Welding shop

Definition:
Welding is the fabrication process to make the high strength joint
between two or more parts by heating to their melting temperature, with or
without the application of the uses of filter metal.

Welding:
Welding is a way to make high strength joints between two or more
parts. There are many ways to do this and these require a high degree of skill
and advanced technology.

Welders work a lot of the different metals, alloys and materials- heating,
melting and joining these composites’ together. These are several different way
to weld, some involve amazing machinery and revolutionary technology,
including electron beam, lasers, ultrasonic and friction stirs. Welders can be
found in lots of the places and in lots of companies. These include the making
of aeroplanes assembling and bridges working on oil rigs in the middle of the
ocean and under the sea. This section is here to provide you with more
information on careers, education and training in the welding.
Types of welding:
There are many types of the welding:

 Electric arc welding

 Seam welding
 Spot welding
 Gas welding
 Radiant welding

Spot welding:
Spot welding is the welding of overlapping pieces of the metal at
small points by application of the pressure and electric current.

Spot welding occurs in three stages:

Electrodes seated in a weld head are brought to the surface of the parts to be
joined and force (pressure) is applied.

Current is applied through the electrodes to the workpiece to melt the material.

Current is removes but the electrodes remain in place at force to allow the
material to cool and solidify.
Weld times range from 0.01sec to 0.63 sec depending on the thickness of the
metal, the electrode forces and the diameter of the electrodes themselves.

Basic equipment used in the spot welding process consist of a desktop

workstation including work power supply, a weld head and electrodes. More
sophisticated manufacturing may use automobile and robotics.

Electric arc welding:

Definition:
Arc welding process in which two metals are joined by heating with
an electric arc to the melting temperature and the allowed to solidify.
Dependent upon the thickness of the base plate , filler metals may be used. Arc
welding is a process that is used to joint metal to metal by using electricity to
create enough heat to melt metal, and the melted metals when cool result in
binding of metals. It is a type of welding that uses a welding power supply to
create an electric arc between an electrode and the base material to melt the
metals at the welding point. They can use either direct (DC) or alternating (AC)
current, and consumable electrodes. The welding region is usually protected by
some type of the shielding gas vapor, or slag. Arc process may be manual,
semi-automatic, or fully automated. First developed in the late part of the 19th
century, arc welding became commercially important in shipbuilding during the
second world war. Today it remains an important process for the fabrication of
steel structures and vehicles.

Seam welding:
Seam welding is a variation of resistance spot welding. In resistance
ram welding , however, the welding electrodes are motor driven wheels as
opposed to stationary rods. The result is the rolling resistance weld or non-
hermetic seam weld. This process is most often used to join two sheets of the
metal together.

In the laser seam welding, the part to be welded in moved or rotate under the
laser focus head allowing laser spot welds to overlap. Key parameters of laser
seam welding are the pluses per second(Hz) and the linear part travel rate or
welding speed. Spot overlap percentage (a function of speed),pulse repetition
rate and focused spot diameter are also used in the equation for determining the
best laser for job and determining the total weld cycle time. Laser welding is
used to make hermetic seam welds: laser seam welding applications include
sensors, radar components, battery housing, conductors for thin film cells,
pacemaker cases, and insulin pump cases.
Gas welding:
Definition:
It is a fusion welding process where two metals are joined by
burning a combustible gas with air or oxygen in the concentrated flame of the
high temperature. Filler rod may be used to fill up the cavity during the
welding process.

