22

Gas Metal Arc Welding

Practice with Solid and
Metal Core Wire:
Jobs 22-J1J23 (Plate)

The practice jobs outlined on the following pages include
GMAW practice on a variety of materials in all positions,
Fig. 22-1. Since you are already an accomplished welder,
having mastered the gas welding, shielded metal arc and
gas tungsten arc processes, it will not be very difficult to
master this new process. It is estimated that most students
will become competent in 30 to 45 hours of practice. Each
job requires some of the skills already learned. This pro-
cess and the jobs provided also require the learning of
new skills and the application of the technical information
given in this chapter and Chapter 21. As with all previous
practice, each job should be mastered before going on to
the next.
Chapter Objectives
After completing this chapter, you will be able to:
22-1 Describe GMAW operating variables.
22-2 Describe GMAW weld defects.
22-3 Describe GMAW safe operation.
22-4 Describe and demonstrate proper care, use, and
troubleshooting of equipment.
22-5 Describe and demonstrate welding techniques.
22-6 Make various groove and fillet welds with the various
modes of metal transfer with both solid and metal
cored electrodes.

Operating Variables That

Affect Weld Formation
Welding variables are those factors that affect the opera-
tion of the arc and the weld deposit. Sound welding of
good appearance results when the variables are in bal-
ance. In order for you to develop a feel for the process
and understand the arc characteristics and metal forma-
tion, it is necessary to become familiar with all the vari-
ables and study their effect on the weld deposit through
experience. As an advanced student, you will be famil-
iar with some of the variables since they are present in
all welding processes to a certain extent. You will find,

