Double-sided Arc Welding Increases Weld Joint Penetration

Welding time and joint preparation are among the most important factors dominating the cost and productivity of welding. If the desired penetration of the weld pool can be achieved in a single pass, the welding speed will be the major factor that determines the welding time. When the thickness of the part increases, grooves may have to be machined so that the desired penetration may still be obtained in a single pass. In this case, the welding time remains unchanged at the expense of groove preparation. If the thickness of the part further increases, multiple passes may become mandatory in addition to the joint preparation. Both the welding time and the cost for the joint preparation will significantly increase. However, if the penetration capability is increased so that joint preparation and multiple passes be eliminated, the resultant impact on cost and productivity will be quite significant.