Gas metal arc welding, sometimes referred to by its subtypes metal inert
gas(MIG) welding or metal active gas(MAG) welding, is a welding process in
which an electric arc forms between a consumable wire electrode and the work
piece metal (s), which heats the work piece metals(s), causing them to metal and
join. Along with the wire electrode, a shielding gas feeds through the welding
gun, which shields the process can be semi- automatic or automatic. A constant
voltage, direct current power source is most commonly used with GMAW, but
the constant current systems, as well as alternating current can be used. There
are four primary methods of metal transfer in GMAW, called globular, short-
circuiting, spray, and pulsed- spray, each of which has distinct properties and
corresponding advantages and limitation. Originally developed for welding
aluminum and other non-ferrous materials in the1940s, GMAW, was soon
applied to steels because it provided faster welding time compared to other
welding processes. The cost of the inert gas limited its use in steel s until
several years later, when the use of the semi-inert gases such as carbon dioxide
became open. Further developments during the 1950s and 1960s gave the
process more versatility and as a result , it became a highly used industrial
process. Today , GWAM is the most common industrial process, preferred for
its versatility, speed and the relative ease of adapting the process to robotic
automation. Unlike welding processes that do not employ a shielding gas, such
as shield metal arc welding , it is rarely used outdoors or in the other areas of
the air volatility. A related process, flux cored arc welding, often does not use
a shielding gas but instead employs an electrodes wire that is hollow and
filled with the flux.

Radiant energy welding:

It is type of the welding a beam of electron strikers the surfaces
to be joined and produces heat which causes the metal to melt and fuse.
Types of arc welding:
MIG Arc welding:
GMAW or gas metal arc welding which commonly called
MIG welding this type of welding is the most widely used and perhaps the
most easily mastered type of welding for industry and home uses. The
GMAW process is suitable for fusing middle steel, stainless steel, as well as
aluminum.
TIG Arc welding:
GTAW or tungsten inert gas which is commonly called
TIG welding is comparable to oxy acetylene gas welding and needs a lot
more expertise from the operation. Employed foe carrying out high quality
work when a superior standard of finish is needed without making use of
excessive clean up by sanding or grinding.

Temperature of Arc Welding:

Welding is the most economical and efficient way to
joins metals permanently. It is the only the way of joining two or more pieces
of metal to make them act as a single pieces. Metal inert gases (MIG) also
known as gas metal arc welding( GMAW), is the most commonly used
automatic welding process for steel and aluminum materials due to the
welding speed and ease of use. MIG welding is a welding process in
which metals are joined by heating them with a welding arc between the
base metal and continuous consumable electrodes. Shielding gases such as
argon and carbon dioxide are used to prevent the atmosphere from
contaminating the welding arc and molten base metal. One of the main
functions of the arc is to produce heat. The heat of the arc melts the surface of
the base metal and the end of the electrode. The electric arc has a temperature
that ranges from 3,000 to 20,000 °C. Welding fumes are complex mixtures of
particles and ionized gases. The major source of these fumes is the plasma,
which is located within the consumable electrode. The plasma is an excellent
heat source for welding because it works well at extremely high temperatures
such as 6,000 °C, including temperatures as high as 24,000 °C.

Fuels uses in gas welding :

Summary:
There are several types of welding gas available including acetylene,
MAPP, Natural Gas and Propane. The combination of oxyacetylene gas used
along with oxygen is the most popular for welding steel. Oxygen helps any
burning process by increasing the temperature and rate of combustion, which
is why it is used along with the gasses described on this page in a separate
cylinder. Oxyacetylene provides a high temperature flame. An alternative is
Oxymapp (liquefied petroleum), although it burns at a lower temperature than
oxyacetylene. The implications are that it is a longer process to preheat and
then weld steel. Another choice for welding with gas are propane, which is
used for oxyfuel cutting, soldering and brazing. The issue with propane welding
is that the gas does not contain carbon, which causes the welded metal to
become brittle. There are also applications for butane and natural gas.

Mean feature of gas welding:

Hydrocarbon welding gases, such as propane, butane, city
gas, and natural gas, are not suitable for welding ferrous materials due
to their oxidizing characteristics. In some instances, many nonferrous
and ferrous metals can be braze welded with care taken in the adjustment
of flare and the use of flux. It is important to use tips designed for
the fuel gas being employed. These gases are extensively used for
brazing and soldering operations, utilizing both mechanized and manual
methods.

These fuel gases have relatively low flame

propagation rates, with the exception of some manufactured city gases
containing considerable amounts of hydrogen. When standard welding tips
are used, the maximum flame velocity is so 1ow that it interferes
seriously with heat transfer from the flame to the work. The highest
flame temperatures of the gases are obtained at high oxygen-to-fuel gas
ratios. These ratios produce highly oxidizing flames, which prevent the
satisfactory welding of most metals.

