Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Behavior of the plasma characteristic and droplet transfer in CO2 laser–GMAW-P hybrid welding

  • ORIGINAL ARTICLE
  • Published:
The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The plasma behavior and metal transfer in CO2 laser + GMAW-P hybrid welding have been investigated. A 650 nm laser, in conjunction with the shadow graph technique, is used to observe the metal transfer process. The effect of the mutual distance and laser power on the metal transfer has been discussed. The results indicate that the laser-induced plasma plume have a significant impact to the arc shape, resistance, electrode melting, droplet formation, detachment, and impingement onto the workpiece. The laser-induced plasma changes the conductive path and forces affecting on the droplet. High laser power and short distance between laser beam and arc (DLA) reduce the pulse base time (PB) of the voltage of phase, increase the droplet detachment time (PD) and the pulse current time (PP) of the voltage of phase, and it also lead to an upward and inward force near the bottom of the droplet. As a consequence, the droplet formation time is increased, and eventually an off-axis droplet phenomenon is deduced. The vapor jet force induced by the the keyhole plasma acts on the droplet as a retention force; this force decreases when the DLA becomes larger and increases when the laser power becomes higher. The observation may help in understanding the weld characteristics with respect to variation in mutual distance and laser power which may be beneficial in using the main process parameters to produce desired weld quality.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Bagger C, Olsen FO (2005) Review of laser hybrid welding. J Laser Appl 17(1):1–13

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Choi H, Farson D, Cho M (2006) Using a hybrid laser plus GMAW process for controlling the bead humping defect. Weld J 85(8):174–179

    Google Scholar 

  3. Xu GX, Wu CS, Qin GL, Wang XY, Lin SY (2011) Adaptive volumetric heat source models for laser beam and laser + pulsed GMAW hybrid welding processes. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 57(1–4):245–255

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Ghosal S, Chaki S (2010) Estimation and optimization of depth of penetration in hybrid CO2 LASER-MIG welding using ANN-optimization hybrid model. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 47(9):1149–1157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Campana G, Fortunato A, Ascari A, Tani G, Tomesani L (2007) The influence of arc transfer mode in hybrid laser-MIG welding. J Mater Process Technol 191(1):111–113

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Liu S, Liu F, Xu C, Zhang H (2013) Experimental investigation on arc characteristic and droplet transfer in CO2 laser–metal arc gas (MAG) hybrid welding. Int J Heat Mass Transf 62:604–611

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Liu S, Liu F, Zhang H, Shi Y (2012) Analysis of droplet transfer mode and forming process of weld bead in CO2 laser–MAG hybrid welding process. Opt Laser Technol 44:1019–1025

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Chen Y, Feng J, Li L, Li Y, Chang S (2013) Effects of welding positions on droplet transfer in CO2 laser–MAG hybrid welding. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 68(5–8):1351–1359

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Hu J, Tsai H (2007) Metal transfer and arc plasma in gas metal arc welding. Trans Am Soc Mech Eng J Heat Transf 129(8):1025–1035

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Shao Y, Wang Z, Zhang Y (2011) Monitoring of liquid droplets in laser-enhanced GMAW. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 57(1–4):203–214

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Gao Z, Wu Y, Huang J (2009) Analysis of weld pool dynamic during stationary laser–MIG hybrid welding. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 44(9–10):870–879

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Choi S, Yoo C, Kim Y (1999) The dynamic analysis of metal transfer in pulsed current gas metal arc welding. J Phys D Appl Phys 31(2):207–215

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Palani P, Murugan N (2006) Selection of parameters of pulsed current gas metal arc welding. J Mater Process Technol 172(1):1–10

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Wu C, Chen M, Lu Y (2005) Effect of current waveforms on metal transfer in pulsed gas metal arc welding. Meas Sci Technol 16(12):2459–2465

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Zhang Y, Li P (2001) Modified active control of metal transfer and pulsed GMAW of titanium. Weld J (USA) 80(2):54–70

    Google Scholar 

  16. Zhang T, Wu CS, Qin GL, Wang XY, Lin SY (2010) Thermomechanical analysis for laser + GMAW-P hybrid welding process. Comput Mater Sci 47(3):848–856

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Tani G, Campana G, Fortunato A, Ascari A (2007) The influence of shielding gas in hybrid LASER–MIG welding. Appl Surf Sci 253(19):8050–8053

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Ueguri S, Hara K, Komura H (1985) Study of metal transfer in pulsed GMA welding. Weld J 64(8):242s–250s

    Google Scholar 

  19. Ghosh P, Dorn L, Hübner M, Goyal V (2007) Arc characteristics and behaviour of metal transfer in pulsed current GMA welding of aluminium alloy. J Mater Process Technol 194(1–3):163–175

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Roepke C, Liu S, Kelly S, Martukanitz R (2010) Hybrid laser arc welding process evaluation on DH36 and EH36 steel. Weld J 89(7):140–149

    Google Scholar 

  21. Huang Y, Zhang Y (2011) Laser enhanced metal transfer: Part 1. System and observations. Weld J 90:183s–190s

    Google Scholar 

  22. Mousavi Anzehaee M, Haeri M (2011) Estimation and control of droplet size and frequency in projected spray mode of a gas metal arc welding (GMAW) process. ISA Trans 50(3):409–418

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Rhee S, Kim JH, Kim CH, Chae HB (2008) The effect of shielding gas composition in CO2 laser–gas metal arc hybrid welding. Proc Inst Mech Eng B J Eng Manuf 222(11):1315–1324

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. HUA X-m, TAN X-w, LI M-x, YE X, WANG F (2011) High speed video photography system based on principle of optical polarization. J Shanghai Jiaotong Univ 45(01):101–104

    Google Scholar 

  25. Rouffet ME, Wendt M, Goett G, Kozakov R, Schoepp H, Weltmann KD, Uhrlandt D (2010) Spectroscopic investigation of the high-current phase of a pulsed GMAW process. J Phys D Appl Phys 43(43):434003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Stute U, Kling R, Hermsdorf J (2007) Interaction between electrical arc and Nd: YAG laser radiation. CIRP Annals Manuf Technol 56(1):197–200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Shinn B, Farson D, Denney P (2005) Laser stabilisation of arc cathode spots in titanium welding. Sci Technol Weld Join 10(4):475–481

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Reis RP, Souza MD, Scotti A (2011) Models to describe plasma jet, arc trajectory and arc blow formation in arc welding. Weld World 55(3–4):24–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. B Jüttner (1997) Properties of arc cathode spots. Le Journal de Physique IV 7 (C4): C4–31–C34–45

  30. Zhang W, Hua X, Liao W, Li F, Wang M (2014) Study of metal transfer in CO2 laser + GMAW-P hybrid welding using argon–helium mixtures. Opt Laser Technol 56:158–166

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Material Laser Processing and Modification, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200240, People’s Republic of China

    Wang Zhang, Xueming Hua, Wei Liao, Fang Li & Min Wang

  2. State Key Laboratory of Metal Matrix Composites, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200240, People’s Republic of China

    Wang Zhang, Xueming Hua, Wei Liao, Fang Li & Min Wang

Authors
  1. Wang Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Xueming Hua
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Wei Liao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Fang Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Min Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Xueming Hua.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Zhang, W., Hua, X., Liao, W. et al. Behavior of the plasma characteristic and droplet transfer in CO2 laser–GMAW-P hybrid welding. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 72, 935–942 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-014-5731-9

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00170-014-5731-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation