Table of Contents

1.0 TITLE .............................................................................................................................................. 2

2.0 OBJECTIVE .................................................................................................................................... 2
3.0 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 3
3.1 Theory .......................................................................................................................................... 3
4.0 APPARATUS .................................................................................................................................. 4
4.1 Industrial apparatus ...................................................................................................................... 8
5.0. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE ............................................................................................... 11
5.1 Procedure for manually welding ................................................................................................ 11
5.2 Procedure for automatically welding ......................................................................................... 12
6.0. RESULTS ..................................................................................................................................... 13
7.0 DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................................ 18
8.0 CONCLUSION .............................................................................................................................. 21
9.0 RECOMMENDATION ................................................................................................................. 22
10.0 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................ 24

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1.0 TITLE
Title: Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW)

2.0 OBJECTIVE
To investigate the defects and quality of welding bead due to changes in welding such as voltage (v),
current (A) and welding speed (m/min)

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3.0 INTRODUCTION
In this experiment, the experiment is to show the defects of the welding. It will effect of the how the
using of voltage of the power source, current and welding speed. There were some defect can be
showed if the error have been done of the welding such as porosity, slag inclusions incomplete
fusion and penetration.

3.1 Theory
GMAW stands for Gas Metal Arc Welding. Sometimes it also called MIG stands for Metal Inert Gas
welding. In GMAW, the welding gun will feed out the electrode in a roll of wire to the work piece.
The welding gun also feeds out an inert gas such as argon or carbon dioxide to displace oxygen at the
weld site. In GMAW, commonly used direct current power source and constant voltage. Using direct
current or alternative current can be done in this welding machine. There are some methods of metal
transfer in GMAW. There are called globular, spray, short circuiting and pulsed spray.

Figure 1 : Gas Metal Arc Welding

1) Direction of travel

2) Contact tube

3) Electrode

4) Shielding gas

5) Molten weld metal

6) Solidified weld metal

7) Work piece

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4.0 APPARATUS

List of Equipment Description

The main function:

 Supply power
 Feed Wire or electrode to the joint.
Two types of supply:
 Alternating current (AC) welders.
 Rarely used in GMAW as not suitable in
manual welding
 Direct current (DC) welder.
- Commonly used as it constantly
hold the voltage and vary the
current.
Power supply - Better for welding thin metals.
- Produce higher electrode melting
GMAW Welding Machine of Model: KEMPPI
rate.
MINARC MIG

 The main function is to monitor the flow

of shielding gas to the welding puddle.
 Regulates the gas flow. The pressure can
then be set to a usable and less wasteful
level.
 The rate of flow can be adjusted by
twisting a knob one way or the other to
increase or decrease flow.
Gas Regulator

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 Carbon Dioxide gasses

 Most common of the reactive gases used in

MIG welding
 Least expensive of the common shielding
gases
 Provides very deep weld penetration
 Produces a less stable arc and more spatter
than when it is mixed with other gases

Inert Gas : Carbon Dioxide

 Place for welding activity was done.

 The flat metal was placed on top of it so the
welding process can be done
 The metal surface on the table to withstand
of the heat dissipated from the welding
process.

Workplace Table

 Act as the holder for the electrode

 The handle and clamped are insulated
 Gun switch for enable the electrode fed
automatically.

Welding gun

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  Connecting the equipment enclosure to
ground to ensure that the metal enclosure
of the welding machine and ground is at the
same potential.
 Act as safety precaution in the circuit

Earth Clamp preventing the person experience electric

shock.

 Wire brush is used for cleaning unwanted

rust
 To clean workpiece surfaces resulting a
better conductive area for attaching
electrical connections.

Wire Brush and hammer

 Protection for the welder from any sparks

and flying metals.
 Prevent the heat dissipated to the hand from
the welding process.

Glove

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  Full facial protection from:
- Ultra-violet light.
- Sparks and flying metals.
- Infrared red.
- Intense light from arc.

Protective Helmet

 Tools for holding any heated objects

firmly
 Cutting excessive electrode at the welding
gun

Pliers

 Act as metal workpiece needed to weld.

 Rectangular shaped with material
properties compatible with the MIG
specification.

Flat plate metal workpiece

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4.1 Industrial apparatus

 The welding machine in industry provide variety type of welding process compare to our

laboratory which used Gas Metal Arc Welding only.

 Energy source also different in welding machines which bigger compare to our laboratory.

 More quieter compare to our laboratory which is very loud .

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 Protective helmet in industry mostly having variety type of setting up the intensity
light that dissipated from the welding process through the helmet. Different with our
laboratory having only one which sometime did not fully shield the light.
 It also provided motion sensor automatically turns ON the welding filter when pick
up the helmet compare to our laboratory.
 Easy tightening: The head suspension features a smooth ratchet for easy tightening
even while wearing gloves.

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 In industrial MIG welding, argon is often used on its own for the welding of
copper and aluminum while our laboratory used carbon dioxide.
 Because argon provides protection against atmospheric unwanted contaminants,
it plays an important role in ensuring that the quality of the weld is sound at all
the times, which is vital in the production of a quality end product.