Tips should be used having flame-holding devices,

such as skirts, counterbores, and holder flames, to permit higher gas
velocities before they leave the tip. This makes it possible to use
these fuel gases for many heating applications with excellent heat
transfer efficiency.

Air contains approximately 80 percent nitrogen by

volume. This does not support combustion. Fuel gases burned with air,
therefore, produce lower flame temperatures than those burned with
oxygen. The total heat content is also lower. The air-fuel gas flame is
suitable only for welding light sections of lead and for light brazing
and soldering operations.

Acetylene Gas Generator

Pictured Above: Acetelyne welding gas generator. The gas is produced

when calcium carbide is submerged under water. The gas which escapes is
then trapped and compressed in a storage cylinder.

Types of Gas used in welding:

Acetylene Gas:
Acetylene is created when calcium carbide, which is a man made substance,
reacts to water. It can keep indefinitely, and is used in welding with separate
cylinders of oxygen and acetylene gas, which is kept at high pressure. Cylinders
are stored upright in order to keep the stored gas stable.

It is a colorless gas with a strong garlic odor. It burns at 5,600 degrees

Fahrenheit with a neutral flame and is used for hard facing, heating, brazing,
cutting and welding. Note that acetylene should not be compressed above the
level that causes instability which is 15 PSI.

MAPP Gas:
MAPP gas is part of the acetylene family. It contains the gasses propylene,
propadiene and methylacetylene. I is used for cutting and heating, although a
special welding rod is needed to avoid the oxidizing characteristics associated
with the MAPP flame. At neutral the flame temperature is 5,300 Fahrenheit.

Natural Gas:
Natural gas is widely available. Specialized cutting and welding equipment is
required. The gas burns at 5,025 Fahrenheit with a neutral flame.

Gas welding Equipment:

The apparatus used in gas welding consists
basically of an oxygen source and a fuel gas source (usually contained
in cylinders), two pressure regulators and two flexible hoses (one for each
cylinder), and a torch. This sort of torch can also be used
for soldering and brazing. The cylinders are often carried in a special
wheeled trolley.

There have been examples of oxyhydrogen cutting sets with small (scuba-sized)
gas cylinders worn on the user's back in a backpack harness, for rescue work
and similar.

There are also examples of pressurized liquid fuel cutting torches, usually using
gasoline. These are used for their increased portability.

Regulator:
Pressure regulator
The regulator ensures that pressure of the gas from the tanks matches the
required pressure in the hose. The flow rate is then adjusted by the operator
using needle valves on the torch. Accurate flow control with a needle valve
relies on a constant inlet pressure.

Most regulators have two stages. The first stage is a fixed-pressure regulator,
which releases gas from the cylinder at a constant intermediate pressure, despite
the pressure in the cylinder falling as the gas in it is consumed. This is similar to
the first stage of a scuba-diving regulator. The adjustable second stage of the
regulator controls the pressure reduction from the intermediate pressure to the
low outlet pressure. The regulator has two pressure gauges, one indicating
cylinder pressure, the other indicating hose pressure. The adjustment knob of
the regulator is sometimes roughly calibrated for pressure, but an accurate
setting requires observation of the gauge.

Some simpler or cheaper oxygen-fuel regulators have only a single stage

regulator, or only a single gauge. A single-stage regulator will tend to allow a
reduction in outlet pressure as the cylinder is emptied, requiring manual
readjustment. For low-volume users, this is an acceptable simplification.
Welding regulators, unlike simpler LPG heating regulators, retain their outlet
(hose) pressure gauge and do not rely on the calibration of the adjustment knob.
The cheaper single-stage regulators may sometimes omit the cylinder contents
gauge, or replace the accurate dial gauge with a cheaper and less precise "rising
button" gauge.

