Study of metal transfer control in underwater wet FCAW using pulsed wire feed method

A metal transfer control method based on pulsed wire feed technology is adopted to ameliorate the underwater flux-cored arc wet welding quality. The stability of the welding process is improved with appropriate pulse parameters. The influences of pulse parameters on the metal transfer process are clarified using an X-ray transmission method. Pulse frequency has more of an effect on weld appearance and welding stability than pulse duty factor. Thirty to forty hertz is an appropriate frequency bound for a stable metal transfer process. The repelled metal transfer percentage decreases with increasing droplet growth speed. The inertia force shortens the metal transfer period and prompts droplet transfer into the pool. When the pulse frequency is less than 40 Hz, the base speed time is long enough for the inertia force to act on the droplet. But if the pulse frequency is below 20 Hz, the peak wire feed speed will be sustained for a long time, and the short-circuit frequency increases from 1 to 2.5 Hz; as a result, the welding stability and the welding appearance deteriorate. For the wire employed in this study, better welding stability is obtained at 30 Hz, while the pulse duty factor is 2.