LAUSR

Abstract Establishing an open keyhole throughout work-piece is the key to penetrate work-piece fully in gas focusing plasma arc welding. In order to study heat transfer, metal flow and keyhole surface evolution in gas focusing plasma arc welding, the three dimensional mathematical model is developed. Arc heat model and plasma arc pressure model are used to describe heat and force action in gas focusing plasma arc welding. Temperature field, fluid flow in weld pool and keyhole evolution are simulated. It is found that metal in weld pool front flows bypass keyhole wall toward weld pool back. Center line of keyhole channel is crocked instead of going along z-axis. The calculated weld shape agrees with the experimental data basically. This work may enrich theoretical knowledge about the complicated thermal physical process and provide basic data to guide welding application in gas focusing plasma arc welding.