Welding

Topics to be Covered
Welding Topics:
MIG
TIG
Stick
Diffusion
Friction
Explosion

MIG Welding

Metal Inert Gas (MIG)

or Gas Metal Arc
Welding (GMAW)
DC or AC (rare)
Electric Arc
Consumable electrode
Shielding Gas

MIG - History

Developed in 1940s to
weld aluminum,
magnesium, and other
non-ferrous alloys
Use in steel was originally
limited by cost of Inert gas
It the early 1950s carbon
dioxide was used as shielding
gas for steel greatly reducing
the cost

Further developments
through the 1960s
increased the versatility of
the process
Today GMAW is the most
commonly used industrial
welding process

MIG - Equipment

(1) Welding Torch

Controls arc, gas, wire feed

(2) Workpiece
(3) Power Supply

-Typically constant voltage DC

(4) Wire Feed Mechanism

(5) Electrode

Usually similar material as

workpiece
Contains small amounts of
deoxidizing metals (Si, Mg, Al)

(6) Shielding Gas

Typically argon-CO2 mix

MIG - Process

Arc creates weld pool to bond

material
DC Constant Voltage with
positively charged electrode
reverse polarity requires special
electrode

Shielding gas protects the

weld pool from atmospheric
gas effects
Porosity and embrittlement

Technique

Simple: electrode is fed

automatically
Torch is guided along weld area
keeping a constant tip to
workpiece distance

MIG Capabilities

Inexpensive machines ($500)

Required skill level is relatively
low
Can weld many ferrous and nonferrous materials
Different results and requirements
must be expected (shielding gas,
technique, electrode, etc)

Power of machine will determine

what it can weld
More power thicker material

GMAW can be automated more

easily than other methods

MIG - Industries

Automotive
Almost exclusive

At Home
Easy and inexpensive

Automobile/Agricultural
repair

Pressure Vessels
Heavy rail and
construction equipment

TIG - Welding

Tungsten Inert Gas

(TIG) or Gas Tungsten
Arc Welding (GTAW)
AC or DC Electric Arc
Non-consumable
tungsten electrode
Shielding Gas
Hand fed filler

TIG - History

Early 1900s welding

non-ferrous materials
was difficult
Reacted with air making
welds weak and porous

Process was improved

in the 1930s and
1940s
Gas shielding increased
weld quality
AC machines allowed for
high quality welds on
aluminum and
magnesium

TIG - Equipment

Welding Torch

Power Supply

AC typically used for aluminum and

magnesium
DC with a negatively charged
electrode is typically used for steels

Electrode

Directs shielding gas and holds

electrode

Made from tungsten or tungsten

alloys
ISO standards for each alloy

Filler Rod
Shielding Gas

Argon is most common

Helium is sometimes used when
welding aluminum and copper

TIG - Process

Arc creates weld pool to bond

material
AC or DC used depending on
base material

Shielding gas protects the weld

pool from atmospheric gas
effects
Porosity and impurities

Technique

Requires two hands

Torch is moved forward as filler
rod is dipped into the weld pool
Filler rod must remain inside
the gas shield at all times
Considered one of the most
difficult welding methods low
melt alloys increase difficulty

TIG Capabilities

Produces welds with very similar material

properties of the base metal
GTAW can produce high quality welds on
materials such as aluminum, magnesium,
titanium, copper, nickel, steel.
Dissimilar materials copper and stainless
Requires a skilled welder considered to be
one of the more difficult types of welding
Automation is possible, but not as common
as GMAW due to the increase complexities

TIG - Industries

Aircraft
Spacecraft
Bicycles

Crack repair

Aluminum wheels and

engine blocks

Shielded Metal Arc Welding

(Stick Welding)

Common welding
technique
Stick is synonymous
with coated electrode

http://atpwelding.com/welding.jpg

Basic Principles

Arc created between

metal and electrode
Metal is melted and
coalesces to form weld

http://www.twi.co.uk/j32k/protected/band_3/jk2.html

Coating

Different coatings for

different applications
Cellulosic, Rutile, and
Limestone are common
Coatings ease process
through slag creation,
and help to strengthen
weld
http://www.twi.co.uk/j32k/twiimages/jk82f1.jpg

Advantages/Disadvantages
Advantages:

Simple
Portable
Versatile
Inexpensive
equipment

Disadvantages:

Limited shielding
Limited Deposition rates
Usually done by hand
Highly trained labor
required

