WELDING PROCESSES

As the products are made almost by welding processes, the

weldability of materials used is also very important as it depends on the chemical
composition which is described as below;

WELDABILITY OF CARBON STEELS :Major factors affecting the weldability of steels are their chemical
composition, physical properties and the heat treatment to which they are subjected.
Carbon has a strong influence on the quality of the weld. An increase
in carbon content affects the strength, hardness, and toughness of the weld. When the
carbon content exceeds 0.3% the air-hardening capacity of the transition zone in the
base metal is increased and the steel becomes more brittle. The effect produced by
carbon is much less in arc- welding than in gas-welding process.
Carbon structural steels have a good weldability with any welding
technique for carbon contents upto 0.27%. Satisfactory welds can be obtained for
content upto 0.35%.
Structural steels, containing more than 0.36% C and susceptible to the
formation of hardening cracks, require preheating before welding and subsequent
heat treatment. Alloying the metal of the weld with manganese, silicon and other
elements can ensure Weld strength.
Phosphorus in steel, in amounts exceeding 0.04%, has an adverse
effect on the mechanical properties of the weld since the brittleness is increased.
Sulphur causes red shortness. The formation of cracks is observed at a
Sulphur content over 4.00%(especially in gas welding)

WELDABILITY OF ALLOY STEELS:-

Various difficulties arise in the welding of alloy steels. These include

the burning out of the alloying elements, precipitation of carbides in heating, airhardening of the deposited metal and the transition zone, and the development of
shrinkage stresses due to the low heat conductivity of certain grades of alloy steels.
The above-mentioned troubles can be prevented or eliminated in
welding alloy steels by not allowing their overheating, by using fluxes and coatings
of special compositions, by preheating the word-piece before welding and by heat
treatment of the work after welding.
The weldability of chromium stainless steels containing from 12 o
14% Cr is quite satisfactory if carbon content does bot exceed 0.2%. Precautions
must be taken in welding these steels to prevent the burning out of chromium by
using protective electrode coatings containing chromium. It is advisable to weld
chromium steels by preheating the metal before welding and subjecting it to
subsequent heat treatment. Cr steels become brittle after welding and consequently
the welds are not capable of withstanding heavy deformation. The ductility of the
welds can be restored by annealing at a temp. of 760 0C.
Chromium steels containing upto 17% Cr are advisable to preheat at
about 200 C to increase ductility.
0

Chromium steels containing from 25 to 30% Cr are quite weldable

and have low mechanical properties because of the intense grain growth at the
welding temp. and the development of internal stresses. Annealing at about 950 to
980 C is applied after welding to relieve the stresses.
Grain growth can be avoided by adding alloying elements like, Ti, V,
Al, etc. to the material of the electrodes or their coating.
The welding Cr steels of all grades is done with electrodes whose
composition is the same as that of the base metal and which are coated with special
compound. This coating prevents the chromium from being burned out and saturates
the welding pool with this element.

In L & T LTD, there are main four types of welding processes are
used to accomplished the required job. These processes are;
(1.)
(2.)
(3.)
(4.)

Shielded Metal Arc Welding. (SMAW)

Submerged Arc Welding. (SAW)
Gas Tungsten Arc Welding. (GTAW)
Gas Metal Arc Welding. (MIG)

SMAW OPERATION :- (Principle)

It is an arc process with an arc between a covered electrode and the
weld pool. The process is used with shielding from the decomposition of electrode
covering, without the application of pressure, and with filler metal from the
electrode.
In short, the root gap between the work is first maintained and then by
coated electrode of the same composition (on requirement) is struck to the work in
order to generate arc. Due to the arc, the electrode will deposited and make the weld
bead whereas coating of electrode will make a layer on weld bead for protection
from atmosphere which is removed after the weld bead is been solidified.

SUBMERGED ARC WELDING PROCESS (SAW): An arc welding process that uses an arc or arcs between a bare metal
electrode (s) and the weld pool. The arc and molten metal are shielded by a blanket
of granular flux on the work-pieces. The process is used without pressure and with
filler metal from the electrode & sometimes from a supplemental source (welding
rod, flux or metal granules).

