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Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

First thing to do!!!

Please make your

device’s (Mobile/Laptop)
microphones mute. 1

First thing first :> A Brief Introductory Word-Sketch of the Speaker :

Vijay S. Agwan - Contact : 7506946938 // [email protected]
• B.E. Mech. Engg. (1975 : Nagpur Uni.); M. Tech. Prod. (1975 : IIT–Kgp); AMIIW
• International Welding Engineer - IWE : ( as per ISO : 14731 requirements for IWCP )
Experience :
• 1975-1977 : Weld. Tech. Dept., BHEL, Haridwar > Process Engg., Weld Lab In-Charge.
• 1977-1984 : Sr. Dev. Engr. – R & D Projects & Education > RW, EBW & Laser Group
Welding Research Institute, BHEL, Trichy : UNIDO Training in RW in France 1980;
Regular faculty for the various Educational & Training Courses at WRI & REC .
• 1985-1990 : Manager Technical Services, Mechelonic Welders, Mumbai : QA+QC,
Customer Education & Support, Application Engg., Tech. marketing.
•1990-till Date : Self-Employed : Prop. Vee Ai Associates, THANE : work details :>>
i. Retained Consultant to Mechelonic Welders, Mumbai till 2002 and now on-call.
ii. Director Marketing, Igatwin Polymers Pvt. Ltd., Thane-Igatpuri, 1990- 2002
iii. Contract Manufacturing of Flowtubes for Swiss MNC Endress+Hauser, 2000 to 2009
iv.Technical Expert on Call for Thomas Assessments, Mumbai : 2009 onwards
v. Subject Matter Expert : Mech. Engg. & Physics for a US based M&RCC’s KPO at Thane,
vi. Retained Engineering Consultant – RK Dutt Concerns, Thane : 1990 onwards.
vii. Regional Director (West) for Indian Institute of Welding (2011-14), and
viii.Faculty > IW-ANB’s Welding Education and Certification of Individuals and Industries
ix. Regular Faculty on Welding Technology for IMTMA, PPMAI, HMG, IBC, SGSA, IIW etc. 2

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 1/31/2021

Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

By – Vijay Agwan &

Dr J. Krishnan

Webinar of IIW-India Mumbai Br.

Saturday, 30th January 2021:: 10.00 to 17.00 Hrs
3

Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

What is covered in this Webinar ?

1. Focus of Webinar – Sources of Quality Inconsistency in Welding
2. First Principle and 4- Pillars of Welding Technology
3. Most Important > People : Engineers and Welders > Responsibilities
4. Importance of Codes & Standards in product manufacturing
5. Understand Process Control > Its perpetual for the engineer !.
6. Hidden Technology of GMAW Process > Source of inconsistency!
7. Operational Issues > Ignorance > Type of defects which result !
8. Selection of Consumables for a given application
9.Defects in Welding – informative guidelines

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Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications Zero Defects

ISO 9001 – 2015 :: Continual Improvement :: PDCA Cycle :: Process Control

• In the ISO 9001, • While ISO 9001

section 7.5.2 (2008) / covers all basic
8.5.1 (2015), there is requirements, ISO
a requirement of 3834 additionally
“Process Validation” identifies all factors at
for such special all stages of welding
processes. that could affect the
quality of welded
• Welding, being
product and which
defined as a special
need to be controlled,
process, must be
before, during and
validated separately.
after.
• Industry Specific
• ISO 3834 therefore
Standards ISO 3834
complements ISO
(fabrication by
9001 and does not
welding) does that.
replace it.

Consistency of Results can be assured only through Quality Management System!

Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Materials : Have Properties & Processes : Have Variables

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Welding Engineer’s job is to match them to get Expected Results

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Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications Zero Defects

4 P’s of Welding Technology :

Product Plant Process People

How much I, as a Welding Engineer, know about the Welding Processes?

Remember: There is a significant difference between two statements :

“I know! ” and “I think I know !!”

