Microstructural analysis of the anode in gas metal arc welding (GMAW)

The nature of the applied shielding gas has a strong influence on arc stability and transfer metal mode of the welding process. In particular, increase of the percentage of carbon dioxide in argon induces the increase of the transition current value from the globular to spray metal transfer mode. This work shows that these effects are linked to the chemical and microstructural modifications of the anode tip during the gas metal arc welding process. The microstructure of the anode is investigated for various experimental conditions. Transition between the two transfer modes is linked to the existence and disappearance of a rather insulating oxide “gangue” at the wire extremity whose nature depends of the shielding gas. Chemical reactions at high temperature such as oxidation–reduction reactions between shielding gas and melted metal govern the transition of the spray-arc to globular transfer mode.     

Mapping transfer modes for stainless steel gas metal arc welding

Abstract

A methodology for the construction of transfer mode maps for stainless steel gas metal arc welding, with argon and argon–oxygen shielding gases, is presented. A back lighting laser and high speed video camera were used for visualisation and measurement of droplets and electrode extension. The reasons for the use of a groove, instead of the traditional bead on plate method, and of same volume beads are discussed and the results assessed. Unlike in other mapping procedures, mapping was conducted as a function of welding current and arc length. In addition, transfer rate v. welding current or wire feedrate curves were plotted. The results show the importance of the use of both maps and curves for identification and quantification of the shielding gas effects on the transfer mode. The results also suggest that an increase in oxygen content in the shielding gas reduces the values of transition current and transition wire feedrate (as expected), but also that it reduces the transfer rate and droplet size at the globular–spray transition.     

脉冲TCGMAW电流占空比对熔滴过渡和焊缝成形的影响

基于建立的熔滴过渡高速摄像分析系统,对高速脉冲TCGMAW在脉冲电流占空比变化下的熔滴过渡过程进行观察分析,并就脉冲电流占空比变化对熔滴过渡和焊缝成形质量的影响进行了研究。试验结果表明,在所用焊接规范下,当脉冲电流占空比较小时,焊丝熔化速度不能与送丝速度匹配,熔滴过渡方式表现为短路过渡形式,焊缝成形较差,甚至出现断弧、焊不起来的情况;随着脉冲电流占空比的提高,焊丝熔化能量加大,熔滴过渡方式逐渐过渡到射滴过渡和射流过渡,电弧电压的波动范围变小,焊缝成形良好。     

Analysis of dynamic plasma behaviours in gas metal arc welding by imaging spectroscopy

For gas metal arc welding, the effect of CO₂ mixture in a shielding gas on a metal transfer process was investigated through the observation of the plasma characteristics and dynamic behaviour at the droplet’s growth-separation-transfer by the temperature measurement methods which were suitable, respectively, to the argon plasma region and the metal plasma region. At the present experimental conditions, the metal transfer process was a spray transfer type with 100%Ar shielding gas. On the other hand, with 85%Ar + 15%CO₂ shielding gas, the metal transfer process was a globular transfer type in which the arc length was shorter, the width was narrower and the time interval of the droplet separation was longer. For both shielding gases, the metal plasma region near the arc central axis exhibited 6500–7500 K, which was lower than the argon plasma region. With 85%Ar + 15%CO₂ shielding gas, when the metal droplet grew below the electrode wire, the region below the droplet has a high plasma temperature and a high concentration of iron vapour which surrounded the droplet. The region also exhibited a remarkably high electron number density. At the spray transfer process, the argon plasma region had an electron number density twice as high as the metal plasma region. Meanwhile, at the globular transfer process, the metal plasma region had a higher electron number density than the argon plasma region, which corresponded to a higher electrical conductivity near the arc axis. This means that the electric current goes through the arc axis easier than the spray transfer process. This condition increases the temperature below the droplet. The thermal expansion increases the force preventing the droplet from falling down. In consequence, the metal transfer takes the globular transfer type.     

