding speeds (150 mm/min) and V-shaped groove welding. The V-shaped groove welding that obtained higher tensile strength (251 MPa) has shown higher grain boundary ferrite and PF volume friction in the FZ and finer PF in the HAZ due to its higher interpass heat input. Higher traverse tensile strength welding has shown increased bainite and lower bainite volume friction in FZ and a finer grain structure in HAZ. The failure due to tensile force starts at the welding root, according to numerical analysis, and a double V-shaped groove has shown deformation balance at the tensile test.

A novel method for fully penetrated U-rib-to-deck joints: Single-sided oscillating laser arc hybrid welding

U-rib-to-deck (RTD) joints represent one of the most critical and vulnerable welding details of orthotropic steel decks. Aiming for full penetration and high-level service performance, a novel method with single-sided oscillating laser-arc hybrid welding (OLAHW) technique was proposed for the RTD joint. The weld formation, microstructure and mechanical properties were extensively investigated. The results indicated that the porosity and lack of fusion (LoF) defects effectively suppressed with the beam oscillation during LAHW process. The OLAHW technique has good spatial accessibility with larger laser beam incidence angle of 20° Beam oscillation led to an increase in acicular ferrite in the fusion zone (FZ) while simultaneously a reduction of martensite in the heat effected zone (HAZ). This was related to the cooling time, and the thermal simulation results revealed that the OLAHW sample demonstrated comparable cooling times in both the Laser-FZ and arc-FZ. Consequently, beam oscillation can generated more homogeneous microstructures and microhardness. Although the microhardness of the OLAHW sample in the FZ was increased compared to the conventional arc welding (CAW) and LAHW sample, the highest microhardness value remained within acceptable limits (380 HV). Moreover, the ultimate tensile strength of the OLAHW weld sample increased by 7 % compared to the CAW weld sample. The application of the OLAHW technique demonstrates its feasibility for engineering applications in orthotropic steel decks manufacturing.

Joining Behaviour of Thick Plate Using High-Frequency Induction Assisted Arc Welding

Combining a preheating source with conventional arc welding is a promising method to study the weld quality and improvement of strength for high-strength super-alloy materials. The present research used an induction preheating source with plasma arc welding (PAW) to weld Inconel 625 thick plates. The investigation was performed at a constant induction current of 600 A, welding speed of 100 mm/min and a plasma welding current of 135 A. The induction-assisted plasma arc welding (IAPAW) demonstrated that a weld joint was possible with static induction preheating and a high plasma welding current at low welding speed. The microstructural observation showed various dendritic structures in the fusion zone (FZ). The FESEM and EDX analysis confirmed the formation of Laves phase in the interdendritic structure of the FZ. The ultimate tensile strength of the IAPAW joint reached to 658 MPa. The tensile fracture surface of the welded sample revealed a lower number of dimples, indicating the reduction of ductility. The XRD analysis was carried out at various zones and it confirmed the peak shifting towards the higher 2-theta value of the FZ.

Usporedba topitelja za ATIG zavarivanje i njihov uticaj na mehaničke osobine

The application of conventional electric arc welding in argon protection (TIG welding process) has limited possibilities. These limitations are primarily related to the thickness of the welded material and the need to prepare the groove for their welding. Overcoming these limitations in TIG welding was done by using activating flux, so the procedure was named ATIG (A-TIG) welding. The paper presents the results of research into the application of activating fluxes in welding austenitic stainless steel 316L with a thickness of 6 mm. By using the BC-31 and QuickTIG melters of different chemical bases, we compare the mechanical properties of the welded joints, as well as with the welded joints of the same material obtained using the conventional TIG procedure. The results show that the best mechanical properties are possessed by welded joints realized by the ATIG process using a mixture of activating fluxes BC - 31 (50%) and QuickTIG (50%) (green + white flux).

