International Journal of Advancements in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering– IJAMAE

Volume 2: Issue 1 [ISSN : 2372-4153]

Publication Date : 30 April, 2015

High Productivity of Submerged Arc Welding

Achieved with Multiple-Wire Technology
Elena SCUTELNICU, Nicusor ENE, Carmen Catalina RUSU, Luigi MISTODIE

Abstract—The paper addresses a comparative analysis between By increasing the welding current, further increases in
theoretical and experimental results of the deposition rates, deposition rates are expected. Generally, that means a growth
achieved by Submerged Arc Welding, when single and multiple of heat input value, which most of the times leads to a
wires technologies are applied. Two welding variants have been decrease of the mechanical properties. Toughness is in
investigated in the research program, one power source welding particular negatively affected by the increase of heat input
on the one hand and two power sources welding (Tandem value. This is very important, especially for the high tensile
technique) on the other hand. Classical welding current power steels such as the types HSLA (High Strength Low Alloy
sources - i.e. standard DC and rectangular waveform AC - and Steel) or HY (High Yield Steel).
also the most recent inverter power source, which allows
waveform modulating, were selected and used in the A limitation of heat input value can be reached, at least
experimental program. Comparing the deposition rates achieved theoretically, by increasing the welding speed. Chandel and
in the case of using two conventional power sources systems Bala [2] showed that, in practice, this option involves another
(Tandem Single + Single wire welding) with values achieved in the drawback related to excessive increase of the welding speed
case of multiple-wire welding technique (even if a traditional which may cause welding defects such as undercuts, lack of
welding system with only one single power source is used), a fusion, etc. Therefore, increasing the deposition rate should be
higher productivity of the welding process has been noticed when done without increasing the heat input if it is possible.
multiple-wire technology is applied. Finally, by combination of
multiple power sources systems with multiple-wire welding There are several types of welding systems, well known
technique, impressive results of the deposition rates values can be and widely used in many welding cases, which could lead to
obtained. Process limits and experimental data were graphically significant increase of the deposition rates. One classification
processed and presented on the same charts to be comparatively criterion is the number of power sources involved in the
discussed and analyzed. Based on the investigations results, welding process. From this point of view, SAW welding
relevant conclusions are highlighted at the paper’s end. process can be divided into two main categories:
Keywords—submerged arc welding, Tandem, Twin, ICETM,  Single power source welding systems;
multiple-wire welding technique, deposition rate
 Two (or more than two) power sources welding
systems.
I. Introduction
Due to the high values of the deposition rates, uniform and Analytical Models for
II.
esthetical appearance of the welding layers, Submerged Arc
Welding (SAW) is the main process applied for pressure Deposition Rate Calculus
vessels manufacturing, offshore constructions, shipbuilding For determining the actual maximum values that can be
and, generally, for the joining of thick sections that involves a achieved under normal operating conditions, practical
large amount of filler material and long welds [1]. Although measurements were performed for each process variant under
the process itself is characterized by a high level of analysis. Based on the measurements results, analytical
productivity, the actual trends in the process development are formulas have been developed in order to establish the process
looking for further growth of the deposition rates. For the limits and to fix the theoretical values of the deposition rates.
conventional SAW, high productivity derives mainly from the According to Chandel [3], when conventional SAW with one
high degree of automation, combined with high values of single wire is applied, the deposition rate can be estimated
welding current, which can reach values up to 1000 A without using the mathematical equation (1):
additional special precautions.

BI2 L
Elena SCUTELNICU, Carmen Catalina RUSU, Luigi MISTODIE DR  A  I  C (1)
“Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, Faculty of Engineering, Romania
d2

where the signification of the terms is the following:

Nicusor ENE DR is the deposition rate;
ESAB Romania Trading,
I - the welding current;
Engineering and Automation Department, Romania
“Dunarea de Jos” University of Galati, Faculty of Engineering, Romania L - free length of the electrode;
d - electrode diameter.