First one leads to a decision and the second leads only to discussions.
Let us introspect and find out how much we are in ‘I know’ group !
The focus of this Webinar is to make People aware of the Non-WPS
Hidden parts of Process affecting Quality Consistency

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Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Engineer ‘the Helper’

Driven operation.
Applying himself on the job
to somehow get the results
for his boss and his
company!

The Welding engineer

essentially has to be an
Engineer first !

Then the Welding Engineer

and finally thereafter
the Responsible Welding
Engineer as per ISO 14731
9

Change of scenario from this to >>

Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Engineer- ‘the
Responsible
Welding Engineer’-
Driven operations.

Applying his mind

after technically
preparing himself
for the job
to follow the correct
practices and to get
the lasting results 10

for his organization!

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Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Engineer’s Knowledge Check

OMG!! How
this happened ??
Often, the quoted
cause of Fire Must be
Accidents a short
circuit
by not only a common some
man, but also the TV where!
Channels and the
News Papers :
Electrical
Short Circuit !
Do you agree ?

Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

If you do, you are in a majority :

A majority of Engineers whom I asked this question toed the line – Short Circuit !
So, if yes is also your choice, then answer the next question : why there are Fuses / Circuit Breakers
installed on every electrical installation / equipment / gadget ?
To Protect ! >> Because those are called Protective Devices ?
Now answer : To protect what ??
The equipment on which it is mounted / for which it is installed!
Is this correct ?
If the equipment mal-functions and short circuit happens, the fuse / device must get blown off / tripped.
Hence, a short-circuit always cuts-off the power, so that consequential fire accidents can not happen.
Fuses are there to protect everything else around it, from that equipment’s mal-functioning!
The same media reporter goes on to mention that, when the Fire Brigade personnel arrived on the scene,
they first switched off the power! That means the power did not get cut off in spite of short circuit!
A contradiction !! There are always a series of back-up devises, one or more should have tripped !
Then why and how the fire starts ??
It happens because of a LOOSE CONTACT which arcs, generates heat and causes the fire !
This is our electrical understanding! And for Welding it is the first essential parameter.
Welding Arc is a systematic LOOSE CONTACT to generate heat that melt the metals!

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Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

PEOPLE : Welding Engineers to guide and Welders / Operators to execute

Engineers: ( All those who do not actually weld, but are supposed to guide the welders)
• Academic curricula > No welding > No one specifically opts for Welding while joining industry.
• So, most of us are (with some exceptions) accidental welding engineers, learning on job.
• It is akin to somehow learning to be afloat & swim by splashing / thrashing, when suddenly
dumped in to a swimming pool > the depth of learning depending on which end one lands!
• The need and desire to improve the knowledge systematically gets bulldozed, by the clamor &
din of the shop floor. The meetings, discussions and paperwork drain away one’s mental energy !
• The gaps in understanding become wider and desire to delve deeper becomes dull with time.

Welders / Operators: (The people who execute the job by physically welding)
• The majority of Welders, similarly, have nil or negligible ITI Trade training when they join industry.
• They too start as an apprentice under experienced / skilled welder and learn the skill.
• But they have practically zero theoretical / technical inputs.
• The skill to weld they posses has a great importance to one and all, but not a measurable entity.
Thus we have a situation where the technology is driven mostly by skills of a welders.

Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Surface Oxides and Electrical Current Conduction Resistance Spot

Welding Process
Surface Oxides are generally thin films and
most are mechanically fragile.
All oxides of metals (and so also the air-gaps)
are insulators for electricity.
Hence, all junction points in the electrical
current path MUST be made conductive by
breaking / removing the oxides from the surface.
The metal to metal contact so established
MUST be maintained under that condition, either
by mechanical force or by welding / brazing / The metallic Bridges at Temperatures reached at
soldering the interface, obtained the end of weld time :
under squeeze force, Notice the very steep
See example of Resistance Spot Welding, where breaking the oxide films temperature gradients
the only consumable is Electricity!! and making the joint reached in short time of
conductive. milliseconds.
All mechanically fastened junctions in electrical path are susceptible to deterioration over a period
of time and lead to sparking / arcing, causing heating to melt insulation and initiate the fire!.

