The Paton Welding Journal, 2026, №03

2026 №03 (02)

DOI of Article 10.37434/tpwj2026.03.03

2026 №03 (04)

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The Paton Welding Journal, 2026, #3, 23-30 pages

Influence of dynamic liquid molten layer on joint formation during MIAB welding of pipes

V.S. Kachynskyi¹, D. Allford², V.I. Klymenko¹

¹E.O. Paton Electric Welding Institute of the NASU. 11 Kazymyr Malevych Str., 03150, Kyiv, Ukraine. E-mail: vskweld@gmail.com
²ARC SPECIALT IES 1730 Stebbins Drive, Houston, TX 77043-2807 USA

Abstract
The results of experimental and theoretical studies of the process of magnetically impelled arc butt (MIAB) welding of thickwalled pipes made of carbon and high-strength pipeline steels are presented. The study shows that the key factor in the formation of a high-quality welded joint is the controlled formation and retention of a continuous layer of molten metal in the gap between the pipe ends during the period immediately preceding upsetting. It is shown that the controlled motion of the arc in an external magnetic field ensures uniform heating along the perimeter and through the thickness of the edges, reduces local overheating, and minimizes deviations from the optimal values of the temperature field and heat-affected zone (HAZ) microstructure. A regime of combined arc-electrical contact heating is identified, in which large-area liquid contacts maintain a continuous molten layer even when welding pipes with a wall thickness exceeding the diameter of the active arc spots. It is experimentally confirmed that welded joints of pipes with diameters up to 320 mm and wall thicknesses up to 16 mm made of steels X70, X80, 09G2S, 35, STPG410, and 01Star520 exhibit strength and ductility characteristics at the level of the base metal, while the impact toughness at temperatures down to –40 °C is at least 80 % of that of the base metal. The process is implemented without the use of shielding gases and without subsequent post-weld heat treatment.
Keywords: magnetically impelled arc butt (MIAB) welding of thick-walled pipes, controlled magnetic field, molten metal, heat-affected zone, impact toughness

Received: 12.12.2025
Received in revised form: 19.02.2026
Accepted: 20.03.2026

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Suggested Citation

V.S. Kachynskyi, D. Allford, V.I. Klymenko (2026) Influence of dynamic liquid molten layer on joint formation during MIAB welding of pipes. The Paton Welding J., 03, 23-30. https://doi.org/10.37434/tpwj2026.03.03

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