Ultrasound in arc welding: a review

During the last decade, the introduction of ultrasound techniques in arc welding with the intention of improving the operational performance and technical characteristics of the welding processes have been studied intensively. In this work is presented a broad review of the literature surrounding the utilization of this technique. Firstly, we discuss the use of traditional mechanical transducers to generate ultrasound in arc welding. Furthermore, we describe the various methods and their application in arc-welding processes. After, is presented a recent method of introducing ultrasonic energy in arc welding, which forms a potential alternative to the use of traditional mechanical type transducers. This method was originally developed in the late 1990s and is called arc with ultrasonic excitation of current. Here, the arc acts not only as a thermal source but also as an emission mechanism for ultrasound, acting directly on the weld pool. We presented and discussed various innovative concepts based on this method, which allows the introduction of ultrasonic energy in the arc welding without the need of any auxiliary device of welding. In addition, we also presented the variations of this method reported in the literature. Finally, we have described the respective effects attributed to the use of this method in the welding of different materials using various welding processes.