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Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Resistance to Energy Flow = ρ* L/A

This is a common OBSTRUCTION formula for all the flows which we physically
experience in our daily life, and find that ‘heat’ in the form of nuisance, irritation, bad
temper, road rage is generated: (What Electrical Current experiences is similar situation)
 Domestic Water Supply– Low Pressure, Leaky Taps, Inlet-Outlet Pipe sizes
 Drainage/Sewerage flows – Choked Drain Pipes, Gutters with Muck
 Vehicular Traffic – Speed Breakers, 6-lane Highway with 2-Lane Bridges
 Pedestrian Traffic - Badly maintained - Potholed Footpaths, jay-walking
Another important formula for Electrical Energy: Ohm’s Law
Current = Voltage/Resistance > I = V/R or V = IR or R = V/I
Weld Heat Input = V x I >> = (I x R) x I >> = I2 * R
Welding needs Flow of Electrical energy called Current !
And the current requires Conductor to carry it to the place of work !
Universal Law : For every flow of anything there are obstructions to be controlled!

Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Handling Mechanical, Electrical & Thermal Energies

Mechanical Electrical Thermal Hydro /Pneu Source of Energy
MATERIAL FLOW CURRENT FLOW HEAT FLOW LIQUID / GAS FLOW For doing the work
PRESSURE VOLTAGE TEMPERATURE PRESSURE Potential Energy
CHARGE
QUANTITY kg KCAL QUANTITY ltr
COLOUMBS
X-SECTION X-SECTION X-SECTION X-SECTION Of the path of flow
BREAK DOWN
THERMAL
YIELD POINT POTENTIAL / VISCOSITY
CONDUCTIVITY
CONDUCTIVITY
RESISTANCE RESISTANCE RESISTANCE RESISTANCE Resistance = ρ* L/A
MASS ENERGY ENERGY MASS
DISLOCATIONS JOINTS JOINTS COUPLINGS ρ = Specific Resistance
L = Length of Conductor
STRENGTH A = Area of Conductor
VOLTAGE DROP HEAT LOSS FLUID LOSS
CHANGES In the path of energy flow.
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Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Electrical Conductors – Copper Welding Cables & End-Connections

1. Arc Welding Current ranges from 100 Amp to 2000
Amp and is to be carried a long distance – 3 to 40
mtr, depending on process and situation.
2. To avoid transmission loss and useless heating,
lowest resistance is the aim in selecting cable. Copper Lugs
Welding Cable
3. As per “ρ* L/A“ for Resistance, longer the length,
larger should be the area of cross section and
lower should be the specific resistance – hence
copper is always chosen for Welding Cables. L & A
Size Optimization is needed vis-à-vis Cost Cable & Lug ready Crimped Assembly
4. Universally, the body resistance of the conductor is
not a significant issue thereafter.
5. More important are lugs/Pins and their
fastening, crimping &/or soldering. WHY ?

Because it is surface to surface contact ! Quick Connectors Completed Cable

Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Welding Machine Input Power Supply – Good & Bad Examples

BUS BAR / MCB / CUT OUT Point for 440 V : Right Way to connect: Neat, Clean, Well laid out, easily visible,
Spanner / Screw Driver Accessible

BUS BAR / MCB / CUT OUT Points: The Way it should never be !

From one
Engineering No cover ? Prone
College All Safety norms thrown out of Wire is loose, To Rat’s corrosive Looks clean but
window! getting Hot ! Excreta ! Mechanically loose!

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Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Other Power Requirements in Weld Shop

Apart from 3-ph 440 V power to Welding machine, there are many other 1-ph 220 V points for power
tools, fans, instruments and equipment. The situation is same as our domestic power supply and usage!

Classical Robust
3- Pin Plug and
Socket of yore !!