高铬镍奥氏体焊丝Ar/He/CO2保护脉冲GMAW电弧形态与熔滴过渡

为解决高强度Cr-Ni奥氏体焊丝脉冲GMAW电弧挺度不足,熔滴过渡不稳定的问题,文中采用高速摄像手段对Ar/He/CO₂不同组合气体保护下的脉冲GMAW电弧形态与熔滴过渡进行了对比研究,以期优化混合气体成分.结果表明,氩气弧熔滴过渡容易,但电弧漂移、挺度差;氦气和CO₂气体的加入可提高电弧挺度、增大电弧能量、熔滴过渡变为1脉多滴,先一个大滴,接着几个小滴;氦气的比例越大,第一个熔滴的尺寸越大;CO₂气体可克服阴极斑点漂移,但比例不能超过5%;40% Ar+58% He+2% CO₂三元组合的电弧挺度大,熔滴过渡均匀平稳,是奥氏体焊丝脉冲GMAW厚板焊接较理想的混合气体组分.     

Visualization of gas metal arc welding on globular to spray transition current

The transfer modes in gas metal arc welding have important effects on welding quality. However, present study of metal transfer modes is not yet fully understood. In this study, welding arcs was visualised using the optical emission spectroscopy technique. The carbon steel wire electrode was used for welding with 80% Ar?+?20% CO₂ shielding gas. The results showed that the globular to spray transition current was 330–350?A. During globular to spray transition, argon,CO₂ and Fe plasma tended to gradually change from localising near the arc axis to a two-layer structure having 11,000?K in high-temperature region away from the arc axis and around 7000?K in low-temperature region near the arc axis.     

无镀铜焊丝熔滴过渡形态与工艺质量的关系

综述了镀铜和无镀铜焊丝熔滴过渡形态与工艺质量的关系。两种焊丝GMAW焊接时,熔滴有大滴过渡、喷射过渡和短路过渡3种形态。在富氩混合气时都存在滴状向喷射过渡的转变电流。无镀铜焊丝在不同保护气体时的电弧改善、熔滴细化、转变电流均低于镀铜焊丝。焊接电流和电弧电压的正确匹配是获得满意过渡形态的重要条件。焊丝的工艺质量除了受焊丝和涂层成分及母材焊接性控制之外,主要受焊接工艺条件控制。通过工艺参数匹配的变化建立了熔滴过渡形态与焊丝工艺质量间的关系,其内在联系主要是熔滴尺寸和转变电流的变化。     

保护气体对金红石型药芯焊丝电弧行为影响分析

采用高速摄像装置及汉诺威弧焊分析仪分析了金红石型药芯焊丝在100% CO₂及80% Ar+20% CO₂气体保护焊时的熔滴过渡模式及电弧形态.结果表明,100% CO₂气体保护焊时小、中、大参数均出现排斥过渡特征,随电弧电压与焊接电流增加,熔滴尺寸减小,过渡频率增加,出现滴状过渡,波形呈锯齿状;80% Ar+20% CO₂气体保护焊时以滴状过渡为主,大参数时出现射滴过渡,波形近似直线.前者渣柱仅出现于熔滴形成长大的初期,后者在熔滴过渡全过程均有渣柱存在,且对熔滴过渡有一定的导向与稳定作用.这与电弧形态不同,熔滴与渣柱受电弧热作用的效果不同有关.     

Effect of REM addition of wire on CO2 gas shielded arc phenomenon

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) gas shielded arc welding is the main arc welding method, but it generates a large amount of spatter during welding. The root cause of spatter lies in the fact that the droplet undergoes repeated irregular shaking. To solve this problem, spatter generation modes were clarified and the effects of polarity and rare earth metal (REM) addition of the wire on CO₂ gas shielded arc welding were investigated. As a result, when welding is performed with an electrode negative (DCEN) polarity using REM added wire, it was found that a conical arc plasma is formed, and the droplet which is transferred from the wire tip to the molten pool is fine and continuous, in what is termed ‘spray transfer’. Thus, spatter generation was reduced to 10% of amount of the conventional CO₂ gas shielded arc welding (from 0.058 to 0.005g/s).     