Diffusion Welding

Also known by:

diffusion bonding, solid
state bonding
Can be used to join
metals and ceramics
that otherwise cant be
joined

http://www.turktoz.gazi.edu.tr/en_makale_files/image037.jpg

Diffusion Welding
Diffusion Welding is a solid-state welding process
that produces a weld by the application of
pressure at elevated temperature with no
macroscopic deformation or relative motion of the
work pieces.
-American Welding Society description

Basic Principles

Two materials are

heated and pressed
upon one another
Pressure causes heated
atoms to diffuse into
surface, creating a
bond upon
recrystalization
D=D0e-(Q/KT)

Messler 1999

Equipment

A press is needed,
which can create
pressure in a variety of
ways
Heat needs to be
generated as well
Fixturing system
required

http://frisch-gmbh.de/images/sinteranlage.jpg

Advantages/Disadvantages
Advantages

Perfect weld possible

Special material
properties
Even weld properties
throughout material
Close tolerances
Expensive materials

Disadvantages

Only perpendicular
surfaces
Specially designed
components
Requires inert
atmosphere
Expensive

Friction Welding
(FW)

Solid state welding

process
Generates heat through
friction between moving
surfaces
Heat in combination
with lateral force called
upset fuses two
materials together
First Patent for the
development of FW was
applied for in 1891

http://www.fortunecity.com/village/lind/247/weld_book/fig10-79.gif

Types of Friction Welding

Spin Welding (inertia, rotational, inertial friction)

Linear Friction Welding (LFW)
Friction Stir Welding
Friction Surfacing

Spin Welding

Involves the rotation of one

surface relative to another
while applying pressure along
the axis of rotation
Work pieces are held by
chucks in spin welding
machines
Flywheel is used to store the
energy produced by the motor
Requires circular joining points

Linear Friction Welding

Lateral motion of surfaces

rather than rotational
Most surface can be joined

Image: http://www.twi.co.uk/j32k/twiimages/spswksep99f9.gif
Image: http://www.eurotradeglobal.com/content/1124976586.jpg

Friction Stir Welding

A cylindrical probe rotates and

constant speed and fed at a
constant rate across the joint of two
components
Parts must be rigidly clamped
together to prevent them from being
forced apart from welding process

Image: http://www.boeing.com/news/frontiers/archive/2004/september/
photos/sept_i_tt.jpg

Image: http://www.hitachi-cable.co.jp/ICSFiles/afieldfile/2005/12/26/1_1.gif

Friction Surfacing

Coating of material applied

to surface of another
material
Rod composed of coating
material is rotated under
pressure across the surface
of a separate material
Closely resembles a hot
forging process so
problems associated with
more traditional welding
process are avoided

Image: http://www.frictec.co.uk/frictec-whatisfr.html

Advantages/Disadvantages

Fast joining times

Small heat affected zones
Joined with little preparation of
surfaces
Believed that flash carries
away dirt and debris from
surfaces
Welding of dissimilar metals
Aerospace - Aluminum and Steel
Nuclear - Copper and Steel

Uneconomical for short

production runs due to high
equipment costs
Excludes delicate and intricate
part

Explosion Welding
(EXW)

Solid state welding process

Plates are bonded through
pressure created from a
controlled detonation of
explosive charge
Originates from WWI when it
was discovered that pieces of
shrapnel were welded to armor
plating on tanks
Later development occurred in
the decades following WWII
Primarily used to clad
inexpensive structural material
with corrosion resistant
material

Image: http://www.metalwebnews.com/howto/explosive-welding/fig1.gif

Welding Process

Image:http://content.edgar-online.com/edgar_conv_img/2007/03/08/0001104659-07-017391_G57151FCI001.JPG

Advantages/Disadvantages

Large surfaces may be welded

Produces a high quality bond
Low cost
Simple
Little surface preparation
required
Dissimilar metals can be
welded

Brittle materials cannot be

processed
Only simple shapes
- Plates and Cylinders

Thickness of flyer plate is

limited
There are many safety
concerns when storing and
detonating explosives

Common Bi-Metals
Produced

Copper to Steel
Nickel to steel
Aluminum to steel
Tungsten to steel
Titanium to steel
Copper to aluminum
Other

SS/Al Ring

Commercially Available Combinations

Chart: http://www.aps.anl.gov/Facility/Technical_Publications/lsnotes/ls237/Images/ls237_t2.gif