Aws WJ 201308

PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN WELDING SOCIETY TO ADVANCE THE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND APPLICATION OF WELDING
AND ALLIED JOINING AND CUTTING PROCESSES WORLDWIDE, INCLUDING BRAZING, SOLDERING, AND THERMAL SPRAYING
August 2013
For Info go to www.aws.org/ad-index
3 WELDING JOURNAL
CONTENTS
34 Shielding Gas Blends Suited for Different Metals
Gas mixes for three different metals can improve their
welding
38 Amtrak Unveils Next Era of Locomotives
Amtrak anticipates growth in public transportation with its
order for 70 advanced technology electric locomotives
42 NO-Doped Shielding Gases Benefit Stainless Steel Welding
Nitric oxide-doped shielding gases features and benefits are
explained
J. Berkmanns
46 International Trade Fair and IIW Set to Dazzle Next Month
The largest gathering of welding-related companies in the
world is gearing up to display their best products
H. M. Woodward
51 How to Get Paid for Jobs Youve Completed
Welding fabricators offer tips on how to attack a recurring
problem getting paid for your work in a timely manner
D. Sadler
Welding Journal (ISSN 0043-2296) is published
monthly by the American Welding Society for
$120.00 per year in the United States and posses-
sions, $160 per year in foreign countries: $7.50
per single issue for domestic AWS members and
$10.00 per single issue for nonmembers and
$14.00 single issue for international. American
Welding Society is located at 8669 NW 36th St.,
# 130, Miami, FL 33166-6672; telephone (305)
443-9353. Periodicals postage paid in Miami, Fla.,
and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send
address changes to Welding Journal, 8669 NW
36th St., # 130, Miami, FL 33166-6672. Canada
Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608
Canada Returns to be sent to Bleuchip Interna-
tional, P.O. Box 25542,London, ON N6C 6B2,
Canada.
Readers of Welding Journal may make copies of
articles for personal, archival, educational or
research purposes, and which are not for sale or
resale. Permission is granted to quote from arti-
cles, provided customary acknowledgment of
authors and sources is made. Starred (*) items
excluded from copyright.
Departments
Editorial ............................4
Washington Watchword ..........6
Press Time News ..................8
News of the Industry ............10
Aluminum Q&A ..................18
Brazing Q&A ......................20
Technology........................22
Product & Print Spotlight ......24
Coming Events....................54
Certification Schedule ..........60
Welding Workbook ..............62
Society News ....................65
Tech Topics ......................66
Errata D1.4:2011 ..............66
Interpretations A5.01, A5.26..66
Guide to AWS Services ........83
Personnel ........................84
Classifieds ........................91
Advertiser Index..................92
225-s Microstructure and Wear Properties of Fe-2 wt-%
Cr-X wt-% W-0.67 wt-% C Hardfacing Layer
Hardfacing electrodes with different levels of tungsten were
tested to determine which displayed the best hardness and
wear resistance
J. Yang et al.
231-s Shunting Effect in Resistance Spot Welding Steels
Part 2: Theoretical Analysis
An analytical model was developed to study the effects of weld
spacing and welding parameters on shunting
Y. B. Li et al.
239-s Three-Dimensional Simulation of Underwater Welding
and Investigation of Effective Parameters
Using heat transfer equations, thermal history curves and cooling
time for a wet underwater weld were obtained
P. Ghadimi et al.
Features
Welding Research Supplement
34
38
46
August 2013 Volume 92 Number 8
AWS Web site www.aws.org
On the cover: A welder performs gas tungsten arc welding on stainless steel.
(Photo copyright of Linde Canada Limited.)
EDITORIAL
A recent Welding Journal editorial (see April 2013) by AWS Vice President Dave
Landon looked at the role of strategic planning as a means of ensuring the continuing
success of the Society. His message touched on the importance of international growth
for AWS, as well as expanding influence in all countries that rely on welding. In our bid
to be the worlds premier organization devoted to welding and allied joining and cutting
processes, we need to be aware of technology needs worldwide, as well as locally. While
AWS will continue to have a strong domestic focus, we also need to be an effective play-
er in an increasingly global economy.
To this end, it is worth noting that a good deal of our recent expansion is interna-
tional. AWS membership in other countries has developed very rapidly, with interna-
tional members growing about 25% over the past three years. Our total member base
outside the United States now numbers nearly 14,000. It may surprise you to learn that
our second-largest membership country is India, with 2928 members.
The current location of AWS World Headquarters in Doral (Miami), Fla., suits this
trend well. During its early years, following formation in 1919, AWS was headquartered
in New York City. With board approval, AWS relocated to Miami some 40 years ago. We
have often been asked, Why Miami?, but this move has proven to be an effective loca-
tion for AWS, as it centralizes travel and business dealings with other parts of the world.
As part of its growing presence in other countries, AWS is involved in many international
welding exhibitions, including partnerships in foreign shows that serve American exhibitors.
For example, AWS will be hosting a USA Exhibitor Pavilion at the quadrennial Essen
Welding Fair (Schweissen & Schneiden) in Germany this September, the worlds largest
show devoted exclusively to welding technologies (see story on page 46). AWS also sponsors
a USA Pavilion at the Beijing Essen Welding and Cutting Fair held each year in China. We
are represented at the Japan International Welding and Cutting Show and the Brazil
Welding Show, and we were present for the first time this year at the Weld Arabia show in
Dubai. AWS Weldmex, held annually in Mexico, has grown each year since we acquired that
show. Our U.S. FABTECH partners have contributed to this success by holding FABTECH
Mexico and Metalform Mexico at the same time and place. These co-located shows have
experienced strong and growing support from the Latin American market.
AWS will undertake an important new show venture in 2014 when it brings FABTECH
India into a partnership with the existing Weld India show in New Delhi, in cooperation with
the Indian Institute of Welding. Further, we recently commissioned P. K. Das as a special
contract representative for AWS interests in India and the Middle East.
Our publishing activities are also growing outside the United States. Since 2007, each
issue of the Indian Welding Journal has included an AWS Section with articles from our
own Welding Journal, and we regularly exchange editorial materials with Modern Welding
Technology, a magazine published in China. In addition, several AWS codes and stan-
dards have been translated into other languages, including publication of D1.1, Structural
Welding Code Steel, in Mandarin for the Chinese market.
To support our certification efforts internationally, we have more than doubled our
number of international agents since 2007, and the number of certification exams con-
ducted outside the U.S. has grown accordingly.
We are also active in affairs of the International Institute of Welding, hosting the IIW
Annual Assembly last year in Denver, but also participating each year in IIW Assemblies
outside the United States. AWS staff and volunteers have
served in many leadership roles on IIW Commissions and
the IIW Board of Directors.
In summary, AWS is keenly aware of the need to be rep-
resented globally as part of its overall development strategy.
While we will continue to maintain a strong focus on the
interests of our domestic members, we must also remain
aware of the central role of welding technologies throughout
the world.
AUGUST 2013 4
Officers
President Nancy C. Cole
NCC Engineering
Vice President Dean R. Wilson
Well-Dean Enterprises
Vice President David J. Landon
Vermeer Mfg. Co.
Vice President David L. McQuaid
D. L. McQuaid and Associates, Inc.
Treasurer Robert G. Pali
J. P. Nissen Co.
Executive Director Ray W. Shook
American Welding Society
Directors
T. Anderson (At Large), ITW Global Welding Tech. Center
U. Aschemeier (Dist. 7), Miami Diver
J. R. Bray (Dist. 18), Affiliated Machinery, Inc.
R. E. Brenner (Dist. 10), CnD Industries, Inc.
G. Fairbanks (Dist. 9), Fairbanks Inspection & Testing Services
T. A. Ferri (Dist. 1), Victor Technologies
D. A. Flood (At Large), Tri Tool, Inc.
S. A. Harris (Dist. 4), Altec Industries
K. L. Johnson (Dist. 19), Vigor Shipyards
J. Jones (Dist. 17), The Harris Products Group
W. A. Komlos (Dist. 20), ArcTech, LLC
T. J. Lienert (At Large), Los Alamos National Laboratory
J. Livesay (Dist. 8), Tennessee Technology Center
M. J. Lucas Jr. (At Large), Belcan Engineering
D. E. Lynnes (Dist. 15), Lynnes Welding Training
C. Matricardi (Dist. 5), Welding Solutions, Inc.
J. L. Mendoza (Past President), Lone Star Welding
S. P. Moran (At Large), Weir American Hydro
K. A. Phy (Dist. 6), KA Phy Services, Inc.
W. A. Rice (Past President), OKI Bering
R. L. Richwine (Dist. 14), Ivy Tech State College
D. J. Roland (Dist. 12), Marinette Marine Corp.
N. Saminich (Dist. 21), NS Inspection and Consulting
K. E. Shatell (Dist. 22), Pacific Gas & Electric Co.
T. A. Siewert (At Large), NIST (ret.)
H. W. Thompson (Dist. 2), Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.
R. P. Wilcox (Dist. 11), ACH Co.
J. A. Willard (Dist. 13), Kankakee Community College
M. R. Wiswesser (Dist. 3), Welder Training & Testing Institute
D. Wright (Dist. 16), Zephyr Products, Inc.
Founded in 1919 to Advance the Science,
Technology and Application of Welding
AWS An American
Organization, with Global Reach
Ray Shook
AWS Executive Director
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National Manufacturing Strategy
Legislation Reintroduced
The American Manufacturing Competitiveness Act of 2013
(H.R. 2447) has been introduced in the House, and a compan-
ion Senate bill is expected soon. The legislation is intended to
bring together the private and public sectors, to develop recom-
mendations, to revitalize American manufacturing, and create
good-paying, middle-class jobs here at home, according to its
main sponsor, Rep. Lipinski (D-Illinois).
An earlier version of this legislation actually passed in the
House in 2012 by a significant margin but died in the Senate. In
fact, this same legislation was originally introduced in 2011 under
a different name, The National Manufacturing Strategy Act.
It was thought that the new name, especially one that incorpo-
rates the word competitiveness, would attract more support,
which apparently has been the case.
Like its predecessors, this legislation would require the fed-
eral government to develop and update every 4 years a strate-
gic plan to improve government coordination and provide long-
term guidance for federal programs and activities in support of
United States manufacturing competitiveness, including ad-
vanced manufacturing, research, and development. The goals of
the strategic plan would be to:
P romote growth, including job creation, sustainability, and
competitiveness in the United States manufacturing sector.
Support the development of a skilled manufacturing
workforce.
Enable innovation and investment in domestic
manufacturing.
Support national security.
Administration Issues Report on
IP Enforcement
The White House has issued its 2013 Joint Strategic Plan on
intellectual property (IP) enforcement. The primary purpose of
the plan is to set forth how the federal government can best pro-
vide the legal, regulatory, and policy environment appropriate to
protect and advance intellectual property in the United States..
Among the concerns addressed in the report are
The continued significant risk to the U.S. economy posed by
IP infringement, especially overseas.
Abusive patent practices, such as patent trolls.
Efforts by foreign governments to condition market access,
the ability to do business on the transfer of trade secrets, or pro-
prietary information.
The report also observes that 3D printing has the capacity
to revolutionize manufacturing and research and development
capabilities [largely] by reducing traditional barriers such as
production, labor, and shipping costs.
NRC Issues Final Uranium and
Thorium Rules
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has amended
its regulations to require that the initial distribution of source
material (i.e., uranium and thorium) be explicitly authorized
by a specific license. The result will be that manufacturers and
importers of products that can be used without a license, such
as welding rods that contain thorium, will now need to apply to
the NRC for specific licenses to distribute these products. Such
licenses will impose new requirements for labeling (including
safe handling instructions along with the distributed product),
quality control, reporting, and record keeping.
While the NRC recognizes that the use of source in welding
rods is becoming less likely, and typical exposures to users is
likely less than previously estimated, nevertheless, exposures
can be [further] limited by a user who is properly informed con-
cerning the inherent risks of exposures and methods for reduc-
ing exposure.
For source material being processed or in a dispersible form,
such as liquid or powder, the limit on the use or transfer at any
one time without a license is decreasing from 15 to 3.3 lb; the
annual limit will drop from 150 to 15.4 lb. Limits are not chang-
ing for anyone possessing source material in a solid, nondis-
persible form. This final rule becomes effective August 27, 2013.
Bill Designed to Reduce Paperwork Burden
The Burdensome Data Collection Relief Act (H.R. 1135),
which has been approved by the House Financial Services Com-
mittee, would repeal the section of the Dodd-Frank Act that re-
quires publicly held companies to disclose in every public filing
the ratio between the CEOs pay and the total median compen-
sation for all other employees. The concern is that this require-
ment, which is broadly considered to be unworkable and unnec-
essary, has been interpreted as requiring all public companies to
determine the compensation of all of its employees around the
world, calculate the median annual compensation, and include
this information in every filing. The time and effort required to
develop and monitor these statistics could be extensive. How-
ever, supporters of the requirement believe that it gives investors
important information.
Federal Estate Tax Once Again Proposed
for Repeal
Each year, there is an effort in Congress to eliminate the fed-
eral estate tax (commonly referred to by its detractors as the
Death Tax), and 2013 is no exception, with introduction of the
Death Tax Repeal Act of 2013 (S. 1183, H.R. 2429). This bill
would repeal the estate and generation skipping transfer taxes
and tax lifetime gifts at a top rate of 35%. This legislation is seen
as potentially beneficial in particular to small- and medium-sized
companies, including manufacturers that are family-owned.
WASHINGTON
WATCHWORD
AUGUST 2013 6
BY HUGH K. WEBSTER
AWS WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS OFFICE
Contact the AWS Washington Government Affairs Office at
1747 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20006; e-mail
hwebster@wc-b.com; FAX (202) 835-0243.

2% thoriateo thiro pass
erosion visible
Field Testing

PRESS TIME
NEWS
EWI Commits to National Accelerated Welder Training
EWI, Columbus, Ohio, is launching a program to train 25,000 welders in the United
States over the next three years. The Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action,
finalized on June 14 at the Clinton Global Initiative America Manufacturing Working
Group meeting in Chicago, Ill., is aimed at helping the shortage of skilled replacement
workers facing American companies as the economy improves.
EWI and its affiliate, RealWeld Systems, Inc., are set to introduce welder training
and credentialing advancements that will set a future standard. Utilizing the RealWeld
Trainer, a motion-capture system that tracks and measures a welders technique dur-
ing live welding, they will develop badge credentials for industry-specific welding proce-
dures based on the Mozilla Open Badges standard. These can be incorporated into an
existing welding instruction curriculum.
The American Welding Society, Weld-Ed, and The Manufacturing Institute have
joined the endeavor to help develop training standards and define a certification sys-
tem. Once in place, the program will be implemented through a network of 200 com-
munity colleges, career centers, and training sites.
WPI, GM Global Powertrain Engineering Receive Patent
The Center for Heat Treating Excellence at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI),
Worcester, Mass., and one of its members, GM Global Powertrain Engineering, have
been awarded U.S. Patent No. 8437991, Systems and Methods for Predicting Heat Trans-
fer Coefficients during Quenching. It will help make cast parts more durable.
The inventors are Qigui Wang, PhD, GM Powertrain; Bowang Xiao, PhD, GM Pow-
ertrain; Gang Wang, PhD, associate professor at Tsinghua University in China (formerly
a research scientist at WPI); Richard D. Sisson, PhD, George F. Fuller Professor of Me-
chanical Engineering at WPI and director of WPIs Materials Science and Engineering
Program; and Kevin Rong, PhD, professor of mechanical engineering at WPI.
Projects Break Ground to Improve Railroad Safety
The U.S. Department of Transportations Federal Railroad Administration recently
revealed the North Carolina Department of Transportation has started constructing rail
safety improvement projects along the North Carolina Railroads Piedmont Corridor
between Raleigh and Charlotte. These projects are part of the Piedmont Improvement
Program, supported by a $520 million American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of
2009 grant. They will enhance safety for train travelers, motorists, and pedestrians while
laying the foundation for a higher-performing freight and passenger rail network.
In addition, new grade separations such as road or rail overpasses or underpasses,
and highway-rail grade crossing closures and enhancements, will enable trains on the
Piedmont Corridor to travel faster plus help communities benefit from reduced road-
way congestion and improved safety at crossings.
Trident Technical College to Celebrate 50th Anniversary,
Seeks Stories from Former Students
Next year marks the 50th anniversary for Trident Technical College (TTC), North
Charleston, S.C. Welding has been one of the colleges core programs since 1964.
To celebrate, it would like alumni and former students to share their stories, includ-
ing what they have been up to and how TTC changed their lives. College history, mem-
ories from the TTC family, photos, business and community partnerships, and more will
be highlighted. Sign up at www.tridenttech.edu/alumni.htm or e-mail alumni@
tridenttech.edu.
AWS Mailing Address Changed
All mail for the American Welding Society (AWS) world headquarters should be sent
to 8669 NW 36 St., # 130, Miami, FL 33166-6672.
Beginning this month, the USPS will stop forwarding mail addressed to the former
LeJeune Rd. location.
AUGUST 2013 8
MEMBER
Publisher Andrew Cullison
Publisher Emeritus Jeff Weber
Editorial
Editorial Director Andrew Cullison
Editor Mary Ruth Johnsen
Associate Editor Howard M. Woodward
Associate Editor Kristin Campbell
Editorial Asst./Peer Review Coordinator Melissa Gomez
Design and Production
Production Manager Zaida Chavez
Senior Production Coordinator Brenda Flores
Manager of International Periodicals and
Electronic Media Carlos Guzman
Advertising
National Sales Director Rob Saltzstein
Advertising Sales Representative Lea Paneca
Advertising Sales Representative Sandra Jorgensen
Senior Advertising Production Manager Frank Wilson
Subscriptions
Subscriptions Representative Tabetha Moore
tmoore@aws.org
8669 NW 36 St., # 130, Miami, FL 33166-6672
(305) 443-9353 or (800) 443-9353
Publications, Expositions, Marketing Committee
D. L. Doench, Chair
Hobart Brothers Co.
S. Bartholomew, Vice Chair
ESAB Welding & Cutting Prod.
J. D. Weber, Secretary
D. Brown, Weiler Brush
T. Coco, Victor Technologies International
L. Davis, ORS Nasco
D. DeCorte, RoMan Mfg.
J. R. Franklin, Sellstrom Mfg. Co.
F. H. Kasnick, Praxair
D. Levin, Airgas
E. C. Lipphardt, Consultant
R. Madden, Hypertherm
D. Marquard, IBEDA Superflash
J. F. Saenger Jr., Consultant
S. Smith, Weld-Aid Products
D. Wilson, Well-Dean Enterprises
N. C. Cole, Ex Off., NCC Engineering
J. N. DuPont, Ex Off., Lehigh University
L. G. Kvidahl, Ex Off., Northrup Grumman Ship Systems
D. J. Landon, Ex Off., Vermeer Mfg.
S. P. Moran, Ex Off., Weir American Hydro
E. Norman, Ex Off., Southwest Area Career Center
R. G. Pali, Ex Off., J. P. Nissen Co.
N. Scotchmer, Ex Off., Huys Industries
R. W. Shook, Ex Off., American Welding Society
Copyright 2013 by American Welding Society in both printed and elec-
tronic formats. The Society is not responsible for any statement made or
opinion expressed herein. Data and information developed by the authors
of specific articles are for informational purposes only and are not in-
tended for use without independent, substantiating investigation on the
part of potential users.
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NEWS OF THE
INDUSTRY
Weld.com Launches Forum
Weld.com, Pittsburgh, Pa., recently added the Weekend War-
riors Forum to its site. One of the features launched with this is
the Monthly Welders Contest where participants can compete
for prizes.
Currently, the forum is running a contest challenging users to
submit their best welding cart design. The one receiving the most
likes at the end of the summer (Labor Day) wins. Heres the
award: Weld.com will be launching a new gas metal arc welding
video series where in the first episode, it will be building this cart,
and when complete, the finished product will be shipped to who-
ever submitted the design. To enter, visit the sites forum, create
a username, design your cart, and post it.
Flame Tech Supports Welding Career Day
Flame Technologies Inc., Cedar Park, Tex., recently sponsored
a Cut and Drop contest at Austin Community Colleges an-
nual Applied Technologies Open House. Students demonstrated
their knowledge on operating a cutting torch and showed off their
Engineers at NASAs Michoud Assembly Facility, New Orleans,
La., are installing large tools to weld pieces of the core stage for
the Space Launch System (SLS). This new, heavy-lift rocket will
send humans to deep-space destinations, including an asteroid and
Mars.
One of the challenges that we face in building this large core
stage is to develop world-class tooling using modern manufactur-
ing methods in an affordable way, while maintaining the sched-
uled first launch in 2017, said Tony Lavoie, manager of the Stages
Office at NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala.
Six welding tools will be used to handle assembly of the new
cryogenic core stage on SLS. Suppliers worked with NASA and
The Boeing Co. of Huntsville over the course of a year to design
and build the tools.
The circumferential dome weld tool will be used to perform
circumferential friction stir welds in producing dome assemblies
for the SLS core stage cryogenic tanks. The gore weld tool will
perform vertical conventional friction stir welds in producing gore
assemblies for the SLS core stage tanks. In addition, the circum-
ferential dome weld and gore weld tools are for the enhanced ro-
botic weld tool used to make dome components for SLS. The ver-
tical weld center, a friction-stir-weld tool for wet and dry struc-
tures on the SLS core stage, will weld barrel panels to produce
whole barrels for the two pressurized tanks, intertank, forward skirt, and aft engine section; it stands about three stories tall and
weighs 150 tons. The segmented ring tool will use a friction-stir-weld process to produce segmented support rings for the SLS core
stage.
Also, the vertical assembly center 170 ft tall and 78 ft wide will join domes, rings, and barrels to complete tanks or dry
structure assemblies. The tool will perform nondestructive examination on the completed welds. It is anticipated to be completed
in 2014.
Were already welding on the new tooling and are gathering information well need to start production welding, said Rick
Navarro, Boeing operations manager at Michoud. That old saying, measure twice, cut once, applies in spades when youre build-
ing a 5.5-million-pound rocket. We do a lot of testing, validating, and what we call qualifying welds that ensure we have all the in-
formation we need to build with 100% quality assurance.
AUGUST 2013 10
This artist illustration features the vertical weld center, a fric-
tion-stir-weld tool for wet and dry structures on the Space Launch
System core stage. (Image courtesy of NASA/MAF.)
Colten Caroselli (left), a Luling High School student pursuing a
welding career, is shown with Dean Bridges, district sales manager
at Flame Technologies. As 1st-place winner, he received a cutting
kit sponsored by the company as part of a Cut and Drop contest.
continued on page 13
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13 WELDING JOURNAL
skill levels cutting through a -in. metal plate while being timed.
The top three contestants received product prizes from Flame
Techs Dean Bridges, district sales manager, and Phil Montez,
sales/marketing specialist. Fifty-three participants competed in
the event. Also, the company and other manufacturers spoke to
students about career options and equipment choices.
Greenbrier Presents New Auto-Carrying
Railcar with Patented Adjustable Deck
The Greenbrier Companies, Inc., Lake Oswego, Ore., have
revealed Multi-Max, an automobile-carrying railcar featuring
a patented adjustable deck, that allows it to be used for bi- and
tri-level service. Complete deck adjustments can be made in about
five hours without removing the deck. The sealed end door de-
For info go to www.aws.org/ad-index
A Greenbrier welder at the companys new Concarril Mexico facil-
ity (Plant #2) finishes a side sheet weld using flux cored arc weld-
ing on a covered hopper railcar, which will be used to transport frac
sand for horizontal drilling.
Shown at the unveiling for the Multi-Max auto-carrying railcar
are customers and Greenbriers commercial team members.
NEWS OF THE INDUSTRY
continued from page 10
AUGUST 2013 14
ters theft and vandalism, offering security for vehicle protection
over long-distance hauls. Enhanced door edges provide smooth
cargo loading, reducing the risk of damage during transit.
The railcar was developed with input from Class I railroads
and vehicle manufacturers. Greenbrier took the lead with sev-
eral railroads to capture ideas, design those concepts, and now
build a railcar that meets our needs today and tomorrow, said
Paddy ONeill, senior director equipment planning at Norfolk
Southern Corp.
Railroads carry approximately 70% of all new vehicles manu-
factured in North America. Over the next three years, independ-
ent industry forecasts project that deliveries of vehicle-carrying
railcars will exceed 10,000 units in North America.
Mexico recently surpassed Japan as the largest exporter of
light vehicles to the United States and is forecast to increase its
share of North American light vehicle production over the next
decade. This shift will further support growth in automobile rail
loadings with rail as the preferred transportation method for light
vehicles manufactured in Mexico. Greenbriers vehicle-carrying
railcar products, including Multi-Max, are manufactured in
Mexico as well.
SGS Receives Contract to Provide
Nondestructive Examination
On May 27, SGS received a contract to provide nondestruc-
tive examination (NDE) and certified welding inspections for an
energy delivery provider in North America. This partner also op-
erates the worlds longest crude oil and liquids transportation
system. According to the agreement, scheduled to run June 1
until August 1 of this year, five Certified Welding Inspectors from
SGS, acting as client representatives on integrity digs, will be per-
forming on-site inspections in Wisconsin.
Mandatory regular monitoring and inspection programs red-
flag pipeline features requiring visual inspection to determine
the need for repair or other action. Integrity digs involve exca-
vating a section of buried pipe for cleaning and examination. De-
fects are repaired, the pipe recoated, and reburied. In some cases,
old pipe sections are cut and replaced with new welded pipe.
GE and Manufacturing Institute Expand
Skills Training Program for U.S. Veterans
GE, with the Manufacturing Institute and National Associa-
tion of Manufacturers, recently announced 190 new manufactur-
ers have joined the Get Skills to Work coalition. The companies
will receive access to online resources for helping connect with
veterans who possess skills important to manufacturers. These
include LinkedIn and the US Manufacturing Pipeline, which
showcases digital Military Manufacturing Badges for veterans
with experience in welding and other high-demand occupations.
In addition, the coalition announced an extra 1000 training
slots for veterans at TechShop, a membership-based do-it-your-
self workshop and prototyping studio. The Department of Vet-
erans Affairs Center for Innovation has linked its partnership
with TechShop by joining the coalition as well.
Stanco Celebrates 25th Anniversary
Stanco Manufacturing, Inc., Atlanta, Tex., a manufacturer of
personal protective equipment, turned 25 years old on April 12.
Gentec is a total solution provider for your welding, cutting, and gas control needs.
From components to fully integrated systems, we can offer customized solutions to ft
your specifc needs. Our team is dedicated to servicing you with engineering and support.
Genstar Technologies Company nc.
909.606.2726 www.genstartech.com
Welding & Cutting Automation Gas Welding & Cutting Apparatus Welding & Cutting Accessories
Manifolds Gas Control Panels Switchovers Regulators Valves Gauges
Come visit us at: ESSEN Germany September 16 - 21 HaII 7.0 Booth: F138
The event, celebrated with a luncheon at its manufacturing facil-
ity, included distinguished guests, retirees/current employees,
friends, industry associates, and local officials.
Edward R. Stanley, who started the business in 1988 and is
current president/COO, was honored with a presentation by Dean
Wilson, Well-Dean Enterprises and American Welding Society
(AWS) president-elect. Craig Loos, ORS Nasco, spoke of his
companys association with Stanco from day one, being its first
customer, and building a cohesive relationship.
15 WELDING JOURNAL
Dean Wilson (left), AWS president-elect, presented an apprecia-
tion certificate to Edward R. Stanley, founder of Stanco Manufac-
turing, in honor of the companys 25th anniversary.
ExxonMobil Commits $500,000 to
Workforce Training
ExxonMobil will fund a $500,000 workforce training program
for enabling Houstons community colleges to prepare thousands
of local residents for high-paying jobs in the local chemical man-
ufacturing industry. The initiative, building on the Lee College
ExxonMobil Process Technology Program, will benefit 50,000
students and educators over the next five years.
Lee College will work with Houston Community College,
Lone Star College, San Jacinto Junior College, Alvin Commu-
nity College, Wharton County Junior College, Brazosport Col-
lege, Galveston College, and College of the Mainland. The pur-
pose is to train students seeking certification or degree comple-
tion programs for welding, pipefitting, instrumentation, electri-
cal, machinist/millwright, and other skills. There are also plans
to include area high schools.
Industry Notes
Through the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), 4422 Welding Merit
Badges were earned from March to December 2012. Accord-
ing to BSA, this number is huge because it was achieved dur-
ing the first 10 months of the badges launch. It also expects
the number of welding badges distributed this year to double
based on Jamboree exposure and work being done with Lin-
coln Electric.
ABB Robotics hosted more than 1000 people during its annual
Technology Day held May 15 at the companys U.S. headquar-
ters and training center in Auburn Hills, Mich. The 55,000-sq-
ft exhibit floor included more than 40 live robot-related demos
and 45 small-group, topic-specific seminars.
L.B. Foster Co., Pittsburgh, Pa., has completed delivering ap-
proximately 2600 tons of 36-in.-diameter steel pipe to Balfour
Beatty Infrastructure, Inc., for use as lateral shoring struts in
excavating San Franciscos new Transbay Transit Center.
SME, Dearborn, Mich., is integrating events, publishing, mem-
bership, the Tooling U-SME online training division, and SME
Education Foundation around a mission to inspire, prepare,
and support its stakeholders in advancing manufacturing. It
will also refer to itself by its monogram and has a new logo.
First Coast Technical College, an AWS member, recently an-
nounced the applied welding technology program is returning
to its main campus in St. Augustine, Fla., with classes sched-
uled to begin August 19 for adults and high school students.
Quality Steel Corp., Cleveland, Ohio, an ASME propane tank
manufacturer, has acquired American Welding and Tank with
facilities in Fremont, Ohio, and West Jordan, Utah, from Tay-
lor-Wharton International.
Laboratory Testing Inc., Hatfield, Pa., has expanded services
for X-ray inspection. Its Nondestructive Testing Dept. now per-
AUGUST 2013 16
water or gas-cooled models. To see the VR5000 Case feeder in action visit
www.youtube.com/FroniusWelding and search VR 5000.
To learn more visit www.fronius-usa.com
/ Battery Charging Systems / Welding Technology / Solar Electronics
/ The VR 5000 Case feeder is compact, sturdy and portable making it ideal for welding on rail
vehicle construction. Its light weight (22 pounds) and comes with a Bayonet connector which
protects it from strain when pulling on the hosepack (up to 225 feet). Synergic and manual,

