Gas influence on the arc shape in MIG-MAG welding

Sylwia Zielinska (1, 2) , Stéphane Pellerin (1) , Flavien Valensi (1) , Krzysztof Dzierzega (2) , Karol Musiol (2) , Charles de Izarra (1) , Francis Briand (3)

1 LASEP - EA3269 - Laboratoire d'Analyse Spectroscopique et d'Energétique des Plasmas
2 Fotonic
3 CTAS - Centre Technique des Applications du Soudage

Composition of the applied shielding gas has a strong influence on physical properties of the plasma and parameters of the welding process. In particular, increase of the percentage of carbon dioxide in argon results in an increase of the transition current value while changing from the globular to spray mode of metal transfer during the welding process. In order to explain this phenomenon, the MIG/MAG welding arc plasma was investigated for different mixtures of argon and carbon dioxide in the shielding gas. Applying a fast camera, recording distribution of spectral lines of the plasma components, we noticed some phenomena not described yet in the literature. Especially, there is a limit in the percentage of relative concentration CO2/Ar beyond which the arc shape is significantly modified.

Domaines: Physique des plasmas [physics.plasm-ph]

Sylwia Zielinska, Stéphane Pellerin, Flavien Valensi, Krzysztof Dzierzega, Karol Musiol, et al.. Gas influence on the arc shape in MIG-MAG welding. European Physical Journal: Applied Physics, 2008, 43 (1), pp.111-122. ⟨hal-00449166⟩