For the home page of the world's largest web site on MIG
and flux cored, visit www.weldreality.com. Click here.

MIG EQUIPMENT AND
MIG WELD CONSUMABLES.

WELCOME TO ED'S PERSONNEL POINT OF VIEW:





MIG weld equipment can be simple or complex.
You can pay a $1000 or $12000 and produce similar weld quality.

Next time you consider paying $6000 to $12000 for that MIG power source,
keep in mind that sound MIG welds can be made with
two car batteries and a wire feed gun.

 

A complete Pulsed MIG equipment package including the wire feed control is available in North America in the price range of $4000 to $12500. What do you get for that $8000 difference?

When selecting MIG equipment for the weld shop, the weld shop decision maker has many opportunities to throw good money out of the weld shop window.


<2007: Pulsed has in the past two decades caused tremendous issues for shops that robot weld common carbon steel and stainless applications.

After years of painful, slow pulsed equipment development, I have found two pulsed MIG power sources that can provide "limited" application weld benefits for MIG welding carbon and stainless steel welds.

Most of the pulsed weld issues that are provided at this site are not with the logical pulsed mode of weld transfer. The pulsed issues are with the pulsed weld equipment manufactures who were responsible the following.

[a] Two decades of unqualified, exaggerated pulsed weld process hype that added to the global weld shop confusion.

[b] Providing faulty pulsed equipment to the welding market and providing no pulsed product recalls. The bottom line is numerous, global weld shops were left with erratic performing equipment that in many instances negatively affected both the weld quality and productivity.

[c] Weld equipment manufacturers who produced pulsed MIG equipment that is extremely costly to repair and rarely made it through the product's warranty period.

 

Visit all the MIG and flux
cored programs at this site.

TO LEARN FROM THE WELDING PAST, IS TO AVOID WELD MISTAKES AND THE WELD COST CONSEQUENCES THAT WILL OCCUR IN THE FUTURE.

 

1980s. PULSED NORTH AMERICA:

MILLER ELECTRIC. THE INTRODUCTION OF THE PULSEDSTAR PULSED MIG EQUIPMENT. THE BIRTH PLACE OF NORTH AMERICAN PULSED BOVINE FECAL MATTER.

In the nineteen eighties, the largest technical college in Vancouver Canada purchased Miller's first pulsed MIG power source, the Miller "PulsedStar". This pulsed equipment cost the college 300 to 400% more than a traditional CV. MIG power source.

The Vancouver technical college was exited about it's investment in new weld technology. For many weeks the instructors at the college tried to get the Miller pulsed power source to produce a simple vertical up fillet weld with an 0.045 (1.2mm) MIG steel wire on a 6 mm steel plate. All position MIG weld capability was one of the prime features touted by the pulsed MIG equipment manufacturers.

(Note: Vertical up welds were not attainable from regular MIG equipment using spray transfer).

As the weld process control training manager for Linde, Western Canada, I was considered an expert on the MIG process, I was also a strong advocate of Miller welding equipmet. The Vancouver college asked if I would visit and see what I could do with their costly pulsed MIG package. I was exited to work with the so called new pulsed technology and scheduled a day to weld with the Miller PulsedStar.

I set that PulsedStar power source at every possible wire feed, voltage and pulsed frequency combination possible. The PulseStar simply could not provide a suitable wire feed / pulsed parameter combination to MIG weld a common "vertical up fillet" and to add insult to injury, the pulsed welds made in the flat and horizontal weld positions were vastly inferior to those made when the pulsed mode was switched off and the traditional spray transfer was utilized.

For many years after my introduction to the Pulsed Star I went around North America turning the pulsed mode off and teaching the disgruntled Miller customers how to set traditional spray and short circuit with this equipment.

 

It's important for the reader to note, that in the nineteen eighties, up to the development of pulsed MIG equipment, that without question Miller built some of the world's best MIG equipment.

The Miller Delta Weld product line, was for decades and still is my first choice for customers who want the world's best performing, traditional, CV, MIG equipment.

 

AFTER THE USELESS MILLER PULSEDSTAR THE UNSTABLE, FORGETTABLE PULSED MAXTRON FOLLOWED : After the PulseStar came the pulsed Miller Maxtron. This unstable pulsed MIG power source does not deserve one positive line in this web site.

WHO COULD ENVISION THE PROBLEMS WITH THE THIRD PULSED POWER SOURCE FROM MILLER, THE INVISION:

After the Miller Maxtron which provided no cost or quality weld benefits for carbon steels or stainless welds, steel welds, Miller provided the pulsed Invision. This power source went through more E-Prom changes than I have had pints of Guinness.

Finally the Miller Accupulse. If you used this equipment on robot steel / stainless applications using pulsed and the adaptive arc mode, you may have been getting arc instability, arc ignition issues, arc outage or wire burn back issues to the contact tips. Many of the pulsed adaptive arc issues that Miller had on their <2004 equipment were similar issues they had on their pulsed equipment made a decade earlier.


2007: Keep in mind for the last two decades, pulsed MIG equipment was typically sold to weld shops where traditional, low cost, none pulsed CV MIG equipment was utilized. The approx. $2000 CV equipment provided great MIG and FCAW application potential, good arc stability and for many weld shops the CV equipment lasted ten to twenty years.

It's logical to wonder why the MIG equipment manufactures you are loyal to, did not thoroughly test their pulsed MIG equipment before selling it to your company.

