Fundamental of Welding Science and Technology

Module 2
Lecture 4: Welding Power Sources

Pankaj Biswas (PhD)

Department of Mechanical Engineering
IIT Guwahati
 Contents
 Introduction
 Categories of power sources (for arc welding)
 Open circuit voltage
 History of power sources
 Brief discussion about power sources

2
 Types of electric discharges

NON SUSTAINABLE SUSTAINABLE SUSTAINABLE

4
 Introduction
 POWER SOURCES are apparatuses that are used to supply
current and voltage that are suitable for particular welding processes.

 Arc Welding Power Sources

 Arc welding requires that an electric arc be established between an
electrode and the workpiece to produce the heat needed for melting the
base plate.
 Because utility energy is not delivered at the proper voltage and
current, it must be converted to the required levels by the welding
power source.
 Arc power sources convert the customary 240 or 480 V alternating
current (ac) utility power to a range from 20 to 80 V and simultaneously
increase the current proportionately.
 Motor- or engine-driven welding generators are wound to deliver the
correct voltage and current directly; therefore, no transformer is
necessary.
 Categories of Power Sources

 The conventional welding power sources (based on power supply):

Power Source Supply

(i) Welding Generators AC or DC (Depending on
generator)
(ii) Welding Transformer
DC

(iii) Welding Rectifier

AC

(iv) Inverter DC
 Open-Circuit Voltage
 Open-Circuit Voltage (OCV): When no load is connected to the
output terminals of a welding power source, the voltage that appears at
the terminals is at its maximum.

 A high OCV value generally uses in arc starting and stability.

 In transformer-type power sources, OCV is established by the

incoming utility line voltage and the transformer primary-to
secondary turns ratio.

 The open circuit voltage normally ranges between 70-90 V in case

of welding transformers.
 In case of rectifiers it is 50-80 V.

 However, welding voltages are lower as compared to open circuit

voltage of the power source.
 History of welding power units
 The welding power unit converts the high voltage of the mains
supply to a nonhazardous level. Figure below shows the historical
development of different welding power units.

Fig: Development of different welding power units.

 Motor-generator sets
 Motor-generator sets were popular for many years, and are still
sometimes used.
 High cost and poor efficiency made it difficult for them to compete
with modern welding power units.
 However, their welding characteristics can be excellent.
 They consist of a (3-phase) motor, directly coupled to a DC
generator.
 Welding generator power units driven by petrol or diesel engines are
still made, and fill a need: they are used at sites without a supply of
mains electricity.

Fig. Motor-Generator set.

 Welding with AC power source
 AC is a popular choice for welding due to the fact that it uses a
simple and inexpensive power unit.

 Introducing AC does however lead to complications because unless

special steps are taken, the arc will extinguish on each zero
crossing.

 The need to re-ignite the arc also requires a sufficiently high open-
circuit voltage, of at least 50 V, or more.

 The advantages of alternating current are reduced risk of magnetic

arc blow effect and good oxide-breaking performance when TIG-
welding of aluminium.
 The welding transformer
 Welding transformers provide alternating current (AC), and are
the cheapest and perhaps the simplest type of power unit.
 AC power sources for shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) can be
as simple as a single transformer.
 Welding with AC power source cont.
 For A.C. welding, the power is always a transformer with a control
for current adjustment either by varying the inductance or by
changing the magnetic coupling between primary and secondary
windings of a transformer.

 For changing the inductance 3 different types of reactors are

available:
i) Tapped reactors
ii) Moving core reactors and
iii) Saturable reactors

 All the above designs provide good control of current and a suitable
output for SMAW and GTAW. The choice depends upon cost and
performances.
 Welding with AC power source cont.
 Tapped reactors: These reactors consist of a copper cable wound
on a laminated core. The windings are provided with tapping
circuit. Here only a limited number of setting can be
accommodated.
 Welding with AC power source cont.
 Moving core reactors: Here the increasing and decreasing of the
inductance of winding is done by moving a laminated core in or
out through a reactor coil.
 Welding with AC power source cont.
 Saturable reactors: In this design, the welding current control is
achieved by putting saturable reactor unit in the secondary circuit.