ALUMINUM
Q&A
BY TONY ANDERSON
Q: I have been attempting to qualify a
complete joint penetration groove weld,
welding procedure, with
3
8-in.-thick 6061-
T6 base material and 5356 filler metal. I
employ a very good welder, experienced
with gas metal arc welding aluminum,
who cleans the aluminum plates thor-
oughly before welding. We find our welds
to have very low porosity levels and no
signs of any other significant disconti-
nuities. The two root bends and two face
bends subjected to the guided bend test
are passing with no problems. However,
the welds are failing to pass the reduced
section transverse tension tests.
For this particular aluminum base
material, the welding code requires that
we obtain a minimum tensile strength
value of 24 ksi. We are consistently ob-
taining values below this, and the test
samples are failing in the heat-affected
zone (HAZ). Someone suggested that we
need to use a higher preheat tempera-
ture, so we increased it from 300 to
400F. This has not helped the situation.
Can you please explain why a weld
that appears to be completely sound and
can pass both root and face bends does
not provide the minimum tensile
strength requirements of the code?
A: There are three items I would suggest
you consider as being a possible reason
for this unfortunate situation. I will start
with the most unlikely possibility and
conclude with the one I think most
probable.
The Correct Base Material
Check material certification to ensure
that you are actually using a 6061-T6 base
material. I was once informed of a simi-
lar situation where the material being
used for test plates was identified as a
lower-strength 6xxx series alloy. Alu-
minum-base Alloy 6063, for instance, has
a lower tensile strength than 6061 and is
only required to provide 17 ksi when
transverse tension tested. This situation
may be unlikely, but if both materials are
being used in the same facility and some-
how they have been substituted, it may
be your problem.
Testing Procedures Used
Check to ensure that the transverse
tension tests have been conducted in ac-
cordance with the testing requirements
specified by your code, the samples tested
were prepared correctly, and the test re-
sults are based on sound calculations. I
have on more than one occasion found
incorrect testing procedures to be the
cause of illogical test results. If the me-
chanical testing was performed by a rep-
utable testing facility, it would be
extremely unlikely that this is your
problem.
Overheating the Base Material
Considering all the information you
have provided, I strongly suspect that
overheating is the most probable reason
that you are not passing the tension tests.
You state that you are using 5356 to
weld 6061-T6; this is very acceptable and
should in no way contribute to your prob-
lem. You also say that you have a good
welder who cleans the plates thoroughly
before welding, and this would support
your claim that you have low porosity
welds with minimum discontinuities that
can pass both root and face bend tests. I
strongly suspect that you have a good
welder and a very good weld, which has
more than adequate strength to pass the
tension tests. Therefore, I would expect
to find the reason for the weld test fail-
ures to be more closely associated with
the condition of the base metal HAZ
rather than the weld.
I believe your problem is associated
with some of the other facts that you re-
port. You say that the weld failures occur
in the HAZ, and you increased the pre-
heat temperature from 300 to 400F.
These two statements strongly suggest
that the reason for your weld test failures
is associated with overheating the base
material during the welding operation.
How Does Overheating the
Base Material Affect the
Strength of the Welded Joint?
The minimum tensile strengths pre-
scribed by the welding code for the heat-
treatable aluminum base alloys, such as
6061-T6, are derived from their overaged
and partially annealed condition.
Heat-treatable alloys are strength-
ened to their T6 temper condition
through a thermal process called precip-
itation hardening. The precipitation
hardened condition of the base metal,
which provides the 6061-T6 its minimum
tensile strength of 42 ksi, is significantly
affected during the welding process. A
narrow band of base metal, immediately
adjacent to the weld known as the HAZ,
is heated to a temperature that is con-
ducive to a metallurgical change in the
base material. Compounds, in this case
magnesium silicide, are precipitated out
of solution in a process called overaging;
this process will reduce the tensile
strength in the HAZ.
A reasonable amount of strength re-
AUGUST 2013 18
Fig. 1 This chart shows the effect of varying heat inputs on the tensile strength of 6061-
T6. As can be seen, as the heat input is increased, the tensile strength of the base material
decreases. The 5083 base material has been added to show how the 5xxx series, nonheat-
treatable alloys are far less affected by the heat of the welding operation.
19 WELDING JOURNAL
duction for this base metal, welded in the
T6 temper, has been established as
being reductions to no lower than 24 ksi
after welding. This 24 ksi minimum is
only obtainable if attention is paid to con-
trolling the heat input during welding and
avoiding the introduction of excessive
amounts of heat for prolonged periods.
In theory, if when welding the tempera-
ture was sufficiently high and maintained
for a long enough period, we could re-
duce the strength of the weld HAZ of
6061-T6 to its annealed condition, which
is around 18 ksi.
The reason why we dont typically
reach the annealed condition is because
the time required to fully anneal the alloy
(many hours) is generally much longer
than the time required when making a
weld. This being said, it must still be re-
alized that the higher the heat during
welding, the greater the strength lower-
ing reversal, and that any method that
can be used to lower the overall heat ex-
posure in the HAZ will result in im-
proved transverse tensile strength of the
welded joint Fig. 1.
Preheating
Preheating this type of material (heat-
treatable aluminum) is best avoided;
there should be no necessity to preheat
3
8-in.-thick base material, other than to
remove moisture, which is achievable at
a temperature a little over 100F. The
300 and 400F preheating temperatures
that you have been using are seriously ex-
cessive and for that matter, outside of the
code requirements.
The American Welding Societys
D1.2, Structural Welding Code Alu-
minum, specifies the following under its
requirements for preheat and interpass
temperatures: When welding the heat-
treatable aluminum alloys or the 5000 se-
ries aluminum magnesium alloys con-
taining more than 3% magnesium, the
preheat and interpass temperature shall
not exceed 250F. Holding time at this
temperature shall not exceed 15 min.
Suggestions
Following are some suggestions on
how you may improve your tension test
results and hopefully qualify your weld-
ing procedures.
First, remove the excessive preheat
temperature; it should be perfectly ac-
ceptable to weld these test samples with-
out any preheat. My suggestion would be
to use a preheat temperature of 150F
maximum, applied primarily to remove
moisture immediately prior to welding.
Second, carefully monitor your inter-
pass temperature; do not continue weld-
ing a subsequent weld pass until the weld
has cooled to 150F, or even to room
temperature.
Third, avoid slow travel speeds; weld-
ing aluminum hot and fast is the pre-
ferred method of choice, using high
power density (the upper end of the rec-
ommended range of both amps and volts)
and a relatively fast travel speed (favor-
able to good fusion and acceptable weld
profile).
Using these techniques to produce
stringer beads will provide the following
two advantages:
help to lower heat input, which in
turn should improve tensile strength
help to avoid incomplete fusion
problems, which can occur when welding
at slower speeds that may allow excess
molten aluminum filler metal to flow
onto the high thermally conductive base
plate and not completely fuse.
Summary
If a weld made in an aluminum heat-
treatable alloy meets the requirements
for guided bend testing, and gives the ap-
pearance of being relatively free of dis-
continuities, yet has insufficient tensile
strength to pass transverse tension tests,
the most obvious reason for its low
strength would be overheating of the
base metal HAZ during the welding
process. The arc welding process has the
potential to overheat these types of base
metals to an extent that their tensile
strength can drop to below the minimum
prescribed by the code. To consistently
pass tension tests, it is necessary to insti-
tute procedural controls that minimize
heat input during welding. Welding alu-
minum hot and fast is the generally ac-
cepted method of creating a stronger
welded joint and reducing the potential
for incomplete fusion.
TONY ANDERSON is director of aluminum
technology, ITW Welding North America. He is
a Fellow of the British Welding Institute (TWI),
a Registered Chartered Engineer with the British
Engineering Council, and holds numerous posi-
tions on AWS technical committees. He is chair-
man of the Aluminum Association Technical
Advisory Committee for Welding and author of
the book Welding Aluminum Questions and
Answers currently available from the AWS.
Questions may be sent to Mr. Anderson c/o Weld-
ing Journal, 8669 NW 36 St., # 130, Miami, FL
33166-6672, or via e-mail at tony.anderson@
millerwelds.com.
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BRAZING
Q&A
BY ALEXANDER E. SHAPIRO
Q: We need assistance to design and
manufacture a structure for cryogenic
work that will be immersed in liquid ni-
trogen with the upper tubing staying at
ambient temperature. The application of
low-weight metals is very desirable but
the bottom plate or cup should be made
from copper as the metal with the best
thermal conductivity. The cylinder can be
made of aluminum, titanium, or magne-
sium alloys. As any combination of these
metals with copper is not weldable, we
have to join the cylinder, the bottom, and
tubing by brazing or soldering. But we
cannot find any data about the mechani-
cal behavior of brazed joints of dissimi-
lar metals at cryogenic thermal cycling.
How should we select a filler metal or sol-
der for this job? What would be the best
material combinations to provide reli-
able work for at least 2000 hours?
A: You are right, the properties of brazed
joints subjected to low temperatures are
not known for many base metal/filler
metal combinations. Some data were
published for brazed joints designed for
use in nuclear industry applications, but
the joining technique is definitely not
suitable in your case. Therefore, I only
can share with you some data obtained
from my own experience (Ref. 1) Figs.
1, 2.
As shown in Fig. 1, the first effect that
you can face is shrinkage porosity in the
brazed joints, especially at the interfaces
between the base metal and the joint
metal. The porosity results from thermal
stresses appearing between two metals
having slightly different coefficients of
thermal expansion. The vacancies
formed here during cycle-by-cycle of
cryogenic treatment are accumulated to
form tiny pores by coalescence. So, the
first rule of designing joints projected for
cryogenic thermal cycling is to use ductile
metals that can release thermal stresses
by their plasticity. The ductility of joint
metal is more important here than shear
or tensile strengths of the joints.
Secondly, we can expect that mi-
crostructures of both base metal and
filler metal will be changed due to
quenching by deep and fast cooling in liq-
uid nitrogen. And this really happens
Fig. 2A, B. Microconstituents observed
appear similar in these samples regard-
less of cryogenic cycle experienced, e.g.,
Fig. 2A reveals large needles, while in
Fig. 2B small needle-like crystals appear.
Consequently, the strength of brazed or
soldered joints is changed, too. The nee-
dle-like microconstituent appears to be
present in increased quantity in the sam-
ple that underwent one cycle of cryogenic
cooling. Some improvement of joint
strength can be expected resulting from
the hardening effect of filler metal
after cryogenic cooling. The tensile
strength of soldered joints of aluminum
cast Alloy A356 after cryogenic cooling
reached 9.8 ksi (67.6 MPa), while joints
as soldered failed practically immedi-
ately after loading, at <1 ksi (<6.9 MPa).
The same effect significantly improves
the strength of copper brazed joints made
with standard silver filler metal BAg-24.
Shear strength after brazing and one
cycle of cryogenic cooling is 18.9 ksi
(130.4 MPa), while after brazing only 14.1
ksi (97.3 MPa).
Not only microstructure and mechan-
ical behavior of the joint metal can be
changed by cryogenic cooling but also
structure and properties of the base ma-
terial. Cryogenic treatment is well known
to improve hardness and wear resistance
of alloy steels. Cryogenic cooling may re-
sult in complete martensitic transforma-
tion or precipitation hardening, which
was not completed in the steel as deliv-
ered by the manufacturer.
The same effect causes an increase in
the yield and/or tensile strength of alu-
minum or titanium alloys (Ref. 2). We
found that ultimate tensile strength of
aluminum cast Alloy A356 (Al-Si eutec-
tic) grew, after cooling in liquid nitrogen,
from 34 to 4244 ksi (235 to 290304
MPa), which is ~26% of improvement.
The strength of cast magnesium Alloy
AZ91C improved by ~9%: from 34 to
37.05 ksi (235 to 256 MPa). The strength
of wrought titanium Grade 2 also went up
after cryogenic treatment from 132.9 to
137.7 ksi (917 to 950 MPa). However, the
increase of strength does not always
occur.
If the base metal was heat treated
properly, then cryogenic cycling may not
improve its mechanical properties. For
example, the strength of cold-rolled pre-
cipitation-hardened aluminum A7075
bars did not change during such process-
ing. Cold-rolled copper bars also almost
did not respond to cooling in liquid ni-
trogen (Refs. 1, 2).
The increased strength of the base
Fig. 1 Shrinkage porosity at the inter-
face of copper and P81 brazing filler metal
after cycling in liquid nitrogen.
Fig. 2 Fillet microstructure after sol-
dering A356 aluminum cast alloy with Sn-
20Zn solder. A After soldering; B
after one cycle of cryogenic cooling.
AUGUST 2013 20
A
B
metal will definitely reflect strength of
brazed or soldered joints. For example,
brazed joints of titanium made with Al-
5Mg-0.4Fe filler metal exhibited im-
proved strength ~11.6 ksi (80 MPa) after
brazing plus cryogenic cooling vs. 9.9 ksi
(68 MPa) immediately after brazing.
Thirdly, very often, the brazing ther-
mal cycle works as a tempering or even an
annealing heat treatment of wrought
base metals. For example, the brazing
temperature of all aluminum alloys is in
the range of 580610C (10761130F);
but most heat treatment operations are
carried out below 450C (840F). Tita-
nium alloys are mostly brazed above the
transus temperature; or some-
times, alloy steels are brazed above or
close to the temperature of martensitic
transformation but they are cooled after
brazing in a furnace or in air losing hard-
ness and strength. Deep quenching in liq-
uid nitrogen can be used for recovering
mechanical properties of base materials
after brazing and this point should be
taken into consideration when one se-
lects materials for brazed structures.
Summarizing the above factors, we
can say that metallurgical compatibility
of base and filler metals, as well as their
possible structural transformations dur-
ing deep cooling, are the most important
points when designing brazed or soldered
joints projected for operation in a cryo-
genic medium. Preliminary testing is nec-
essary to find out the effect of cryogenic
cycling on mechanical behavior and mi-
crostructure of base materials and brazed
or soldered joints.
For your application, I would recom-
mend a titanium cylinder with the thread
connection to the copper cup that can be
sealed by brazing either with a silver filler
metal like BAg-24 or with aluminum
filler metal BAlSi-4. An alternative solu-
tion is soldering of thread connection
of aluminum cylinder with the copper
cup using Sn-9Zn or Sn-20Zn
solders.
References
1. Faith, C., Gould, E., McNeal, A.,
Alexandrov, B., and Shapiro, A. 2009.
Evaluation of brazed and soldered joints
after thermal cycling in liquid nitrogen.
Proc. of 4th Int. Brazing and Soldering
Conference. AWS, Orlando. pp. 176180.
2. Lulay, K. E., Khan, K., and Chaaya,
D. 2002. The effect of cryogenic treat-
ment on 7075 aluminum alloy. J. Materi-
als Engineering and Performance 11(5):
479480.
21 WELDING JOURNAL
This column is written sequentially by TIM P. HIRTHE, ALEXANDER E.
SHAPIRO, and DAN KAY. Hirthe and Shapiro are members of and Kay is an advi-
sor to the C3 Committee on Brazing and Soldering. All three have contributed to the
5th edition of AWS Brazing Handbook.
Hirthe (timhirthe@aol.com) currently serves as a BSMC vice chair and owns his
own consulting business.
Shapiro (ashapiro@titanium-brazing.com) is brazing products manager at Tita-
nium Brazing, Inc., Columbus, Ohio.
Kay (Dan@kaybrazing.com), with 40 years of experience in the industry, operates
his own brazing training and consulting business.
Readers are requested to post their questions for use in this column on the Brazing
Forum section of the BSMC Web site www.brazingandsoldering.com.
TECHNOLOGY
With the demand to use rail freight on the rise over the past
few years, it is important to keep up with demand for locomo-
tives and other railcars to support the industries that need to ship
their products, such as minerals, fuels, and hard goods, to cus-
tomers, distributors, and distribution centers. Since 1980, rail
freight shipments have grown nearly 500% with an expected 200%
growth to come over the next 20 years. That growth, along with
freight rail rates being near an all-time-record low, has many
freight car manufacturing facilities gearing up to meet this in-
creased demand for manufacturing a greater number of cars to
be delivered per year. However, a limiting factor to how many
tanker cars or boxcars can be delivered depends on how fast they
can assemble and weld all of the integral structures.
At many of the top rolling stock manufacturers in the United
States and around the world today, welding professionals and
engineers are faced with questions of how do we produce rail
cars and locomotives faster and more efficiently? One key re-
sponse is to control the labor costs and time most often associ-
ated with the welding and construction of these cars. Today, nearly
all railcars are assembled and welded by hand, which is a slow,
cost-ineffective process. Manual welding requires a relatively
high level of training and skill. As skilled welders become more
difficult to find, mechanized welding is an economical alterna-
tive that makes less-skilled welders more efficient in producing
higher quality welds. Less welder skill and physical effort are re-
quired using mechanized welding solutions.
When looking at typical welding deposition rates and operat-
ing factors, the benefits of mechanizing are not only well
grounded, but indicate a relatively quicker return on investment
on your equipment. Additionally, typical deposition rates for
manual shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) are between 0.4
and 0.7 kg/h, while the semiautomatic hand-held gas metal arc
welding (GMAW) process increases the rates to around 1.11.4
kg/h. If you have taken the steps necessary to upgrade your
welders from SMAW to semiautomatic GMAW already, why not
take it one step further and invest in mechanization to poten-
tially double your deposition rates? Typical deposition rates after
mechanizing can peak from 1.6 to 3.0 kg/h depending on your
process selection. Typical operating factors increase as well from
typically 4050%, to in excess of 70% for arc-on time.
One way to take advantage of these mechanization gains is
with a self-propelled welding tractor. Welders often work in close,
tight-fitting quarters and need machines to not only fit where
they have to weld, but that can also take the abuse of day-to-day
industrial welding environments.
An example of a welding tractor used in boxcar and tank car
facilities is the KBUG-1200 from Bug-O Systems. This unit is a
small, rugged welding machine. This type of machine removes
the torch from the welders hand and offers precise procedure
control and excellent repeatability to ensure consistent weld qual-
ity in each joint and from one joint to the next. The company also
offers three other self-propelled tractors along with two types of
rail-guided tractors. Of the three tractors offered, the features
of each are dual torch configuration, all-position weave welding,
and a slim-line model for tight spaces where horizontal clearance
is an issue Fig. 1. These tractors feature a digital display of
travel speed to give the operator real-time feedback while weld-
ing to be able to maximize control of the weld pool. In addition
to a speed display, each machine is also capable of performing
continuous or stitch welding in a programmed sequence along
with programmed pool buildup and crater fill for the beginning
and end of every weld.
Since a tank car transports crude oil and other, often flam-
mable, liquids, the integrity of its construction is critical and it is
important to get the weld right the first time to eliminate costly
repairs. One railcar manufacturer discovered that a car typically
had between 40 and 60 pinhole-sized leaks per assembled sec-
tion due to starts, stops, and inclusions in the welds. Every time
there is a stop or start, which is common with manual and even
semiautomatic welding, this is a potential area for a slag inclu-
sion of other defect to occur. After the manufacturer introduced
mechanized welding to the process, the number of leaks went
from around 4060 to less than 5 on average per assembled sec-
tion. Nearly eliminating the defects dramatically lowered their
costs.
Also used in railcar building are circumferential welding ma-
chines that can be used to weld nozzles onto a piece of pipe or
vessel in diameters ranging from 1 to 50 in. These machines can
be used for the GMA, flux cored arc, or submerged arc welding
processes. These units rotate 360 deg without cable wrap and
stay mounted to the workpiece until the weld is complete. Typi-
cally, the circumferential welding machine mounts to a self-
BY BRAD MUTSCHLER AND DALE KEIL
Increasing Welding Efficiency in the Railcar Industry
AUGUST 2013 22
Fig. 1 A close-up view of a fillet weld being produced with a
welding tractor.
23 WELDING JOURNAL
centering three-jaw chuck that allows for fast setup. When mov-
ing from one weld joint to the next, the entire unit can be hoisted
via overhead crane and positioned on the next joint to be welded.
Mechanized circumferential welding also offers cost savings
through weld quality, consistency, and higher deposition rates.
On locomotives, the wheel truck assembly is a primary exam-
ple of where circumferential welding machines are used. Located
on the wheel trucks are two large pins on the chassis that sup-
port the wheel trucks. For this welding application, the chassis is
positioned so that the pins are located in the vertical position
and the weld joint then becomes a simple, flat, downhill weld.
The pins are approximately 10 in. in diameter at the top and
roughly 30 in. in length with a base measurement of 3 ft. The base
plate where they are welded is typically 1.5-in.-thick steel and
must be completely filled with weld material Figs. 2, 3. To com-
plete the weld, the welding machine is attached to the pin using
the three-jaw chuck that supports the entire machine. The ma-
chine operator must manually position the welding gun using ver-
tical and horizontal racking systems before proceeding with the
weld. Typically, each weld joint takes multiple passes to fill and
is generally 6070% faster with the circumferential welding ma-
chine than with traditional welding methods. Once welding is
complete, the operator lifts the machine and positions it over the
next kingpin assembly to be welded and repeats the process. Since
the system is self-aligning, setup is fast and the operator is weld-
ing the next one very quickly.
BRAD MUTSCHLER (bmutschler@weld.com) is a
mechanical engineer, and product & industry manager
Shipyards, and DALE KEIL (dkeil@weld.com) is a
product manager, Bug-O Systems, Canonsburg, Pa.
Figs. 2, 3 Typical circumferential welds such as used to attach
the kingpins to the wheel truck assembly on a locomotive.
SERIOUS COOLING!
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PRODUCT & PRINT
SPOTLIGHT
Reel Makes Welding on
Railroads Easier
The N400 Series gas hose reel im-
proves the efficiency and safety of weld-
ing operations on railroads. Featuring a
narrow frame and compact mounting
base, it is useful for limited space environ-
ments. The model features two swivel
joint inlets and two outlet risers to handle
1
4- or
3
8-in. oxygen/gas dual welding hoses
in lengths of up to 100 ft.
Hannay Reels
www.hannay.com
(877) 467-3357
Welding Gas Mixer Yields
Multiple Combinations
The MAP Mix Provectus, originally de-
signed for producing modified atmos-
phere packaging gas mixtures in the food
processing industry, has been reconfig-
ured to accept argon. This makes it use-
ful for delivering gas mixtures in a wider
range of applications, including welding.
The product uses a new operating princi-
ple to produce a compact and versatile
system. It blends argon in addition to
other gases, including carbon dioxide, oxy-
gen, and nitrogen, for producing multiple
welding mixtures in proportion and at
exact flow rates.
Dansensor
www.dansensor.com
(+45) 57 66 00 88
Video Explores Careers in
Welding for Women
The American Welding Society has re-
leased a new video titled Women in
Welding. The nine-min-long video ex-
plores some of the exciting career oppor-
tunities available to women who decide to
invest their time in the study of welding.
Such career options include welding in-
structor, certified welding inspector, weld
process specialist, welding technician, and
company president. The video can be
viewed at the following link: www.youtube.
com/watch?v=vHtHOumts7k. More infor-
mation can be found online at
www.careersinwelding.com.
www.aws.org
(800) 443-9353
Shielding Gases Designed
for Welding Carbon and
Stainless Steels
Numerous products are included in the companys line of Maxx
shielding gases. The Ferromaxx gases result in faster, cleaner
welding of carbon steel. Inomaxx gases provide maximum per-
formance for welding stainless steel. Alumaxx, a multipurpose
shielding gas, is designed for high-quality welding of aluminum and
its alloys. Also, the company provides assist gases for high-perform-
ance laser beam cutting in a range of supply systems that can meet
specific pressure and flow requirements. It provides gases for weld-
ing and cutting in traditional bulk supply as well as its CryoEase
microbulk system, an alternative to cylinder supply, which elimi-
nates reordering cylinders/packs, plus cylinder handling and
changeover. With this, gas is always on tap, gas purity is more con-
sistent, and shielding gas mixtures can be produced on-site.
Air Products
www.airproducts.com/industries/metals/metal-fabrication.aspx
(800) 654-4567
AUGUST 2013 24
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27 WELDING JOURNAL
Testing System Simplifies
Railroad Car Maintenance
Pocket Corpac combines nonintru-
sive corrosion testing with the portable
convenience made possible by acoustic
emission technology. Less than a quarter
of the size of its predecessor and with the
latest user-guided software, the product
detects localized corrosion without taking
industrial structures out of service. It in-
creases operational safety with short, pe-
riodic, in-service monitoring, while sim-
plifying asset maintenance on a variety of
industrial structures and materials, such
as railroad tank cars, storage tanks, pres-
sure vessels, and pipelines.
Mistras Group, Inc.
www.mistrasgroup.com
(609) 716-4000
Robots Arm Provides
Shielding Gas Protection
The IRB 1520ID features internal
Axis-1 routing of the welding cabling, a
compact swing base, and 30% less weight
than the IRB 1600ID. The upper arm in-
tegrated dressing design simplifies pro-
gramming and provides protection for all
media, including shielding gas, welding
power and wire, and pressurized air. This
extends hose life and allows more flexible
movements. The robot offers a 1.5-m
reach and 4-kg payload. It is also equipped
with the companys second-generation
TrueMove technology and has its Flex-
Pendant HMI. The power source inter-
face is integrated, giving users control over
voltage, current, speed, gas flow, and
other welding parameters from the same
interface as the robot.
ABB Robotics
www.abb.com/robotics
(248) 391-9000
Full Line Brochure
Introduces Electrodes
The companys new 100-page catalog
describes its complete line of flux- and
metal-cored welding electrode products.
It provides information on more than 170
carbon steel, low alloy, stainless steel,
nickel-alloy, and hardfacing electrodes.
The catalog also offers the following de-
tails: descriptions, classifications, shield-
ing gases, welding positions, characteris-
tics, typical mechanical properties, typi-
cal deposit compositions, and applica-
tions. New to this version are the Select
4130C, a metal-cored, nickel-chromium-
molybdenum-bearing wire with Select
Alloy 2594-AP and 2594-C, two stainless
steel duplex electrodes.
Select-Arc
www.select-arc.com
(800) 341-5215

Manufacturing
Flux Cored
Welding Wire
COBALT

NICKEL

HARDFACE

STAINLESS

ALLOY STEEL

TOOL STEEL

MAINTENANCE

FORGE ALLOYS

CUSTOM ALLOYS

COR-MET, INC.
12500 Grand River Rd.
Brighton, MI 48116
PH: 800-848-2719
FAX: 810-227-9266
www.cor-met.com
sales@cor-met.com

COBALT LT
Welding W
Flux Cored
Manufacturin

elding Wire
Flux Cored
uring

TA STAINLESS
HARDFACE
NICKEL

INLESS
E

FORGE ALLO
MAINTENAN
TOOL STEE
ALLOY Y STEEL

OYS
CE
EEL
EEL

12500 Grand River Rd.
MET, INC. - COR
CUSTOM ALLOYS
FORGE ALLO

and River Rd.
, INC.
OYS
OYS

met.co - sales@cor
met.com - ww www.cor
9266 - 227 - FA FAX: 810
27 - 848 - PH: 800
Brighton, MI 481

t.com
t.com
9266
719
116
PRODUCT & PRINT
SPOTLIGHT
AUGUST 2013 28
Cutting Machine
Incorporates Downdraft
Table
The Monograph Extreme CNC plasma
cutting machine features a unitized down-
draft table that has a compact perimeter
to minimize its footprint and deep design
to maximize fume extraction. It can be
equipped with a conventional plasma sys-
tem from 65 to 200 A, as well as an op-
tional oxyfuel torch. The controller is a
Hypertherm Edge-Pro Ti CNC with Inte-
grated Sensor Ti Torch Height Control.
This simplifies use by the operator, who
has a full view of the cutting operation.
Low backlash planetary gearboxes and
large-diameter pinions deliver accurate
motion. The product is available in two
cutting widths 5 and 6 ft.
Koike Aronson, Inc./Ransome
www.koike.com
(800) 252-5232
Tape Enables Joint Welding
Pipe Sections
Two tapes for masking steel pipes in-
clude CP 800 for pipes under 24 in. in di-
ameter and CP 900 for pipes greater than
24 in. in diameter. The products are used
during corrosion-coating processes to
keep pipe sections coating free to allow
welding at the installation site. The tape
is hand applied to preheated pipes, typi-
cally 2 to 6 in. on each pipe end, before
entering the powder coater. It is engi-
neered to endure high temperatures
(450460F) for short times (12 min).
After coating is applied, the tape is re-
moved.
Shurtape
www.shurtape.com
(888) 442-8273
Digital Turntable Offers
Load Capacity of 300 lb
Utilized on small-to-large weld assem-
blies, the CobraTurns ability to rotate
welding jobs makes it useful for all appli-
cations up to the rated load capacities.
With an input of 120 VAC at 50/60 Hz, it
has a balanced load capacity of 300 lb
(horizontally) in the forward and reverse
operating directions. Its blue LED display
offers 1/10th rev/min digital real-time
feedback and displays the turntables
speed of 0.210 rev/min. The versatility
enables an adjustable table tilt of 0 to 90
deg, and comes supplied with an on/off
SUMNER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC.
PURGE STAR
INFLATABLE PURGE DAMS
2" 16" (50 400MM)
PIPE & TUBING

3
3
3
3
NEW &
IMPROVED
Increase weld production rate 3
Reduce argon usage 3
to less than 1% oxygen content
Purge 6" pipe in less than 3 minutes 3
PURGE S

Increase weld production rate
Reduce argon usage
to less than 1% oxygen content
Purge 6" pipe in less than 3 minutes
E STA TAAR R

Improve weld quality 3
Increase weld production rate 3
for long life
connections
All metal

Improve weld quality
Increase weld production rate
valve flls weld cha
Pre-set pressure re

vent hose
Weld chamber
mber
elief

only)
on 12",
during
for
Fire resistant fabric

reduces infation ti
Reduced bag size
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Eyelet pull loops
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SUMNER M

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SUMNER M FA ANUFACTURING COMPANY, Y, INC

, INC.
Easy Never Looked So Good!
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our pre-fabricated plug-and-play arc welding robot
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Intuitive Operation
Touch panel and jog
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Quality Control Functions
Easy quantitative
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Compact and Eco-Friendly
Space-saving design
with reduced standby
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ROBOTS
FD-H5 FD-B4 FD-B4L FD-V6 FD-V6L FD-B15 FD-V20 FD-V50 FD-V166 FD-V210
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888-OTC-ROBO
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foot control. Options include a heavy-duty
variable speed foot control, slotted 10-in.
turntable top, or a 4-in. ID/OD 3-jaw
chuck.
MK Products
www.mkproducts.com
(949) 863-1234
Brochure Showcases Dust
Collector Filters
The companys new product brochure
features its line of HemiPleat extreme
nanofiber filters. The cartridge dust col-
lector filters offer high filtration efficien-
cies and low pressure drop, plus are de-
signed to withstand the rigors of pulse-
cleaning for long life and reduced energy
and operational costs. The brochure sum-
marizes product features and describes
the technology used to produce a high-
performing nanofiber media. Hemi-
Pleat extreme filters are available with
MERV 15 and 16 efficiencies and in a
choice of media to meet special perform-
ance needs, with models available for both
new and retrofit applications. The
brochure may be downloaded from the
Web site listed below.
Camfil APC
www.camfilapc.com
(800) 479-6801
Burrs for Working
Stainless Steel
A line of burrs for working stainless
steel (INOX) features high stock removal
with a high-grade surface finish. They also
offer ergonomic performance with re-
duced vibration and noise. The tooth
geometry quickly removes large chips
from all austenitic and rust- and acid-
resistant steels without heat discoloration.
Available in cylindrical, ball, and flame
shapes, the burrs feature
3
8 and in. head
diameters, all with a -in. shank. Recom-
mended operating speeds are 12,000 to
32,000 rev/min depending on burr size and
shape.
PFERD Inc.
www.pferdusa.com/inoxburs
(978) 840-6420
Fiber Disc Made for Rapid
Stock Removal
The Pearl CoolMAX is a zirconia
resin fiber disc that features a cooling
agent to reduce heat and discoloration of
the material. Designed for rapid stock re-
moval, the disc is useful for sanding and
grinding sheet metal, stainless steel, and
ferrous metals.
Pearl Abrasive Co.
www.pearlabrasive.com
(800) 969-5561
31 WELDING JOURNAL
PRODUCT & PRINT
SPOTLIGHT
Catalog Features New
Portable Air Cleaner
The companys full-color catalog show-
cases the new TM 1000 TaskMaster, a
portable unit that offers shop and plant
air cleaning. It shows the products avail-
able attachments, including articulated
source capture arms in various sizes, dual
articulated arms, downdraft table, back-
draft hood, and long reach flexible hose
with hood. Detailing some of the applica-
tions for which the attachments are used,
the catalog also highlights the units low
power requirements, 1000 ft
3
/min motor-
blower assembly, Roto-Pulse high-effi-
ciency cartridge cleaning system, various
filter options, and complete specifications.
The catalog is free upon request.
Micro Air Clean Air Systems
www.microaironline.com
(866) 566-4276
Light Curtain Delivers
Automatic Range Detection
The deTec4 Core, a guard-only safety
light curtain, employs QuickFix and Flex-
Fix brackets, which can be positioned in
any location on the housing without caus-
ing blind zones. Useful for hazardous
point and single-sided protection, it fea-
tures a low-profile design for quick ma-
chine integration. With a built-in auto-
matic range detection of 10 m, the light
curtain is able to determine the distance
to the sender. It offers an IP 67 industrial
design and operating temperature down
to 30C. It is available in heights from
300 to 2100 mm with 14 and 30 mm reso-
lutions and can be used in machine build-
ing, consumer goods, and storage/con-
veyor applications.
SICK
www.sickusa.com
(800) 325-7425
Weld Cleaning Brush
Brings High Knot Count
The 4
1
2-in. Roughneck weld cleaning
brush is designed for use on 4
1
2-in.
grinders. Useful for surface preparation
along with root pass and interpass weld
cleaning, it features a high knot count and
short trim length. The brush is available
in both carbon steel and Type 302 stain-
less steel wire with a variety of arbor hole
options.
Weiler Corp.
www.weilercorp.com
(800) 835-9999
Company Launches New
Mobile Web Site
The company revealed its new mobile
Web site for smartphones, m.miyachieu-
rope.com. Available in English, German,
Spanish, French, and Dutch, it offers ac-
cess for engineers, purchase managers,
and employees looking for news about the
companys Europe Corp., Peco resistance
products, Eapro systems, and lasers. Users
can view regional office contact informa-
AUGUST 2013 32
The Emmet A. Craig
WELDING SCHOOL
RESISTANCE
November 20-21, 2013
McCormick Place,
Chicago
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I
n todays industrial manufacturing en-
vironment, welding shops large and
small demand higher productivity and
quality from gas metal arc welding
(GMAW), gas tungsten arc welding
(GTAW), and flux cored arc welding
(FCAW). Manufacturers are becoming
increasingly concerned with the chal-
lenges of joining new materials in special
applications.
In the past, generic shielding gases
were used and still can be used to weld
95% of materials. Today, many compa-
nies are using the same gas blend they
have been using for the past 25 years, but
even though it gets the job done, the com-
panys traditional gas of choice may not
be the best.
To meet todays advanced require-
ments, new developments in technology
have allowed for the creation of precise
formulations of gas blends suited to meet
the most challenging welding applica-
tions. Optimized gas blends address spe-
cific application problems that will ulti-
mately increase productivity and save
costs.
With the advances in todays technol-
ogy and depending on the type of mate-
rial to be joined galvanized steel,
stainless steel, or aluminum manufac-
turers have the ability to use enhanced,
more efficient blends for specific
Information supplied by Praxair, Inc., Danbury, Conn.
New material applications require optimized shielding gas blends
Shielding Gas Blends
Suited for Different Metals
An aluminum mainframe being
welded with a shielding gas blend.
(Image provided by Tracker Marine.)
35 WELDING JOURNAL
processes and applications. Once the un-
derlying problem in a welding procedure
is identified, the inefficiencies in the re-
sults of current processes can be cor-
rected by implementing the use of a more
advanced shielding gas blend to enhance
productivity.
Welding Galvanized Steel
with Reduced Porosity
The use of galvanized steel is becom-
ing increasingly important as manufac-
turers are progressively becoming more
concerned with the effects of corrosion.
The process of welding galvanized
steel, which is one of the best corrosion
resistance products, has been around for
years. The issue is that when the galva-
nized steel is arc welded, the zinc coat-
ing vaporizes during the welding process,
causing spatter and porosity problems.
Welds can have a poor appearance.
Tracker Marine Group, manufacturer
of TRACKER boat trailers, switched
to HeliStar GV, a helium-enhanced
shielding gas blend developed by Praxair
for welding galvanized steel Fig. 1.
Tracker Marine is the only boat trailer
manufacturer in the U.S. that uses gal-
vanized steel.
Eight years ago, the company made
the switch from welding plain carbon
steel to galvanized steel. Initially when
welding galvanized steel, the company
experienced the typical issues such as
porosity, inconsistent weld shape, and
overall poor weld appearance. The final
product wasnt smooth and resulted in
additional time and labor to produce a
quality product.
The first line of defense in welding
galvanized steel is welder training, said
plant manager Hugh Lynas. We make
sure the welders at Tracker Marine are
trained and fully certified, to ensure
safety and to maximize the use of their
time.
When the company made the switch
to the shielding gas blend, the welding
parameters were reset to weld with a
lower heat input. Reducing the heat of
the weld, reduced the amount of spatter.
The helium-based shielding gas blend
made the welds noticeably smoother.
By reducing arc instability and spat-
ter, fume levels were reduced, as were
potential burns to welders. Adding the
blends into the welding processes also
helped reduce postweld cleanup and re-
duced the cost for welding gas.
Welding Stainless Steel
with Less Distortion
and Spatter
Stainless steel is relatively easy to
weld, but challenging to keep flat. Stain-
less steel doesnt conduct heat well, and
when heat is applied during the welding
process, the steel tends to buckle. One
solution is to weld it quickly, but the ques-
tion is how?
Thermal Care, Inc., manufacturer of
process cooling equipment in industrial
heat transfer products, including central
chillers, temperature controllers, pump-
ing systems, portable chillers, and tower
systems, recently tried an argon-based
shielding gas blend, Stargon SS. With
this blend, distortion was minimized.
The company uses this shielding gas
Fig. 1 A galvanized trailer frame being
welded with a helium-enhanced gas blend.
(Image provided by Tracker Marine.)
blend with a precise mixture of argon,
carbon dioxide, and oxygen to weld 304L
stainless steel.
Dave Roush, purchasing and planning
manager for Thermal Care, has been in-
volved in welding stainless steel products
for 22 years. Since switching to the blend
he has noted improvement in productiv-
ity, less overwelding, and faster travel
speeds.
The current shortage of helium is con-
sequently driving up the price of the gas.
The increased cost of the traditional
trimix previously used to weld stainless
steel prompted Thermal Cares change.
Replacing outdated GMAW ma-
chines with pulsed power sources plus the
use of the shielding gas blend has re-
duced the grinding time needed to clean
up spatter. The company now maximizes
productivity while saving on consumables
since its switch to pulse welding machines
using a nonhelium shielding gas blend.
Welding Aluminum
Mixed Gas Development
Aluminum has many desirable char-
acteristics lightweight, high strength,
corrosion resistance, and can be recycled.
To weld aluminum successfully tech-
nical training is extremely important as
issues such as incomplete fusion at the
start of a weld, cracking at the ends of a
weld, and wire feedability will affect the
outcome of the weld.
Pure argon or mixtures with helium
are typically used to shield aluminum to
prevent atmospheric reactions and the
formation of oxides in the weld or on its
surface.
Mixing helium with argon improves
the penetration and welding speed join-
ing aluminum. A new aluminum shield-
ing gas blend currently being developed
at Praxair has been tested using a small
percentage of other gaseous additives
that resulted in enhanced performance
characteristics, such as penetration simi-
lar to that produced by helium. This al-
lows for faster travel speeds, improved
arc stability, and a reduced cleaning zone
alongside the weld.
Productivity
Implementing an optimized shielding
gas blend can help improve productivity
and meet unique welding requirements
while improving the appearance of the
weld.
AUGUST 2013 36
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Amtrak Unveils Next Era
of Locomotives
39 WELDING JOURNAL
A
new age of Amtrak service for
northeast intercity rail passengers
is coming down the tracks.
Recently, the first of 70 advanced-
technology electric locomotives built by
Siemens rolled off the assembly line
see lead photo.
The first units of the $466 million
order will be field tested this summer for
entry into revenue service in the fall.
The Amtrak Cities Sprinter (ACS-64)
locomotives are being assembled in
Siemens Sacramento, Calif., rail manu-
facturing plant powered by renewable en-
ergy with parts supplied by its plants in
Norwood, Ohio, Alpharetta, Ga., and
Richland, Miss.
In addition, there are nearly 70 other
suppliers representing more than 60
cities and 23 states.
Traveling the Locomotive
Way
The new Amtrak locomotives will
help power the economic future of the
northeast region, provide more reliable
and efficient service for passengers, and
support the rebirth of rail manufactur-
ing in America, said Amtrak President
and CEO Joseph Boardman.
More and more Americans are park-
ing their cars and choosing the comfort
The Amtrak Cities Sprinter (ACS64)
locomotives will operate at speeds up
to 125 mph on the Northeast Corridor
and Keystone Service. The first three
locomotives of the Siemensbuilt equip
ment will be field tested this summer for
entry into revenue service this fall.
Siemens and 69 local manufacturers in 23
states are included as part of a national
community for building new rail cars
Information provided by Amtrak
(www.amtrak.com), Siemens Rail Systems
(www.usa.siemens.com/railsystems), and
Fronius USA, LLC (www.fronius-usa.com).
Fig. 1 Joseph Boardman (left), Amtrak president and CEO, poses with Michael Cahill,
president of Siemens U.S. Rail Systems division, outside of an ACS64 locomotive.
and convenience of trains, metros, and
streetcars as their preferred way of trav-
eling, added Michael Cahill, president
of Siemens U.S. Rail Systems division.
In Fig. 1, Boardman is pictured with
Cahill in front of an ACS-64 locomotive.
An inside shot of the unit is highlighted
in Fig. 2.
Fabrication Details,
Including Welding Work
As of press time, Siemens was in the
process of moving from the welding and
training that occurred in Germany for the
first few car shells to its Sacramento,
Calif., plant where that process is transi-
tioning for remaining production.
Beginning this month, the car shells
will be welded in Sacramento. Its initial
team includes eight welders who are now
starting to work on the cars after having
been trained in Germany. The company
expects the team may be expanded based
on scheduling needs.
The welders are mainly performing
gas metal arc, shielded metal arc, and gas
tungsten arc welding (limited welds) with
construction materials and metal used
being A588B/A606 or equivalent.
As partially displayed in Fig. 3, the
Fronius USA, LLC equipment purchased
for this locomotive project included ten
TransSteel 3500 systems for compact
steel welding and 9 TPS3200 welding ma-
chines with VR4000 wire feeders for
pulse welding stainless steel.
Speed Capabilities,
Power Elements
The new locomotives will operate on
northeast regional trains at speeds up to
125 mph on the Northeast Corridor
(NEC) along the Washington/New York/
Boston route and Keystone Service trains
at speeds up to 110 mph on the Keystone
Corridor from Philadelphia to Harris-
burg, Pa.
All long-distance trains operating
on the NEC will be powered by these
locomotives.
Additionally, the ACS-64 will have a
peak of 8600 hp with good acceleration
capabilities to achieve revenue service
speeds of 125 mph pulling up to 18 Am-
fleet coach cars, while simultaneously
providing up to 1000 kVA of head-end
power for auxiliary train equipment such
as interior lights, electrical outlets, and
air-conditioning/heating.
The locomotive is based on Siemens
newest platform, the Vectron. Dual aux-
iliary inverters provide redundancy to en-
sure heating and cooling, and lighting
and door systems remain in service
should one inverter fail.
EnergyEfficient Features
The locomotives are not only de-
signed for easier maintenance but to im-
prove energy efficiency by using a regen-
erative braking system. It will feed en-
ergy back into the power grid to enhance
mobility for the people, businesses, and
economy of the entire northeast region.
The 70 locomotives could collectively
save more than 3 billion kW hours of en-
ergy. This translates to more than $300
million in savings over 20 years.
Smart Technology
Specifics
The microprocessor system installed
in the locomotive allows for self-diagnos-
ing technical issues. The on-board com-
puter system can notify the engineer and
operator of any maintenance issues and
take self-corrective action to maintain
operation.
Safety Factors
The Amtrak-specific design meets the
latest Federal Railroad Administration
safety requirements, including crash en-
ergy management components like front-
end strength and a crumple zone for col-
lision with large objects, in addition to
an enhanced safety cage, push back cou-
plers, and anticlimber functionality.
The ACS-64 enhanced design allows
for more efficient maintenance as well to
ensure locomotives are returned to serv-
ice as quickly as possible.
Testing Efforts
The first three locomotives will un-
dergo a comprehensive testing program
AUGUST 2013 40
Fig. 2 An interior view of the ACS64.
this summer, including two at a U.S. De-
partment of Transportation facility in
Pueblo, Colo., and one on the NEC. The
many tests include ride quality, maximum
speed, and diagnostics.
Once commissioned, it is expected the
first locomotive will enter revenue serv-
ice in fall 2013. Pro-
ducing the remaining
units will subsequently
ramp up for scheduled
delivery of approxi-
mately two locomo-
tives per month
through 2016.
Job Creation
Aspects
We are committed
to connecting people,
communities, and jobs.
This project does all
three, said Karen
Hedlund, Deputy Federal Railroad Ad-
ministrator.
Investing in manufacturing, these 70
new locomotives are creating and pre-
serving jobs in 60 cities across the coun-
try while meeting the growing demand
for improved reliability and service along
the Northeast and Keystone Corridors.
Conclusion
As part of the Amtrak Fleet Strategy
Plan to modernize and expand its equip-
ment, the units will replace electric loco-
motives that have 25 and 35 service years,
plus average mileage of more than 3.5
million miles traveled (with some ap-
proaching 4.5 million miles).
So just think about it the next time
you travel by train in the northeast re-
gion, you could be riding in style thanks
to one of these new ACS-64 locomotives.
The benefits offered, including reliabil-
ity, efficiency, mobility, and economic
growth, are significant. Also, the high
power, regenerative braking, key safety
points, efficient maintenance, smart
technology, and redundancy features
these hold are worthwhile.
41 WELDING JOURNAL
Fig. 3 About 20 welding systems were purchased for this locomotive
project. Shown is the TransSteel 3500.
NO-Doped Shielding
Gases Benefit
Stainless Steel Welding
Fig. 1 A welder performs gas tungsten
arc welding on stainless steel.
43 WELDING JOURNAL
S
tandards (Ref. 1) and welding
guides provided by the manufactur-
ers of welding machines (Refs. 24)
provide excellent introductions to the
welding process Fig. 1. They also
touch on the importance and various
functions of the shielding gas during
welding, which go far beyond protecting
the weld pool against the atmosphere.
Shielding gases influence material trans-
fer, arc stability, and, therefore, spatter.
Different shielding gases also require
different voltages to start and sustain the
arc, which impacts heat input, and con-
sequently, process speed, bead profile,
wetting, and distortion.
All of these effects are controlled pri-
marily by the ionization energy and heat
conductivity of the shielding gas. Argon
(Ar), helium, carbon dioxide, oxygen,
and hydrogen are recognized as the pri-
mary constituents of modern shielding
gases. The ionization energy and heat
conductivity of these gases differ signifi-
cantly Fig. 2, Table 1. Over the last 60
years, many argon-based shielding gases
have been created and reported on, al-
ways starting with the inert argon and
then adding at least 1% but often more
of one or two of the other gases.
In addition to all the shielding gas
functions discussed so far, shielding gases
also impact hazardous emissions of the
welding process. The hazardous emis-
sions most often reported on are fumes,
ozone (O
3
) and, in the case of stainless
steel welding, hexavalent chromium
(Cr
VI
). Twenty-five years ago, the ozone
problem triggered development and
commercialization of a new breed of
shielding gases that are blended with ni-
tric oxide (NO). The two distinct differ-
ences to other shielding gases are the use
of a new gas component nitric oxide and
the fact that it is added in a small amount
much less than 1%.
The intent of this article is not to ed-
ucate the reader about the basics of the
welding process but to discuss features
and benefits of NO-doped gases in gen-
eral as well as in welding of stainless steel
specifically.
Ozone
Ozone emissions when welding were
recognized as an occupational hazard in
the mid 1980s (Ref. 5). At low levels (0.1
ppm), a sensation of dryness and irrita-
tion in nose and throat is felt after a short
period. At higher levels (0.11 ppm),
ozone can cause nasal congestion, chest
pain, and headache, as well as loss of
breath. A great deal of research has been
conducted regarding ozone emission
rates (Ref. 6), which vary by process and
welded material. Ozone is formed when
ultraviolet (UV) radiation emitted by the
arc comes into contact with oxygen at the
boundary between shielding gas and at-
mosphere. Ultraviolet radiation in itself
presents a danger as it has been shown
to cause skin cancer. But when its wave-
length matches the bonding energy of an
oxygen molecule (around 5eV), it can
easily split the molecule into two oxygen
atoms, which then loosely combine with
other oxygen molecules to form ozone
(Ref. 7). Because the bond of the third
oxygen atom is weak, ozone is a much
stronger oxidizing agent than oxygen
(Table 2). Unfortunately, many welding
processes emit the required wavelength
in the range of 175240 nm (Ref. 8).
Attempts to reduce ozone emissions
came in a variety of ways; for example,
by reducing the UV radiation or block-
ing it from getting to the atmosphere.
Small additions of magnesium, zinc, or
aluminum to the welding wire were also
tested, which reduced the ozone by oxi-
dizing to magnesium, zinc, or aluminum
Using nitric oxide-doped shielding
gases can help to reduce ozone
emissions and the formation of
hexavalent chromium
J. BERKMANNS
(joachim.berkmanns@linde.com), PhD,
is the national technical manager for
Linde Canada Limited.
Photos copyright of Linde Canada Limited.
BY J. BERKMANNS
Fig. 2 Thermal conductivity for several shielding gas components.
AUGUST 2013 44
oxide. Reducing ozone emissions by em-
ploying a shielding gas solution was
achieved successfully through adding ni-
tric oxide (NO) to the shielding gas in
very small amounts. The NO is entirely
consumed in the welding process con-
verting ozone into oxygen and nitrogen
dioxide. These shielding gases have been
commercially available for many years
now, and several government laborato-
ries and research facilities (Ref. 7) have
confirmed the reduction in ozone.
Welders report a distinct reduction in the
typical sweet smell of ozone when using
these gases.
Aside from lowering ozone emissions
and thereby improving the welders work-
ing environment, the addition of NO of-
fers additional advantages. First, the ad-
dition does not contain carbon or hydro-
gen as with some blended mixtures. Car-
bon and hydrogen pickup are problem-
atic when welding certain steels. Second,
as the NO reacts with the ozone it pro-
duces oxygen. As indicated in Table 1, ni-
tric oxide as well as oxygen have the low-
est ionization energies of all shielding gas
components and hence increase arc sta-
bility and heat input, which has been re-
ported in earlier publications (Ref. 9).
Hexavalent Chromium
Another occupational hazard, espe-
cially when welding stainless steel, is ex-
posure to hexavalent chromium (Cr
VI
).
Chromium in the amount of 1218% is
commonly used as an alloying element in
stainless steels to achieve corrosion re-
sistance. Chromium can be oxidized to
different degrees, meaning it can pro-
duce compounds with one, two, or three
oxygen atoms. Chromium combined with
three oxygen atoms is called hexavalent
chromium and is a known carcinogen.
In the previous section, it was pointed
out that ozone is a strong oxidizing agent.
Consequently, the question arises as to
whether lower levels of ozone in the
vicinity of the arc coincide with lower lev-
els of hexavalent chromium when weld-
ing stainless steels. If so, NO-doped
shielding gases may lower the emissions
of hexavalent chromium by lowering the
ozone levels. In Ref. 10, welding fumes
were exposed to concentrations of oxy-
gen up to 100% and two different con-
centrations of ozone. While none of the
oxygen concentrations appeared to in-
crease the Cr
VI
/total Cr ratio signifi-
cantly, ozone concentrations of 10 and
30 ppm did.
In the following, publications that
have reported on ozone and hexavalent
chromium emissions are reviewed.
When welding stainless steel,
chromium is vaporized and becomes part
of the welding plume. When modeling
the formation rates of the different oxi-
dation stages of chromium, it was calcu-
lated that Cr
VI
is only formed in very
small amounts of less than a quarter of a
percent by weight of total fume (Ref. 11).
However, it was also indicated that in real
measurements the Cr
VI
levels were
higher by several magnitudes suggesting
that initially less oxidized chromium
compounds had later been oxidized into
hazardous Cr
VI
.
The chances that chromium oxides are
further oxidized within the vicinity of the
arc increase with the presence of more
oxygen atoms. Adding zinc to the core of
tubular metal cored welding wire was in-
vestigated using several shielding gases
(Ref. 12). The zinc additions increased
fume levels and decreased ozone levels
for all shielding gases. Hexavalent
chromium was also reduced for all but
the pure-oxygen-containing shielding
gases and the lower oxidization potential
in the vicinity of the arc caused by the
lower ozone levels is suggested as a pos-
sible mechanism.
In a separate paper (Ref. 13), the
same research group tested NO-doped
shielding gases as the primary shielding
gas as well as the outer shroud gas in a
double-shrouded torch. The results are
interesting as the NO-doped gas reduced
ozone as well as Cr
VI
significantly and to
a similar amount when used as the pri-
mary shielding gas. When used as the
outer shroud gas around a 95% Ar/5%
CO
2
mix, the ozone reduction was
stronger but the Cr
VI
reduction weaker.
The study also shows a potential link be-
tween ozone and Cr
VI
reduction. How-
ever, because of the limited scope, it was
suggested that more work needs to be
carried out.
Recently, when ozone as well as Cr
VI
emissions were measured more broadly
(Ref. 14) for five different processes with
different shielding gases, it was found
that decreasing ozone formation corre-
lates with decreasing Cr
VI
formation
under many of the conditions studied, cit-
ing Pearson correlation coefficients
above 0.89. Furthermore, the studies sug-
gest that controlling ozone generation
may be a crucial factor in the control of
hexavalent chromium. Also recently,
fume and Cr
VI
generation were meas-
ured during welding of austenitic, fer-
ritic, and duplex stainless steels with a
variety of Ar/CO
2
and Ar/O
2
, and
Ar/CO
2
/O
2
shielding gases (Ref. 15).
Gases with a high oxidizing factor (89)
were compared with gases that have
medium (45) and low (1.52) oxidizing
factors. It was found that gases having
high and medium oxidizing factors
caused high levels of Cr
VI
, while gases
with a low oxidizing factor resulted in low
levels of Cr
VI
.
Conclusion
Several studies have been referenced
that report on Cr
VI
formation as a func-
tion of oxygen presence in the vicinity of
the arc. The presented literature is only
a small cross section of the total welding
research so the reader is invited to study
additional material. Also, the mecha-
nisms for Cr
VI
formation are complex and
new findings become available often.
However, at this time the absence of
strong oxidizers in the vicinity of the arc
when welding stainless steel correlates to
a decrease in the emissions of harmful
Cr
VI
. Ozone is a particularly strong oxi-
dizing agent and its presence was investi-
gated and directly relates to the presence
of Cr
VI
. This indicates that NO-doped
shielding gases not only offer a way to re-
duce ozone emissions but also Cr
VI
for-
mation when welding stainless steel all
while providing improved arc stabiliza-
tion and heat input. As for the reduction
in Cr
VI
formation, more research is
needed and the use of a NO-doped shield-
ing gas should only be viewed as one step
toward creating a better weld environ-
ment. The correct use of suitable personal
protective gear and effective fume extrac-
tion are always recommended.
Table 1 Ionization Energy for Several
Shielding Gas Components
Chemical Ionization
Energy [eV]
Helium 24.58
Argon 15.75
Carbon Dioxide 13.77
Oxygen (atomic) 13.6
Oxygen (molecular) 12.06
Nitric Oxide 9.26
Table 2 Oxidizing Potential for
Oxygen and Ozone
Oxidizing Reagent Oxidizing
Potential [V]
Ozone 2.07
Oxygen 1.23
Berkmanns Feature August 2013_Layout 1 7/30/13 3:20 PM Page 44
References
1. ANSI/AWS 5.10-94, Recommended
Practices for Shielding Gases for Welding
and Plasma Arc Cutting. Miami, Fla.:
American Welding Society.
2. GMAW Welding Guide. Cleveland,
Ohio: The Lincoln Electric Co.
3. Guidelines for Gas Metal Arc Weld-
ing. Appleton, Wis.: Miller Electric Mfg.
Co.
4. Guidelines for Gas Tungsten Arc
Welding. Appleton, Wis.: Miller Electric
Mfg. Co.
5. Zens, D. E., et al. 1986. Safety and
health in welding An evaluation of res-
piratory protection. Welding Journal
65(9): 57.
6. Ozone in welding and related pro-
cedures. Literature report from Beruf-
sgenossenschaft Metal Nord (BHM),
2002.
7. Facts about: Ozone reduction with
MISON shielding gases. AGA Gas.
8. Emission of UV radiation during
arc welding. Institute for Occupational
Safety and Health of the German Social
Accident Insurance (IFA), 2011.
9. Lindstroem, J. 1988. Adding NO to
argon or argon/helium mixtures does the
trick. INALCO Conf.
10. Madden, M. G. 1987. Hexavalent
chromium in aerosols evolved during a
high temperature metallurgical process.
PhD thesis, University of Bradford.
11. Eagar, T. W., et al. 1998. Study of
chromium in gas metal arc welding fume.
Proceedings of ASM-AWS Trends in Weld-
ing Research Conference.
12. Dennis, J., et al. 2002. Control of
occupational exposure to hexavalent
chromium and ozone in tubular wire arc-
welding processes by replacement of
potassium by lithium or addition of zinc.
Ann. Occup. Hyg. 46(1): 3342.
13. Dennis, J., et al. 2002. Control of
exposure to hexavalent chromium and
ozone in gas metal arc welding of stain-
less steel by use of secondary shield gas.
Ann. Occup. Hyg. 46(1): 4348.
14. Keane, M., et al. 2009. Hexavalent
chromium content in stainless steel weld-
ing fumes is dependent on the welding
process and the shielding gas. J. Environ.
Monit. 11: 418424.
15. Matusiak, J., and Wycislik, A.
2010. The influence of technological con-
ditions on the emissions of welding fume
due to welding of stainless steel. Metalur-
gua 49(4): 307311.
45 WELDING JOURNAL
Visit us at the Essen Fair
(Schweissen & Schneiden)
Booth B123 Hall 8
1-800-245-3186
www.bugo.com
One Powerful Drive Unit...
Dozens of Accessories...
Thousands of Applications!!!
The Modular Drive System is the only American made travel carriage.

