Effect of submerged arc welding input parameters on area of penetration and area of reinforcement

Stainless steel (316) possesses higher strength to weight ratio, high toughness, and high tensile strength. It found extensive application in the fabrication of heat exchangers, boat fittings as wire rope clips, in making of tanks, springs and screws, Medical implants, and sinks. Welding of these materials has always been a challenging task. Submerged arc welding due to its various properties and specification has been found suitable for this type of work. In this research work, weld bead geometry parameters; Area of penetration (AP) and Area of reinforcement (AR) were optimized. An experimental design based on Response Surface Methodology (RSM) has been used. Welding current has been observed as the most important parameter among all the chosen parameters.