For those weld shops that purchased pulsed MIG equipment before 2005 and noted arc instability, (especially on robot welds) or short longevity, the MIG equipment manufacturers are not likely to compensate you for their poor performing, over priced MIG weld equipment. It's beneficial that all weld decision makers be aware of the potential short falls and idiosyncrasies of the pulsed equipment purchased.

 

2003: MILLER AND PULSED MIG DILEMMA. A VP at a tier one supplier, asked that I analyze it's numerous weld process issues. This company had purchased over 100 Miller Invision 11, Pulsed MIG units. The MIG weld equipment was required for the companies new robot lines and manual weld repair stations. After three months in production the shop found it had become impossible to produce consistent, MIG weld quality. There was welding chaos at the plant and the daily robot weld repair rate was over 60%.

The plant management team had no doubt what the cause of the welding problem was, they had placed the responsibility for the weld issues on the shoulders shop floor workers. After evaluating the weld issues, in my report I spelled out that the majority of weld faults were not caused by the robots or workers. The weld issues predominately were caused by the Miller weld equipment selected by the management.

It's a pity this tier one company management and engineers had minimal MIG weld process expertise. These managers also did not understand the meaning of equipment ownership. If the management had purchased Miller or Lincoln's "none pulsed" lower cost, more durable, CV MIG equipment, they would have saved the plant approx. $600,000,00 on the MIG equipment purchase and with a little MIG weld process control training for the management, engineers and employees they could have got their daily weld repair rate to less than 5%.

 

 

2005: MILLER AND PULSED MIG DILEMMA. In February 2005, I was asked to assist a Canadian tier one auto supplier with it's automated steel welds. The welds were made with the latest Miller Accupulse MIG equipment. Each part required two simple yet critical welds that were only 20 to 25 mm in length. When I examined the small welds two things stood out.

[1] Over 70% of the Accupulse weld length was a concave smooth surface crater.

[2] In the middle of each weld crater was a large pore and with many of the crater pores you could see without magnification one or two cracks propagating into the crater.

The large weld crater and large weld pore was strictly a result of the Accupulse equipment. Irrespective of what weld data I placed into the ridiculous palm pilot weld control, the results were the same, "a large crater with a large pore".
I worked for more than 10 hours to get rid of the crater and pore issues however it was hopeless. Also there was no control for the MIG wire burn back and this function was automatically controlled by the power source. I believe that the power source delivered an excessive high voltage for the wire burn back and this voltage resulted in the crater defects.

The Miller Accupulse crater defects had gone on for months. Miller's response to the engineers at the auto company was that the equipment was still in the Beta phase (they seem to provide the Beta excuse for just about most MIG electronic power source they had built between 1980 and 2000. The Miller solution to the serious weld defects was at the end of the weld re-strike the arc. However due to limitations in the automated equipment and PLC controls there was no way to re-strike the arc. FOR FOUR YEARS, the Canadian auto company produced parts in which the small length welds had more crater than weld and the majority of the welds had cracks. Many of the parts welded would eventually lead to failure, however as they were only American car parts, who gives a dam.

There were grave cost consequences for the weld issues generatyed at the plant. The apathetic weld management at the plant could have readily sued Miller. However to sue a company over weld issues, you need management and engineers who understand and can prove the root cause for their daily weld issues. You won't find many too managers or engineers in the auto / truck industry that have this fundamental weld process expertise.

HOW PULSED MIG EQUIPMENT
INFLUENCED MY CAREER:

IN DEALING WITH STEEL MIG WELD APPLICATIONS, I MUST HAVE SPENT ALMOST THREE DECADES GOING FROM ONE WELD SHOP TO ANOTHER, TURNING OFF THE USELESS, ERRATIC PULSED PARAMETERS THAT WERE IMPOSED ON THE STEEL WELDS AND SWITCHING THE EQUIPMENT BACK TO THE TRADITIONAL, CV, STABLE SHORT CIRCUIT OR SPRAY MODES.


In Dec. 2007, I am still switching Miller, Lincoln Power Waves and Panasonic pulsed equipment back to the CV mode to improve the customers weld performance

"SO" HOW'S THE MIG EQUIPMENT
IN YOUR WELD SHOP?

[] Are your weld equipment purchases influenced by purchasing managers or by the unqualified weld shop personal preferences, rather than by weld application considerations and weld transfer mode and process logic?

[] Did you purchase Japanese MIG welding equipment on the belief that the Japanese can produce excellent electronic equipment. When the weld reality was the designers of the pulsed MIG equipment obviously knew little about weld requirements, arc characteristics, weld transfer modes and weld application requirements.

[] Is your weld shop immersed in a culture and weld shop myths that restrict the ability to make rational weld equipment decisions?

[] Do your weld decision makers look to a biased weld salesmen and respond to glossy, weld equipment brochure promises that rarely deliver.

[] Does your weld shop have eight different MIG weld power sources, seven different MIG and flux cored wire types and and six different gas mixes. This is always an indication of lack of weld process expertise?

[] Are you still wondering why you paid three hundred percent more for that pulsed equipment and the weld improvements achieved are marginal?

 

MIG equipment. Why pay
more than you have to.

