Understanding fume formation by GMAW

The control of exposure to welding fume is necessary to meet health and safety obligations. The work reported here is a continuation of a successful Cooperative Research Centre project, that has revealed how two different mechanisms are responsible for generation of fume in Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW). Models of fume formation have now been developed and compared with experimental measurements of total fume formation rate, fume composition and the fraction of Chrome VI in the fume from stainless steel GMAW. These models give an insight into how process modification might be used to control fume at source. Control at source is believed to be the most cost effective and energy efficient technique for dealing with welding fume. It is anticipated that the understanding, gained from this project, will be applied to determine the practical limits for the control of welding fume at its source.