GMAW Welding

Gas Metal Arc Welding also known as Metal Inert Gas welding (MIG) or Metal Active
Gas (MAG), is a welding process used for welding materials by the formation of an arc
between the electrode and the work piece.
At present, MIG welding is the most common industrial welding process, preferred for its
versatility, speed and the relative ease of adapting the process to robotic automation.
Unlike welding processes that do not employ a shielding gas, such as shielded metal
arc welding, it is rarely used outdoors or in other areas of air volatility. A related
process, flux cored arc welding, often does not use a shielding gas, but instead employs
an electrode wire that is hollow and filled with flux.
Setup and controls
Voltage Settings and Polarity Type
To start the voltage type used is almost always D/C electrode (+) positive. This means
that the handle is the positive side of the circuit, or it may be said, the electricity flows
from the metal in to the welding handle. This setting almost never changes and if you do
need to change it then you need to unbolt the internal leads and flop them.
The voltage is the main heat setting that gets changed depending on the joint, metal
thickness, gas type and position of the weld. It does most of the regulation and is most
commonly used to change the welders settings. The voltage setting varies depending
on what size electrode is used, how thick the metal is and what type of gas is used.
Wire Feed Speed
The wire feed speed regulates how much or how fast the wire is feed into the weld joint.
Wire feed speed is regulated in IPM or Inches Per Minute. The wire feed speed also
serves another purpose for regulating the amperage. When Stick or TIG welding, the
main setting is amperage, but it is the voltage that fluctuates depending on the arc
length. With MIG it is the voltage setting that stays the same but the amperage is
changing depending on the wire feed speed and electrode stick-out. Picture this; the
faster the wire is feed into the joint, the better contact it has. The better contact, the
more amperage gets through the wire and the higher the heat.

Gas Flow Rate/Gas Type or Mixture
Finally the gas type and gas flow rate help regulate the transfer type. A high percentage
of Argon or Helium added to a mix creates a hotter arc. The main goal of the gas setting
is to provide enough gas to shield the weld area from the air. Gas flow rates are
regulated in CFM or Cubic Feet Per Minute. This is an area that requires
experimentation. In a shop setting a rate of 15 CFM may be enough, but a drafty area
might require a rate of 50 CFM. Another thing to watch for is not to have the gas setting
to high. A flow rate that is too fast can cause turbulence and suck in air to contaminate
the weld. Having the right gas flow rate is a trial and error process that is ultimately a
search for a happy medium of all settings in the current welding conditions.

Equipment
Power source
Wire feed unit
Electrode
Shielding gas

Power source
Majority of the welding machines at present are powered by a constant voltage supply.
As a result, any change in arc length (which is directly related to voltage) results in a
large change in heat input and current.4 A shorter arc length causes a much greater
heat input, which makes the wire electrode melt more quickly and thereby restore the
original arc length.

Alternating current is rarely used with GMAW; instead, direct current is employed and
the electrode is generally positively charged. Since the anode tends to have a greater
heat concentration, this results in faster melting of the feed wire, which increases weld
penetration and welding speed. The polarity can be reversed only when special
emissive-coated electrode wires are used, but since these are not popular, a negatively
charged electrode is rarely employed.

Wire feed unit
The wire-feed unit provides the controlled supply of welding wire to the point to be
welded. According to the welding wire size and Arc voltage provided by the power
source, a constant rate of wire speed is required, in MIG welding the power source
provides Arc voltage control and the wire feed unit provides welding wire speed control,
in MIG this equates to welding current. Most modern wire feed units control the wire
feed speed via a DC motor.


Electrode
All commercially available electrodes contain deoxidizing metals such as silicon,
manganese, titanium and aluminum in small percentages to help prevent oxygen
porosity. Some contain denitriding metals such as titanium and zirconium to avoid
nitrogen porosity. Depending on the process variation and base material being welded
the diameters of the electrodes used in GMAW typically range from 0.7 to 2.4 mm but
can be as large as 4 mm. The smallest electrodes, generally up to 1.14 mm are
associated with the short-circuiting metal transfer process, while the most common
spray-transfer process mode electrodes are usually at least 0.9 mm.

