Have you ever thinked about all the consequences of spatter while performing a welding procedure?
The spatter, generated and released from the deposition of the weld bead, is able to heat and generate the explosion of flammable substances. It is recommended never to carry out a welding operation in areas exposed to gases, vapors, flammable liquids or environments containing powders or fibers that may cause an explosion, especially with processes that are traditionally more likely to generate welding spatter.
Among several potential hazards that welding offers to the welder, the spatter drastically affects the comfort of the operation, especially when performed in confined environments, forcing the operator to equip themselves with a heavy and low ergonomic clothing.
The aesthetics of the weld bead, even if it does not have an impact on weld strength or operator safety alone, can not be overlooked. On weld beads that will be visible on products with high added value such as automobiles, the presence of weld spatter can be considered as lack of care and preparation in the execution of the procedure, increasing the cost of production with additional cleaning operations.
Besides these factors, there is another one in the generation of spatters very relevant in certain welding processes, the mechanical-metallurgical factor. Contrary to much of the commercial and scientific literature, spatters can determine weld strength in welding processes. The coating of sheets by welding has several objectives, such as protection against abrasion, corrosion, cavitation and other types of wear. When there is presence of spatter, the contact region between these and the coating or the part itself can generate a facilitator of formation and propagation of defects and wear systems.
In fluid transport and other tools that work under constant friction, parametrization of processes that do not generate spatter or subsequent cleaning and physical homogenization of the surface is paramount for the qualification of the procedure.
The causes of spattering are diverse and can occur due to welding parameters used and cleaning and improper preparation of the material. In addition to the correction of these, there are some anti-spatter products that can be applied in the periphery of the region of the surface to be welded to prevent the adherence of the spatters on the metal surface.
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