Weld Pool Flow Visualization Studies during Gas Tungsten Arc Welding of Steel and Aluminum

Abstract

A flow visualization study of current distribution effects on weld pool stirring in GTA steel welds is presented using a pulsed ultraviolet laser vision system. Weld pool stirring is almost eliminated in HY-80 steel by the use of symmetric current flow path within the weld samples. Periodic radial surface pulses are observed at low currents in stationary welds while flows of turbulent nature are observed at higher currents. Autogenous welds on 17.75 cm by 28.0 cm by 1.27 cm thick 6061 aluminum plates are also studied to determine resulting surface flow characteristics and weld pool growth rates. Clockwise stirring in conjunction with a vertical undulation is noted in stationary welds. Solidified weld zone exhibits a profound crater that was not present in welds on HY-80 Steel.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Mar 01, 1992
Accession Number
ADA249204

Entities

People

  • Peter E. Schupp

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Advanced Electronics
  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aluminum
  • Arc Welding
  • Cameras
  • Engineering
  • Flow
  • Flow Visualization
  • Fluid Flow
  • Fluid Mechanics
  • Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
  • Heat Transfer
  • Lasers
  • Light Sources
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Mixing
  • Photographs
  • Welding
  • Welds

Fields of Study

  • Materials science

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science / Meteorology, specifically Wind Wave Turbulence.
  • Metallurgy

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Directed Energy - Pulsed-Laser Deposition