Numerical Analysis of Effect of Metal Vapor in Gas Metal Arc Welding of Al Alloy

摘要

Using an in-house three-dimensional gas metal arc welding (GMAW) process simulation tool,the paper studies the effect of metal vapor in the arc welding of an aluminum alloy with respect to various magnitudes of electrical current.First,the mathematical model including the effects of metal vapor is descrihed.A bead-on-Al-plate problem is then modeled with and without consideration of the metal vapor for various currents.The effects of the metal vapor on the energy flow in the system and the resulting weld profile are examined.The calculated plasma temperatures,with and without consideration of metal vapor,are compared to the measured temperature.The change of heat input to the workpiece due to the existence of metal vapor is examined.Finally,the calculated weld profiles with and without consideration of metal vapor are compared with the measured weld profile.