Wire feed pulsation as a means of inducing surface tension metal transfer in Gas Metal Arc Welding
2021 (English)In: JOURNAL OF MANUFACTURING PROCESSES, ISSN 1526-6125, Vol. 62, p. 655-669Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]
Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) derivative processes have gained attention due to their capacity to perform specific functions, such as reducing spattering during short-circuiting. However, the short-circuiting transfer nature allows devising other features, such as to work with low current yet with high voltage. Although this arrangement is typical of globular transfer when applied in GMAW, the assistance of wire feed pulsation by itself could make the use of this combination doable. Therefore, this work aimed at exploring the technical feasibility of short-circuiting GMAW with higher voltage level with the aid of a wire feed pulsation technique, rather than relying on current waveform control strategies. In this case, a home-developed device that superimposes a pulsation linear movement to the wire over its continuous movement was employed. To prove the concept, wire pulsation and long arc length during arcing were applied in experiments with the power source operating either in constant voltage or constant current modes. In order to quantify and validate the approach, a range of pulsation frequencies was explored and compared with conditions with continuous feeding. The metal transfer regularity was evaluated following the Laprosolda Metal Transfer Regularity Criterion, and geometric parameters of the weld beads were compared as complement. To assess the metallic transfer behavior, high-speed imaging was also used. A reasoning in terms of arc length was successfully applied to different conditions based on the melting rate equation and misleading voltage usage in short-circuiting for this purpose was demonstrated. The results showed that the wire feed pulsation approach is adequate to improve metal transfer regularity in shortcircuiting GMAW, as long as the power source is set to operate in current constant mode. Furthermore, the actual arc length plays a significant role in the wire feed pulsation process performance.
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Elsevier, 2021. Vol. 62, p. 655-669
Keywords [en]
GMAW; Short-circuiting transfer; Wire feed pulsation; Dynamic wire feeding
National Category
Manufacturing, Surface and Joining Technology
Research subject
Production Technology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:hv:diva-17216DOI: 10.1016/j.jmapro.2020.12.072ISI: 000616460900001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-85099216722OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hv-17216DiVA, id: diva2:1620753
Note
This study was supported by the Brazilian Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES), through Finance Code 001, and by the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), through grants 302863/2016-8 and 315092/2018-1.
2021-12-162021-12-162021-12-20Bibliographically approved