National Institute of Textile Engineering and Research (NITER)
Department of Industrial and Production Engineering
Level 1 Term 2
Course Code: IPE 1206 Course Title: Manufacturing Process-I Sessional
Experiment no: 5
Name of the Experiment: Study and operation of Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) process
Introduction: Arc welding is one of several fusion processes for joining metals. The process of
joining metal to metal with the help of an electric arc is called arc welding. In this welding process,
the arc is used to create intense heat and this heat is used to join the metals together. By applying
intense heat, metal at the joint between two parts is melted and caused to intermix - directly, or
more commonly, with an intermediate molten filler metal. Upon cooling and solidification, a
metallurgical bond is created. Since the joining is an intermixture of metals, the final weldment
potentially has the same strength properties as the metal of the parts. This is in sharp contrast to
non-fusion processes of joining (i.e. soldering, brazing etc.) in which the mechanical and physical
properties of the base materials cannot be duplicated at the joint.
Arc Welding Process: In arc welding, the intense heat needed to melt metal is produced by an
electric arc. The arc is formed between the actual work and an electrode (stick or wire) that is
manually or mechanically guided along the joint. The electrode can either be a rod with the purpose
of simply carrying the current between the tip and the work. Or, it may be a specially prepared rod
or wire that not only conducts the current but also melts and supplies filler metal to the joint. Most
welding in the manufacture of steel products uses the second type of electrode.
Figure 1: Basic arc welding diagram
The basic arc-welding circuit is illustrated in Fig. 1. An AC or DC power source, fitted with
whatever controls may be needed, is connected by a work cable to the workpiece and by a "hot"
cable to an electrode holder of some type, which makes an electrical contact with the welding
electrode.
An arc is created across the gap when the energized circuit and the electrode tip touches the
workpiece and is withdrawn, yet still with in close contact.
The arc produces a temperature of about 6500ºF at the tip. This heat melts both the base metal and
the electrode, producing a pool of molten metal sometimes called a "crater." The crater solidifies
behind the electrode as it is moved along the joint. The result is a fusion bond.
If an electrode is consumable, the tip melts under the heat of the arc and molten droplets are
detached and transported to the work through the arc column. Any arc welding system in which
the electrode is melted off to become part of the weld is described as metal-arc. In carbon or
tungsten (TIG) welding there are no molten droplets to be forced across the gap and onto the work.
Filler metal is melted into the joint from a separate rod or wire.
Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW): Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW), also known as
manual metal arc welding (MMA or MMAW), flux shielded arc welding or stick welding is a
process where the arc is struck between the metal rod (electrode flux coated) and the work piece,
both the rod and work piece surface melt to form a weld pool. Simultaneous melting of the flux
coating on the rod will form gas, and slag, which protects the weld pool from the surrounding
atmosphere. This is a versatile process ideal for joining ferrous and non-ferrous materials with a
range of material thicknesses in all positions.
Arc Shielding: Joining metals requires more than moving an electrode along a joint. Metals at
high temperatures tend to react chemically with elements in the air - oxygen and nitrogen. When
metal in the molten pool comes into contact with air, oxides and nitrides form which destroy the
strength and toughness of the weld joint. Therefore, many arc-welding processes provide some
means of covering the arc and the molten pool with a protective shield of gas, vapor, or slag. This
is called arc shielding. This shielding prevents or minimizes contact of the molten metal with air.
Shielding also may improve the weld. An example is a granular flux, which actually adds
deoxidizers to the weld.
Figure 2: Shielded Metal Arc Welding
Equipments: The equipments that may be required in an arc welding process are:
1. AC or DC machine
2. Electrode
3. Electrode holder
4. Cables, cable connectors
5. Chipping hammer
6. Earthing clamps
7. Wire brush
8. Helmet
9. Safety goggles
10. Hand gloves
11. Aprons, sleeves etc
12. Shielding apparatus
Working Method: Following are the steps involved in a basic arc welding process-
• First ON the electric power source ( AC or DC).
• As the electrode is brought near the base metal ( 2-4 mm apart) where the welding is to be
done, spark or arc starts to produce in between the base metal and electrode.
• Intense heat is generated due to the arc produced. The heat produced melts the base metal,
electrode core ( or filler material in some case) and flux coating. The flux coating on the
electrode provides a shielding environment (shielding gas) to the weld from the
atmospheric contamination. The molten metal or slag gets deposited in between the two
metal pieces to be joined and gets solidifies. After solidification, it forms a strong bond
between the two metal pieces.
• Shielding gas is used to protect the melt or weld from atmospheric contamination.
• After completion of the welding process, the job (metal pieces) is cooled down by dipping
it in appropriate coolant. It can also be left for air cooling.
Oyshik Bhowmik
Lecturer
Industrial & Production Engineering
National Institute of Textile Engineering and Research (NITER)
