Numerical and experimental investigation for the cladding of AISI 304 stainless steel on mild steel substrate using Gas Metal Arc Welding

In the present study, Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) is used to deposit AISI 304 stainless steel layer on the mild steel substrate. The cladding parameters like welding voltage and feed rate have been varied to identify the deposited AISI 304 stainless steel bead profile and factors affecting the bead deposition on the mild steel substrate. Microscopic and EDS analysis confirms the successful deposition of the stainless steel layer on the mild steel substrate. The GMAW parameters like welding voltage and wire feed rate (WFR) govern the AISI 304 clad bead quality like clad profile, heat affected zone (HAZ), and clad penetration. A numerical model has also been developed using a double ellipsoidal heat source to identify the effect of welding parameters on the clad bead. The developed numerical model identifies the temperature distribution along with the clad bead profile and the model is identical with the experimental results. The experimental results showed that a non-uniform weld bead formation has been observed at lower voltage (14 V) and low WFR (3 m/min). The clad bead quality has improved with an increase in the welding voltage (16 V & 18 V) and wire feed rate (5 m/min & 7 m/min). However, cladding at a high wire feed rate (7 m/min) results in low dilution of the clad material with the substrate.