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 International Journal of Advancements in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering– IJAMAE
Volume 2: Issue 1 [ISSN : 2372-4153]
Publication Date : 30 April, 2015
TABLE I. CONSTANTS VALUES VS. WELDING CURRENT POLARITY A, B and C are constants that depend on the current
Welding DC +
Welding DC - polarity and type of wire used in the welding process. The
constants values are shown in the Table I.
A = 0.010371 A = 0.016178
B = 2.2426 B = 2.087 x 10-6
C = -0.46 x 10 -6
C = -0.643 III. Experimental Procedure
The assessment of the deposition rate - computed with the
formulas (1), (2), (3) - aims to validate the process limits
A, B and C are constants which are dependent on the practically found. In practice, factors as quality and properties
current polarity and wire type used in the welding process. For of welding fluxes, welding joint geometry and welding process
instance, when low alloyed carbon steels are welded, the stability have a major influence on the deposition rate. The
constants have the values presented in the Table I. shape and size of the components which have to be welded,
In the multiple-wire welding process, the behaviour and but also the capability of the equipment in use, are crucial and
the melting way of the wires depend on the electrical and lead to limitations of the welding parameters that ultimately
magnetic phenomena developed in the electric arc column. make values to be lower than the process limits for security
Tušek reported a formula that can be used to estimate the and comfort of the operator.
values of the deposition rates when multiple wires welding The following SAW welding equipments, presented in
technique is applied [4]: figure 1, were used for the experimental measurements [5]-[9]:
 ESAB inverter power sources ARISTO® 1000
I  n  ( U E    L  j  n 0.2 ) AC/DC SAW offering the possibility to modify the
DR  (2)
Qk   AC wave balance and frequency [7];
 AC classical power sources with rectangular
where DR is the deposition rate; waveform type TAF 1250 [9];
I - the welding current;  DC classical power sources type LAF 1251 [8];
L - free length of the electrode;  PEK control units having the possibility to memorize
n - number of electrodes (wires); the welding parameters and provide digital data on
actual values of welding current and voltage, heat
UE - arc voltage; input values and actual consumption of welding wire
Qk - energy per unit mass of molten metal contained in [6].
the droplet after detachment from the welding wire; The PEK control unit features 255 memory locations,
UE, α, j, Qk and β are values that are obtained through shown in figure 1, can record as many sets of welding
experimental measurements. parameters (current, voltage, welding speed, polarity, wave
balance etc.) [6]. Each weld is registered, by the date and time
Since the above constant values should be experimentally related to its performing, and a serial number from 100
determined and the number of electrodes (wires) used in most memory locations, available to store the data, is assigned to it.
of the practical cases analyzed is 2, the mathematical formula The data stored within the controller memory can be exported
(2) should be rewritten. Besides, it can be assumed that the and, further, processed as Xcel or XML files. The Quality
electric current is equally distributed between the two Functions provide information on welding system parameters,
electrodes that are simultaneously melting without mutual while the Productivity Functions give information on the filler
influence. Therefore, the mathematical model becomes similar material and wire consumption. Figure 2 illustrates the
to the mathematical model used for single wire electrode case. information displayed on the PEK controller, as an example of
Applying this simplifying principle, the deposition rate can be Quality and Productivity Functions.
estimated with acceptable accuracy as follows:

 I BI2 L 
DR  2   A   2
 C  (3)
 2 4d 

The parameters from the equation (3) have the following

signification:
DR is the deposition rate;
I - the welding current;
L - free length of wire electrode;
d - wire diameter. Figure 1. Aristo® 1000 AC/DC SAW and PEK controller [7]

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 International Journal of Advancements in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering– IJAMAE
Volume 2: Issue 1 [ISSN : 2372-4153]
Publication Date : 30 April, 2015

Figure 3. Tandem Single + ICE® welding system configuration [5]

