Discussion:

From the profiles shown in graphs which have been plotted between microhardness and distance,
we can infer that as we increase the distance from the centerline , microhardness will increase at
some specific points. It can be observed in the trend that microhardness increases in the zones
affected by heat and it drops in the regions which are not affected by heat and the profile of drop
is quite abrupt and the value of microhardness decreases suddenly as evident form the profile of
the graph. One thing more which can be observed from the profile of the graph is that
microhardness remains constant in the fusion zone because of the value of constant current in the
fusion zone but the value of microhardness reduces when it leaves the fusion zone and reaches the
boundary of fusion zone which is also a heat affected zone. The structure at the micro level of the
base metal always compromises as a result of the fusion of the base metal. Processes like
generation of heat by some kind of source, the chilling of material after heating it alters the
microstructure. This altering of the microstructure can be manifested in the form of a zone called
heat affected zone, its size and shape can be variable, also its strength can be variable. The
correlation between heat affected zone and diffusivity and cooling rates can be seen in inverse
proportionality because the trend shows that heat affected zone is always small in its extent and
magnitude where there is high thermal diffusivity and high cooling rates. It is also true the other
way round ie heat affected zone is always big in its extent and magnitude where there is low
thermal diffusivity and cooling rates.
The second figure manifests the relationship between profiles of stress and distance. We can induct
from this profile that as the distance from the centerline increases the magnitude of stress changes
from that of the centerline and its magnitude is different at different places away from the
centerline. The graph shows an increased value of stress in the fusion zone where there is constant
electric current. One thing at this stage is important to note that negative value of stress indicates
compressive stress and value of stress greater than zero indicated that it is tensile stress and it is
true for every region on the workpiece. The main reason behind this uneven distribution of stress
at different regions on the workpiece is due to the fact that there are different temperature zones
on the workpiece and these temperature differences cause the value of stress to be different in
different zones. Low temperature differences yield compressive stresses whereas high temperature
differences yields tensile stresses in the workpiece.

Conclusion:
This lab report can be concluded by remarking the fact that in modern world there are many many
different methods of welding which are available out there and each method has its own pros and
cons, its own specifications, its own characteristics. The choice of the welding process is
completely an application dependent phenomenon and it completely depends upon the application
in which base metal is to be employed and requirement of corresponding strength. It is also
concluded that heat affected zone is a necessary evil in the welding process which should be
avoided as far as possible but its complete abolishment is obviously not possible. Furthermore, it
should be kept in mind the more even the distribution of temperature across the base metal, the
less the residual stresses ( both compressive and tensile) will be. The amount of the heat is directly
affected by the magnitude of the current which can be varied as per requirement.