A three-dimensional computational model of metal-inert-gas welding has been developed. The arc plasma, the weld pool, the solid regions of the workpiece cathode and the wire anode are all included self-consistently in the computational domain. The influence of the welding speed, metal droplet transfer, weld pool surface deformation and metal vapour production are taken into account. It was found that weld pool surface deformation has a large effect on the current and heat transfer, and that the momentum transferred to the weld pool by the droplets increases the depth of the weld pool. Inclusion of the influence of metal vapour cools the plasma and decreases the predicted weld pool depth, bringing it into reasonable agreement with measured weld profiles.
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