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Derivation and calibration of a gas metal arc welding (GMAW) dynamic droplet model

Book ·
OSTI ID:442962
; ; ;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Lockheed Idaho Technologies Co., Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
  2. Idaho State Univ., Pocatello, ID (United States)

A rudimentary, existing dynamic model for droplet growth and detachment in gas metal arc welding (GMAW) was improved and calibrated to match experimental data. The model simulates droplets growing at the end of an imaginary spring. Mass is added to the drop as the electrode melts, the droplet grows, and the spring is displaced. Detachment occurs when one of two criteria is met, and the amount of mass that is detached is a function of the droplet velocity at the time of detachment. Improvements to the model include the addition of a second criterion for drop detachment, a more sophisticated model of the power supply and secondary electric circuit, and the incorporation of a variable electrode resistance. Relevant physical parameters in the model were adjusted during model calibration. The average current, droplet frequency, and parameter-space location of globular-to-streaming mode transition were used as criteria for tuning the model. The average current predicted by the calibrated model matched the experimental average current to within 5% over a wide range of operating conditions.

DOE Contract Number:
AC07-94ID13223
OSTI ID:
442962
Report Number(s):
CONF-950682--; ISBN 0-87170-567-2
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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