Shielding Gas
This is a complicated area with many various mixtures available, but the primary
purpose of the shielding gas in the MIG process is to protect the molten weld metal and
heat affected zone from oxidation and other contamination by the atmosphere.
The shielding gas should also have a pronounced effect on the following aspects of the
welding operation and the resultant weld.
Arc Characteristics
Mode of Metal Transfer
Penetration and Weld Head Profile
Speed of Welding
Undercutting Tendency
Cleaning Action
Weld Metal Mechanical Properties
Operation
In MIG welding, the electrode is fed automatically through the torch. It requires that the
operator guide the welding gun with proper position and orientation along the area being
welded. Keeping a consistent contact tip-to-work distance is important, because a long
stick out distance can cause the electrode to overheat and also wastes shielding gas.
Stick out distance varies for different GMAW weld processes and applications.
The orientation of the gun also should be held so as to bisect the angle between the
work pieces; that is, at 45 degrees for a fillet weld and 90 degrees for welding a flat
surface. The travel angle, or lead angle, is the angle of the torch with respect to the
direction of travel, and it should generally remain approximately vertical.
Technique
The electrode is automatically fed through the torch. The operator only needs to guide
the weld along the area being welded. Keeping a consistent contact tip-to-work distance
is important, because a long stickout distance can cause the electrode to overheat and
also wastes shielding gas. The orientation of the gun is also importantit should be
held so as to bisect the angle between the workpieces; that is, at 45 degrees for a fillet
weld and 90 degrees for welding a flat surface. The travel angle, or lead angle, is the
angle of the torch with respect to the direction of travel, and it should generally remain
approximately vertical.
Modes of Metal Transfer
Globular
The least desirable of the three major GMAW variations because of its tendency to
produce high heat, a poor weld surface, and spatter. The method was originally
developed as a cost efficient way to weld steel using GMAW, because this variation
uses carbon dioxide, a less expensive shielding gas than argon. Adding to its economic
advantage was its high deposition rate, allowing welding speeds of up to 110 mm/s. As
the weld is made, a ball of molten metal from the electrode tends to build up on the end
of the electrode, often in irregular shapes with a larger diameter than the electrode itself.
When the droplet finally detaches either by gravity or short circuiting, it falls to the
workpiece, leaving an uneven surface and often causing spatter. As a result of the large
molten droplet, the process is generally limited to flat and horizontal welding positions.
The high amount of heat generated also is a downside, because it forces the welder to
use a larger electrode wire, increases the size of the weld pool, and causes greater
residual stresses and distortion in the weld area.

Short-circuiting
The current of the Short-circuiting method is lower than that of the globular method. As
a result of the lower current, the heat input for the short-arc variation is considerably
reduced, making it possible to weld thinner materials while decreasing the amount of
distortion and residual stress in the weld area. As in globular welding, molten droplets
form on the tip of the electrode, but instead of dropping to the weld pool, they bridge the
gap between the electrode and the weld pool as a result of the lower wire feed rate.
This causes a short circuit and extinguishes the arc, but it is quickly reignited after the
surface tension of the weld pool pulls the molten metal bead off the electrode tip. This
process is repeated about 100 times per second, making the arc appear constant to the
human eye. This type of metal transfer provides better weld quality and less spatter
than the globular variation, and allows for welding in all positions, albeit with slower
deposition of weld material. Setting the weld process parameters (volts, amps and wire
feed rate) within a relatively narrow band is critical to maintaining a stable arc: generally
between 100 to 200 amperes at 17 to 22 volts for most applications. Also, using short-
arc transfer can result in lack of fusion and insufficient penetration when welding thicker
materials, due to the lower arc energy and rapidly freezing weld pool. Like the globular
variation, it can only be used on ferrous metals.
Spray
In the Spray method, the weld electrode metal is rapidly passed along the stable electric
arc from the electrode to the workpiece, essentially eliminating spatter and resulting in a
high-quality weld finish. As the current and voltage increases beyond the range of short
circuit transfer the weld electrode metal transfer transitions from larger globules through
small droplets to a vaporized stream at the highest energies. Since this vaporized spray
transfer variation of the GMAW weld process requires higher voltage and current than
short circuit transfer, and as a result of the higher heat input and larger weld pool area
(for a given weld electrode diameter), it is generally used only on workpieces of
thicknesses above about 6.4 mm (0.25 in). Also, because of the large weld pool, it is
often limited to flat and horizontal welding positions and sometimes also used for
vertical-down welds. It is generally not practical for root pass welds.[36] When a smaller
electrode is used in conjunction with lower heat input, its versatility increases. The
maximum deposition rate for spray arc GMAW is relatively high- about 60 mm/s (150
in/min).