Experimental analysis of overlap fiber laser welding for aluminum alloys: Porosity recognition and quality inspection

In recent years, laser welding has become increasingly popular in the manufacturing industry due to its advantages, including a narrow heat affected zone, low levels of distortion, the possibility of remote processing, and high welding speeds compared to conventional electric arc welding techniques. In the automotive industry, the need for overlapped joint welding, particularly for chassis assembly, has become increasingly relevant. The internal porosity detection and control in laser welding of aluminum alloys has gained significant attention. To support laser users in optimizing the welding process, this paper presents an experimental methodology followed by a phenomenological analysis of the quality of overlapped welded joints. The study focuses on the laser welding of two different aluminum alloy configurations (1.6-mm-thick AA 6061-T6 and 2-mm-thick AA 6061-T6) using three welding strategies (ScanLab remote laser welding system, Trumpf D70 laser head, and Precitec YW52 wobbling head) to evaluate single and multiple laser variants for process parameter tuning. Additionally, the paper discusses the use of X-ray technology as an offline monitoring method for porosity recognition, and analyzes laser beam characterization and beam profile shape to calculate beam distribution. Then, statistical analysis of all methods is conducted and regression analysis is performed. These findings provide valuable insights into the integration of laser welding technology in the automotive and surface transportation industries. The analysis of results indicates that as the spot size decreases, the real spot size changes more abruptly with increasing Z position, whereas with a larger spot size, the beam size remains stable up to +/- 20–30 mm in Z position due to the large lens. Porosity is mainly caused by either a too small spot size (in the absence of wobbling; ≤0.4 mm) or low travel speed (≤4.0–4.5 m/min). On the other hand, if the spot size is too large, hot cracking can occur in autogenous laser welding.

A comparative study of laser-arc hybrid welding with arc welding for fabrication of offshore substructures

Laser-arc hybrid welding (LAHW) is an efficient and promising joining method for offshore structures made from metallic alloys. Under a high-power laser output, a keyhole is formed that efficiently melts a metal and provides high penetration depths compared to shallow and wide welds made by conventional arc welding, thus it requires much less time for production. A significant reduction in welding time leads to a substantial reduction of welding consumables and electricity use. Higher gap bridging ability can be achieved and tolerances for plate preparation is reduced when an arc is added to a laser beam. This work explicitly presents and compares different welding methods and their efficiency in application for offshore windmill substructures. According to a preliminary calculation, LAHW may reduce welding time by 10–20 times depending on process parameters and up to 15 times lower consumables usage. It was identified that the highest costs in welding is the filler wire followed by a shielding gas and electricity. This leads to high efficiency of LAHW in term of sustainability and reduction of CO2 emissions in general compared to well-established arc welding. However, the narrow and deep welds made by LAHW may suffer from high hardness in the root area, inhomogeneous filler metal mixing, which may lead to poor microstructure, cracking and porosity. This requires an extensive research work on the process optimization and understanding the underlying physics to provide sound welds which must comply with the international standards.

Effects of Ambient Temperature on the Mechanical Properties of Frictionally Welded Components of Polycarbonate and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene Dissimilar Polymer Rods.

Rotary friction welding (RFW) has no electric arc and the energy consumption during welding can be reduced as compared with conventional arc welding since it is a solid-phase welding process. The RFW is a sustainable manufacturing process because it provides low environmental pollution and energy consumption. However, few works focus on the reliability of dissimilar polymer rods fabricated via RFW. The reliability of the frictionally welded components is also related to the ambient temperatures. This work aims to investigate the effects of ambient temperature on the mechanical properties of frictionally welded components of polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) dissimilar polymer rods. It was found that the heat-affected zone width increases with increasing rotational speeds due to peak welding temperature. The Shore A surface hardness of ABS/PC weld joint does not change with the increased rotational speeds. The Shore A surface hardness in the weld joint of RFW of the ABS/PC is about Shore A 70. The bending strength was increased by about 53% when the welded parts were placed at 60-70 °C compared with bending strength at room temperature. The remarkable finding is that the bending fracture position of the weldment occurs on the ABS side. It should be pointed out that the bending strength can be determined by the placed ambient temperature according to the proposed prediction equation. The impact energy was decreased by about 33% when the welded parts were placed at 65-70 °C compared with the impact energy at room temperature. The impact energy (y) can be determined by the placed ambient temperature according to the proposed prediction equation. The peak temperature in the weld interface can be predicted by the rotational speed based on the proposed equation.