I have been evaluating MIG equipment for approx. 40 years. I have established optimum MIG welds in more than a thousand companies in a dozen countries. I have never had a problem attaining optimum manual or automated weld quality and productivity with traditional low cost CV equipment on none pipe carbon steel / stainless applications. However times and equipment change. Their are limited, real world, cost effective benefits for common carbon steel and stainless welds which are now derived from specific > 2005 pulsed equipment.

 

Before 1990, the best, traditional CV MIG welding equipment in the world was manufactured and built in the USA by three companies,
[1] Linde. (Union Carbide.
[2] Miller.
[3] Hobart.

For those of you that think I forgot Lincoln, some of the pre 1990 Lincoln MIG equipment that I evaluated, I believed was on par with the substandard MIG equipment you would typically find made in a third world country.

 

 

2006: Welding Steel Plate and
Rational Weld Equipment Selection:

 

NEW EQUIPMENT.

THE Miller "PipePro"

APPROX. $11000 WITH THE WIRE FEEDER.

 

LOOKING FOR THAT MIG
EQUIPMENT SUITED TO PIPE WELDS?

If you weld pipe you know that sometimes you will want to weld with SMAW, MIG, FCAW, and GTAW. Miller states the PipePro does it all.

PIPEPRO PLUS: The PipePro is a multi-purpose MIG power source that offers RMD (Regulated Metal Deposition). The RMD mode is a modified short circuit process. The RMD process lowers the short circuit current (short circuits per second) available for a given wire feed rate, and also offers dynamic puddle control.

Note: If you rotate your pipe joints there are no advantages from the RMD process in contrast to traditional short circuit transfer. The RMD mode is primarily advantageous in the the 5 to 7 o'clock over head position.

PIPEPRO PLUS. The PipePro is also unique as it has a MIG pulsed program that is actually suited to some all position pipe fill passes.

Note: The pulsed mode of weld transfer cannot compete with the gas shielded flux cored process on the majority of al position pipe applications.

2006: PIPEPRO NEGATIVE: ELECTRONIC INSTABILITY AND MILLER'S INABILITY TO TEST IT'S PRODUCTS BEFORE BRINGING THEM TO THE WELDING MARKET: When testing the PIPEPRO I did see some arc pulsed instability and there were soft ware problems on the unit I tested. Miller has been consistent in bringing electronic equipment to weld shops without adequate, controlled field weld tests.

PIPEPRO NEGATIVE: RIDICULOUS PRICE: At approx. $11,000 per-unit, this weld equipment is I believe way overpriced.

Note: Most pipe fill weld passes can be made successfully with a $2000 MIG power source and all position flux cored wires that cost around $1.70 lb. I believe its obscene to pay the price of a car for the price of a MIG weld power source package. Hopefully prices will come down dramatically when more companies offer similar electronic features.

PIPEPRO NEGATIVE: PALM PILOT: The equipment I tested, had soft ware issues and we did not have a ridiculous palm pilot to view or change the weld data.


Note to Miller. For gods sake put optimum weld programs in the equipment, palm pilots and computers have no place in a weld shop.

PIPEPRO POSITIVE: SIMPLE TO SET: High marks to Miller for simple operation and actually focussing on the pipe weld applications. The PipePro also provided settings for both Argon - 15%CO2 gas mix and for the 0.040 steel MIG wires.

Note to Miller: I developed the 15% CO2 gas mix for the USA market over 20 years ago. As for the 0.040 wire, I am the only person in north America that has AGGRESSIVELY promoted this wire size since the 1980s. Well done Miller for using my suggestions, don't forget to send a Hallmark cards of thanks.

 

MIG WELD EQUIPMENT VERSUS
WELD CONSUMABLES:

 

2007: When welding all position pipe fill passes or vertical up and overhead structural welds, the pipe welder has many equipment and consumable choices, yet its at this time, for any electronic MIG weld equipment to compete with all position, gas shielded, flux cored weld wires.

Please note: When welding with the gas shielded flux cored wires, a low cost CV MIG power source will always provide the best weld performance and optimum weld energy requirements.

 

 

CONSIDERING A "MULTI-PROCESS" POWER SOURCE?

Is it logical to pay an unnecessary high price for CC/CV equipement,
if the none MIG and flux cored processes are rarely used?

 

Are you considering a none pulsed, multi-process unit that enables MIG / SMAW / TIG / FCAW / ARC GOUGING.

The majority of these power sources are used by companies who's MIG welders rarely utilize the multi-process capability. In contrast to traditional CV. MIG equipment you can pay approx. $1000 to $2500 extra for the multi-process equipment.

A logical approach for a weld shop that is looking to purchase a number of multi-process MIG CC/CV units is to purchase the lower cost, standard CV equipment. Then purchase a single CC unit capable of TIG / SMAW / Arc gouging. The CC unit can be mounted on wheels and readily transported around the shop. Remember when your welders are welding with the GTAW and SMAW process, your company typically is not producing cost affective welds.

For those of you interested in MIG / FCAW weld process optimization, you may want to note that the typical slope out put from a multi-process, CC/CV power source is typically steeper than the slope out put of a traditional of a regular CV power source.

The bottom line is, for a given wire feed rate, you simply don't get the typical amount of weld current delivered by a good CV unit, and you can end up with inferior welds, especially on steel applications > 4 mm thick.

