Revisiting Arc, Metal Flow Behavior in Flux Activated Tungsten Inert Gas Welding

Tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding is commonly used for quality joining of ferrous and non-ferrous materials. But lower depth of penetration is one major shortcoming of TIG and more numbers of passes are required for thick plate joining. Use of activated flux layer on workpiece remarkably enhances penetration. In the present work, arc and metal flow behavior are studied to revisit and validate the presence and role of governing forces responsible for higher penetration in flux activated TIG (ATIG) welding. Arc behavior, material flow patterns are studied during conventional and activated TIG welding for AISI 304 stainless steel using four different activated fluxes by carrying out welding (when arc is moving) as well as keeping the arc halted (stationary arc) for all cases. Results clearly demonstrate the presence of electromagnetic Lorentz force and surface tension induced reverse Marangoni flow (strongly centripetal). These forces also push the metal flow downward near the center region of the molten pool and in many occasions penetration reaches beyond plate thickness in ATIG welding.