Droplet transition for plasma-MIG welding on aluminium alloys

The synchronous acquisition system of droplet image inspection and arc electric signals were established and the droplet transition characteristics of aluminum alloys were researched in the plasma-MIG welding process.Typical droplet transition modes include globular transfer mode,short circuiting transfer mode,metastable spray transfer mode and projected transfer mode.The result indicates that MIG droplet transfer frequency and droplet transfer modes are changed by introducing the plasma arc in the plasma-MIG welding process compared with the MIG welding on the aluminum alloys,which broadens the range of welding parameters when the stable welding process proceeds.The metastable spray transfer and projected transfer mode are proved to be the most optimal modes by comparing the stability of electronic signal,droplet transition,weld appearance and weld penetration.     

Influence of shielding medium on deposition rate in arc welding

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to determine the influence of the shielding medium and the type of welding flux on the deposition rate in arc welding. Previous studies have stated that the shielding medium has no influence on deposition rate and a number of mathematical models derived by previous authors confirm this. In the present work it was found that a larger quantity of material was deposited when using helium, argon, or CO₂ as shielding. With constant wire feedrate and constant power, arc current was lowest with helium shielding and highest with argon shielding; with just wire feedrate constant, arc power was lowest with helium and CO₂ shielding and highest with basic flux. It was also found that arc welding efficiency was highest for helium shielding and lowest for submerged arc welding with basic flux.     

Arc characteristics and behaviour of metal transfer in pulsed current GMA welding of stainless steel

The variation in arc characteristics, stability in shielding of arc environment and behaviour of metal transfer with a change in pulse parameters have been studied by high speed video-photography during pulsed current gas metal arc (P-GMA) weld deposition using austenitic stainless steel filler wire. A comparative study of similar nature has also been carried out during gas metal arc (GMA) weld deposition in globular and spray transfer modes. The effect of pulse parameters has been studied by considering their hypothetically proposed summarized influence defined by a dimensionless factor ? = [(I_b/I_p) ft_b], mean current and arc voltage and correlation between welding parameters and arc characteristics have been established. The arc characteristics studied by its root diameter, projected diameter, length and stiffness measured in terms of arc pressure and the behaviour of metal transfer noted by the droplet diameter and velocity of droplet at the time of detachment have been found to vary significantly with the variation in ?. At a given ? the experimentally measured values of the behaviour of metal transfer are found well in agreement to their corresponding theoretical values estimated through mathematical expressions reported earlier. The increase of ? and the ratio of (I_b/I_p) have been found to adversely affect the stability of shielding jacket and arc profile especially at high arc voltage.     

药芯焊丝电弧焊电弧形态与熔滴过渡行为的研究

基于数码照相技术研究了CO2保护气氛下,渣系和焊接参数对药芯焊丝电弧焊（FCAW）电弧形态和熔滴过渡行为的影响。研究发现,酸性及金属芯渣系药芯焊丝在所有焊接参数下电弧扩散角相差不大,碱性渣系药芯焊丝因药芯中含大量消电离元素,大焊接参数下电弧扩散角比其它两种渣系小;金属芯药芯焊丝大焊接参数下发生“半潜弧”,可见弧长显著缩短。随着焊接参数增大,酸性,碱性,金属芯药芯焊丝均依次出现如下熔滴过渡类型;短路过渡、大滴排斥过渡、细颗粒过渡,均未发生喷射过渡。     

Metal transfer characteristics of GMAW with strip electrode

Abstract

The metal transfer process of gas metal arc welding with strip electrode is observed by a high speed digital camera system. Because the rectangular strip electrode has a large width/thickness ratio, the pendant droplet is elliptical in shape, and multicurrent channels are generated. The Lorentz force induced between the multicurrent channels drives the droplet and welding arc to move along the strip electrode end, but the droplet always lags behind the welding arc. The movement results in uncertain droplet’s detaching location and transition trajectory. The projected transfer mode is promoted, and the streaming and rotating transfer modes are restrained. With the increase in welding power, the droplet motion is faster but more stable. The stability can be reflected from the fluctuation of the welding current and arc voltage waveforms.     