Gas hoses:
Acetylene is not just The hoses are designed for use in welding and cutting
metal. A double-hose or twinned design can be used, meaning that the oxygen
and fuel hoses are joined together. If separate hoses are used, they should be
clipped together at intervals approximately 3 feet (1 m) apart, although that is
not recommended for cutting applications, because beads of molten metal given
off by the process can become lodged between the hoses where they are held
together, and burn through, releasing the pressurised gas inside, which in the
case of fuel gas usually ignites.
The hoses are color-coded for visual identification. The color of the hoses varies
between countries. In the United States, the oxygen hose is green, and the fuel
hose is red. In the UK and other countries, the oxygen hose is blue (black hoses
may still be found on old equipment), and the acetylene (fuel) hose is
red. If liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) fuel, such as propane, is used, the fuel
hose should be orange, indicating that it is compatible with LPG. LPG will
damage an incompatible hose, including most acetylene hoses.

The threaded connectors on the hoses are handed to avoid accidental mis-
connection: the thread on the oxygen hose is right-handed (as normal), while the
fuel gas hose has a left-handed thread. The left-handed threads also have an
identifying groove cut into their nuts.

Gas-tight connections between the flexible hoses and rigid fittings are made by
using crimped hose clips or ferrules, often referred to as 'O' clips, over barbed
spigots. The use of worm-drive hose clips or Jubilee clips is specifically
forbidden in the UK and other countries.

Non-return valve:
flammable, in certain conditions it is explosive. Although it has an upper
flammability limit in air of 81%, acetylene's explosive decomposition behaviour
makes this irrelevant. If a detonation wave enters the acetylene tank, the tank
will be blown apart by the decomposition. Ordinary check valves that normally
prevent back flow cannot stop a detonation wave because they are not capable
of closing before the wave passes around the gate. For that reason a flashback
arrestor is needed. It is designed to operate before the detonation wave makes it
from the hose side to the supply side.

Between the regulator and hose, and ideally between hose and torch on both
oxygen and fuel lines, a flashback arrestor and/or non-return valve (check
valve) should be installed to prevent flame or oxygen-fuel mixture being pushed
back into either cylinder and damaging the equipment or causing a cylinder to
explode.

European practice is to fit flashback arrestors at the regulator and check valves
at the torch. US practice is to fit both at the regulator.

The flashback arrestor (not to be confused with a check valve) prevents shock
waves from downstream coming back up the hoses and entering the cylinder,
possibly rupturing it, as there are quantities of fuel/oxygen mixtures inside parts
of the equipment (specifically within the mixer and blowpipe/nozzle) that may
explode if the equipment is incorrectly shut down, and acetylene decomposes at
excessive pressures or temperatures. In case the pressure wave has created a
leak downstream of the flashback arrestor, it will remain switched off until
someone resets it.
Check valve:
A check valve lets gas flow in one direction only. It is usually a chamber
containing a ball that is pressed against one end by a spring. Gas flow one way
pushes the ball out of the way, and a lack of flow or a reverse flow allows the
spring to push the ball into the inlet, blocking it. Not to be confused with a
flashback arrestor, a check valve is not designed to block a shock wave. The
shock wave could occur while the ball is so far from the inlet that the wave will
get past the ball before it can reach its off position.

Torch:
The torch is the tool that the welder holds and manipulates to make the weld. It
has a connection and valve for the fuel gas and a connection and valve for the
oxygen, a handle for the welder to grasp, and a mixing chamber (set at an angle)
where the fuel gas and oxygen mix, with a tip where the flame forms. Two basic
types of torches are positive pressure type and low pressure or injector type.
The top torch is a welding torch and the bottom is a cutting torch

Welding torch:
A welding torch head is used to weld metals. It can be identified by having only
one or two pipes running to the nozzle, no oxygen-blast trigger, and two valve
knobs at the bottom of the handle letting the operator adjust the oxygen and fuel
flow respectively.
Cutting torch:
A cutting torch head is used to cut materials. It is similar to a welding torch, but
can be identified by the oxygen blast trigger or lever.

When cutting, the metal is first heated by the flame until it is cherry red. Once
this temperature is attained, oxygen is supplied to the heated parts by pressing
the oxygen-blast trigger. This oxygen reacts with the metal, forming iron oxide
and producing heat. It is the heat that continues the cutting process. The cutting
torch only heats the metal to start the process; further heat is provided by the
burning metal.

The melting point of the iron oxide is around half that of the metal being cut. As
the metal burns, it immediately turns to liquid iron oxide and flows away from
the cutting zone. However, some of the iron oxide remains on the workpiece,
forming a hard "slag" which can be removed by gentle tapping and/or grinding.

