Bibliometric Analysis of Shielded Metal Arc Welding for Hardfacing Applications

This study provides a structured overview of research on hardfacing using the Shielded Metal Arc Welding (SMAW) process, a widely applied technique for enhancing wear, corrosion, and fatigue resistance in engineering components. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using 2,110 Scopus-indexed publications to review publication trends, dominant subject areas, leading contributing countries, and patterns of research collaboration. Data cleaning, descriptive analysis, and network mapping were performed using OpenRefine, Scopus Analyzer, and VOSviewer. The review shows that engineering and materials science form the core of SMAW hardfacing research, with India, the United States, and China leading global output. Frequent keywords highlight strong focus on welding processes, microstructural evaluation, mechanical performance, and corrosion behaviour. Collaboration mapping reveals nine active international clusters. Overall, the study identifies research hotspots, growth patterns, and gaps, offering a comprehensive reference for advancing innovation and future investigations in SMAW-based hardfacing.