AUGUST 2013 46
T
he welcome mat will be out once
again Sept. 1621, 2013, to continue
a long tradition with the Schweissen
& Schneiden 2013 International Trade
Fair Joining, Cutting, Surfacing,
presented every four years in Essen,
Germany.
This years exhibition of the worlds
latest welding, cutting, thermal spraying,
robotics, and allied technologies will be
held in 17 fair halls and the Galeria at the
1.1-million sq-ft Messe Essen complex
Fig. 1. The 2009 Fair, despite a sluggish
economy worldwide, attracted 52,655 vis-
itors who explored the presentations of
1016 exhibitors representing 42 coun-
tries. Attendance this year is projected to
be greater.
IIW and German Welding
Society Events to Colocate
The 66th International Institute of
Welding (IIW) Annual Assembly and In-
ternational Conference will convene in
the Congress Center in Essen Sept.
1117, featuring a two-day conference ti-
tled Automation in Welding, Sept. 16,
17. Organized into six main events, re-
searchers and industry representatives
will present papers detailing new applica-
tions of welding technology including
those for laser, arc, and resistance weld-
ing, and the manufacture of tubes
and pipelines. Complete information,
including descriptions of numerous
spouse tours, are posted online at
www.iiw2013.com.
Concurrently, at the DVS/GSI booth
in Hall 12, the German Welding Society
(DVS) Congress 2013 has plans to intro-
duce research results and market devel-
opments and solutions that will interest
manufacturers and users of joining, cut-
ting, and surfacing technologies.
International Trade Fair and IIW
Set to Dazzle Next Month
HOWARD M. WOODWARD
(woodward@aws.org) is associate
editor of the Welding Journal.
Since its premiere in 1952, and every four years
since, the trade fair has been the must-attend
event for industrialists and fabricators worldwide
BY HOWARD M. WOODWARD
Fig. 1 A view of the Messe Essen Place of Events, venue for the 2013 Essen Trade Show.
47 WELDING JOURNAL
Forum for Upcoming
Scientists
The DVS Students Congress on Sept.
17, to be held at the DVS/GSI booth, will
offer young engineers and scientists a
platform to report on their projects and
introduce themselves to industry leaders.
WELDCUP and the Young
Welders Competitions
Several competitions are scheduled to
be held in the Galeria for talented young
welders to demonstrate their skills. New
this year will be the WELDCUP event
where contestants from 15 European na-
tions will compete for the prize. In other
competitions, young welders from all
over the world will compete against each
other to determine the winner in each of
four manual welding processes.
The events will start with the tradi-
tional German National Challenge, fol-
lowed by WELDCUP 2013, with various
European teams each comprised of a
maximum of four young welders. An in-
ternational jury will independently eval-
uate all WELDCUP test pieces in order
to identify the best candidates in individ-
ual and team competitions. Finally, the
winners of WELDCUP and a German
team will compete against eight welders
from the Peoples Republic of China in
the International Welders Competition.
The 10th DVS Young Welders Com-
petitions will include three different con-
tests this year. The International Com-
petition between Europe and China will
take place on Sept. 20 at the fair.
Thermal Spraying to Be
Featured
There will be a number of innovative
exhibits at the fair promoting equipment,
installations, and materials for brazing,
soldering, heat treatment, and especially
thermal spraying demonstrated by the 13
member companies of the German As-
sociation of Thermal Sprayers comprised
of nine German companies, three Swiss,
and one Dutch company. Featured will
be thermal spraying torches, coating sys-
tems for agriculture, the textile industry,
automotive sector, and laser optics for
spraying torches in addition to the asso-
ciated powder nozzles and feeders. Visit
the 2200-sq-ft exhibition at Booth A120
in Hall 5 where specialists will demon-
strate how thermal spraying can protect
metals, ceramics, plastics, textiles, wood,
glass, and turnkey installations for sur-
facing. Also, they will demonstrate a
cross section of applications for the man-
ufacture of turbine blades, sealing rings,
printing rolls, and other products.
New Companies Showcased
For the first time, the Fair will assist
promising newly established German
companies to present their innovative
products, services, and technologies. The
Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs
and Technology is supporting the com-
panies by bearing up to 80% of the costs
of constructing and renting their booths.
The exhibits, to be located in a 970-sq-
ft area in Hall 9, will include welding gap
clips for root welding, special nozzles,
and mobile lasers designed for use on
ships and drilling rigs, among other
innovations.
Lineup for the Seven
National Booths
The United States will maintain co-
operative booths for 25 companies in
Hall 7 operated by the American Weld-
ing Society and additional manufactur-
ers in Hall 8 managed by Bug-O Systems,
for a total exhibition area of 8600 sq ft
Fig. 2. In addition to the updated
products for automated welding, thermal
spraying, and underwater cutting, U.S.
firms will introduce their latest develop-
ments for compact circumferential weld-
ing devices, digital fillet welding equip-
ment, and weld-tracking systems among
other new technologies.
Fig. 2 A section of the American Pavilion at the 2009 Trade Fair.
AUGUST 2013 48
The other national cooperative
booths will be maintained by the welding
interests in China, France, Italy, Japan,
South Korea, and Taiwan.
China will maintain cooperative
booths in Halls 7, 8.1, and 9.1 to display
the nations latest technologies in in-
verter welding and cutting devices, wire-
feed units, and safety equipment includ-
ing autodarkening welder hoods.
The French booth in Hall 9 plans to
feature products from 12 firms, includ-
ing welding technology for oil and gas
pipelines, and safety equipment.
Italy will display its production tech-
nology, automation welding of lamp
posts and light technology towers, man-
ufacture of truck tanks, and robotic cells
in Hall 6.
Japan, in Hall 7, will present the na-
tions new lines of welding electrodes, au-
tomatic welding machines and pneumatic
tools. To be introduced at the show will
be high-frequency beveling machines,
mobile vertical beveling machines, and
spot welding and precision testing de-
vices.
South Koreas first appearance at the
fair will be centered in a 2150-sq-ft booth
in Hall 7. New products to be displayed
will be welding and plasma cutting de-
vices plus some innovative solutions for
extracting welding fume.
Taiwans cooperative booth in Hall 8
will display the wares of ten companies
including plasma cutting machines and
microwelding devices, eye and body pro-
tection products, and welding filler met-
als designed for the specialized applica-
tions in the automotive and petrochemi-
cal industries.
Welding and Cutting Today
The newspaper Welding and Cutting
Today, published by DVS, will be the of-
ficial daily publication at the show. It will
offer fresh, topical, and colorful articles,
and report on show happenings.
Admission Prices and
Transportation
The ticket prices are about $50 for a
one-day ticket and $117 for a six-day
ticket.
The Messe Essen exhibition complex
is about a 20-minute ride from the Ds-
seldorf Airport with both taxi and airport
shuttle service provided to the complex.
Visitors planning an extended stay in
Germany may want to consider purchas-
ing railway tickets. Visit the official Web
site www.schweissen-schneiden.com for
complete vendor and visitor information.
Tour the Essen Area
While attending the Fair, be sure to
save some time to explore the Essen-area
attractions Fig. 3. More than half the
city is green with parks, farms, and mead-
ows offering a lush landscape. It is a sharp
contrast to what it was like in the early
1800s when Essen was a mining town of
4000, and later growing to 731,000 resi-
dents with the industrial revolution.
Today, with the loss of the heavy indus-
try, the population has declined to
576,000 and the mines have become
tourist attractions.
Two of the mines, Zeche Carl and
Zeche Zollverein, have been designated
historic landmarks featuring cultural cen-
Fig. 3 Essen, Germany, site of the Schweissen & Schneiden 2013 International Trade Fair and 66th IIW Annual Meeting.
ters, restaurants, and conference facili-
ties. Another attraction for locals and
tourists alike is the Baldenevsee, a large
water reservoir where one can stroll
along the boardwalk past numerous
cafs, restaurants, and beer gardens.
Also popular is the Villa Hgel, built
in 1873 amid the 150-acre Hgel Park. It
houses historical exhibits and is the site
for special events. And, just behind the
Messe exhibition complex is the 170-acre
Grugapark famous for its attractive hor-
ticultural gardens of native and exotic
plants. Close at hand to the showplace,
it offers visitors a relaxing change of
scene.
49 WELDING JOURNAL
American Torch Tip Co.
Ametek Specialty Metal Products
Aquasol Corp.
ARCON Welding Equipment, LLC
ArcOne Welding & Safety
Bernard Welding
Broco, Inc.
Bug-O Systems International
Cantesco/Kemper System
CK Worldwide
Cor-Met, Inc.
Electron Beam Technologies, Inc.
Esco Tool Co.
The Fabricator
Genstar Technologies Co., Inc.
Harris Products Group
Hascor USA, Inc.
Hobart Brothers Co.
International Thermal Spray Assn.
Inweld Corp.
ITW Jetline Engineering
Mathey Dearman, Inc.
Metal Man Work Gear Co.
Miller Electric Mfg. Co
National Bronze & Metal, Inc.
NetBraze LLC
J. P. Nissen Co.
Oxford Alloys, Inc.
Phoenix International
PlasmaCAM
Polymet Corp.
Postle Industries, Inc.
Pro Spot International
Selectrode Industries, Inc.
Sellstrom Mfg. Co.
Special Metals Welding Products Co.
Strong Hand Tools
Sumner Mfg. Co., Inc.
United States Welding Corp.
Uniweld Products, Inc.
Weld Engineering Co.
Weld-Aid Products
Weldcraft Products
American Companies Exhibiting at the Messe Essen Trade Fair
WELDING WIRES
MIG Welding Wires TIG Welding Rods Submerged Arc Welding
Wires Mild Steel Welding Wires High Temperature & Creep Resistant
Welding Wires Flux Cored Wire Aluminium Wire Bronze Wire
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51 WELDING JOURNAL
M
ost professionals in the welding
industry get into the business be-
cause they are good at welding
and theyre passionate about it. Many
quickly discover, however, that theres a
lot more to running a successful welding
business than just being a good welder.
The owner of a welding business wears
many different hats in addition to
welder. One of the most important
hats, and the one that most welders are
the least prepared for, is the financial
hat. And a big part of wearing that hat is
collecting payment for jobs after youve
completed them.
Getting paid can be tough its one
of the hardest parts of running a welding
business, said Danny Massa, vice presi-
dent of D&D Mobile Welding and Fab-
rication, Inc., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. You
might have done a five-star job, but
youre still waiting to get paid because
the general contractor hasnt gotten paid
yet, or because the customer is holding
retainage due to something thats out of
your control.
For example, Massa said his company
completed a $1.8 million job last summer
but it is still awaiting payment of the final
$200,000 thats being held due to re-
tainage. That represents our profit on
the job. Most contracts include retainage
or paid-when-paid provisions if you
dont like it, the customer will find some-
body else for the job. Youre not the only
game in town.
Keys to Collecting
Experienced owners of welding busi-
nesses say there are several keys to col-
lecting payment from customers. The
first is covering all your bases before you
start the job with regard to getting con-
tracts and purchase orders completed
and signed by all parties.
This is very important without the
right signed paperwork, youre dead in
the water when it comes to collecting,
said Gilly Burrion, COO of Florida Gas
Welding Supply, Hollywood, Fla. The
company once had to sue a major cus-
tomer to collect money owed and was
able to settle with them out of court. Hav-
ing all the signed paperwork in order was
a big part of reaching a positive settle-
ment, Burrion recalled.
We usually create a letter of intent
that describes the scope of the project
before proceeding to set up the job,
added Massa. Most jobs are actually
done through the contractors contract,
and then we attach our letter of intent to
this as an addendum so its clear what our
obligation is.
Wyatt Swaim, CEO of WJS Consult-
ing, Gueda Springs, Kan., echoed this
point about clarifying your specific re-
sponsibilities: Be very clear up front and
in writing about the specific job youre
performing. Communicate every detail
of your responsibilities in the purchase
order or contract.
The next key is to perform credit
checks on all new customers. We require
a minimum of three credit references
from new customers, and then we call
them and ask about the customers pay-
ment patterns, said Burrion. We usu-
ally get honest and thorough replies from
these references. If we find out that a cus-
tomer typically pays in more than 60 days,
we might not want to do business with
that customer.
Of course, many major customers and
government agencies dictate the pay-
ment terms themselves, and welders are
sometimes faced with a take-it-or-leave-
it situation if they want the business.
Small business owners, including
welders, often aspire to land big business
customers, but you have to be aware that
big businesses often take a long time to
pay, said Swaim.
Offering Payment Terms
Based on the results of your credit
check, you may decide that a customer is
COD, or you may offer them payment
terms. We usually specify that payment
is due within 30 days, and that interest
charges will apply after this time if the
payment is late, said George Rolla, an
AWS Certified Welding Inspector, Edu-
cator, and Welder, and the owner of Ad-
vanced Weldtec, Inc., in Los Angeles,
Calif. In most instances, if a customer
hasnt paid in 60 days, they dont intend
How to Get Paid
for Jobs Youve
Completed
DON SADLER (don@donsadlerwriter.com)
is a freelance writer and editor who covers
business and financial topics.
These tips can help you collect
monies your business is owed
BY DON SADLER
AUGUST 2013 52
to pay. But fortunately, this has rarely
happened to us.
Swaim said he offers 30-day payment
terms to customers hes comfortable ex-
tending credit to, as well as a 2% discount
if they pay within 10 days. But the real-
ity is that my customers actually pay any-
where from 30 to 90 days. Most businesses
nowadays play the game to stretch out
their payments to vendors and suppliers
as far as they can its pretty standard.
Swaim said he sometimes uses a little
humor with late-paying customers. He
has a hand stamp that says in Dirty Harry
style, Go ahead make my payment!
In a few instances, he has sought help
from a collection agency and taken cus-
tomers to small claims court. Small
claims court is easy you just file your
claim and pay a small fee and then you
usually get paid, because the customer
sees that youre serious. But youre prob-
ably going to lose this customer, so you
have to decide if its worth it.
He wasnt as pleased with his experi-
ences with collection agencies. They
mostly go after deadbeat accounts that
try to negotiate the debt down further,
and then they take one-third of whatever
is collected.
Massa agreed: We dont use collec-
tion agencies theyre going to take
their cut, and then things get messy with
the customer. We tried it a couple of
times and got nowhere. Hes willing to
work with clients if they are up front
about why they havent paid, like if they
are having cash flow problems. Well
work out a payment plan with a customer
half a loaf is better than none. We try
to accommodate all of our customers, if
possible.
He also stresses the fact that his com-
pany is very particular about the kinds of
customers it works with. We dont work
with just anybody we try to pick and
choose the best customers. Rolla echoes
this: Im very picky about who I work
with. Small welding shops and self-
employed welders are sometimes vulner-
able to nonpayment if they want the busi-
ness too much and feel like they cant af-
ford to turn a job down. Unfortunately,
this happens all the time.
Collecting Down
Payments
Of course, the more money you can
collect from customers up front, the less
youll have to collect after the job is fin-
ished. All the experienced welding busi-
ness owners said they collect a 50% de-
posit up front when they can, especially
if they have to lay out money for materi-
als and supplies. Its nearly impossible
to get full payment up front, but if I can
get half, thats usually pretty good, said
Rolla.
Massa said he has one employee ded-
icated to handling billing and collections.
I call her my little pit bull. But there are
still times when I have to call customers
about late payments, and I dont have a
problem with this.
Swaim also said he calls customers
when late payments hit the 90 day mark.
But this is sometimes awkward because
my relationship is with a technical per-
son or engineer, not the purchasing
agent, and they dont want to get involved
in payment issues. He adds what he calls
an invisible PIA (pain in the ___) sur-
charge of maybe 5% to jobs for some cus-
tomers whom he knows are going to take
a long time to pay.
Massa pointed out a common prob-
lem for welders when it comes to collect-
ing payment is the fact that there are lots
of middlemen involved in many jobs
designers, architects, engineers, contrac-
tors, etc. We start laying out money as
soon as a job starts for materials, sup-
pliers, and employee salaries but we
often dont collect any money for at least
60 days. And we dont hold any retainage.
But I do negotiate better prices with
my suppliers because they know theyre
going to get paid by me quickly, so they
have an extra incentive to get the job
done on time. Fortunately, we have a
strong enough cash flow to operate this
way financially.
Deliver Quality and
Customer Service
Finally, Rolla stresses the importance
of always doing a high-quality job and de-
livering a high level of customer service
and satisfaction when it comes to collect-
ing payment. When customers are
happy, there usually isnt a problem in
collecting payment. You should also con-
centrate on raising your skill level so that
you are in high demand, and try to get
into an industry niche so you arent a
dime-a-dozen welder.
Here are five tips from experienced welding business owners
for collecting payment after a job is complete:
1. Create an accounts receivable aging report. This will tell you
which accounts are past due and how late they are so you know
where to concentrate your collection efforts. It will track the pay-
ment status of all of your customers by time period (such as 030
days, 3060 days, etc.) and amounts due.
2. Act quickly. The chances of collecting payment drop quickly
over time: from 74% after 90 days to about 50% after six months
and just 23% after one year, according to data from the Commer-
cial Collection Agency Association. Call or e-mail customers as
soon as the payment is past due to inquire about its status. If youre
friendly and nonthreatening, this will often get the problem resolved
quickly.
3. Consider offering a payment plan. If the customer is having
cash flow problems, you might consider negotiating a payment plan
for the past-due amount. It should specify that consecutive pay-
ments of a certain amount will be made over a certain number of
months ideally, the debt will be paid in full within six months.
Formalize the agreement in writing and have it signed by both
parties.
4. Send a past-due letter. If these steps dont yield results, you
may have to get a little more serious. A past-due letter should be
sent via certified mail, clearly explaining the delinquent status of
the account. For example: This letter is to follow up on phone mes-
sages and e-mails regarding the past-due status of invoice #ABC.
Please remit payment at once, or contact us if you have any ques-
tions about the invoice.
5. Get help from a professional. If a past-due letter gets no re-
sponse, you might consider turning the account over to a collection
agency. But this may threaten your future relationship with the
customer, so weigh the value of the relationship against the amount
of money owed to decide whether to go this route or simply write
off the debt.
Collections Tips
COMING
EVENTS
59th Annual UA Assn. of Journeymen and Apprentices of the
Plumbing and Pipefitting Industrys Instructor Training Pro-
gram. Aug. 1117, Washtenaw Community College, Ann Arbor,
Mich. www.visitannarbor.org/news/detail/ann-arbor-welcomes-the-
59th-annual-united-association-instructor-training-p.
Intl Conf. on Solar Energy Materials and Energy Engineering
(SEMEE2013). Sept. 1, 2. Hong Kong. www.semme-conf.org.
16th Annual Aluminum Conf. Sept. 4, 5. Chicago, Ill. Sponsored
by the American Welding Society (800/305) 443-9353, ext. 264;
www.aws.org/conferences.
12th Intl Conf. on Application of Contemporary Non-Destructive
Testing in Engineering. Sept. 46. Grand Hotel Metropol, Por-
toroz, Slovenia. Sponsored by The Slovenian Society for Non-De-
structive Testing. www.fs.uni-lj.si/ndt.
LPPDE-North America. Sept. 911. Savannah, Ga. Lean Product
& Process Development Exchange, Inc. Address e-mail to
lppde@leanfront.com.
Lasers for Manufacturing Event (LME 2013). Sept. 11, 12.
Schaumburg Convention Center, Schaumburg, Ill. Laser Institute
of America. www.laserevent.org; lme@lia.org.
66th IIW Annual Assembly. Sept. 1117. Essen, Germany.
Organized by DVS (German Welding Society). www.dvs-
ev.de/IIW2013/.
GAWDA Annual Convention. Sept. 1518. Orlando, Fla. Gases
and Welding Distributors Assn. www.gawda.org.
ASM Heat Treating Society Conf. and Expo. Sept. 1618. Indiana
Convention Center, Indianapolis, Ind. www.asminternational.org/
content/Events/heattreat/.
IIW Intl Conf. on Automation in Welding. Sept. 16, 17. Essen,
Germany. www.iiw2013.com. Event in the IIW Annual Assembly.
Schweissen & Schneiden 2013 Intl Trade Fair Joining, Cutting,
Surfacing. Sept. 1621. Essen, Germany. Sponsored by DVS, Ger-
man Welding Society. www.schweissenuschneiden.de/en/schweis-
sen_schneiden/index.html.
9th Annual Northeast Shingo Prize Conf. Sept. 24, 25. The Re-
sort & Conference Center at Hyannis, Hyannis, Mass.
www.neshingoprize.org.
POWER-GEN Brasil 2013, HydroVision Brasil, and DistribuTech
Brasil. Sept. 2426. Transamerica Center, So Paulo, Brazil.
www.power-gen.com.
Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show (CMTS) 2013. Sept.
NOTE: A DIAMOND ( ) DENOTES AN AWS-SPONSORED EVENT.
AUGUST 2013 54
Simple
hinge-type
construction
Ideal for
prototype and
low volume work
Two-speed spindle
(30 & 60 rpm)
Heavy-duty drive
3.5 hp TEFC motor
Sliding double vise assembly for precision,
burr-free cutting
Totally enclosed transmission
C315/350
Manual
Cold Saw
6700 Quality Way
Portage, MI 49002
269-321-8860
Fax: 269-321-8890
www.kmtsaw.com
Weld Smarter With
Total Welding Management
Implementing the principles and
concepts in this book could save
you $15,000 to $25,000 annually
per welder.
Drawing on more than 50 years
of welding experience, author Jack
R. Barckhoff, P.E., gives you a solid
step-by-step plan to manage your
welding operations for maximum
productivity and cost efficiency.
Specific recommendations and
real-life production examples
illustrate how your welding team
can realize productivity gains of 20 percent to 50 percent.
Total Welding Management explains the management
principles, structure, and details you need to transform your
welding operations from a cost center into a profit center. A
must-read for supervisors, managers, and executives who
seek to make their welding operations more efficient and
more productive. 185 pages, 35 figure, 20 tables, hardbound.
Order yours today: 888-WELDING (935-3464).
Outside North America: 305-824-1177.
Online: www.aws.org/standards
Order code: AWS TWM, $49.50
American Welding Society 2006 WJS1235
57 WELDING JOURNAL
30Oct. 3. The International Centre, 6900 Airport Rd., Missis-
sauga, Canada. Society of Manufacturing Engineers. (888) 322-
7333, ext. 4426; www.cmts.ca.
Brazil Welding Show 2013. Oct. 14. So Paulo, Brazil. Sponsored
by DVS, German Welding Society. www.brazil-welding-show.com/.
National Manufacturing Day. Oct. 4. Events held nationwide.
Sponsored by Fabricators & Manufacturers Assn. To find events
planned near you, visit www.mfgday.com for interactive map.
ICALEO Intl Congress on Applications of Lasers & Electro-
Optics. Oct. 610, Hyatt Regency Miami Resort, Miami, Fla.
www.lia.org/conferences/icaleo.
The Intl WorkBoat Show. Oct. 911, Morial Convention Center,
New Orleans, La. www.workboatshow.com.
WESTEC. Oct. 1517. Los Angeles Convention Center, Los An-
geles, Calif. The Society of Manufacturing Engineers. (800) 733-
4763; www.westeconline.com.
Canadian Intl Aluminum Conf. Oct. 2125, Palais des Congrs
de Montral, Montreal, Que., Canada. www.ciacmontreal.com.
12th Inalco Intl Aluminum Conf. Oct. 21, 22, Palais des Congrs
de Montral, Montreal, Que., Canada. www.inalco2013.com.
FFA Annual Convention. Oct. 30Nov. 3, Kentucky Exposition
Center, Louisville, Ky. Future Farmers of America.
www.ffa.org/Pages/default.aspx.
ASNT Fall Conf. and Quality Testing Show 2013. Nov. 47, Rio
Hotel, Las Vegas, Nev. The American Society for Nondestructive
Testing. www.asnt.org.
POWER-GEN Intl Event. Nov. 1214, Orange County Conven-
tion Center, Orlando, Fla. www.power-gen.com/event-info.html.
FABTECH 2013. Nov. 1821, McCormick Place, Chicago, Ill.
This exhibition is the largest event in North America dedicated to
showcasing the full spectrum of metal forming, fabricating, tube
and pipe, welding equipment, and myriad manufacturing tech-
nologies. American Welding Society. (800/305) 443-9353, ext. 264;
www.fabtechexpo.com.
5th Thermal Spray Technology: High-Performance Surfaces.
Nov. 19. McCormick Place, Chicago, Ill. Sponsored by Intl Ther-
mal Spray Assn., an AWS Standing Committee. itsa@thermal-
spray.org. American Welding Society. (800/305) 443-9353, ext. 264;
ITSA Intl Thermal Spray Assn. Annual Meeting. April
2426. Savannah, Ga. Sponsored by Intl Thermal Spray Assn., an
AWS Standing Committee. itsa@thermalspray.org; www.thermal-
spray.org.
FABTECH India colocated with Weld India. April 1012, 2014,
Pragati Maidan Exhibition Complex, New Delhi, India. Concur-
For info go to www.aws.org/ad-index For info go to www.aws.org/ad-index
COMING EVENTS
AUGUST 2013 58
rent with the 2014 Intl Congress of the IIW. Cosponsored by
AWS, FMA, SME, PMA, CCAI, and India Institute of Welding.
www.fabtechexpoindia.com.
FABTECH 2014. Nov. 1113, Georgia World Congress Center,
Atlanta, Ga. This exhibition is the largest event in North America
dedicated to showcasing the full spectrum of metal forming, fab-
ricating, tube and pipe, welding equipment, and myriad manufac-
turing technologies. American Welding Society. (800/305) 443-
9353, ext. 264; www.fabtechexpo.com.
FABTECH 2015. Nov. 912, McCormick Place, Chicago, Ill. This
exhibition is the largest event in North America dedicated to
showcasing the full spectrum of metal forming, fabricating, tube
and pipe, welding equipment, and myriad manufacturing tech-
nologies. American Welding Society. (800/305) 443-9353, ext. 264;
Educational Opportunities
Aluminum Welding Technology School. Oct. 13, AlcoTec,
Traverse City, Mich. For brochure and to register, visit
www.alcotec.com/us/en/education/Training-Alcotec.cfm.
Brazing School Fundamentals to Advanced Concepts. Oct.
2224 (Greenville, S.C.); Nov. 1921 (Simsbury, Conn.).
www.kaybrazing.com/seminars.htm; dan@kaybrazing.com; (860)
651-5595.
CWI Preparation Courses. Aug. 1923, Nov. 1115. D1.1
Endorsement: Aug. 23, Nov. 15; D1.5 Endorsement: Aug. 16; API
Endorsement: Nov. 8. All courses and endorsements held at
Welder Training & Testing Institute, 1144 N. Graham St.,
Allentown, Pa. www.wtti.com; (610) 820-9551, ext. 204.
Fundamentals of Welding Engineering. Aug. 59, EWI,
Columbus, Ohio. www.ewi.org/events; education@ewi.org.
Grounding and Electrical Protection Courses. Aug. 15, 16,
Chantilly, Va.; Oct. 17, 18, Albuquerque, N.Mex. Lyncole XIT
Grounding, www.lyncole.com/courses; education@lyncole.com.
Industrial Ventilation Training Programs. Oct. 1416,
Birmingham, Ala.; March 1719, 2014, Las Vegas, Nev. For elec-
tronic copy of the brochure e-mail rdeckhoff@gmail.com. The
Deep South Center for Occupational Health & Safety.
Introduction to Friction Stir Welding. Nov. 6, EWI, Columbus,
Ohio. www.ewi.org/events; education@ewi.org.
Laser Vision Seminars. Aug. 28, 29; Oct. 2, 3; Nov. 6, 7; Dec. 4,
5. Servo-Robot, Inc. www.servorobot.com.
Laser Welding and Equipment Fundamentals. Sept. 19, EWI,
Columbus, Ohio. www.ewi.org/events; education@ewi.org.
Modern Furnace Brazing School. Oct. 2224. Wall Colmonoy,
Madison Heights, Wis. www.wallcolmonoy.com.
ASM Intl Courses. Numerous classes on welding, corrosion, fail-
ure analysis, metallography, heat treating, etc., presented in
Materials Park, Ohio, online, webinars, on-site, videos, and
DVDs; www.asminternational.org, search for courses.
Automotive Body in White Training for Skilled Trades and
Engineers. Orion, Mich. A five-day course covers operations,
troubleshooting, error recovery programs, and safety procedures
for automotive lines and integrated cells. Applied Mfg.
Technologies; (248) 409-2000; www.appliedmfg.com.
Basic and Advanced Welding Courses. Cleveland, Ohio. The
Lincoln Electric Co.; www.lincolnelectric.com.
Basics of Nonferrous Surface Preparation. Online course, six
hours includes exam. Offered on the 15th of every month by The
Society for Protective Coatings. Register at www.sspc.org/training.
Best Practices for High-Strength Steel Repairs. I-CAR courses
for vehicle repair and steel structural technicians. www.i-car.com.
Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors Training Courses and
Seminars. Columbus, Ohio; (614) 888-8320; www.national-
board.org.
Canadian Welding Bureau Courses. Welding inspection courses
and preparation courses for Canadian General Standards Board
and Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission certifications. The
CWB Group, www.cwbgroup.org.
CWI/CWE Course and Exam. Troy, Ohio. A two-week prepara-
tion and exam program. Hobart Institute of Welding Technology;
(800) 332-9448; www.welding.org.
CWI/CWE Prep Course and Exam and NDT Inspector Training
Courses. An AWS Accredited Testing Facility. Courses held year-
round at 1144 N. Graham St., Allentown, Pa., and at customers
facilities. Welder Training & Testing Institute; (800) 223-9884;
info@wtti.edu; www.wtti.edu.
CWI Preparatory and Visual Weld Inspection Courses. Classes
presented in Pascagoula, Miss., Houston, Tex., and Houma and
Sulphur, La. Real Educational Services, Inc. (800) 489-2890;
info@realeducational.com.
Consumables: Care and Optimization. Free online e-courses on
the basics of plasma consumables for plasma operators, sales,
and service personnel; www.hyperthermcuttinginstitute.com.
Crane and Hoist Training for Operators. Konecranes Training
Institute, Springfield, Ohio; (262) 821-4001; www.konecrane-
samericas.com.
Discontinuities and Defects E-Course Seminar. Five video seg-
ments with a total run time of 70 min concluding with a test, a
certificate of completion, and 1.0 continuing-education unit.
Intended for anyone involved in arc weld inspection, quality con-
trol, engineering, or supervision. Hobart Institute of Welding
Technology. www.welding.org/c-54-e-courses.aspx.
Dust Collection Seminars. Free, full-day training on industrial
ventilation basics and OSHA, EPA, and NFPA regulations.
Presented throughout the year at numerous locations nation-
wide. Call Camfil Farr APC, (800) 479-6801.
EPRI NDE Training Seminars. Training in visual and ultrasonic
examination and ASME Section XI. Sherryl Stogner (704) 547-
6174; sstogner@epri.com.
Environmental Online Webinars. Free, online, real-time semi-
nars conducted by industry experts. For topics and schedule, visit
www.augustmack.com.
Environmental Training Classes in Awareness, Aboveground
Storage Tanks, HazWaste Compliance, Stormwater Compliance.
Courses presented in Orlando, Fla.; San Antonio, Tex.; New
Orleans, La.; Nashville, Tenn.; Anchorage, Alaska; and San
Diego, Calif. Contact EPA Alliance Training Group for sched-
ules. www.epaalliance.com.
Fabricators and Manufacturers Assn. and Tube and Pipe Assn.
Courses. (815) 399-8775; www.fmanet.org.
CERTIFICATION
SCHEDULE
Certified Welding Inspector (CWI)
LOCATION SEMINAR DATES EXAM DATE
Anchorage, AK Exam only Sept. 21
Miami, FL Sept. 1520 Sept. 21
Idaho Falls, ID Sept. 1520 Sept. 21
St. Louis, MO Sept. 1520 Sept. 21
Houston, TX Sept. 1520 Sept. 21
New Orleans, LA Sept. 2227 Sept. 28
Fargo, ND Sept. 2227 Sept. 28
Pittsburgh, PA Sept. 2227 Sept. 28
Indianapolis, IN Sept. 29Oct. 4 Oct. 5
Corpus Christi, TX Exam only Oct. 12
Long Beach, CA Oct. 611 Oct. 12
Tulsa, OK Oct. 611 Oct. 12
Cedar Rapids, IA Oct. 611 Oct. 12
Miami, FL Exam only Oct. 17
South Plainfield, NJ Oct. 1318 Oct. 19
Portland, OR Oct. 1318 Oct. 19
Nashville, TN Oct. 1318 Oct. 19
Atlanta, GA Oct. 2025 Oct. 26
Shreveport, LA Oct. 2025 Oct. 26
Detroit, MI Oct. 2025 Oct. 26
Roanoke, VA Oct. 2025 Oct. 26
Cleveland, OH Oct. 27Nov. 1 Nov. 2
Spokane, WA Oct. 27Nov. 1 Nov. 2
Sacramento, CA Nov. 38 Nov. 9
Corpus Christi, TX Exam only Nov. 16
Miami, FL Nov. 1015 Nov. 16
Anapolis, MD Nov. 1015 Nov. 16
Dallas, TX Nov. 1015 Nov. 16
Chicago, IL Exam only Nov. 21
Miami, FL Exam only Dec. 5
Los Angeles, CA Dec. 813 Dec. 14
Orlando, FL Dec. 813 Dec. 14
Reno, NV Dec. 813 Dec. 14
Houston, TX Dec. 813 Dec. 14
St. Louis, MO Exam only Dec. 14
9Year Recertification Seminar for CWI/SCWI
(No exams given.) For current CWIs and SCWIs needing to
meet education requirements without taking the exam. The exam
can be taken at any site listed under Certified Welding Inspector.
LOCATION SEMINAR DATES
Denver, CO Sept. 1520
Dallas, TX Oct. 611
New Orleans, LA Oct. 27Nov. 1
Seattle, WA Nov. 38
Miami, FL Dec. 813
Certified Welding Supervisor (CWS)
Miami, FL Sept. 2327 Sept. 28
Norfolk, VA Oct. 1418 Oct. 19
CWS exams are also given at all CWI exam sites.
Certified Radiographic Interpreter (CRI)
Chicago, IL Sept. 2327 Sept. 28
Pittsburgh, PA Oct. 1418 Oct. 19
The CRI certification can be a stand-alone credential or can
exempt you from your next 9-Year Recertification.
Certified Welding Sales Representative (CWSR)
CWSR exams will be given at CWI exam sites.
Certified Welding Educator (CWE)
Seminar and exam are given at all sites listed under Certified
Welding Inspector. Seminar attendees will not attend the Code
Clinic portion of the seminar (usually the first two days).
Certified Robotic Arc Welding (CRAW)
The course dates are followed by the location and phone number.
Dec. 913 at
ABB, Inc., Auburn Hills, MI; (248) 3918421
Aug. 1923, Dec. 26 at
Genesis-Systems Group, Davenport, IA; (563) 445-5688
Oct. 14 at
Lincoln Electric Co., Cleveland, OH; (216) 383-8542
Oct. 2125 at
OTC Daihen, Inc., Tipp City, OH; (937) 667-0800
Training: Sept. 2325, Nov. 1820
Exams: Sept. 2627, Nov. 2122 at
Wolf Robotics, Fort Collins, CO; (970) 225-7736
On request at
MATC, Milwaukee, WI; (414) 297-6996
CERTIFICATION SEMINARS, CODE CLINICS, AND EXAMINATIONS
IMPORTANT: This schedule is subject to change without notice. Applications are to be received at least six weeks prior to the
seminar/exam or exam. Applications received after that time will be assessed a $250 Fast Track fee. Please verify application dead-
line dates by visiting our website www.aws.org/certification/docs/schedules.html. Verify your event dates with the Certification Dept.
to confirm your course status before making travel plans. For information on AWS seminars and certification programs, or to reg-
ister online, visit www.aws.org/certification or call (800/305) 443-9353, ext. 273, for Certification; or ext. 455 for Seminars. Apply
early to avoid paying the $250 Fast Track fee.
AUGUST 2013 60
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WELDING
WORKBOOK
The purpose of shielding gases is to promote a desirable weld-
ment or cut and to protect the molten metal from atmospheric
contamination. The basic properties of gases as related to the
performance of the welding or cutting process include ionization
potential, thermal properties, and reactivity. The following are
specific property descriptions:
Ionization Potential. Ionization potential is the energy neces-
sary to remove an electron from a gas atom (Table 1). The ion-
ization potential of a gas at arc temperatures influences the arc
voltage as well as the thermal energy delivered to the weld. As
ionization potential increases, greater welding voltage is neces-
sary to sustain the arc. The ionization potential of helium (24.5
eV) is much higher than that of argon (15.7 eV); therefore, it is
easier to start an arc with argon shielding.
Thermal Conductivity. The thermal conductivity of a gas is its
ability to conduct heat. Argon, which has a low thermal conduc-
tivity, produces an arc that has a narrow hot core and a cooler
outer zone. Helium has a high thermal conductivity and conducts
heat outward from the core producing a broader plasma and
more even heat distribution.
Reactivity. Reactivity, as it applies to shielding gases, is a com-
parative measurement of how readily a given shielding gas will
react with the molten weld metal. Argon and helium are inert,
and therefore have no effect on the weld metal. The following
gases react with metals, and their properties are listed:
Hydrogen, a reducing gas, will preferentially react with metallic
oxides of the molten weld metal, thereby helping to prevent
oxide inclusion; however, when used on hardenable steels, this
shielding gas can produce some adverse effects, such as under-
bead or hydrogen-induced cracking.
Oxygen and carbon dioxide fall into a category of reactive gases
known as oxidizers; they will react with the molten metal in the
arc and in the weld pool to form oxides.
Nitrogen, when exposed to elevated temperatures associated
with welding, will react with metallic elements to form nitrides.
Nitrogen will cause porosity and loss of toughness in ferritic
(carbon steel, low-alloy, and alloy steel) welds. Nitrogen can
dissolve in nominally austenitic and duplex stainless steel weld
metals, and, as an alloy element, it reduces ferrite content.
Properties of Shielding Gases. Argon (Ar) is denser than air,
chemically inert, colorless and odorless both as a gas and as a liq-
uid, and constitutes slightly less than 1% of the earths atmosphere.
It promotes good arc initiation due to its low ionization potential.
Helium(He), the second least dense known element, is chem-
ically inert and less soluble in liquids than any other gas. It is used
either alone or in combination with other gases for several weld-
ing, cutting, and purging applications and processes.
Hydrogen (H
2
), the least dense known element, is chemically
active. Its high heat conductivity makes its mixtures useful in se-
lected welding and cutting applications. Be aware that hydrogen
is a highly flammable gas and a mixture of hydrogen with oxygen
or air in a confined area will explode when brought in contact
with a flame or other source of ignition.
Oxygen (O
2
), which is denser than air, accounts for 50% of
the earths crust and 21% by volume, of the atmosphere. It vig-
orously supports combustion and combines with practically all
known elements except the inert gases. Additions of small per-
centages of oxygen to inert gases influence process characteris-
tics of gas metal arc and flux cored arc welding.
Carbon dioxide (CO
2
), which is denser than air, is a colorless
gas with a faintly pungent odor and somewhat acidic taste. While
most reactive gases cannot be used alone for shielding, carbon
dioxide is an exception. It is used extensively alone and as a com-
ponent of gas mixtures. Alone it cannot produce the spray trans-
fer mode with gas metal arc welding. Only argon mixtures con-
taining <20% CO
2
will produce the spray transfer mode.
AUGUST 2013 62
Datasheet 342
Excerpted from AWS C5.10/C5.10M: 2003, Recommended Practices for Shielding Gases for Welding and Cutting.
Purpose of Shielding Gases and Gas Properties
Table 1 Properties of Gases
Properties Units Argon Helium Hydrogen
(1)
Carbon Dioxide Nitrogen Oxygen
Density
(2)
lb/ft
3
0.103 0.0103 0.0052 0.114 0.0725 0.0828
[kg/m
3
] [1.656] [0.1656] [0.0834] [1.833] [1.1605] [1.326]
Liquid Density
(3)
lb/ft
3
86.98 7.803 4.28 63.3
(4)
50.9 51.22
[kg/m
3
] [1394] [125] [68.6] [1014] [808.8] [820.5]
Heat of Vaporization
(5)
Btu/lb 69.7 8.77 192.7 119.3
(6)
85.6 91.7
[KJ/kg] [162.0] [20.4] [448.2] [276.8] [149.1] [213.0]
Boiling Point
(7)
F 302.6 452.0 423.0 109.3 320.4 297.3
[C] [185.9] [268.9] [252.7] [78.5] [195.8] [183.0]
Thermal Conductivity
(8)
Btu/h ft F 0.0094 0.0886 0.1008 0.0093 0.0147 0.0149
[watt/m K] [0.0153] [0.1532] [0.175] [0.0162] [0.0254] [0.0258]
Ionization Potential eV 15.7 24.5 13.5 14.4 14.5 13.2
Molecular Weight 39.94 4.003 2.016 44.01 28.013 31.99
Notes:
(1) Flammable limits of hydrogen: in air, 4.174.2% (vol); in O
2
, 4.793.9%(vol). (2) At 70F [21C] and 1 atm. (3) At boiling point. (4) Saturated liq-
uid at 1.7F [16.8C]. (5) All at boiling point except CO
2
. (6) Liquid CO
2
at 300 lb/in.
2
[2.07 MPa] and 1.7F [16.8C]. (7) All at 1 atm except CO
2
at
sublimation point. (8) All at 32F [0C] except CO
2
at 77F [25C].
The Certification programs for individuals are:
An AWS certification can help you distinguish yourself from the pack and begin your
ascension into a growing industry with a career that can be rewarding as well as fulfilling.
If you would like to take the initiative, getting certified by AWS is the way to go!
www.aws.org/w/a/certification/index.html
Our industry is moving toward the future:
Make sure you are a part of it. Get an AWS certification now!
In addition to certifying individuals, AWS also has programs designed for companies:
In todays competitive and uncertain professional climate, an AWS certification gives you an edge. The
marketplace will recognize your AWS credentials as an attestation of the skills, experience and knowledge that you
and your team have gained through your years in the welding industry. The industry will recognize that your
company has the resources, procedures and personnel required to obtain and uphold one of our certifications.
Welders Certification