B. Welding systems with two power sources:

 Classical Tandem welding, with single wire of 4.0 mm
diameter for each welding torch
 Single Wire + Twin-Tandem welding, with 4.0 mm
diameter wire for the leading torch and 2 x 2.4 mm
welding wire the trailing welding torch
 Tandem-Twin Arc welding with 2.4 mm diameter
 Tandem welding with Single + ICETM, using single 4.0
Figure 2. PEK controller’s display showing the quality and production mm wire diameter on the leading torch and 3 x 2.4
information [6] mm wire diameters (ICETM) for trailing welding torch
(Figure 3)
The PEK controller can provide the following information
about each weld performed in the experimental program:  Since the applicability of DC- polarity welding is
limited by the low values of penetration, no
 minimum, maximum and average welding current;
experiment has been performed in these joining
 minimum, maximum and average welding voltage; conditions.
 minimum, maximum and average heat input value; The Twin Arc multiple-wire welding system, with two
wires of 2.4 mm diameter, and the most recent ICETM welding
 amount of welding wire consumption; system, with three wires of 2.4 mm diameter, launched by
 last weld registered. ESAB Company, have been used in the investigations[5]. The
ICETM acronym comes from Integrated Cold Electrode and
The investigations included several welding process refers to the fact that the third wire is electrically insulated and
variants, starting with conventional Single Wire SAW, is melted due to the heat generated by the electric arc during
Twin Arc welding, ICETM welding, Tandem welding and the welding process.
finishing with the combined variant between Tandem
Single and ICETM. The welding conditions followed in As shown in the figure 4, an additional amount of filler
the experimental program are presented below: material is obtained without changing the relevant welding
parameters (welding current and voltage). This is a recent
breakthrough, developed by ESAB Company, and it is based
A. Welding systems with a single power source: on the classic Twin Arc welding technique. In this new process
alternative, in order to improve the deposition rate, a so-called
 Single Wire welding, 4.0 mm diameter wire, DC+ "cold wire" is included between two wires connected to the
 Twin Arc welding, 2 x 2.4 mm diameter wires, DC+ power source.

 Single wire of 4.0 mm diameter, AC welding, 30% The process is monitored through a software routine,
positive half cycle and 70% negative half cycle included in the PEK process controller, and also through
additional hardware components that are used to handle the
 Twin Arc welding with the addition of "cold" wire - additional “cold electrode”. The welding parameters applied to
Integrated Cold Electrode ICETM - 3 x 2.4 mm acquire the theoretical values of the deposition rates, for
diameter wires and DC+ polarity various configurations analyzed, are presented in the Table II.
A typical flux and wires (AUTROD OK 12.20 and OK Flux
 Twin Arc welding with the addition of "cold" wire - 10.71) combination, recommended for mild steel alloys
Integrated Cold Electrode ICETM - 3 x 2.4 mm welding, has been used in the experimental program.
diameter wires, AC with balanced square wave.

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 International Journal of Advancements in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering– IJAMAE
Volume 2: Issue 1 [ISSN : 2372-4153]
Publication Date : 30 April, 2015

Figure 4. ICETM operating principle [5]

TABLE II. WELDING PARAMETERS

No. wires x Welding current

Polarity of current
diameter [A] Figure 5. Deposition rates for different process alternatives showing the
+ process limits
1 x 4.0 mm DC 900
1 x 4.0 mm AC 30% positive 900
2 x 2.4 mm DC+ 1100
3 x 2.4 mm DC+ 1100
3 x 2.4 mm AC 50% positive 1100

Process limits and experimental results related to heat

input and respectively to the deposition rate, achieved in
different welding conditions, are clearly illustrated in the
graphs shown in the figures 5 and 6.

