Joining Process

Welding
The term joining is generally used for welding, brazing, soldering, and
adhesive bonding, which form a permanent joint between the parts—a joint
that cannot easily be separated.
The term assembly usually refers to mechanical methods of
fastening parts together. Some of these methods allow for easy
disassembly, while others do not.
Welding is a materials joining process in which two or more parts are coalesced
at their contacting surfaces by a suitable application of heat and/or pressure
and with/without filler material.
The assemblage of parts that are joined by welding is called a weldment.
 Welding
Advantages of welding:

Welding provides a permanent joint. The welded parts become a single

entity.

The welded joint can be stronger than the parent materials if a filler
metal is used that has strength properties superior to those of the
parents, and if defect less welding is done.

Welding is usually the most economical way to join components in terms
of material usage and fabrication costs. Alternative mechanical methods
of assembly require more complex shape alterations (e.g., drilling of
holes) and addition of fasteners (e.g., rivets or bolts). The resulting
mechanical assembly is usually heavier than a corresponding weldment.

Welding is not restricted to the factory environment. It can be
accomplished ‘‘in the field.’’
 Welding
Disadvantages of welding:

Most welding operations are performed manually and are expensive in

terms of labor cost. Many welding operations are considered ‘‘skilled
trades,’’ and the labor to perform these operations may be scarce.

Most welding processes are inherently dangerous because they involve
the use of high energy.

Since welding accomplishes a permanent bond between the
components, it does not allow for convenient disassembly. If the
product must occasionally be disassembled (e.g., for repair or
maintenance).

The welded joint can suffer from certain quality defects that are difficult
to detect. The defects can reduce the strength of the joint.
 Welding
Types of welding: Welding processes can be broadly classified into (i) fusion
welding, and (ii) solid state welding
Fusion welding:
In fusion-welding processes, heat is applied to melt the base metals. In many
fusion welding processes, a filler metal is added to the molten pool during
welding to facilitate the process and provide strength to the welded joint.
When no filler metal is used, that fusion welding operation is referred to as
autogenous weld.
Types: Arc welding, Resistance welding, Oxyfuel gas welding, electron beam
welding, laser welding
Arc welding: In this operation, electric arc is used to produce heat energy and
the base metal is heated. Sometimes, both pressure and heat are applied.
 History of Welding
Technology
1800 : Sir Humphrey Davy in 1800 produced an arc between two
carbon electrodes.
1836: Edmund Davy invented acetylene followed by development
of gas welding & cutting
1885: Welding using the carbon arc and resistance welding
came into existence .
1890: C.L. Coffin of Detroit was awarded the first U.S. patent for
metal electrode arc welding.
1907: Oscar Kjellberg of Sweden invented covered or coated
electrode. Stick electrodes were produced
1919: American Welding Society was formed.
1920: P. O. Nobel Invented Automatic welding using bare wire.
1930: Stud welding was developed and became popular in
shipbuilding / construction industry.
1930: Automatic submerged arc welding was developed.
1940: Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) was developed
1948: The gas shielded metal arc welding (GMAW) process was
successfully developed.
1953: Lyubavskii and Novoshilov announced the use of welding
with consumable electrodes
1957: Robert F. Gage invented plasma arc welding in 1957.
1957: Development of electron beam welding process, was
announced by French Atomic Energy Commission
1958: The Electroslag welding process was announced by the
Soviets:
1960: The importance of each gas used in welding was revealed.
1991: Friction welding was invented and experimentally proven in UK.
 Fusion welding
In fusion-welding processes, heat is applied to melt the base metals. In
many fusion welding processes, a filler metal is added to the molten pool
during welding to facilitate the process and provide strength to the welded
joint.
The most important factor affecting the fusion welding are:
 The characteristics of the heat source
 The nature of the deposition of the filler material in the fusion
zone known as weld pool
 Heat flow characteristics in the joint
 Gas/slag melt reactions in the fusion zone
 Cooling of fusion zone with the associated contraction, residual
stresses and metallurgical changes.

Electric Arc Welding machines designated according to their out put power which
may vary from 150 to 1000 Amp. and usually based on a 60% duty cycle
 Polarity

• When work piece is the positive pole and electrode the negative pole (DCEN), it is
referred to as straight polarity (DCSP). When the arrangement is reversed (DCEP)it
is called as reverse polarity (DSRP).
• Approximately 60 to 75 % heat is liberated at or near the positive side of a DC arc.
Heat affected zone (HAZ)
 Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW)