Study on arc characteristics under high-frequency sine wave pulse current and effect of weld appearance and microstructure of AISI444 ferritic stainless steel

Based on the principle of LC resonance, high-frequency sine wave pulse DC TIG welding (HFSWP DC TIG) was developed, and welding experiments were conducted on AISI444 ferritic stainless steel (FSS). The arc characteristics of HFSWP DC TIG and its effect on weld appearance and microstructure were studied theoretically and experimentally. The experimental results show that under the same conditions, compared with constant-current DC conventional arc welding (CAW), the arc pressure and arc thermal efficiency of HFSWP DC TIG are improved, and the weld penetration of the weld is increased by nearly two times. The weld microstructure is single-phase ferrite, and carbonitride, Laves phase, and phase are formed in the joint. In addition, according to the theoretical calculation of the pulse current waveform, the reason why the arc pressure of the high-frequency sine wave pulse current is increased compared with the constant-current DC and high-frequency square wave (triangular wave) pulse current is explained. The mechanism of arc shape and weld appearance change is described from the microscopic point of view, and the reason for the appearance of equiaxed grain in the weld is analyzed. HFSWP DC TIG provides a new idea for the improvement of high-frequency pulse technology.

Sustainability Score Comparison of Welding Strategies for the Manufacturing of Electric Transportation Components

Sustainability scores can be used to assess manufacturing strategies, going one step beyond a standard economic assessment. This work uses a previously proposed methodology to evaluate two of the most common welding processes for aluminium alloys that are specifically used in the fabrication of components for the transport industry based on their advantages in generating lightweight and dimensionally efficient parts. For comparison and as proof of concept, two welding methods were selected: Friction Stir Welding (FSW) and Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW). FSW attained a higher overall sustainability score. Values were calculated for an existing aluminium product, which was part of the opening and closing system of an electric train door, and the final score was 0.78 from FSW compared to 0.69 from GTAW, which was 11% higher in FSW compared to the conventional arc welding process. The analysis carried out included economic, physical, social, and environmental impacts. Finally, an example pertinent to a current EV component is described and considered along with a plan to determine the best welding process for a particular application, and with the calculations, the score obtained for GTAW was 0.43 and 0.68 for FSW, which was 36% higher that the result for the conventional arc welding process.

Refining microstructure of medium-thick AA2219 aluminium alloy welded joint by ultrasonic frequency double-pulsed arc

The increasing demand for achieving high-efficiency and high-quality medium-thick aluminium alloy welded structures, especially for large scale aerospace components, presents an urgent challenge to the conventional TIG arc welding process. This work proposed a novel double-pulsed variable polarity tungsten inert gas (DP-VPTIG) arc, in which the variable polarity square wave current was simultaneously modulated into ultrasonic frequency (20–80 kHz) and low frequency (0.5–10 Hz) pulses. Full penetration welds of 6 mm thick AA2219 aluminum alloy were successfully obtained by using this process. The microstructure and mechanical properties of the weld produced by DP-VPTIG arc were investigated, taking the conventional VPTIG arc as a comparative study. Results show that the microstructure of weld zone by DP-VPTIG arc showed an alternating distribution of fine equiaxed grain band and slightly coarse equiaxed grain band. Compared to VPTIG arc, the grain structure was effectively refined in the weld zone with DP-VPTIG arc, showing a significant reduction of average grain size by 51.2% along transverse section and 61.3% along longitudinal section. The morphology of α-Al+θ-CuAl2 eutectics transformed from continuously distributed netlike shape to separately distributed granular shape, and segregation of Cu solute element was obviously improved. The average microhardness of weld zone was increased by about 8.7% and 5.6% along transverse section and along longitudinal section. The tensile properties of ultimate tensile strength, yield strength and elongation were increased by 6.6%, 10.6% and 20.5%, respectively. The results provide a valuable basis for improving welding efficiency and joint quality through a hybrid pulsed arc.