And its US Patent

Notice the Engineering

Design used here to
avoid loose Contacts !
1. The pins and socket receptacles have small diameter difference : Pin OD > Socket ID
2. Both of them have the splitting-slits machined on them
3. There is a chamfering done to create an entry taper – sockets are held by ceramic mount.
4. The sharper edges scratch the ID-OD surfaces of Pins and Sockets to remove Oxides.
Hubbell, Harvey.
5. Spring Back stored due to OD > ID, maintains the contact pressure – No Loose Contact! "Separable attachment-
plug." U.S. Patent 774,251,
Compare this with the modern switchgear we use now a days. issued November 8, 1904.

Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Modern Electrical Switchgear

Pins – No Slits Pins – Slit Only for Socket with 5 A / 15 A

Screw Driver size receptacles
Socket with 5 A 3-pins + Socket with half
2-pins receptacles round receptacles
Observations :
1. Modern pins and sockets are electroplated to avoid contamination
Pins – Odd Size 2. But the splitting slits are missing on many – some have only a nominal
Pins – OK
cut for screw driver resting during tightening.
3. Different companies follow different construction styles, giving rise to
MCBs
suspicion whether they are following any standard or not!
4. Plug made by one and socket by another company invariably do not fit
as needed – surface to surface contact pressure is not guaranteed !
5. This is how the mini-arcing starts and heat builds up leading to fire.

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Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Electrical Switchgear – Indian Jugaad – in Factories and Homes

Overloads, Loose Contacts and Fire Accidents

No explanation is needed for this Engineering

Callousness leading to fire accidents!!

220 V Supply taken from 440 V

Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Weld Shop – Cable connections – Shunting - Fires

Shunting of Current seen

and unseen leading to
energy loss &/or Fires !

A very common sight in a

majority of weld shops -
Cable Frayed at junction

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Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Name Plate Details – Operation Manuals ? - Welding m/c Cleaning, repairing – Air Flow Passage

Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Power Demand Calculations and MSME Industries

In welding the current flow – the rate of energy input - is the main governing parameter for penetration.
Demand of high current and the break down voltage needed to pass it through the arc gap, decides the actual
kVA demand for welding. Add to it the energy loss in reaching the arc which will be total demand per
machine
Ignoring the 3-phase calculations for the time being, for GTAW we need 24 volts to break down the arc gap
(ionization) and if the needed welding current is 300 Amps, the demand on secondary side of the
transformer is 7.2 kVA. For SAW process, this could go up to 26 volts and 2000 Amps, that is 52 kVA.
These demands on secondary side are to be fulfilled by the primary side of the transformer, having a fixed 440
volts supply. Hence, the power demand is calculated by the primary current needed to fulfil these demands.
The fixed value 440 Volts gives the current values of 15 Amperes and 119 Amperes, respectively.
The weld shop’s line demand of 60 kVA will thus be added to the factory load, with 150 Amp current load.
When there are large number of welding machines – SMAW, GTAW, GMAW, Resistance etc. the welding
load becomes the main factor to decide the Contract Demand, with statistical judgment of the diversity factor.
For large industries with 2 MW supply, the welding fluctuations get absorbed easily
But for MSME industries this is a critical factor, as they use 10 to 40 HP supply (8 to 27 kVA).

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Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Why so many types of defects are associated only with

Arc Welding Processes group?

1. Basic reason is that it is done by application of heat alone, by melting a portion

of each of the surfaces and by addition of filler metal to compensate for the
disturbed strength of the combined weld metal, compared to parent metal.
2. In arc welding the job’s exposure to heat source is much longer and hence
more heat flows in to the thickness, giving HAZ related issues.
3. RW, EBW and Laser Welding are also fusion welding processes, but are too fast to
encounter the defects. Quantity of useless heat entering in to the thickness is
much less and gives narrow, relatively insignificant HAZ.
4. The fit-up of the jobs for EBW & LBW are critically done, which reduces /
eliminates other likely defects.

Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Process Variables not apparent and/or forming part of WPS-PQR

1. Like the loose contact phenomenon elaborated above, there are many
other process specific non-WPS, but essential parameters which give
rise to random quality issues, and which are difficult to analyze.
2. Analysis of such quality issues require complete process understanding
of the implied and/or consequential parameters.
3. Welding encompass multiple engineering disciplines simultaneously –
mechanical, metallurgical, electrical, thermal, hydro-pneumatics, etc.
4. The general engineering common sense is the most important tool
needed. The engineer has to be alive to his engineering !!
5. Through an example of GMAW Process, let us understand about
these hidden variables. Parallels can be drawn for other Arc processes.

