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Influence of helium content on a ternary-gas-shielded GMAW process

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Abstract

Helium was added to the shielding gas for mild-steel gas metal arc welding. The influence of helium content in a ternary shielding gas (Ar–CO2–He) mixture on arc properties, metal transfer process, and weld bead profile was investigated by numerical simulation and experimental study. As the helium content increases, the arc temperature field becomes more constricted but the central high-temperature zone expands. The current density on the arc axis increases with increasing helium content. The heat flux density on the cathode increases as the helium content increases. The changes in the arc properties lead to the changes in the metal transfer. With increasing helium content, the droplet size increases and the transfer frequency decreases, with approximately linear dependence on helium content. When the helium content is increased from 0 to 25 vol%, the droplet diameter increases by about 80% and the transfer frequency decreases by about 77%, compared to the zero-helium case; this is attributed to changes in the forces on the detaching droplets. With the addition of helium, the base metal fusion area increases and has a more rounded profile; this is attributed to the increased droplet diameter and decreased droplet frequency.

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Funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [grant number 51775139] and the National Key Technology R&D Program [grant number 2015BAF01B00].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. State Key Laboratory of Advanced Welding and Joining, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China

    Xiaoyu Cai, Sanbao Lin, Bolun Dong, Chenglei Fan & Chunli Yang

  2. CSIRO Manufacturing, PO Box 218, Lindfield, NSW, 2070, Australia

    Anthony B. Murphy

Authors
  1. Xiaoyu Cai
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  2. Sanbao Lin
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  3. Anthony B. Murphy
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  4. Bolun Dong
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  5. Chenglei Fan
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  6. Chunli Yang
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Correspondence to Sanbao Lin.

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Recommended for publication by Commission XII - Arc Welding Processes and Production Systems

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Cai, X., Lin, S., Murphy, A.B. et al. Influence of helium content on a ternary-gas-shielded GMAW process. Weld World 62, 973–984 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40194-018-0631-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40194-018-0631-5

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