Accreditation of
International Quality

Robotic Operators
Certification
Certified Welding Inspector

SCWI - Senior Certified Welding Inspector

CWI - Certified Welding Inspector

CAWI - Certified Associate Welding Inspector
With three different levels of certification according
with the education and continuing experience of the
inspector, this is the most widely recognized and
internationally popular certification offered by AWS.
CWE - Certified Welding Educator
CRI - Certified Radiographic Interpreter
CWSR - Certified Welding Sales Representative
CRAW - Certified Robotic Arc Welding Operator
CWEng - Certified Welding Engineer
CW - Certified Welder
The certification programs developed by the American Welding
Society are designed to distinguish highly-skilled members of our
industry as the best in their field. Because AWS accreditation is
widely recognized, domestically and globally, being certified by
AWS in your field can be your first step toward significant
professional advancement and increased business opportunities.
Many companies have enjoyed success with AWS certified
individuals, and look to continue to, because of the assurance of
quality workmanship and skill that an AWS certification brings.
Agentes Internacionais de Certificao autorizados pela AWS
Associao Brasileira de Soldagem (ABS)
Rua Dr. Guilherme Bannitz 126 cj 42 Itaim Bibi, So Paulo, SP 04532-060
Tel: +(55) 11 3045-5040 Fax: 11 3045-8578 www.abs-soldagem.org.br
d.almeida@abs-soldagem.org.br marta@abs-soldagem.org.br
AWS CERTIFICATION PROGRAMS

.aws.org www w.

