Copper-nickel alloys are often used in shipbuilding for applications such as tanks, seawater and freshwater piping, and numerous other structures. Copper-nickel pipe joints are typically welded with manual gas tungsten arc welding; however, inherently slow travel speeds and low deposition rates impede productivity. The implementation of pulsed gas metal arc welding (GMAW-P) could yield significant productivity benefits for semi-automatic, mechanized, or robotic applications through the use of faster travel speeds and increased deposition rates.
Under funding from the National Shipbuilding Research Program Advanced Shipbuilding Enterprise, EWI worked with two shipyards to explore the benefits of modern digitally controlled GMAW-P power sources and develop procedures that meet NAVSEA qualification requirements for these joints. EWI Applications Engineer Nick Kapustka and Business Development Manager for Government Programs Paul Blomquist have written Pulsed Gas Metal Arc Welding of Copper-nickel Pipe Joints to discuss this collaboration.
To read the paper, click here.