Some tips on welding equipment, MIG and TIG welders, plasma cutters. ARC Welding : ARC welding is one of the oldest welding processes around. It uses either an AC or DC power supply to create an electric arc between the welding rod and the workpiece metal to melt the metals and join them together. This style of welding is relatively inexpensive and very portable but it does require some practice to get good consistent welds and the welds will probably require some arc weldercleaning up afterwards. ARC welding is less suited to welding thinner materials but there is a large range of specialist electrodes (welding rods) available for ARC welders depending on what materials you are welding. ARC welding is versatile but more suited to heavier applications.
Top welding tricks: how to become a more skilled welder and how to select the top welding equipment. Use the smallest tungsten that will get the job done. Use the smallest tungsten to get the job done. …within reason. Another way of saying this is don’t just use a 1/8” electrode for everything. There are jobs where a 1/8” electrode is great like for welding 3/16” thick aluminum. But what if you are welding on the edge of a .030” turbine blade? A .040” electrode will be plenty to handle the 15 amps and will give much better starts than even a 1/16” electrode. Too large an electrode can cause an erratic arc and contamination…and A bad start where the high frequency tries to arc up inside the cup and off the side of the tungsten can easily melt off a thin edge and scrap an expensive part. 2% thoriated or lanthanated tungsten electrodes hold up at high amperage better than most all other electrodes. When welding at higher amperages, often times you can use one size smaller electrode by using 2% thoriated or lanthanated. And that is a good thing.
Many companies get completely “bogged down” in the paperwork required to run a business. But with today’s latest technological advances, there are items that can be a great help. For instance, Lincoln Electric offers something called ArcWorks software which can document procedures, create drawings everyone in the shop can access, keep track of welding operator’s qualifications, and many other things. Software such as this can be tailored to the individual company’s needs and provide great efficiencies and also eliminate mistakes. Adding Robotics or Hard Automation to the Operation: Today’s technological advances offer many options. Robotics can be justified when the volume of parts a company produces is so great that it can offset the monies spent on a robot. Robotics can also be considered if there are a number of different parts that are similar enough in nature to be able to be handled by the same robot. If robots are not justified, a company might determine that fixturing or hard automation could be used to increase efficiency or quality. One company incorporated fixturing and clamps to hold down a tank while the seam was being welded. In another case, an automotive manufacturer decided that automation was necessary because of the amount of parts and intricate angles and welding positions. Searching for the best Welding Fume Extraction? We recommend Welding Supplies Direct & associated company TWS Direct Ltd is an online distributor of a wide variety of welding supplies, welding equipment and welding machine. We supply plasma cutters, MIG, TIG, ARC welding machines and support consumables to the UK, Europe and North America.
And another tip is use the old school type of collet body(not gas lens) and one size smaller cup than you would use for steel that still provides good shielding. A smaller old school (not gas lens) TIG cup confines the shielding gas envelope to the puddle so that arc energy is not wasted in the form of frosty cleaning action outside the weld. A lot of Old timers use the small cups, they just don’t know why. Pay attention next time you weld aluminum and use a small cup and then turn the shielding gas flow down to around 12-15 cfh with a #6 cup and see if things don’t quiet down a bit.
MIG Welding Increases Welding Speed: In addition to welding aluminum and other softer metals, MIG-welding works faster, provides cleaner welds, and handles many different types of metals. The downside is its complexity. MIG Welders need direct currents, a steady stream of inert gas, and precise control of their torches. The amount of heat generated from MIG welding provides the deep penetration required for a strong weld, while also melting the feed wire rapidly enough to maintain a higher welding speed than other techniques. Given the inert gas required for MIG welding, keep in mind that this technique cannot be conducted in windy areas. The Right Stick Electrode Increases Welding Speed: There are three kinds of electrodes used for stick welding: fast-fill, fill-freeze, and fast-follow. While each electrode has its advantages, the fast-fill electrodes melt quickly and allow welders to work faster.
Following some simple tips can help you take your MIG welding operation to the next level and ensure you are as safe, efficient and professional as any other shop. Welding helmets, gloves, close-toed shoes and clothes that fully cover exposed skin are essential. Make sure you wear flame-resistant natural fibers such as denim and leather, and avoid synthetic materials that will melt when struck by spatter, potentially causing burns. Also, avoid wearing pants with cuffs or shirts with pockets, as these can catch sparks and lead to injuries.
The arc is shaped like a cone, with the tip at the electrode and the base on the metal being welded. The closer the electrode is held to the metal, the smaller the base of the cone — but as you pull the electrode farther away, the base (and puddle) gets larger. If the puddle gets too large, gravity will simply pull it away from the base metal, leaving a hole. This is why thin-gauge metals are especially challenging for beginners. Perhaps the most important skill needed for TIG welding is moving the torch in a controlled manner, with steady forward movement, while keeping the gap between the tip of the electrode and the base metal consistently small — usually in the range of 1/8 inch to 3/16 inch. It requires a lot of practice to precisely control the arc length, keeping it as short as you can without allowing the electrode to touch the base metal or filler rod. Source: https://www.weldingsuppliesdirect.co.uk/.