 

A LOW COST, FAST SOLUTION TO YOUR ROBOT AND MANUAL WELD ISSUES. PHONE HELP.... Ed has resolved over 1000 companies weld issues and many weld issues were resolved on the phone. [] Are you having robot or manual weld issues that affect your weld quality productivity or down time? [] Are you ready to purchase weld equipment, gases or consumables and would rather not waste your money?, [] Do you want the best method or procedure for a specific MIG / FCAW / SAW / PLASMA / GTAW application? Call Ed at 828 658 3574, (eastern standard time USA). The one day weld resolution fee is $375 paid with Visa or MC.   PLANT HELP.... Ed will also visit you facility and provide hands on, instant solutions to all your robot / manual MIG and flux cored weld issues and if you require provide a unique, highly cost effective process control training program. In one to three days you will experience dramatic improvements in your MIG and flux cored weld quality and productivity.

 

 

 

Finally from Miller a pulsed power source that works:

2006: A REASONABLE PRICED PULSED POWER SOURCE, THE MILLERMATIC 350P: The Millermatic 350P enables 208/230 or 460/575 V, single- and three-phase input power, a duty-cycle rating of 60 percent at 300 amps / 32 volts, a 25 to 400 amp output, and line voltage compensation. This power source provides good pulsed, short circuit and spray weld characteristics for carbon steels, stainless and aluminum. Most of this power source pulsed weld benefits are derived on steel / stainless parts < 4 mm. [] GAGE STEEL WELDS, INCONSISTENCY & WELD SPATTER: Everyone who welds with MIG short circuit (SC) knows that on sheet metal applications > 0.100 (> 2 mm), some steel and stainless short circuit weld can be sluggish and provide questionable weld fusion. Sluggish SC welds will often leave inconsistent weld results especially with short weld lengths. There are four simple weld solutions: [1] Use a grinder. [2] Pay a premium for a high energy gas mix like 90 He - 7.5 - Ar 2.5 Co2. [3] Purchase a pulsed power source. [4] Lowest cost solution: Get my book and learn how to set correct short circuit data with minimum weld spatter and also learn how to utilize low end spray parameters with an 0.035 (1 mm) wire, a low energy gas mix for parts over 2 mm. The Miller 350P power source provides good pulsed weld wetting for the normally sluggish short circuit welds on steel parts 2 to 3 mm. If you weld stainless food processing equipment in which the weld surface has to be smooth, in contrast to short circuit, you will see instant weld benefits from the 350P and reduce your stainless weld surface grinding. For welding steels less than 2 mm, this power source can weld 18 gage and produce less spatter than short circuit. By the way Miller made poor MIG gas recommendations for use with this equipment. If you want to spend less money on your stainless MIG gas mixes and get better weld results, check out the MIG gas recommendations at this site.

 

 

Visit all the Weld Process Control Programs at this site View Ed's Weld Process Control Training Resources

 

 

OTC-DAIHEN. PULSED MIG POWER SOURCE: ED'S FIRST CHOICE FOR ROBOT PULSED WELDS AND FOR ANY MIG WELDS IN WHICH CONSISTENT PULSED WELD QUALITY IS ESSENTIAL. IDEAL FOR ANY ALLOY OR ANY THICKNESS : IF PURCHASING A PULSED POWER SOURCE, AND MY CRITERIA WAS: [a] "CONSISTENT" PULSED WELD QUALITY. [b] EXCELLENT PRE-ESTABLISHED PULSED WELD SCHEDULES. [c] THE NEED TO MAKE PULSED PARAMETER ADJUSTMENTS FOR UNIQUE WELD APPLICATIONS SUCH HEAT SENSITIVE PARTS AND CLADDING WITH HIGH ALLLOY WELD WIRES SUCH STAINLESS OR INCONEL. [d] THE NEED TO PURCHASE "DURABLEPULSED MIG EQUIPMENT". [e] THE NEED TO HAVE A CUSTOMIZED PULSED PROGRAM MADE AND FOR YOU TO COMMUNICATE WITH A WELD EQUIPMENT COMPANY THAT ACTUALLY LISTENS TO IT'S CUSTOMERS. OTC DAIHEN IN THE USA. 763 286 6420.

1986- 2006: UNDERSTANDING THE LAST TWO DECADES:

< 2005: The worst MIG equipment found in the industrial world is typically found throughout Europe and Asia.

Thanks to companies like Miller, Linde, Hobart, for decades the USA could claim the world's best CV MIG equipment. However during the last decade, thanks to the common, growing process ignorance found throughout the North American auto / truck industry, Japanese MIG equipment became common with Big Three and Tier suppliers. While Japan can claim the world's best cars, from a welding perspective, Japan's claim to welding fame during the last two decades was that it produced most of the world's worst quality MIG welds.

<2005: JAPANESE BEST MANUFACTURING PRACTICES RARELY INCLUDED MIG WELDING, THAT WAS TRUE TEN YEARS AGO, IT'S STILL TRUE IN MOST JAPANESE AUTO / TRUCK PLANTS TODAY.

 

The reason for the bad welds: In contrast to North America, Japan had few industrial air separation plants. Without access to reasonably priced argon and argon mixes, Japan was stuck with CO2 as it's primary MIG welding gas.

The CO2 would of course not produce spray transfer. This weld gas also provides a limited short circuit weld parameter range. If you want to weld parts with traditional MIG equipment and those parts are > 1.8 mm, the 180 plus amps with straight CO2 produces erratic "globular transfer."

