ATOMIC HYDROGEN WELDING

Atomic hydrogen welding(AHW) is an arc welding process

that

uses

an

arc

between

two

metal

tungsten

electrodes(NON CONSUMABLE) in a shielding atmosphere of

hydrogen.
Arc is struck between both electrodes, distance between

them can be adjusted

H2 is reactive in nature compared to argon & helium.
It also prevents molten pool from oxidation, breaks the

oxides on w/p metal.

Filler material is used
AHW comprises of a Welding torch, H2 gas cylinder &

single phase ac power source.

Voltage : 50- 75 V,, Current : 15-150 amp

Advantages

Intense flame is obtained which can be concentrated at

the joint. Hence, less distortion.

Welding is faster.
Work piece do not form a part of the electric circuit.
Hence, problems like striking the arc and maintaining the
arc column are eliminated.
Separate flux / shielding gas is not required. The hydrogen
envelop itself prevents oxidation of the metal and the
tungsten electrode..

Disadvantages
Cost of welding by this process is slightly higher than with
the other process.
Welding is limited to flat positions only.

Applications

Atomic hydrogen welding is used in those

applications

where rapid welding is necessary, as for stainless steels

and other special alloys.

ULTRASONIC WELDING

 Solid state type

Similar-dissimilar metals can be welded( mostly over
lapped)
Faying surfaces are held together under modest
clamping force, & subjected to static normal force &
vibrating energy of high frequency(10-50k c/s) & low
amplitude(0.02-0.15 mm) with the help of tip of a
transducer
Oscillating shear(tangential) stresses cause small
scale plastic deformation & breaks surface oxides
This results in strong solid state weld nugget
No external heat is applied, no flux/filler metal

The basic process of ultrasonic welding can be

described by the following steps:
The parts to be welded are placed in the anvil or fixture.
The horn contacts the parts to be welded.
Pressure is applied to keep the horn in contact with the
welded materials and to hold them together.
The horn delivers ultrasonic vibrations to heat up the
materials. The vibrations move less than a millimeter either
up-and-down or side-to-side.
The materials are welded together.
The horn gets retracted and the welded materials can be
removed from the anvil.

Advantages

Rapid,reliable,versatile
Heat affected zone is minimized
Very thin materials can be welded
Surface deformation is minimum
Welding of glass is also possible
No defects due to gases, arc and filler metal
Equipment is simple and moderate skill is
enough
Dissimilar materials can be joined

Disadvantages
Restricted to join thin materials (upto
3 mm)
Competitively not economical
Materials being welded may tend to
weld to the tip and anvil
Ltd to small parts

Applications
Manufacturing of toys
Joining of electrical and electronic
components
Welding aluminium wire and sheet
Mobiles,laminations, cars.
Packing , medical industries,
computers.

PLASMA ARC WELDING

Plasma is a gaseous mixture of positive ions, electrons and neutral gas molecules.

TRANSFERRED
ARC TYPE PLASMA
TORCH

NONTRANSFERRED
ARC TYPE PLASMA
TORCH

TRANSFER & NON-TRANSFER PLASMA

ARC

 Same as TIGW : Non consumable Tungsten electrode &

shielding gas (Argon)
In TIGW, welding torch tip is Flat
In PAW, Torch is constricted/reduced in c/s area, to
constrict the arc which produces plasma jet of small dia &
very high energy density
Arc Initiation is same as in TIG( Moving the torch too close
to w/p without touching)
Just after the arc initiation, A high velocity stream of
plasma gas(ARGON/ ARGON+H2) is introduced in arc
region that forms High velocity-intensity hot PLASMA
Shielding gases are Argon, helium, mixture of both

 Two types of PAW : Transferred Arc & Non Transferred Arc

Transferred arc processproduces plasma jet of high

energy density and may be used for high speed
welding and cutting ofCeramics,steels,Aluminum
alloys,Copper alloys,Titanium alloys,Nickel alloys.
Non-transferred

arc

processproduces

plasma

of

relatively low energy density.

It is used for welding of various metals and forplasma
spraying(coating).

Since the work piece in non-transferred plasma arc welding is

not a part of electric circuit, the plasma arc torch may move
from one work piece to other without extinguishing the arc.

Ahw process
The electric arc efficiently breaks up the hydrogen
molecules, which later recombine with tremendous
release of heat, reaching temperatures from 3400 to
4000 C.
Without the arc, an oxyhydrogen torch can only
reach 2800 C.This is the third hottest flame after
cynogen at 4525 C and dicynoacetylene at 4987
C.

 An acetylene torch merely reaches 3300 C.

This device may be called an atomic hydrogen
torch, nascent hydrogen torch or Langmuir torch.
The process was also known as arc-atom
welding.

 The heat produced by this torch is sufficient

to melt and weld tungsten (3422 C), the most
refractory metal.
The presence of hydrogen also acts as a
gas shield and protects metals from
contamination by carbon,nitrogen, or oxygen,
which can severely damage the properties of
many metals.
It eliminates the need of flux for this
purpose.

 The arc is maintained independently of the

workpiece or parts being welded.
The hydrogen gas is normally diatomic (H2),
but where the temperatures are over 600 C
(1100 F) near the arc, the hydrogen breaks
down into its atomic form, simultaneously
absorbing a large amount of heat from the arc.
When the hydrogen strikes a relatively cold
surface (i.e., the weld zone), it recombines
into its diatomic form and rapidly releases the
stored heat.

The energy in AHW can be varied easily by

changing the distance between the arc stream
and the workpiece surface.
This process is being replaced by shilded
metal arc welding, mainly because of the
availability of inexpensive inert gases.

 In atomic hydrogen welding, filler metal

may or may not be used.
In this process, the arc is maintained
entirely independent of the work or parts
being welded.
The work is a part of the electrical circuit
only to the extent that a portion of the arc
comes in contact with the work, at which
time a voltage exists between the work
and each electrode