WELDING

Welding is a process of joining two or more pieces of the

same or dissimilar materials to achieve complete
coalescence.

DEFINITION AS PER AWS / ASME

A localized coalescence of metals or non-metals produced

either by heating the materials to the welding temperature
with or without the application of pressure alone, and with
or without the application of filler material.

WELDING PROCESSES
1. Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)
2. Submerged Arc Welding (SAW)
3. Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW )
1. - MIG , MAG

4. Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW / TIG)

SELECTION OF WELDING PROCESS

DEPENDS ON
Thickness & Size of part to be welded
Location and position of weld joints
Joint design
Welding equipment availability
Process and operation requirement
Production cost

SHIELDED METAL ARC WELDING

SMAW process defined as an arc welding
process which produces coalescence of metals
by heating them with an arc between a covered
metal electrode and the work-piece.
Shielding is obtained from decomposition of the
electrode covering.
Pressure is not used and filler metal is obtained
from the electrode.

SHIELDED METAL ARC WELDING

MODE OF OPERATION
Arc melts parent plate and electrode to form a weld
pool which is protected by flux cover.

Operator adjusts electrode feed rate, I.e. hand

movement to keep arc length constant. Slag must be
removed after depositing each bead. Normally a
small degree of penetration, requiring plate edge
preparation. Butt welds in thick plate or large fillets
are deposited in a number of passes.
The process can also be used to deposit metal to
form a surface with alternative properties.

CONSUMABLES
Metal rods 1.5 - 8mm diameter with flux
covering (1-5mm radial thickness).
Widely used: 2.5x 250, 3.15 x350/450,
4 mm x 450 mm
The characteristics of manual metal arc
electrodes, i.e., arc stability, depth of
penetration, rate of deposition, position of
welding, depends on the chemical composition
of the electrode coating classified by AWS
specifications.

SMAW - OPERATING PARAMETERS

Current range

: 75-300 A

Open Circuit Voltage

: 65 - 80 V

Range of Thickness: 2mm upwards

Deposition rate

: 2-11 lb/Hr

Types of joint : All

Welding position

: all (depending on flux

coating)

Access

: Good

Portability

: Good

MATERIALS
Mostly confined to ferrous alloys, but can be
used for some others.
TYPICAL APPLICATIONS

Structural steel work.

Ship Building

Repair and Hard facing of

plant.

construction

OVERALL ADVANTAGES
Low Equipment Cost
Usage possible with restricted access.
OVERALL LIMITATIONS

Skilled operator is required for good quality welds.

Slow, mainly because flux must be chipped away.

SAFETY
Arc emits visible and ultraviolet radiation.

High open circuit voltage present while electrode

is fitted to holder.

SUBMERGED ARC WELDING

SAW is defined as an arc welding process in
which an arc is maintained between an end of a
bare wire electrode and work piece.

The arc is fully submerged in a layer of dry

granular flux.
Pressure is not used and filler metal is obtained
from the electrode.

SUBMERGED ARC WELDING

OVERALL ADVANTAGES
High weld metal Quality
Smooth and uniform weld bead with no spatters.

Extremely high deposition rate and welding speed.

Current Range: 450 - 3000 A
High Arc time can be achieved through automation.
Minimum operator fatigue.

OVERALL LIMITATIONS
High initial cost
Limited welding positions.
Requirement of special jigs and fixtures.
Difficulty in welding low thickness metals.

GAS METAL ARC WELDING

GMAW is defined as an arc welding process which
produces coalescence of metals by heating them
with an arc between a continuous filler metal
(consumable) electrode and the work piece.

Shielding is obtained entirely from an externally

supplied gas or gas mixture.

GAS METAL ARC WELDING

GAS METAL ARC WELDING

TYPE OF OPERATION

: Semi-automatic /

Fully automatic.

EQUIPMENT

: Power Source
Wire feed Unit
Welding gun or torch
Gas supply system travelling
unit, if fully mechanised.