Development of novel welding techniques for dissimilar joining of 12 mm thick plates of AISI347H and IN625 for CSP power plants

• The study compares welding processes for joining AISI347H and IN625 for CSP plates. • The welding processes adopted are SP-MIG and DP-MIG. • DP-MIG has lower heat-input and residual stress than SP-MIG. • On comparing all the results, DP-MIG has better properties than SP-MIG. AISI347H and IN625 alloys are commonly used in for applications requiring higher strength at higher operating temperatures. However, the dissimilar joining of these materials is mostly used in fabrication of CSP energy storage tanks. While joining dissimilar metals, there are several practical challenges. The major concern regarding joining dissimilar materials is the selection of suitable welding techniques. Additionally, welding of thick sections requires more passes, which results in a higher heat-input, it will adversely affect the metallurgical and mechanical properties of the weldments. As a result, pulsed welding is a viable option for reducing overall heat input. In the present study two different pulsed current welding techniques namely, DP-MIG and SP-MIG welding were tried out successfully. It was observed that DP-MIG showed 27% reduction in the heat-input when compared to SP-MIG. Similarly, when DP-MIG was compared to SP-MIG, the residual stress was decreased by 75 MPa. In the fusion zone (FZ) micro segregation of alloying elements are lower to avoid secondary phase formation in DP-MIG technique. DP-MIG has better tensile strength and hardness than SP-MIG due to finer grain formation. The overall studies shows that DP-MIG shows better mechanical properties compared to conventional arc welding techniques.

Development of a low heat-input welding technique for joining thick plates of 250 grade maraging steel to fabricate rocket motor casings

• A low heat-input welding technique for the fabrication of rocket motor casing was devised and implemented. • The novel DP-GMAW reduced heat-input by 67% and RA by 49% compared to conventional GMAW. • DP-GMAW improved weld properties compared to GMAW. Maraging steels are ultra-high strength steels, which are most widely used in different strategic sectors. These steels are well-suited for the fabrication of rocket motor casings, which involves welding as one of the critical manufacturing processes. The major concern regarding welding of maraging steel is the formation of reverted austenite (RA) phase, which deteriorates the mechanical performance of the joints. The conventional arc welding processes involve higher heat-input during welding; the available literature indicates that segregation of alloying elements and the resultant formation of RA are promoted by high heat-input. The present study adopted a novel dual-pulse gas metal arc welding (DP-GMAW) technique, which reduces the heat-input during welding by current pulsing approach. The Dual pulsing approach was capable of 67% reduction of heat-input and 49% reduction of RA when compared to conventional gas metal arc welding (GMAW).

Expansion of laser–arc hybrid welding to horizontal and vertical-up welding

Laser–arc hybrid welding (LAHW) is an advanced welding method that combines arc welding and laser welding and can achieve deep penetration and the reduction of welding deformation compared with conventional arc welding. As with other welding techniques, it is common to target the flat position (PA) as the welding position. However, the expansion of the applicable positions enables the application of high-quality welded joints fabricated by LAHW to many welded joints in large steel structures. This study used the LAHW system with a robot manipulator to establish weldability in the horizontal position (PC) and the vertical-up position (PF) to expand the applicable range of LAHW in large steel structures. Suitable LAHW conditions for fabricating the butt-welded joint with a welding length of 1,000 mm for these positions were established through various investigations, including molten pool observation. Finally, the quality of these joints was evaluated in accordance with the laser–arc hybrid welding guidelines (ClassNK) of Nippon Kaiji Kyokai, and it was confirmed that the joints satisfy the required standards.