 These reactors have better control and can be remotely controlled

also. These reactors are costly.
 Welding with AC power source cont.
 Multi operator sets: Here one transformer provides 3 or 6 outlets.
 In this case, the current in each secondary circuit should be
independently controlled and a separate reactor must be included
in each lead.
 AC power source cont.
 More advanced power units, for use with TIG, submerged arc and
occasionally MIG welding, can be controlled by thyristors or
transistors using square-wave switching technology.
 Newer technologies deliver a square wave output at line
frequency. A square wave eliminates peaking and provides a rapid
transition through zero, which is important to cyclic reignition of
the arc.
 Thyristors are employed with magnetic cores to generate the
square current waveform.

Fig.(a) Square wave, line

frequency, and equal dwell.
 AC power source cont.
 Adjustable imbalance permits the operator to control the ratio of
electrode positive (EP) to electrode negative (EN) current by dwell
extension.

Fig. Square wave with unbalanced dwells.

 Welding with DC power source cont.

 Mainly 3 different types of Direct Current (DC) welding power

sources are there i.e.:

i. Rectifiers and

ii. Generators

iii. Inverters
 DC power source: Rectifiers
 A traditional welding rectifier power source produces DC.
 A full-wave rectifier is used to convert the AC output from a
transformer into DC for welding.
 For a single-phase input in most of the applications some form of
smoothing is required.
 A three-phase input is usually preferred as it gives more uniform
load on main supply and smoothens the ripples, eliminating the
smoothening circuit.
 This can be given varying slopes, from straight to drooping, so that
the unit can be used with several different welding methods.

Fig. Ripple voltage from a full-wave

rectifier, before and after the
application of a smoothing capacitor.
 DC power source: Rectifiers
 Simple three-phase full wave rectifier unit for welding:

Fig. Circuit diagram

Fig. Block diagram

 Welding inverters
Inverter: In a inverter unit, the 50 Hz mains supply is first rectified
and then, using power semiconductors, is turned back into AC at a
higher frequency, usually in the range 5-100 kHz. Finally this higher
frequency AC convert to DC.

 This reduces the weight of the transformer and inductor,

making the power unit small and portable.
 Low losses result in high efficiency, to the order of 80-90 %.
 This units have excellent performance.

Fig. Inverter Block Diagram

 Welding inverters (contd.)
 Inverter units offer the following advantages:
 Low weight and small size
 Good welding performance
 Several weld with high efficiency

The size of the transformer and inductor depend on the number of turns (N) and the
cross-sectional core area (A), both of which can be reduced.

This reduces the weight of the transformer and inductor to a fraction of what is
needed for a 50 Hz unit, making the power unit small and portable.
 Reference/Text Books
 V. M. Radhakrishnan, Welding Technology and Design, New age.
2002.
 J. A. Goldak, Computational Welding Mechanics, Springer 2005.
 O. Grong, Metallurgical Modelling of Welding, 2nd Ed. IOM
publication , 1997.
 L-E Lindgren, Computational Welding Mechanics, Woodhead
Publishing Limited, 2007.
 Dr. O. P. Khanna, Welding Technology, Reprint: 2002.
 A. O. Brien, Welding Handbook: Welding Processes, Part 1, Vol.2,
AWS,2004.
 Md. Ibrahim Khan, Welding Science and Technology, New Age In.
 J. F. Lancaster (Ed), The Physics of welding, Pergamon, 1986.
 R.W. Messler, Principles of Welding, John Wiley and Sons,1999.
SOME NOTES
 Criteria for selection of welding power source
 The following factors must be considered for selection a welding
power source:

 Initial cost of the power source.

 Periodic maintenance and repair cost.
 Availability of mains power supply: 220 V or 440 V.
 Steady output current even with input voltage fluctuation.
 Type of current needed AC or DC or both.

