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February 2008

CWA Toronto Chapter conference

Effect of Gas selection on arc stability,

chemistry, mechanical properties and diff.
H2 contents of FCAW, MCAW, GMAW
weldmetals
Viwek Vaidya
February 12th 2008

February 2008

The GMAW Set-up

Wire
Wire Feeder
Power Source
Water Cooler
(optional)
Regulator / Flow meter
Shielding Gas
Welding Gun
Work Ground Clamp

February 2008

Work piece (Base

Material)

FCAW, MCAW, GMAW

Contact tube

Electrode wire

Gun Nozzle

Electrode stick out

Arc length

February 2008

Shielding gas
Welding Arc

Base metal

Observation of the welding arc

Video

of metal transfers in GMAW steel

Please note:

Members will receive above video by e-mail request.

It include other processes as well.
(SAW, SMAW, FCAW, GMAW, PULSE MIG)
Thank You for Your Support!

February 2008

The functions of shielding gases are

Protect

the weld pool from atmosphere

Provide a gas plasma - ionized gas
Support metal transfer and bead wetting

February 2008

Thermal conductivity and plasma shape

Thermal Conductivity is the ease

with which the gas will dissipate
heat
Argon has low thermal
conductivity
It is used for superior R-Value
windows

Helium has high thermal

conductivity, CO2 also has high
thermal conductivity than Argon

February 2008

Argon

Thermal conductivity and plasma shape : Globular transfer

February 2008

Consider energy flow

through He and CO2, both
characterised with Higher
thermal conductivity than
Argon
Narrow plasma column
CO2 and Helium produce
globular transfer
cannot produce spray
transfer!

Penetration profiles

February 2008

Argon has a finger nail

penetration profile
consistent with spray
transfer
CO2 and He have elliptical
penetration consistent with
the globular transfer

Thermal conductivity and plasma shape : Spray Transfer

February 2008

Low thermal conductivity

Expanded plasma column
Electron condensation
heating

Thermal conductivity and plasma shape : Spray Transfer

February 2008

Wire melts in a fast fine

droplet stream
Wire end becomes pointed
Spray transfer results in
high deposition and good
penetration
Argon gives spray transfer!

Penetration profiles

February 2008

Argon has a finger nail

penetration profile
consistent with spray
transfer
CO2 and He have elliptical
penetration consistent with
the globular transfer

Addition of Oxygen to argon increases arc speed by 20%

Introduction of oxygen through the contact tip in GMAW Aluminium

Dark deposited removed with rag

Annular gas:
Argon + 1,5%O2
February 2008

or by brushing or final degreasing

+ 20 %

Annular gas: Argon +

contact tip: +0,3 l/min O2

NICKEL BASE ALLOYS GMAW

Ar

Ar+% CO2

Ar+ He+ CO2

Ar+He+ % CO2

Ar+H2+ % CO2

Appearance of the weld and stability of the pulsed transfer greatly improved with

CO2 additions
February 2008

NICKEL BASE ALLOYS GMAW

Ar+ H2 + CO2
Influence of CO2 addition on the pulse transfer stability
U peak

U
droplet
detachment

Argon
February 2008

Argon+ CO2

NICKEL BASE ALLOYS GMAW

Influence of CO2 addition on Welding speed
+26%

40
35

+12%

30

+17%

energy distribution &

transfer stability

25
20
transfer stability

Welding speed (cm/mn)

45

15
10
5
0
Ar

February 2008

stability
of the pulse transfer

+H2+ %CO2

+ CO2
+He+ CO2

welding speed

NICKEL BASE ALLOYS GMAW

Ar+ H2 + CO2
improvement in bead appearance

INCONEL 625

February 2008

INCONEL 600

GMAW Dual wire process

Automatic GMAW with dual wires: thickness: 1.5 - 6mm
Carbon steel, stainless steels and aluminium alloys

2 wires connected
at the same electrical
potential

Each wire connected

at the different
electrical potential

Twin wire

February 2008

Tandem Technique

FCAW & MCAW wire cross section

Metal sheath - outer

envelope

Joint

Metallic and non

Metallic Fluxes &
powders

February 2008

FCAW weld with slag formation

February 2008

Observation of the welding arc

Video

of Ar-CO2 systems - FCAW

To see above video, click here

February 2008

Improved weld
profile with
FCAW+GMAW
combination, due to
better wetting.
Presence of
oxidizing species
through the FCAW
wire
5/16 inch single pass
fillet weld : 35 ipm
dual wire as opposed
to 16 ipm with single
wire systems.
February 2008

GMAW chemistry variation with Ar-O2 mixes.