双丝间接电弧氩弧焊的熔滴过渡

采用氙灯背光高速摄像系统及示波器对双丝间接电弧氩气保护焊的熔滴过渡及其对应的电压、电流波形进行了研究.结果表明,双丝间接电弧氩弧焊焊接电流与电弧电压的不同匹配选择,熔滴具有短路过渡、大滴过渡、混合过渡、射滴过渡、射流过渡等不同过渡形式.随着焊接电流的增大熔滴尺寸减小,熔滴细化,随电弧电压的增大,熔滴尺寸减小.熔滴过渡形式与电压、电流的波形之间有很好的对应关系.     

An investigation of dynamical metal transfer in GMAW—Effects of argon shielding gas

The unbalance radial electromagnetic force was firstly obtained by measuring the real-time input electrical impedance of GMAW. This force acts as an attaching force because it pushes the droplet aside of the welding wire and sticks on the tip of welding wire as result of surface tension force. In spray transfer mode, lower unbalance radial electromagnetic force was observed when argon shielding gas was used. The finding presented in this paper is contrary to the literature which reported that higher electromagnetic force is desirable for faster transfer rate of droplets in spray transfer mode.     

Metal transfer and arc behaviour of novel consumable and non-consumable electrode indirect arc droplet welding

Abstract

The consumable and non-consumable electrode indirect arc droplet welding is a novel method that applies an indirect arc generated between a consumable electrode and a non-consumable electrode to welding. It was successfully used to overlap join the thin zinc coated steel plate. In the point to point (consumable electrode and non-consumable electrode) configuration, the stable metal transfer was obtained. The globular, projected spray and streaming spray transfer modes were promoted. With the increase in welding power, the metal transfer became faster and more stable. At the same time, the indirect arc became brighter, smaller and more stable. The arc self-regulation guaranteed the stable burning of the indirect arc. The desire stability was observed from the fluctuation of the welding current and the arc voltage waveforms. The side concentrated melting on the root of the droplet produced high pinch effect, which facilitated the detachment of the droplet.     

带状电极MAG焊工艺熔滴过渡分析

采用氙灯背光高速摄像系统对带状电极MAG焊的熔滴过渡进行了研究.试验发现,随焊接工艺参数的增大,钢带端部熔化变得均匀,由多个熔滴并存转变为只产生一个熔滴.熔滴在长大过程中沿钢带端部移动,过渡位置不定.随焊接参数由小到大变化,熔滴依次呈现短路过渡、大滴过渡、射滴过渡、射流过渡和旋转射流过渡等形式.结果表明,射滴过渡是带状电极MAG焊熔滴过渡的主要方式;电流、电压波形与熔滴过渡形式之间有很好的对应关系;由于其特殊的电极形状和熔滴过渡特点,带状电极MAG焊适合大电流高速焊,可以提高焊接效率.     

低碳钢熔化极等离子弧焊接工艺

对Q235低碳钢进行熔化极等离子弧焊接工艺试验,并研究其工艺参数对焊缝成形和熔滴过渡的影响.结果表明,与常规的熔化极惰性气体保护焊相比熔化极等离子弧焊接在提高焊接效率、减少飞溅和气孔等方面具有优越性.当其它条件不变时,焊缝熔宽随等离子电流增大而变宽,而对熔深和熔滴过渡类型影响不大;熔化极等离子弧焊接电流增大时,U - I相图的线簇随着电流增大而集中,熔滴过渡依次为短路过渡、大滴过渡和射流过渡.