GE 105 – BASICS OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

WELDING
LECTURE-VII – IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
01. Define welding. State its applications
Definition:
v Welding is a process for joining two similar or dissimilar metals by fusion.
v It joins different metals/alloys, with or without the application of pressure and with or
without the use of filler metal
Applications of Welding
Fabrication of ships, Pressure vessels, Automobile bodies, Off-shore platform, Bridges,
Welded pipes, Sealing of nuclear fuel and explosives, etc
02. Draw different butt welding joints edge prepartions.

03. Explain different types of welded joints with sketch

(i) Butt-joint:
v Butt-joint is the joint in which the two edges of the plates are to be budded / touched
together and then welding is to be carried out
v Here, the two edges of the parts are to be welded.
 (ii) Lap-joint :
v Lap joint is the joint in which the plates are to be placed one over the other and then
the welding is to be carried out in the required portion
v In lap-joint, the plane of the work pieces are in horizontal position

(iii) Fillet-joint
v Fillet joint is the joint in which the plates are to be placed one over the other whose planes
are in perpendicular.
v Both, T-joint and Corner joint as shown in Fig. are fillet joint

(ii) Edge-joint
v Edge joint is the joint in which the two edges of the plates can be welded
whose planes are in perpendicular as shown in Fig.

04. What are the welding positions to be used in an industries?

(i) Flat or down hand position
(ii) Horizontal position
(iii) Vertical position
(iv) Overhead position
05. State the advantages and disadvantages of welding. [In the examination, you have to
write any four]
Advantages
v Welding is more economical and is much faster process as compared to other processes
(riveting, bolting, casting etc.)
v Welding, if properly controlled results permanent joints having strength equal or
sometimes more than base metal.
v Large number of metals and alloys both similar and dissimilar can be joined by welding.
v General welding equipment is not very costly.
 v Portable welding equipments can be easily made available.
v Welding permits considerable freedom in design.
v Welding can join welding jobs through spots, as continuous pressure tight seams, end-to-
end and in a number of other configurations.
v Welding can also be mechanized
Disadvantages
v It results in residual stresses and distortion of the workpieces.
v Welded joint needs stress relieving and heat treatment.
v Welding gives out harmful radiations (light), fumes and spatter.
v Jigs, and fixtures may also be needed to hold and position the parts to be welded
v Edges preparation of the welding jobs are required before welding
v Skilled welder is required for production of good welding
v Heat during welding produces metallurgical changes as the structure of the welded joint is
not same as that of the parent metal.
06. What are the classifications of welding process?

07. Explain the gas welding principle of operation with neat sketch
v Gas welding is a fusion welding process which joins metals, using the heat of combustion
of an oxygen /air and fuel gas (i.e. acetylene, hydrogen propane or butane) mixture.
v The intense heat (flame) thus produced melts and fuses together the edges of the parts to
be welded, generally with the addition of a filler metal.
v Operation of gas welding is shown in Fig. 17.5.
v The fuel gas generally employed is acetylene; however gases other than acetylene can also
be used though with lower flame temperature.
 v Oxy-acetylene flame is the most versatile and hottest of all the flames produced by the
combination of oxygen and other fuel gases.
v Other gases such as Hydrogen, Propane, Butane, Natural gas etc., may be used for some
welding and brazing applications.

08. Explain three types of oxygen-acetylene gas welding flames with neat sketch
(i) Neutral welding flame (Fig.17.6).
v A neutral flame results when approximately equal volumes of oxygen and acetylene are
mixed in the welding torch and burnt at the torch tip.
v The temperature of the neutral flame is of the order of about 5900°F (3260°C).
v It has a clear, well defined inner cone, indicating that the combustion is complete

(ii) Carburising or Reducing Welding Flame (Fig.17.6)

v The carburizing or reducing flame has excess of acetylene and can be recognized by
acetylene feather, which exists between the inner cone and the outer envelope.
v The outer flame envelope is longer than that of the neutral flame and is usually much
brighter in color.
v With iron and steel, carburizing flame produces very hard, brittle substance known as iron
carbide
(iii) Oxidising Welding flame (Fig. 17.6)
v The oxidizing flame has an excess of oxygen over the acetylene.
v An oxidizing flame can be recognized by the small cone, which is shorter, much bluer in
color and more pointed than that of the neutral flame.
v The outer flame envelope is much shorter and tends to fan out at the end. Such a flame
makes a loud roaring sound.
v It is the hottest flame (temperature as high as 6300°F) produced by any oxy-fuel gas source
08. Explain the arc welding principle of operation with neat sketch
v The process, in which an electric arc between an electrode and a workpiece or between two
electrodes is utilized to weld base metals, is called an arc welding process.
v The basic principle of arc welding is shown in Fig 17.9(a).
v Most of these processes use some shielding gas while others employ coatings or fluxes to
prevent the weld pool from the surrounding atmosphere