For decades in Japan you carried out this practice. First you MIG weld the parts, then you grind off the poor weld profiles and excessive weld spatter. Hopefully you are all aware of the negative aspects of the "globular weld transfer" from the highly reactive CO2 MIG process.

The CO2 weld transfer mode at weld currents above 180 amps produces erratic weld transfer, fusion concerns and extensive weld spatter. Globular transfer can also occur with argon mixes and poor weld parameters.

As MIG weld robots evolved in Japan in the 1980s and the British did development work on the pulsed process, the Japanese weld industry had minimal experience with the world's most popular spray transfer weld mode. Japan with it's domination in robotics addressed the lack of argon gas in it's country and it's poor CO2 MIG weld quality by developing sophisticated electronics for its manual and robot MIG welding equipment. The weld results from this equipment in the eighties and in 2007, were and still are rarely ideal.

The ironic logic. When the USA MIG equipment manufacturers saw the Japanese robots and erratic Japanese pulsed power sources selling well to the Japanese auto manufactures in North America, many US companies who lacked weld process expertise and believed that anything to do with manufacturing from Japan must be first class, quickly got on the weld train and purchased the erratic, poor performing, sensitive, costly Japanese MIG equipment.

Note: Many auto/ truck plants in North America daily weld with erratic globular weld transfer, the reason has nothing to do with the weld equipment, the reasons are the general management and engineering lack of weld process expertise, incorrect wire size selection, and inappropriate weld parameters.

2007. Panasonic pulsed MIG equipment is in many plants across North America. I cringe every time I am asked to resolve Panasonic weld equipment issues and that request comes too often. I believe the Panasonic MIG equipment was likely developed by electronic engineers who may have had more expertise in designing CD players than with the development of MIG welding equipment.

 

 

 

IN THE WELD INDUSTRY, THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS. MEDIOCRE PRODUCTS THAT PROVIDE LESS THAN OPTIMUM WELD PERFORMANCE WILL ALWAYS HAVE A PLACE WITH WELDING CONSUMERS THAT LACK WELD PROCESS AND APPLICATION EXPERTISE.

In the one hand we have had North American manufacturing envy for DUBIOUS Japanese weld manufacturing practices and an unbridled admiration for any Japanese electronic equipment.

In the other hand we have the North American weld equipment manufactures realization that the electronic chips, bells and whistles in MIG equipment create a gravy train in which they can charge ridiculous prices for pulsed MIG weld equipment. Combine both hands with an apathetic weld industry that is too frequently attached by an umbilical cord to a weld equipment supplier and you can understand why many companies end up with overpriced weld equipment that causes many weldissues.

BEFORE YOU WASTE YOUR DOLLARS ON PULSED MIG EQUIPMENT FOR WELDING CARBON STEELS TAKE A LOOK AT THE NEXT PICTURE:

MIG welding 1/4 (6 mm) fillet welds at a weld deposition rate of 13 lb/hr. On the left we have a pulsed weld made with a $12.000 pulsed power source. On the right, a spray transfer weld made with $3000 traditional CV power source. Both welds were made with the same 0.045 1.2 mm wire feed rate, using an
argon - 10% CO2 gas.

Carefully examine these two welds, you know which is the best.

It's understandable that a global industry that lacks fundamental weld process control expertise could be influenced to purchase useless, costly, inconsistent pulsed MIG equipment for it's steel / stainless robot weld applications. What is difficult to understand is when you see companies like John Deere and Caterpillar buying into the same useless electronic bells and whistles.

After more than four decades of evaluating MIG equipment and more than two decades of watching failure after failure of Japanese and European E-proms, micro chips and circuit boards, I have come to the following conclusion which I am sure many of you will disagree with.

2007. When MIG welding carbon steel, none pipe applications
> 4 mm, I have yet to find a measurable, practical, cost effective weld benefit from the over priced Japanese, European or USA Lincoln / Miller Pulsed MIG equipment. In reality the pulsed arc plasma profile and stability is inferior to the traditional MIG spray transfer mode for many common MIG applications.




It seems that when it comes comes to MIG welding steels, weld shops from Michigan to Georgia, from Dakota to Louisiana, from California to Florida are prepared to pay up to $13,000 for a pulsed MIG power source to weld carbon steel applications. The weld reality is that the majority of the steel welds produced could be made at the same or superior quality and productivity with a CV power source you could purchase for $2,400.00.

This low cost, single phase, 250 amp, multipurpose (MIG - TIG - STICK) power supply made by ESAB can when welding steel applications outperform many sophisticated, electronic MIG power sources sold by equipment manufacturers.

 

E Mail to Ed 01/ 05.

Ed I have a 220 amp stick welder which I love and am looking for a a recommended MIG welder (either 220 or 110) to use in my home shop for steel frames trailers etc. There are so many products out there and a lot of crap too - but I want to invest in something durable that gives me good range to weld various thickness. I'm told that flux-core material allows me to penetrate a bit thicker but have an Argon tank and could go that way too.

Any direction you could provide would be appreciated.

Regards,
Chris Escobar.

 

Ed's Answer.

Chris, any traditional Lincoln. Miller or ESAB CV power source AS SHOWN IN THE PICTURE ABOVE will do the job. Consider either a single or three phase unit as they will surpass your needs. Try and get a power source that provides at least 250 amps at 60 % duty cycle. (Spray transfer with an 0.035 (1 mm) steel wire will come in around 180 to 200 amps and an 0.035 or 0.045 gas shielded flux cored wire can weld almost any application in the 120 to 250 amp range. Purchasing a power source with a built in wire feeder is logical.