GAS METAL ARC WELDING

An arc is maintained between the end of the bare
wire electrode and the work. The wire is fed at a
constant speed, selected to give the required
current, and the arc length is controlled by the
power source. The operator is not therefore
concerned with controlling the arc length and can
concentrate on depositing the weld metal in the
correct manner. Hence the name semi-automatic
for manual operation, in which wire, gas and
power are fed to a hand held gun via a flexible
conduit.

Contd.

GAS METAL ARC WELDING

The process can be operated at high currents
(250-500A) when metal transfer is in the form of
spray but except for aluminium, this technique is
confined to welding in the flat and horizontal
positions. For welding in the vertical and
overhead
positions.
Special
low-current
techniques must be used, I.e. dip transfer or
pulsed arc shielded by a stream of Gas.

GMAW - OPERATING PARAMETERS

Current range

: 65-500 A

Metal Transfer modes:

Globular - in CO2 welding ( Non-axial metal transfer) for
Structures

Spray Transfer - Thk > =6mm; in MIG ( Axial Transfer) for

piping ( with Argo-CO2 shield) high thickness range.
Dip Transfer ( Short Circuit ) - suitable for thin sheet metal
works ( thk @ 3 mm or less)
: Dip transfer, pulsed arc Above 0.5mm
Spray transfer 6mm upwards

Deposition rate
Types of joint

:12-10 Kg/Hr (2-20 Lb/Hr)

: All including spot welds

Consumables
Electrodes, bare wire (m.s. is normally copper coated)
0.6-1.6mm dia. Layer wound on spools 0.5-12 Kg (125lb) weight. Composition of wire selected to suit parent
material; wire specifications covered by BS 2901.
Electrodes, flux cored are available for high deposition
rate welding.
Shielding gas in cylinders containing compressed gas
which will expand to 7Cu.M (250 Cu.Ft) at atmospheric
pressure. Composition to suit parent material usually
carbon dioxide (CO2) for mild steel, argon for nonferrous materials and argon with 1.5% oxygen or 520% CO2 for high strength and corrosion resisting
ferrous alloys.Other mixtures are used in special
circumstances.

TYPICAL APPLICATIONS
CO2 Welding ( MAG )- For structures

MIG Welding with Argon / Helium/ Mixed

Gases - for Low Alloy, Mild Steel, Aluminium alloy,
Copper and Copper allloys

Spray Transfer method - for heavy

wall thickness pipes, structures

Dip Transfer ( Short Circuit) - for Thin

sheet
metal
working.
Vehicle
manufacturing.

OVERALL ADVANTAGES
Continuous process
Reduced finishing operations
Thin sheets can be welded in all positions by dip
transfer mode.

OVERALL LIMITATIONS
No independent control of filler addition.

Range of action limited by wire feed.

SAFETY

Arc emits visible and ultraviolet radiation.

GAS TUNGSTEN ARC WELDING

GTAW is defined as an arc welding process which
produces coalescence of metals by heating them
with an arc between a tungsten (non- consumable)
electrode and the work piece.
Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) uses a non
consumable tungsten electrode which must be
shielded with an inert gas.
The arc is initiated between the tip of the electrode
and work to melt the metal being welded, as well
as the filler metal, when used.
A gas shield protects the electrode and molten
weld pool, and provides the required arc
characteristics.

GAS TUNGSTEN ARC WELDING

OVERALL ADVANTAGES
Superior quality welds
Welds can be made with or without filler metal

Precise control of welding variables (heat)

Free of spatter
Slag free
Low distortion

OVERALL LIMITATIONS
Requires greater welder dexterity than MIG or stick
welding
Lower deposition rates

More costly for welding thick sections

STRAIGHT POLARITY

REVERSE POLARITY

STANDARD REBAKING PROCEDURE FOR

LOW HYDROGEN ELECTRODES
1. Rebake the electrodes at 250-300 Deg. C for
one hour.
2. Cool them in the same oven to 100 Deg. C
3. Transfer them to a holding oven maintained at
60-70 Deg. C
4. Draw from this oven for use.
5. Do not keep the rutile type electrodes in the
same oven.

WELD SYMBOLS