MIG Welding Benefits
All position capability
Higher deposition rates than SMAW
Less operator skill required
Long welds can be made without starts and stops
Minimal post weld cleaning is required
Welding Problems
Heavily oxidized weld deposit
Irregular wire feed
Burn back
Porosity
Unstable arc
Difficult arc starting

Safety
Machine Safety
Keep welding machines dry and properly grounded. Ensure that the power source is
appropriate for the welding machine. Unplug the MIG welding machine before opening
the cover plate to examine or adjust interior parts.
Capacitors store enough energy to generate shocks even in unplugged welding
machines. Always check cables and other connections for frayed wires or improper
insulation and replace faulty cables immediately.

Shielding Gas Tank Safety
Ensure that gas tanks are clearly labelled. Keep tanks for shielding gas properly
chained at all times. Do not use or store tanks near furnace areas or where there is a
risk of open flames. Close the valve whenever the gas is not in use.
When moving tanks, secure them firmly in position so there is no rolling. Keep the
cover cap on tanks when transporting them. Protect the tanks from impact when loading
or unloading. Move only one cylinder at a time.

Work Area Safety
Keep the work area clean and free of debris and flammable materials. Remove and
store paints, solvents and other hazardous materials that could ignite from welding
sparks. Ensure there is proper ventilation to remove hazardous welding fumes. Ensure
the area is completely dry, with no puddles or standing water. Lay a rubber mat on the
floor of the work area to insulate the area from electrical shocks.

Operator Safety
Wear clothing that covers the operator's neck, arms, hands, legs and feet to protect
from heat and welding sparks. The welding helmet is the operators most important
piece of equipment. Ensure the helmet opens and closes freely, with the correct amount
of darkening on the lens.

Use a fan or hood to remove hazardous welding fumes from the area when welding.
Wear the proper respiratory mask to protect lungs from fumes and particulate matter
that occurs during the welding process.
MIG Welding Hazards
Painful burns can occur from eye exposure to the welding arc light. Protect eyes at all
times when using welding equipment. See a physician immediately if eye burns occur.
Welding fumes contain oxides of iron, nickel, zinc, manganese and chromium.
Exposure to these compounds can cause dizziness, nausea, muscle pains and flu-like
symptom. Long-term exposure to welding fumes is associated with lung cancer and a
Parkinson's-like disease called manganism. Use respiratory protection when MIG
welding and keep other people out of the welding area.

Sources:
American Welding Society (2004). Welding Handbook, Welding Processes, Part 1.
Miami: American Welding Society. ISBN 0-87171-729-8.

Unknown. (2010,July). TIG Welding. Retrieved from
http://www.migtigarc.co.uk/Intro_MIG_Welding.pdf

GMAW Welding. (2005) Retrieved from
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_metal_arc_welding#Metal_transfer_modes


Go Welding. (2010) Retrieved from http://www.gowelding.org/