MODERN METHODS OF MANUFACTURING

MA 402 )

ASSIGNMENT

SUBMITTED BY: 629/MP/08 Kaleem Khan 631/MP/08 Kavish Chandra 632/MP/08 Manjeet Singh Negi

METAL INERT GAS WELDING (MIG)

Gas metal arc welding (GMAW), sometimes referred to by its subtypes metal inert gas (MIG) welding or metal active gas (MAG) welding, is a semi-automatic or automatic arc welding process in which a continuous and consumable wire electrode and a shielding gas are fed through a welding gun. A constant voltage, direct current power source is most commonly used with GMAW, but constant current systems, as well as alternating current, can be used. There are four primary methods of metal transfer in GMAW, called globular, shortcircuiting, spray, and pulsed-spray, each of which has distinct properties and corresponding advantages and limitations. Originally developed for welding aluminum and other non-ferrous materials in the 1940s, GMAW was soon applied to steels because it allowed for lower welding time compared to other welding processes. The cost of inert gas limited its use in steels until several years later, when the use of semi-inert gases such as carbon dioxide became common. Further developments during the 1950s and 1960s gave the process more versatility and as a result, it became a highly used industrial process. Today, GMAW is the most common industrial welding process, preferred for its versatility, speed and the relative ease of adapting the process to robotic automation. The automobile industry in particular uses GMAW welding almost exclusively. Unlike welding processes that do not employ a shielding gas, such as shielded metal arc welding, it is rarely used outdoors or in other areas of air volatility. A related process, flux cored arc welding, often does not utilize a shielding gas, instead employing a hollow electrode wire that is filled with flux on the inside.

Power supply Most applications of gas metal arc welding use a constant voltage power supply. As a result, any change in arc length (which is directly related to voltage) results in a large change in heat input and current. A shorter arc length will cause a much greater heat input, which will make

the wire electrode melt more quickly and thereby restore the original arc length. This helps operators keep the arc length consistent even when manually welding with hand-held welding guns. To achieve a similar effect, sometimes a constant current power source is used in combination with an arc voltage-controlled wire feed unit. In this case, a change in arc length makes the wire feed rate adjust in order to maintain a relatively constant arc length. In rare circumstances, a constant current power source and a constant wire feed rate unit might be coupled, especially for the welding of metals with high thermal conductivities, such as aluminum. This grants the operator additional control over the heat input into the weld, but requires significant skill to perform successfully. Alternating current is rarely used with GMAW; instead, direct current is employed and the electrode is generally positively charged. Since theanode tends to have a greater heat concentration, this results in faster melting of the feed wire, which increases weld penetration and welding speed. The polarity can be reversed only when special emissive-coated electrode wires are used, but since these are not popular, a negatively charged electrode is rarely employed.
Welding gun and wire feed unit

The typical GMAW welding gun has a number of key partsa control switch, a contact tip, a power cable, a gas nozzle, an electrode conduit and liner, and a gas hose. The control switch, or trigger, when pressed by the operator, initiates the wire feed, electric power, and the shielding gas flow, causing an electric arc to be struck. The contact tip, normally made of copper and sometimes chemically treated to reduce spatter, is connected to the welding power source through the power cable and transmits the electrical energy to the electrode while directing it to the weld area. It must be firmly secured and properly sized, since it must allow the passage of the electrode while maintaining an electrical contact. Before arriving at the contact tip, the wire is protected and guided by the electrode conduit and liner, which help prevent buckling and maintain an uninterrupted wire feed. The gas nozzle is used to evenly direct the shielding gas into the welding zoneif the flow is inconsistent, it may not provide adequate protection of the weld area. Larger nozzles provide greater shielding gas flow, which is useful for high current welding operations, in which the size of the molten weld pool is increased. The gas is supplied to the nozzle through a gas hose, which is connected to the tanks of shielding gas. Sometimes, a water hose is also built into the welding gun, cooling the gun in high heat operations. The wire feed unit supplies the electrode to the work, driving it through the conduit and on to the contact tip. Most models provide the wire at a constant feed rate, but more advanced machines can vary the feed rate in response to the arc length and voltage. Some wire feeders can reach feed rates as high as 30.5 m/min (1200 in/min),but feed rates for semiautomatic GMAW typically range from 2 to 10 m/min (75400 in/min). MIG Welding Shielding Gas The shielding gas, forms the arc plasma, stabilizes the arc on the metal being welded, shields the arc and molten weld pool, and allows smooth transfer of metal from the weld wire to the molten weld pool.