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5.0. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

5.1 Procedure for manually welding

1. The main power supply is switched on.

2. The power source is set in range of 17 V to 40 V.
3. The gas regulator is opened by turning the regulator valve counter clockwise.
4. The flow meter is opened also by turning the flow meter valve counter clockwise and
let the flow rate above 15 LPM.
5. Switch the mode in 2T or 4T.
6. The speed wire feed is set in range of 3 m/min to 7 m/min.
7. The current, A is set following own suitability ratio.
8. The cable is clamped to the workpiece or work table.

Figure: Manually welding

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5.2 Procedure for automatically welding
1. The main power supply is switched on.
2. The power source is set in range of 17 V to 40 V.
3. The gas regulator is opened by turning the regulator valve counter clockwise.
4. The flow meter is opened also by turning the flow meter valve counter clockwise and
let the flow rate above 15 LPM.
5. Switch the mode in 4T.
6. The speed wire feed is set in range of 3 m/min to 7 m/min.
7. The current, A is set following own suitability ratio.
8. The cable is clamped to the workpiece or work table.
9. The height of the welding gun is set in y-axis by flicking the switch left or right.
10. Start welding by switch to x-axis and flick the switch left or right.

Figure: Automatically welding

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6.0. RESULTS

1. Muhammad Haziq Bin Nazri (2017665822)

1st line: Using semi-automatic welding machine with a current ratio of 3:5. Shows no sign of
defect except a little bit of spatter.

2nd line: Using manual welding with a current ratio of 3:5. At the right side of the weld is too
thin because the travel speed is fast and spatter occurs.

3rd line: Using manual welding with a current ratio 3:4. At the left side of the weld is very thin
due to high travel speed but no spatter occurs.

4th line: Using semi-automatic welding with a current ratio 3:4. Shows much better weld than
1st line but got porosity at the centre of weld due to contaminant.

In spite of all, the best technique and current ratio to use and get the best weld is using semi-
automatic welding machine with the ratio of 3:4.

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2. Muhammad Amirin Sofi Bin Roslan (2017806714)

1st line: Using semi-automatic welding machine with a current ratio of 2:4. Show little amount
of spatter at both side. Porosity defect occurred at the start and the end of the weld.

2nd line: Using semi-automatic welding with a current ratio of 2:5. One of the best weld
compare to other three even though the weld a bit thick. Little amount of spatter.

3rd line: Using manual welding with a current ratio 2:4. The weld a little bit thin maybe due to
wrong ratio of current. Spatter and porosity formed.

4th line: Using manual welding with a current ratio 2:4 One of the worst weld, too much
porosity was form. High movement speed at the start of the weld and overlap occurred due to
welding process had been stopped at the middle.

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3. Muhammad Faiz Akmal Bin Muhamad Fauzi (2017806828)

1st line: Using semi-automatic welding machine with current ratio 3:5. Shows no sign of defect.

2nd line: Using manual welding with current ratio 3:4. The weld is too thin because of the ratio
is not suitable for the plate

3rd line: Using manual welding with current ratio 3:5. Shows no sign of defect but the weld not
too perfect like the first line because the travel speed is not constant like the first line.

4th line: Using manual welding with current ratio 2:4. This weld is the worst that have porosity
and spatter. This is because the ratio of current not suitable for the plate and the travel speed
was fast than supposedly.

The good ratio is 3:5 that suitable for weld this flat plate.

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4. Muhammad Nabil Iqbal Bin Zulkefli (2017806628)

1st line: Using semi-automatic welding machine with current ratio 3:3. Shows a little defect due
to low ampere causing slag to form.

2nd line: Using semi-automatic welding machine with current ratio 3:4. The weld is done nicely
but it shows some porosity may be caused by the movement speed of too low.

3rd line: Using semi-automatic welding machine with current ratio 3:5. One of the best welds
done but a little bit of slag form in the centre.

4th line: Using semi-automatic welding machine with current ratio 3:6. A perfect weld with no
defects with good ampere ratio and no slag or porosity form.

The most suitable ratio is 3:6 with medium speed to make a perfect straight line on a flat plate.

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From the 4 result that we had done in this experiment, we can conclude that amount of amperage and
travel speed can affect the height and the wide of the welding bead.

Effects using high amount of amperage:

 Welding bead is too wide.

 Low height of bead.
 Spatter occur more often if the travel speed is fast.

Effects using low amount of amperage:

 Welding bead too thin.

 High height of the bead.
 Molten pool too small.
 Weak weld.

As a conclusion, to get a perfect weld we must choose the ideal amount of amperage that suitable
according to the travel speed of welding. High technique and also welding skills are also needed to get
the best weld so that the welds are strong and not easily break

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7.0 DISCUSSION
From the results, we could see plenty of defection that could develop some discontinuities. It also
caused by low skill and less training by the operator. The major defects that affects the workpiece are
shown as below;

1) Slag Formation

Slag are combination of compounds such as oxides, electrode coating and flux that trapped inside
the weld area. Welding situations are important as well as the control of welding process as the
molten slag will lying around the surface of the molten weld and thus will not be trapped.

