Using AC/DC

W A V E F O R M C O N T R O L T E C H N O L O G Y ®

AC/DC Submerged Arc Welding

The AC/DC SAW process is the ideal choice for high-deposition, high-speed welds that can be made in the 1G position. Whether your applications demands a single arc or up to five synchronized arcs, AC/DC SAW with the Power Wave will increase weld speeds and yield higher quality welds.

In multiple arc welding, as many as 5 arcs operate in a single weld puddle. The positive and negative polarity phases of the AC waveform can be independently adjusted, as well as the cycle balance. Changes to the combination of any of these values will change the deposition rate, penetration, and travel speed, without changing the voltage or current settings.

Typical DC-AC two-arc combinations can be replaced with AC/DC Power Waves for either AC/DC or AC/AC welding applications.

PROCESS

3/6

How

AC/DC Submerged Arc Works in a Multi-Arc Environment

When more than one arc is present, arc interaction plays an important role in the behavior of the weld. Two positive electrodes pull together because their magnetic fields attract each other. Two negative electrodes also pull together. One negative and one positive electrode repel or push against each other. By phase shifting the AC waveforms the amount of “push” and “pull” of the arc interaction can be balanced. This is the reason multi-arc processes use alternating current to minimize arc blow.

500

-500

In this example, both electrodes are either always positive, or always negative, causing a constant “pull”. Constant “pulling” will lead to arc blow, penetration, and bead appearance problems.

500

-500

Similar to the way a single arc process allows operator

flexibility through manipulation of the waveform, the dual arc process is controlled by shifting the phase of the waveform.

In the above waveform, the amount of time that both

electrodes are positive is balanced with the amount of time

that one is positive and one is negative.

T h e	f u t u r e	o f	w e l d i n g	i s	h e r e . ®