708

Fig. 22-1 This student is practicing gas metal arc welding. Note
the dual-digital wire-feeder in the back ground, the wire cutter and
practice coupon. Location: Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
McGraw-Hill Education/Mark A. Dierker, photographer
Consumable
Welding Wire
Resulting Bead
Gas
Ions Electrons
Deep Penetration
Work
(Just Opposite to Gas
Tungsten-Arc Welding)
Fig. 22-2 Gas metal arc DCEP welding: wire positive, work
negative.
however, that each electric welding process has its own
arc characteristics.
Type of Current
Direct Current Electrode Positive (DCEP)Electrode
positive is generally used for gas metal arc weld-
ing. Because it provides maximum heat input into the
work, it allows relatively deep penetration to take place,
Fig. 22-2. It also assists in the removal of oxides from
the plate, which contributes to a clean weld deposit of
high quality. Low current values produce the globular
transfer of metal from the electrode. A gradual increase
Gas Metal Arc Welding Practice with Solid and Metal Core Wire: Jobs 22-J1J23 (Plate) Chapter 22 709
Consumable
Welding Wire
Resulting Bead
Gas
Ions Electrons
Low Penetration
Work
(Just Opposite to Gas
Tungsten-Arc Welding)
Fig. 22-3 Gas metal arc DCEN welding: wire negative, work
positive.
in current increases the electrode melting rate so that at
relatively high current values the spray transfer of metal
is produced. Although current is the first requirement to
achieve a spray transfer, shielding gas and voltage are
also very important. On carbon steel the shielding gas
must contain a minimum of 80percent argon. The volt-
age level must be high enough to just keep the electrode
from dipping into the weld pool.
The welding of ferrous metals with DCEP, solid or
metal cored electrode, and pure argon causes the arc to
be unstable and introduces porosity into the weld metal.
This condition may be corrected by the addition of 2 to
5 percent oxygen to the gas mixture.
Direct Current Electrode Negative (DCEN)Electrode
negative has a limited use in the welding of thin gauge
materials. The greatest amount of heat occurs at the elec-
trode tip. The wire meltoff rate is a great deal faster than
with DCEP. The arc is not stable at the end of the filler
wire, and it becomes very difficult to direct the transfer of
weld metal where it is desired. The erratic arc results in
poor fusion and a considerable amount of spatter. Penetra-
tion is also less than with DCEP, Fig. 22-3.
The unstable arc can be corrected to a considerable ex-
tent by the use of a shielding gas mixture of approximately
5 percent oxygen added to argon. The normally high elec-
trode meltoff rate, however, is reduced substantially when
oxygen is added so that any advantage of DCEN is can-
celled out.
Alternating Current Alternating current is seldom used
in gas metal arc welding. The arc is unstable because cur-
rent and voltage both pass through the zero point many
times each second as the current reverses. Since alternat-
ing current is a combination of DCEN and DCEP polarity,
the rate of metal transfer and the depth of penetration fall
between those of both polarities. It has found some use for
the welding of aluminum.
Shielding Gas
Argon and helium were first used as the shielding gases
for the gas metal arc process, and they continue to be
the basic gases. Argon is used more than helium on fer-
rous metals to keep spatter at a minimum. Argon is also
heavier than air and therefore gives better weld coverage.
Oxygen or carbon dioxide is added to the pure gases to
improve arc stability, minimize undercut, reduce porosity,
and improve the appearance of the weld.
Helium may be added to argon to increase penetration
with little effect on metal transfer characteristics. Hydro-
gen and nitrogen are used for only a limited number of
special applications in which their presence will not cause
porosity or embrittlement of the weld metal.
Carbon dioxide is popular as a shielding medium, be-
cause of the following advantages:
Low cost
High density, resulting in low flow rates
Less burn-back problems because of its shorter arc
characteristics.
Review Chapters 18 and 21 for additional information
regarding the shielding gases.
The following recommendations concerning specific
metals are helpful:
Aluminum alloys: argon. With direct current electrode
positive, argon removes surface oxide.
Magnesium and aluminum alloys: 75 percent helium,
25 percent argon. Correct heat input reduces the ten-
dency toward porosity and removes surface oxide.
Stainless steels: argon plus oxygen. When direct current
electrode positive is used, 2 percent oxygen improves
arc stability.
Magnesium: argon. With direct current, electrode posi-
tive, argon removes surface oxide.
Deoxidized copper: 75 percent helium, 25 percent
argon preferred. Good wetting and increased heat
input counteract high thermal conductivity.
Low alloy steel: argon, plus 2 percent oxygen. Oxygen
eliminates undercutting tendencies and removes
oxidation.
Mild steel: 15 percent argon, 25 percent carbon dioxide
(dip transfer); 100 percent CO2 may also be used with
deoxidized wire. They promote high quality. It is suit-
able for low current, out-of-position welding. There is
little spatter.
Nickel, Monel, and Inconel: argon. Good wetting in-
creases the fluidity of the weld metal.
710 Chapter 22 Gas Metal Arc Welding Practice with Solid and Metal Core Wire: Jobs 22-J1J23 (Plate)
Titanium: argon. Argon reduces the size of the
heat-affected zone and improves metal transfer.
Silicon bronze: argon. Argon reduces crack sensitivity on
this hot-short material.
Aluminum bronze: argon. Argon reduces penetration of
the base metal. It is commonly used as a surfacing
material.
Joint Preparation
Joint designs like those used with other arc welding pro-
cesses may be used with the gas metal arc process. Costs
can be reduced, however, by employing somewhat dif-
ferent designs. Any joint design should provide for the
most economical use of filler metal. The correct design
for a particular job depends on the type of material being
welded, the thickness of the material, the position of weld-
ing, the welding process, the final results desired, the type
and size of filler wire, and welding technique.
