HIGH SPEED VARIABLE SQUARE WAVE AC SUBMERGED ARC WELDING -FREQUENCY/BALANCE STUDY .250″ PLAIN CARBON STEEL

Advancements in silicon phase control (SCR) technologies provide an arc welding power supply that has the capability to allow the alteration of the Alternating Current (AC) welding output. These technologies provide a square wave output involving sixteen frequency selections and multiple balance selections. While an AC out put is known to minimize magnetic disturbances associate with Direct Current (DC), the potentials of a non-sinusoidal waveform have not been explored. The focus of the paper is to determine the effects that the frequency and balance of an AC wave form output will have upon a high speed Submerge Arc (SAW) application. The test matrix of the project includes welding .250" steel plate. Joint type is square groove with a travel speed of 65 IPM. Each of the weld parameters was held constant, only the frequency and/or balance were altered between welds. Each frequency/balance combination involved three-gap spacing. Upon completion of the welds the bead profiles were measured and recorded. A relationships/trends were observed with various frequency and balance values. Optimum frequency and balance values were found for the .250" square groove application which permit consistent weld sizing, ease of slag removal, and minimal plate distortion.