ELECTRIC ARC WELDING

1
 Definition

Electric arc welding: A group of fusion welding

processes that use an electric arc to
produce the heat required for melting
the metal and filler material.

2
Common Electric Arc Welding
Processes

1. SMAW Shielded Metal Arc Welding

2. GMAW Gas metal arc welding

3. FCAW Flux core arc welding

Gas tungsten arc welding

4. GTAW

3
4
Additional Arc Welding
Processes

1. SAW Submerged Arc Welding

Electroslag Welding
2. ESW

3. EGW Electrogas Welding

4. PAW Plasma Arc Welding

5. ASW Arc Stud Welding

5
 Arc Welding
Requirements
How do these arc welding processes meet the three requirements
of arc welding?
Filler
Heat Shielding
Material
SMAW Electric arc Inert gas-flux Consumable
electrode

GMAW Electric arc Inert gas Consumable

wire

FCAW Electric arc Inert gas- Consumable

cylinder wire

GTAW Electric arc Inert gas- Manual rod

cylinder

6
Heat

7
 Arc Welding Electrical
Terms
To understand how an electric arc welder produces the correct heat
for arc welding, you must understand the following fourteen (14)
electrical terms.
1. Electrical Circuit 8. Constant potential
2. Direct current (DC) 9. Constant current

3. Alternating current (AC) 10. Voltage drop

4. Ampere 11. Open circuit voltage

5. Volt 12. Arc voltage

6. Resistance 13. Polarity

7. Ohms Law 14. Watt

8
 Terms
1 - Electrical Circuit
 An electrical circuit is a complete
path for electricity.
 Establishing an arc completes an
electric circuit .

9
 Terms
2 - Direct
Current
• Direct current: A
type of current
where the flow of
electrons is in one
• direction.
In arc welding the direction
of flow is called the polarity.

• Recommended for out of position welding and low hydrogen electrodes.

• Electricity flows from negative to positive. The positive terminal will

be hotter.
10
 Terms
3 -
Alternating
Current
 Alternating current: The
type of current where the
flow of electrons reverses
direction at regular
intervals.
 Recommended current
for SMAW general
purpose electrodes and
flat position.

11
 Terms
4 - Ampere

• Amperes: the unit of measure for

current flow.
• One ampere is equal to
6.24150948×1018 electrons passing by a
point per second.
• Electricity passing through a resistance
causes heat.
Change the amperage or change the resistance.
• An air gap is a high resistance
Excessive amperage for the diameter of the electrode (current
density) over heats the electrode, excessive penetration.

Insufficient amperage for the diameter of electrode makes the

electrode hard to start, reduced penetration.

12
 Terms
5 -
Voltage

 Voltage is the measure of

electromotive force (Emf).
 Emf is measured in units of
volts
 The voltage at the electrode
• Voltage is adjustable on dual control machines.
for SMAW determines the
ease of starting and the
harshness of the arc. 13
 Terms 6 -
Resistance

 Resistance is the characteristic of a material that

impedes the flow of an electrical current.
 Measured in units of Ohm’s ( )
 When an electrical current passes through a
resistance heat (BTU) is produced.

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 Terms
7 - Ohm’s
Law

 Commonly expressed as: E=IR

 Voltage is equal to amps x
resistance
 For arc welding
rearranged as:
 Amperage is the voltage E
divided by the resistance.
I=
R
15
 Terms
7 - Ohm’s Law—cont.
• Ohm’s law also be used to teach a principle of E
electrical safety.
 Amperage is the harmful portion of electrical
I=
current. R
 Rearranging Ohm’s Law for amperage shows
that amperage (current flow) is determined by What should you do
the voltage divided by the resistance. to keep you
resistance high when
 Voltage is fixed by the circuit design.
arc welding?
 The higher the resistance, the less current that
will flow for a given voltage.

If you accidently come in contact with electric current while arc

welding the severity of the shock is determined by the voltage in the
circuit and your resistance.
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 Terms
Constant Potential &
Constant Current

• In the normal operation of a transformer, the amperage and voltage change

in opposite direction.
• As amperage is increased, the voltage decreases, and vies versa.
• Electrical arc welding power supplies are designed to limit this effect.

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 Terms 18

8 - Constant
Potential
A constant potential power supply is designed to
produce a relatively constant voltage over a range of
amperage changes.
Primarily used for
GMAW
FCAW
 Terms
8 - Constant
Potential—cont.
80

70

60

50
Volts

40

30

20

10

0
0 50 100 150 200 250
Anperes

In the short circuiting process, the voltage stays constant as the amperage
changes. Helps with restarting of the arc after it is broken. 19
 Terms
9 - Constant
Current

• In a constant current power supply, the current (amperage)

stays relatively constant over a narrow range of voltages.
• Primarily used for:
SMAW
TIG

20
 Terms
9 - Constant
Current-cont.

Increasing the voltage from 20 to 25

volts (25 %) causes the amperage to
change from 123 to 132 Amp (4.8%).

The voltage is not adjustable for most

constant current power supplies.
Is it possible to change the voltage
while welding with a SMAW power
supply?
Yes How?

