Behaviour of short-circuit frequency and duration time and electrical conductivity during arc re-ignition in SMAW (AC) with E6013 electrodes

The objective of this work is to evaluate the behaviour of short-circuit frequency and duration time and electrical conductivity during arc re-ignition in the shielded metal arc welding process with alternating current and E6013 electrodes. The non-parametric statistical analysis guarantees robust processing of the data, reducing the influence of atypical values and errors derived from the use of approximations to well-known continuous distributions. The median and the median absolute deviation (MAD) with respect to the median of the data are the localization and dispersion estimators used, respectively. The electrode set at 160 A shows a better stability in metal transference, given for the lowest value of MAD for the short-circuit period (39.36 ms), and the MAD of the short-circuit duration (1.43 ms), according to the presence of a major electrical conductivity during the arc re-ignition (1766.17 × 10^? 3 S s^? 1).     

Formation of hardened layers on aluminium alloy surfaces by the plasma transferred arc process

A new criterion for stability analysis of the gas metal arc welding (GMAW) process is proposed and presented in this work, based on acoustic emission generated by the arc during short-circuiting metal transfer. For the experimental development an AWS ER70S-6 wire with a diameter of 0.8 mm and a DEP 401 rectifier were used. The weld bead was carried out on a 4-mm-thick AISI 1020 steel plate. Several welding conditions were studied with variation of the process parameters during the deposition of the beads. The acoustic emission signals were acquired using a measurement system composed of a MV-201 microphone, with a sensitivity of 10 ± 3 mV Pa^? 1 and frequency bandwidth of 20 Hz to 170 dB to 100 kHz, and a data acquisition card coupled to a PC. A stability index was proposed. Eventually, a statistical analysis for validation of the obtained experimental results was carried out. The outputs allowed obtained a relationship between the acoustic signals and the arc voltage signals. The feasibility of the proposed index, and the effectiveness of the method as a novel means of analysing the stability of arc welding, was demonstrated based on acoustic emission for analyses of GMAW process stability.     

SACTIG与VPTIG电弧稳定性的比较分析(一)

采用高速录像系统、焊接电弧分析仪同步实时采集SACTIG（sine alternative current TIG）与VVFIG（variable polarity TIG）焊接电流、电弧电压、电弧形态信息。比较分析了SACTIG与VPTIG焊在焊接电流过零期间,焊接电弧稳定性与相关参数之间的关系。研究表明,工频正弦交流TIG电弧电流过零期问可能会发生熄弧和再引弧现象。焊接电流增加到一定值时,就可消除熄弧和再引弧现象,使工频正弦交流TIG电弧也具有良好的电弧稳定性。再引弧电压越高,电弧稳定性越差;再引弧电压等于电弧电压,就不会发生熄弧和再引弧现象。     

Research on generation of micro-plasma arc and its power intensity

In order to realize practical application of micro-plasma arc welding, the generation method of submillimetre-sized plasma arc was developed through controlling the DC electrical discharge in the range from glow to arc discharge with use of an experimental torch device and a newly designed high-voltage power source. The electrical discharge was established between the cathode of a tungsten electrode and the anode of stainless steel sheet through a plasma constriction nozzle made from heat-resistant material of boron nitride. It is shown that the micro-plasma arc with use of a submillimetre diameter nozzle is stabilized as the size of the plasma beam corresponds to the nozzle diameter and decrease in the nozzle diameter increases the power density of micro-plasma arc at the anode surface. A submillimetre-sized melt spot can be obtained with the current of 1 A and discharge time of 5 ms.     

Study of the hot-wire TIG process with AISI-316L filler material,analysing the effect of magnetic arc blow on the dilution of the weld bead

The TIG process with hot-wire addition is described as a highly productive process in comparison with conventional TIG process with cold-wire and achieves large deposition rates and low dilution percentages, characteristics that permit to the process to be an optimum alternative for cladding applications. There are many options of electrical circuit configurations to heat the addition wire in the TIG Hot-Wire process, highlighting the utilization of the continuous pulsed current and the alternating current. In the present paper were studied two configurations of the electrical circuit for heating the addition materials, which in theory provoke different behaviours in the welding arc, and therefore, in the geometrical properties of the welding bead too. A first analysis done on the welding arc, which demonstrates that to heat the wire with continuous constant current generates a permanent magnetic blow over the arc. According to trials made, the direction and intensity of the magnetic blow will depend on the polarity and on the current value to heat the wire. A macrographic analysis of the weld beads demonstrated that the best results were for the tests made with hot-wire, achieving dilutions up to 2% for a wire velocity of 7.5 m/min, 1 kW of power for to heat the wire and using a welding velocity of 30 cm/min.     

