Electrocontact-discharge forge welding of steel bars

Similar and dissimilar couples of bars of SAE 1020, 1045 or 5160 steels were forge welded. The couples were electrocontact-discharge heated by using an ac arc-welding machine and by contacting and separating intermittently the bars (electrodes). Tension tests were used for evaluating the quality of the welds. All steel couples could be welded, fracture occurring some millimeters away from the welded interface.