Plasma arc welding (PAW) finds extensive use in aerospace applications because of its ability to weld thick metal sections with few passes and high quality. This effort will investigate means to build on past developments by improving the design of the PAW torch, reducing the variability of the process, and allowing it to be used for applications that are presently inaccessible. Four individual enhancements to the PAW torch will be investigated: direct control of pressure in the plasma gas stream; enhanced inert-gas shielding to minimize oxidation; methods of eliminating arc skew; and a reduced torch envelope. The first three items will reduce variability, thereby improving the quality of welds. The last item will allow mechanized PAW to be used in applications with tighter geometric constraints.The improved PAW torch would find a ready market for its better reliability and repeatability in commercial applications in which aluminum is used, such as the automotive and aircraft industries.plasma-arc welding, torch, pressure, shield, skew, envelopeSTATUS: Phase I Only