 

 

DRIVE ROLL GROOVES: Ed I believe you need different guide rolls for different MIG wire types what's recommended. JH. Machester UK.?

 

Ed's Answer:
[] For solid hard wires use a vee smooth groove built for the wire OD.
[] For flux core wires use a vee groove with at least on roll providing a serrated surface to improve the grip. Be careful you do not apply too much drive roll pressure to these wires.
[] For aluminum wires a U groove with smooth surface again dont use excess drive roll pressure. With aluminum ensure minimum gaps between the inlet, drive rolls and outlet guides to avoid buckling.

 

 

 

Have you met the cool weld dudes yet?,

The Pano Man. movie2

 

 

 

Dear Ed
I am welding engineer and I live and work in Bulgaria.I want congratulate on your WEB site. I found it 5 days ago and I can`t stop reading it, well done.

Krassimir PANAYOTOV
E-MAIL panaya@abv.bg

 

 

Practical MIG Gun Advice:
Water cooled guns are used for many robot installations while the weld reality is lower cost, easier to maintain air cooled MIG guns would work just as well and reduce both maintenance and down time. If your robot weld application utilizes < 260 amps, and the weld lengths are short and the arc on time is moderate, consider a 400 to 600 amp air cooled gun.



Both Tregaskiss and Binzel make excellent robot / manual MIG guns. I try to avoid Bernard or Lincoln guns even when given one free with the purchase of a power source.

Weld Gun Contact Tips. I believe that many of the contact tips sold today in North America are made in countries that have very low labor costs and very little concern for maintaining the tip bore dimensions as provided by the original tip design.

During the last decade, I have seen a dramatic decrease in the quality of weld consumables. It's very common today to find 0.035 and 0.045 tips that have undersize bores, add this issue to the common, poor quality over size weld wire and you have found another reason why you are having erratic weld results, burn backs and bird nests at the drive rolls.

 

Spray / Pulsed Transfer and Contact Tips. With high weld current applications, ensure the spray contact tip is recessed 1/8 to 1/4 (3 - 6 mm) inside the gun nozzle. The higher the current get closer to the 1/4 recess.

Recessing the contact tip extends the contact tip life as less spatter and heat will get onto the tip. The recessed tip provides a longer MIG wire extension which can reduce the high weld current that will result from high wire feed rates. The weld current reduction can assist in weld puddle control and a longer wire stick out reduces wire burn back potential. Also with spray transfer consider the purchase of heavy duty, wider nozzles for your guns.

Short Circuit and Contact Tips. For applications that use less than 180 amps, stick the contact tip outside the nozzle about
3 mm. The tip outside the nozzle allows the use of the lowest possible voltages. Also the benefits of a short wire stick out adds to arc stability with low current applications. For short circuit or globular transfer have the contact tip flush with the nozzle.

 

 

CONTACT TIP SIZES:

08/07 E-Mail:

Hello Ed.

I recently purchased your "A Management and Engineers Guide to MIG Welding". The book is everything I had hoped it would be...and then some!

The company I work for has a handful of welding engineers scattered throughout North America. Over the past few months I have had a growing number express satisfaction with using 0.030 tips with 0.035 wire. My issue is this, no one has given me a specific engineering or scientific reason for the tip change. Simply, "So-and-so told me to try it. It works for him so I do it to."
(I believe the origional idea came from a suggestion from a weld sales rep.) This concerns me. I foresee a number of problems including increased uneven tip wear, restricted wire feed, spatter blockage issues, etc.,and I don't see where current flow would be influenced significantly.

Am I missing something?

Ps: Thank-you for having the motivation and courage to make this kind of information available. I have not yet come across an opinion that I did not share or a concept I did not admire.

Regards;

Fraser Rock.

Welding Eng.:

Ed's Reply: Fraser: Thanks for kind words. I have found in many plants that a common issue like this is usually a distraction or crutch for plant people who frequently lack the ability to get to the real root cause of their daily weld issues. Most tip issues typically result from burn backs, poor start and end data, incorrect wire stick outs or wire helix issues.

A contact tip needs to be approx. 0.007 to 0.010 larger than the MAX wire diam. Keep in mind the wire will expand slightly during welding. When you purchase smaller tips than those recommended , remember that with today's inconsistent weld wire quality the weld wire OD is frequently on the plus side.

If robot operators or weld personnel manually run the wire through the tip and it snags, the wire is too large or the tip is too small. If the wire is manually fed through the tip and makes consistent contact its fine. If the tip bore is not the correct size, (check with drill gauge), change your tip manufacturer. If the wire OD is too big, change the wire manufacturer and for god's sake get rid of weld distributor that provides you with poor quality products and provides bad advice. There is the possibility is the tips you purchase are made in China or Timbuktu. There are many quality issues with off shore, substandard weld consumables.

Good luck. Ed:

 

 

MIG Wire Feeders. "Dual Weld Schedules".

Without question one of the greatest benefits derived on manual MIG wire feeder is the ability of the welder while welding to flick a switch or trigger on the MIG gun and go back and forth between two separate weld schedules.

