EFFECT OF SIO2 IN A-GTAW MADE OF AISI SS304

Abstract

Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW) is the most important joining technique in almost all types of
manufacturing sector. GTAW is suitable for welding thin work materials when good quality and surface finish are
required. The presence of certain impurities in steel such as sulphur, oxygen etc in the weld pool can significantly
change the change the welding penetration depth in GTAW. Several mechanisms have been proposed for producing a
relatively deep and narrow weld. A novel variant of GTAW process called the A-GTAW process involves application of
thin coating (10-15μm thick) of activated flux on the joint area prior to welding. Literature identifies that the penetration
capability of the arc in GTAW can be significantly increased by the application of a flux coating containing active
ingredients, onto the joint surface prior to welding.
The present study investigated the performance of stainless steel (AISI SS304) using A-GTAW process using Design of
Experiments (DOE) methodology. L18 orthogonal array design matrix was followed. Mechanical testing- Tensile testing,
micro hardness testing and microstructures was performed to check the performance of the welded joints. Taguchi`s
method was used to analyze the results. The results indicated that the performance of weldments was improved by
welding with A-GTAW. Tensile strength and micro hardness was improved by A-GTAW.