Arc pressure and weld metal fluid flow while using alternating shielding gases. Part 1: arc pressure measurement

As part of an ongoing process to fully evaluate the effects of an alternating shielding gas supply on gas shielded welding processes, a comparison between the arc pressures generated using argon, helium, alternating shielding gases and pulsed gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) has been conducted. Arc pressure variation and peaking are two of the fundamental phenomena produced during the alternating shielding gas process and are said to help create a stirring action within the liquid weld metal. However, there are no published data on arc pressure measurements during an alternating shielding gas supply, and consequently, these phenomena are based solely on theoretical assumptions. The experimental measurements made have shown that alternating shielding gases produce considerably higher arc pressures than argon, helium and pulsed GTAW due to a surge at weld initiation. The transient arc pressure measurements made when using alternating shielding gases are also considerably different from the theoretical assumptions previously reported.