Abstract
This paper investigates the mechanisms that contribute to the spreading of liquid metal macro-drop deposited during Stationary Pulsed Gas Metal Arc Welding on an initially cold solid workpiece. Surface tension and inertial effects take an important part in the behaviour of the liquid metal macro-drop, but in this configuration the influence of energetic effects can also be significant. The experimental results are discussed in the light of dimensional analysis in order to appreciate the influence of the process parameters and the physical mechanisms involved on the spreading of a macro-drop. A law is established to model forced non-isothermal spreading.