Rose bud torch:

A rose bud torch is used to heat metals for bending, straightening, etc. where a
large area needs to be heated. It is so-called because the flame at the end looks
like a rose bud. A welding torch can also be used to heat small areas such as
rusted nuts and bolts.
Injector torch:
A typical oxy-fuel torch, called an equal-pressure torch, merely mixes the two
gases. In an injector torch, high-pressure oxygen comes out of a small nozzle
inside the torch head which drags the fuel gas along with it, using the venturi
effect

Temperature of gas welding:

Oxy-acetylene welding is a very common welding
process. The use of oxygen and acetylene as welding gases dates back to the
1890’s. The combination of oxygen and acetylene produces a flame temperature
over 6000 degrees Fahrenheit making it ideal for welding andOxy-fuel
welding (commonly called oxyacetylene welding, oxy welding, or gas
welding in the U.S.) and oxy-fuel cutting are processes that use fuel gases and
oxygen to weld and cut metals, respectively. French engineers Edmond Fouché
and Charles Picard became the first to develop oxygen-acetylene welding in
1903. Pure oxygen, instead of air, is used to increase the flame temperature to
allow localized melting of the workpiece material (e.g. steel) in a room
environment. A common propane/air flame burns at about 2,250 K (1,980 °C;
3,590 °F),] a propane/oxygen flame burns at about 2,526 K (2,253 °C;
4,087 °F), an oxyhydrogen flame burns at 2,800 °C (5,070 °F), and an
acetylene/oxygen flame burns at about 3,773 K (3,500 °C; 6,332 °F). cutting.

Defects of the welding:

Cracks:
Defects related to fracture:
Arc strike cracking:
Arc strike cracking occurs when the arc is struck but the spot is not welded.
This occurs because the spot is heated above the material's upper critical
temperature and then essentially quenched. This forms martensite, which is
brittle and may lead to higher chances of micro-cracks. Usually the arc is struck
in the weld groove so this type of crack does not occur, but if the arc is struck
outside of the weld groove then it must be welded over to prevent the cracking.
If this is not an option then the arc spot can be postheated, that is, the area is
heated with an oxy-acetylene torch, and then allowed to cool slowly.

Cold cracking:
Residual stresses can reduce the strength of the base material, and can lead to
catastrophic failure through cold cracking. Cold cracking is limited to steels and
is associated with the formation of martensite as the weld cools. The cracking
occurs in the heat-affected zone of the base material. To reduce the amount of
distortion and residual stresses, the amount of heat input should be limited, and
the welding sequence used should not be from one end directly to the other, but
rather in segments.

Cold cracking only occurs when all the following preconditions are met:
  susceptible microstructure (e.g. martensite)

 hydrogen present in the microstructure (hydrogen embrittlement)

 service temperature environment (normal atmospheric pressure): -100 to

+100 °F

 high restraint

Eliminating any one of these will eliminate this condition.

Crater crack:
Crater cracks occur when a crater is not filled before the arc is broken. This
causes the outer edges of the crater to cool more quickly than the crater, which
creates sufficient stresses to form a crack. Longitudinal, transverse and/or
multiple radial cracks may form.

Hat crack:

Hat cracks get their name from the shape of the cross-section of the weld,
because the weld flares out at the face of the weld. The crack starts at the fusion
line and extends up through the weld. They are usually caused by too
much voltage or not enough speed.

Hot cracking:
Hot cracking, also known as solidification cracking, can occur with all metals,
and happens in the fusion zone of a weld. To diminish the probability of this
type of cracking, excess material restraint should be avoided, and a proper filler
material should be utilized. Other causes include too high welding current, poor
joint design that does not diffuse heat, impurities (such
as sulfur and phosphorus), preheating, speed is too fast, and long arcs.
Underbead crack:
An undercut crack, also known as a heat-affected zone (HAZ) crack, is a crack
that forms a short distance away from the fusion line; it occurs in low
alloy and high alloy steel. The exact causes of this type of crack are not
completely understood, but it is known that dissolved hydrogen must be present.
The other factor that affects this type of crack is internal stresses resulting from:
unequal contraction between the base metal and the weld metal, restraint of the
base metal, stresses from the formation of martensite, and stresses from
the precipitation of hydrogen out of the metal.