Dual schedule wire feeders have been around for at least two decades, (Linde DigiMig was one of the first). As with many other practical weld products, the global weld industry has been slow to differentiate from the useless bells and whistles and purchase real world practical equipment such as dual schedule wire feeders.

Two great tools a welding company can use to optimize
their manual steel or stainless MIG welds;

[1] Provide employees with effective "weld process control training".

[2] Provide the MIG bells and whistles on the "wire feed controls".
For example, wire feed controls that can provide "two preset,
pre-approved" weld schedules.

Today in Ford, GM, Chrysler, Japanese auto plants and tier one suppliers, we will see manual weld repairs being made on the robot made welds with pulsed MIG equipment. The repair welders will typically use only one weld setting to fill weld burn-through holes or place welds on top of welds on parts from 1 to 6 mm. The correct equipment of choice for manual MIG weld repairs is a low cost 250 - 300 amp CV power source. Use an 0.035 (1mm) wire for the weld repairs and it's logical to use a dual schedule MIG wire feeder that with a flick of the switch would give the repair welder either a low current short circuit weld and higher current spray setting. Of course if your company was really on the ball, you would provide those repair welders with MIG process CONTROL training as found in my self teaching MIG process control books, click here.

 

 

The "dual weld schedule" MIG wire feed control, is one of the most practical pieces of MIG equipment that has been available for two decades, that's why the auto industry and most weld shops have shown little interest in it. You can spend $8,000 to $12,000 and purchase the worlds most sophisticated pulsed MIG power source for your shop. You would then have to invest another $2000 - $4000 for a wire feed control. However if you really want to get consistent, optimum MIG quality and productivity, purchase a low cost, < $3000, 350 - 450 amp Miller, ESAB or Lincoln power source, then invest another $2500 on a dual schedule wire feed control. WELD EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER MAY WISH TO PROMOTE THEIR COSTLY MIG POWER SOURCE WITH 90 WELD SCHEDULES. HOWEVER WHEN YOU USE THE WELD PROCESS INFORMATION AVAILABLE IN ED'S BOOKS, YOU WILL LEARN THAT ONLY FOUR SIMPLE WIRE FEED AND VOLT SETTINGS ARE REQUIRED FOR A GIVEN DIAMETER ELECTRODE TO WELD ANY STEEL / STAINLESS APPLICATION.

 

Once the weld decision maker has purchased that dual schedule wire feed control and decides on two optimum settings for the manual welders in his shop, all that is required is to dial the two settings into the dual schedule wire feed control, turn a key on the control and the two optimum set of weld parameters are locked in.

Both Lincoln and Miller offer dual schedule wire feed units priced $2,000 - $3000. These units should be used with a 300 - 450 amp, traditional CV power source. From my perspective the dual schedule feeder control and conventional CV equipment is a much more cost effective and , practical approach to MIG and flux cored welding, rather than purchasing a costly poor performing Inverter or a pulsed power source that offers limited benefits for most steel and stainless welds.

WARNING: Give careful consideration to the effectiveness, position and durability of the dual schedule MIG "gun switches" found on many MIG guns, it appears making a quality, durable, dual schedule MIG gun switch is a big deal to many MIG gun manufacturers.

That new, pulsed MIG power source may provide four million wave ~~forms~~, however please note, costly "artificial, electronic weld equipment intelligence" can never compete with human weld process intelligence. That's the process intelligence that is available in my MIG weld process control books. There are only four weld settings for any MIG or flux cored wire do you know those settings?

Weld Equipment Bells and Whistles are Really Getting Ridiculous and weld shop keep buying them.I was staggered at the AWS weld show to find one MIG weld equipment manufacture providing a "remote control" for the MIG power source. The control is similar to the one you use for your TV.

I can imagine a situation where the weld supervisor asks the welder why he is hanging around and not welding? The welder replies,"he cannot find the remote".

For more than a decade, Japanese robot and MIG power source manufacturers get the first prize for;
[a] unnecessary robot weld program complexity,
[b] poor robot / MIG power source communications,
[c] ridiculous electronic options in weld equipment.
It's a pity North American MIG equipment manufacturers are working hard too keep up.

Ed in Spain 2008 finding out what a useless waste of time it is to set wave
forms with the useless Miller Axcess palm pilot.

 

MIG Welding Wires.



BEST MIG WIRES FOR ALUMINUM WELDS. Alcoa.

BEST MIG WIRES FOR STAINLESS. Sanvik.

BEST STAINLESS FLUX CORED WIRES . Kobelco / Alloy Rods (ESAB)

BEST CARBON STEEL FLUX CORED WIRES, (ALL POSITION) ARGON / CO2 MIXES. For the best gas shielded, flux cored wires, I have always recommended Alloy Rods, "Ultra" Tri Mark and Kobelco products. I have never recommended Lincoln Electric gas shielded flux cored products as I found the ones I tested had many issues. In contrast to the Alloy rod or Tri Mark wires, the Lincoln E71T-1 gas shielded wires I tested provide a smaller optimum weld parameter range. The bottom line the Lincoln wires were frequently more difficult to control and provided less weld deposition rate potential. The last time I tried the Lincoln wires wires, the Lincoln vertical up welds had so much porosity and worm tracks in the weld it looked like a cheese grate.

BEST CARBON STEEL FLUX CORED WIRES (ALL POSITION) STRAIGHT CO2.
My first choice, Kobelco.