Role of nitrogen shielding environment on microstructure and corrosion behavior of 2205 duplex stainless-steel A-GTA welds

The present study aims to understand the role of the shielding environment viz., argon (Ar) and nitrogen (N2) on microstructure, general and pitting corrosion behavior of activated gas tungsten arc (A-GTA) welds of 2205 duplex stainless steel. A-GTA welds made with activated flux SiO2 along with 100% Ar and 95% Ar + 5 % N2 are compared with conventional gas tungsten arc (C-GTA) welds made with 100% Ar. All the metallographic specimens of C-GTA and A-GTA welds are recorded to observe the microstructural changes using an optical microscope connected with image analyser. The basic GillAC electro-chemical system is used to perform potentio-dynamic polarization studies for general and pitting corrosion behavior in a 1 M NaCl solution. From the present study, it is established that activated-GTA welds with SiO2 flux resulted in reduced weld width and enhanced depth of penetrationachieved in a single pass compared to C-GTA welds. The grain morphology of the weld zone (WZ) is observed to be a mixture of austenite and delta ferrite in all the weldments. Secondary austenite is found in the interior of the ferrite whereas at the interfaces of ferrite and primary austenite, various forms of primary austenite are noticed in the weld zone of A-GTA welds. From the corrosion studies, it is found that A-GTA welds made with 95% Ar + 5 % N2 show higher general and pitting corrosion resistance compared to C-GTA and A-GTA welds made with 100% Ar.Improved corrosion behavior may be due to the favourable microstructure and presence of nitrogen as shielding environment, which favors the formation of austenite in the ferrite matrix.

Characterisation of Cu–Al alloy lap joint using TIG Welding

It is difficult to join dissimilar material which has different thermal and mechanical properties using conventional arc welding, which is prone to the formation of intermetallic compounds (IMCs). In the present work pure copper (Cu) and aluminium (Al) alloy (Al-6061) is lap joined by conventional TIG Welding. At optimal operating condition, a successful weld is achieved as observed from mechanical testing. The metallurgical properties of joints are investigated by Back Scattered Electron (BSE) image, spot Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS) and line EDS. IMCs layers formed for joints varied from 9 μm to 80 μm thickness obtained at different welding parameters. Two different layers of IMCs are formed at the interface and the failure occurred near the copper side of the joint. The mechanical property is investigated by tensile shear test, and the average maximum load-carrying capacity found 1876 N, which is comparable to other non-conventional welding processes.

An experimental insight of friction stir welding of dissimilar AA 6061/Mg AZ 31 B joints

In the present scenario, aerospace and automobile industries depend on lightweight materials such as magnesium and aluminum alloys because of their great balance between mechanical properties and weight ratio. Despite these benefits during the joining process of these dissimilar materials by welding, many challenges arises. The prominent one is related to the low melting points of these lightweight metals which make it almost impossible the joining using conventional arc welding techniques. To tackle this challenge, Friction Stir Welding (FSW) can be considered as a promising candidate tool. In this study, to demonstrate the FSW performances of joining two dissimilar materials we have investigated the joining of AA 6061 and Mg AZ 31 B using a built-in house a modified milling machine. The dissimilar combinations of AA 6061 and Mg AZ 31 B joints were successfully joined by embedding different welding conditions and varying the offset distance. The mechanical performances were evaluated by conducting specific mechanical tests such as micro-hardness, tensile, and impact tests, respectively. To explain the mechanical results, we have applied optical microscopy observation on the microstructure associated with the bonding location. The results prove that the strength of the Friction Stir Welded joints is much higher as compared to other techniques especially in terms of dissimilar metals.

Analysis Of Mechanical Properties SMAW (Shielded Metal Arc Welding) Welding Joints Of Portable Electric Hydraulic Jack Frame

Welding is a very important part of the development and growth of the industry because it has a role in engineering, reparation, and construction. Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) or the conventional arc welding process is particularly dominant in structural joints, pressure vessels and in maintenance and repair work. In welding, different metals are joined economically and at a much faster rate as compared with other fabrication processes like riveting and casting. The purpose of this research is to find out the cooling media cooler against SMAW smelter tensile strength by using the E6013 electrode. This study uses low carbon steel material that has levels Fe = 98,3%; C = 0,30%, Si = 0,23%. The material is given 75A welding current with cooling variation on the connection result using oil, water, and room temperature. The highest tensile stress value obtained in the oil cooling treatment was 844,76 N/mm2, the highest strain value was obtained on the raw materials of 16%, the highest elasticity value was obtained in the oil cooling treatment of 703.96 N/mm2. According to the research results can be concluded that the variations of cooling media greatly affect the strength of the welding connection.

