Effect of Electrode Extension and Width of the Plate on Distortion and Residual Stresses Using Submerged Arc Welding Process

Abstract

Welding is a reliable and efficient joining process in which the coalescence of metals is achieved by fusion and is used extensively in the fabrications of many structures, buildings, ships, pressure vessels, etc., due to many advantages it has, over the other fabrication processes. Localized heating during welding, followed by rapid cooling, can generate residual stresses and distortion. However, distortion is a problem encountered during welding. The presence of distortion in weldments poses problems in further assembly and in aesthetics. Nowadays there are numerous types of welding techniques according to the applications required in which the major part of the industries employ submerged arc welding (SAW) process. SAW is preferred over other techniques because of the high quality of weld produced, high metal deposition rate and cost effectiveness. Also the SAW process provides maximum penetration during welding due to its capability of large current dense. The quality of weld in SAW is mainly influenced by independent variables such as welding current, arc voltage, welding speed and electrode extensions. The prediction of process parameters involved in SAW is a very complex process. The influences of welding current, welding speed and arc voltage on welding distortion are already studied by researchers and so many. The present work was carried out by experimental methods to find out the amount of distortions and residual stresses on the weld bead and heat-affected zone (HAZ) due to electrode extension with constant voltage, constant welding speed and current using SAW process. Also the effect of width of the plate on distortions and residual stresses on the weld bead and HAZ were studied keeping all other parameters constant. When the electrode extension was increased, it resulted in a decrease in the angular distortions but increase in the residual stresses on the weld bead and HAZ. Another parameter width of the plate was increased, the distortions increased and then decreased but residual stresses on the weld bead and HAZ increased. The residual stresses on the weld bead were more when compared with the HAZ. But there will be negligible variation of longitudinal and transverse shrinkage during the process.

Cite this Article

Yellappa M, Lakshmana Swamy N, Somashekar HM et al. Effect of Electrode Extension and Width of the Plate on Distortion and Residual Stresses Using Submerged Arc Welding Process. Trends in Mechanical Engineering & Technology. 2016; 6(1): 23–30p.