DM-I

CO-2
Welding Material

ARC Welding
It is a group of welding process where joint is produced by heating with an electric arc, without
the application of pressure and with or with out use of filler metals depending up on base plate
thickness.
An electric arc is a discharge of electric current across a gap in a circuit. To initiate the arc,
electrode is brought into contact with work and then quickly separated from it by a short
distance.

Principle:
It is a process of joining 2 metal pieces by melting their edges by an electric arc. Source of heat
is electric arc. Arc is struck between an Anode (workpiece), which is (+)ve pole of DC power
supply, and cathode (electrode) the (-)ve pole. Power source can be AC/DC, electrodes use can
be consumable/non consumable. When power supply is in ‘ON’ position current is passed,
electrons are liberated from electrode (cathode) and moves towards w/p (anode) with high
velocity i.e. ¾ of light velocity. During this motion electrons collide with air molecules in a
region between electrode tip & w/p, as a result air molecules dissociates into + & - ve ions.
When large number of ions accumulated in a gap that region is called as ionization region, and
these ions acts as conducting medium b/w electrode & work piece and passage of current takes
place and an arc is generated in this region and because of this temp rises (> 4000c) which is
sufficient to melt w/p and weld takes place.
FLUX SHIELDED METAL ARC WELDING (SMAW)
Flux shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) is a welding process where Joint is produced by
heating the w/p with an electric arc set up between flux coated electrode & w/p. Electrode itself
melts and supplies the necessary filler metals (consumable type).

When power supply is ‘ON’ an electric arc struck between coated electrode & w/p. Arc melts
the electrode end and job. Material is transferred from electrode to job in the form of droplets,
through arc and deposited along the joint to be welded. Flux coating melts, produces a gaseous
shield to prevent formation of metal oxides of molten weld metal. The w/p is kept on
base(backing plate) and fixed to + ve terminal of power supply, electrode to - ve terminal of
power supply. To form the arc the flux coated electrode is brought in to contact with w/p in short
sweeping motion and then it is pulled away. This initiates the arc & thus melting of w/p &
electrode takes place and leaves the droplets into the parent metal cavity (gap). As electrode
melts, flux covering disintegrates, giving off vapors that protects the weld area from atmospheric
gases. In addition flux provides molten slag which cover the filler metal as it travels from
electrode to weld pool. Once filler metal is hardened in pool it must be chipped away to reveal
the finished weld.

Advantages:
 It is simplest one of all the available.
 Equipment cost is low and portable.
 Big range of metals and alloys can be joined.
Disadvantages:
 In welding long joints as one electrode finishes weld is to be progressed with other
electrode, unless properly cared defects may occur at the place where welding is to be
restarted.
 As process uses stick electrode it is slower process.

Applications :
 Mainly used to weld Iron & Steel, Al, Ni, Copper alloys.
 Finds applications in tanks, boilers and pressure vessel fabrications, ship buildings,
building and bridge construction.
SUBMERGED ARC WELDING (SAW)
It is an arc welding process wherein joint is produced by heating with an electric arc set up
between continuously feeding bare metal electrode & job. The end of the electrode and
molten pool remains completely hidden and are invisible being submerged under a blanket of
granular material (FLUX).

In this process instead of flux covered electrode, granulated flux & bare electrode is used. The
flux serves as a shield and protect molten weld pool from atmospheric Contamination. Here
granulated flux is delivered ahead of welding electrode by means of a welding flux feed tube
(HOPPER). When trigger is pulled and flux starts depositing on joint to be welded. Arc is always
generated by touching the bare electrode under the cover of flux.

Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) (or) Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) Welding
It is an arc welding process wherein Joint is produced by heating the job with an electric arc
struck between non consumable tungsten electrode and job. When arc is produced in between
electrode & w/p, inert gas from cylinder passes through welding head around the electrode. This
shield gas (argon, helium, nitrogen) is used to avoid atmospheric gases of molten weld pool. A
filler metal (wire) is used and these wires are similar to metals that are to be welded (need to be
add in figure).
Welding current, inert gas supply are turned on, arc is either struck by touching electrode with a
scrap metal tungsten piece or using high Frequency unit. The torch is brought nearer to job when
electrode tip reaches with in a distance 2 to 3mm from job, a spark jumps across air gap between
electrode & gap. Air path gets ionized and arc is established. After striking the arc it is allowed
to impinge on job and molten weld pool is created which joins the 2 surfaces.

Advantages:
 It is very much suitable for high quality welding of thin materials (as thin as 0.125mm)
which requires good surface finish.
 No flux is used.
 This method can weld in all positions and produces smooth welds .
 Very good process for joining non ferrous metals (Al) & Stainless steel and High carbon
steel.
 Precise control of welding variables (heat).
 Because of clear visibility of arc and job operator can exercise a better control on welding
process.

Disadvantages:
 Lower deposition rates
 More costly for welding thick sections as inert gas makes this process more expensive
than SMAW.
 Since TIG welding requires separate filler rod compared to MIG it is slower process.
 Cost of equipment is high compared to submerged arc welding.

Applications:
 Joining Al, Mg, Titanium alloys, SS, and other refractory metals.
 Welding sheet metals and thinner sections.
 Precision welding in atomic energy, air craft, chemical & instrumental industry.
Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) (or) Metal Inert Gas Welding (MIG)
MIG Welding is the process in which joint is produced by heating job with an electric arc struck
between a continuous and consumable wire electrode and w/p. No flux is used but arc and
molten metal are shielded by inert gas (argon, helium, carbon dioxide).

Uses a consumable bare metal wire as electrode and shielding accomplished by flooding arc with
a gas. Wire is fed continuously and automatically from a spool through the welding gun.
Shielding gases include inert gases such as argon and helium for aluminum welding, and active
gases such as CO2 for steel welding. Bare electrode wire plus shielding gases eliminate slag on
weld bead, no need for manual grinding and cleaning of slag.
Before igniting the arc, gas & water flow is checked. Proper current & wire feed speed is set and
electrical connections are ensured. Arc is struck when current & shielded gas flow is switched on
& electrode is scratched against the w/p which is the usual practice for striking the arc. In this
type arc is produced between consumable metal electrode (wire) & w/p. Electrode wire is
continuously fed from wire reel. Electrode wire from reel passes through holder and it is melted
by arc & deposited over joint resulting weld.

Advantages:
 Because of continuous fed electrode, MIG is much faster process than TIG / stick
welding.
 It can produce joints with deep penetration.
 Thin & thick both metals can be joined.
 MIG produces smooth, neat, clean welded surface which no further requires cleaning
operations and thus reduces total welding cost.
 Better arc time because of continuous wire electrode.
 Higher deposition rates.

Disadvantages:
 Process is more complex as compared to TIG because number of variables are required to
be controlled effectively to achieve good results.
 Equipment is more complex, more costly.
Applications:
 For welding carbon, silicon, low alloy steels, stainless steel, aluminum, magnesium,
copper.
 For manufacture of refrigerator parts.
 In industries like ship building, automobile and aircraft.

ELECTRON BEAM WELDING (EBW)

Electron Beam Welding is a welding process utilizing a heat generated by a beam of high
energy electrons. The electron beam strike the work piece surface to be joined and their kinetic
energy converts into thermal energy thereby heating the metal so that the edges of work piece are
fused and joined together forming a weld after Solidification.

The process is carried out in a vacuum chamber at a pressure of about 0.00013 to 0.0013 Pa.
Such high vacuum is required in order to prevent loss of the electrons energy in collisions with
air molecules. When Tungsten Filament (Cathode) is electrically heated in vacuum to
approximately 20000C, it emits electrons. The electrons emitted from the heated filament carry
negative charge and are made to pass through central hole of anode. Due to a high voltage (about
150 kV) applied between the cathode and the anode the electrons are accelerated up to 30% -
60% of the speed. Now kinetic energy of the electrons becomes sufficient for melting the
targeted weld. The electron beam is focused by means of electro Magnetic Focusing coil. The
focusing coil concentrates the electron beam to the user’s needs. Deflection coil moves the
electron beam along the weld. Thus concentrated electron beam is focused onto the work piece ,
when beam strikes the work piece the kinetic energy of the electrons is changed into heat energy
that is great enough to melt the work piece material. The greater the kinetic energy, the greater
the amount of heat released. Electron Beam is capable to weld work pieces with thickness from
0.0004” (0.01 mm) up to 6” (150 mm) of steel and up to 20” (500 mm) of aluminum. Electron
Beam Welding may be used for joining any metals including metals, which are hardly weld able
by other welding methods such as tungsten, molybdenum, niobium, titanium, zirconium,
beryllium. Electron Beam Welding is also able to join dissimilar metals.

Advantages:
• Welds produced of high quality (free from atmospheric contamination).
• The input power is small when compared to the power requirements of other electrical
welding devices.
• Filler metal is not required.

