Optimizing Process Parameters for ASTM A36 Steel Welding with a Locally Manufactured Arc Welding Machine

In many different industries, welding is a common joining technique. However, due to a lack of finance, tiny fabrication businesses in Nigeria frequently use simple manual arc welding equipment. Although these systems enable necessary joining activities, their erratic performance over time degrades output and quality. Welds are unreliable and may need to be redone if the process parameters are not systematically understood. This also restricts the thickness of materials that may be employed. Through experiment design, this study sought to optimize the characteristics of a manually operated shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) machine. Current, voltage, electrode diameter, and travel speed were found to be important adjustable parameters. To examine how changes in these variables affect the results of weld quality, an experimental design was created. The manual SMAW machine's ideal parameters were determined to be 46.498 amps of current, 28.662 volts of voltage, 2.920 mm of electrode diameter, and 100 mm/min of travel speed. The anticipated tensile shear strength at these levels was 502.362 MPa, the micro hardness was 437.736 kgf/mm2, and the weld bead width was 6.124 mm. When compared to the machine's initial capabilities, performance under optimal conditions demonstrated increases in productivity, dependability, and defect reduction. To assist Nigeria's industrialization objectives, local technical skills can be sustainably developed through the methodical improvement of current resources.