.aws.org/w/a/certification/index.html

.aws.org/w/a/certification/index.html




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We ask that you speak from your heart about your job and
share what you like about the industry.
The Weld and Shine Program,
A WEMCO Image of Welding Initiative
CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS
An Open Letter To The Welding Industry
As everyone should be aware,
our industry is suffering from a lack
of young entrants into the welding
industry. This is evident in all facets
of our industry, from hands-on
welding to the many business
disciplines related to welding.
The barrier to entry into our industry is low, with welding
programs readily available through vocational schools
as well as many distributors throughout the country,
we are still not seeing the level of new recruits that we
would expect.
At the request of WEMCO, the American Welding
Society has been tasked with providing volunteers with a
presentation that promotes our industry to students and
young professionals pursuing a career in welding. This
presentation can be shared with junior colleges, teacher
associations, PTA meetings, guidance counselors, and
any other groups that have some influence over career
choices of our younger generation.
Youre probably asking yourself at this point, Whats
different about this program that hasnt been done
before? Well, the answer is YOU!
We ask that you speak from your heart about your
job and share what you like about the industry.
The key to success of the "Weld and Shine"
program is to get as many members of the welding
community in front of these groups as possible. The
effort on your part is minimal. Your role will be to show
the presentation, engage the audience in questions, and
provide information about your career in the welding
industry. Whatever your position may be, whether sales,
marketing, hands-on welding, counter sales, etc., we
hope you will share with these groups the many
opportunities available in welding.
In conjunction with developing the presentation, the
American Welding Society is asking you to join our
Speakers Bureau. The list of speakers will be available
to the aforementioned groups. You will not be asked to
travel any distance outside your community. If youre not
available for a presentation, we understand, but hope
you can participate as other opportunities arise. Please
join me in giving some of your time back to our industry,
which has provided us with the opportunity to raise
families, send our children to college, and enjoy the
benefits of employment.
By: Jim Horvath, Victor Technologies, Inc.
WEMCO Subcommittee Chair, Image of Welding
To learn more about the Weld and Shine Program,
please contact the WEMCO Management Specialist
Ms. Keila DeMoraes 305.443.9353 ext. 444 or via email kdemoraes@aws.org
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SOCIETYNEWS
SOCIETYNEWS
65 WELDING JOURNAL
BY HOWARD WOODWARD
woodward@aws.org
AWS members who wish to nominate
candidates for President, Vice Presi-
dent, and Director-at-Large on the AWS
Board of Directors for the term starting
Jan. 1, 2015, may
1. Send their nominations electroni-
cally by Oct. 8, 2013, to Gricelda Man-
alich at gricelda@aws.org, c/o W. A.
Rice, chairman, National Nominating
Committee; or
2. Present their nominations in per-
son at the open session of the National
Nominating Committee meeting sched-
uled for 2:00 to 3:00 P.M., Tuesday, Nov.
19, 2013, during FABTECH 2013 at Mc-
Cormick Place, Chicago, Ill.
Nominations must be accompanied
by biographical material on each candi-
date, including a written statement by
the candidate as to his or her willingness
and ability to serve if nominated and
elected, letters of support, plus a 5-
7-in. head-and-shoulders color photo-
graph.
Note: Persons who present their
nominations at the Show must provide
20 copies of the biographical materials
and written statement.
Nominations Sought for National Officers
Shown at the D. Fred Bovie Library ribbon-cutting ceremony are (from left) Sam Gentry, Ger-
ald Uttrachi, Lou Bovie, and Ray Shook. Inset: The D. Fred Bovie Library wall plaque.
D. Fred Bovie Library Rededicated at
AWS World Headquarters
Lou Bovie represented her late hus-
band D. Fred Bovie June 14 at the reded-
ication of the welding library and confer-
ence room named in his honor at AWS
World Headquarters in Miami, Fla. Join-
ing Mrs. Bovie in the ribbon-cutting cer-
emony were Gerald Uttrachi, chairman
of the AWS Foundation board of trustees,
and an AWS past president; Sam Gentry,
executive director, AWS Foundation; and
Ray Shook, AWS executive director.
Originally dedicated in 2001 at the So-
cietys former headquarters location on
LeJeune Road, the D. Fred Bovie Library
and Museum was established to enable
visitors to peruse welding-related litera-
ture, memorabilia, and historical artifacts.
An AWS Life Member, D. Fred Bovie
served on the AWS Foundation board
and was its first Trustee Emeritus. He of-
fered scholarships through The Ohio
State University for students pursuing
welding-related degrees. For 27 years,
Bovie worked at Airco where he served
as vice president and general manager
for the arc equipment and filler metal
business. In 1980, he joined Alloy Rods
Corp. where he served as president until
ESAB purchased the company; he then
served as president and chief executive
of the ESAB Group, Inc., until he retired.
AUGUST 2013 66
Revised Standard Approved by ANSI
D1.2/D1.2M:2013, Structural Welding
Code Aluminum. Approved 6/11/13.
Standards for Public Review
AWS-NAVSEA B2.1-1-302-20XX,
Welding Procedure Specification for Naval
Applications (SWPS-N): Shielded Metal
Arc Welding of Carbon Steel (S-1),
1
8
through 1
1
2 Inch Thick, MIL-7018-M, As-
Welded or PWHT Condition, Primarily
Plate and Structural Naval Applications.
New, $9, 8/5/13. A. Diaz, adiaz@aws.org.
AWS-NAVSEA B2.1-1-312-20XX,
Welding Procedure Specification for Naval
Applications (SWPS-N): Shielded Metal
Arc Welding of Carbon Steel (S-1),
1
8
through 1
1
2 Inch Thick, MIL-7018-M, As-
Welded or PWHT Condition, Primarily Pipe
for Naval Applications. New, $9, 8/5/13. A.
Diaz, adiaz@aws.org.
D15.1/D15.1M:20XX-AMD1, Railroad
Welding Specification for Cars and Loco-
motives. Amendment, $129, 7/15/13 (3rd
BSR-8). S. Borrero, sborrero@aws.org.
B2.1/B2.1M:20XX, Specification for
Welding Procedure and Performance Qual-
ification. Revised, $121, 7/29/13 (2nd BSR-
8). A. Diaz, adiaz@aws.org.
AWS was approved as an accredited
standards-preparing organization by the
American National Standards Institute
(ANSI) in 1979. AWS rules, as approved
by ANSI, require that all standards be
open to public review for comment dur-
ing the approval process. The above stan-
dards are submitted for public review with
the expiration dates shown. A draft copy
may be obtained from the Staff Secretary
listed with the document.
ISO Standards
In the United States, if you wish to par-
ticipate in the development of Interna-
tional Standards for welding, contact A.
Davis, adavis@aws.org.
New Standards Projects
Development work has begun to revise
the following two standards. Affected in-
dividuals are invited to contribute to their
development. Contact Staff Secretary S.
Borrero, sborrero@aws.org; ext. 334. Par-
ticipation on AWS Technical Committees
is open to all persons.
A2.4:20XX, Standard Symbols for Weld-
ing, Brazing, and Nondestructive Examina-
tion. This standard establishes a method
for specifying certain welding, brazing,
and nondestructive examination informa-
tion using symbols, including the exami-
nation method, frequency, and extent.
Detailed information and examples are
provided for the construction and inter-
pretation of the symbols. Stakeholders:
Engineers, students, welders, educators,
designers, and manufacturers.
A3.0M/A3.0:20XX, Standard Terms and
Definitions, including Terms for Adhesive
Bonding, Brazing, Soldering, Thermal Cut-
ting, and Thermal Spraying. This document
is a glossary of the technical terms, both
standard and nonstandard, used in the
welding industry, arranged alphabetically.
Its purpose is to establish standard terms
to aid in the communication of welding in-
formation. Stakeholders: Engineers, edu-
cators, students, welders, program man-
agers, government agencies, and those in
the automotive, aerospace, plastics, struc-
tural, marine, and shipbuilding industries.
Technical Committee Meetings
All AWS technical committee meet-
ings are open to the public. Persons wish-
ing to attend a meeting should e-mail the
committee secretary listed.
Aug. 7, Committee on Personnel and
Facilities Qualification. Pittsburgh, Pa. S.
Hedrick, steve@aws.org.
Sept. 10, D15 Committee on Railroad
Welding. Smyrna, Ga. S. Borrero, sbor-
rero@aws.org.
Sept. 10, D15A Subcommittee on Cars
and Locomotives. Smyrna, Ga. S. Borrero,
sborrero@aws.org.
Sept. 26, 27, C1 Committee on Resist-
ance Welding. Columbus, Ohio. E.
Abrams, eabrams@aws.org.
Tech Topics
Errata: D1.4/D1.4M:2011
Structural Welding Code
Reinforcing Steel
Page 40, Figure 6.5 (c), the 8 in the for-
mula should read B.
Correct the formula to read:
LMIN = 2L1 + 16D + B
Official Interpretation
AWS A5.26/A5.26M-97
Specification for Carbon and Low-Alloy
Steel Electrodes for Electrogas Welding
AWS Log: A5.26/A5.26M-97-I01
Inquiry: If a manufacturer of self-shielded
electrogas electrodes does not manufac-
ture a 0.120-in. (3.0-mm) wire, then can
they classify their electrode based on the
use of a
3
32-in. (2.4-mm) size (if that is the
closest size produced) using their recom-
mended procedure appropriate for that
size, which could require use of a beveled
joint?
Response: Yes
Official Interpretation
AWS A5.01M/A5.01:2008
(ISO 14344:2002 MOD)
Procurement Guidelines for Consumables
Welding and Allied Processes
Flux and Gas Shielded
Electrical Welding Processes
Inquiry: Is analysis of weld metal chemi-
cal composition sufficient to satisfy that
all wet mixes within the lot are equivalent
per AWS A5.01 controlled chemical
composition?
Response: No.
November 1, 2013, is the deadline for
submitting nominations for the 2014
Prof. Koichi Masubuchi Award. This
award includes a $5000 honorarium. It
is presented each year to one person,
40 years old or younger, who has made
significant contributions to the ad-
vancement of materials joining through
research and development. Nomina-
tions should include a description of the
candidates experience, list of publica-
tions, honors, and awards, and at least
three letters of recommendation from
fellow researchers. The award is spon-
sored by the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology Dept. of Ocean Engineer-
ing. E-mail your nomination package to
Todd A. Palmer, assistant professor,
The Pennsylvania State University,
tap103@psu.edu.
Candidates Sought for Annual Masubuchi Award
67 WELDING JOURNAL
Safety and Health Committee seeks educa-
tors, users, general interest, and consultants.
S. Hedrick, steveh@aws.org.
Oxyfuel gas welding and cutting, C4
Committee seeks educators, general inter-
est and end users; Friction welding, C6
Committee seeks professionals; High en-
ergy beam welding and cutting, C7 Com-
mittee seeks professionals. Robotic and au-
tomatic welding, D16 Committee seeks gen-
eral interest and educational members. C.
Lewis, clewis@aws.org.
Magnesium alloy filler metals, A5L Sub-
committee seeks professionals. R. Gupta,
gupta@aws.org.
Local heat treating of pipe, D10P Sub-
committee seeks professionals; Mechanical
testing of welds, B4 Committee seeks pro-
fessionals. B. McGrath, bmcgrath@aws.org.
Reactive Alloys, G2D Subcommittee
seeks volunteers; Titanium and zirconium
filler metals, A5K Subcommittee seeks pro-
fessionals; Welding qualifications, B2B Sub-
committee seeks members; Friction stir-
welding of aluminum alloys for aerospace
applications, D17J Subcommittee seeks
members. A. Diaz, adiaz@aws.org.
Resistance welding equipment, J1 Com-
mittee seeks educators, general interest, and
users; Thermal spraying and automotive
welding, the D8 and C2 Committees seek
educators, general interest, and end users;
Machinery and equipment, Surfacing and
reconditioning of industrial mill rolls, D14
and D14H Committees seek professionals.
E. Abrams, eabrams@aws.org.
Opportunities to Serve on AWS Technical Committees
Volunteers are sought to contribute to the following technical committees. Visit www.aws.org/technical/jointechcomm.html.
The International Thermal Spray As-
sociation (ITSA), a Standing Committee
of the American Welding Society, held its
annual membership meeting and techni-
cal program June 68 in Ogden, Utah.
A professional industrial association,
ITSA is dedicated to expanding the use
of thermal spray technologies for the ben-
efit of industry and society. The Associa-
tion is closely interwoven with the history
of thermal spray development in this
hemisphere. Founded in 1948, and once
known as Metallizing Service Contractors,
it has been closely tied to almost all major
advances in thermal spray technology,
equipment, and materials, industry
events, education, standards, and market
development in North and South Amer-
ica. A company-member industrial asso-
ciation, ITSA invites all potential mem-
ber companies to talk with its officers,
committee members, and company rep-
resentatives to better understand mem-
ber benefits.
A complete list of ITSA member com-
panies, their products and services, and
their representatives can be reviewed at
www.thermalspray.org.
Mark your calendar:
Nov. 1820, 2013: Visit the Thermal
Spray Pavilion and Conference to be held
during FABTECH in Chicago, Ill.
April 2426, 2014: The next ITSA an-
nual meeting will be held in Savannah,
Ga.
Thermal Spray Association Members Convene in Utah
Shown are several International Thermal Spray Association members and guests during their tour of the Snow Basin Resort, home of the
2002 Olympic Winter Games.
William Irrgang Memorial Award
This award is given to the individual who has done the most
over the past five years to enhance the Societys goal of advanc-
ing the science and technology of welding. It includes a $2500
honorarium and a certificate.
Honorary Membership Award
This award acknowledges eminence in the welding profession,
or one who is credited with exceptional accomplishments in the
development of the welding art. Honorary Members have full
rights of membership.
National Meritorious Certificate Award
This award recognizes the recipients counsel, loyalty, and
dedication to AWS affairs, assistance in promoting cordial rela-
tions with industry and other organizations, and for contribu-
tions of time and effort on behalf of the Society.
George E. Willis Award
This award is given to an individual who promoted the ad-
vancement of welding internationally by fostering coopera-
tive participation in technology transfer, standards rationali-
zation, and promotion of industrial goodwill. It includes a
$2500 honorarium.
International Meritorious Certificate Award
This honor recognizes recipients significant contributions to
the welding industry for service to the international welding com-
munity in the broadest terms. The award consists of a certificate
and a one-year AWS membership.
Name Your Candidates for These AWS Awards
The deadline for nominating candidates for the following awards is December 31 prior to the year of the awards presentations.
Contact Wendy Sue Reeve, wreeve@aws.org; (800/305) 443-9353, ext. 293.
AUGUST 2013 68
Member-Get-A-Member Campaign Final Results
Winners Circle
Sponsored 20 or more Individual Mem-
bers per year since June 1, 1999. The super-
script denotes the number of times the status
was achieved if more than once.
E. Ezell, Mobile
11
J. Compton, San Fernando Valley
7
J. Merzthal, Peru
2
G. Taylor, Pascagoula
2
L. Taylor, Pascagoula
2
B. Chin, Auburn
S. Esders, Detroit
M. Haggard, Inland Empire
M. Karagoulis, Detroit
S. McGill, NE Tennessee
B. Mikeska, Houston
M. Pelegrino, Chicago
W. Shreve, Fox Valley
T. Weaver, Johnstown/Altoona
G. Woomer, Johnstown/Altoona
R. Wray, Nebraska
Presidents Guild
Sponsored 20+ new Individual Members
M. Pelegrino, Chicago 36
E. Ezell, Mobile 32
Presidents Roundtable
Sponsored 919 new Individual Members
R. Fulmer, Twin Tiers 10
W. Blamire, Atlanta 9
A. Tous, Costa Rica 9
P. Strother, New Orleans 9
Presidents Club
Sponsored 38 new Individual Members
D. Galiher, Detroit 7
W. Komlos, Utah 7
J. Smith, San Antonio 6
C. Becker, Northwest 5
R. Thacker Jr., Oklahoma City 5
L. Webb, Lexington 4
D. Wright, Kansas City 4
T. Baber, San Fernando Valley 3
J. Bain, Mobile 3
A. Bernard, Sabine 3
J. Blubaugh, Detroit 3
P. Brown, New Orleans 3
D. Buster, Eastern Iowa 3
C. Daon, Israel Section 3
G. Gammill, NE Mississippi 3
B. Hackbarth, Milwaukee 3
S. Jaycox, Long Island 3
D. Jessop, Mahoning Valley 3
D. Saunders, Lakeshore 3
T. Sumerix, Dayton 3
J. Turcott, Rochester 3
A. Winkle, Kansas City 3
R. Wright, San Antonio 3
R. Zabel, SE Nebraska 3
Presidents Honor Roll
Sponsored 2 Individual Members
G. Cornell, St. Louis
M. Depuy, Portland
M. Douville, Central Mass./R.I.
V. Facchiano, Lehigh Valley
D. Hayes Jr., Louisville
J. Helfrich, Tri-River
P. Host, Chicago
H. Hughes, Mahoning Valley
J. Kline, Northern New York
L. Kvidahl, Pascagoula
W. Larry, Southern Colorado
G. Lawrence, N. Central Florida
J. Mansfield, Philadelphia
E. Norman, Ozark
A. Sam, Trinidad
C. Shepherd, Houston
T. Shirk, Tidewater
G. Solomon, Central Pennsylvania
A. Sumal, British Columbia
R. Udy, Utah
C. Villarreal, Houston
J. Vincent, Kansas City
A. Vogt, New Jersey
J. Vorstenbosch, International
B. Wahmuth, Puget Sound
M. Wheeler, Cleveland
L. William, Western Carolina
W. Wilson, New Orleans
J. Winston, St. Louis
Student Member Sponsors
Sponsored 4+ new Student Members
H. Hughes, Mahoning Valley 106
A. Theriot, New Orleans 47
B. Scherer, Cincinnati 39
D. Saunders, Lakeshore 36
W. England, W. Michigan 33
R. Munns, Utah 33
R. Zabel, SE Nebraska 33
R. Bulthouse, Western Michigan 31
D. Pickering, Central Arkansas 31
R. Gilmer, Houston 29
T. Rivera, Corpus Christi 29
R. Hammond, Greater Huntsville 28
A. Stute, Madison-Beloit 28
T. Geisler, Pittsburgh 24
S. Siviski, Maine 24
B. Cheatham, Columbia 23
C. Kochersperger, Philadelphia 23
M. Arand, Louisville 22
V. Facchiano, Lehigh Valley 22
R. Hutchinson, Long Bch./Or. Cty. 22
D. Bastian, Northwestern Pa. 21
G. Gammill, NE Mississippi 21
J. Falgout, Baton Rouge 20
F. Oravets, Pittsburgh 20
G. Seese, Johnstown-Altoona 20
J. Theberge, Boston 20
J. Johnson, Madison-Beloit 19
R. Richwine, Indiana 19
K. Temme, Philadelphia 19
S. Lindsey, San Diego 17
J. Russell, Fox Valley 17
M. Anderson, Indiana 16
R. Fuller, Green & White Mts. 16
E. Norman, Ozark 16
A. Oberman, Ozark 16
C. Donnell, NW Ohio 14
J. Kline, Northern New York 13
G. Smith, Lehigh Valley 13
D. Schnalzer, Lehigh Valley 13
T. Sumerix, Dayton 12
C. Daily, Puget Sound 12
J. Daugherty, Louisville 12
C. Morris, Sacramento 12
S. Robeson, Cumberland Valley 12
J. Ciaramitaro, N. Central Florida 11
K. Cox, Palm Beach 11
A. Duron, New Orleans 11
J. Boyer, Lancaster Section 10
G. Seese, Johnstown-Altoona 10
R. Vann, South Carolina 10
C. Schiner, Wyoming 9
R. Udy, Utah 9
C. Galbavy, Idaho/Montana 8
C. Gilbertson, Northern Plains 8
J. Dawson, Pittsburgh 7
A. Badeaux, Washington, D.C. 6
T. Buckler, Columbus 6
S. Caldera, Portland 6
J. Elliott, Houston 6
T. Shirk, Tidewater 6
J. Grossman, Central Michigan 5
P. Host, Chicago 5
R. Ledford, Birmingham 5
R. Maxwell, Wheeling 5
T. Miller, Wyoming 5
G. Rolla, L.A./Inland Empire 5
G. Siepert, Kansas 5
W. Wilson, New Orleans 5
C. Chifici, New Orleans 4
L. Clark, Milwaukee 4
J. Ginther, International 4
C. Griffin, Tulsa 4
L. Gross, Milwaukee 4
J. Johnson, Northern Plains 4
J. Reed, Ozark 4
C. Renfro, Chattanooga 4
E. Shreve, Pittsburgh 4
R. Zadroga, Philadelphia 4
Congratulations to Michael Pelegrino
and Huck Hughes, 20122013 MGM
Campaign winners for recruiting the most
new Individual Members and most new
Student Members, respectively. Listed
below are the members participating in
the 20122013 campaign. Standings as of
June 1. See page 81 of this Welding Jour-
nal for campaign rules and prize list or
visit www.aws.org/mgm. For information,
call the Membership Dept. (800/305) 443-
9353, ext. 480.
69 WELDING JOURNAL
New AWS Supporters
Abeka Celik A.S. - Abeka Steel Co.
Samsun Merkez Osb Vali Erdogan, Cebeci
Cad., No: 30 Tekkekoy, Samsun, Turkey
Representative: Zubeyir Mustafa Cakir
www.abeka.com.tr
Abeka Steel is a fabricator of structural
steel and bridges. It designs and constructs
according to customers specifications.
Chemetics, Inc.
2001 Clements Rd.
Pickering, ON L1W 4C2, Canada
Representative: Darryl Madussi
www.jacobs.com
Chemetics, Inc., designs and fabricates
shell and tube heat exchangers and vessels
for the petrochemical and chemical indus-
tries and also operates sulfuric and nitric
acid plants. Located in the Toronto area
since 1970, its state-of-the-art manufactur-
ing shop in Pickering, Ont., opened in 2009.
Craig Technical Consulting, Inc.
dba Craig Technologies
8550 Astronaut Blvd.
Cape Canaveral, FL 32920
Representative: Colleen Watson Picco
www.craigtechinc.com
Craig Technologies offers design-to-
production capability that includes specialty
manufacturing, custom avionics, precision
machining and fabrication, and test and
evaluation services in support of the aero-
space and defense industries. Certified to
ISO 9001/AS9100 and ITAR compliant, the
company is staffed with experienced engi-
neers and certified technicians.
Durus Industrial, LLC
PO Box 12528, Tempe, AZ 85284
Representative: Lacee Dodge
www.jacobs.com
Guntner de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.
Av. Rogelio Gonzlez Caballero # 1000
Parque Industrial Stiva Aeropuerto
Apodaca, N.L. C.P. 66600, Mexico
Representative: Michel Castruita
www.guentner.com.mx
Hardesty & Hanover, LLC
1501 Broadway, 3rd Fl.
New York, NY 10036
Representative: Keith Griesing
www.hardesty-hanover.com
J. B. Testing, Inc.
1537 92nd Ln. NE, Blaine, MN 55449
Representative: Jeff Boisvert
www.jbtesting.com
J. B. Testing, Inc., an ISO-approved lab,
has offered metallographic testing services
for 26 years. Its methods include magnetic
particle, penetrant, ultrasonic, visual, digi-
tal X-ray, eddy current, surface temper etch,
hardness, and computer-controlled tensile
and hydrostatic pressure testing.
Martin Sprocket & Gear, Inc.
3600 McCart Ave., Fort Worth, TX 76110
Representative: Butch Rodgers
www.martinsprocket.com
NuWeld, Inc.
2600 Reach Rd., Williamsport, PA 17701
Representative: Michele March
www.nuweldinc.com
NuWeld, Inc., is a complete engineering,
procurement, and construction contractor
specializing in welding fabrication for nu-
clear safety/nonsafety-related work, com-
plete natural gas distribution, ongoing in-
spection, and postproject maintenance.
Precision Cut Industries
115 Ram Drive, Hanover, PA 17331
Representative: Justin Kline
www.precisioncut.com
PECo Process Equipment Co.
6555 S. State Rte. 202
Tipp City, OH 45371
Representative: Attridge Gordon
www.peco-us.com
PECo is a robotic arc welding solution
provider with more than 65 years of auto-
mated machine-building experience. Its in-
house manufacturing capabilites can pro-
vide everything from system positioning
components to complete, custom solutions
to best fit each customers requirements.
Rasmussen Mechanical Services
3215 Nebraska Ave.
Council Bluffs, IA 51501
Representative: Greg Schroeter
www.rasmech.com
Rasmussen Mechanical Services pro-
vides mechanical construction and heating,
ventilation, and air-conditioning services
throughout the Midwest. It offers sheet
metal, boiler, and burner repair services,
and a wholesale parts department. The com-
pany is dedicated to providing responsive,
high-quality, and cost-effective solutions for
its customers.
AWS Member Counts
July 1, 2013
Sustaining ......................................589
Supporting.....................................335
Educational ...................................617
Affiliate..........................................521
Welding Distributor........................52
Total Corporate ..........................2,114
Individual .................................58,878
Student + Transitional .................8,710
Total Members.........................67,588
Laurus Technical Institute
4801 Fulton Ind. Blvd., Atlanta, GA 30336
Orange County Inspections
5316 E. Playano Ave., Orange, CA 92867
Quinlan ISD
401 East Richmond, Quinlan, TX 75474
Shawnee Community College
8364 College Rd., Ullin, IL 62992
Sunshine Bible Academy
400 Sunshine Dr., Miller, SD 57362
Affiliate Companies
21st Management Corp.
PO Box 9206, Paducah, KY 42002
Accutech Mfg., Inc.
13109 Los Nietos Rd.
Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
Acutech, LLC
3816 Hwy. 40, Columbia Falls, MT 59912
Bombay Amusement Ride P Ltd.
303 Cliff Tower 3rd Cross Ln.
Lokhandwala Andheri (W)
Mumbai Maharashtra 400053, India
Hero Protective Alloys, Inc.
400 Watt Dr., Fairfield, CA 94534
Kasal Engineering Services, Ltd.
2 Court 4 Junction off Ogunu Rd.
POB 2076, Delta State, Warri, Nigeria
Northeast Welding
302 Reservoir, North Attleboro, MA 02760
Powers Built Structures, Inc.
POB 479, Hudson, TX 80642
RDR Energy Resources
Rte. 6, Box 662, Clarksburg, WV 26301
Rock River Steel
8976 N. 2200 Ave., Genesco, IL 61254
Schweizer Dipple, Inc.
7227 Division St.
Oakwood Village, OH 44146
Supporting Companies
Elgin Sweeper
1300 W. Bartlett Rd., Elgin, IL 60120
KAT Industries, Inc.
5209 SW 23 St., Oklahoma City, OK 73128
Stork Technical Services
12144 Dairy Ashford Rd., Ste. 300
Sugar Land, TX 77478
Educational Institutions
Community College of Denver
6221 Downing St. (rear building)
Denver, CO 80216
Gogebic Community College
E. 4946 Jackson Rd., Ironwood, MI 49938
Sustaining Member Companies
AUGUST 2013 70
BY JOHN BRAY, District 18 director
Wherever I go or whoever I speak to
about the challenges facing AWS Sec-
tions, I hear the same concerns. I have
found that attending a number of Sec-
tion meetings and District conferences
outside of my own District has been in-
valuable for learning just how others are
tackling these problems. The following
is what Ive learned from my fellow AWS
Members across the country.
The Board. An enthusiastic board
makes a great foundation for attracting
and holding new members. The chairman
should be a good organizer who commu-
nicates well with inspectors, educators,
factory reps, welding supply salespeople,
and students.
Member Retention. Being able to
keep the old guard active and adding
members from the younger generation
of professionals is the real key. Acting
on newcomers novel ideas and prospec-
tives can make a real impact. When visi-
tors are asked to participate at the meet-
ing theyll likely become more interested
in attending the next meeting and stay-
ing involved. Holiday parties and picnics
involving spouses and the kids are excel-
lent events for showing recognition for
the members achievements, relaxing,
and building member ties.
Communications. The publicity chair
should utilize a variety of technologies
to stay in frequent contact with the mem-
bers. Send out updates and newsletters
using e-mails, the AWS Web site, Face-
book, and other Internet contacts. Also,
take advantage of the services AWS of-
fers. It has staff dedicated to helping Sec-
tions set up and maintain their Web sites
where they can display notices and pho-
tographs of recent meetings and tours.
You can also contact staff to send out e-
mails to all of your members with just
one click. If you havent done so recently,
check out all of the great items that have
been added to the Section Tool Kit
online.
The Place and Time. It is important
to find a convenient meeting location
where the members feel comfortable.
Then establish a meeting calendar with
a consistent meeting time and dates.
Main Events. Lining up interesting
speakers and tours is not difficult. Be-
lieve it or not, there are probably many
informative and interesting presenters
and places to visit right in your backyard.
I have engaged speakers ranging from
local PhDs to shop floor superintendents
who made fine presentations about their
specialized interests in the welding pro-
fession. You just need to ask them to ap-
pear. For additional ideas, AWS can pro-
vide Sections with a list of speakers, and
be sure to check out your local speaker
bureaus. They usually list speakers from
power companies and other local indus-
tries who will lecture free or at low cost.
Manufacturer reps can be good speak-
ers, but make it clear your audience
wants to hear technical information not
a sales pitch. When possible, arrange for
programs offering professional develop-
ment hours to add value to your event.
Conduct welding contests to make the
local welding schools and students aware
of your Sections services and participate
at career days and vendor events when-
ever possible.
Share the Work and the Fun. Contact
another AWS Section or other local tech-
nical societies to discuss taking turns
hosting meetings on topics of mutual in-
terest. These events are often the best-
attended meetings of the year and every-
one gets to meet more people in the in-
dustry. Local chapters of ASM Interna-
tional, Society of Mechanical Engineers,
American Society for Nondestructive
Testing, and others share interests with
AWS members. Likewise, the annual
District conferences bring the Section
leaders together to share experiences
and renew relationships.
Rewarding Section Sponsors. A Sec-
tion with an active communications pro-
gram can offer its sponsors free adver-
tizing on the Section Web site, in its e-
mailed newsletters, and recognition at
the meetings. Offer them free dinner at
the meetings or a special entry fee for
your golf outing or Section seminar. Get-
ting sponsors can be tough so care for
them well.
Fund-Raising for Scholarships. His-
torically, AWS members have been very
generous in supporting students pursu-
ing welding-related educations with Sec-
tion and named scholarships, funded by
a number of reliably successful events.
The most popular fund-raisers I have en-
countered are educational seminars, golf
tournaments, raffles, fishing rodeos, clay
shoots, stump-the-experts panels, fish
fries, and crawfish boils. Many Sections
profit from organizing and presenting
spring and fall education seminars, sell-
ing AWS literature, and conducting Cer-
tified Welding Inspector seminars and
exams.
District conferences bring Section leaders together annually to share their experiences and
renew relationships. Shown are District 18 Section leaders at the 2011 conference.
Tips for Improving Section Operations
A District Director shares some fresh ideas for solving common problems
71 WELDING JOURNAL
SECTIONNEWS SECTIONNEWS
District 1
Thomas Ferri, director
(508) 527-1884
thomas_ferri@victortechnologies.com
District 2
Harland W. Thompson, director
(631) 546-2903
harland.w.thompson@us.ul.com
Shown at the District 2 conference are (from left) Bob Waite, Jesse Provler, Thomas Colasanto III, Dominick Colasanto, Tom Gartland,
Brian Cassidy, Paul Lenox, Terry Perez, Eric Dolan, Dist. 2 Director Harland Thompson, Bill Mowbray, Gus Manz, Frank Srogota, Mike
Chomin, Sal Russomanno, Ken Stockton, and Ken Temme.
New York Section members are shown at the May meeting.
Shown at the New York Section program are (from left) Dist. 2 Director Harland Thomp-
son, speaker Bob Waite, Treasurer Alan Zibitt, and Chair Dominick Colasanto.
District 2 Conference
JUNE 1
Activity: Harland Thompson, Dist. 2 di-
rector, conducted the meeting in Scotch
Plains, N.J. Attending were Bob Waite,
Jesse Provler, Thomas Colasanto III, Do-
minick Colasanto, Tom Gartland, Brian
Cassidy, Paul Lenox, Eric Dolan, Bill
Mowbray, Gus Manz, Frank Srogota,
Mike Chomin, Sal Russomanno, Ken
Stockton, Ken Temme, and Terry Perez,
AWS representative.
NEW YORK
MAY 13
Speaker: Bob Waite, P.E.
Affiliation: Waite Welding Metallurgy
Topic: Welding inspection using D1.1 and
AISC codes
Activity: Treasurer Alan Zibitt received an
award in appreciation for his services.
AUGUST 2013 72
PHILADELPHIA
JUNE 1
Activity: The Sections board members
met for its end of the year meeting. Par-
ticipating were Chair Bill Mowbray, Sal-
vatore Russomanno, Mike Chomin, Frank
Srogota, and Ken Temme. Also attending
were Dist. 2 Director Harland Thompson,
Terry Perez, AWS director of Certification,
and Dominick Colasanto, chairman of the
New York Section.
LANCASTER
JUNE 5
Activity: The board held a planning meet-
ing in Lancaster, Pa.
READING
APRIL 17
Activity: Mike Wiswesser, Dist. 3 director,
presented the District Meritorious Award
to Merilyn McLaughlin and an award to
Tracy Davenport for his services as chair-
man. Treasurer Allen Quigg presented a
Section scholarship to Dan Moldovan who
also won the first-place trophy in the third-
level category at the recent welding con-
test. Other contestants recognized in-
cluded Skyler Becker, Diego Jimenez, Levi
Bucher, Nate Miller, Evan Hostetter, Jor-
dan Makison, Dylan Weaver, Dylan Sheha,
Kegan Landis, Alex Barlow, and Zachery
Dougherty. The meeting was held at Dutch
Way Restaurant in Myerstown, Pa.
Shown at the Philadelphia Section meeting are (from left) Dominick Colasanto, Chair Bill
Mowbray, Salvatore Russomanno, Mike Chomin, Frank Srogota, and Ken Temme.
Dan Moldovan (right) is shown with Allen
Quigg, Reading Section treasurer.
Devin Lytle is shown with Alan Shissler,
Florida West Coast scholarship chair.
Shown at the District 5 conference are from left (seated) David Ennis, Al Sedory, Jennifer Skyles, and Frank Rose; (standing) Odell Haselden,
Gale Mole, Bill Myers, Doug Yates, Ray Monson, Gilly Burrion, Kevin Rawlins, and Carl Matricardi, District 5 director.
Shown at the Reading Section program are the third-level welding contestants (from left)
Levi Bucher, Dan Moldovan, Skyler Becker, and Diego Jimenez.
District 3
Michael Wiswesser, director
(610) 820-9551
mike@wtti.com
District 4
Stewart A. Harris, director
(919) 824-0520
stewart.harris@altec.com
73 WELDING JOURNAL
District 6
Kenneth Phy, director
(315) 218-5297
kenneth.phy@gmail.com
District 5
Carl Matricardi, director
(770) 979-6344
cmatricardi@aol.com
District 7
Uwe Aschemeier, director
(786) 473-9540
uwe@miamidiver.com
District 8
Joe Livesay, director
(931) 484-7502, ext. 143
joe.livesay@ttcc.edu
Shown at the Florida West Coast program are (from left) Randy Kelley, Alan Shissler, Harold
Delegado, and Lianna Smith.
North Central Florida Section members and students are shown during their E-One tour.
Shown at the Niagara Frontier Section event are (from left) Ron Stahura, Fred Schmidt,
John Sullivan, Jeff Klapper, Howard Johns, and Tom Matecki.
Master chefs (from left) Paul Huffman, Samuel Scripnic, Marty Dominy, Jason West, and
Richard Daffron were kept busy at the Chattanooga Sections 60th annual fish fry.
JUNE 7, 8
Activity: The meeting was held at AWS
World Headquarters in Miami. Attending
were District 5 Director Carl Matricardi,
David Ennis, Al Sedory, Jennifer Skyles,
Frank Rose, Odell Haselden, Gale Mole,
Bill Myers, Doug Yates, Ray Monson, Gilly
Burrion, and Kevin Rawlins.
FLORIDA WEST COAST
MAY 4
Activity: Scholarship Chair Alan Shissler
presented $750 Section scholarships to
welding students Devin Lytle studying at
Pinellas Technical Education Center and
Harold Delegado enrolled at Hillsborough
Community College (HCC). Participating
were Randy Kelley and Lianna Smith,
HCC welding instructor and assistant
welding instructor, respectively.
NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA
MAY 14
Activity: The Section members met at E-
One Manufacturing Co. in Ocala, Fla., to
tour the facility. Greg Hofmann led the
tour and explained the companys welding
procedures used to manufacture frames
for fire trucks, pumpers, and emergency
response vehicles. A drawing was held to
award AWS Student Memberships to nine
of the attending students, in addition to
other door prizes.
NIAGARA FRONTIER
MAY 30
Activity: The Section held its past chair-
mens dinner at Dominics Little River
Grille in Niagara Falls, N.Y. Honored were
past chairs Ron Stahura, Fred Schmidt,
John Sullivan, Jeff Klapper, Howard
Johns, and Tom Matecki.
CHATTANOOGA
MAY 17
Activity: The Section held its 60th annual
hush puppy and catfish fry fund-raising
event at Alstom Power in Chattanooga,
Tenn. Dray Sweeton, a Grundy County
High School welding student, was pre-
sented a $250 Section scholarship from
Robin Dykes, education chair and a weld-
ing instructor.
AUGUST 2013 74
District 9
George Fairbanks Jr., director
(225) 473-6362
ts@bellsouth.net
Dray Sweeton (left) receives a welding schol-
arship from Robin Dykes, Chattanooga Sec-
tion education chair.
D. Joshua Burgess, District 8 deputy direc-
tor, discussed welding metallurgy at the
Nashville Section program.
Jordan West (right) is shown with Joe
Livesay, District 8 director, at the Nashville
Section event.
Chris Hayes (left) and Don Combs received
Meritorious Awards for their services at the
Northeast Tennessee Section program.
NASHVILLE
APRIL 25
Speaker: D. Joshua Burgess, Northeast
Tennessee Section chair
Affiliation: University of Tennessee
Topic: Welding metallurgy
Activity: The Section conducted its schol-
arship awards presentations at World Test-
ing in Mt. Juliet, Tenn. District 8 Director
Joe Livesay presented the Section-spon-
sored $1000 Roy Petty Memorial Scholar-
ship to Jordan West. Eleven other students
received $500 scholarships.
NORTHEAST TENNESSEE
APRIL 9
Speaker: Nancy Cole, AWS president
Affiliation: NCC Engineering
Topic: Careers for women in welding
Activity: D. Joshua Burgess received an
award for his distinguished services as
chairman. Paul Pipkin received the Sec-
tion Meritorious Award and the Silver
Member Certificate to recognize his 25
years of service to the Society. Chris Hayes
and Don Combs received Section Merito-
rious Awards. Special guests included Zhili
Feng, group leader at ORNL; Kurt Sicka-
fus, head, University of Tennessee Mate-
rials Science Engineering Dept.; Tom
Mustaleski, an AWS past president; and
District 8 Director Joe Livesay.
ACADIANA
MAY 28
Speaker: Wendell Dietz
Affiliation: Miller Electric Mfg. Co.
Topic: Welding aluminum
Activity: The Section members and weld-
ing students convened at Acadiana Tech-
nical College welding lab in New Iberia,
La. Following the presentation, attendees
welded aluminum using the gas metal arc
process.
JUNE 68
Activity: District 9 officers and guests met
at Rips on the Lake in Madisonville, La.,
for a special event followed by the confer-
ence on June 8 at the Maritime Museum.
Special guests at the conference included
John Bruskotter, a past AWS president;
John Bray and J. Jones, directors of Dis-
trict 18 and 17, respectively; and Mary
Ruth Johnsen, AWS staff representative.
MOBILE
APRIL 29, 30
Activity: The Section supported three stu-
dents, Eric Roblee, Steve Goulet, and
Ronald Castleberry, to participate in the
SkillsUSA regional welding competition
held in Pensacola, Fla., and their trip to
the national welding competition.
MAY 16
Speaker: George Fairbanks, Dist. 9 direc-
tor
Affiliation: Fairbanks Inspection & Test-
ing Services, LLC
Topic: Inspection and repair welding of
large castings in the sugar mill industry
Activity: Incoming Chair Michael Zoghby
presented Johnny Dedeaux an award for
his services as chair. Michael Zoghby re-
ceived the Section Meritorious Award, Jim
Sullivan the Public Sector Educator
Award, and Cleveland Rhodes Jr. received
the District and Section CWI of the Year
Awards. Ronald Castleberry received an
autodarkening welding helmet as a reward
for the welding student attending the most
meetings during the year. The event was
held at The Original Oyster House in
Spanish Fort, Ala.
District 9 officers and guests are shown at the annual conference in June.
District 10
Robert E. Brenner, director
(330) 484-3650
bobren28@yahoo.com
75 WELDING JOURNAL
District 11
Robert P. Wilcox, director
(734) 721-8272
rmwilcox@wowway.com
Attendees are shown at the Acadiana Section program in May.
Paul Pipkin receives his Silver Member Cer-
tificate from Nancy Cole, AWS president, at
the Northeast Tennessee Section program.
Mobile Section Chair Johnny Dedeaux (left)
is shown with incoming Chair Michael
Zoghby at the May 16 program.
Shown at the April Mobile Section event are
(from left) Eric Roblee, Steve Goulet, and
Ronald Castleberry.
Jim Sullivan (left) and Cleveland Rhodes Jr.
are shown at the May Mobile Section event.
Shown at the Drake Well Section meeting are (from left) Joseph Crate, Robert Fugate, Colin Young, Travis Crate, Dan Bubenhiem, Ward
Kiser, Eric Speer, Nate McNett, and Rolf Laemmer.
DRAKE WELL
MAY 14
Activity: The Section hosted a meeting at
The Commons at Franklin, Pa., to discuss
the recent District 10 conference and view
the video of the ribbon-cutting at the AWS
headquarters building. Attending were
Travis Crate, Joseph Crate, Robert Fu-
gate, Colin Young, Dan Bubenhiem, Ward
Kiser, Eric Speer, Nate McNett, and Rolf
Laemmer.
Shown at the Central Michigan Section event
are (from left) Chair Roy Bailiff, Jenna
Lone, and Jeff Grossman.
AUGUST 2013 76
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
JUNE 11
Activity: Chair Roy Bailiff and Scholarship
Chair Jeff Grossman presented a Section
scholarship to welding student Jenna R.
Lone in Lansing, Mich.
DETROIT
MAY 17
Activity: The Section, headed by Glen
Knight, hosted a high school welding con-
test involving 41 students from nine area
schools. The contest included a written
exam and a welding skills project. Other
awards included welding machines and
Shown at the Detroit Section past chairmens program are (from left) Mike Palko, Tom
Sparschu, Dick DuCharme, John McKensie, Glen Knight, John Bohr, Bernie Bastian, Don
Maatz, Mike Karagoulis, Jim Osborne, Amos Winsand, Ray Roberts, and Bob Wilcox, Dis-
trict 11 director.
Shown are the participants in the Detroit Section-sponsored high school welding competition.
District 13 conference attendees are shown at Grizzly Jacks Resort in June.
Glen Knight coordinated the Detroit Section
welding contest.
Shown at the Madison-Beloit Section event are (from left) Welding Instructor Mark Prosser,
Mike Miller, Derrick Hintzman, Trevor Rolette, and Alex Carpenter.
77 WELDING JOURNAL
District 14
Robert L. Richwine, director
(765) 378-5378
bobrichwine@aol.com
various prizes. The top three contestants
received scholarships in the amounts of
$2500 to Brody Depa, $1500 to Michael
Waszkiewicz, and $1000 to Daniel
Dveweke. Additional awards included
welding machines and other prizes. The
event was held at Washtenaw Community
College in Ann Arbor, Mich.
JUNE 8
Activity: The Detroit Section held its an-
nual past chairmens dinner and business
meeting at Skyline Club in Southfield,
Mich. Attending were Chair Mike Palko
and past Chairs Tom Sparschu, Dick
DuCharme, John McKensie, Glen Knight,
John Bohr, Bernie Bastian, Don Maatz,
Mike Karagoulis, Jim Osborne, Amos
Winsand, Ray Roberts, and Bob Wilcox,
District 11 director.
MADISON-BELOIT
APRIL 20
Activity: The Section members partici-
pated in the SkillsUSA welding competi-
tions held at NWTC in Green Bay, Wis.
JUNE 7
Activity: The Chicago Section hosted the
District 13 annual conference at Grizzly
Jacks Resort in Utica, Ill., conducted by
District Director John Willard. The
speaker was AWS staff representative
Martica Ventura, director, operations, Ed-
ucation Services.
ST. LOUIS
MAY 9
Activity: The Section members toured
Quality Testing Services in Maryland
Heights, Mo. The presenters included An-
drew Dickenson, Brandon Murrie, Nate
Hardy, Steve Stutz, Heather Jacobs, D. J.
Prohaska, Melissa Rankin, Rick Kenloge,
and Ken Koppen.
District 12
Daniel J. Roland, director
(715) 735-9341, ext. 6421
daniel.roland@us.ncantieri.com
District 13
John Willard, director
(815) 954-4838
kustom_bilt@msn.com
St. Louis Section members are shown during their tour of Quality Testing Services.
The Quality Testing Services presenters at the St. Louis Section tour are (from left) Andrew
Dickenson, Brandon Murrie, Nate Hardy, Steve Stutz, Heather Jacobs, D. J. Prohaska,
Melissa Rankin, Rick Kenloge, and Ken Koppen.
The winning Nebraska Section golf team members are (from left) Chair Chris Beaty, Tom
Pickrel, Paul Goodby, and Darren Stane.
District 15
David Lynnes, director
(701) 365-0606
dave@learntoweld.com
District 16
Dennis Wright, director
(913) 782-0635
awscwi1@att.net
AUGUST 2013 78
NEBRASKA
MAY 17
Activity: The Section held its golf outing
at Eagle Hills Golf Course in Omaha, Neb.
About $2000 was raised for the Sections
scholarship fund. Taking the team trophy
were Chair Chris Beaty (Metropolitan
C.C.), Tom Pickrel (Matheson Tri-Gas),
Paul Goodby (Olsson Associates), and
Darren Stane (Hobart Brothers).
CENTRAL ARKANSAS
MAY 21
Activity: The Section toured Welspun Tu-
bular LLC in Little Rock, Ark., to study
the manufacture of spiral-welded pipe
using the HSAW process.
The Central Arkansas Section members are shown during their tour of Welspun Tubular in Little Rock.
Alaska Section members are (from left) Willi Davidson, Creighton Moore, presenter Charles Engblom, Craig Soto, Peter Macksey, Stephen
Foreman, Chair Rod London, Kelly Mann, Jeremy Calderon, Cole Mesick, Dennis Long, and Jack Simpson.
Officers are shown at the District 20 conference in June.
Don Schwemmer (far left) led the Idaho-Montana Section on a tour of AMET, Inc.
District 17
J. Jones, director
(832) 506-5986
jjones6@lincolnelectric.com
79 WELDING JOURNAL
District 18
John Bray, director
(281) 997-7273
sales@afliatedmachinery.com
District 19
Ken Johnson, director
(425) 957-3553
kenneth.johnson@vigorshipyards.com
Participants in the SkillsUSA welding contest hosted by the AWCIWT Student Chapter are
shown in February.
Shown at the April Arizona Western College
fair are (from left) Advisor Samuel Colton,
President Adrian Castillo, and Wanda Reid.
HOUSTON
MAY 15
Speaker: Curtis Dickinson, senior engi-
neer
Affiliation: University of Ultrasonics
Topic: Inspecting welds using ultrasonic
phased array technology
Activity: Chair Justin Gordy greeted 145
attendees for the Sections last meeting of
the year. Barney Burks and Gary Holbrook
manned the sign-in desk.
JUNE 7
Activity: The Idaho-Montana Section
hosted the conference and the Wyoming
Section hosted the luncheon at Hilton
Garden Inn in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Rhenda
Kenny, director, AWS Member Services,
was the AWS staff representative.
IDAHO/MONTANA
JUNE 6
Activity: The Section toured the AMET,
Inc., facility near Rexburg, Idaho. Don
Schwemmer, CEO, conducted the pro-
gram. Chair Paul Tremblay and Tevan
Boersma displayed the banner for the
newly rechartered BYU Student Chapter.
AWCIWT Student Chapter
DECEMBER 19, 2012
Activity: The Arizona Western College
participated in the Cuesta College Weld-
ing Technology Advisory Committee meet-
ing. Discussed was the welding curriculum
presented by Rob Thoresen and a presen-
tation on the upcoming SkillsUSA events
by Mike Fontes.
FEBRUARY 22
Activity: The Arizona Western College In-
stitute of Welding Technology Student
Chapter hosted the Region I SkillsUSA
welding contest for college and high school
students in Yuma, Ariz.
MARCH 25
Activity: The Student Chapter hosted the
Arizona State SkillsUSA welding contest
held at Phoenix Convention Center
headed by Advisor Samuel Colton.
ALASKA
MAY 22
Speaker: Charles Engblom, trainer
Affiliation: Ironworkers Local 751
Topic: Ironworkers apprentice program
Activity: Charles Engblomwas elected in-
coming chair. Following his talk, Engblom
conducted the Section on a tour of Iron-
workers Local 751 in Anchorage, Alaska.
BRITISH COLUMBIA
MAY 29
Speaker: Scott Stanley, technical sales rep-
resentative
Affiliation: The Lincoln Electric Co.
Topic: Recording welding procedures by
connecting the machines to the Internet
Activity: The program was held in Delta,
B.C., for 25 attendees.
District 20
William A. Komlos, director
(801) 560-2353
bkoz@arctechllc.com
District 21
Nanette Samanich, director
(702) 429-5017
nan07@aol.com
Nancy Carlson presented Paul Tremblay his
chairman appreciation certificate.
Brad Moe (left) is shown with Scott Stanley
at the British Columbia Section event.
Tevan Boersma (left) and Chair Paul Trem-
blay are shown at the Idaho/Montana Sec-
tion program.
AUGUST 2013 80
APRIL 11
Activity: Student Chapter Advisor Samuel
Colton, President Adrian Castillo, and
Wanda Reid, Pipeline Grant staff member,
manned a table at the Arizona Western
College Sustainablity Fair promoting weld-
ing as a career choice.
MAY 1
Activity: The Student Chapter promoted
welding as a career to three groups of mid-
dle school students as part of the Somer-
ton School District 11 Career Day event.
Participating were President Adrian
Castello, Vice President Christopher
Smart, Omar Marcias, Trisha Haswood,
Manuel Robles, Larry Lebsock, and
Wanda Reid, Pipeline Grant staff member.
CALIFORNIA CENTRAL
COAST
MARCH 15
Activity: The Section promoted welding at
the eighth annual Career Day program
held at Pioneer Valley High School in
Santa Maria, Calif.
MARCH 28
Activity: The California Central Coast Sec-
tion promoted welding as a career at the
Career Day program held at Fesler Jr.
High School in Santa Maria, Calif., for
about 100 attendees.
APRIL 12
tion promoted welding as a career for the
7th and 8th grade students at the Career
Day program held at Judkins Middle
School in Pismo Beach, Calif.
APRIL 27
tion, headed by Chair Stan Luis, partici-
pated in the Allan Hancock College high
school welding competition. The barbecue
lunch was provided by Praxair. The top-
scoring contestants included Eric Alvarez,
Kasey Millsap, Jose Guzman, Connor
Herrera, Jose Rodriguez, Devin Miller,
Pedro Asuncion, Cole Cargill, Will Jevne,
Cameron Wright, Victor Benitez, and
Daniel Herrera.
MAY 4
tion participated in the Future Farmers of
America seventh annual state welding
competition held at Cresta College. Weld-
ing Instructor Rob Thoreson conducted
the event. Other attractions included the
Miller Electric and Lincoln Electric mo-
bile welding trailers and the California
Polytechnic tractor pulling team demon-
stration. The Section provided four AWS
student memberships and four AWS weld-
ing jackets to the prizes.
GERMANY
CALENDAR
Essen, Germany
SEPT. 1117
66th IIW Annual Assembly
www.iiw2013.com
SEPT. 16, 17
Intl Conf. on Automation in Welding
SEPT. 1621
2013 International Trade Fair
Joining, Cutting, Surfacing
SEPT. 1621
Young Welders Competitions
Read the article on page 46 of this
issue for more information.
District 22
Kerry E. Shatell, director
(925) 866-5434
kesi@pge.com
International
Section
Shown in March at the Arizona State SkillsUSA welding contest are (from left) Advisor Samuel Colton, Daniel Herrera, Omar Macias,
Adrian Castillo, Trisha Haswood, Christopher Smart, Ricardo Aldan, Manuel Robles, James Veldhuis, Larry Lebsock, and Jason Trepanier.
83 WELDING JOURNAL
Guide to AWS Services
8669 NW 36th St., #130, Miami, FL 33166-6672
T: (800/305) 443-9353; F: (305) 443-7559
Staff phone extensions are shown in parentheses.
AWS PRESIDENT
Nancy C. Cole
nccengr@yahoo.com
NCC Engineering
2735 Robert Oliver Ave.
Fernandina Beach, FL 32034
ADMINISTRATION
Executive Director
Ray W. Shook.. rshook@aws.org . . . . . . . . . .(210)
Sr. Associate Executive Director
Cassie R. Burrell.. cburrell@aws.org . . . . . .(253)
Chief Financial Officer
Gesana Villegas.. gvillegas@aws.org . . . . . .(252)
Chief Marketing Officer
Bill Fudale..bfudale@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . . .(211)
Chief Technology Officer
Dennis Harwig..dharwig@aws.org . . . . . . . . .(213)
Executive Assistant for Board Services
Gricelda Manalich.. gricelda@aws.org . . . . .(294)
Administrative Services
Managing Director
Jim Lankford.. jiml@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . . .(214)
IT Network Director
Armando Campana..acampana@aws.org . .(296)
Director
Hidail Nuez..hidail@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . .(287)
Director of IT Operations
Natalia Swain..nswain@aws.org . . . . . . . . . .(245)
Human Resources
Director, Compensation and Benefits
Luisa Hernandez.. luisa@aws.org . . . . . . . . .(266)
Director, Human Resources
Dora A. Shade.. dshade@aws.org . . . . . . . . .(235)
International Institute of Welding
Senior Coordinator
Sissibeth Lopez . . sissi@aws.org . . . . . . . . .(319)
Liaison services with other national and international
societies and standards organizations.
GOVERNMENT LIAISON SERVICES
Hugh K. Webster . . . . . . . . .hwebster@wc-b.com
Webster, Chamberlain & Bean, Washington, D.C.,
(202) 785-9500; FAX (202) 835-0243. Monitors fed-
eral issues of importance to the industry.
CONVENTION and EXPOSITIONS
Director, Convention and Meeting Services
Matthew Rubin.....mrubin@aws.org . . . . . . .(239)
ITSA International Thermal
Spray Association
Senior Manager and Editor
Kathy Dusa.kathydusa@thermalspray.org . . .(232)
RWMA Resistance Welding
Manufacturing Alliance
Keila DeMoraes....kdemoraes@aws.org . . . .(444)
WEMCO Association of
Welding Manufacturers
Keila DeMoraes....kdemoraes@aws.org . . . .(444)
Brazing and Soldering
Manufacturers Committee
Stephen Borrero..sborrero@aws.org . . . . . .(334)
GAWDA Gases and Welding
Distributors Association
Executive Director
John Ospina.. jospina@aws.org . . . . . . . . . .(462)
Operations Manager
Natasha Alexis.. nalexis@aws.org . . . . . . . . .(401)
INTERNATIONAL SALES
Managing Director, Global Exposition Sales
Joe Krall..jkrall@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(297)
Corporate Director, International Sales
Jeff P. Kamentz..jkamentz@aws.org . . . . . . .(233)
Oversees international business activities involving
certification, publication, and membership.
PUBLICATION SERVICES
Dept. information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(275)
Managing Director
Andrew Cullison.. cullison@aws.org . . . . . .(249)
Welding Journal
Publisher
Andrew Cullison.. cullison@aws.org . . . . . .(249)
Editor
Mary Ruth Johnsen.. mjohnsen@aws.org . .(238)
National Sales Director
Rob Saltzstein.. salty@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . .(243)
Society and Section News Editor
Howard Woodward..woodward@aws.org . .(244)
Welding Handbook
Editor
Annette OBrien.. aobrien@aws.org . . . . . . .(303)
MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS
Director
Ross Hancock.. rhancock@aws.org . . . . . . .(226)
Public Relations Manager
Cindy Weihl..cweihl@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . .(416)
Webmaster
Jose Salgado..jsalgado@aws.org . . . . . . . . .(456)
Section Web Editor
Henry Chinea...hchinea@aws.org . . . . . . . . .(452)
MEMBER SERVICES
Sr. Associate Executive Director
Cassie R. Burrell.. cburrell@aws.org . . . . . .(253)
Director
Rhenda A. Kenny... rhenda@aws.org . . . . . .(260)
Serves as a liaison between Section members and AWS
headquarters.
CERTIFICATION SERVICES
Managing Director
John L. Gayler.. gayler@aws.org . . . . . . . . . .(472)
Oversees all certification activities including all inter-
national certification programs.
Director, Certification Operations
Terry Perez..tperez@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . . .(470)
Oversees application processing, renewals, and exam
scoring.
Director, Certification Programs
Linda Henderson..lindah@aws.org . . . . . . .(298)
Oversees the development of new certification pro-
grams, as well as AWS-Accredited Test Facilities, and
AWS Certified Welding Fabricators.
EDUCATION SERVICES
Director, Operations
Martica Ventura.. mventura@aws.org . . . . . .(224)
Director, Education Development
David Hernandez.. dhernandez@aws.org . . .(219)
AWS AWARDS, FELLOWS, COUNSELORS
Senior Manager
Wendy S. Reeve.. wreeve@aws.org . . . . . . . .(293)
Coordinates AWS awards, Fellow, Counselor nom-
inees.
TECHNICAL SERVICES
Managing Director
Technical Services Development & Systems
Andrew R. Davis.. adavis@aws.org . . . . . . .(466)
International Standards Activities, American Coun-
cil of the International Institute of Welding (IIW)
Director, Technical Services Operations
Annette Alonso.. aalonso@aws.org . . . . . . .(299)
Associate Director, Technical Services Operations
Alex Diaz.... adiaz@aws.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(304)
Welding Qualification, Sheet Metal Welding, Air-
craft and Aerospace, Joining of Metals and Alloys
Manager, Safety and Health
Stephen P. Hedrick.. steveh@aws.org . . . . . .(305)
Metric Practice, Safety and Health, Joining of Plas-
tics and Composites, Welding Iron Castings, Per-
sonnel and Facilities Qualification
Managing Engineer, Standards
Brian McGrath .... bmcgrath@aws.org . . . . .(311)
Structural Welding, Methods of Inspection, Me-
chanical Testing of Welds, Welding in Marine Con-
struction, Piping and Tubing
Senior Staff Engineer
Rakesh Gupta.. gupta@aws.org . . . . . . . . . .(301)
Filler Metals and Allied Materials, International
Filler Metals, UNS Numbers Assignment, Arc
Welding and Cutting Processes
Standards Program Managers
Efram Abrams.. eabrams@aws.org . . . . . . . .(307)
Thermal Spray, Automotive, Resistance Welding,
Machinery and Equipment
Stephen Borrero... sborrero@aws.org . . . . .(334)
Brazing and Soldering, Brazing Filler Metals and
Fluxes, Brazing Handbook, Soldering Handbook,
Railroad Welding, Definitions and Symbols
Chelsea Lewis.. clewis@aws.org . . . . . . . . . .(215)
Friction Welding, Oxyfuel Gas Welding and Cut-
ting, High-Energy Beam Welding, Robotics Weld-
ing, Welding in Sanitary Applications, U.S. TAG
for ISO/TC 44/SC8.
Note: Official interpretations of AWS standards
may be obtained only by sending a request in writ-
ing to Andrew R. Davis, managing director, Tech-
nical Services, adavis@aws.org.
Oral opinions on AWS standards may be ren-
dered, however, oral opinions do not constitute of-
ficial or unofficial opinions or interpretations of
AWS. In addition, oral opinions are informal and
should not be used as a substitute for an official
interpretation.
AWS FOUNDATION, Inc.
www.aws.org/w/a/foundation
General Information
(800/305) 443-9353, ext. 212, vpinsky@aws.org
Chairman, Board of Trustees
Gerald D. Uttrachi
Executive Director, Foundation
Sam Gentry.. sgentry@aws.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (331)
Corporate Director, Workforce Development
Monica Pfarr.. mpfarr@aws.org. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (461)
The AWS Foundation is a not-for-profit corpora-
tion established to provide support for the educa-
tional and scientific endeavors of the American Weld-
ing Society.
Promote the Foundations work with your financial
support. For information, call Vicki Pinsky, (800/305)
443-9353, ext. 212; e-mail vpinsky@aws.org.
TRUMPF Appoints CEO
TRUMPF, Inc.,
Farmington, Conn.,
has named Lars
Gruenert president
and CEO of the com-
pany. He succeeds
Rolf Biekert who
served for 25 years.
Biekert leaves the
company to lead
Maintecx, an exclu-
sive distributor of
TRUMPF fabricating equipment in the
Midwest. Gruenert previously was exec-
utive vice president of TRUMPF GmbH
+ Co. KG, and CFO of the Laser Tech-
nology/Electronics business division.
Hannah Elected MSCI Chair
Metals Service Center Institute
(MSCI), Rolling Meadows, Ill., has named
David H. Hannah chairman of the board.
Hannah is chairman and CEO of Reliance
Steel & Aluminum Co. Previously serving
as a vice chairman, he succeeds Michael
H. Hoffman of Kloeckner Metals who
served as chairman for the last two years.
Brian R. Hedges, president and CEO of
Russel Metals, Inc., was named a new vice
chair.
Eriez Signs on Manager
Eriez, Erie, Pa., has transferred Dar-
rell Milton from its metals recycling sales
team to the newly created position of ac-
count development manager for the Hy-
droFlow line. Milton has been with
Eriez since 1991, first serving on the Cana-
dian sales staff, then
relocated to Erie
when he joined the
International divi-
sion. The company
specializes in separa-
tion technologies,
magnetic lift, metal
detection, X-ray, and
recycling equipment
for the metalworking,
mining, and other
industries.
Weldcote Metals Names VP
Weldcote Metals, Kings Mountain,
N.C., has named Pete
Gallagher executive
vice president, re-
sponsible for sales,
marketing, and ex-
panding the business.
Gallagher brings 30
years of experience in
the gas and welding
distribution business,
most recently serving
as vice president of
sales and marketing
at the Independent Welding Distributors
Cooperative.
Wagner Companies Fills
Two Key Posts
Wagner Companies, Milwaukee, Wis.,
a supplier of metal products for architec-
tural and industrial applications, has hired
Phillip Krueger as a modeling engineer
and Peter J. Losiniecki as manager of in-
formation systems. Krueger is working full
time while completing his engineering de-
gree through a consortium program.
Losiniecki, with 25 years experience, pre-
viously worked for CNA Financial Corp.
as vice president of application develop-
ment and IT strategic sourcing.
Direct Wire & Cable Names
President
Direct Wire & Cable, Inc., Denver, Pa.,
has promoted Eric Laubach as president.
With the company for more than 12 years,
Laubach most recently served as vice pres-
ident of sales and marketing.
Mazak Optonics Appoints
Southwest Sales Manager
Mazak Optonics Corp., Elgin, Ill., a
supplier of laser cutting systems, has ap-
pointed David Widlund regional sales
manager for its
southwest territory,
including Arizona,
New Mexico, Texas,
Oklahoma, Kansas,
Missouri, Arkansas,
and Louisiana. Wid-
lund has 12 years of
experience in the
sheet metal fabrica-
tion industry, includ-
ing laser production
management and
serving as a regional sales manager for the
northwestern states.
Joining Technologies
Appoints General Manager
Joining Technologies, East Granby,
Conn., a provider of precision fusion
processes, laser and electron beam weld-
ing, and system design and integration,
has appointed Matt Francoeur general
manager. With the company since 2005,
Francoeur most recently served as
manager of engineering, inside sales, and
production.
David Widlund
PERSONNEL
AUGUST 2013 84
Lars Gruenert
Darrell Milton
Pete Gallagher
Peter Losiniecki Phillip Krueger
Wall Colmonoy Hires U.S.
Manager and UK Director
Wall Colmonoy European Headquar-
ters, Pontardawe Swansea, Wales, has ap-
pointed Marie Davies supply chain direc-
tor for UK operations. Previously, Davies
worked in supply chain roles with Morgan
Crucible, Thales Group, and Glaxo-
SmithKline.
Wall Colmonoy, Madison Heights,
Mich., has hired Carlos Marin as manu-
facturing manager for its Alloy Products
Group in Los Lunas, N.Mex. Marin is a
Lean expert and a Six Sigma Black Belt.
The company supplies surfacing and braz-
ing products, castings, and engineered
components for the aerospace, automo-
tive, and other industrial sectors.
Laboratory Testing Makes
Staff Change
Laboratory Testing, Inc., Hatfield, Pa.,
has promoted Marion Crooks to fill the
newly created posi-
tion of assistant man-
ager of chemistry and
metallography. With
the company since
2001, Crooks most re-
cently served as
chemistry supervisor.
The facility performs
a wide range of serv-
ices, including corro-
sion, SEM studies,
microhardness, and failure analyses.
ABB Names CEO
The board of ABB, Zurich, Switzer-
land, a supplier of power and automation
technologies, has appointed Ulrich
Spiesshofer CEO of its Discrete Automa-
tion and Motion division. He succeeds Joe
Hogan who will continue to serve the com-
pany temporarily as senior advisor to the
board. Spiesshofer joined the executive
committee in 2005, responsible for corpo-
rate development resulting in mergers and
acquisitions.
Koike Aronson Names
Engineering Director
Koike Aronson,
Inc./Ransome, Ar-
cade, N.Y., a supplier
of metal cutting and
positioning equip-
ment for the metal-
working industry, has
named Kim Jackson
director of engineer-
ing. Prior to joining
the company, Jack-
son headed multiple
business units of Illinois Tool Works.
Obituaries
Roderick G. Rohrberg
Roderick G. Rohrberg, 87, died May 9
in Torrance, Calif. An AWS Life Member,
he was a pioneer of orbital tube welding
and the founder of
Creative Pathways,
Inc. He earned his
degree in civil engi-
neering from Iowa
State University, then
moved to California
in 1951 to work for
North American Avi-
ation where he initi-
ated automated weld-
ing to eliminate leaks
in rocket engines. He left the company in
1969 to start his own precision tubular
welding operation in Torrance. He was
granted 34 patents, most concerned with
automatic welding. In 1967, he received
the Airco Award and the Howard E. Ad-
kins Memorial Instructor Award.
Tomas Colasanto Sr.
Tomas Colasanto Sr., 86, died June 5.
Active with the AWS New York Section,
he was membership chair for more than
13 years. He served in the U.S. Navy on
the USS Washington during WW II. In
1947, he founded Able Welding Co. in
Brooklyn, N.Y., where he served as pres-
ident until his death. Colasanto was
active in civic affairs and an avid sup-
porter of the New York police and fire
departments.
87 WELDING JOURNAL
Marie Davies Carlos Marin
Marion Crooks
Kim Jackson
Roderick Rohrberg
tion and updates on its latest technologi-
cal developments. The Web site features
a top ten list of the most commonly viewed
technologies, allowing users to access
their desired page quickly in a format de-
signed for smartphones. The mobile Web
site also offers videos and easy download
of applications such as resistance welding
troubleshooting and material weldability.
Miyachi Europe
www.miyachieurope.com
+49 (0) 89 839403-50
Blast Center Enhanced
with Tool Changing
Technology
The tool-changing robotic blasting
center is a seven-axis robotic grit-blast sys-
tem that automatically changes between
blasting tools to perform critical surface
preparation work around the exterior of
complex-shaped components, as well as
recesses and interior surfaces of the parts.
The multitasking machine incorporates a
6-axis Fanuc M-20iA robot mounted on
a pedestal inside a 60 96-in. rotary table
blasting cabinet. A custom-tailored suit
of laminated fabric isolates the robotic
nozzle manipulator from dust and media,
yet allows the full motion range of the ar-
ticulated robot arm. Designed to be
loaded and unloaded by a human opera-
tor using a walkie talkie or separate ma-
chine-tending robot, it is capable of per-
forming automated surface preparation
work on a variety of components that pre-
viously may have required several special-
purpose blast cabinets.
Guyson Corp.
www.guyson.com
(518) 587-7894
PRODUCT & PRINT
SPOTLIGHT
PERSONNEL
forms computed radiography with a Carestream Industrex
HPX-1 digital system.
The United States Department of Labor with New Hampshire
and Vermont dignitaries recognized an additional four Hyper-
therm facilities as OSHA Voluntary Protection Program Star
Worksites at a company-wide flag raising ceremony on June 5.
Florida Atlantic Universitys Society of Automotive Engineers
(SAE) racing team ranked eighth in the acceleration test among
more than 100 participants at the 2013 Formula SAE held at
the Michigan International Speedway.
CMW Attachments, Summerville, S.C., has secured a contract
to manufacture and deliver large excavator buckets to Buck-
eye Minerals for gold mining operations in Fairbanks, Alaska.
Each was built with flux cored and submerged arc welding.
Previously doing business as American Tank & Fabricating Co.,
Cleveland, Ohio, the steel and alloy fabrication provider has
announced a name change to AT&F.
The Laser Institute of America, Orlando, Fla., is set to unveil
Laser U, a new way for laser professionals of all levels to ac-
cess its presentations. Visit www.lia.org/education/laseru.
Lincoln Electric Holdings, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, recently an-
nounced the U.S. Acting Secretary of Commerce, Rebecca
Blank, has presented the company with the Presidents E
Award for Exports at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Forsyth Tech, Winston-Salem, N.C., is adding overnight classes
for its welding certification program this fall due to demand,
open jobs, and a waiting list. Community college officials say
they will have classes from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m.
Borusan Mannesmann is turning to Siemens for expanding its
operations in the United States. The company is building its
new electric resistance welded pipe mill and heat-treatment
plant to quench and temper oil country tubular goods in Bay-
town, Tex.
The Center for Labor & Community Research, Chicago, Ill., a
managing partner of the Chicago Manufacturing Renaissance
Council, is changing its name to Manufacturing Renaissance.
CGW-Camel Grinding Wheels, Niles, Ill., a manufacturer and
supplier of abrasive systems for the industrial market, has ac-
quired Pacific Abrasive Supply Co., Buena Park, Calif.
ThyssenKrupp Aerospace North America has entered a three-
year contract extension with Cessna Aircraft Co. to remain
its provider of aluminum sheet products and supply chain
services.
Matheson, Basking Ridge, N.J., plans to build a new, large-
capacity air separation unit to supply oxygen, nitrogen, and
argon in Mesa, Ariz. The plant is expected to be on stream
during the third quarter of 2014.
Direct Wire & Cable, Inc., has opened its new wire mill with
the renovated building covering 85,000 sq ft and will produce
its own welding cable; relocated its home office in Denver, Pa.;
and added warehouse locations in Houston, Tex., Reno, Nev.,
Portland, Ore., and Chicago, Ill.
AUGUST 2013 88
NEWS OF THE INDUSTRY
Essentials of Safety Seminars. Two- and four-day courses held at
locations nationwide to address federal and California OSHA
safety regulations. American Safety Training, Inc.; (800) 896-
8867; www.trainosha.com.
Gas Detection Made Easy Courses. Online and classroom cours-
es for managing a gas monitoring program from gas detection to
confined-space safety. Industrial Scientific Corp.; (800) 338-
3287; www.indsci.com.
GE Inspection Academy Courses. Online e-courses, on-site and
week-long classroom programs in the major industrial nonde-
structive evaluation techniques. www.geinspectionacademy.com.
Hellier Nondestructive Examination Courses. For schedules and
locations, call toll-free (888) 282-3887; www.hellierndt.com.
Inspection Courses on ultrasonic, eddy current, radiography, dye
penetrant, magnetic particle, and visual at Levels 13. Meet SNT-
TC-1A and NAS-410 requirements. TEST NDT, LLC, (714) 255-
1500; www.testndt.com.
Hypertherm Cutting Institute Online. Includes video tutorials,
interactive e-learning courses, discussion forums, and blogs. Visit
www.hyperthermcuttinginstitute.com.
INTEG Courses. Courses in NDE disciplines to meet certifica-
tions to Canadian General Standards Board or Canadian
Nuclear Safety Commission. The Canadian Welding Bureau;
(800) 844-6790; www.cwbgroup.org.
Laser Safety Online Courses. Courses include Medical Laser
Safety Officer, Laser Safety Training for Physicians, Industrial
Laser Safety, and Laser Safety in Educational Institutions. Laser
Institute of America; (800) 345-3737; www.laserinstitute.org.
Laser Safety Training Courses. Courses based on ANSI Z136.1,
Safe Use of Lasers, Orlando, Fla., or customers site. Laser
Institute of America; (800) 345-3737; www.laserinstitute.org.
Laser Vision Seminars. Two-day classes, offered monthly and on
request, include tutorials and practical training. Presented at
Servo-Robot, Inc., St. Bruno, QC, Canada. For schedule, cost,
and availability, send your request to info@servorobot.com.
Machine Safeguarding Seminars. Rockford Systems, Inc.; (800)
922-7533; visit www.rockfordsystems.com.
Machining and Grinding Courses. TechSolve, www.TechSolve.org.
NACE Intl Training and Certification Courses. National Assoc.
of Corrosion Engineers; (281) 228-6223; www.nace.org.
NDE and CWI/CWE Courses and Exams. Allentown, Pa., and
customers locations. Welder Training and Testing Institute,
(800) 223-9884; www.wtti.edu.
COMING EVENTS
A STANDING COMMITTEE OF
This Fall Only:
Will Be Hosted By EWI
THE 2013
RWMA
REGIONAL
MEETING
EWI is an organization that provides innovative technology
and engineering solutions for the advancement of manufacturing
competitiveness ewi.org
Exciting Items in The Schedule of Events Include:
A Q&A Session Ask an Expert Panel hosted by EWIs Business Development Managers
Facilitated by Dr. Jerry Gould, EWI Technology Leader
A Guided Tour of EWIs cutting-edge laboratories
2013 RWMA Regional Meeting
EWI
1250 Arthur E. Adams Drive, Columbus, OH
September 26 - 27, 2013
Online Registration Opens July 26th
Reservations at the Hilton Garden are open!
1) Guests may call 1-877-STAY-HGI and reference the 2013 RWMA REGIONAL MEETING.
2) Guests may also make reservations online "http://www.columbusuniversityarea.hgi.com"
www.columbusuniversityarea.hgi.com, group code: RWMA13