 Provide an inert or protective gas when heated by the arc. This gas partially
envelopes and shields the arc and molten metal from atmosphere, preventing the
oxygen, hydrogen or nitrogen pick up by the molten metal
 stabilizes the arc by providing certain chemicals.
 Reduce weld metal spatter and increase the efficiency of deposition
 Influences the shape of the weld bead
 It concentrates the arc stream, reduce thermal losses, thus increasing the
temperature concentrated at the electrode tip which in turn increases the rate of
metal deposition and penetration.
 Provide a flux which helps to remove the oxides and other impurities in the form
of a slag.
 Electrode coating
Electrodes used in manual welding is usually covered with a flux coating that
vaporizes in the heat of the arc to form a protective gas (CO2). This gas prevents
N2 and O2 gases from the atmosphere to come in contact with the molten
metal, thus preventing any undesirable oxides and promoting a smooth flow of
metal.
Usual coating materials are
 Cellulose coating : eg. wood pulp, saw dust, cotton and byproducts of rayon
 Mineral coatings: Made from natural silicates such as asbestos and clay. By
adding certain oxides like TiO2, the harsh digging action of the arc is
modified to produce one that is soft and less penetrating.
 Iron powder coatings: For effective heat concentration and arc stability. The
weld pool appearance is also improved
 Low hydrogen electrodes consisting of high proportions of CaCO3, and CaF2.
Generally used with DCEP.
Advantages of SMAW
 Widely used due to its versatility and can be used for general
welding applications.
 Portable and simplicity in construction.
 Welding can be done in any position
 Low-cost equipment
 Can be used both in the DCEN and DCEP mode.
 Well adaptable for repairing works also.

Disadvantages
 Deposition rate is not very high
 Constant interruption for electrode change
 Wastage of electrode end
 Down time and loss of working rod (stub)
 The welded area will have to be chipped and brushed for removal
of slag.
 The quality depends on the skill of the welder.
 Not possible to weld metals like Zn, Pg, Sn, Al, Mg. etc.
Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW): Tungsten-Inert-Gas
 GTAW

 Developed for welding magnesium.

 Popularly it is knows as TIG welding.
 Set-up consists of a torch holding non-consumable tungsten electrode.
 If filler material is required, a welding rod is fed in to the weld zone
 In GTAW, all the three welding currents can be used.
 In general DCSP provides deep penetration and faster welding on thicker
work pieces but not used on Al and Mg.
 Ar gas provides the most stable arc and most efficient cleaning action.
 He is hotter than pure argon and hence provides deeper penetration.
 Ar and He mixture help in preventing weld bead discoloration.
 Electrodes used are W and W alloyed with thoria or zirconia.
 The electrode tip may be pointed or hemispherical
Advantages and disadvantages:

 Used to make top quality welds in almost all metals and alloys
 Almost no weld clean up is required since no flux is used.
 Very little weld spatter since weld metal is not carried across the arc.
 Welding can be done in all positions.
 Particularly used in welding thin sections where high quality finish is
required.
 Disadvantage is that it is a relatively slow process and hence not
used for welding heavier metals.
 Welding machines

• Constant current or drooper: In this the voltage is varied to account for the change
in ac gap thus maintaining an almost constant current. For large change in the
output voltage, the corresponding change incurrent is so small that the quality of
weld can be maintained. This is essential for manual welding since maintaining
constant arc gap is nearly impossible for the operator.
• Constant voltage welding machine (constant potential CP): They are more flat
characteristic curve. Here a small change in the output voltage makes a large
change in the output current. These are generally used with automatic machines
since they become self corrective. Eg. When the electrode comes closer to the
work piece, the voltage drops and raises the output current to a high value. This
current instantly melts the electrodes and maintains the arc gap.
Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) or Metal-Inert-Gas (MIG)

www.scenta.co.uk
Plasma Arc Welding (PAW)

The plasma is generated by

constricting the electric arc passing
through the orifice of the nozzle. Hot
ionized gases are also forced
through this opening. The plasma
has a stiff columnar form and is
parallel sided so that it does not
flare out in the same manner as the
gas tungsten arc.
This high temperature arc, when
directed toward the
work, will melt the base metal
surface and the filler metal that is
added to make the weld. In this way,
the plasma acts as an extremely
high temperature heat source to
form a molten weld puddle.
 Transferred Arc Plasma
 Arc is transferred from the electrode to the work piece.
 possesses high energy density and plasma jet velocity.
 Employed to cut and melt metals., SS and nonferrous metals
 Used for welding at high arc travel speeds.
 The temperature of the order of 8000 - 25000°C may be achieved

For initiating a transferred arc, a current limiting resistor is put in the circuit, which
permits a flow of about 50 amps, between the nozzle and electrode and a pilot arc is
established between the electrode and the nozzle.
As the pilot arc touches the job, main current starts flowing between electrode and
job, thus igniting the transferred arc. The pilot arc initiating unit gets disconnected and
pilot arc extinguishes as soon as the arc between the electrode and the job is started.
 Non-Transferred Arc

• Arc plasma comes out of as a flame and can be moved with better control.
• Arc is independent of the work piece work which is not a part of the electrical
circuit.
• Comparatively less energy density
• employed for welding and in applications involving ceramics / metal plating.
• High density metal coatings can be produced.
• A non-transferred arc is initiated by using a high frequency unit in the circuit
Submerged arc welding
Stud Arc welding