Joining Processes: Welding, Brazing, Soldering

1. Brazing and Soldering: Melting of filler rod only

Brazing: higher temperature, ~brass filler, strong Soldering: lower temp, ~tin-lead filler, weak

2. Welding: Melting of filler rod and base metals 3. Both: Join inexpensive parts to form complex product

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Types of Joints

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Brazing
Steel base metal + Brass filler rod is common Lower temp than welding: retains heat treatment (if present), minimizes grain growth.
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Strong but slow (careful preparation, cleanup)

Furnace brazing is easily automated

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Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW): Stick welding

Older, simple technology The electrode is also the filler rod Only for steel

Strong welds if done properly (but often not)

Very high heat input: good for thick parts, bad for grain growth and distortion

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Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW): MIG (Metal-Inert-Gas)

~Complex mechanism but simple to perform and easy to automate
The electrode is also the filler rod, fed continuously from a spool. It melts in the arc. For steel or aluminum Low skill level can achieve good weld Medium heat input: distortion and grain growth are significant

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Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW): MIG (Metal-Inert-Gas)

A fair/typical quality MIG weld (still hot!)

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Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW): TIG (Tungsten-Inert-Gas)

The electrode is tungsten (not consumed)
The filler rod is separate and fed manually High skill level required to achieve good weld Difficult to automate Low heat input and small weld bead: distortion and grain growth are minimized

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Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW): TIG (Tungsten-Inert-Gas)

Typical good quality TIG welds

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Resistance Spot Welding (RSW): Spot Welding

No filler rod: electrical current is passed through metal under pressure Low skill level required Easy to automate Low heat input and no weld bead: distortion and grain growth are minimized

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Distortion from Welding Processes

Non-uniform shrinkage of weld bead Difficult to maintain alignments Solution: Rigid fixtures, pre-compensate for warping, loose tolerances

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Weld bead profile: Convex or Concave?

Solidification of molten bead leads to shrinkage
Shrinkage of a concave bead leads to tension on surface tends to crack Shrinkage of a convex bead leads to compression on surface does not crack

Generally, slightly convex beads are preferred.

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Welding Flaws

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Welding Flaws:
Incomplete Penetration
(not enough heat input)

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References
Kalpakjian: http://www.nd.edu/~manufact/index3.htm