*Visit www.rwma.org to register and download the schedule of events.
**Follow the RWMA Discussion Group on LinkedIn for frequent updates.

THE 2013
This Fall Only:

THE 2013
This Fall Only:

THE 2013
This Fall Only:

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REGION
RWMA
THE 2013

MEETI
REGION
RWMA
THE 2013

ING
AL REGION
RWMA
THE 2013

Discussion Group on LinkedIn for frequent updates.

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competitiveness

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The Schedule of Events Include:

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Business Development Managers s Session Ask an Expert Panel hosted by EWI

Business Development Managers

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1-877-ST 1) Guests may call
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"http://www 2) Guests may also make reservations online
and reference the -HGI Y AAY 77-ST TA
September 26 - 27, 2013
, e iv dams Dr . A thur E r 1250 A
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MEETING REGIONAL WMA A 2013 RRW and reference the
September 26 - 27, 2013
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2) Guests may also make reservations online

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to register and download the schedule of events.
WMA13 R group code: .columbusuniversityarea.hgi.com,
.columbusuniversityarea. wwww.

to register and download the schedule of events.
.columbusuniversityarea.hgi.com"

JOE FULLER LLC
We manufacture tank turning rolls
3-ton through 120-ton rolls
www.joefuller.com
email: joe@joefuller.com
Phone: (979) 277-8343
Fax: (281) 290-6184
Our products are made in the USA
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE OR RENT
SERVICES
CLASSIFIEDS
CERTIFICATION
& TRAINING
MITROWSKI RENTS
Made in U.S.A.
Welding Positioners
1-Ton thru 60-Ton
Tank Turning Rolls
Used Equipment for Sale
www.mitrowskiwelding.com
sales@mitrowskiwelding.com
(800) 218-9620
(713) 943-8032
CWI PREPARATORY
Guarantee Pass or Repeat FREE!
80+ HOUR COURSE
MORE HANDSON/PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Houston, TX Sep. 30Oct. 11
Houma, LA Nov. 1122
Ellijay, GA Dec. 213
Pascagoula, MS Oct. 21Nov. 1
56+ HOUR COURSE
EXTRA INSTRUCTION TO GET A HEAD START
Houston, TX Oct. 311
Houma, LA Nov. 1422
40 HOUR COURSE
GET READY FAST PACED COURSE!
Houston, TX Oct. 711
Houma, LA Nov. 1822
Test follows on Saturday at same facility &
includes additional self study for weekend
FOR DETAILS CALL OR E-MAIL:
(800) 489-2890
info@realeducational.com
Also offering: 9Year CWI Recertification,
RT Film Interpretation, MT/PT/UT Thickness,
Welding Procedure Fundamentals,
CWS, SCWI, Advanced Inspection Courses
2013
91 WELDING JOURNAL

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Place Your
Classified Ad Here!
Contact Frank Wilson,
Senior Advertising
Production Manager
(800) 443-9353,
ext. 465
fwilson@aws.org
American Torch Tip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
www.americantorchtip.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 342-8477
ArcOne . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .53
www.Arc1Weldsafe.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 223-4685
Arcos Industries, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IBC
www.arcos.us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 233-8460
Astaras Welding Accessories, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
www.e3tungsten.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .web contact only
AT&F Headquarters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .55
www.atfco.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(216) 252-1500
AWS Certification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63
www.aws.org/certification/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 443-9353, ext. 273
AWS Education Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .85, 86
www.aws.org/education/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 443-9353, ext. 455
AWS Membership Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .56, 89
www.aws.org/membership/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 443-9353, ext. , 480
AWS Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54, 238s
www.aws.org/standards/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(888) 935-3464
Bluco Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
www.bluco.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 535-0135
Bugo-O Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .45
www.bugo.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 245-3186
Camfil Air Pollution Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
www.camfilapc.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 479-6801
Champion Welding Alloys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .84
www.championwelding.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 321-9353
Commercial Diving Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
www.commercialdivingacademy.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(888) 974-2232
Cor-Met . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27, 50
www.cor-met.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 848-2719
Diamond Ground Products, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
www.diamondground.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(805) 498-3837
Divers Academy International . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
www.diversacademy.edu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 238-3483
ESAB Welding and Cutting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5
www.esabna.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 372-2123
ESSEN Welding Show/Brazil . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61
www.schweissen-schneiden.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .001-914-962-1310
FABTECH 2013 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .59
www.fabtechexpo.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 443-9353, ext. 297
Fronius USA, LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
www.fronius-usa.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(877) 376-6487
Gedik Welding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .49
www.gedikwelding.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .+90 216 378 50 00
GENTEC/Genstar Technologies Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
www.genstartech.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(909) 606-2726
Greiner Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
www.greinerindustries.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 782-2110
Gullco International, Inc. - U.S.A. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
www.gullco.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(440) 439-8333
Harris Products Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1
www.harrisproductsgroup.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 733-4043
Hobart Institute of Welding Technology . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
www.welding.org . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 332-9448
Hodgson Custom Rolling, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
www.hcrsteel.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 263-2547
K.I.W.O.T.O., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
www.rodguard.net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(269) 944-1552
KMT Saw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54
www.kmtsaw.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(269) 321-8860
Lincoln Electric Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .OBC
www.lincolnelectric.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(216) 481-8100
Mercer Abrasives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .33
www.mercerabrasives.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(631) 243-3900
Midalloy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36
www.midalloy.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 776-3300
Miller Electric Mfg. Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
www.MillerWelds.com/webuild . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(920) 734
National Standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
www.NationalStandard.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 777-1618
Netbraze LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
www.netbraze.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(855) 444-1440
OTC Daihen, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29
www.daihen-usa.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(888) 682-7626
Pacmont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
www.PacMont.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(888) 990-7888
RWMA/Resistance Welding Mfg. Alliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32, 90
www.aws.org/rwma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 443-9353, ext. 444
Schaefer Ventilation Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
www.schaeferfan.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 779-3267
Select Arc, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .IFC
www.select-arc.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(937) 295-5215
Sellstrom Mfg. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
www.sellstrom.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(800) 323-7402
Sumner Manufacturing Co., Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
www.sumner.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(888) 999-6910
Superflash Compressed Gas Equipment/IBEDA Inc. . . . . . . . . . .36
www.oxyfuelsafety.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(888) 327-7306
Tianjin Leigong Welding Alloys . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
www.hardfacing.en.alibaba.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .+86-13752201959
Triangle Engineering, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57
www.trieng.com . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .(781) 878-1500
TRUMPF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
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INDEX
AUGUST 2013 92
Introduction
Workpieces manufactured with high-
carbon alloy steel, such as roller and die
components, are widely applied in indus-
trial production (Refs. 13). After being in
service for a period of time, the work-
pieces fail because of excessive wear (Refs.
4, 5). The shape and size of the failed
workpieces can be restored by means of
remanufacturing technologies, in which
hardface welding (hardfacing) is one of
the most effective methods (Refs. 69).
Development of high-carbon alloy steel
is characterized by the increase of Cr con-
tent so as to improve the strength and
hardenability of the steel (Ref. 10). In re-
cent years, in order to improve its wear re-
sistance, alloy elements W and Mo were
added (Refs. 1113).
However, related research indicated
that because of the high C content, cracks
usually initiate on the surface of the work-
pieces manufactured with the high-carbon
alloy steel after hardfacing, even if they
were preheated and reheated after hard-
facing (Ref. 8). So, the wide application of
hardfacing technology for restoring and
remanufacturing the high-carbon alloy
steel workpieces is restricted. Moreover,
the effects of alloy elements W and Mo
are seldom reported.
Therefore, on the basis of research into
the microstructure of medium carbon steel
(Ref. 14), medium-high carbon steel
(Refs. 15, 16), and high-chromium cast
iron (Refs. 17, 18), a novel electrode was
developed, by which no cracking occurred
on the surface of the workpieces when
they were preheated and reheated after
hardfacing. Subsequently, the effect of W
additive on the microstructure and wear
resistance of the high-carbon steel hard-
facing surface layer was researched, and
the corresponding mechanism was ana-
lyzed, which can supply a theoretical foun-
dation for improving the wear resistance
of the hardfacing surface layer of high-
carbon steel.
Experimental Procedure
Experimental Materials
An electrode for hardfacing high-car-
bon steel was manufactured. The core of
the electrode was made of H08A low-car-
bon steel, whose composition is listed in
Table 1. The outer coating was composed
of ferrosilicon, ferrochrome, ferroman-
ganese, and ferrotungsten (W additive). In
order to analyze the effect of W additive
on microstructure and property of the
hardfacing surface layer, the mass frac-
tions of the ferrotungsten added into the
outer coating were 0, 2, 4, and 6 wt-%,
respectively.
Experimental Methods
Base metals for the welding surface
were prepared from Q235 low-carbon
steel plates, and three layers were welded
onto each specimen. The process was
shielded metal arc welding (SMAW). A
schematic diagram of the welding pattern
and welding parameters used in this work
appear in Fig. 1 and Table 2, respectively.
In order to analyze the effect of the W
additive on the properties of the hardfac-
ing surface layer, its macrohardness was
measured using a HR-105A Rockwell
hardness tester with a load of 150 kg for
SUPPLEMENT TO THE WELDING JOURNAL, AUGUST 2013
Sponsored by the American Welding Society and the Welding Research Council
Microstructure and Wear Properties of
Fe-2 wt-% Cr-X wt-% W-0.67 wt-% C
Hardfacing Layer
Electrodes with different additions of tungsten were evaluated to
determine the effect on hardness and wear resistance
BY J. YANG, Y. YANG, Y. ZHOU, X. QI, Y. GAO, X. REN, AND Q. YANG
KEYWORDS
Fe-Cr-W-C Alloy
Hardfacing
Microstructure
Wear Resistance
Carbides
J. YANG, Y. YANG, Y. ZHOU, X. QI, and Q.
YANG (qxyang@ysu.edu.cn) are with State Key
Laboratory of Metastable Materials Science and
Technology, College of Materials Science and En-
gineering, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao,
China. Y. GAO is with School of Material Science
and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai,
China. X. REN is with School of Engineering,
Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool,
UK.
ABSTRACT
Electrodes with different W additives for hardfacing the workpieces of high-carbon
alloy steel were developed. The microstructure was observed by optical microscopy and
field emission scanning electron microscope equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray spec-
trometry. The phase structure was determined by X-ray diffraction. The hardness and
wear resistance, respectively, of the hardfacing surface layer were measured. The rela-
tive curve between mass fraction of each phase and temperature was calculated by
Thermo-Calc. The results show that, the microstructure of the hardfacing surface layer
without W additive consists of -Fe, -Fe, M
7
C
3
, and M
23
C
6
carbides. However, MC
carbide initiates in the hardfacing surface layer and its amount increases with the in-
crease of W additive, while that of M
7
C
3
decreases. With the increase of W additive, the
hardness and wear resistance of the hardfacing surface layer both increase, and they are
the largest when the W additive is 4 wt-%. The C content of the martensite matrix de-
creases gradually with the increase of W additive. Moreover, only elements C and W
exist in MC carbide. With the increase of W content in the hardfacing surface layer, the
starting precipitation temperature and the largest mass fraction of MC both increase.
However, those of M
7
C
3
both decrease.
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10 s. Subsequently, a wear resistance test
was carried out on an abrasive belt-type
wear testing machine, in which SiC of 80
mesh was selected as the abrasive material
and the wear velocity of the abrasive belt
was 1.8 10
4
mm min
1
. The abrasive
belt wear testing machine and a schematic
diagram are shown in Fig. 2. An electronic
balance with an accuracy of 0.1 mg was
used to weigh the mass loss of the layer per
30 min. After the wear test, the worn sur-
face morphology was observed by scan-
ning electron microscope (SEM) of type
KYKY-2800.
The microstructure of the hardfacing
surface layer, which was etched with 4%
nitric acid alcohol after being metallo-
graphically polished, was characterized by
an Axiovert 200 MAT optical microscope
(OM) and a Hitachi S4800 field emission
scanning electron microscope (FESEM)
equipped with energy-dispersive X-ray
spectrometry (EDS). The phase structure
was determined by X-ray diffraction
(XRD) of type D/max-2500/PC. The rela-
tive curve between mass fraction of each
phase and temperature was calculated by
thermodynamics software Thermo-Calc.
Experimental Results
Influence of W Additive on the Phase-
Structure of the Hardfacing Surface Layer
Figure 3 illustrates XRD analysis re-
sults of the hardfacing surface layers with
different W additives. As shown, without
the W additive, the phase microstructure
consists of -Fe, -Fe, M
23
C
6
, and M
7
C
3
carbides. When the W additive is 2 wt-%,
besides -Fe, -Fe, M
23
C
6
, and M
7
C
3
car-
bides, MC carbide initiates in the hardfac-
ing surface layer. By quantitative analysis,
the content of retained austenite de-
creases from 15.8 to 6.4%. When the W
additive is 4 wt-%, the -Fe disappears ab-
solutely. Meanwhile, the amount of M
7
C
3
decreases and that of MC increases. With
6 wt-% W additive, the amount of M
7
C
3
decreases and that of MC increases con-
tinually in the hardfacing surface layer.
Influence of W Additive on the
Microstructure of the Hardfacing
Surface Layer
The microstructures of the hardfacing
surface layers with different W additives
are shown in Fig. 4. Without W additive,
the microstructure consists of black nee-
dle martensite (normal martensite) and
white reticular martensite (high-C alloy
martensite), in which the latter with high-
carbon content and alloy elements precip-
itate on the crystal boundary. When the W
additive is 2 wt-%, the high-carbon alloy
martensite becomes intermittent. With
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Table 1 Chemical Composition of H08A (wt-%)
Element C Mn Si Cr Ni S P
Content 0.10 0.300.50 0.03 0.2 0.03 0.03 0.03
Fig. 1 Welding technology schematic diagram.
Fig. 2 The abrasive belt-type wear testing ma-
chine. A Photograph; B schematic.
Fig. 3 XRD patterns of the hard-
facing surface layers with different W
additives.
A
B
4 wt-% W additive, the high-C alloy
martensite refines obviously. When the W
additive is 6 wt-%, the high-C alloy
martensite further refines and dissolves in
the matrix.
Figure 5 indicates the vertical mor-
phologies of the hardfacing surface layers
with different W additives. From it, be-
cause of the favorable welding process,
binding modes between the matrix metal
and the hardfacing metal with different W
additives are all the typical metallurgical
ones. The effect of W additives on the
weldability is inconspicuous.
Influence of W Additive on the Hardness
of the Hardfacing Surface Layer
The hardness of the hardfacing surface
layers with different W additives are
shown in Fig. 6. The hardness without W
additive is 61.5 HRC. With the increase of
W additive, the hardness increases gradu-
ally. When the W additive is 4 wt-%, the
hardness is the largest at 66.0 HRC. With
further increase of W, the hardness de-
creases instead, and it is 64.9 HRC with 6
wt-% W additive.
Influence of W Additive on the Wear
Resistance of the Hardfacing Surface
Layer
The wear loss curves of the hardfacing
are shown in Fig. 7. As shown, the weight
loss of the hardfacing surface layer with-
out W additive is the largest. With 2 wt-%
W additive, the wear resistance improves
significantly and there is an obvious re-
duction in wear weight loss. When the W
additive reaches 4 wt-%, wear resistance
of the hardfacing surface layer is the high-
est. However, with further increase of W,
the wear weight loss increases sharply.
Figure 8 illustrates the wear morpholo-
gies of the hardfacing surface layers with
different W additives. As seen in Fig. 8A,
without W additive, surface scratches are
both wide and deep. With the increase of
W, surface scratches are shallow and nar-
row. When the W is 4 wt-%, the scratches
are the shallowest, as shown in Fig. 8C.
With further increase of W, surface
scratches are deep and broad, as shown in
Fig. 8D.
Wear Resistance-Enhanced
Mechanism of the Hardfacing
Layer with W Additive
Characteristics on MC Carbide in the
Hardfacing Surface Layer
From the above results, with the in-
crease of W, the wear resistance of the
hardfacing surface layer increases. Mean-
while, the amount of MC carbide increases
while that of high-carbon alloy martensite
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Table 2 Welding Parameters
Welding Current Welding Voltage Welding Speed Overlap of Welding Tracks
140150 A 2426 V 1.11.7 mm/s 50%
Fig. 4 Microstructures of the hardfacing surface layers with different W additives. A 0 wt-%;
B 2 wt-%; C 4 wt-%; D 6 wt-%.
Fig. 5 Vertical morphologies of the hardfacing surface layers with different W additives. A 0 wt%;
B 2 wt-%; C 4 wt-%; D 6 wt-%.
A
A
C
C
B
B
D
D
decreases. So the wear resistance is related
closely with MC carbide and high-carbon
alloy martensite. Therefore, the MC car-
bide and high-carbon alloy martensite with
different W additives were investigated in
this work.
Figure 9 illustrates FESEM of the
hardfacing surface layers with different W
additives. With the increase of W, the strip
high-carbon alloy martensite, which dis-
tributes on the crystal boundary, refines
gradually, and nearly disappears com-
pletely when the W additive is 6 wt-%.
Meanwhile, with the increase of W, a few
small granular particles appear in the
hardfacing surface layer.
Figure 10 is the line energy spectrum of
the granular particle in the hardfacing sur-
face layer with the 2 wt-% W. Combined
with Fig. 3, it can be inferred that the gran-
ular particle is MC carbide.
Influence of W additive on the Carbides
In order to analyze the influence of W
additive on the carbides of the hardfacing
surface layers during welding solidification
process, the hardfacing surface layers with
four W additives were taken and their
chemical compositions are listed in Table 3.
The relation curves between mole frac-
tions of alloy elements and temperature in
MC, M
7
C
3
, and M
23
C
6
carbides, which
were calculated by Thermo-Calc software,
and are shown in Fig. 11. From Fig. 11A, it
can be seen that only C and W exist in the
MC carbide. While in the M
7
C
3
and
M
23
C
6
carbides, there is mainly Fe and Cr,
which are shown in Fig.11B and C. It il-
lustrates that the W content mainly affects
the MC carbide instead of M
7
C
3
and
M
23
C
6
carbides.
The curves between mass fraction of
each phase and temperature in the hard-
facing surface layers with different W con-
tents are shown in Fig. 12. Without W
content, no MC carbide precipitates from
the hardfacing surface layer. With the in-
crease of W content, MC carbide initiates
gradually, and the beginning precipitation
temperature of MC carbide change is not
obvious. However, the maximum amount
of MC carbide clearly increases 4.2% when
the W content is 1.74 wt-%. Meanwhile, the
beginning precipitation temperature of
M
7
C
3
decreases from 778 to 695C and the
maximum amount decreases from 9.4 to 6.3
wt-%.
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Fig. 6 Hardness of surface layer with different W additives. Fig. 7 Wear loss of the hardfacing surface layer with different W additives.
Table 3 Chemical Compositions of the Hardfacing Surface Layers (wt-%)
C Cr W Si Mn Fe
0.67 2.05 0 0.614 0.565 Bal
0.67 2.05 0.58 0.614 0.565 Bal
0.67 2.05 1.46 0.614 0.565 Bal
0.67 2.05 1.74 0.614 0.565 Bal
Fig. 8 Wear morphologies of the hardfacing surface layer with different W additives. A 0 wt-%;
B 2 wt-%; C 4 wt-%; D 6 wt-%.
A
C
B
D
Influence of W Additive on the Martensite
Energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS)
results of the martensite in the hardfacing
are listed in Table 4. With the increase of
W additive, the C content in the marten-
site of the hardfacing surface layer de-
creases gradually, from 3.76 to 2.73 wt-%.
The reason is that, with the W increases,
the amount of MC carbide increases, so
the C content in the martensite is reduced.
As previously mentioned, with the in-
crease of W, the amount of MC carbide
clearly increases while the content of C in
the martensite decreases gradually. There-
fore, the wear resistance change tendency
of the hardfacing surface layer with differ-
ent W additives can be explained as
follows:
The amount of MC carbide, which can
be the wear-resisting phase (Refs. 19, 20)
of the hardfacing surface layer, increases
with the increase of W. Without W, the mi-
crostructure is mainly martensite without
MC carbide, so the weight loss of the hard-
facing surface layer is largest during the
wear process. With the increase of W, MC
carbide initiates in the hardfacing surface
layer and hard wear-resistant phase in-
creases, so its weight loss decreases. When
the W additive is 4%, MC carbide exists
largely in the hardfacing surface layer, and
its wear resistance is the greatest. With a
further increase of W to 6 wt-%, although
the amount of MC carbide increases con-
tinually, the C content in martensite ma-
trix decreases, which cannot support the
wear-resisting phase of MC carbide favor-
ably, so the wear resistance of the hard-
facing surface layer decreases again.
Conclusions
1) The microstructure of the hardfac-
ing surface layer without W additive con-
sists of -Fe, -Fe, M
7
C
3
, and M
23
C
6
carbides. With the increase of W additive,
MC carbide initiates gradually, and the
amount of MC increases while that of
M
7
C
3
and -Fe decreases.
2) Hardness and wear resistance of the
hardfacing surface layers both increase
with the increase of W additive, which are
greatest when W additive is 4 wt-%.
3) Only the elements C and W exist in
MC carbide. With the increase of W con-
tent in the hardfacing surface layer, the
starting precipitation temperature and the
mass fraction maximum of MC both in-
crease. However, those of M
7
C
3
both
decrease.
4) With the increase of W additive, the
C content in the martensite of the hard-
facing surface layer decreases gradually,
from 3.76 to 2.73 wt-%.
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Fig. 9 FESEM of the hardfacing surface layers with different W additives. A 0 wt-%; B 2 wt%;
C 4 wt-%; D 6 wt-%.
Fig. 10 Line energy spectrum of the granular particle in the hardfacing surface layer.
Table 4 EDS of the Martensite in the Hardfacing Surface Layers with Different W Addi-
tives (wt-%)
W Additive C Si Cr Mn Fe W
0 wt-% 3.76 0.89 2.30 0.69 92.36
2 wt-% 3.57 0.89 2.03 0.71 91.84 0.96
4 wt-% 3.04 1.01 2.49 0.76 91.40 1.29
6 wt-% 2.73 0.72 2.15 0.57 91.13 2.79
A
C
B
D
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Fig. 11 Relation curves between mole fractions of alloy elements and temperature. A MC;
B M
7
C
3
; C M
23
C
6
carbides.
Fig. 12 Curves between mass fraction of each phase and temperature in the hardfacing surface layers
with different W contents. A 0 wt-%; B 2 wt-%; C 4 wt-%; D 6 wt-%.
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A
C
D
B
Introduction
Shunting in resistance spot welding is the diversion of the weld-
ing current from the weld to be made to a nearby existing weld
(Ref. 1). If a significant proportion of welding current flows
through the previously made weld, the heat generated may not be
sufficient for making a weld of designated size. In general, shunt-
ing may have significant influence on weld quality when making
more than one weld on a workpiece, which is common in sheet
metal manufacture and repair. Quantitatively predicting the crit-
ical weld spacing to avoid significant reduction in weld size due to
shunting has practical significance (Ref. 1). The distribution of
welding current in shunting is illustrated in Fig. 1. The proportion
of the diverted current is determined by the relative electrical re-
sistance values in the shunting and welding paths. Therefore, de-
termination and control of relative resistance in welding are of ul-
timate importance. Helped by the advances in numerical
simulation techniques, efforts have been made to analyze the ef-
fect of shunting on weld nugget growth (Refs. 24), with some im-
plication on the critical weld spacing. However, the highly variable
and dynamic nature of electrical and thermal processes in weld-
ing makes it difficult to quantitatively understand the effect of
shunting either by analytical analysis or numerical modeling. Be-
cause of a serious lack of material properties, especially as func-
tions of temperature, a numerical modeling of the resistance spot
welding process generally relies on idealized material behaviors
and process setup. As a result, numerical predictions are more
qualitative than quantitative, and empirical studies such as the
ones by Howe (Ref. 5) and Wang et al. (Ref. 6) have been domi-
nant in shunting study.
The limitations of empirical investigations are apparent. First
of all, it is difficult to identify or isolate the influence of any indi-
vidual variable as there are a large number of variables involved
and extensive interactions exist among them in shunting. All of the
welding parameters, i.e., welding current, time, and electrode
force, and material properties such as bulk resistivity and surface
conditions impact shunting to a more significant and complex ex-
tent than they do in making a single spot weld. In addition, other
factors of a more random nature such as electrode wear, electrode
alignment, and workpiece fitup may also affect the shunting
process. Considering all these effects would make an experiment
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Shunting Effect in Resistance Spot Welding
Steels Part 2: Theoretical Analysis
Minimum weld spacing can be quantitatively predicted based
on the process parameters and welding schedules
BY Y. B. LI, B. WANG, Q. SHEN, M. LOU, AND H. ZHANG
ABSTRACT
Shunting is a phenomenon difficult to avoid in production
welding, and it is of practical interest to quantitatively determine
the minimum weld spacing. However, the large number of fac-
tors involved in shunting make it difficult to isolate their influ-
ence, let alone obtain a quantitative understanding of their ef-
fects. In this study, the shunting process was understood through
an analysis of the electrical resistances along the welding and
shunting paths. An analytical model was derived based on the
equivalence of the joule heat generated in welding and that was
needed to create the weldment. The constants in the model were
determined through experiments. Using the experimental re-
sults from a previous study, specific models were derived for sev-
eral gauges of mild and dual-phase steels of various surface con-
ditions. The models were then used to study the effects of process
parameters on the minimum weld spacing needed to create cer-
tain sizes of shunted welds. The critical or minimum weld spac-
ing was then plotted as a function of several variables. The ef-
fects of several process variables such as electrode force, welding
time, shunt weld size, and sheet thickness on shunting were
clearly demonstrated. Such relationships are crucial in under-
standing the effects of process variables on shunting, and can be
used in quantitative determination of minimum weld spacing to
avoid the adverse effect of shunting and put as many welds as
possible onto a structure.
KEYWORDS
Critical Weld Spacing
Shunting
Resistance Spot Welding
Model Development
Y. B. LI, Q. SHEN, and M. LOU are with Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China. B. WANG is with Zhejiang Normal University, Jinhua, China.
H. ZHANG (hozhang@eng.utoledo.edu) is with University of Toledo, Toledo, Ohio.
Fig. 1 Schematic of shunting in resistance spot welding.
AUGUST 2013, VOL. 92 232-s
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matrix too complex to handle. As revealed in the work by Wang et
al. (Ref. 6), many material and processing factors such as the elec-
trode force affect shunting, and their effects also strongly depend
on the values of other variables: increasing the electrode force re-
duces shunting when the weld spacing is large, while it actually
promotes shunting when the weld spacing is small when welding
thin sheets. The large number of variables and their complicated
interactions also make it difficult to obtain an accurate account of
the influence of an individual factor through experiments alone.
On the other hand, theoretical analysis is difficult considering the
number of variables involved and the limited knowledge on the
material properties governing the physical processes during weld-
ing, especially their dependence on temperature, which makes
shunting a very dynamic process. In this study, an analytical model
was developed based on the understanding of the physical
processes involved in shunting, and the numerical values of the co-
efficients in the model were derived from the experimental results
obtained in a previous study (Ref. 6).
Modeling of the Shunting Process
As resistance spot welding is basically a joule heating process,
an understanding of shunting can be achieved through an analy-
sis of the electrical resistances involved in the process. A common
welding mode in industrial applications, constant current welding
mode was assumed in the model development. For simplicity only
the nearest neighboring weld was considered, and the influence of
all other welds was assumed negligible. The electrical process of
shunting is readily represented by flowing electric current through
a simple electric circuit, identical to that in Fig. 2 in Ref. 6, con-
sisting of several resistors based on the effects of various portions
of the sheet stack-up on heat generation and electric current flow,
which can be derived from the schematic in Fig. 1. First, the con-
tact resistance at the electrode-sheet interface could be significant
in affecting the welding process. However, it can be assumed iden-
tical for the weld being made (the shunted weld) and its shunt weld
and, therefore, its effect can be ignored for simplicity and it can
be excluded in the study of the shunting effect. As a result, the
number of resistances needed to be considered in developing the
shunting model is reduced, and they can be classified according to
their contributions to welding and shunting, along their respective
paths.
The electrical resistance to the shunting current I
S
, in the path
through the previously made weld (shunt weld) can be assumed to
be dominated by bulk resistance, and approximated as
where L
2
= D
2
+ t
2
, and the dimensions are illustrated in Fig. 1. D
is the horizontal projection of the shunting current path L. Its
value can be assumed as
Spacing d
0
d
I
where Spacing is the distance between the centers of the shunt and
shunted welds (marked as Weld Spacing in Fig. 1), and are
constants used to specify the ends of the shunting path between
the shunt weld and the indentation impression mark. These two
constants would assume a value of 0.5 if the shunting current flew
directly from the edge of the indentation mark to the edge of the
shunt weld, which is the shortest path as can be seen in Fig. 1. The
metallography in Fig. 2 of welds made on a 2.0-mm mild steel
sheet with 8-mm weld spacing from an experimental study of
shunting (Ref. 6) shows they should be slightly smaller than 0.5.
From the figure it can be seen that the outlines of the heat-
affected zones (HAZ) of the shunted welds are asymmetric, indi-
cating uneven heating during welding. The HAZ of a shunted
weld has upper and lower left corners extending to the electrode
contact surfaces, which are different from those on the right side,
indicating possible concentrated electric current passing through
these areas. Similar phenomenon has been observed in other
shunting welds in experiments (Ref. 6). Consider the upper left
corner of the HAZ in the first shunted weld (the second in the se-
quence) in Fig. 2. As the darkened area near the electrode surface
is located inside the edge of the indentation mark, it is reasonable
to assume that the shunting current path starts from this place, not
the indentation edge. For the same reason the center of the shunt-
ing path is assumed passing through a point inside the shunt weld,
not on its edge. Considering the possible shunting path revealed
by this figure, the vertical projection of the shunting path should
also be slightly smaller than 2t as exhibited in Fig. 1. Because of
this, t instead of t, where is smaller than unity should be used
for calculating L, i.e.,
L
2
= (Spacing d
0
d
I
)
2
+ (t)
2
The average cross-sectional area of the shunting path, A
S
, can be
assumed to be proportional to the average of the projected areas
of the shunt weld and the electrode indentation onto the shunting
path, i.e.,
where is as shown in Fig. 1. As sint/L, the bulk resistance of
the shunting path is
The influence of other possible factors on R
bS
can be assumed
unchanged during shunting, and lumped into a constant C
bS
for
quantifying the bulk resistance of the shunting path
R
L
A
bS bulk
S
2
A d d d d
S I I
+
= +
1 1 1 1
2 4
1
4 8
0
2 2
0
2 2
sin
sin
R
L
d d t
Spacing d
bS bulk
I
bulk
=