09. Explain any two types of arc welding processes with neat sketch
I-Carbon Arc welding (CAW)
v Carbon Arc Welding (CAW) is a welding process, in which heat is generated by an electric
arc struck between a carbon electrode and the work piece.
v The arc heats and melts the work pieces edges, forming a joint.
v Carbon arc welding is the oldest welding process.
v If required, filler rod may be used in Carbon Arc Welding. End of the rod is held in the arc
zone. The molten rod material is supplied to the weld pool.
v Shields (neutral gas, flux) may be used for weld pool protection depending on type of
welded metal.
II-Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) or Manual Metal Arc Welding (MMAW):
v Shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) is a commonly used arc welding process manually
carried by welder.
v It is an arc welding process in which heat for welding is produced through an electric arc
set up between a flux coated electrode and the workpiece.
v The flux coating of electrode decomposes due to arc heat and serves many functions, like
weld metal protection, arc stability etc.
v Inner core of the electrode supply the filler material for making a weld. The basic setup of
MMAW is depicted in Fig.

III-Submerged Arc Welding (SAW):

v Submerged Arc Welding is a welding process, which
utilizes a bare consumable metallic electrode producing an
arc between itself and the work piece within a granular
shielding flux applied around the weld.
v The arc heats and melts both the work pieces edges and the
electrode wire.
v The molten electrode material is supplied to the surfaces of
the welded pieces, fills the weld pool and joins the work
pieces.
v Since the electrode is submerged into the flux, the arc is
invisible.
v The flux is partially melts and forms a slag protecting the
weld pool from oxidation and other atmospheric
contaminations.
IV-Metal Inert Gas (MIG) Welding or Gas metal arc welding (GMAW):
v Metal Inert Gas Welding (Gas Metal Arc Welding) is an arc welding process, in which the
weld is shielded by an external gas (Argon, helium, CO2, argon + Oxygen or other gas
mixtures).
v Consumable electrode wire, having chemical composition similar to that of the parent
material, is continuously fed from a spool to the arc zone.
v The arc heats and melts both the work pieces edges and the electrode wire.
v The fused electrode material is supplied to the surfaces of the work pieces, fills the weld
pool and forms joint.
v Due to automatic feeding of the filling wire (electrode) the process is referred to as a semi-
automatic.
v The operator controls only the torch positioning and speed

V-Tungsten Inert Gas Arc Welding (TIG) or Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)
v Tungsten Inert Gas Arc Welding (Gas Tungsten
Arc Welding) is a welding process, in which heat
is generated by an electric arc struck between a
tungsten non-consumable electrode and the work
piece.
v The weld pool is shielded by an inert gas (Argon
(Ar), helium (He), Nitrogen (N2)) protecting the
molten metal from atmospheric contamination.
v The heat produced by the arc melts the work pieces
edges and joins them.
v Filler rod may be used, if required.
v Tungsten Inert Gas Arc Welding produces a high
quality weld of most of metals.
v Flux is not used in the process
10. Explain the resistance welding (RW) principle of operation with neat sketch
v Resistance Welding is a welding process, in which work pieces are welded due to a
combination of a pressure applied to them and a localized heat generated by a high electric
current flowing through the contact area of the weld
v Heat produced by the current is sufficient for local melting of the work piece at the contact
point and formation of small weld pool (”nugget”).
v The molten metal is then solidifies under a pressure and joins the pieces.
v The amount of heat generated in the workpiece depend on the current (I), applied voltage
(V) and time of current (t)

11. State the advantages and disadvantages of resistance welding processes and write its few
applications.
Advantages of Resistance Welding:
v High welding rates;
v Low fumes;
v Cost effectiveness;
v Easy automation;
v No filler materials are required;
v Low distortions.
Disadvantages of Resistance Welding:
v High equipment cost;
v Low strength of discontinuous welds;
v Thickness of welded sheets is limited - up to 1/4” (6 mm);
Applications of Resistance Welding (RW):
It can be used for joining vehicle body parts, fuel tanks, domestic radiators, pipes of gas oil and
water pipelines, wire ends, turbine blades, railway tracks.
12. Explain any two types of resistance welding process with neat sketch
I – Spot Welding
v Spot Welding is a Resistance Welding (RW) process, in which two or more overlapped
metal sheets are joined by spot welds.
v The method uses pointed copper electrodes providing passage of electric current.
v The electrodes also transmitt pressure required for formation of strong weld.
v Diameter of the weld spot is in the range 1/8” - 1/2” (3 - 12 mm).
v Spot welding is widely used in automotive industry for joining vehicle body parts

