Qualitative Study of Status of Indigenous Arc Welding Equipments in India

Abstract

Energy contributes to less than 2% of arc welding process cost. However, the way energy is controlled dynamically in the weld gap, its role becomes catalytic in nature to the whole process, beyond weld gap. In open or close loop, manual, semi-automatic or automatic mode of operation, power source is lone actuating element in the whole arc welding process influencing not only output characteristics, but also on other input elements. Welding equipment together with efficient method converts arc welding process load as efficient in electrical energy domain. Matching of power source and equipment is essential. However, in many developing countries in the world the matching is yet to take place causing a lot of all round concerns, wastage and productivity are a few of them. Concern is, India being a large size large growing country, also falls in that category. Indian process is heavily inclined to SMAW process using old fashioned equipments. Among population of arc welding equipments, CC power sources are dominant. This makes, ironically enough, data generation and its analysis easy. As it is difficult to have direct and correct statistical data, this article takes the route of qualitative analysis on the status of arc welding equipments in India.