2
0
2 2
0
d t
d d t
I
I
( )
+
( )
+
2 2
0
2 2
Fig. 2 Cross-sectional views of the shunt and shunted welds made on 2-
mm bare mild steel, with 8-mm weld spacing. The shunted welds were made
with a PVC plastic film placed on the faying interface. The welding parame-
ters were welding current = 6 kA, welding time = 500 ms, and electrode force
= 2.8 kN.
Fig. 3 Schematic of loading on half of the sheet stack-up approximated as
a cantilever beam, with one end fixed by the shunt weld.
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As the original faying interface is eliminated in the shunt weld,
the contact resistance in the shunting path can be assumed to be
zero. The bulk resistance of the welding path can be derived in a
similar manner as R
bS
:
The cross-sectional area of the welding path can be approxi-
mated by the average of the contact area at the faying interface
(or the projected area of the shunted weld), and that at the elec-
trode-sheet interface
And R
bW
can be written as the following, with a constant C
bW
for
the effect of all other fixed variables
The contact resistance at the faying interface in the welding
path can be assumed to stem from a cylinder of a mixture, here-
after called contact cylinder, of the bulk metal and the sub-
stances/contaminants on the surfaces. This cylinder has a height
of l
o
and cross-sectional area of A
W
, which is a function of the ap-
plied electrode force. The contact resistance is affected by the
electrode force squeezing the weld stack-up, and such effect is re-
flected by the deformation of this contact cylinder, approximated
as
y
/
appl
l
o
. A base metal with a high yield stress,
y
, resists
the deformation and reduction of electrical resistance; a large
electrode force generates a large applied stress at the faying in-
terface,
appl
, and reduces contact resistance. Therefore, the con-
tact resistance at the faying interface, R
cW
, based on the afore-
mentioned discussion, can be assumed
The constants C
cW1
and C
cW2
can be regarded as the weight-
ing factors of the contributions from the bulk and surface resist-
ances in the contact cylinder. They contain the effects of surface
contaminants, other surface characteristics such as roughness and
coating, and the contact cylinder height. The net force exerted on
the faying interface at the shunted weld, resulting from the applied
electrode force, is F
appl
=
appl
A
W
, and the contact resistance can
therefore, be expressed as
The net force at the faying interface, F
appl
, is usually smaller
than the electrode force. Although it is difficult to accurately cal-
culate its value, it can be estimated through a structural analysis
of the forces acting on the welding stack-up.
By considering the top sheet as a cantilever beam fixed on
the left by the shunt weld when the shunted weld is being made as
shown in Fig. 3, the actual force at the faying interface, F
appl
, is
different from the applied electrode force, F
electrode
, because of
the resistance of the top sheet to bending. This is similar to an
analysis of expulsion in resistance welding by estimating the net
force exerted by the electrodes at the faying interface (Ref. 7). Ap-
proximating the top (or bottom) sheet as a cantilever beam allows
for an estimate of the force at the faying interface that is respon-
sible for affecting the contact resistance when making the shunted
weld. Through an analogy to the maximum deflection under a con-
centrated loading as formulated in any fundamental structural
analysis such as Ref. 8, the following relation can be derived for
the configuration in Fig. 3:
The coefficient represents the influence of the sheet width
and material strength. Therefore, the contact resistance at the fay-
ing interface along the welding path can be expressed as
Considering the electric circuit consisting of the shunting and
welding paths, the shunting current I
S
can be related to the over-
all current in the secondary loop, I, in the form of
From this equation it can be seen that a large resistance of the
shunting path reduces the value of shunting current and, there-
fore, the shunting effect. The welding current is expressed in a
similar way as
The dependence of the shunted weld on the shunt weld size,
welding time, current, and electrode force, in addition to the sheet
thickness and strength, can be derived by considering the equiva-
lence of heat needed for making the shunted weldment and the
heat generated through joule heating along the welding path.
The shunted weldment can be divided into two parts, and dif-
ferent amounts of heat are needed to create them. One is the weld
nugget. It can be approximated by an ellipsoid with a volume
where is a constant, representing the ratio of the height of the
ellipsoid nugget to its diameter. On the other hand, the joule heat
is also consumed to generate the HAZ, the volume of which can
be approximated by the difference between a cylinder of size
R C C
A
cW cW bulk cW cont
y
appl W
= +
( )
1 2

R C C
F
cW cW bulk cW cont
y
appl
= +
( )
1 2

F F
t
Spacing d
appl electrode
=
( )
3
0
0.5
3
R C C
F
t
Sp
cW cW bulk cW cont
y
electrode
= +
( )
1 2
3

aacing d
( )
0.5
(3)
0
3
A d d
bW I
= +
1
2
1
4
1
4
2 2

R C
t
d d
bW bW bulk
I
=
+
2 2
(2)
R C
Spacing d d t
d d
bS bS bulk
I
I
=

( )
+
( )
+

0
2 2
0
2 2
t
(1)
R
t
A
bW bulk
bW
2
I
R R
R R R
I
S
bw cw
bS bW cW
=
+
+ +
(4)
I
R
R R R
I
W
bs
bS bW cW
=
+ +
(5)
4
3 2 2
1
3
3

d d
d d
( )
=
2
4 2
2 2
t d td
( )
1
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and that of the nugget. Therefore, the total heat needed for the
shunted weldment is approximately
In the above expression, the coefficients on the left-hand side
represent the unit heats needed for making the nugget and the
HAZ, and they can be lumped up as on the right-hand side for
convenience.
The heat needed comes from resistance heating, and using
Equation 5 the joule heat can be expressed as
Here
W
is the welding time and I is the total welding current
used when making the shunted weld. Equating the joule heat to
that needed for making the weld produces the relationship be-
tween the shunted weld size and the welding parameters, material
properties, and premade shunt weld size:
Although Equation 6 is derived using several assumptions and
simplifications, it outlines the fundamental relationship among
the variables when welding with a shunt weld. Welding spacing, as
an important welding process parameter, can be determined using
this relation. In addition, it provides a quantitative guidance for
selecting welding parameters in order to achieve quality welds
under restraints of weld spacing, as often seen in engineering de-
sign of welding. The constants in Equation 6 have to be deter-
mined through carefully planned experiments for practical use.
Examples
The model shown in Equation 6 relates the shunted weld to the
shunt weld and other process variables. However, the material
properties and process parameters are not sufficient, even if they
are available, to determine the constants in the model. The influ-
ence of the unavoidable random factors as well as the large num-
ber of assumptions and simplifications made when deriving the
model make accurate analytical calculation of the constants irrel-
evant. The constants in Equation 6, however, can be determined
and the equation explicitly expressed using the experimental re-
sults such as those obtained in Ref. 6.
Before fitting the equation using the experimental observa-
tions, a simplification is necessary on the constants of Equation 6.
First, both and can be chosen as 0.495, so the shunting current
path extends just slightly into the electrode impression mark and
the shunt weld, as illustrated in Fig. 1. Similarly, can be taken as
0.95. As the accurate bulk and contact resistivity values are gen-
erally difficult to obtain, their effects can be better represented by
lumped coefficients, determined through curve fitting using ex-
perimental results that are categorized according to the surface
conditions. Standard curve fitting procedures such as those pro-
vided by commercial software packages can be used in the calcu-
lation. Equation 6 can be simplified, by consolidating the coeffi-
cients, as
The constants in Equation 7, c
1
, c
2
, c
3
, c
4
, c
5
, c
6
, and c
7
, can be
determined through experiments with sufficient replications and
as many combinations of variables as possible. They are clearly
material dependent, and the surface condition plays an important
role in affecting the values of these constants. It should be noted
that although the model shown in the equation is generic, a fitted
model developed for a specific material system should be limited
to that material in the ranges of the relevant material properties.
To illustrate the procedure of determining the constants and
the use of the model in understanding shunting, the experimental
observations in a previous study (Ref. 6) were used to obtain the
explicit models for the material systems studied. The experiments
include two types of materials: mild steel (MS) and dual-phase
steel (DP) of several gauges. Several types of surface conditions
were used, including bare steel surface, pure zinc-coated or hot-
dipped galvanized (HDG) surface, plastic insertion of a thin
polyvinyl chloride (PVC) film, and their combinations. Because of
the overwhelming influence of the contact resistance the experi-
mental data were classified into four groups according to the sur-
face conditions at the faying interface for the shunted welds: bare
steel surface (MS), zinc-coated (HDG) surface, bare steel (MS)
+ plastic insert, and zinc-coated (HDG) + plastic insert. The val-
ues of these four types of contact resistances are expected to be
very different, in addition to being unknown. Therefore, they were
treated separately to avoid complications and inaccuracy in quan-
tifying the shunting relations using Equation 7.
The constants in the equation were determined through curve
fitting using Mathematica8 (Ref. 9) for each of the four types of
surface conditions. A fixed size of electrode indentation, d
I
, taken
+ =
+
+ +
c d c td I
C
t
d d
C
n h W
bW bulk
I
cW bulk
3 2 2
2 2
1
CC
F
t
Spacing d
cW cont
y
electrode
2
3
0.5
( )
( )
0
33
C
Spacing d
bS bulk

00

( )
+
( )
+
d t
d d t
C
Spacin
I
I
bS bulk
2 2
0
2 2
gg d d t
d d t
C
t I
I
bW bulk

( )
+
( )
+
0
2 2
0
2 2
dd d
C C
F
I
cW bulk cW cont
y
electrode
2 2
1 2
+
+ +
( )
tt
Spacing d
3
0
3
0.5
( )
2
(6)
I R R I
R
R R R
R
W bW cW W
bS
bS bW cW
bW
2 2
2
+
( )
=
+ +
++
( )
R
cW W
c d c td d c
n h
1
3
1
2
1
3
3 2 3

=
nn h
d c td
3 2
+
c d c td d d t
c
t
I 1
3
2
2
0
2 2
2
2
3
2
0.95
+
( )
+ SSpacing d d
d d t
c
I
I

( )
+
+
0.495 0.495
2
0
2 2
0
44
2 2
4
6
7
3
0.
c t
d d
c
c
F
c t
Spacing
I
y
electrode
5
+
+
55
0.95
0
3
2
2
d
I
W
( )
= tt Spacing d d
c
I
( )
+
( )
2
0
2
2
5
0.495 0.495
tt
d d
c
F
c t
Spacing d
I
y
electrode
2 2
6
7
3
0
0.5
+
+
( )
33
( ) 7
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as 5.0 mm from the experiments, was used in the curve fitting. In
curve fitting, the physical meaning of the constants should not be
sacrificed for the closeness of numerical fitting. For instance, a
negative c
7
produces a better numerical fitting than a positive one.
However, it makes no physical sense according to the analysis in
the previous sections on the cantilever beam as demonstrated in
Fig. 3. In the present study, certain conditions were imposed on
such coefficients in order to preserve their physical meaning. The
constants determined for the four types of surface conditions are
listed in Table 1.
The values of the constants in the table vary in drastic ranges.
The main reason is that the units of the variables in Equation 7
were not made consistent, for the convenience of practical weld-
ing. For instance, the unit of sheet thickness in the equation is mil-
limeter while that of the yield strength of material is MPa. This
can be observed by comparing the coefficients c
3
and c
6
, while the
former is for the dimensions, with a large value, and the latter cor-
responds to pressure with a much smaller value.
The accuracy of the models in Table 1 was verified by compar-
ing the two sides of Equation 7. Very small differences between
the values of the two sides were obtained for all the sets of exper-
imental observations and, therefore, the models were considered
valid. The fitted models shown in Table 1 can be used to study the
influence of various parameters. As weld spacing is the most im-
portant parameter in weld design, it was expressed in this study as
a function of other variables. The weld spacing needed to obtain
a shunted weld of certain size was expressed as a percentage of the
shunt weld size, in order to meet the requirements of weld qual-
ity, mainly in terms of weld size, in practice.
Effect of Sheet Thickness
Figure 4 shows the required weld spacing to achieve a certain
sized shunted weld goes up with sheet thickness. As expected, a
large weld spacing is necessary in order to have a shunted weld of
size close to that of the shunt weld. For 0.5-mm bare mild steels,
an increment of little more than 1 mm is needed when the shunted
weld size goes from 70 to 85%, and then 100% of that of the shunt
weld, as seen in Fig. 4A. Such an increment is more than 3 mm for
the 3-mm sheets. A greater increase in weld spacing is necessary
when a plastic film was inserted in the faying interface. The plastic
insertion clearly raises the contact resistance and, therefore, the
electrical resistance along the welding path, amplifying the shunt-
ing effect. However, this effect is thickness dependent. For thin
sheets, a larger weld space is necessary for the bare steels than for
those with a plastic insert, and the latter overtake the former when
the sheet thickness goes beyond the range of 1.51.7 mm. In gen-
eral, shunting is more sensitive to sheet thickness when the plastic
insert is used, implying that the contact resistance along the weld-
ing path plays a decisive role in shunting. A sizeable difference ex-
ists between these two types of interfaces for thick sheets as well.
For instance, the 3-mm sheet with plastic insert needs a weld spac-
ing of 45 mm, 12 mm larger than that without the plastic insert.
Similar to that observed in the MS, the weld spacing goes up
with sheet thickness for both zinc-coated and zinc-coated + plas-
tic insert when welding DP steels Fig. 4B. The effect of plastic
insert in HDG DP steels is not as significant as in the MS. This
could be the result of a nullified influence of the zinc coating by
the plastic film.
Effect of Welding Time
In Fig. 5, the shunt weld size was fixed at 4.8 mm for a 1.5-mm
MS. It shows that increasing welding time is an effective means of
minimizing the effect of shunting as it puts more heat into a weld
and reduces the weld spacing needed. When welding time is short,
the time to melt the interface takes a significant proportion of the
entire welding time. The electric current diverted by the shunt
weld results in a large percentage of heat loss, and a large weld
spacing is necessary in order to avoid shunting. With a long weld-
ing time, however, it takes a small fraction of the total time for the
contact resistance to disappear when the interface melts, and
more current and heat are distributed to the shunted weld as a re-
sult. This effect is more profound when the plastic insert is used
at the faying interface. The diversion of electric current from the
welding path into the shunting path is magnified by the plastic in-
Table 1 Constants of Equation 7 for the Materials with the Four Types of Surface Conditions Tested in the Experiments
Mild steel (bare) Mild steel (bare) + plastic insert DP steel (HDG) DP steel (HDG) + plastic insert
c
1
1.22239 10
9
8.93766 10
14
2.37641 10
9
3.32993 10
9
c
2
3.08145 10
17
2.68256 10
9
1.73576 10
12
4.75207 10
15
c
3
378747.0 492327.0 240506.0 526676.0
c
4
158244.0 329371.0 169569.0 23620.0
c
5
0.893066 0.0868412 0.0916093 3100.98
c
6
0.892577 0.0868538 0.0918372 2.927
c
7
0.999269 1.00023 1.00044 772.487
Fig. 4 Effect of sheet thickness on weld spacing: A Of the mild steel with
d
0
= 4.8 mm, I = 6 kA,
y
= 205 MPa, F = 2.3 kN, = 350 ms; B of the
HDG DP steel with d
0
= 5.9 mm, I = 8 kA,
y
= 665 MPa, F = 4.0 kN,
= 500 ms.
A
B
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sert when welding time is short, and less heat is directed to the
shunted weld, resulting in a larger weld spacing necessary than in
a bare steel. When the welding time is long, however, the in-
creased contact resistance from the plastic insert actually works to
the benefit of reducing weld spacing because more heat is gener-
ated at the shunted weld compared with the case of bare steel. This
explains that the weld spacing needed for welding with the plastic
insert is significantly smaller than that without the plastic insert.
Effect of Electrode Force
Comparing Fig. 6A with Fig. 5, it can be seen that the influence
of electrode force on weld spacing is similar to that of welding
time. A large electrode force reduces the contact resistance in the
welding path, as can be seen from Equation 3. Therefore, a small
weld spacing is allowed with large electrode forces. Figure 6 also
shows the electrode force has a smaller effect when the plastic in-
sert was used at the faying interface. This is related to the way the
plastic-inserted interface evolves during welding. Under a large
electrode force, a certain amount of (molten) plastic is sealed
by the electrode force exerted at the faying interface, and this
amount doesnt change much with increasing electrode force. As
a result, the contact resistance is largely determined by the en-
trapped polymer, and the electrode force, which is the dominant
factor on steels without plastic insert, is less effective in creating
an intimate contact between the two sheets. Therefore, with the
existence of plastic film at the interface, the electrode force has a
lesser effect compared with that of a bare interface.
It is interesting to see that in the DP steels, the dependence of
weld spacing on electrode force shows similar trends in the HDG
and HDG + plastic insert specimens. With a loose requirement
of the shunted weld reaching 70% of the shunt weld in size, the
plastic insert makes negligible difference. When making larger
shunted welds, however, the difference in weld spacing between
those of the original HDG and plastic-inserted HDG faying in-
terfaces goes up, yet the difference is virtually a constant. There-
fore, the influence of electrode force on weld spacing is similar
with these two types of contact interfaces. This appears related to
the zinc coating. The existence of pure zinc on the surface reduces
the contact resistance, while inserting a plastic film at the faying
interface does the opposite. Increasing the electrode force
squeezes some of the molten zinc out of the contact area to its pe-
riphery. But this part of the zinc still contributes to conducting
electric current along the welding path, as it accumulates along the
periphery of the contact area, forming a ring of molten zinc.
Therefore, increasing the electrode force has a smaller effect on
changing the contact resistance, resulting in a smaller decrease in
weld spacing as shown in Fig. 6B than observed in the uncoated
mild steels in Fig. 6A. The increased joule heating, along with a
corresponding decrease in weld spacing, results from a decrease
in contact resistance and an increase in welding current when in-
creasing the electrode force on the original zinc-coated interface.
A similar process could occur in the plastic-inserted stack-up. The
larger contact resistance with the plastic insert generates more
heat compared to the one of original surfaces, and results in
smaller weld spacing when making similar sized welds.
Effects of Other Factors
As several DP steels of different grades were used in the ex-
periment, the yield strength can be regarded as a variable. The
weld spacing requirements as functions of yield strength from 300
to 900 MPa are plotted in Fig. 7. Similar to the dependence of weld
spacing on other variables in the HDG DP steels, the yield
strength of the sheet material has a smooth effect on the weld
spacing. Increasing the yield strength results in an increase in weld
spacing at a fixed electrode force, as a sheet with a large yield
strength is less compliant and a small intimate contact is produced
at the faying interface. However, such an intimate contact has a
smaller impact on the overall contact resistance in HDG steels, as
the molten zinc can easily fill the root opening at the faying inter-
face. A larger rise in weld spacing should be expected when weld-
ing bare steels.
The horizontal projected length and, therefore, that of the
shunting path decrease when the shunt weld size increases as seen
in Fig. 1. The actual shunting path and, therefore, the shunting ef-
fect change along with the shunt weld even with fixed weld spac-
ing. Figure 8 shows the dependence of weld spacing on the shunt
weld size in order to achieve a certain sized shunted weld. As ex-
pected, weld spacing increases with the shunt weld size, and for
the same sized shunt weld a larger shunted weld requires a larger
weld spacing.
The combined effect of the electrode force and welding time
on weld spacing can be presented using a contour plot as shown
Fig. 5 Dependence of weld spacing on welding time for the mild steel with
d
0
= 4.8 mm, I = 6 kA,
y
= 205 MPa, F = 2.3 kN, t = 1.5 mm.
Fig. 6 Effect of electrode force on weld spacing: A Of the mild steel with
d
0
= 4.8 mm, I = 6 kA,
y
= 205 MPa, t = 1.5 mm, = 350 ms; B of the
DP steel with d
0
= 5.9 mm, I = 8 kA,
y
= 665 MPa, t = 1.2 mm, =
500 ms.
A
B
in Fig. 9. For this bare steel, both the electrode force and welding
time reduce the weld spacing needed to produce a weld of the
same size as the shunt weld. Increasing either electrode force or
welding time individually can shorten the weld spacing from ap-
proximately 32 to 26 mm, and simultaneously raising these two
welding parameters to 3.0 kN and 500 ms, respectively, may ren-
der an identical-sized weld to the shunted one with a weld spac-
ing of only 21 mm.
When a plastic film was inserted into the faying interface when
making the shunted weld, the effects of electrode force and weld-
ing time on the required weld spacing were different from those
observed in welding bare steels. In Fig. 10, a long welding time re-
duces the weld spacing, which is similar to what was observed in
Fig. 5, while the weld spacing is fairly insensitive to the electrode
force. This observation is consistent with that in Fig. 6A, where in-
creasing electrode force is no longer effective in reducing weld
spacing when the electrode force reaches a certain level. The
largest weld spacing appears at the corner of maximal electrode
force and minimal welding time. The different roles the electrode
force plays in welding bare and plastic insertion-filled faying in-
terfaces are the result of the containment of the plastic film in the
contact area by the electrode force, as discussed in the previous
section on the effect of electrode force. As the plastic insertion
represents an extreme of contaminated sheet surfaces that is not
normally encountered in practice, the trend, rather than the value,
of the weld spacing shown in the figure is more important. Many
of the surface contaminates such as grease, etc., may disappear
under the intensive heating in resistance spot welding and, there-
fore, their influence on weld spacing is more suitably represented
by Fig. 9 than Fig. 10.
Weld Spacing Requirements
In welding design, it is often necessary to determine the weld
spacing as a function of sheet thickness. In Fig. 11, the weld spacing
needed for different gauges of MS and zinc-coated DP steels is plot-
ted, in order to create a shunted weld of the same size as the shunt
weld. Note that different welding parameters are used for predict-
ing the weld spacing in these two types of materials, based on the ac-
tual values obtained from the experiments. For the ease of use in
welding practice step functions were created. It shows that the weld
spacing required for welding the MS is larger than that for the DP
steel, largely due to the difference in the surface resistance between
the steels used in the experiments. The MS steel was uncoated in fab-
ricated condition, while the DP steels were hot-dip coated with zinc.
A faying interface covered by pure zinc has significantly lower elec-
trical resistance than that of a bare steel. As a result, the current in
the shunting path takes a smaller portion than in a bare steel stack-
up. Therefore, the weld spacing required to avoid shunting in the
coated steel is smaller than in the bare steel. This effect is offset
slightly, though, by the yield strength of the DP steels, because a steel
of higher yield strength usually requires a larger weld spacing as it
takes more electrode force to create an intimate contact at the fay-
ing interface. For a fixed electrode force, a large weld spacing is re-
quired when the material is strong, as seen in Fig. 7.
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Fig. 7 Effect of sheet yield strength on weld spacing in HDG steels. d
0
=
5.9 mm, I = 8 kA, F = 4.0 kN, t = 1.2 mm, = 500 ms.
Fig. 8 Effect of shunt weld size on weld spacing in bare MS steels.
y
= 205
MPa, I = 6 kA, F = 2.3 kN, t = 1.5 mm, = 350 ms.
Fig. 9 Contour plot of
weld spacing vs. electrode
force and welding time for a
bare mild steel. d
0
= 4.8
mm,
y
= 205 MPa, I = 6
kA, t = 1.5 mm, and the
shunted weld size is identi-
cal to that of the shunt weld.
Fig. 10 Contour plot
of weld spacing vs. elec-
trode force and welding
time for a bare mild steel
with a plastic insert at
the faying interface: d
0
= 4.8 mm,
y
= 205
MPa, I = 6 kA, t = 1.5
mm, and the shunted
weld size is identical to
that of the shunt weld.
Summary
In this study, the shunting process was analyzed and an analyt-
ical model was produced. Using the models for several material
systems developed by fitting the experimental observations, the
influences of several factors on the minimum weld spacing were
explicitly and quantitatively expressed. The important findings are
summarized as follows:
1. The analytical model fits well with the experimental results
on all four types of drastically different surface conditions for the
mild and dual-phase steels of various gauges;
2. For all the factors considered, without exception, a large
weld spacing is always needed in order to make a large shunted
weld;
3. In general, the required minimum weld spacing goes up with
the sheet thickness, and a high contact resistance at the faying in-
terface amplifies this dependence;
4. The effect of electrode force is accurately accounted for in
the analytical model by considering the net force at the faying in-
terface. In general, it reduces the weld spacing required. However,
its effect on weld spacing is affected by other factors, such as the
surface condition;
5. Welding time is effective in reducing weld spacing, and an
excessive contact resistance such as generated by inserting a plas-
tic film at the faying interface may help in minimizing the weld
spacing by generating more heat at the shunted weld;
6. The models also allow for an understanding of the effect of
sheet yield strength. A sheet of high yield strength requires a large
weld spacing because of its high resistance to deformation under
an electrode force;
7. The size of the shunt weld directly affects shunting as it dic-
tates the shunting path;
8. Contact resistance plays a dominant role in shunting, and
zinc-coated surfaces generally behave significantly different than
bare steels;
9. The models also reveal the complex interactions among the
process parameters in affecting shunting. For instance, the elec-
trode force and welding time interact with the surface contact re-
sistance in affecting shunting. Such an interaction is prevalent in
shunting.
Through a carefully planned experiment, this analytical model
can be used to describe the influence of process parameters on
shunting in resistance spot welding a specific material. The con-
clusions derived, however, are only applicable to the material sys-
tems in the range of experiment. Extrapolation is not recom-
mended, especially in the cases of large variation in contact re-
sistance.
Acknowledgment
Author B. Wang gratefully acknowledges the financial support
from Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of P.R.
China (Project No. LQ12E05006).
References
1. Tumuluru, M. D., Zhang, H., and Matteson, R. 2011. Procedure de-
velopment and practice considerations for resistance welding. ASM Hand-
book on Welding (Volume 6). Materials Park, Ohio: ASM International.
2. Chang, H. S. 1990. A study on the shunt effect in resistance spot
welding. Welding Journal 69(8): 308-s to 317-s.
3. Tsai, C. L., Dai, W. L., Dickinson, D. W., and Papritan, J. C. 1991.
Analysis and development of a real-time control methodology in resist-
ance spot welding. Welding Journal 70(12): 339-s to 351-s.
4. Browne, D. J., Chandler, H. W., Evans, J. T., James, P. S., Wen, J.,
and Newton, C. J. 1995. Computer simulation of resistance spot welding
in aluminum (Part 2). Welding Journal 74(12): 417-s to 422-s.
5. Howe, P. 1994. Spot weld spacing effect on weld button size. Pro-
ceedings of Sheet Metal Welding Conference VI, Paper C03. AWS Detroit
Section.
6. Wang, B., Lou, M., Shen, Q., Li, Y. B., and Zhang, H. 2013. Shunt-
ing effect in resistance spot welding steels Part 1: Experimental study.
Welding Journal 92(6): 182-s to 189-s.
7. Zhang, H., and Senkara, J. 2012. Resistance Welding: Fundamentals
and Applications. CRC Press/Taylor & Francis Group, 2nd edition, Boca
Raton, London, New York.
8. Gere, J. M., and Timoshenko, S. P. 1997. Mechanics of Materials,
PWS Publishing Co.
9. Mathematica 8, Wolfram Research, Inc., v. 8.0.1.0, Copyright
19882011.
AUGUST 2013, VOL. 92 238-s
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Fig. 11 Weld spacing as a function of sheet thickness. The shunted weld is
assumed to have an equal size to the shunt weld. For the MS, d
0
= 4.8 mm,
y
= 205 MPa, and the welding parameters are I = 6 kA, = 350 ms, and F
= 2.3 kN; and for the hot-dipped DP steels, d
0
= 5.9 mm,
y
= 665 MPa,
and the welding parameters are I = 8 kA, = 500 ms, and F = 4.0 kN.
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Introduction
Ship salvage, harbor clearance, wreck
removal, underwater pipelines, and con-
veyer equipment repair oftentimes re-
quire extensive underwater cutting and
welding. Beginning in the mid-1930s, with
the substitution of welding for lesser qual-
ity mechanical methods of joining, the
overall cost and time spent on the job
could be reduced considerably (Refs.
13).
Underwater welding processes are
classified as dry or wet based on their ex-
posure to the ambient environment.
Processes that are physically protected
from the surrounding water are classified
as dry, whereas in wet welding, the weld is
directly exposed to the underwater envi-
ronment (Ref. 4). Because of its lower
costs, faster and more flexible operation,
wet underwater welding offers more ad-
vantages than dry underwater welding
(Refs. 2, 4). The term underwater weld-
ing as used in this paper refers to the wet
welding technique where no mechanical
barrier separates the welding arc from the
surrounding water.
While shielded metal arc welding
(SMAW) and gas tungsten arc welding
(GTAW) are both used for wet welding,
SMAW is the most used process in wet ap-
plications (Refs. 1, 5, 6). Shielded metal
arc welding offers the benefits of low cost
and process simplicity, and has a consider-
able history of offshore application. How-
ever, for the joining of materials at depths
exceeding 100 m, GTAW is often selected
because of the quality of the welds pro-
duced (Ref. 5). Underwater SMAW is
somewhat similar to SMAW performed in
air (Ref. 7). In the SMAW process, heat-
ing with an electric arc is established be-
tween an electrode and the base plate
while in wet SMAW, the arc is in the water
between the electrode and the surface
being welded (Refs. 1, 4, 7).
In the case of gas tungsten arc welding,
the arc is drawn between a water-cooled
nonconsumable tungsten electrode and
the plate. An inert gas shield is provided
to protect the weld metal from the atmos-
phere, and filler metal may be added to
the weld pool as required. Ignition of the
arc is obtained by means of a high-fre-
quency discharge across the root opening,
since it is not advisable to strike an arc on
the plate with the tungsten electrode. Nor-
mally, the inert gas shield used for welding
aluminum and steel in countries like
Great Britain is argon. Gas metal arc
welding (GMAW) is, in effect, an exten-
sion of GTAW in which the electrode in
this process is a consumable metal wire
(Ref. 8).
There are two major drawbacks during
underwater welding: 1) rapid cooling of
weld metal and heat-affected zone (HAZ)
in comparison to welding in air, and 2) sus-
ceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement. In
fact, the water acts as a large heat sink and
draws off the heat of the electrode so that
weld defects induced by the accelerated
cooling usually appear in the HAZ in un-
derwater welds. Also, since underwater
welding induces an arc atmosphere that is
high in water vapor content and in disso-
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Three-Dimensional Simulation of
Underwater Welding and Investigation of
Effective Parameters
The three-dimensional finite difference method was used to obtain temperature profiles,
thermal history curves, and cooling times for single-pass underwater wet weldments
BY P. GHADIMI, H. GHASSEMI, M. GHASSABZADEH, AND Z. KIAEI
KEYWORDS
Underwater Welding
Wet Welding
Finite Difference
Three-Dimensional Modeling
Shielded Metal Arc Welding
(SMAW)
Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
(GTAW)
P. GHADIMI (pghadimi@aut.ac.ir) and
H. GHASSEMI are associate professors, and
M. GHASSABZADEH is a PhD student, Dept.
of Marine Technology, Amirkabir University of
Technology, Tehran, Iran. Z. KIAEI is a PhD stu-
dent, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Tarbiat
Modares University, Tehran, Iran.
ABSTRACT
The results of three-dimensional numerical simulation of wet underwater welding
in thin steel plates were studied. Temperature profile, thermal history curves as well
as cooling time for single-pass underwater wet weldments were obtained by solving
the appropriate heat transfer equations using the three-dimensional finite difference
method. The model was validated using experimental data for the air welding process.
The effect of the parameters such as material, surrounding fluid, convective heat co-
efficient (h
c
), arc heat model, and the method of heat losses from the plate were in-
vestigated through modeling and analyzing ten different case studies. The obtained
results indicate that the type of surrounding fluid has a significant role in the tem-
perature variations during welding and consequently cooling time is much lower in
underwater welding compared with welding in air. The effect of material type could
not be distinguished, obviously because of the rapid cooling in wet welding. The analy-
sis using the Tsai model for h
c
in comparison with constant values indicates the Tsai
model can predict h
c
successfully, when its value is 10006000 W/m
2
K. The method
of arc heat estimation is important when the temperature distribution in short verti-
cal distances from the weld interface is considered and, at other positions, there is no
difference between the two used arc heat estimations. The results show that the con-
vective heat transfer is more effective than radiation in temperature calculations;
therefore the radiation can be neglected.
ciated oxygen and hydrogen, the suscepti-
bility to hydrogen-assisted cold cracking
becomes especially critical (Refs. 1, 6, 7,
9). Despite these shortfalls, underwater
welds of good strength that are acceptable
for salvage work are possible (Ref. 1). The
rapid cooling phenomenon may cause
porosity and possible loss of strength be-
tween the patch and the hull, because the
gas cannot escape from the molten pool of
metal due to the sudden cooling by the
surrounding water (Ref. 1).
Numerical simulation of the tempera-
ture distribution during the welding
process can be used to improve wet un-
derwater welding (Ref. 2). An important
step toward resolving any kind of defor-
mation and stress problem in the welding
applications is the determination of the
most appropriate resolution of the tem-
perature distribution. Over the years,
many different scientific approaches to
the solution of this problem were devel-
oped. Among them are (Ref. 3)
1. A whole series of analytical models,
from the simplest 1-D solutions to compli-
cated 3-D models taking into account the
3-D heat source distribution and heat
losses from workpiece surfaces;
2. Finite difference method (FDM);
3. Finite element analysis (FEA);
4. Finite volume method (FVM).
In the early years, analytical expres-
sions have been used to describe the ther-
mal history of weldments made in air. This
approach has been improved by the devel-
opment of finite difference models that
rely on fewer simplifying assumptions and,
for single-pass GTA weldments made in
air, a very accurate thermal history can be
derived. Some years later, FEA was intro-
duced as another numerical method for
solving the welding heat transfer prob-
lems. In some recent research, FVM has
also been used as the numerical scheme.
Much research has been conducted about
the temperature field of conventional
welding in air, but there has been limited
research about underwater welding. Here,
some underwater examples using each of
the numerical methods are reviewed.
In 1984, Oreper and Szekely examined
the stationary, axisymmetric GTAW
process with a moving boundary by using
the finite difference method (Ref. 10).
Fukuoka and Fukui (Ref. 11) compared
the cooling processes of underwater weld-
ing by gas shielded arc welding with con-
ditions involving welding in air using ex-
perimental technique and numerical
approach with three-dimensional FDM.
In 1997, Dill (Ref. 7) studied the thermal
history calculations and cooling rates for
single-pass underwater weldments by solv-
ing the heat transfer equations using the
three-dimensional Crank-Nicholson finite
difference method. He applied the Adams
approach and Tsai and Masubuchis semi-
empirical correlation in his model to ob-
tain the weldment temperature time trend
during welding process for an underwater
case in comparison with air surroundings.
In a number of works, the numerical
calculations of the temperature field and
the stress distribution in a thick plate
welded underwater have been performed
at subsequent time steps by means of FEA
(Ref. 12). For instance, in 1994, Hamann
and Mahrenholtz (Ref. 13) developed a
new welding model for the plasma-
GMAW underwater welding technique.
They solved the temperature problem
using FEA and compared their numerical
and experimental data to investigate the
influence of surface heat transfer on the
temperature distribution during wet un-
derwater welding. In 2007, Xiwen et al.
(Ref. 14) simulated a three-dimensional
temperature field of a plate weldment in
underwater welding. They analyzed the in-
fluence of several factors that affect the
temperature fields of underwater welding
using FEA applied by ANSYS software.
The finite volume method is the least
used numerical method in underwater
welding. Isikilar and Girgin, in 2011 (Ref.
15), developed a numerical model for
transient three-dimensional conduction
heat transfer in an underwater welding
process on a thick rectangular plate. The
numerical scheme was based on a FVM
model including convection, radiation,
and boiling surface thermal boundary
conditions.
On the other hand, the FDM numeri-
cal solution has some advantages in com-
parison with FEA, including the following
(Refs. 3, 7, 16):
The FDM is easily understandable phys-
ically (the variables are temperature,
time, geometry, and material proper-
ties; in contrast to some mathematical
functions involved in the FEA solution).
FDM is simple to formulate and requires
less computational work to arrive at a
solution.
Unlike FEA, the accuracy of FDM can
AUGUST 2013, VOL. 92 240-s
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Fig. 1 Schematic of weld piece and thermocouple locations (Ref.
17).
Fig. 2 Illustration of temperature measurement positions on the weld-
ment plate.
Table 1 Experimental Characteristics of the Validation Case (Ref. 17)
Surrounding Plate Thickness Left Plate Right Plate Locations of the Thermocouples from
Medium (mm) Weld Line (mm)
Air 3 St37 St37 A B C
3 18 23
be examined by order of truncation
error in the Taylor series expansion.
The FDM is easy to apply for solution of
engineering problems involving simple
geometry.
It is always possible to reduce the size of
the uniform mesh steps encountered in
FDM to account approximately for the
curved geometrical parts.
Based on the extensive review made by
the authors over the widespread research
on welding simulation by FDM, the under-
water welding process simulation by this
method and the study of the effective pa-
rameters are not well known. In the present
work, a finite difference model that predicts
the time-temperature history of the under-
water wet weldments made on two different
types of steel will be developed. The weld-
ing process in this work is a GTAW type in
which the electrode is
nonconsumable and
there is no melting heat
consideration in the
calculation process.
This scheme uses the
fusion zone boundary
condition for the solu-
tion of the resulting
nonlinear partial dif-
ferential equation.
Heat transfer to the
surrounding water is
accounted for using the
model of Tsai et al.,
which was described earlier in this section.
Methodology
Thermal Model
The specific form of the energy equa-
tion generalized for the three-dimensional
modeling, utilizing the stationary coordi-
nate and unsteady heat conduction to an-
alyze the heat transfer, is developed as
where Q [Wm
3
] is the volumetric heat
generation, K
x
, K
y
, and K
z
are the direc-
tional heat conduction coefficients,
[kgm
3
] is the density of conducting ma-
terial, and C[Jkg
1
K
1
] is the constant
pressure heat capacity. Here, no heat gen-
eration occurs and thermal conductivity is
an isotropic property that is the same in all
directions.
In the case of welding applications, the
initial condition is usually isothermal, i.e.,
T(x,y,z,0) = T
0
= const. The overall gov-
erning boundary condition is expressed as
where N is the directional cosine of the
boundaries, and q
s
, q
c
, and q
r
are the heat
transferred due to the arc heat source, and
the convective and radiative heat losses
from the solid body, respectively.
+
( )
=

