Assessment of the Use of Negative Polarity in Double-Wire MIG/MAG-Welding Filling Passes

Avaliação do Uso de Polaridade Negativa em Soldagens de Passes de Enchimento pela Técnica MIG/MAG Duplo Arame

The aim of this work was to evaluate the use of negative polarity in the trail wire in double-wire MIG/MAG-welding filling passes. A comparative study of the conventional technique (two wires working with pulsed DCEP) and the proposed combinations of pulsed DCEP in the lead wire with pulsed DCEN in the trail wire and pulsed DCEP in the lead wire with controlled short-circuit CSC(-) in the trail wire was carried out. The mean current in each wire and the ratio of travel speed to wire feed rate (for the same bead volume per unit weld length), as well as wire type and size, shielding gas composition and joint type (a butt joint in a flat position), were kept constant. Bead surface finish and geometry, deposition efficiency and maximum travel speed for each combination were evaluated. In conclusion, the use of negative polarity in the trail wire increased the deposition rate (higher travel speeds for the same bead) compared with the use of pulsed DCEP in both wires but at the cost of reduced operational robustness, as the conventional technique allowed a sound bead to be produced over a wider range of travel speeds. In addition, beads welded using negative polarity had smaller fusion zones and narrower heat-affected zones but higher convexities.

Double Wire MIG/MAG Welding; Negative Polarity; Filling Pass