There are three primary metal transfer modes:

Spray transfer Globular transfer Short circuiting transfer .

The primary shielding gasses used are:

Argon Argon - 1 to 5% Oxygen Argon - 3 to 25% CO2 Argon/Helium

CO2 is also used in its pure form in some MIG welding processes. However, in some applications the presence of CO2 in the shielding gas may adversely affect the mechanical properties of the weld. Technique The basic technique for GMAW is quite simple, since the electrode is fed automatically through the torch. By contrast, in gas tungsten arc welding, the welder must handle a welding torch in one hand and a separate filler wire in the other, and in shielded metal arc welding, the operator must frequently chip off slag and change welding electrodes. GMAW requires only that the operator guide the welding gun with proper position and orientation along the area being welded. Keeping a consistent contact tip-to-work distance (the stick out distance) is important, because a long stickout distance can cause the electrode to overheat and will also waste shielding gas. Stickout distance varies for different GMAW weld processes and applications. For short-circuit transfer, the stickout is generally 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch, for spray transfer the stickout is generally 1/2 inch. The position of the end of the contact tip to the gas nozzle are related to the stickout distance and also varies with transfer type and application. ] The orientation of the gun is also importantit should be held so as to bisect the angle between the workpieces; that is, at 45 degrees for a fillet weld and 90 degrees for welding a flat surface. The travel angle, or lead angle, is the angle of the torch with respect to the direction of travel, and it should generally remain approximately vertical. However, the desirable angle changes somewhat depending on the type of shielding gas usedwith pure inert gases, the bottom of the torch is often slightly in front of the upper section, while the opposite is true when the welding atmosphere is carbon dioxide. Advantages Of MIG : 1. Because of continuously fed electrode, MIG welding process is much faster as compared to TIG or stick electrode welding. 2. It can produce joints with deep penetration. 3. Thick and thin, both types of workpieces can be welded effectively.

4. Large metal deposition rates are achieved by MIG welding process. 5. The process can be easily mechanized. 6. No flux is used. MIG welding produces smooth, neat, clean and spatter free welded surfaces which require no further cleaning. This helps reducing total welding cost. 7. Higher arc travel speeds associated with MIG welding reduce distortion considerably. Disadvantages : 1. The process is slightly more complex as compared to TIG or stick electrode welding because a number of variables (like electrode stick out, torch angle, welding parameters, type and size of electrode, welding torch manipulation, etc.) are required to be controlled effectively to achieve good results. 2. Welding equipment is more complex, more costly and less portable. 3. Since air drafts may disperse the shielding gas, MIG welding may not work well in outdoor welding applications. 4. Weld metal cooling rates are higher than with the processes that deposit slag over the weld metal. Applications : 1. The process can be used for the welding of carbon, silicon and low alloy steels, stainless steels, aluminium, magnesium, copper, nickel, and their alloys, titanium, etc. 2. for welding tool steels and dies. 3. for the manufacture of refrigerator parts. 4. MIG welding has been used successfully in industries like aircraft, automobile, pressure vessel, and ship building.

SUBMERGED ARC WELDING (SAW)

Submerged arc welding (SAW) is an arc welding process that fuses together the parts to be welded by heating them with one or more electric arcs between one or more bare electrodes and the work piece. The submerged arc welding process utilizes the heat of an arc between a continuously fed electrode and the work. The heat of the arc melts the surface of the base metal and the end of the elect--rode. The metal melted off the electrode is transferred through the arc to the workpiece, where it becomes the deposited weld metal. Shielding is obtained from a blanket of granular flux,which is laid directly over the weld area. The flux close to the arc melts and intermixes with the molten weld metal and helps purify and fortify it.The flux forms a glasslike slag that is lighter in weight than the deposited weld metal and floats on the surface as a protective cover. The weld is submerged under this layer of flux and slag- hence the name submerged arc welding.

