Computational analysis of the effect of welding parameters on energy consumption in GTA welding process

• A series of simulations for GTA welding at constant heat inputs were performed.
• To keep the heat input constant travel speed and power input were adjusted.
• At higher travel speeds the maximum temperatures are higher.
• At higher travel speeds the weld penetration and the melting efficiency are higher.
• Less energy is consumed if the travel speed and the arc power are properly tuned.

The electrical energy needed in welding processes is a major factor of energy consumption in manufacturing processes that use welds to fabricate structures. In the arc welding process an intense electrical arc is used as the heat source to melt locally metallic materials to join them once they solidify. Although the arc is focused at the joint, a large portion of energy is dissipated as heat through the base metals to the surroundings. In this paper it is shown that selecting the welding parameters appropriately, viz., the power supplied to the arc and the translation speed of the arc, can reduce the energy consumed per unit length of weld. The range of parameters examined was selected such that the vaporization of the molten metal was negligible. It is shown that increasing the arc power in conjunction with increasing the travel speed of the arc leads to reduced energy consumption per unit length of weld; this reduction in energy consumption is for equivalent welds, i.e., welds with identical geometric features.