Longitudinal crack:
Longitudinal cracks run along the length of a weld bead. There are three
types: check cracks, root cracks, and full centerline cracks. Check cracks are
visible from the surface and extend partially into the weld. They are usually
caused by high shrinkage stresses, especially on final passes, or by a hot
cracking mechanism. Root cracks start at the root and extent part way into the
weld. They are the most common type of longitudinal crack because of the
small size of the first weld bead. If this type of crack is not addressed then it
will usually propagate into subsequent weld passes, which is how full cracks (a
crack from the root to the surface) usually form.

Reheat cracking:
Reheat cracking is a type of cracking that occurs in HSLA steels,
particularly chromium, molybdenum and vanadium steels, during postheating.
The phenomenon has also been observed in austenitic stainless steels. It is
caused by the poor creep ductility of the heat affected zone. Any existing
defects or notches aggravate crack formation. Things that help prevent reheat
cracking include heat treating first with a low temperature soak and then with a
rapid heating to high temperatures, grinding or peening the weld toes, and using
a two layer welding technique to refine the HAZ grain structure.

Root and toe cracks:

A root crack is the crack formed by the short bead at the root(of edge
preparation) beginning of the welding, low current at the beginning and due to
improper filler material used for welding.Major reason for happening of these
types of cracks is hydrogen embrittlement. These types of defects can be
eliminated using high current at the starting and proper filler material. Toe crack
occurs due to moisture content present in the welded area,it as a part of the
surface crack so can be easily detected. Preheating and proper joint formation is
must for eliminating these types of defects.

Transverse crack:
Transverse cracks are perpendicular to the direction of the weld. These are
generally the result of longitudinal shrinkage stresses acting on weld metal of
low ductility. Crater cracks occur in the crater when the welding arc is
terminated prematurely. Crater cracks are normally shallow, hot cracks usually
forming single or star cracks. These cracks usually start at a crater pipe and
extend longitudinal in the crater. However, they may propagate into longitudinal
weld cracks in the rest of the weld.

Distortion:
Welding methods that involve the melting of metal at the site of the joint
necessarily are prone to shrinkage as the heated metal cools. Shrinkage then
introduces residual stresses and distortion. Distortion can pose a major problem,
since the final product is not the desired shape. To alleviate certain types of
distortion the workpieces can be offset so that after welding the product is the
correct shape. The following pictures describe various types of welding
distortion:

Transverse shrinkage

Angular distortion
 

Longitudinal shrinkage

Fillet distortion

Neutral axis distortion

Gas inclusion:
Gas inclusions is a wide variety of defects that includes porosity, blow holes,
and pipes (or wormholes). The underlying cause for gas inclusions is the
entrapment of gas within the solidified weld. Gas formation can be from any of
the following causes: high sulphur content in the workpiece or electrode,
excessive moisture from the electrode or workpiece, too short of an arc, or
wrong welding current or polarity.

Inclusions:

There are two types of inclusions: linear inclusions and rounded inclusions.
Inclusions can be either isolated or cumulative. Linear inclusions occur when
there is slag or flux in the weld. Slag forms from the use of a flux, which is why
this type of defect usually occurs in welding processes that use flux, such
as shielded metal arc welding, flux-cored arc welding, and submerged arc
welding, but it can also occur in gas metal arc welding. This defect usually
occurs in welds that require multiple passes and there is poor overlap between
the welds. The poor overlap does not allow the slag from the previous weld to
melt out and rise to the top of the new weld bead. It can also occur if the
previous weld left an undercut or an uneven surface profile. To prevent slag
inclusions the slag should be cleaned from the weld bead between passes
via grinding, wire brushing, or chipping.