Wire Chemistry : C=0.1%, Si=0.9%, Mn=1.48%

February 2008

GMAW chemistry variations : Ar-CO2 system

GMAW chemistry variation Ar-CO2
%Carbon

%Manganese

%Silicon

1.2

% Mn, Si and C

0.8

Wire: Mn=1.25%, Si=0.73% C =0.08%,

0.6

0.4

0.2

0
0

10

15

20
% CO2

February 2008

25

30

35

40

Mechanical properties : 1% Ni MCAW all tests with same lot

Shielding gas

UTS
MPa

YS
MPa

%E

100% CO2

554

497

30

71,62,64,49,69

Argon +15% CO2

613

577

32.5

75,62,68,82,45

Argon+10% He +
15% CO2

616

557

30

61,72,95,92,79

February 2008

Impacts Cv
J @ -51C

Classification of metal cored and FCAW wires in Canada and US

METAL CORED;

CSA W48-01/W48-06, CLASS E491C-6-H4/E491C-6M-H4

AWS A5.18-95/ASME SFA 5.18, Class E70C-6-H4/E70C-6M-H4

FLUX CORED

CSA W48-01/W48-06, Class E491T-1-H8/T-1M-H8, E491T-9H8/T-9M-H8

AWS A5.20-95/ASME SFA 5.20, Class E71T-1-H8/T-1M-H8,
E71T-9-H8/T-9M-H8
CSA W48-01/W48-06, Class E492T-9-H8/T-9M-H8
AWS A5.20-95/ASME SFA 5.20, Class E70T-1-H8/T-1M-H8,
E70T-9-H8/T-9M-H8

February 2008

Weldmetal chemistries E491 C6-H4

Shielding gas

Oxidation
potential

% Carbon

% Manganese

% Silicon

Ar+2%O2

2%

0.06

1.13

0.56

Ar+5%O2

5%

0.05

0.47

Ar+10%CO2

5%

0.05

1.37

0.77

Ar+25%CO2

12.5%

0.05

1.3

0.66

Ar+4%O2+
5%CO2

6.5%

0.04

1.25

0.67

CSA
W48

= %O2 + %
CO2

N/R

1.75 max

0.90 max

February 2008

Weldmetal mechanical property variation E491 C6-H4

Shielding gas

UTS MPa

YS Mpa

%E

Impacts Cv
J @ -30C

Ar+2%O2

514

450

27.5

78

Ar+5%O2

499

430

29

77

Ar+10%CO2

542

467

29

92

Ar+25%CO2

514

435

25.5

112

Ar+4%O2+
5%CO2

533

456

30

58

CSA
W48

500 min

410 min

22 min

27

February 2008

Carbon pick up in stainless steel weld deposits Ar-CO2

Carbon pick up - GMAW : Ar-CO2
30%

25%

Wire Carbon = 0.012%

%CO2 in Ar

20%

Series1

15%

10%

5%

0%
0

0.01

0.02

0.03
% Carbon in deposit

February 2008

0.04

0.05

0.06

FCAW wire storage conditions and worm tracking

February 2008

FCAW wire storage conditions and worm tracking

February 2008

Typical FCAW/MCAW wire cross sections

Wire closing seam configuration

February 2008

FCAW wires Hydrogen pick up susceptibility

FCAW wires - Hydrogen pick up
wire A

wire B

30

Diffusible H2 : ml/100g

25

20

15

10

0
As received

Exposed to 80'F/80%RH for 1 week

Exposure condition

February 2008

Variation of diffusible hydrogen

content and shielding gases
Parameters

100% CO2

Wire dia.