The arc in gas metal arc welding is somewhat more
penetrating and narrower than the arc in shielded metal
arc welding. Therefore, heavier root faces and smaller
root openings may be used for groove welds. It is also
possible to provide a narrower groove angle for MIG/
MAG welding. The angle in a single-V or double-V butt
joint is about 75 for shielded metal arc welding. For gas
metal arc welding, this angle may be reduced to 30 to 45,
Fig. 22-4. These changes in joint design increase the
speed of welding, cut the time necessary for joint prepara-
tion, and reduce the amount of weld metal that is required.
Thus they lower the cost of materials and labor. Typically
the higher energy spray arcs are used with the narrower
groove angle and heavier root face joint designs.
The penetration achieved with shielded arc electrodes is
about 18 inch maximum in steel. With the MIG/MAG pro-
cess 100 percent penetration
75
may be secured in 14-inch plate
in a square butt joint welded
from both sides.
For 60 single- or double-
V butt joints, no root face is
recommended, and the root Stick Electrode
opening should range from 0 to
3
32 inch. Double-V joints may
have wider root openings than 45
single-V joints. Poor fitup and
root overlap should be avoided.
If the root opening is large, a
backing bar should be used.
Plates thicker than 1 inch MIG Process
should have U-groove prepara-
tion. They require considerably Fig. 22-4 V-groove, butt
less weld metal. The root face joint comparison.
thickness should be less than 332 inch, and the root spacing
should be between 132 and 332 inch.
In multipass welding, the absence of slag ensures easier
cleaning and so reduces the problem of porosity in the
weld metal.
In making fillet welds with
f = Fillet Size
t = Throat Coated
the MIG/MAG process, ad-
Electrode vantage is taken of the deeper
t= Throat CO2 penetration by depositing
Process
smaller weld beads on the
surface of the material. The
throat area of the weld is not
t
reduced since a greater part
t
of the weld bead is beneath
the surface of the base metal,
Fig. 22-5.
Certain types of joints are
f backed up to prevent the weld
from projecting through the
Fig. 22-5 Comparison of back side. The usual mate-
penetration in a fillet weld: rials include blocks, strips,
carbon dioxide shielded MAG and bars of copper, steel, or
weld versus coated electrode ceramics.
weld.
Electrode Diameter
The electrode diameter influences the size of the weld
bead, the depth of penetration, and the speed of welding.
As a general rule, for the same current (wire-feed speed
setting needs to be increased), the arc becomes more pen-
etrating as the electrode diameter decreases. At the same
time, the speed of welding is also affected because the
deposition (burnoff) rate also increases.
When welding with wires below 0.045 inch, the smaller
wire operating at a given current density burns off faster
than the larger wire. To get the maximum deposition rate
at a given current density, use the smallest wire possible
that is consistent with an acceptable weld profile.
With wires 0.045 inch and larger for a given welding
current, the next size larger wire provides a lower depo-
sition rate. This is because the effects of preheating on
the larger wires are less. Large wires deposit wider beads
than small wires do under identical conditions.
As in all welding, the selection of the type and size
of wire is important. Generally, filler wires should be
of the same composition as the materials being welded.
The position of welding or other special conditions may
affect the size of the electrode. For most purposes, how-
ever, filler wires with diameters of 0.023/0.025, 0.030, and
0.035 inch are best for welding thin materials. Diameters
of 0.045 inch or 116 inch are used for medium thickness,
and a diameter of 18 inch is best for heavy materials. Filler
Gas Metal Arc Welding Practice with Solid and Metal Core Wire: Jobs 22-J1J23 (Plate) Chapter 22 711
wires with small diameters are recommended for weld-
ing in the vertical and overhead positions. Large diam-
eter wires are desirable for those applications in which
penetration is undesirable. Hard-surfacing, overlays, and
buildup work are examples.
Electrode Extension
Electrode extension is that length of filler wire that
extends past the contact tube, Fig. 22-6. This is the area
where preheating of the filler wire occurs. Electrode ex-
tension is also called the stickout. It controls the dimen-
sions of the weld bead since the length of the extension
affects the burnoff rate. Electrode e xtension exerts an in-
fluence on penetration through its effect on the welding
current. As the extension length is increased, the preheat-
ing of the wire increases and the current is reduced. The
current reduction in turn decreases the amount of penetra-
tion into the work. Stickout distance may vary from 18 to
114 inches.
Short electrode extensions (18 12 inch) are used for the
short circuit mode of transfer, generally with the smaller
diameter electrodes (0.0230.045 inch). For stainless steel
favor the shorter electrode extension because of its higher
resistivity (18 14 inch). The longer electrode extensions are
used for spray arcs (12 114 inches). These are generally
done with the larger diameter electrodes. Excessive long
arcs with active gases reduce the mechanical properties
in the weld, because of various alloys being burned out as
the metal is transferred across the longer arc.
The relationship that exists between electrode exten-
sion and current and electrode extension and penetration
should be understood, Table 22-1, page 712. Tests have
indicated that when electrode extension is increased from
3
16 to 58 inch, the welding current then drops approximately
Gas Nozzle
Contact Tube
Consumable
Electrode
Electrode
Contact Tube-to-Work
Distance and
Extension
Standoff Distance
Average Arc Length
Workpiece
Fig. 22-6 Nomenclature of area between nozzle and
workpiece.
 Table 22-1 Effect of Electrode Extension on Weld Characteristic
Increased electrode extension Increase deposition bead height
Decrease welding current penetration bead width
Decreased electrode extension Decrease deposition bead height
Increase welding current penetration bead width

