Effect of shielding gas flow rate on arc behaviors in GMAW with single cable-typed wire.

A three-dimensional numerical model of arc in gas metal arc welding (GMAW) with single cable-typed wire was established based on the theory of arc physics. The influences of different shielding gas flow rates on the features of temperature field, velocity field and pressure field were investigated. The results showed that the maximum velocity of arc plasma along radial direction and the arc pressure on the surface of workpieces were increased obviously with the increase of the shielding gas flow rate, while the arc temperature was changed little. This phenomenon was mainly attributed to the increasing collisions between arc plasmas and the self-rotation action of cable-typed wires. The arc temperature at the tip of the cable-typed wire reached the maximum. The maximum flow velocity of arc plasma was located at the tip of wire (2–8 mm). The arc pressures in the central axis reached the maximum pressure. The simulation results were in agreement with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]