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Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications Zero Defects

Zero Defects – Quality Assurance – Consistency of Results

1. ZD means acceptable and / or insignificant defects in the products, generally mass

produced.
2. Here, the focus is ALWAYS on the CONSISTENCY of the response factors, to be measured
and kept within the specified variation!
3. In welding of the given assembly, the defined quality of the weld joint is always CREATED
in the Material(s), by the PROCESS(ES) chosen and deployed.
4. So, essentially, the QUALITY ASSURANCE can be achieved by PROCESS CONTROL only.
5. That makes it mandatory for the welding engineer to gain the full understanding of that / those
WELDING PROCESS(ES) and to acquire the skill to operate and maintain the set of correct
CONTROL parameters - visible & settable, implied invisible and the resultant interactive
ones!
6. REMEMBER : In Manual Welding, one important implied essential parameter is the27 Skill
of the Welder. But it is neither measureable nor controllable by the engineer directly!!

Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications The People

Why Inconsistency ? The 2-Worlds of our functioning !

In our daily life we encounter two worlds simultaneously
Objective Engineering World (Domain of Brain): consisting of
Objects, Data, Information, Measurements, Facts, Figures, Logic, Cause &
Which is Superimposed by the
Effect Analysis in Problem Solving.

Subjective Emotional World (Domain of Mind): consisting of Feelings,

Greed, Prejudices, Opinions, Bluffs, Speculations, Half-Truths, White-Lies and
Miss-Leading Statistics for Suppression of a Very and Suggestive of a Falsity

Hence, Unbiased Application of Mind with Clarity in Discriminative

Thinking is needed in Problem Solving, on the Way To Zero Defect
in Technology! Engineering issues can be solved only objectively!

The Attitude – i.e. quality & direction of thinking process - matters a lot !

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Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications The People

ATTITUDE

E
X
SUCCESS P
TRIANGLE
E
R
I
E
N
C 29

KNOWLEDGE SKILLS
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Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications The People

Job of any Engineer, especially Welding Engineer

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Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications The People

Job of Welding Coordinating Personnel: (ISO:14731)

In any given situation, the Engineering Personnel concerned have to :
1) Study & understand the Expectations of the designer from product Welding
2) Take into account the service and performance requirements of welds Engineer
3) Understand the materials involved and their properties affected by welds must know
4) Check a’ priori information to decide the suitability of process for quality What is
5) Do comparative analysis of available options for production quantity
6) Get the manufacturing activities including welding installed and going
welding ?
in terms of
7) Conduct welding trials and prescribe the qualified welding procedure
physics of
8) Establish a quality assurance procedures to meet the requirements
the process,
9) Monitor the consistency of quality of the products being manufactured
which is the
10) Establish and maintain the QMS documents and records as needed
base of all
11) Be responsible for the results and solve the day to day issues
activities
12) Undertake detail investigations when the issues get complicated

Last two points need complete understanding of the welding technology,

at least to the extent applicable to the product in question, to reach
the ‘Zero Defect’ status for the organization.

Basic Thinking Tools - Practical Applications

Summary of Part 1 :
1. Welding Engineer has to apply his knowledge and mental skills constantly .
2. All welding processes (except Gas Welding) depend on Electricity.
3. Though not mentioned in WPS, or any other document, Power is the first very essential Input
Variable in welding, without which nothing will move.
4. Minimum needed knowledge and correct understanding is mandatory for a Responsible
Welding Engineer, who has to get the things done on shop floor.

Thanks for your Patient Listening.

Let the ideas sink in!

Vijay Agwan :: Cell > +917506946938 :: Phone :: (+91-22) 25423920

Email > [email protected]
(vijay[underscore]agwan[at]yahoo.com)

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