60 amperes. The current is reduced because of the change

in the amount of preheating that takes place in the wire. T.A.
As the electrode extension is increased, the preheating of Axis of Weld
W.A.
the wire increases. Thus less welding current is required
from the power source at a given feed rate. Because of
the self-regulating characteristics of the constant voltage
power source, the welding current is decreased. As the
welding current is decreased, the depth of penetration
also decreases. (Increased electrode extension also in-
creases the weld deposition rate.) On the other hand, if
the electrode extension decreases, the preheating of the Work Angle
filler wire is reduced, and the power source furnishes (W.A.)

more current in order to melt the wire at the required

rate. This increase in welding current causes an increase
in penetration.

Position of the Gun

The position of the welding gun with respect to the joint
is expressed by two angles: the travel (gun) angle and the Travel Angle
work (gun) angle, Fig. 22-7. (T.A.) (Drag) Travel Direction
The bead shape, as well as the penetration pattern, can (Push) Travel Direction
be changed by changing the direction of the wire as it
goes into the joint in the line of travel as well as the loca-
tion of the wire in the joint.
Travel Angle The travel angle can be compared to the
angle of the electrode in shielded metal arc welding. The
drag and push nozzle angles are shown in Fig.22-8. The
drag technique results in a high, narrow bead with relatively
deeper penetration. The penetration is deeper because the
Axis of Weld
arc tends to run into the pool and create a greater con-
centration of heat. The force of the arc pushes the molten Fig. 22-7 Travel and work gun angles.

metal back for therounded-bead contour. Maximum pen-

S H OP TAL K etration is obtained when a drag angle of 10 is used. As
the drag angle is reduced, the bead height decreases, and
Thebes
the width increases.
A wall painting in an ancient tomb in
Thebes, from 1475 b.c., shows how brazing The arc in the push technique strikes cold base metal
was done. so that penetration is shallow. The force of the arc pushes
the metal ahead of the bead and flattens the contour of the

