Ultrasonic assisted tungsten inert gas (U-TIG) welding method was developed. Both U-TIG and conventional TIG welding of AISI 304 stainless steel with 5 mm thickness were experimentally studied in this paper. The results show that the penetration depth is increased up to 300% for weld made with U-TIG welding compared with conventional TIG welding. Ultrasonic energy enhances arc push force, causes a continual high frequency oscillation in the arc plasma and increases welding penetration. These effects are thought to be responsible for enhancing the welding efficiency and improving the appearance of stainless steel weld joints.
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