The Effects of Low Frequency on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of High-Strength Al-Mg Aluminum Alloys by Wire and Double-Pulsed Arc Additive Manufacturing

An innovative and high deposition efficiency process, the double-pulsed arc additive manufacturing process, is used to produce high-strength Al-Mg wall components. This dissertation investigates the electrical parameter acquisition, bead appearance, porosity morphology, microstructure and mechanical properties of additively manufactured high-strength Al-Mg wall components and how these are affected by the low frequency of the double-pulsed arc additive manufacturing process. Then, using this process at different low frequencies of 0, 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9 Hz, multilayer deposition experiments were performed. It can be observed that the deposit porosity is obviously eliminated compared with cold metal transfer (CMT) process. The bead appearance of the deposited aluminum wall varies clearly with low frequencies, and at a low frequency of 3 Hz, its appearance is the best of all. The optical observation of microstructure proves that the average grain size varies significantly with low frequency, and at a low frequency of 1 Hz, it is the smallest. In addition, the deposited wall showed maximum mean microhardness and maximum ultimate tensile strength at a low frequency of 3 Hz. Considering the deposited porosity and mechanical priorities, double-pulsed arc additive manufacturing with a frequency of 3 Hz is more suitable for making high-strength Al-Mg wall components than at other low frequencies.     

铝合金VP PMIG焊电弧过零稳定性

在薄板铝合金变极性脉冲熔化极惰性气体保护焊中,采用全桥高压脉冲双向稳弧方式,研究了高压稳弧脉冲电压幅值、脉冲持续时间、脉冲触发时刻、基值电流对焊接电流过零稳定性的影响.在小基值电流过零时,稳弧脉冲电压比基值电流对焊接电流过零稳定性的影响大.焊接电流过零的稳定性与稳弧脉冲电压的上升率有关,稳弧脉冲电压上升率有一个临界区间,使焊接电流过零时不稳定,采用稳弧脉冲电压上升率判断焊接电流过零稳定性,能够为铝合金VP PMIG焊焊接电流过零再引燃提供有效、可靠的依据.     

Self-feed device behaviour evaluation designed for assessment of operability of coated electrodes

The objective of the present work is to evaluate the effectiveness of a self-feed device for coated electrodes. This device is able to eliminate disturbances from manual operation or the use of automatic control systems during the study of coated electrode behaviour. The conjugation of different methods such as short-circuit time statistical analysis and metallographic analysis (penetration, heat-affected zone, shape and mean distance between successive solidification fronts) together with the analysis of the electric arc and electrode melting parameters allows us to obtain relationships between arc behaviour, mass transfer processes and bead appearance. This permits the extraction of criteria to describe process stability and the behaviour of the feed device employed. An appropriate statistical methodology was obtained to process the ‘duration of the short-circuit’ parameter through an appropriate adjustment of empirical distributions to a log-normal model. The self-feed device for coated electrode welding allows the repeatable and reproducible execution of welding beads in the flat position, keeping the arc length based on physical and chemical characteristics of the electrode during welding trials using 125, 140 and 160 A.     

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.     

Printing Force Effect on Conductive Silver Tracks: Geometrical, Surface, and Electrical Properties

This study provides a quantitative contribution to the determination of the printing force effect on silver tracks properties deposited by screen-printing. A water-based silver paste containing 75% of silver particles was formulated and printed by screen-printing process. Printing force effect on line definition, thickness, width, roughness, and on electrical properties was evaluated. A minimum theoretical line width of 100 μm was aimed. A 114 μm width and 14 μm thickness was achieved with a printing load of 5 kg. It was demonstrated that higher forces were needed to enhance line definition and to print thicker and narrower lines. On the other hand, it was shown that printing pressure had no effect on line roughness and electrical conductivity of printed lines, after sintering. Electrical resistivity values varied from 18 × 10^?9 to 30 × 10^?9 Ω · m after sintering. Sheet resistance was also measured on sintered printed films. It varied from 4.5 to 5.9 m · Ω/square for thicknesses varying from 3.9 to 6.6 μm.     

