An Experimental Study of the Gas Metal Arc Welding Ultraviolet Effect as a Function of the Distance

Arc welding produces several harmful health effects on the welder. The authors wanted to determine the intensity of ultraviolet (UV) radiation as a function of distance from the welding. The research focused on the UV radiation generated during the arc welding process, as it is a widely used process in industrial practice today. Several tests were performed on the gas metal arc welding process (GMAW) during the experiment. The arc welding UV effect investigation was made with three different shielding gases C1 (CO₂), M21 (82% Ar-18% CO₂) and M20 (10% CO₂ - 30% He - 60% Ar) as a function of the arc distance. The used gas metal arc welding (GMAW) process is a common, easily automated technology. In the case of robot welding, the robot and the human operators have to be separated to assure safety. The research focuses on a collaborative workshop where the robots and the human operators are not separated; they are working together. In the collaborative workshop, it needs to assure the safety of the operators with virtual curtains. The danger zone determination is key to determining the virtual border around the welder robot. The goal of the research is the danger zone determination based on the health damage effects. The biggest health-damaging effect of arc welding is the UV effect. The result of the research is the danger zone determination made based on the UV radiation level.