Process features: Similar to MIG welding, SAW involves formation of an arc between a continuouslyfed bare wire electrode and the workpiece. The process uses a flux to generate protective gases and slag, and to add alloying elements to the weld pool. A shielding gas is not required. Prior to welding, a thin layer of flux powder is placed on the workpiece surface. The arc moves along the joint line and as it does so, excess flux is recycled via a hopper. Remaining fused slag layers can be easily removed after welding. As the arc is completely covered by the flux layer, heat loss is extremely low. This produces a thermal efficiency as high as 60% (compared with 25% for manual metal arc). There is no visible arc light, welding is spatter-free and there is no need for fume extraction.

Electrode SAW filler material usually is a standard wire as well as other special forms. This wire normally has a thickness of 1/16 in. to 1/4 in. (1.6 mm to 6 mm). In certain circumstances, twisted wire can be used to give the arc an oscillating movement. This helps fuse the toe of the weld to the base metal. SAW process variables:

Wire feed speed (main factor in welding current control) Arc voltage Travel speed Electrode stick-out (ESO) or contact tip to work (CTTW) Polarity and current type (AC or DC) & variable balance AC current.

Advantages :

High deposition rates (over 100 lb/h (45 kg/h) have been reported). High operating factors in mechanized applications. Deep weld penetration. Sound welds are readily made (with good process design and control). High speed welding of thin sheet steels up to 5 m/min (16 ft/min) is possible. Minimal welding fume or arc light is emitted. Practically no edge preparation is necessary. The process is suitable for both indoor and outdoor works.

Distortion is much less. Welds produced are sound, uniform, ductile, corrosion resistant and have good impact value. Single pass welds can be made in thick plates with normal equipment. The arc is always covered under a blanket of flux, thus there is no chance of spatter of weld. 50% to 90% of the flux is recoverable.

Limitations :

Limited to ferrous (steel or stainless steels) and some nickel based alloys. Normally limited to the 1F, 1G, and 2F positions. Normally limited to long straight seams or rotated pipes or vessels. Requires relatively troublesome flux handling systems. Flux and slag residue can present a health & safety concern. Requires inter-pass and post weld slag removal.

TIG Welding GTAW Welding

Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) is frequently referred to as TIG welding. TIG welding is a commonly used high quality welding process. TIG welding has become a popular choice of welding processes when high quality, precision welding is required. In TIG welding an arc is formed between a nonconsumable tungsten electrode and the metal being welded. Gas is fed through the torch to shield the electrode and molten weld pool. If filler wire is used, it is added to the weld pool separately.

In the TIG (tungsten inert gas) welding process, an essentially non-consumable tungsten electrode is used to provide an electric arc for welding. A sheath of inert gas surrounds the electrode, the arc, and the area to be welded. This gas shielding process prevents any

oxidization of the weld and allows for the production of neat, clean welds. TIG welding differs from MIG (metal inert gas) welding in that the electrode is not consumed in the weld. In the MIG welding process the electrode is continuously melted and is added into the weld. In TIG welding, no metal is added unless a separate filler rod is used. TIG welding can be performed with a large variety of metals. The two most commonly TIG welded metals in the PRL are steel and aluminum. Steel is relatively easy to TIG weld and it is possible to produce very tight, neat welds. Aluminum takes a little more skill, and one should have at least a little bit of experience in welding steel before making the transition to aluminum. However, the basic technique is essentially the same and most people can make the jump to aluminum fairly easily. TIG welding is an extremely powerful tool. With a little practice, it is possible to make beautiful welds much more quickly and easily than with oxy-acetylene welding. It also the only option currently available in the shop for welding aluminum.

