Sustainable Analysis of TIG Parameters for Welding Aluminum Alloy Considering Joint Gap and Welding Current

Many welding processes are existent in the industry today. Stricter environmental regulations, increasing cost of power supply have made energy conservation, one of the top priorities for manufacturing industries. Selection of optimum welding parameters plays a crucial role in attaining sustainability in part manufacturing. Welding is an energy-intensive process, finding its application in different industrial operations. The stimulated growth and progress of society ensures ever-increasing demand for welding. The Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding is an extensively practiced and highly energy-intensive operation. Numerous parameters play a crucial role in the achieved joint quality among which joint gap and welding current are the primary factors affecting the joint strength. The metal processing sector is a dominant energy consumer. A progressive step towards sustainability is highly dependent on the energy profile of welding processes. The current research centers around the identification of the most influential process parameter on energy efficiency and selection of most relevant welding parameters (joint gap and welding current) aiming at reduced energy cost without sacrificing the joint strength. The proposed methodology is implemented using a case study involving TIG welding for butt joint on aluminium 5182 alloy.