It could be helped and prevented by cleaning the weld surface with wire brush or using a whipper
and provide sufficient shielding gas.

2) Porosity

Porosity is cause by some contaminants on the workpiece or chemical reactions that happen during
welding also by the gas released during melting of the electrode and its trapped during
solidification.

This can be reduced by selecting a better electrodes and filler metals, improving the technique of
welding, cleaning the workpiece properly to prevent contaminants from entering the weld area and
reduce weld speed.

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3) Weld Profile

This will affect the appearances and the strength of the weld and it shows the incomplete infusion
of the formation of slag in multiple layers of the welding area. Some major weld profiles are;

- Underfilling: It happened when the joint is not filled with the proper amount of weld fillers.
- Overlap: It shows a surface discontinuity that caused by low skill of welding or selection
of improper materials to weld.
- Undercutting: It happened when the based metal is melting away and continuity generation
of a groove in the notch.

4) Low amperage

This happened because of low amount of heat to melt the base and molten pool is going to be too
small. This will cause incomplete fusion that will make both metal didn’t joint together. This can
be resolved by increase the amperage or slows the welding speed.

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5) High amperage

This will cause the electrode to heat a lot faster and a molten puddle will form. Plenty of puddle
will cause a bed full of metal that will scatter if the welding speed is too slow.

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8.0 CONCLUSION

As for the conclusion, the objectives are achievable when practical welding are done. The student
must have some skill to know how to weld and a little bit of practice to avoid defects. Using the
knowledge on understanding the theories, welding techniques and the effects of carelessly during
welding will applied in the practical welding. The practical task had been completed and this report
will be completed as a prove that this type of welding method which is Gas metal arc-welding
(GMAW) can be done perfectly in the future.

Other than that, the best type of welding varies depends on the situation and the type of metal to
weld. The quality of the welding is judge based on condition of the welded part with less major
defects.

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9.0 RECOMMENDATION

1. Use anti spatter spray before starting the welding process.

Before starting the welding process, spray the anti-spatter spray on head nozzle and the contact tip
prevent any spatter formed inside due to welding process. The spatter act as prevention not as treatment
of the weld because the spatter occurs due to poor welding technique and wrong set up the MIG. It is
also recommended to spray on the metal objects in and around the weld area, so that the spatter can be
easily to brush off. As the reminder, the anti-spatter cannot be spray on the weld area as it will produce
unwanted contaminants chemical to mix together with the weld that may result in poor quality.

2. Use the right equipment especially comfort auto dimming helmet.

An auto dimming helmet is a must for working comfortably. It really helps the welder to see the
welding process perfectly and perform better. It has been noticed the poor helmet quality in laboratory
resultant in low performance of the weld. As the welder are mostly inexperience, they need perfect set
up of equipment to perform well compare to experience welder.

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 3. Keep it the weld area clean from any contaminants.

Always clean the weld area before start. It is to ensure there is no impurities that may get absorbed
into the metal during weld especially any kind of liquid that has hydrogen such as water. If there is
hydrogen mix in the weld area there will lead to hydrogen cracking and porosity.

4. Proper arc length during welding.

To minimize the spatters, it is recommended to keep the end of the electrode at a distance from the
weld area that’s approximately equal to the diameter of the stick electrode. The arc length should not
exceed the diameter of the core of the electrode said one of the professional welder.

5. Variety types of welding such as SMAW and TIG.

Strongly recommend to provide different types of welding to enhance student’s insight and
knowledge in welding.

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10.0 REFERENCES

1) GMAW process retrieved from Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gas_metal_arc_welding

2) Welding defects retrieved from Wikipedia.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welding_defect

3) Comparison different type of welding retrieved from Tulsa Welding School.

https://www.weldingschool.com/articles/smaw-gmaw-and-tig-welding-comparison/

4) Automotive industrial welding retrieved from TWI website.

https://www.twi-global.com/technical-knowledge/published-papers/industrial-lasers-and-
applications-in-automotive-welding/

5) Welding technology retrieved from lincolntech.

https://www.lincolntech.edu/news/skilled-trades/welding-technology/types-of-welding-
procedures

6) Metal industry welding retrieved from 3M company website.

http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/media/1367334O/metal-industry-welding.pdf

7) Industrial welding retrieved from Swantonweld.

https://swantonweld.com/industrial-welding/

8) Retrieved from Tulsa Welding School.

https://www.themanufacturer.com/articles/different-types-of-welding-and-what-they-are-
used-for/

9) Equipment for MIG retrieved from TWI Global website

https://www.twi-global.com/technical-knowledge/job-knowledge/equipment-for-mig-
welding-015/

10) Welding machine equipment retrieved from Westairgasses website

http://www.westairgases.com/welding-machines-equipment/tig-mig-and-stick-welders

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