712 Chapter 22 Gas Metal Arc Welding Practice with Solid and Metal Core Wire: Jobs 22-J1J23 (Plate)
 Direction of Travel
Gun
A arc welding provides for the self-adjustment of the arc
B length appropriate to the voltage setting.
Drag Angle 90 Push Angle
(Backward Pointing) (Forward Pointing)
Fig. 22-8 Drag and push travel angles.
bead. Increased travel speeds are a characteristic of the
push technique.
Work Angle The work angle refers to the position of the
wire to the joint in a plane perpendicular to the line of
travel, Fig. 22-7. For fillet weld joints, the work angle is
normally half of the joint angle between the plates form-
ing the joint. For butt joint the work angle is normally 90
to the surface of the plate being joined.
The work angle utilizes the natural arc force to push
(wash) the weld metal against a vertical surface to prevent
undercut and provide good bead contour. This has partic-
ular significance in welding lap and T-joints. High travel
speeds usually require greater work angles to ensure the
proper washing action.
Wire Location The wire is typically located in the root of
the joint. However, on heavy weldments and/or mechanized
welding in the horizontal position, offsetting the wire loca-
tion by 1 to 1.5 diameters onto the bottom plate helps reduce
undercut by allowing the weld pool to flow up on the vertical
plate. Incorrect wire location can lead to unequal leg fillet
welds, Fig.22-9.
Acceptable Unacceptable Unacceptable
(Too High) (Too Low)
Fig. 22-9 The wire should be pointed at the root of the joint, nei-
ther too high nor too low. Unequal leg fillet welds can affect quality
and productivity of the welds.
Gas Metal Arc Welding Practice with Solid and Metal Core Wire: Jobs 22-J1J23 (Plate) Chapter 22 713
Arc Length
The constant voltage welding machine used for gas metal
length. The power source supplies enough current to burn
off the filler wire as fast as it is being fed to maintain the arc
If for any reason the arc length is shortened, the arc
voltage will be reduced. This increases the current so that
the filler wire melts at an increased rate until the correct
arc length is reestablished. But if the arc length is length-
ened, the arc voltage will be increased. This reduces the
current and slows down the melting rate of the filler wire
until the correct arc length is reestablished. No change in
the wire-feed speed occurs. The arc length is corrected
by the automatic increase or decrease of the burnoff rate
of the filler wire. The welder has complete control of the
welding current and the arc length by setting the wire-
feed speed on the wire feeder and the voltage on the weld-
ing machine.
Arc Voltage
In the gas metal arc process, the voltage remains constant
as set by the person doing the welding. Furthermore, the
burnoff rate of the metal electrode is constant at a given
voltage setting.
In the gas metal arc process, the arc voltage has a decided
effect upon surface heating, weld profile namely in, bead
height, and bead width. The chief function of voltage is to
stabilize the welding arc and to provide a smooth, spatter-free
weld bead, Fig. 22-10. Thus, for any given welding current
there is a particular voltage that will provide the smoothest
possible arc and the best weld profile with little or no spatter
or undercut.
A higher or lower arc voltage causes the arc to be-
come unstable and affects the surface heating. High arc
voltage produces a wider, flatter bead. Excessive volt-
age also increases the possibility of porosity in the weld
Arc Length
Short Circuiting Spatter Spray
Band
Voltage
Fig. 22-10 Adjust the arc voltage appropriately for the mode of
metal transfer being used.
metal and also increases the spatter. In fillet welds it in- penetration. Conversely,
creases undercut and produces a concave fillet subject if excessively low volt-
Large
to cracking. Low voltage causes the bead to be high and age is used, the wire may Droplet
narrow. Extremely low voltage causes the wire to stub stub into the weld pool
Undercut
on the plate. Therefore, changes in voltage have opposite and produce a poor weld
effects on bead height and bead width. As the arc volt- profile. However, pene-
age increases, bead height decreases and bead width in- tration will be increased.
creases. (See Figs. 22-11 and 22-12 and Table 22-2.) This A general analogy about Shallow Penetration
does not change the overall size of the bead, as in the voltage is that it heats
case of welding current and travel speed, but it changes the plate. The higher the
the profile of the bead. voltage, the more heat
Generally speaking, high arc voltages result in globular goes into surface heating
transfer of metal from the wire to the weld pool. Globular the plate. This is good to
transfer is spatter-prone and reduces deposition efficiency. remember when trying
High arc voltage also reduces burnoff rates because of to control the weld pro- Smooth
greater radiation losses. files; however, its effect Profile
For a fixed deposition rate, low arc voltages allow faster on penetration must also
travel speeds and downhill operation. High arc voltages ne- be considered.
cessitate slower travel rates
to allow the weld deposit to Wire-Feed Speed Good Penetration
Electrode
accumulate properly. A long The special wire feeder
arc may also cause contami- and the constant volt-
nation of the gas field since age welding machine
the shielding gas may not be constitute the heart of

V AL completely contained, and the MIG/MAG welding Excess
the contaminating air is per- process. There is a fixed Reinforcement
Overlap
mitted to enter the gas shield. relationship between the
W
The proper arc voltage for rate of filler wire burn-
the short circuit transfer has a off and welding current.
sharp crackling sound, while The electrode wire-feed
the spray arc will have a hiss- speed determines the Fig. 22-12 Shallow penetra-
Electrode ing sound like paint being welding current. Thus tion results when arc voltage is
too high for travel speed. Excess
sprayed out of a spray gun. current is set by the wire- reinforcement and overlap occurs
An occasional crackle with feed speed control on the when arc voltage is too low for
the spray arc is a good indi- wire feeder. The weld- speed. With proper arc voltage for
cation minimum voltage is ing machine supplies the speed, smooth profile in center

