Gas Metal Arc Welding

Gas Metal Arc Welding

Gas Metal Arc Welding

GMAW Modes of Metal Transfer

Spray

Globular

Short Circuiting

Pulsed Spray

GMAW Filler Metal

Designations

ER - 70S - 6
Electrode
Rod (can be used
with GMAW)

Composition
6 = high silicon
Solid Electrode
Minimum ultimate tensile
strength of the weld metal

AWS Specifications for GMAW Wire

AWS A5.18 - Carbon Steel Electrodes
AWS A5.28 - Low Alloy Steel Electrodes

Gas Metal Arc Welding

Shielding Gas
Shielding gas can
affect

Ar

Ar-He

He

CO2

Weld bead shape

Arc heat, stability, and
starting
Surface tension
Drop size
Puddle flow
Spatter

Gas Metal Arc Welding

GMAW Advantages
Deposition rates
higher than SMAW
Productivity higher
than SMAW with
no slag removal
and continuous
welding
Easily automated

Gas Metal Arc Welding

Quality
Spatter
Droplets of electrode
material that land
outside the weld fusion
area and may or may
not fuse to the base
material

Porosity
Small volumes of
entrapped gas in
solidifying weld metal

Gas Metal Arc Welding

Limitations
Equipment is more
expensive and complex
than SMAW
Process variants/metal
transfer mechanisms
make the process more
complex and the
process window more
difficult to control
Restricted access
GMAW gun is larger than
SMAW holder