TIG Welding Benefits

Superior quality welds Welds can be made with or without filler metal Precise control of welding variables (heat) Free of spatter Low distortion

Shielding Gases

Argon Argon + Hydrogen Argon/Helium

Helium is generally added to increase heat input (increase welding speed or weld penetration). Hydrogen will result in cleaner looking welds and also increase heat input, however, Hydrogen may promote porosity or hydrogen cracking. WELDING PROCEDURE Assembling the Torch Select the proper diameter electrode by consulting this documents Appendix. It is necessary to properly prepare the electrode tip in order to get a good weld. If DC welding is to be performed, the tip must be sharpened much like a pencil. The easiest way to do this is to use the band-sanders in the foundry. Turn on the sander, hold the electrode at about a 20 angle to the sander face, and rotate the electrode until a sharp point is formed. If AC welding is to be performed, a rounded, conical tip is necessary. In order to properly shape an electrode for AC welding, first sharpen it as one would for DC welding. The second half of the AC electrode

preparation will be discussed later, after the rest of the equipment is up and running. Select a collet that is the same size as your electrode. The collets are often not in their proper bins, so double-check to see that it slides snugly around the electrode. Pick a cup with an appropriate orifice diameter to match the electrode (see Appendix). Screw the lens into the back of the torch, and then the cup over the lens from the front. Slide the collet around the electrode and slip the electrode through the lens and out the front of the torch. Then screw the electrode cap onto the back of the torch, thereby, covering the back of the electrode and locking it into place. The electrode should protrude between 1/8 and 1/4 of an inch out of the front of the torch. If it sticks too far out, loosen the cap and adjust it until it is in the appropriate position. Grounding the Workpiece One must make sure that electricity can properly flow out of the workpiece to ground. First, securely clamp the grounding cable to the welding table. Second, fixture the workpiece in a manner so that there is direct contact between the workpiece and the table. Turning on the Equipment First of all, check to see that the cooling water valve to the right of the welding machine is fully open (it should always be left open for safetys sake). Then flip the main switch on the front of the welding machine to the ON position. Next, open the regulator valve on the top of the argon tank. It is a "double seating" valve which must opened all the way in order to properly seal. It is usually a good idea to check that both the argon and the water are flowing properly. In order to do this, hold the torch in one hand so that it is not in contact with any metal and press down on the foot controller. This should start both the argon and the water flow. On the 300, you can look out the window behind the machine to see that the water is exiting the machine through the disposal tube. Check the flow meter on the argon regulator to see that the argon is flowing at the proper level. Starting the Arc Since the welding machine features a high frequency start current, it is not necessary to make contact with the workpiece in order to start the arc. So place the torch at the point where you wish to begin the weld about with the tip of the electrode about 1/8 off the workpiece. Then lower the visor on the welding helmet. You will not be able to see anything until the arc has started. Call out welding so that everyone else in the room knows to avoid looking at the arc. Press down nearly all the way on the foot switch and the arc should start. If it does not start (because you are too far away) slowly bring the electrode tip closer to the workpiece until the arc forms. Do not make contact with the workpiece as this can melt the electrode! The light of the arc should illuminate as small area around the torch so that you can see. A common problem is to have the torch stray away from the intended starting position when the visor is lowered. A good trick in avoiding this is to actually touch the electrode to the intended starting point on the workpiece before lowering the visor. This will usually anchor the electrode enough so that it will not move when the visor is lowered. Then, bring the electrode slightly off the

workpiece but keep it within 1/8 so that the arc will still start. Then press down on the foot controller to start the arc.

Process Variants :
Pulsed-current

In the pulsed-current mode, the welding current rapidly alternates between two levels. The higher current state is known as the pulse current, while the lower current level is called the background current. During the period of pulse current, the weld area is heated and fusion occurs. Upon dropping to the background current, the weld area is allowed to cool and solidify. Pulsed-current GTAW has a number of advantages, including lower heat input and consequently a reduction in distortion and warpage in thin workpieces. In addition, it allows for greater control of the weld pool, and can increase weld penetration, welding speed, and quality. A similar method, manual programmed GTAW, allows the operator to program a specific rate and magnitude of current variations, making it useful for specialized application.
Dabber

The dabber variation is used to precisely place weld metal on thin edges. The automatic process replicates the motions of manual welding by feeding a cold filler wire into the weld area and dabbing (or oscillating) it into the welding arc. It can be used in conjunction with pulsed current, and is used to weld a variety of alloys, including titanium, nickel, and tool steels. Common applications include rebuilding seals in jet engines and building up saw blades, milling cutters, drill bits, and mower blades.

GTAW Welding Limitations

Requires greater welder dexterity than MIG or stick welding Lower deposition rates More costly for welding thick sections