II – Flash Welding (FW)

v Flash Welding is a Resistance Welding (RW)
process, in which ends of rods (tubes, sheets) are
heated and fused by an arc struck between them and
then forged (brought into a contact under a pressure)
producing a weld.
v The welded parts are held in electrode clamps, one
of which is stationary and the second is movable
v Flash Welding method permits fast (about 1 min)
joining of large and complex parts.
v Welded part are often annealed for improvement of
Toughness of the weld.
v Steels, Aluminum alloys, Copper alloys,
Magnesium alloys, Copper alloys and Nickel alloys
may be welded by Flash Welding.
v Thick pipes, ends of band saws, frames, aircraft
landing gears are produced by Flash Welding.
III – Resistance Seam Welding
v Seam Welding is a Resistance Welding (RW) process of continuous joining of overlapping
sheets by passing them between two rotating electrode wheels.
v Heat generated by the electric current flowing through the contact area and pressure
provided by the wheels are sufficient to produce a leak-tight weld.
v Seam Welding is high speed and clean process, which is used when continuous tight weld
is required (fuel tanks, drums, domestic radiators)

13. Define solid state welding process. State its merits and demerits.
v Solid State Welding is a welding process, in which two work pieces are joined under a
pressure providing an intimate contact between them and at a temperature essentially
below the melting point of the parent material. Bonding of the materials is a result of
diffusion of their interface atoms.
Merits / Advantages of Solid State Welding:
v Weld (bonding) is free from microstructure defects (pores, non-metallic inclusions,
segregation of alloying elements)
v Mechanical properties of the weld are similar to those of the parent metals
v No consumable materials (filler material, fluxes, shielding gases) are required
v Dissimilar metals may be joined (steel - aluminum alloy steel - copper alloy).
Disadvantages of Solid State Welding:
v Thorough surface preparation is required (degreasing, oxides removal,
brushing/sanding)
v Expensive equipment.
14. Explain any two types of solid state welding processes with neat sketch
I-FORGE WELDING:
v Forge welding is a solid state welding process in
which both the plates are heated quite below its
melting temperature.
v This heating deforms the work pieces plastically.
v Now a repeated hammering or high pressurize load is
applied on these plates together.
v Due to this high pressure and temperature, inter-
molecular diffusion takes place at the interface
surface of the plates which make a strong weld joint.
v This is basic principle of forge welding
II-FRICTION WELDING:
v Friction welding is a process in which coalescence is achieved by frictional heat combined
with pressure
v When properly carried out, no melting occurs at faying/joining surfaces
v No filler metal, flux, or shielding gases normally used
v Process yields a narrow HAZ
v It can be used to join dissimilar metals
v Widely used commercial process, amenable to automation and mass production

III-EXPLOSIVE WELDING:
v It is a process in which rapid coalescence / joining of two metallic surfaces is caused
by the energy of a detonated explosive
v No filler metal used
v No external heat applied
v No diffusion occurs - time is too short
v Bonding is metallurgical, combined with mechanical interlocking that results from a
rippled or wavy interface between the metals
 v Commonly used to bond two dissimilar metals, in particular to clad one metal on top
of a base metal over large areas

IV-ELECTRON BEAM WELDING:

v Electron Beam Welding is a welding process utilizing a heat generated by a beam of
high energy electrons.
v The electrons strike the work piece and their kinetic energy converts into thermal
energy heating the metal so that the edges of work piece are fused and joined together
forming a weld after Solidification.
v The process is carried out in a vacuum chamber at a pressure of about 0.00013 to 0.0013
Pa
v Such high vacuum is required in order to prevent loss of the electrons energy in
collisions with air molecules.
v The electrons are emitted by a cathode (electron gun).
v Due to a high voltage (about 150 kV) applied between the cathode and the anode the
electrons are accelerated up to 30% - 60% of the speed of light.
v Kinetic energy of the electrons becomes sufficient for melting the targeted weld.
v Electrons accelerated by electric field are then focused into a thin beam in the focusing
coil. Deflection coil moves the electron beam
along the weld.
v Electron Beam is capable to weld work
pieces with thickness from 0.01 mm up to
150 mm of steel and up to 500 mm of
aluminum.
v Electron Beam Welding may be used for
joining any metals including metals, which
are hardly weldable by other welding
methods: refractory metals (tungsten,
molybdenum, niobium) and chemically
active metals (titanium, zirconium,
beryllium).
v Electron Beam Welding is also able to join
dissimilar metals
15. What are the welding defects commonly occur during welding operation?
v Lack of Penetration
v Lack of Fusion
v Porosity
v Slag Inclusion
v Undercuts
v Cracking
v Poor Weld Bead Appearance
v Distortion