Disadvantages:
• Initial cost of equipment is high.
• Skilled persons required because of complexity of circuitry.
• Work piece size is limited by the work chamber dimensions.

Applications:
• EBW is used to assemble conventional production parts such as cams, gears etc.
• For welding automobile, airplane, aerospace, farm equipment.
• EBW is very suitable where high quality, automatic welding operations are required
where other welding processes will not produce desired results.
LASER BEAM WELDING (LBW)

In Laser Beam Welding process the heat is obtained from the application of a concentrated light
beam which striking upon the weld metal and melt the metal, such this weld joint is obtained,
this welding process is called Laser Welding.

In laser beam, the lights are coherent, i.e. light rays are identical and parallel. The laser device is
generates the concentrating light wave into narrowly and gets the highly intense beam which can
imparts tremendous amount of heat energy on a small area, this heat energy can fuse the metals,
which we are using for welding purpose. A laser beam is produced inside of the Ruby Crystal.
The Ruby Crystal is made of aluminum oxide with chromium dispersed throughout it. Silver
coated mirrors are fitted internally in the both side of crystal. The one side of mirror has a tiny
hole, a beam is come out through this hole. A flash tube is placed around the Ruby Crystal,
which is filled with xenon inert gas. The flash is specially designed such as which is made flash
rate about thousands flashes per seconds. The electrical energy is converted into light energy,
this is worked by flash tube. The capacitor is provided for storage the electrical energy and
supply the high voltage to flash tube for performed appropriately. The electrical energy
discharged from capacitor and xenon transform the high energy into white flash light rate of
1/1000 per second. When power supply is ‘ON’ xenon flash tube gives thousands of flashes/sec.
When these flashes impinge on Ruby crystal chromium atoms excites to a higher energy level to
form a narrow beam of coherent light. Which is come out through the one end tiny hole of
crystal’s mirror. This narrow beam is focused by a optical focusing lens to work area. The laser
beam heats and melts the work pieces edges, forming a joint.
Advantages:
• Very narrow weld may be obtained
• High quality of the weld structure
• Very small heat affected zone
• Dissimilar materials may be welded
• Very small delicate work pieces may be welded
 • Vacuum is not required

Disadvantages:
• Low welding speed
• High cost equipment

Applications:
Laser Welding is used in electronics, communication and aerospace industry, for manufacture of
medical and scientific instruments, for joining miniature components.

THERMIT WELDING

Thermit welding is the process of igniting a mix of high energy materials, (which is also called
thermit), that produce a molten metal that is poured between the working pieces of metal to form
a welded joint.

(1) Thermit ignited

(2) Crucible tapped, superheated metal flows into mold
(3) Metal solidifies to produce weld joint

It is based on casting & foundry practice & consists of providing by means of chemical reaction,
a volume of molten weld metal is poured in to joint to be welded as shown in fig. The chemical
or thermit reaction takes place between metal oxide (Iron) & metal reducing agent (Al, Mg). It is
essentially a casting process where molten metal obtained by thermit reaction is poured in to
refractory cavity made around the joint. The 2 pieces that are to be joined are cleaned properly
and edge is prepared. Then wax is poured in to joint so that a pattern is formed where weld is to
be obtained. A molding flask is kept around joint & sand is rammed around wax pattern
providing necessary pouring cup, sprue, rises. A bottom opening is provided to run off molten
wax. Wax is melted through this opening which is also used to preheat joint & make it ready for
weld. Thermit mixture which is mixed with fluxes is filled in laddle through bottom opening
and opening is initially closed. Igniting mixture normally barium peroxide or magnesium is
placed at top of thermit mixture. This mix is lighted by means of heated metal rod where
complete reactions take place & molten metal is poured. Bottom plug of ladle is opened and
metal is allowed to flow in to prepared mold. Weld joint is allowed to cool slowly.

Advantages:
Heat necessary for welding is obtained from chemical reaction & thus no costly power supply is
reqd. Therefore broken parts can be easily welded on site itself.
Weld surface is often smooth enough that no finishing is required.

Disadvantages:
It is applicable only to ferrous metal parts of heavy sections.(mill housings, heavy rail sections).
Process is uneconomical if used to weld cheap metals or light parts.

Applications:
Mainly used in repair or assembly of large parts:
For repairing fractured rails.
For welding large fractured crankshafts.
For welding broken frames of machines.
For replacing broken teeth on large gears.