Arc shape and dynamic behavior of the Tri-Arc twin-wire GMAW process

• Published in: International journal of advanced manufacturing technology 2023-03, Vol.125 (3-4), p.1633-1643
• Main Authors: Zhong, Pu, Li, Liangyu, Liu, Haihua, Ren, Guochun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Advanced manufacturing technologies; Arc deposition; CAE) and Design; Computer-Aided Engineering (CAD; Data acquisition; Data acquisition systems; Decoupling; Efficiency; Electric arcs; Engineering; Gas metal arc welding; Heating; High speed cameras; Industrial and Production Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; Media Management; Original Article; Single wires; Welding current; Welding wire; Wire; Workpieces
• ISSN: 0268-3768; 1433-3015
• DOI: 10.1007/s00170-022-10746-7

The triple-arc (Tri-Arc) twin-wire gas metal arc welding (GMAW) is a novel twin-wire welding method, compared with the conventional twin-wire GMAW process; it decouples heat input and deposition rate by creating an inter-electrode arc between the two wire ends, called the middle-arc (M-arc). To determine the arc shape and dynamic behavior of this special welding process and to clarify the decoupling characteristics of it, in this paper, a high-speed camera and a synchronized data acquisition system captured dynamic arc shapes and welding current signals. The analysis of the experimental results indicates that the Tri-Arc twin-wire welding has three operating modes: single-wire single-arc, twin-wire dynamic double-arc, and twin-wire dynamic three-arc. At least two arcs exist in the twin-wire dynamic three-arc welding process, dynamically forming two different arc shapes and their respective mirror image shapes: a “μ” shape and a “Γ” shape. In addition, the process for forming the “Γ”-shaped arc is clarified. The mechanism of deposition rate improvement and heat input reduction of the Tri-Arc twin-wire welding process is that the M-arc increases the current to melt one welding wire while preheating the other wire without passing through the workpiece.