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Presentation on MIG-MAG Welding

By N.K. Chawla

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Mobile +91 9810191280

E-mail :nkchawla@kaizenmetal.com

Kaizen Metal Forming

Welding Defined
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Welding as defined by American Welding Society

Welding is defined as a joining process that
produces coalescence (Fusion) of materials by
heating them to the welding temperature, with or
without the application of pressure or by the
application of the pressure alone, and with or
without the use of filler metal.
In less technical language; A weld is made when
separate pieces of material to be joined combine
and form one piece when heated to a temperature
high enough to cause softening or melting and flow
together. Pressure may or may not be used to
force the pieces together. Filler material is added
when needed to form a completed weld in their
joint.
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IMPORTANCE OF WELDING
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Welding is the most efficient way to join metals.

Only way to join two or more pieces of metals to make
them act as one piece.
Welding is the most economical method to permanently
join metal parts.
All metals can be joined by one welding process or
another.
There is saying if it is metal, weld it and it is true.
Look around, almost everything made of metal is
welded, the worlds tallest building, moon rocket
engines, nuclear reactors, home appliances and
automobile, barely start the list.
The use of welding is still increasing.
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Early metal joining methods

Welding Processes

Welding Basics Weld joints - I

Welding Basics Weld joints - II

Welding Basics Welding positions

Groove Weld Defined

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Fillet Weld Defined

GAS METAL ARC WELDING (MIG-MAG

WELDING)
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GAS METAL ARC WELDNIG(GMAW) IS AN

ARC WELDING PROCESS THAT USES AN
ARC BETWEEN A CONTINOUS FILLER
METAL ELECTRODE AND THE WELD
POOL. IT WAS DEVELOPED IN THE LATE
1940S FOR WELDING ALUMINUM AND
HAS BECOME VERY POPULAR .

THERE ARE MANY VARIATIONS

DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF METAL
TRANSFER,THE TYPE OF METAL
WELDED, AND SO ON.IT HAS BEEN
GIVEN MANY NAMES e.g-MIG
WELDING,CO2 WELDING ,FINE WIRE
WELDING ,SPRAY ARC WELDING, DIP
TRANSFER WELDING , SHORT CIRCUIT
ARC WELDING AND VARIOUS TRADE
NAMES

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PRINCIPLES OF OPERATIONS
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THE GAS METAL ARC WELDING PROCESS UTILIZE THE HEAT OF AN ARC BETWEEN A
CONTINUOSLY FED CONSUMABLE ELECTRODE AND THE WORK TO BE WELDED. THE
HEAT OF THE ARC MELTS THE SURFACE OF THE BASE METAL AND THE END OF THE
ELECTRODE. THE METAL MELTED OFF THE ELECTRODE IS TRANSFERRED THROUGH
ARC TO THE WORK WHERE IT BECOMES THE DEPOSITED WELD METAL.

SHIELDING IS OBTAINED FROM AN ENVOLOPE OF GAS,WHICH MAY BE INERT GAS .

AN ACTIVE GAS, OR A MIXTURE.

THE ELECTRODE IS FED INTO THE ARC AUTOMATICALLY.

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EQUIPMENT REQUIRED
The equipment required for a gas metal arc welding system
consists of
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1-Power source.
2-Electrode wire feeder
3-Welding gun and cable assy.
4-Gas control system for shielding gas
5-Travel mechanism for automatic welding.

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Weldable metals and thickness range

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JOINT PREPARATION FOR GMAW

Metals as thin as .13mm to 4.8mm can be welded without

preparation.
Metals from 1.6mm to 10mm can be welded in a single pass
with joint preparation.
Multipass welding is required above 10mm and preparation is
needed. There is no limit to the thickness of metal that can be
welded.
GMAW electrode has a smaller diameter therefore the
preparation for V-grooves may be made to a smaller angle. This
saves as much as 50% on welding filler metal and weld time.

( NG )

(OK)

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ELECTRODES- WIRES FOR GMAW

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What is good general purpose

shielding gas ??
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Carbon dioxide is commonly used on mild

steel for minimum cost.