Self shielded flux cored wires. These products do not belong indoors and so far only the inexperienced auto / truck industry has pushed their use. Any company that uses these products for indoor weld applications is not concerned about weld quality, productivity or the health of their workers.

BEST STEEL MIG WIRE. My first choice of carbon steel MIG wire is still the Lincoln L- 50 wire manufactured in Cleveland. However it seems today that some Lincoln MIG wires are produced in strange places like China or Timbucktwo. If you purchase Lincoln products that are not Cleveland manufactured, for robot SPRAY OR PULSED applications and you find the arc sounds change every few seconds compare them with the Lincoln L50 wire. My second choice of MIG wire is ESAB 70S-3


THE WORST MIG WIRES: While providing process improvements across the USA and Canada, the carbon steel MIG wires I had the most robot weld issues with were made by Hobart, (inconsistent chemistry). I also had extensive problems with National Standard MIG wires which had too many cast or helix issues, and their E70S-6 wire provided too much weld fluidity (excess silicon) leading to undercut on some applications.

 

2004 AND THE PULSED WELD BOVINE FECAL MATTER WAS REALLY FLOWING. I was amazed to read an advertisement in the Nov. 2003 Weld Journal from National Standard for the new N-S Pulse PLUS steel weld wire. NS claims that with there MIG wire and the pulsed process you will get less spatter , less fumes and reduce the need for grinding. NS claims that there pulsed wire is supposed to have a wider operating range.

I guess that $12000, useless pulsed power source you just purchased that's loaded down with electronic bells and whistles to control the arc now has nothing to do with the pulsed weldability. This type of ridiculous product advertising is what adds to the mountains of Bovine fecal matter that has helped destroy the technical credibility of toady's welding industry. It's a shame a reputable magazine like the Weld Journal, a magazine that represents the American Weld Society allowed this form of advertising.

 

ED MADE THIS SPRAY 5/16 FILLET WELD WITH A E70S-3 MIG WIRE, A TWO PART GAS MIX, AND A MIG POWER SOURCE AND WIRE FEED UNIT THAT SOLD FOR LESS THAN $3000

E Mail Nov 04.

Ed. I spent 33 years with Esab India Ltd, selling MIG, TIG and Plasma equipment. Your web site is a wonderful observation of the global weld industry and how the pulsed MIG weld equipment manufacturer are fooling the so called weld industry experts.

T.K.Bandyopadhyay.

tkbandyopadhyay@hotmail.com.

FroniusTwin Wire 2004:

 

The twin wire process offers unique real world benefits from pipe welding to high speed automotive. Keep in mind two torches and two robots can also do what the twin wire process can achieve.

The Fronius Twin process shown above is a "tandem" welding process. This is one of the most sophisticated twin wire systems available. With the Fronius equipment there are two digital pulsed power sources working together. The Fronius Twin Digital machines produces a separate arc. A synchronization unit regulates the interplay of the two arcs. Too see the Fronius Tandem process on pipe, click.

MANAGERS BEFORE YOU CONSIDER COMPLEX AND SOPHISTICATED WELD EQUIPMENT LIKE THE TWIN WIRE PROCESS, IT'S FIRST LOGICAL TO OPTIMIZE THE EXISTING PROCESSES YOU ALREADY OWN.

When using the "single wire" MIG process, how many managers encourage their weld team members to evaluate the robot weld program, the process, the consumables, the parts, the design or the weld fixture to ensure they have done everything possible to attained the highest potential weld efficiency and deposition rate from their existing robots?

Irrespective of the weld equipment purchased, you cannot optimize robot welds without weld process control expertise.

For those managers, engineers and technicians that are prepared to read and involve themselves in the MIG processt, please note, there are many things that can be done to greatly increase the traditional, single MIG wire, robot weld travel rates. This unique information along with robot weld process control information is available in my "Management Engineers MIG Book".

ELECTRONIC, WELD DATA MONITORING EQUIPMENT
CAN ONLY REPORT WHAT IT READS.

THE FOLLOWING IS A WELD PARAMETER GRAPH TAKEN FROM A MONITORING DEVICE ON A PANASONIC PULSED POWER SOURCE WELD. THE CURRENT LINE IS BLACK THE VOLTAGE LINE IS RED. THE WIRE FEED WAS RATE CONSTANT. NOTE THE LARGE CURRENT HIGH AND LOW SPIKES. NOTE HOW THE VOLTAGE DROPS TO ALMOST ZERO NUMEROUS TIMES. THIS ERRATIC WELD RESULT WAS ALSO TYPICAL FROM THE LINCOLN POWER WAVE AND MILLER INVISION.

\

 

THE LOWER GRAPH SHOWS THE SAME WELD WIRE AND WIRE FEED RATE AS USED WITH THE PANASONIC EQUIPMENT SET AT THE SAME WIRE FEED RATE. THIS WELD PARAMETER GRAPH IS FROM AN "UNSOPHISTICATED" MILLER DELTA WELD WHICH COSTS CONSIDERABLY LESS.

NOTE THE FAR GREATER ARC STABILITY WITH BOTH THE WELD CURRENT (BLACK) AND VOLTAGE (RED). THIS STABILITY AND SUPERIOR OUT PUT FOR CONTROL OVER WELD FUSION COMES FROM THE MUCH LOWER COST, TRADITIONAL NORTH AMERICA