Measurement of Fusion Boundary Energy Transport During Arc Welding

Abstract

An experimental technique is presented to identify fusion boundary (liquid/solid interface) energy transport mechanisms during welding procedures. The gas-tungsten-arc spot-welding procedure, using a low melting point specimen material (lead), was chosen to demonstrate the methods. Vaporization energy losses were found to be important during the growth of the fusion boundary. Significant thermal convection was absent within the weld pool for applied currents less than about 100 A, and for such cases the location of the fusion boundary was found to be governed primarily by heat conduction. At the current levels of almost 300 A, significant weld pool convection was found to exist, especially at the (inner) stagnation point, causing a deeper penetration of the fusion boundary there.