R
x
R
y
R
z
Q x y z t
C
x
y
z
, , ,
TT x y z t
t
, , ,
( )
(1)
R K
T
x
R K
T
y
R K
T
z
x x
y y
z z
=

(2)
K
T
x
N K
T
y
N K
T
N
q q q
x x y y z
z
z
s c r
+ + + =0 (3)
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Fig. 3 Temperature history. Comparison between finite difference results and
experimental data (Ref. 17) at points with different distances from the weld in-
terface: A Point A, 3 mm; B point B, 18 mm; C point C, 23 mm.
A
C
B
Table 2 Welding Parameters (Ref. 17)
Welding Welding Welding Speed Arc Efficiency Shielding Gas (Ar) Heat Input
Voltage (V) Current (I) (mm/s) (L/min) (k Jmm)
14.6 101 1.8 50% 10 0.409
Finite Difference Method
The weld pool in this model is moved
incrementally through the coordinate sys-
tem at the defined weld speed, using the
results of each previous step as the initial
condition to the next.
Based on the three-point finite differ-
ences, the second-order derivative terms
of the left side of Equation 1 at arbitrary
node with position of i, j, k in x, y, z direc-
tion and in time step n, discrete are as
follows:
In this equation, the x, y, and z are
the distances between the consecutive
nodes in x, y, z direction. On the other
hand, the first-order derivative term of the
right side of Equation 1 at arbitrary node
and time step n, based on the forward dif-
ference formula discretes, is as follows:
where t is the time space. By using Equa-
tions 4 and 5, the temperature for a typi-
cal internal node is obtained as
where is the thermal diffusivity, defined
as
= k/C (8)
An explicit finite difference scheme was
chosen for the solution to this model,
which can be generally defined as
{T}
n+1
=[A].{T}
n
+[B] (9)
The coefficient matrix and constant
column matrix in the internal domain for
the three-dimensional problem are de-
fined as
For the boundary nodes, Equation 3 is
discretized using backward or forward dif-
ference formula proportional to the posi-
tion of the node, similar to discretization
of the right side of Equation 1.
Model Validation
Computer codes should be carefully val-
idated before being used to predict the
welding process in underwater situations.
For this purpose, the validity of the current
numerical code has been checked and com-
pared against the published data reported
by Attarha and Sattari-Far (Ref. 17). They
carried out GTAW experiments in the air
for joints comprised of 200 200 3-mm
+
T
t
T T
t
i j k
n i j k
n
i j k
n
)
, ,
, , , ,
1
(5)
+
2
2
1 1
2
T
x
T T T
i j k
n i j k
n
i j k
n
i j k
n
)
, ,
, , , , , ,
xx
T
y
T T T
i j k
n i j k
n
i j k
n
i j
( )

+
+
2
2
2
1
2
,
)
, ,
, , , , ,
+
( )

1
2
2
2
1
2
,
, , , ,
,
)
, ,
k
n
n i j k
n
i j k
y
T
z
T T
i j k
nn
i j k
n
T
z
+
( )
, , 1
2
(4)
T T T T
i j k
n
i j k
n
i j k
n
i j k
n
, , , , , , , ,
.
+
+
= + +
1
1 1 1

+ +
+
+
2 1 1
3
T T
T
i j k
n
i j k
n
i j k
n
, , , ,
, , ++
+
1 1
(6) T
i j k
n
, ,

1
2
2
2
3
2
1 2 3
1 2
=

= + +
t
x
t
y
t
z
, , ,
{{ }
(7)
0 0 0
1 2 3
0
1
0
3
0
0 0
1

2
2
0 0
A= 0
1
B = 00
0 0 0
1
0
0
3 2
0
0 0
1
3
0 0 (10)
1

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Fig. 4 Maximum temperature values along the following: A The vertical line; B the parallel line relative to the weld interface.
Fig. 5 Thermal history of a point in the following: A Parallel direction; B vertical direction to the welding trajectory.
A
B
A
B
plates made of ST37 carbon steel thin plate
and also developed a 3D finite element sim-
ulation for prediction of the temperature
distributions and histories that displayed
good accordance with their experimental
measurements. In the present study, to val-
idate the FDM results, data from one of
their experiments was chosen to be simu-
lated by the current code. The experiment
specifications are summarized in Table 1.
Figure 1 shows the thermocouple locations.
The voltage (V), current (I), and travel
speed () of the weld passes in each joint
are given in Table 2.
A temperature-dependent combined
convection coefficient has been used to
model the cooling condition. Table 3
presents the temperature-dependent
convection coefficients for the welding
process in air.
Underwater Welding
The welding of two metal plates with an
equal size of 50 100 2 mm in (x,y,z)
coordinates was studied at underwater
welding conditions. Steels used in ship-
building must meet the specified mini-
mum yield strength values. They must be
resistant to the initiation of brittle fracture
and also to fatigue. One effective method
for preventing underbead cracking is to at-
tempt to prevent excessive/hard marten-
site formation. This method involves con-
trolling the carbon equivalent (CE) of the
base metal and the electrode. To prevent
underbead cracking, a base plate with a
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Fig. 6 Comparison of the resulting thermal history curves for the following points: A 1; B 10; C 12; D 22.
Table 3 Temperature-Dependent Combined
Convection Coefficient Model (Ref. 18)
h (W/m
2
K) T T
0
(K)
1.85 56
9.079 278
18.5 556
52.6 2778
Table 4 Thermo-physical Properties of Mild Steel and AISI Type 304 Stainless Steel Used in the Simulation (Refs. 17, 19)
Temperature
(C) 0 100 200 300 400 600 800 1200 1300 1500
k (J/mK) 14.6 15.1 16.1 17.9 18.0 20.8 23.9 32.2 33.7 120
C
p
(J/kgK) 462 496 512 525 540 577 604 676 692 700
(kg/m
3
) 7900 7880 7830 7790 7550 7660 7560 7370 7320 7320
Temperature
(C) 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 1000 1200
k (w/mK) 51.9 50.7 48.2 45.6 41.9 38.1 33.9 30.1 24.7 26.8 29.7
C
p
(J/kgK) 486 486 515 548 586 649 708 770 624 548 548
(kg/m
3
) 7700
A
I
S
I

3
0
4
M
i
l
d

S
t
e
e
l
A
B
C
D
lower CE can be used or, alternatively,
steel base plates with carbon contents of
less than 0.1 wt-% can be welded (Ref. 6).
The steels for the commercial ships are
subdivided into two strength classes: nor-
mal strength and higher strength. In this
work, two materials have been investi-
gated: 1) AISI Type 304 stainless steel,
which is a higher-strength steel, and 2)
mild steel. The material properties are
presented in Table 4.
In underwater welding, the arc heat
source term in Equation 3, as well as the
convective and radiation heats, are differ-
ent from weldments produced in air. In air
welding, the heat losses from the molten
surface outside the heat input circle are
basically due to radiation. Heat losses
from the surface, which is at some distance
from the arc, are due to natural convec-
tion. However, in underwater welding,
very fast cooling in the weldment is usually
experienced. According to the observa-
tion of the high-speed cinematography,
heat losses during underwater welding are
mainly due to the heat conduction that
transports heat from the plate surface into
the moving water environment whose mo-
tion is created by the rising of the gas bub-
ble column in the arc area. No boiling phe-
nomena are observed anywhere except in
the arc bubble zone. Accordingly, the heat
loss mechanism is basically dependent on
the water flow field, which is a function of
gas formed in the arc and its flow rate
(Ref. 20). In the case of an underwater
weld, the heat loss through the surface of
a welded plate becomes significant when
the heat transfer coefficient increases by a
factor of 100 over that which is experi-
enced in the air (Ref. 7). Unfortunately,
heat transfer from the surface of a hot
welded plate to the surrounding water is
very complex, in which case either the pro-
posed relations are very complicated
(Refs. 14, 21) or the convection coefficient
is assumed constant (Refs. 22, 23). Most of
these relations calculate a local convection
coefficient that needs to be averaged using
an appropriate averaging equation. How-
ever, Tsai et al. have suggested the use of
a semiempirical correlation for the aver-
age heat transfer coefficient, based on
their observation of bubble dynamics in
the vicinity of the arc (Refs. 3, 7).
The semi-empirical correlation devel-
oped by Tsai and Masubuchi (Ref. 20) is
generally used to define the average sur-
face heat transfer coefficient of the un-
derwater weldments as:
h= 675(T
s
T
w
)
1/4
(11)
where T
s
is the temperature of the plate
surface and T
w
is the temperature of the
surrounding water. To simplify the calcu-
lation, the overall heat transmission coef-
ficient can also be chosen as constant
value, as reported in the literature for the
underwater weld (Refs. 24, 25). For the ra-
diation heat transfer term, the net radia-
tion heat loss rate can be expressed as
q
r
= (T
4
h
T
4
c
)A
c
(12)
where T
h
is the hot body absolute temper-
ature (K), T
c
is the cold surroundings ab-
solute temperature (K), and A
c
is the area
of the object (m
2
). The epsilon () coeffi-
cient is equal to 0.85 for the weathered
stainless steel in water (Ref. 26), which is
used in the present calculations.
The heat input distribution of the arc
has a Gaussian distribution on the top face
of the workpiece. The general equation is
(Ref. 21)
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Fig. 7 Local temperatures in the vertical direction: A After 20 s; B after 40 s.
Table 5 The Studied Cases and Their Applied Parameters in the Underwater Welding Computational Model
Case No. Arc Heat Input Material Epsilon h
Conv.
Surrounding Studied
Radiation (W/m
2
K) Fluid Parameter
1 Q
exp
304L 0.85 Tsai Water Reference case
2 Q
exp
mild 085 Tsai Water Material
3 Q
1/2
304L 0.85 Tsai Water Arc Heat
4 Q
exp
304L 0.85 0 Water Heat Loss
5 Q
exp
304L 0.85 400 Water Convection
6 Qexp 304L 0.85 1000 Water Convection
7 Q
exp
304L 0.85 6000 Water Convection
8 Q
exp
304L 0 Tsai Water Heat Loss
9 Q
exp
304L 0 0 Water Heat Loss
10 Q
exp
304L 0.85 h(T) Air Surrounding Fluid
A
B
where Q is the total heat input into the
workpiece, q
o
is the volumetric energy
generation rate, r
o
is the radius of the heat
input distribution, and d is the exponential
factor.
By solving Equation 13, an estimation
for the arc heat source is expressed as
(Ref. 27)
where r
b
is the radius of welding conical
shape, is the electrode linear velocity, I
is the current magnitude, Vis the potential
difference, and is the electrical arc effi-
ciency. A rougher estimation for the arc
heat source relation is
where A
v
, A
i
, A
r
, and
a
are the arc volt-
age, arc current, arc radius (approximately
equal to electrode radius), and arc effi-
ciency, respectively.
The effects of the heated parameters in-
cluding the material type, surrounding fluid,
arc heat input model, convective heat trans-
fer relation, and the mesh structure are
studied in ten different simulated cases. All
of the investigated cases and their govern-
ing conditions are summarized in Table 5. In
all parametric investigations, there is a com-
mon trial case, i.e., all the effective parame-
ters are identical. This case is named as a
reference case, presented as the first case in
Table 5.
Other assumed parameters are listed in
Table 6.
The temperature distributions within
the weldment were measured continuously
throughout the welding process considering
22 points where temperature was calculated
by the developed simulation code. The po-
sitions of these points are shown in the XY
plane in Fig. 2. Points numbered 1 to 11 are
at the surface of the plate along a line par-
allel to the weld interface (i.e., along the Y
direction) and points numbered 12 to 22 are
in the middle thickness of the plate, verti-
cally located to the weld interface (i.e.,
along the X direction).
q q x y t
VI
r r
y vt x
s
b b
=
( )
=
( )
+
|
|
|
|
|
, ,
exp
3 3
2 2
2
2
||
|
|
[
\
|
|
)
j
j
(14)
Q
A A
A
v i
r
a
=
( )
2
(15)
2

Q qo o e rdr
d
r
r
=
(13)
0
2
2
2
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Table 6 The Assumed Model Parameters
Initial Temp
(K) (W/m
2
K
4
) I(A) Voltage (V) rb(m) Speed (m/s)
298 5.6697E8 0.53 200 23 2.5 10
-3
2.5 10
-3
Fig. 8 Temperature distributions along the vertical direction for four different h
c
values: A t = 10 s; B t = 20 s; C t = 30 s; D t = 40 s.
A
B
C
D
Results and Discussion
Welding Thermal Analysis in Air
In Fig. 3, the finite difference simula-
tion results for the weldment temperature
history at points with different distances
from the weld interface are compared with
the experimental findings by Attarha and
Sattari-Far (Ref. 17), as described in the
model validation section.
As can be observed, the calculated re-
sults conform well with the experimental re-
sults and the rate of the temperature
changes has a similar trend as in the exper-
imental case in all three studied points.
Consequently, the model can be used to
simulate and predict the wet underwater
welding heat transfer phenomenon in sub-
sequent steps in this work.
Underwater Thermal Analysis
Material Selection
As shown in Table 5, the simulated
cases 1 and 2 illustrate the effect of the ma-
terial type in underwater welding. The
maximum temperature of the plate during
welding has been calculated and is shown
in Fig. 4A, B. As evidenced in these fig-
ures, the maximum temperatures along
the vertical line to the welding path are
similar for both mild steel and 304 stain-
less steel. It is the high convective heat loss
in water welding media that causes the
rapid cooling, and consequently the dif-
ference between two metals could not be
distinguished. This effect is also presented
in the parallel line, but because of the elec-
trode motion, a small difference can be
seen between the two materials.
The rapid cooling in water does cause
a significant difference between the cool-
ing times for Type 304 stainless steel and
mild steel, and as a result, the obtained
cooling time is 43.42 s for Type 304 stain-
less steel and 43.74 s for mild steel. The
temperature history of two points, 10 and
17, are drawn in plots 5A and 5B, respec-
tively. It is observed that the thermal his-
tories at a point along the parallel direc-
tion to the weld interface are the same for
the two studied steels, where the curve is
material dependent for the points on the
vertical line to the welding path.
The Effect of the Surrounding Fluid
To study the effect of the surrounding
fluid on the weldment, case 10 was carried
out in air in comparison with case 1 in
water, where the other parameters were
considered to be the same. The thermal
history for the first and end points on the
vertical and parallel lines to the welding
path are shown in plots 6AD.
As observed in these plots, the tempera-
tures of all points are higher for the air case
in comparison to the water case. As shown
in plot 6D, it is observed that the thermal
curve of point 22 in the plate far from the
weld interface, is a constant line when the
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Fig. 9 Thermal history curves for various h
c
values used in the simulation, at the following points: A 2; B 10; C 13; D 18.
Table 7 The Weldment Cooling Times for Various Values of h
c
Case No. hc (W/m
2
K) Cooling Time (s)
Case 1 Tsai equation 43.42
Case 5 400 57.46
Case 6 1000 46.76
Case 7 6000 41.10
D
B A
C
plate is in the water. Therefore, the type of
surrounding fluid type affects the welding
process and the resulting temperatures, sig-
nificantly. This effect is because of the much
greater convective heat transfer coefficient
(h
c
) of water in comparison with the air,
hence a rapid cooling phenomenon and
lower temperatures occur during underwa-
ter welding. In a fluid such as water that has
a large h
c
value, a thermal history trend re-
sults only for points on the weld interface or
near it, because the convective heat transfer
is much greater than the arc heat source at
far distances from the weld path.
The local maximum temperatures in
the vertical direction are shown in Fig. 7A,
B after 20 s and 40 s in the air and water
fluids. It is observed that after 40 s, the
plate in water has completely cooled,
while the plate in air has not yet cooled.
The calculated overall cooling times are
much different as the cooling time for air
is 1163.7 s, compared to the water case,
which is equal to 43.4 s. This effect is also
due to the much different values of h
c
in
air and water.
The Effect of Convective Heat Transfer
Coefficient
The effect of h
c
value was investigated
through case studies 1 and 57. In case 1,
the Tsai estimation is used to predict the
h
c
value. The h
c
value is assumed constant
and equal to 400, 1000, and 6000 W/m
2
K
in cases 5, 6, and 7, respectively. Figure 8
shows the temperature profile in the ver-
tical direction after several time intervals.
It is observed that the resulting plots
are almost similar when the Tsai estima-
tion is used or h
c
is set at 6000 W/m
2
K.
Also, for the h
c
values ranging from 400 to
1000 W/m
2
K, the plots are almost similar
to each other. It is seen that the Tsai model
is an approximate formulation for the h
c
and can be used properly when the h
c
is be-
tween 1000 and 6000 and is closer to the
6000 W/m
2
K. The ultimate cooling times
for the plate are summarized in Table 7.
The thermal history curves at points 2,
10, 13, and 18 are presented in plots 9A
D. It can be concluded that the maximum
achieved temperature for points 2, 10, and
13 are similar and are in the range of
44004900 K. However, the maximum
temperature reached for point 18 is 518 K,
which is much lower than the other three
studied points. It seems that, because
point 18 is far from the weld interface in
comparison to the other three points, the
heat loss by convection acts stronger than
the arc heat source and thus this point can-
not reach greater maximum temperatures.
The Effect of the Arc Heat Estimation
It was previously explained that a pre-
cise solution for the arc heat model is an
exponential form of Equation 11 that is
applied in the current study for modeling
the underwater welding process. To inves-
tigate the effect of the type of arc heat
model used in the simulation method, a
simpler but less precise model as the ex-
ponential form is used in Case 3, as de-
scribed in Equation 15. The maximum
temperatures along the lines vertically and
parallel to the weld interface are calcu-
lated, where Case 1 is assumed as the ref-
erence case and case 3 is compared against
it. The error percentages of the absolute
temperatures resulting from solving Case
3, relative to Case 1, are reported in Fig.
10.
In the short distances along the vertical
direction to the welding path, there is a dis-
tinct difference between the resulting tem-
peratures from the two models. In the
meantime, there is no considerable differ-
ence between the two arc heat models in the
parallel direction to the weld interface, ex-
cept for the first point. Therefore, Q
1/2
model could not be as accurate as the Q
exp
model in the HAZ or the local temperature
calculations specially in the vertical direc-
tion. However, if an overall and not local re-
sult or thermal history is desired, there is no
particular difference between either of
these models.
The Effect of Heat Transfer Type
The effect of convection and radiation
heat transfer terms and their contribu-
tions to the energy model are studied
through Cases 1, 4, 8, and 9. In these case
studies, temperature history curves are
obtained for points 3, 9, and 15 on the
plate shown in Fig. 11. In Case 1, both con-
vection and radiation terms are consid-
ered in the model. The value of h
c
is as-
sumed to be zero in Case 4, but radiation
heat loss is the former. Case 8 includes the
convection term while radiation is as-
sumed negligible and, finally, both heat
loss terms are set at zero in Case 9.
The cooling times and final tempera-
tures of the plate for all considered situa-
tions are reported in Table 8.
Notice that the cooling times for Cases
1 and 8 are almost the same and are the
lowest. This observation shows that al-
though the radiation is removed in case 8,
but it has no significant role in the cooling
time and the thermal history curve. The
convection is more effective and much
greater than the radiation in temperature
calculations and the radiation term is neg-
ligible in the heat transfer model. When
both convection and radiation terms are
withdrawn from the energy equation, the
plate could not be cooled to that of the sur-
rounding temperature and all the points
become isothermal at 457 K after 524 s.
This situation is due to the fact there is no
way for the plate to cool.
Conclusion
A three-dimensional heat transfer
model was developed to study underwater
welding of thin steel plates. The exponen-
tial estimation for the arc heat formula-
tion was used in the modeling procedure.
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Fig. 10 Percentage of the temperature difference between Cases 1 and 3: A Along the vertical; B along the parallel lines to the welding path.
A B
Tsais and Masubuchis semi-empirical cor-
relation, defining the surface heat transfer
coefficient of the underwater weldments,
was used to determine the heat loss through
the surface of the welded plate. The explicit
form of the finite difference method (FDM)
was used to solve the energy equation. The
computed results were compared against
the experimental data to ensure that the
modeling and solution method are reliable.
The effect of the modeling parameters in-
cluding the material type, the type of the
surrounding fluid, the convective heat
transfer coefficient (h
c
) value, the arc heat
model, and how heat is lost from the plate
were investigated through ten case
studies.
Two steel type characteristics were
used to study the material effect in wet
welding. However, it seems the material
effect could not be distinguished obviously
in the underwater
welding because of
the rapid cooling phe-
nomenon. The effect
of the fluid was stud-
ied by comparing the
thermal histories and
the temperature dis-
tribution in the water
and air environments.
The results showed
that the fluid type has
a considerable effect
in the welding
process, and as a re-
sult, the plate is
cooled much more
rapidly in water in
comparison with the
air. The efficacy
analysis of h
c
was performed via four case
solutions using the Tsai model and three
constant values of h
c
in the energy equa-
tion. The obtained results demonstrated
that the Tsai model can predict h
c
success-
fully when its value is between 1000 and
6000 W/m
2
K, especially when it is closer to
6000 W/m
2
K. The arc heat estimation was
investigated using a simpler estimation
noted by Q
1/2
in comparison with the ex-
ponential form. It was concluded that,
when the temperature distribution in
short vertical distances from the weld in-
terface is considered, the Q
1/2
model is not
as precise as the Q
exp
model, while there
is no difference between the two used arc
heat estimations at the other positions.
The analysis of the curves resulted from
four different situations considering
and/or ignoring the convection/radiation
terms was also carried out. It was shown
that the convective heat transfer is more
effective in temperature calculations com-
pared with radiation, hence the radiation
can be considered negligible in the energy
equation.
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Fig. 11 Thermal history curves for different heat loss types: A At point
3; B at point 9; C at point 15.
Table 8 The Weldment Cooling Times for the Various Values of h
c
Case No. h
c (W/m
2
K)
(Epsilon) Cooling Time (s) Final Temperature (k)
Case 1 Tsai equation 0.85 43.42 298
Case 4 0 0.85 1537.96 298
Case 8 Tsai equation 0 43.58 298
Case 9 0 0 524.19 457
A
C
B
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23. Hewitt, G. F., Shires G. L., and Polez-
jaev, Y. V. 1997. International Encyclopedia of
Heat and Mass Transfer. New York, N.Y.
24. Overall heat transfer coefficients for
some common fluids and heat exchanger sur-
faces. 2011. Retrieved August, 2011, from
www.EngineeringToolBox.com/overall-heat-
transfer-coefficients-d_284. html.
25. Overall heat transfer coefficient. 2011.
Retrieved August 1, 2011, from
www.tlv.com/global/ti/steam-theory.
26. Emissivity coefficients of some com-
mon materials. 2011. Retrieved August 1,
2011, from www.engineeringtoolbox.com/emis-
sivity-coeffcients-d_447. html.
27. Pavelic, V., Tanbakuchi, R., Uyehara, O.
A., and Myers, P. S. 1969. Experimental and
computed temperature histories in gas tungsten
arc welding of thin plates. Welding Journal
48(7): 295-s to 305-s.
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PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN WELDING SOCIETY TO ADVANCE THE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND APPLICATION OF WELDING

Certified Welding Inspector

CWE - Certified Welding Educator

CRI - Certified Radiographic Interpreter

CWSR - Certified Welding Sales Representative

CRAW - Certified Robotic Arc Welding Operator

CWEng - Certified Welding Engineer

, this is the most widely recognized and

WS. A fered by offf

e lle b iib xxi

Promote your full-color photos of your newest and

Reach by email 55,000 AWS Members in the digital

Downloadable from the AWS Website, with active links

Ask us how you can get your company photo on the

Ask us about our special Sponsorship opportunities.

4 Issues to get your Brand Name and product in to the

member and customers.

Ask us about our special Sponsorship opportunities.

ea@aws.org, salty@aws.org or sjorgensen@aws.org.

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