21
 Terms
10 - Voltage Drop

 Voltage drop is the reduction in voltage in an electrical circuit

between the source and the load.
 Primary cause is resistance.
 Excessive voltage drop reduces the heat of the arc.

22
 Terms
11 - Open Circuit
Voltage

 Open circuit voltage is the potential voltage between the

electrode and the work when the arc is not present.
 The higher the OCV the easier the arc is to start.
 The higher the OCV the steeper the volt – amp curve.

Is the OCV on a welding power supply adjustable?

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 Terms
12 - Arc Voltage

Arc voltage is the electrical potential between the

electrode and the metal after the arc has started.

Which will have the higher value, OCV or arc voltage?

Is the arc voltage constant once the arc has started?

24
 Terms
13 - Polarity

Polarity (positive & negative) is present in all electrical circuits.

Electricity flows from negative to positive
Controlling the polarity allows the welder to influence the
location of the heat.
When the electrode is positive (+) it will be slightly hotter than
the base metal.

When the base metal is positive (+) the base metal will be slightly hotter
than the electrode.

What abbreviations are used to indicate the polarity of the electrode?

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 Terms
14 - Watt
Watts are a measure of the amount of electrical energy
being consumed.
Watts = Volts x Amps
The greater the Watts of energy flowing across an air
gap the greater the heat produced.
Is the wattage for a weld controlled by adjusting the Volts or the amps?

Both, depends upon the welding

process
SMAW amps
GMAW volts
GTAW amps

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 Arc Welding Power
Supplies--cont.
The type of current and the polarity of the welding current are
one of the differences between arc welding processes.
 SMAW Constant current (CC), AC, DC+ or DC-

 GMAW Constant voltage (CV) DC+

 FCAW Constant voltage (CV) DC-

 GTAW Constant Current (CC) ), AC, DC+ or DC-

What should be changed when switch a MIG welder between the GMAW
and the FCAW process?

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 Safe Practices

Arc welders need protection from:

– Arc’s rays

– Welding fumes

– Sparks

– Contact with hot metal

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 Twelve (12)
Considerations When
Selecting
An Arc Welding Power
Supply
1. Maximum Amperage 8. Future needs for a power
2. Duty cycle supply
3. Amperage range
9. Available skills
4. Amperage adjustment
mechanism 10. Safety

5. Input power requirements 11. Manufacturer's support

6. Initial cost and operating cost 12. Open circuit voltage
7. Size and portability 29
 1: Amperage
Output

 The maximum output of the power

supply determines the thickness of
metal that can be welded before joint
beveling is required.
 185 to 225 amps is a common size.

For an individual weld, the optimum output amperage is determined

by the
► Thickness of the metal,
► The type of joint,
► Welding position and
► Type of electrode.
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 2: Duty
cycle

 The amount of continuous welding time a

power supply can be used is determined by
the duty cycle of the power supply.
 Duty cycle is based on a 10 minute interval.
 Many power supplies have a sloping duty
cycle.
 Note in the picture there is a circle around the
75 amp setting. Why is it there?

What is the guaranteed outcome of exceeding

a power supply duty cycle?

31
 Joints, Welds &
Positions
Electric arc welding uses the five (5) types of joints and five (5)
types of welds and five (5) positions.

The five (5) types of joints are;

1-butt 2-corner 3-edge 4-lap 5-T
The five (5) types of welds are:
1-Surface 2-groove 3-fillet 4-plug 5-slot

The five (5) welding positions.

1-Flat 2-horizontal 3-vertical up 4-vertical down 5-overhead

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 Weld
Defects
 A weld defect is any physical characteristic in the completed weld
that reduces the strength and/or affects the appearance of the
weld.
 The mark of a good welder is the ability to identify weld defects
and adjust the welding parameters to eliminate them.
 Defects that are not visible must be detect by using destructive or
nondestructive testing.
 If the defects in a weld exceed the specifications, the weld must
be removed and redone.
 Welds are removed by grinding, gouging and cutting.
 Eliminating a weld defect is time consuming and expensive -- you
must be able to complete the weld correctly the first time.

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Common Defects and
Causes
Description Cause(s)

The depth of the weld is Excessive heat

less than specifications. Excessive speed.

The weld metal is not Incorrect angle

completely fused to base Incorrect manipulation
metal or passes are not Insufficient heat
completely fused.

Weld material flows over, Slow speed

but is not fused with the
base metal.

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Common Defects and
Causes--cont.
Description Cause(s)

Weld bead does Low heat

not extend to the Long arc
desired depth. Incorrect joint design

Small indentions in Excessive gas in the

the surface of the weld zone.
weld Moisture
Rust
Small voids Dirt
throughout the weld Accelerated cooling
material.
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Common Defects and
Causes--cont.
Description Cause(s)

Usually visible cracks Accelerated cooling

on the surface or Constrained joint
through the weld Small weld volume

Induced hydrogen
Cracks in the transition Incompatible electrode
zone between the weld or wire
and base metal Accelerated cooling

Misshapen Inconstant speed

and/or uneven Incorrect manipulation
ripples Incorrect welder settings
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