Published online by Cambridge University Press: 11 May 2015
This paper focuses on the impact of process parameters of gas metal arc welding (GMAW) on the mechanisms of fail and wear present in the contact tips (CT), component located in the welding gun, when high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel is welded with ER70S - 0.045” copper coated electrode in manual mode. By means of chemical analysis the alloy was identified as C12200. It was also identified that the maximum temperature reached by the CT is 850° C. 30 samples were obtained that had different lifetime, which were analyzed by stereoscope and its behavior against wear was determined by using an equation of relative wear. Microstructural changes as recrystallization and grain growth undergone by these CT were also evidenced by light microscopy. In addition the changes in their mechanical properties such as decrease in their hardness to about of half that initially had. Finally some significant samples were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM); microanalysis was used to identify the exchange of matter leaving from the electrode in the CT and spatter into the hole of the component.