Preparation of SrZrO<Subscript>3</Subscript> Thermal Barrier Coating by Solution Precursor Plasma Spray

The solution precursor plasma spray (SPPS) process is capable of depositing highly durable thermal barrier coatings (TBCs). In this study, an aqueous chemical precursor feedstock was injected into the plasma jet to deposit SrZrO₃ thermal barrier coating on metal substrate. Taguchi design of experiments was employed to optimize the SPPS process. The thermal characteristics and phase evolution of the SrZrO₃ precursor, as well as the influence of various spray parameters on the coating deposition rate, microhardness, microstructure, and phase stability, were investigated. The experimental results showed that, at given spray distance, feedstock flow rate, and atomization pressure, the optimized spray parameters were arc current of 600 A, argon flow rate of 40 L/min, and hydrogen flow rate of 10 L/min. The SrZrO₃ coating prepared using the optimized spray parameters had single-pass thickness of 6.0 μm, porosity of ~18%, and microhardness of 6.8 ± 0.1 GPa. Phase stability studies indicated that the as-sprayed SrZrO₃ coating had good phase stability in the temperature range from room temperature to 1400 °C, gradually exhibiting a phase transition from t′-ZrO₂ to m-ZrO₂ in the SrZrO₃ coating at 1450 °C with increasing time, while the SrZrO₃ phase did not change.     

基于自相关分析的电弧焊熔滴过渡过程稳定性的定量评价

文中提出了基于自相关分析的定量评价方法,从电弧焊的电压电流信号中提取自相关函数峰值间距变异系数,作为电弧焊熔滴过渡过程稳定性评价的量值.结果表明,该方法所得的结果与人工分析判定的结果一致,切实可行.此外,该方法所提取的量值与其它量值联合使用,还较好地实现了CO2弧焊电源动特性的自动化评定.其准确率达97.4359%,已接近实际应用的要求.     

Mechanical and microstructural properties of submerged arc weldments with high heat input

The purpose of this work is to present a study of the mechanical and microstructural properties of welded joints in carbon steel obtained by the automated submerged arc process with high heat input, with the aim of increasing productivity in the fabrication of pipes for mooring equipment. Joints were welded in ASTM A-572 Gr.50 steel with thickness of 25 mm by the single-pass submerged arc process, with heat input varying from 7.8 to 14.0 kJ/mm. The joints were assessed by Charpy-V impact testing at a temperature of 0 °C, Vickers microhardness with 1-kgf load, and metallography of test specimens taken from the weld metal and the heat-affected zone. The results showed that the welded joints had impact toughness above the minima required for use in the welding of C-Mn and low-alloy steels with impact requirements of 34 J at 0 °C. A significant increase in productivity was observed, without impairing the mechanical properties, allowing fabrication of pipes for oil equipment with a significant reduction in fabrication time.     

纯银触头熔桥行为高速摄像研究

采用自主设计的电接触-高速摄像试验系统,在直流单分断模式下对纯银触头在电接触过程中所发生的熔桥行为进行观测,从而在不同的电流条件下对电接触过程中熔桥的形貌尺寸进行研究,同时通过SEM对电接触熔桥行为作用后纯银触头的表面进行形貌分析。结果表明,在DC 10 V(8~20 A)条件下,纯银触头在电接触过程中形成的熔桥有圆柱型和哑铃型2种形貌,并且其尺寸为微米级;熔桥的直径和长度都随电流的增大而呈现出先减小后增大的趋势,10~15 A范围内纯银触头在电接触过程中不易形成熔桥,电接触过程中电弧可能先于熔桥而产生,并且熔桥和电弧现象可以同时存在。     

Welding experiments of aluminium pipe by space GHTA welding in aircraft-borne simulated space environment

The gas hollow tungsten arc (GHTA) welding experiments on aluminum pipe were carried out in a simulated space environment using an aircraft. A vacuum chamber and welding machine for GHTA welding test were placed in the cabin of the aircraft and the 10^? 2 G gravity environment was produced by a parabolic flight of the aircraft. The square butt welding joints with non root gap on aluminum pipe were made by orbital welding in the vacuum chamber without wire filler metal using DC or DC-pulsed power supply under the 10^? 2 and 1 G gravity conditions. The welding phenomenon during the aluminum GHTA welding recorded in the high-speed video image was analysed and also the macrostructure and mechanical properties of butt weld joints were investigated. The welding experiments under simulated space environment showed that the DC-pulsed GHTA process could make the welding joints without the weld defects such as a lack of fusion, oxide film inclusion and spattering, though throat thickness decreased by the impulsive arc pressure of pulsed current. It was also clarified that the arc discharge phenomenon and melting characteristic at the molten pool surface during the DC-pulsed GHTA welding were insensitive to the gravity condition. However, the sagging weld metal made at 1 G gravity condition increases a little more than that welded under the 10^? 2 G gravity condition.     