1/16"

1/16"

1/16"

Amps

299

312

323

Volts

28.5

28.5

27.5

E.S.O

3/4"

3/4"

3/4"

Diffusible Hydrogen

7.5ml/100g

9.5ml/100g

10.4ml/100g

R.H/Temp

45%/22.6'C

45%/22.6'C

45%/22.6'C

February 2008

Argon+15%CO2 Argon + 5% CO2

Diffusible Hydrogen variation with oxidation potential

Diffusible hydrogen content variation with Oxidiation potential
GMAW

MCAW

FCAW

12

Gas
100% Argon
Ar-2% O2
Ar-5% CO2
Ar-15% CO2
Ar-20% CO2
100% CO2

10
Diffusible hydrogen: ml/100g deposited weldmetal

Oxidation Potential

0%
2%
2.5%
7.5%
10 %
50%

0
0

10

20

30
Oxidation potential O2% + 0.5*CO2%

February 2008

40

50

60

FCAW/diffusible hydrogen and electrical

stick out

February 2008

Wire A

Wire A

Wire B

Wire B

1.2mm dia.

1.2mm dia.

1.6mm dia.

1.6mm dia.

230 amps

230 amps

285 amps

285 amps

26 volts

26 volts

28 volts

28 volts

14 ipm

14 ipm

14 ipm

14 ipm

ESO 10mm

ESO 20mm

ESO 10 mm

ESO 20 mm

8.1ml/100g

5.5ml/100g

10.0ml/100g

9.0ml/100g

FCAW wire storage conditions and worm tracking

To

avoid worm tracking and porosity store the wire

properly
Use shielding gas with higher oxidation potential
Reduce welding amperage
Weld with a longer stick out to preheat the wire
Discard two layers of the spool and retry
If possible recondition the wire not generally
recommended

February 2008

Deleterious effect of Nitrogen on impact energy: carbon steels

120
Impact: Joules at -40'C
100

Energy: CvJoules at -40'C

80

60

40

20

0
0

50

100

150
Weldmetal N2 content, ppm

February 2008

200

250

300

Nitrogen additions to shielding gas for Duplex stainless

Up to 2 % additions of N2
advantageous for duplex
stainless steel GMAW
welding:
Reduction of 10-15% ferrite
improving ferrite/austenite
balance
10% improvement in
strength
Better performance against
pitting corrosion

February 2008

Beyond 6% Nitrogen in the

gas will produces weld
porosity..

Choice of Shielding gases

Too

many to choose from

Too complex for users
Too complex for producers
ALMIG
ALTIG
ALFLUX

February 2008

Conclusions

Video imaging of the welding arc shows that progressive increase in

oxidation potential of the shielding gas, stabilizes the arc for GMAW
welds in stainless and mild steel welds
Fumes also increase with increasing CO2 content of the shielding gases
Addition of 1-2% Oxygen to Argon seems to improve arc stability and arc
speeds for Aluminum GMAW process
Micro additions of CO2 to Argon + H2 or Argon+He mixtures improves
stability of the GMAW welding of Inconel 625 alloys
GMAW, FCAW, MCAW deposits in mild steel loose strength and alloying
elements with increasing oxidation potential of the shielding gases
Increasing CO2 content of the shielding gas may contribute to increased
pick up of carbon in extra low carbon stainless steels GMAW deposits.

February 2008

Conclusions - continued

Diffusible hydrogen of a FCAW weld deposit increases with

higher levels of Argon contents in the shielding gas
Improper storage of FCAW consumable can result in
substantial increase in diffusible hydrogen content, causing
worm tracking porosity. Some remedies have been
suggested
An addition of up to 2% Nitrogen to an Argon+Helium+CO2
mixture shows improved control on ferrite content of the
weldmetal, about 10% increase in strength and improved
pitting corrosion resistance in case of duplex stainless steel
GMAW welds.

February 2008

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank the research staff at the Air
Liquide World Headquarters in Paris for providing guidance
and stimulating discussions while the manuscripts were
being drawn up. Thanks are also due to technical experts at
Air Liquide Canada and data obtained from the certification
center in Boucherville. Photographic support came from
several CAP Audit reports, performed at various customer
locations in Canada.
Dr. Christian Bonnet, Dr. P. Rouault, Mr. J. M. Fortain, Mr.
Pierre Geoffroy, Mr. Joe Smith and Mr. Jean Venne provided
valuable technical support for this paper and are being
recognized for their contribution.

February 2008

Thank you!

February 2008