WELDING PROCESSES

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SMAW/MMAW : Shielded Metal Arc Welding /Arc Welding
Manual Metal Arc Welding/Stick Welding

GTAW/TIG : Gas Tungsten Arc Welding/

Tungsten Inert Gas Welding

GMAW/MIG/MAG : Gas Metal Arc Welding

Metal Inert Gas Welding
Metal Active Gas Welding
FCAW : Flux Core Arc Welding

SAW : Submerged Arc Welding

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 The SMAW welding Process was first developed in the late 19th century
using bare wire consumables.
• SMAW is a simple process in terms of equipment.
• The process can by used in AC, DC+ or DC-
• The process is a manual process and demands a high skill from the welder.
• Widely used in the welding industry for both shop and site welding.
Main features:
 Shielding provided by decomposition of flux covering.
 Consumable Electrode
Welder has to control:
 Manual Process
• Arc Length
• Angle of Electrode
• Travel Speed
• Amperage settings
1) Amperage 2) Arc Voltage

3) Polarity 4) Travel speed

5) Electrode type & diameter 6) Calibration of Machine, oven

7) Electrode condition 8) Terminal Connections

9) Insulation / extraction 10) Electrode treatments*

 1) Slag inclusions (if slag removal is not done properly)

2) Arc strikes (due to the initiation of arc in job material by welder)

3) Porosity (Loss of shielding gas, damp electrode, moisture))

4) Undercut (due to excess current)

Most welding imperfections in MMA are caused by a lack of welder

skill, the incorrect settings of the equipment, or the incorrect use, and
treatment of electrodes*
 Advantages: Disadvantages:

1) Field or shop (Portable) 1) High skill factor

2) Range of consumables 2) Short electrode length

3) All positional 3) Low productivity (OF)**

4) Quick electrode change* 4) High level of fume

5) Simple equipment 5) Hydrogen control

* Enabling fast changes in material types to be welded
** Comparatively uneconomic with other processes*
 Classification: Main Shielding General Uses:
Constituent: gas:
Cellulosic: E6010 Cellulose Hydrogen Pipe root runs*
Ground Coconut shells
Ending With 0,1
Rutile: E6013 Titania CO2 General Purpose
Ending With 2,3,4
TiO2
Basic: E7018 Calcium CO2 High quality work
Ending With 5,6,7,8 compounds
The core wire for most MMA electrodes is of a low quality steel,
as this is a cheap method of manufacture and the steel will be refined
during the process of welding by the refining agents and elements
contained in the flux coating*
Positional capabilities
Electrode

Tensile strength
(PSI x 1000)
Flux coating &
characteristics*

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Cellulosic electrodes Use straight from the box -
No baking/drying!

If necessary, dry up to
Rutile electrodes 120°C- No baking!

Vacuum packed Use straight from the pack

within 4 hours - No rebaking!
basic electrodes
 Baking in oven 2 hours at
Basic electrodes
350°C!

Limited number of After baking, maintain in Holding

rebakes! oven at 150°C Max

If not used within 4 hours,

Use from quivers at 75°C
return to oven and rebake! Weld
4 hours (Open to atm) / 8
hours (if continuously kept
in portable oven at 65C).
1: Electrode size Diameter & length*

Cracks, chips & concentricity*

2: Electrode condition

3: Electrode specification Correct specification/code*

E 7018
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External wire Transformer/
feed unit Rectifier

Internal wire
feed system Power cable &
hose assembly
Power control
panel
Liner for wire
15kg wire spool

Power return Welding gun

cable* assembly

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Internal wire drive system* Plain top roller

Half grooved Wire guide*

bottom roller
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 Torch body
On/Off switch
Torch head assembly
(Less nozzle)*

Hose port

Nozzles or Spot welding

shrouds spacer
Gas diffuser Contact tips

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 The GMAW welding process was initially developed in the USA in
the late 1940s for the welding of aluminum alloys.
 The process is classified as a semi-automatic welding process but may
be fully automated.
 The process uses a continuously fed wire electrode(Filler wire).
 The weld pool is protected by a separately supplied shielding gas.
 The wire electrode can be either bare/solid wire or flux cored hollow
wire.
 GMAW uses DC+ polarity as current source for welding.
Types of metal transfer:
Dip transfer: < 24 Welding volts. Low amps. & C02 Gas.
All positional. Low heat input. Low deposition rate

Spray transfer: > 24 Welding volts High amps Ar/C02 Mix

Down-hand only. (steels) High heat input. High deposition rate

Pulse transfer: Variable pulses of high current

All positional. Controlled heat input. High deposition rate*
Globular transfer occurs between dip & spray, but is unstable*

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1) A Transformer/Rectifier (Constant voltage type)

2) A power and power return cable

3) An Inert, active, or mixed shielding gas (Argon or CO²)

4) Gas hose, flow-meter, & gas regulator

5) MIG torch with hose, liner, diffuser, contact tip & nozzle

6) Wire feed unit with correct drive rolls (Push or Pull)

7) Electrode wire to correct specification and diameter

8) Correct visor & glass, all safety clothing and good extraction*

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1) Wire Feed Speed, Amperage 2) OCV & Arc Voltage

3) Wire type & Ø 4) Gas type & flow rate

5) Tip size/condition 6) Roller size & pressure

7) Liner size 8) Inductance settings

9) Insulation/Extraction 10) Proper Wire Connections

11) Valid Calibration 12)Welding Angle & Travel speed

1) Silica inclusions (Poor inter-run cleaning)

2) Lack of side wall fusion (Primarily with dip transfer)

3) Porosity (From loss of gas shield on site etc)

Most welding imperfections in MIG/MAG are caused by lack of

welder skill, or incorrect settings of the equipment.
The use of low quality wires will cause wire feed problems.
Worn contact tips will cause poor power pick up, or transfer.
Bad or loose power connections will cause loss of voltage in the arc.
 Advantages: Disadvantages:

1) Lower skill required 1) Lack of sidewall fusion

2) Easily automated 2) Range of consumables

3) All positional (Dip/Pulse) 3) Loss of gas shield/site

4) Thick/thin materials 4) Complex equipment

5) High productivity (O/F) 5) High ozone levels*

GMAW Electrode Identification System
 Wires must be drawn as deposited and are therefore of very high quality.
Electrode wires for MIG are the same as rods for TIG*
The quality of temper and copper coating is very important, since the
Copper coating on MIG wires maximises the current pick up*
Specifications for wires are as per their chemical compositions*
Grades: Composition + Single, Double and Triple de-oxidized wires*
Quality of winding: Random wound, Layer wound & Precision layer
wound

Wire diameters:0.6 - 2.4 mm Ø supplied on 1 kg (fine wire) & 15 kg

spools*
Gases used for MIG: Argon or Helium
Gases used for MAG: CO2 or mixtures of CO2 and Argon*

CO2 : Very good penetration, cannot support spray transfer produces

an unstable arc, with lots of spatter
Argon: Shallow penetration. Very stable arc, with low spatter
We mix both gases in mixture of between 5 – 20% CO2 in Argon to
get the benefits of both gases*

For Stainless Steels we use Argon with a 2% Oxygen, this gives

more fluidity to the weld and an improved toe blend*