Impacts of external longitudinal magnetic field on arc plasma and droplet during short-circuit GMAW

In gas metal arc welding, electromagnetic force, plasma stream force, gravity, and surface tension are the most important factors that affect metal transfer and spatter generation rate. In this paper, different kinds of external electromagnetic fields were introduced to gas metal arc welding (GMAW). The photos of arc plasma and droplet and electric signals covering welding current and arc voltage were acquired synchronously by an analysis and evaluation system based on LabView for GMAW. It was confirmed that the metal transfer frequency was improved, and spatter generation rate was diminished under controls of external electromagnetic fields. The influencing rules of external electromagnetic fields on electromagnetic force, the gravity, the plasma stream force, and surface tension were studied by three physical models, and the mechanism of external electromagnetic fields was revealed. This paper is for the purpose of discussing these factors and will make a profit for the application of electromagnetic coupling control to short-circuit GMAW.