Isolated inclusions occur when rust or mill scale is present on the base
metal.
Lack of fusion and incomplete penetration:
Lack of fusion is the poor adhesion of the weld bead to the base metal;
incomplete penetration is a weld bead that does not start at the root of the weld
groove. Incomplete penetration forms channels and crevices in the root of the
weld which can cause serious issues in pipes because corrosive substances can
settle in these areas. These types of defects occur when the welding procedures
are not adhered to; possible causes include the current setting, arc length,
electrode angle, and electrode manipulation.[18] Defects can be varied and
classified as critical or non critical. Porosity (bubbles) in the weld are usually
acceptable to a certain degree. Slag inclusions, undercut, and cracks are usually
non acceptable. Some porosity, cracks, and slag inclusions are visible and may
not need further inspection to require their removal. Small defects such as these
can be verified by Liquid Penetrant Testing (Dye check). Slag inclusions and
cracks just below the surface can be discovered by Magnetic Particle Inspection.
Deeper defects can be detected using the Radiographic (X-rays) and/or
Ultrasound (sound waves) testing techniques.

Lamellar tearing:
Lamellar tearing is a type of welding defect that occurs
in rolled steel plates that have been welded together due to shrinkage forces
perpendicular to the faces of the plates. Since the 1970s, changes in
manufacturing practices limiting the amount of sulfur used have greatly
reduced the incidence of this problem.

Lamellar tearing is caused mainly by sulfurous inclusions in the material. Other

causes include an excess of hydrogen in the alloy. This defect can be mitigated
by keeping the amount of sulfur in the steel alloy below 0.005%. Adding rare
earth elements, zirconium, or calcium to the alloy to control the configuration of
sulfur inclusions throughout the metal lattice can also mitigate the problem.

Modifying the construction process to use casted or forged parts in place of

welded parts can eliminate this problem, as Lamellar tearing only occur in
welded parts.

Undercut:

Undercutting is when the weld reduces the cross-sectional thickness of the base
metal and which reduces the strength of the weld and workpieces. One reason
for this type of defect is excessive current, causing the edges of the joint to melt
and drain into the weld; this leaves a drain-like impression along the length of
the weld. Another reason is if a poor technique is used that does not deposit
enough filler metal along the edges of the weld. A third reason is using an
incorrect filler metal, because it will create greater temperature
gradients between the center of the weld and the edges. Other causes include too
small of an electrode angle, a dampened electrode, excessive arc length, and
slow speed.

Types of welding joint:

There are five basic types of welding joints, with each having a number of
variations in order to meet different needs. Ateliers B.G. Welding Services
employs expert welders who are able to perform multiple functions, including
welding, CNC machining, parts assembly, shot blasting, and more. Since
opening their doors in 1978, Ateliers B.G. has developed a reputation for
excellent customer service and performance. Constantly investing in the most
current technologies, such as robotic welding, and equipment, as well as the
ability to take on jobs of any size, has helped solidify their standing as one of
the most experienced and dedicated team of welders throughout the local area.
Let’s take a look at just a few of the joint types they routinely weld.

Butt Joint
A butt weld, or a square-groove, is the most common and easiest to use.
Consisting of two flat pieces that are parallel to one another, it also is an
economical option. It is the universally used method of joining a pipe to itself,
as well as flanges, valves, fittings, or other equipment. However, it is limited by
any thickness exceeding 3/16”.

Corner Joint
A corner weld is a type of joint that is between two metal parts and is located at
right angles to one another in the form of a L. As the name indicates, it is used
to connect two pieces together, forming a corner. This weld is most often used
in the sheet metal industry and is performed on the outside edge of the piece.

Edge Joint
Edge welding joints, a groove type of weld, are placed side by side and welded
on the same edge. They are the most commonly replaced type of joints due to
build up accumulating on the edges. They are often applied to parts of sheet
metal that have edges flanging up or formed at a place where a weld must be
made to join two adjacent pieces together.

Lap Joint
This is formed when two pieces are placed atop each other while also over
lapping each other for a certain distance along the edge. Considered a fillet type
of a welding joint, the weld can be made on one or both sides, depending upon
the welding symbol or drawing requirements. It is most often used to join two
pieces together with differing levels of thickness.
Tee Joint
Tee joints, considered a fillet type of weld, form when two members intersect at
90° resulting in the edges coming together in the middle of a component or
plate. It may also be formed when a tube or pipe is placed on a baseplate.