25% carbon dioxide +75% argon is used for

general welding of carbon steel, and low steel
alloy steel with excellent result

The most common mixture are argon and CO2 in

75-25%, 80-20% and 85-15% mixture.
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CO2 AN ACTIVE GAS

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CO2 is decomposed by high temperature of the arc . This

endothermic reaction takes heat from the arc during
dissociation, but where the temperature is lower , away
from the arc and in contact with the work piece, the
reaction is reversed (an exothermic reaction), giving to
plate surface the heat borrowed from the center of the arc

The complete reaction is written as:-

2CO2 = 2CO + O2 -136 calories

The important point is the supplementary application of

heat energy on work surface which has the effect of
favoring penetration. This activity of CO2 is ,because of this
, a very useful property and makes it favored gas for use in
welding , it is called Metal Active Gas (MAG) welding
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Metal Transfer Mechanism

The GMAW process includes distinctive metal transfer types:oShort circuit transfer, globular transfer, normal spray transfer,
pulsed spray transfer and rotational current high density transfer.
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Short circuit transfer

Low currents allow the liquid metal at the electrode tip to be transferred by
direct contact with the molten weld pool. This process requires close
interaction between the wire feeder and the power supply. This technique is
called short-circuiting transfer.

If the system is properly tuned the rate of short-circuiting can reach hundred
per second causing a characteristic buzzing sound.

The spatter is low and process is easy to use in all position on sheet metal,
low carbon steel, low alloy steel and stainless steel ranging in thickness from
0.5mm to2.6mm

CO2 works well with the process. Pure argon is not affective . However, a
mixture of 25% CO2 and 75% Argon produces a desirable well profile.

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GLOBULAR

TRANSFER

Globular metal transfer occurs at an

average current rate just above short
circuit metal transfer.

The electrode metal transfers in droplet 2

to 4 times the electrode dia.

The droplets fall in irregular pattern with

no set frequency.

They fall under the influence of gravity

and produce lot of turbulence in molten
weld pool and also produce lot of spatters.

Most often this type of transfer occurs

when CO2 is the shielding gas.

At low currents ,the drops are large and

are transferred at rate below 10 per
second.

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Spray
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Transfer

In an argon-rich shielding gas, the

electrode metal transfer changes
from globular to spray as welding
current increases for any given
electrode diameter .
The change takes places at a
value called the globular to spray
transition current .
Spray transfer in argon has
constricted arc column and
pointed electrode tip.
Molten metal transfers across the
arc as small droplets.
The transfer rate can be as high
several hundred droplets per
second.
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Transition currents

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Under what condition spray transfer occur ??

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Three conditions must be present for spray transfer to

begin:-

Argon or Argon rich shielding gas must be used.

DCEP polarity.

Current level must be above the transition current when

globular metal transfer changes to spray metal transfer.

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Typical spatter level with shielding

gases

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Pulsed & Rotational Spray Transfer

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Weight of metal (steel) deposited per meter

of weld

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Arc welding variables

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During the manual welding operation, the welder has control over certain factors that
affect the weld quality. For example:-welder can increase or decrease the speed of
travel, length of arc, angle of electrode etc.

These variable can be divided into three classifications:-.

1)-Primary adjustable variable

A) Travel speed

2)-Secondary adjustment variable

A) Stick out (tip to work distance)

3)-Pre selected variable

A) Electrode or wire dia/size

C) Welding current type

Due to these so many variable involved welding has been defined as Critical process
in ISO 9000 standard
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B) Arc voltage

C) Welding current

B) Torch angle

B) Electrode or wire type

D) Shielding gas composition

Influence

of current on weld bead

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Influence of welding speed on

weld bead

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Influence of arc voltage on weld bead

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Influence of contact tip to work

piece distance

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Influence of torch angle on weld

bead

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Influence of torch angle on weld bead

Influence of torch travel on weld bead

Influence of polarity on weld bead

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Influence of polarity on weld bead

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Influence of shielding gases on weld bead

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Correct Gas Flow

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Correct gas flow reading

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Recommended parameter for Mild Steel welding

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GMAW weld defects

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GMAW Troubleshooting-1

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GMAW Troubleshooting-2

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EFFECTS OF CHANGING WELD PARAMETERS

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SAFETY IN GMAW WELDING

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The total radiated energy both visible and invisible of

GMAW is much higher than SMAW processes, so extra
precautions must be taken to protect the eyes and skin.

Also because the GMAW process produces less smoke

than the SMAW process, more of the radiation produced
is available to harm the welder.

To protect yourself, first, use the table to determine the

filter glass shade to use on GMAW: try the darker shade
for the current you are using, and drop to the next
lighter shade until you can see the welding action
clearly.

Never drop to a shade lighter than the lowest

recommended one.

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THANK YOU

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Kaizen Metal Forming