IV. Results and Discussions

Process limits and experimental values - obtained for
different combinations and configurations of the welding
systems - represented in the figures 5 and 6 reveal the
following phenomena:
 The value of the deposition rate increases with the
increase of the current density applied to the welding
Figure 6. Heat input vs. welding speed
wire.
 Using the multiple-wire welding technique, a higher  Due to the additional quantity of filler material,
deposition rate is achieved in comparison with single- introduced in the process, the welding speed could
wire welding technique [4]; increase and the heat input will decrease, while all the
other relevant welding parameters (current/voltage) do
 By increasing the negative half cycle ratio in single not change. In these welding conditions, the effect is
wire (AC) welding, a growth of the deposition rate can mostly beneficial to the resilience of the welded joints.
be achieved, maintaining an acceptable level of the
penetration and, above all, maintaining the stability of  It is important to notice that in a comparative analysis
the welding process; referred to the system with a single power source
(ICETM) and the traditional welding system with two
 By adding an auxiliary “cold” wire (ICETM process), a independent power sources (Tandem Single + Single),
substantial increase of the deposit rate, up to 50% the new "cold wire" welding process leads to higher
higher than the second most productive welding deposition rates (Figure 5). This happens due to the
process with a single power source (Twin Arc) is multiple-wire technology that uses an increased
obtained. The main advantage of the process derives current carrying capacity, compared to the single wire
from the fact that the amount of deposited material one. The experimental tests revealed that for a single
increases, without changing the heat input value. 4.0 mm diameter wire, both single and tandem

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 International Journal of Advancements in Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering– IJAMAE
Volume 2: Issue 1 [ISSN : 2372-4153]
Publication Date : 30 April, 2015

welding, the process limits the current up to 900 A,  The only noticeable drawback is, to some extent, the
while for 2 x 2.4 mm wires (Twin Arc), the current reduced penetration achieved with multiple-wire welding
reaches 1100 - 1200 A. Furthermore, in the ICETM technique, in comparison to single wire welding variant.
welding process, the additional of the third “cold” wire Under normal circumstances, when the high penetration is
favourites the stabilization of the welding process and of secondary importance while a high deposition rate is
an increase of the current more than 1400 A. desired, more than two thirds of the welder’s job are
dedicated to the filing of joint. A high penetration level is
 The benefits of using the multiple wires welding mostly required for the root runs.
systems are significant in terms of welded joints
performances. Due to the possibility of increasing the  However, when it is needed to perform greater
welding speed, because of higher deposition rates penetration, the technical solution is to use the multiple-
achieved with multi-wire technology, the heat input wire welding system in a Tandem configuration with a
value can decrease (Figure 6). It is well-known that leading welding head connected to a DC power source. In
applying a lower heat input in the joining process, the this case, the leading welding head will carry out the
welding effects on the alteration of the base material’s desired penetration, while the trailing welding head,
mechanical properties are more reduced and the having multiple wires incorporated in the torch, will
distortions are lower. perform faster filling of joint.

V. Conclusions Acknowledgment
This work was supported by a grant of the Romanian
Considering the deposition rate as a main estimator of National Authority for Scientific Research, CNDI–
the productivity, the paper deals with a comparative study on UEFISCDI, project number PN-II-PT-PCCA-2011-3.1-1057.
the deposition rate values, achieved in various combinations
and configurations of welding systems, derived from the References
conventional Submerged Arc Welding. The investigations
included theoretical research on process limits and
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Galati, Fascicle XII, Welding Equipment and Technology, ISSN 1221–
graphically processed and represented on the same charts, in 4639, Volume 21 (Year XXI), 2010, pp. 23-30.
order to be compared and analysed. [2] R. S.Chandel, S. R.Bala, Effect of Welding Parameters and Groove
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 Efficiency of welding process increases, both in terms of [3] R. S Chandel., Mathematical Modeling of melting Rates for Submerged
Arc Welding, Welding Journal, May, 1987.
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of quality - by reducing the heat input – by using an [4] J. Tušek, “A Mathematical Model for the Melting rate in Welding with a
Multiple-wire Electrode”, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys. Vol. 32, Issue 14, 21
increased number of welding wires; July 1999.
 A welding system based on a single current power source, [5] *** ESAB Welding Equipment AB, ICETM Integrated Cold Electrod
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[7] *** ESAB Welding Equipment AB, ARISTO® 1000 AC/DC SAW
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reduced by about 50% for a single welding power source
[8] *** ESAB Welding Equipment AB, LAF 1001 Operating manual,
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