GAS METAL ARC-WELDING (GMAW): An arc welding process that uses an arc between a continuous filler
metal electrode and the weld pool. The process is used with shielding from an
externally supplied gas and without the application of pressure.

GAS TUNGSTEN ARC WELDING (GTAW): An arc welding process which produces coalescence of metals by
heating them with an arc between a tungsten (non consumable) electrode & the
work. Shielding is obtained from a gas or gas mixture. Pressure may or may not be

used and filler metal may not be used. This process has sometimes been called TIG
welding process.

SOME GENERAL DATA ABOUT THE PROCESSES USED IN

L & T LTD:(1.)

SHIELDED METAL ARC WELDING :-

SMAW is one of the most versatile joining processes and is

extensively used the world over. In India nearly 90% of the welded fabrication is
done by this process and even most advanced countries like USA, USSR, Japan, it
accounts for nearly 60% of the metal deposited by welding.

EQUIPMENTS :-

The major equipment for SMAW is the power source, which may be,
A welding transformer,
A D.C. rectifier,
A D.C. motor generator set.
The selection of the equipment depends upon the provision for initial
investment and the range of materials to be handled.

EQUIPMENT ACCESSORIES :-

The equipment accessories for welding power source include the

connecting cables, an electrode holder, cable connectors and the ground clamp.
OPERATOR ACCESSORIES :The essential operator accessories include chipping hammer, wire
brush and a welding shield to protect the face.

WELD JOINTS for SMAW are Butt-welds, Lap welds, Fillet welds etc.

SMAW OPERATION :- (Principle)

It is an arc process with an arc between a covered electrode and the
weld pool. The process is used with shielding from the decomposition of electrode
covering, without the application of pressure, and with filler metal from the
electrode.
In short, the root gap between the work is first maintained and then by
coated electrode of the same composition (on requirement) is struck to the work in
order to generate arc. Due to the arc, the electrode will deposited and make the weld

bead whereas coating of electrode will make a layer on weld bead for protection
from atmosphere which is removed after the weld bead is been solidified.

ADVANTAGES: -

Shielded Metal Arc Welding is the simplest process of all the Arc Welding
processes,
The equipment can be portable and the cost is fairly low.
This process finds numerous applications because of the availability of a wide
variety of electrodes.
A big range of metal and their alloys can be welded.
Welding can be carried out in position with highest weld quality.
The process can be very well employed for facing and metal deposition to
reclaim parts or to develop other characteristics like wear resistance, etc.

DISADVANTAGES: -

Because of the limited length of each electrode and brittle flux coating, its
mechanization is difficult.
In long welding joints, when on electrode id finished, the weld is to be
accomplished with another electrode and if the care is not concerned, there are
chances of defects like slag inclusion or insufficient penetration may occur in the
area from where the welding by another electrode is started.
It is slower process than MIG process.
Because of coated electrodes, chances of defects like slag entrapment and other
related defects are also concern.
The arc generated is harmful to health.

APPLICATIONS :-

Now a days almost all commonly employed metals and their alloys can be
welded by this process.
Applications of the SMAW process are varied and wide spread. Depending upon
the coated electrodes available it finds extensive use in all major fabrication
industries which may include items of sundry repairs to shipbuilding and
pressure-vessel fabrication.

 SUBMERGED ARC WELDING (SAW): SAW EQUIPMENTS AND MATERIALS (TYPES): Automatic process,
Semi-automatic process,
AUTOMATIC PROCESS:
For automatic SAW it consists of a welding power source [AC & DC are used
and they may be constant current (CC) or constant voltage (CV) type].

A wire feeder and a control system.

An automatic welding head.

A flux hopper with flux feeding mechanism.

A flux recovery system and a travelling carriage and the rails.

High production rates are obtained.

SEMI-AUTOMATIC SAW:
For semi-automatic SAW the equipment is different from that used for automatic
SAW in that it has a power source with lower rating and the automatic welding
head is replaced by a welding gun and cable assembly with flux hopper attached
to it and it employs no carriage or rails.

The power source is D.C.

The travel is manually controlled.