Hybrid a free arc into constraint-arc to improve arc pressure control behavior

Decoupling the arc pressure and heat output improves the controllability of the arc. In this study, an innovative torch was successfully developed for this purpose by adding an outer electrode under the orifice to a conventional plasma arc welding (PAW) torch. The arc rooting from the added electrode merges with the main/PAW arc forming a hybrid arc system with two cathodes and one anode. While the major arc is constrained, the added arc is allowing to change the anode heat while the pressure is still primarily controlled by the main arc. The coupling behavior was experimentally studied through analysis arc column image and arc pressure measurement. The results show that the added free arc formed by the outer electrode is fully absorbed and coupled into the constraint arc to form a single hybrid arc. The arc pressure peak value in the hybrid arc is little sensitive to outer free arc current compared with that by adjusting the center constraint arc current. Because the sided outer tungsten electrode is isolated to the center inner tungsten electrode and the cooper nozzle in the arcing torch system, the range of arc current applied by the outer tungsten electrode is large. The torch system provides a novel arc plasma generation method to improve the control precision in manufacturing process.

Prospects of pulsed current arc welding on aerospace grade Hastelloy X

The conventional constant current arc welding of Hastelloy X (Ni-Cr-Fe-Mo) leads to the solidification and liquation cracks in the weldment. The higher heat supplied in constant current weldment develops the secondary carbide precipitates. It promotes the development of hot cracks in the weldment. In this study, joining of Hastelloy X plates was carried out by constant current gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) and pulsed current gas tungsten arc welding (PCGTAW) with C263 filler wire. The result discovered that no hot cracks were formed in the weldment. In constant current mode, Cr-rich and Mo-rich Cr23C6 (M23C6), Fe2MoC, Fe3Mo3C (M6C), and Cr2Ti precipitates were observed. Whereas, in pulsed current mode, Ni3(Al, Ti), Ni3Ti, Co3Ti, Cr2Ti precipitates are found due to the segregation of Co, Al, and Ti. No Cr-rich and Mo-rich carbide phases identified in pulsed current weldment due to rapid cooling rate and higher thermal gradient observed during solidification. The tensile results revealed that 8.23% increase in the ultimate tensile strength and a 29.62% increase in elongation of pulsed current mode welding compared to constant current welding. Further, the microhardness and impact toughness of PCGTAW is 3.32% and 5.45% higher than GTAW, respectively. In pulsed current welding, better mechanical properties were identified compared to constant current welding. The nonappearance of Cr and Mo-rich phases and refined microstructure in the weldment are the main reason for better strength.

Influence of welding parameters on the weld properties in Friction stir spot welding of aluminium alloys of varying thicknesses

Joining of dissimilar materials with different thicknesses in automobile and shipbuilding industries by conventional arc welding methods is a challenge due to unequal stress distribution during welding. The problem of imbalanced stress can be reduced or avoided in solid state welding methods. In the present work, aluminium alloys of dissimilar thickness are joined by Friction stir spot welding, FSSW. The feasible welding conditions were determined by Response surface methodology. The maximum strength of 6.204 kN was obtained at 1000 RPM, 0.02 mm/s plunge speed and thread pin profile. The rotational speed was identified as the vital parameter that influenced the joint strength by analysis of variance. The Artificial neural network was used to predict the mechanical strength of the weld joints. The microstructure analysis revealed that tool profile significantly influenced the hook shape. The microhardness survey revealed that the stir zone hardness was higher than the hardness at the heat-affected zone due to severe plastic deformation.