 Current rating required to accommodate all sizes of electrodes

needed for the jobs.
Criteria for selection of welding power source
 Machine’s ability to strike and maintain stable arc for the type of
electrodes to be used.
 Type of V-I characteristics (CC or CV) needed for the process
employed.
 Whether machine is required to give radiographic quality welds
and impact strength with the type of electrodes used.
 Whether the machine needs to serve several welding processes
expected to be used in the shop.
 Machine’s ability to stand shop environment (corrosive gases,
dust, moisture etc.).
 Need for remote current control.
 Duty Cycle
 Duty cycle is the ratio of arcing time to the weld cycle time
multiplied by 100.
 Welding cycle time is either 5 minutes as per European
standards or 10 minutes as per American standard and
accordingly power sources are designed.
 If arcing time is continuously 5 minutes then as per European
standard it is 100% duty cycle and 50% as per American standard.
 At 100% duty cycle minimum current is to be drawn i.e. with the
reduction of duty cycle current drawn can be of higher level.
 The welding current which can be drawn at a duty cycle can be
evaluated from the following equation:
 Duty Cycle

 Duty cycle and associated currents are important as it ensures that

power source remains safe and its windings are not getting
damaged due to increase in temperature beyond specified limit.

 The power source rating is also determined by its duty cycle,

which indicates for what proportion of a period of ten minutes
that the power source can be operated at the specified load.

 For example: 400 A at 35 % duty factor, means that the power

source can supply 400 A for 3.5 minutes in every ten minutes without
overheating.
Classification of Power Source on the basis of duty cycle
 The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA)
categorizes arc welding power sources into three classes on the
basis of duty cycle:

 CLASS I: Rated output at 60 (at 300A), 80, or 100% duty cycle

 CLASS II: Rated output at 30, 40, or 50 % (at 250A) duty cycle

 CLASS III: Rated output at 20% (at 225A) duty cycle

 Classification of Power Source on the basis of duty cycle
 In Fig. curve A shows a NEMA
Class I (60%) 300 A rated machine
that is capable of a maximum 375 A
at reduced duty cycle (38%) and 232
A at 100% (continuous).

 Curve B represents a NEMA Class

II (50%) 250 A machine with a
continuous duty of 176 A.
Fig. Selected duty cycle (i) Curves.
 Curve C represents an engine-driven A, 300 A, 60% Machine; (ii) B, 250
machine rated at 225 A and 20% A, 50% Machine; (iii) C, 225 A,
20%
duty. It does not offer output in
(Note: C-machine is Engine-
excess of its rating because of a driven machine)
horsepower limitation of the engine.
 Rated Current & Rated Voltage
 Rated current:
 The rated current is the current for which the power source is
designed.
 Note: Always check the technical data or the rating plate to make
sure what the actual value of rated current is.
 Rated voltage:
 IEC 974 (International electro-technical commission) specifies a standard
load line, for each value of rated current, there is a voltage which is known
as rated voltage.
 The relationships specified by IEC 974 differ from one welding method to another:
for currents up to 600 A, the voltages are as follows:
• MMA and SAW: U= 20 + 0.04 . I ,for currents up to 600 A &
For currents above 600 A: U = 44 V
• TIG: U= 10+0.04. I, for currents up to 600 A &
For currents above 600 A: U = 34 V
• MIG/MAG: U= 14+0.05. I, for currents up to 600 A
For currents above 600 A: U = 44 V
 Reference/Text Books
 V. M. Radhakrishnan, Welding Technology and Design, New age.
2002.
 J. A. Goldak, Computational Welding Mechanics, Springer 2005.
 O. Grong, Metallurgical Modelling of Welding, 2nd Ed. IOM
publication , 1997.
 L-E Lindgren, Computational Welding Mechanics, Woodhead
Publishing Limited, 2007.
 Dr. O. P. Khanna, Welding Technology, Reprint: 2002.
 A. O. Brien, Welding Handbook: Welding Processes, Part 1, Vol.2,
AWS,2004.
 Md. Ibrahim Khan, Welding Science and Technology, New Age In.
 J. F. Lancaster (Ed), The Physics of welding, Pergamon, 1986.
 R.W. Messler, Principles of Welding, John Wiley and Sons,1999.
End