Welding Process Controls and Best Welding Practices

WeldReality home page examines global weld shop issues that result from inexperienced weld management and engineers:

Optimize both Manual and Robot MIG Welds.

      The majority of the global robot and manual MIG welds, and also robot resistance welds are rarely optimized in most auto – truck plants. In the 1990 ‘s I started an auto -truck industry BAD WELD Section. Note, after a decade I had to stop with the inputs in this section as the auto – truck bad part weld recalls reported on the web were simply endless. In 2020  little has changed now and when it comes to weld issues I am sure Tesla will know that story.

One thing that should frustrate any engineer. manager, supervisor or technician that deals with arc welding robots, is why over five decades does the global weld industry seem to lack the ability to control the MIG process, with only two simple weld controls?     All the robot and manual MIG weld process control personnel will ever need for robot weld optimization is in my MIG process control program

Optimum Gas Shielded Flux Cored Welds achieved without weld personnel playing around with the flux Cored weld controls:

Welders often shy away from MIG or flux cored weld automation as few have learnt the required weld process controls and best weld practice requirements. To set a 1/4 (6mm) fillet weld on a mechanized carriage, using an 0.035 (1mm) E70S-3 wire with an argon 20% CO2 gas mix, provide the information below.

  • For the 1/4 fillet I set the 0.035 wire feed at ____.
  • – The MIG weld volts for the fillet will be____.
  • – The carriage weld travel rate is approx. ____.
  • – The best MIG torch angle is____ degrees.
  • – The best torch push angle is ____ degrees.
  • – Woops getting spatter, I better _____the volts.
  • – Woops, getting undercut, I better____ the_____.
  • – The weld is oversize, so I can increase the weld speed without touching the WF, so now I have to _____the weld volts.

FLUX CORED: With The next 1/4 fillet weld, you have have to set a 1/16 (1.6mm) E70T-1 wire on the weld carriage. The gas mix is CO2. Provide the flux cored weld data.

  • Set the 1/16 flux cored wire feed ____ inch/min.
  • – The the 1/16 flux core weld volts at____.
  • – The carriage weld travel rate is ____.
  • –  Push or pull the torch angle  ____.
  • – Woops getting spatter, I better _____the volts.
  • – Woops, getting undercut, I better____ the_____.
  • – The weld is a little oversize so I can increase this weld speed without touching the wire feed, so now I have to _____the weld volts.

The above weld data would be no big deal, if you understood the process controls and best weld practices for two weld processes that daily account for more than 80% of the welds produced. I simplified process controls with my easy to remember Weld Clock Process Control method for any MIG and Flux Cored welds. If you have to ask about MIG or Flux Cored weld data, or have to play around with weld controls, can you call yourself a “weld professional”.

      Using advanced TIG equipment can cause confusion in many weld shops in which the weld personnel may not fully comprehend the new electronic features available with advanced TIG equipment that offers more process controls than the TIG welders may be used to.

     With advanced TIG power sources you will have options such as Balance Wave and Hz controls that can offer amazing improvements with all TIG welds. However in an industry that’s slow to embrace change, if these new electronic process control features are not used or under utilized, then why purchase the premium priced TIG equipment in the first place? Remember there are consequences when the highest weld quality at the lowest weld costs is consistently not attained

     My TIG self teaching – training program available in the training resource section simplifies and provides the best possible training methods and weld practices that anyone would require to attain the best possible results with advanced TIG equipment. To get into the 21 st Century with TIG advanced controls click here. 

ADVANCED AC – DC TIG TRAINING PROGRAM FOR STEELS AND ALUMINUM

     TIP TIG is simply the worlds best manual or automated arc weld process for any metals and and especially for all code quality welds.  If you or your company is using regular TIG, Pulsed MIG, Hot or  Cold Wire TIG,  for your manual or automated welds, you are likely wasting extensive labor costs and resources, and reducing your weld & part quality potential.

     2018: For those interested in attaining the highest weld quality at the lowest costs, for the majority of alloy weld  and code quality weld applications, the regular TIG process should more than a decade ago have been replaced by the TiP TiG process. By the way I provide the world’s best  TIP TIG Self Teaching – Training Program.

Oxy Fuel Cutting Gases & Cutting Data

Info on Acetylene, Propane, Nat Gas, Propylene & Mapp Gases.