being used. The proper volt- amount of current (am- illustration is obtained.
AL age has a sharp, crackling peres) necessary to melt
V
sound. The narrow short arc the electrode at the rate required to maintain the preset
produces good penetration voltage and resultant arc length.
W and fusion, and the weld An increase in the electrode wire-feed speed requires
W = Bead width at high bead formation is excellent. more electrode to be melted to maintain the preset volt-
voltage Arc voltage is generally age and arc length. Increased wire-feed speed causes
W = Bead width at low not set to control penetra- higher current to be supplied by the welding machine,
voltage
V & V = Volume of bead
tion. Voltage is a much bet- and the melting rate and deposition rate increase. More
V = V ter control of weld profile weld metal and more heat applied to the weld joint pro-
AL = Arc length and arc stability. However, duce deeper penetration and larger weld beads. If wire-
= Included angle of arc if the arc voltage is exces- feed speeds are excessive, the welding machine cannot
stream
sive, the energy is spread put out enough current to melt the wire fast enough, and
Fig. 22-11 The relationship over a larger weld pool area. stubbing or roping of the wire occurs, Fig. 22-13. An
of arc length to weld bead This will reduce the focus excessive wire-feed speed causes convex weld beads
width. of the energy and reduce and poor appearance. A decrease in electrode wire-feed

714 Chapter 22 Gas Metal Arc Welding Practice with Solid and Metal Core Wire: Jobs 22-J1J23 (Plate)
 Table 22-2 Recommended Variable Adjustments for GMAW
Change of Welding Variables Effect on Weld Deposit
Variables Increase Decrease Penetration Deposition Bead Height Bead Width
Voltage X Increase 1
Decrease Increase
Voltage X Decrease1 Increase Decrease
Current 3
X Increase Increase Increase Increase2
Current X Decrease Decrease Decrease Decrease
Travel speed X Decrease Decrease Decrease
Travel speed X Increase Increase Increase
Stickout X Decrease Increase Increase Decrease
Stickout X Increase Decrease Decrease Increase
Travel angle (dragmax. 25) Maximum High Narrow
Travel angle (push) Decrease Decrease Increase

Up to an optimum arc voltageraising or lowering beyond this point reduces penetration.

1

Up to an optimum current settingraising or lowering beyond this point reduces bead width.
2

Adjusted by wire-feed speed control.

3

speed results in less electrode being melted. The welding
machine supplies less current and so reduces the deposi-
tion rate. Less weld metal and less heat are applied to
the weld joint so that penetration is shallow and the weld
bead is smaller.
Generally, for a given filler wire size, a high set-
ting of the filler wire speed rate results in a short arc. A
slow speed setting contributes to a long arc and possible
burnback.
Welding Current
The setting at the wire-feed
speed control determines the
amount of current that will be
delivered at the arc. The term
current is often related to cur-
Correct rent density. Current density
is the amperage per square
inch of cross-sectional area of
the electrode. Thus, at a given
amperage the current density
of an electrode 0.035 inch in
diameter is higher than that
of an electrode 0.045 inch in
diameter.
The area of the cross sec-
tion of a solid wire is easy to
Excessive
calculate. However, the area
of the current-carrying sheath
Fig. 22-13 Effect of of a metal cored electrode is
wire-feed speeds. more complex to calculate.
Since the sheath of the metal cored electrode is the con-
ductor and the arc jumps and oscillates around the sheath
of the electrode, current densities are much higher with
the metal cored electrodes than the solid wire. Generally
speaking, if you are going to maintain a given amperage
and switch from solid wire to metal core, you can either
jump one wire diameter size and keep the wire-feed speed
the same or you can keep the same wire size and increase
the wire-feed speed. This higher current density of the
burnoff around the sheath of these metal cored electrodes
accounts for their higher deposition rates at a given heat
input.
Each type and size of electrode has a minimum and
maximum current density. The best working range lies
between them.
The depth of penetration, bead formation, filler wire
burnoff, speed of travel, and the size and appearance of
the weld profile are all affected by the amount of welding
current.
There is a direct relationship between the welding cur-
rent and penetration. In general, for any change in welding
current, there is a corresponding change in penetration.
As the welding current increases, the penetration in-
creases, and as the welding current decreases, the pen-
etration decreases. Increasing the current also increases
the wire meltoff rate and the rate of deposition. If the cur-
rent is too low for a given electrode size, metal transfer is
sluggish, and poor penetration and poor fusion result. The
bead is rough, and excessively convex. If the current is too
high, penetration may be too deep. Excessive penetration
causes burn-through and undercut. The weld bead has a

Gas Metal Arc Welding Practice with Solid and Metal Core Wire: Jobs 22-J1J23 (Plate) Chapter 22 715