Development of Automatic GMAW Setup for Process Improvements: Experimental and Modeling Approach

Abstract

Gas metal arc welding (GMAW) offers highly efficient and low-cost welding, but manual movement of torch affects the uniformity of bead geometry, penetration, and heat input. In the present work, an indigenous automatic movement setup is designed and fabricated for GMAW. System behaviors like drive motor response, carriage, and wheel movement are studied through bond graph modeling. Welding time and welding velocity obtained from simulation are used to obtain the deposition efficiency during weld bead deposition on low carbon steel and stainless steel workpieces. Spatter index is also calculated for both the materials. Welding performance of automatic welding is compared with manual movement welding, and automatic welding is found capable to offer high deposition efficiency, low spatter index, uniform depth of penetration, and lower distortion for both the materials. Variation in microhardness and metallurgical observations by scanning electron microscopy are carried out for microstructure analysis.

Keywords:

• Automatic
• Bond-graph
• Efficiency
• GMAW
• Penetration
• Spatter

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors sincerely acknowledge the support and help received from Mr. M. Suri and Mr. S. Tathgir of Central Workshop of Thapar University, Patiala. The authors also thank Vinod Suri, Anshuman, Sanchit Singla, and Ramesh Kumar for their help.

Notes

Color versions of one or more of the figures in the article can be found online at www.tandfonline.com/lmmp.