Obtaining residual stress along weld beads by means of analytical and experimental methods

In CO₂ arc welding of solid wire, metal transfer phenomena and spatter generation are investigated with rectangular pulse current, and a low spatter CO₂ arc welding process with high frequency pulse current is developed. The optimal conditions of high frequency pulse CO₂ arc welding are in the range of peak current: 450–550 A and pulse frequency: 450–750 Hz. These high frequency pulse currents have the effect of droplet oscillation due to resonance between applied pulse frequency and the natural frequency of the droplet. The droplet is transferred consistently every 9–11 pulses and the average interval of metal transfer is about 16 ms which is reduced to half that of conventional CO₂ arc welding. This average droplet weight is 34 mg, showing a large reduction in comparison with that of the conventional method. As a result, total spatter weight is reduced by 70% in comparison with the conventional method, and especially, large spatters more than 0.5 mm in diameter are reduced from 1.5 to 0.2 g/min.     

Highlights of the Salt Extraction Process

This article presents the salient features of a new process for the recovery of metal values from secondary sources and waste materials such as slag and flue dusts. It is also feasible in extracting metals such as nickel and cobalt from ores that normally are difficult to enrich and process metallurgically. The salt extraction process is based on extraction of the metals from the raw materials by a molten salt bath consisting of NaCl, LiCl, and KCl corresponding to the eutectic composition with AlCl₃ as the chlorinating agent. The process is operated in the temperature range 973 K (700°C) to 1173 K (900°C). The process was shown to be successful in extracting Cr and Fe from electric arc furnace (EAF) slag. Electrolytic copper could be produced from copper concentrate based on chalcopyrite in a single step. Conducting the process in oxygen-free atmosphere, sulfur could be captured in the elemental form. The method proved to be successful in extracting lead from spent cathode ray tubes. In order to prevent the loss of AlCl₃ in the vapor form and also chlorine gas emission at the cathode during the electrolysis, liquid aluminum was used. The process was shown to be successful in extracting Nd and Dy from magnetic scrap. The method is a highly promising process route for the recovery of strategic metals. It also has the added advantage of being environmentally friendly.     

Calculation of the parameters of pulsed laser welding of thin sheets of aluminium alloys

One of the main advantages of the MIG/MAG process is its high productivity. In most of the applications, positive polarity is used, due to its greater arc stability, generation of less splatter and formation of weld beads with suitable geometry. However, in some applications, there is a need for greater production capacity than that offered by conventional MIG/MAG welding. In the literature, it is stated that negative polarity provides a higher fusion rate than positive, despite leading to a high level of splatter and unsuitable formation of the weld bead. Unfortunately, there is not much information available on the effects of the process variables in this polarity, much less justification for such. Therefore, this work is an attempt to try to understand the reason why there is a higher deposit rate in negative polarity, as well as the related effect on the geometry of the weld beads. To do this, comparative MIG/MAG welds were produced in both positive and negative polarities, using two compositions of shielding gases at two current values. The transfer mode and the behaviour of the arc were analysed by synchronized profiling. The geometric profile of the weld bead was evaluated by means of metallographic procedures. From the results, which disagree in part with the current literature, it was seen that both the transfer mode as well as the morphology and the appearance of the weld bead are dependent on the composition of the shielding gas. To explain the phenomena inherent in the greater fusion rate of wire in DC ? , the suggestion is that the fact that arc scales the sides of the wire in this polarity may be the governing factor.     

脉冲电流相位差对双丝P-GMAW焊电弧稳定性及焊缝成形的影响

利用焊接过程参数与过程图像同步采集系统,研究了平均电流均为150 A时两脉冲电弧的电流相位差对电弧稳定性和焊缝成形的影响.结果表明,脉冲电流相位差为零(两电弧同相位)时,两峰值电弧相互吸引并融为一体,两基值电弧互不影响,焊接过程稳定,断弧现象很少,焊缝成形良好;随着脉冲电流相位差的增大,断弧现象逐渐增多,焊缝在宽度上出现不均匀;脉冲电流相位差为180°时,基值电弧被峰值电弧强烈吸引,以弧形跨越两焊丝之间的空间后融入峰值电弧中,弧长显著增长,断弧现象严重,重新引弧时引起较多飞溅,焊缝成形较差.