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Flux Cored and MIG weld process controls

Manual MIG Welding Process Control

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" Proceso de Soldadur MIG Manual "

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Robot MIG welding. Best Weld Practices and Process Controls

Manual MIG Welding. Best Weld Practices and Process Controls

Flux Cored Best Weld Practices and Process Controls

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	ED CRAIG. www.weldreality.com. The world's largest website on MIG - Flux Cored - TIG Welding Pulsed MIG. Page .1.	TIP TIG Welding is 2 to 10 times faster than TIG with superior quality than TIG - MIG - FCAW.

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HAVE YOU SEEN TIP TIG? THIS PROCESS PROVIDES LESS WELD HEAT AND BETTER
WELD QUALITY THAN TIG AND PROVIDES THOSE WELDS AT MIG WIRE FEED RATES.

Click on the Evolution of TIG icon if you want a TIP TIG brochure.

Pulsed MIG Welding.

MIG Weld Equipment and Pulsed MIG weld reality.

2008: DO YOU MIG WELD MOSTLY CARBON STEELS, LOW ALLOY STEELS AND STAINLESS? BEFORE YOUR COMPANY PURCHASED THAT COSTLY PULSED MIG POWER SOURCE, DID SOMEONE IN YOUR ORGANIZATION SEEK THE ADVICE OF A SALESMAN?

After two decades of painful, costly pulsed MIG equipment and process development, we now have in North America, a few pulsed MIG power sources that actually work in a consistent manner and may possibly get through their short, 36 month warranty period without electronic issues. The point managers need to address, is what real world weld benefits, do you get from the extra dollars spent on the pulsed equipment?

As a result of two decades of poor performing, erratic pulsed MIG equipment, the global MIG welding industry has flushed down the sink, hundreds of millions in unnecessary weld costs. The costs were generated from;

[] unnecessary robot weld rejects,
[] unnecessary robot / manual weld rework,
[] unnecessary robot down time,

[] operating at lower weld deposition rates (higher labor costs) than that which could
have been attained from spray transfer,
[] unnecessary costs for the the robot / manual pulsed MIG weld equipment,
[] unnecessary high costs for the MIG equipment repairs.

IN THE 25 YEARS OF PULSED MIG PROCESS DEVELOPMENT, I DO NOT KNOW OF ONE PULSED POWER SOURCE THAT WAS RECALLED DUE TO PULSED EQUIPMENT OR WELD ISSUES. THIS PATHETIC SITUATION IS A REFLECTION OF THE GENERAL MIG PROCESS APATHY THAT EXISTS WITH GLOBAL WELD SHOPS?

OF COURSE A WELD EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER LIKE ESAB, LINCOLN, MILLER AND PANASONIC SHOULD ACT IN A RESPONSIBLE MANNER AND RECALL THEIR PULSED WELD EQUIPMENT PRODUCTS THEY KNOW ARE NOT WORKING CORRECTLY?

WELDING COMMON STEEL / STAINLESS APPLICATIONS. A QUALIFIED WELD DECISION MAKER, WITH AN UNDERSTANDING OF MIG WELD PROCESS CONTROLS WILL NOT SEEK THE ADVICE OF A SALES REP AND PURCHASE EQUIPMENT THAT BRINGS NO QUALITY OR PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENTS TO A WELD SHOP.

A WELD REALITY FOR CARBON STEEL WELDS: THE MAJORITY OF THE PULSED EQUIPMENT PURCHASED BETWEEN 1985 AND 2010 HAS BEEN SELECTED BY INDIVIDUALS WHO LACKED THE MIG WELD PROCESS CONTROL EXPERTISE NECESSARY TO OPTIMIZE THE MUCH LOWER COST, TRADITIONAL, CV MIG EQUIPMENT.

Note: If you want the ultimate ref books and
MIG and flux cored weld process control training resources,
click here.

2008: Salesmen, managers, technicians and supervisors who for decades have a difficult time
controlling a simple 2 control MIG power source, are now talking about controlling "wave forms"

2008: The electronic pulsed MIG equipment that has been developed for more than the last two decades for carbon steel and stainless welds is finally delivering a few real world weld benefits, however before you waste thousands of dollars on a pulsed MIG power source check out the following criteria determined by Ed....

IN CONTRAST TO LOW COST TRADITIONAL MIG EQUIPMENT THAT PROVIDES SHORT CIRCUIT AND SPRAY TRANSFER;

[a] Welding < 4 mm aluminum parts.

PULSED CAN PROVIDE UNIQUE WELD BENEFITS.

[b] Welding > 4 mm Aluminum parts.

DEPENDING ON THE PULSED POWER SOURCE SELECTED
PULSED CAN PROVIDE "INFERIOR" WELD FUSION THAN SPRAY.

[c] Welding < 3 mm carbon / low alloy steels.

PULSED CAN PROVIDE LIMITED WELD BENEFITS, HOWEVER
PULSED IS NOT NECESSARY FOR MAJORITY OF MANUAL GAGE APPLICATIONS.

[d] Welding 2 to 4 mm carbon / low alloy steels, manually welded.

PULSED PROVIDES LIMITED REAL WORLD WELD BENEFITS. HOWEVER FOR GAGE ROBOT PULSED WELDS, THE PULSED PROCESS WITH 0.045 WIRE CAN PROVIDE WELD BENEFITS AS HIGHER WIRE FEED DEPOSITIONS RESULT IN SLIGHTLY FASTER WELD SPEEDS .

[e] Welding 2 - 3 mm stainless welds.

PULSED PROVIDES WELD BENEFITS. WELDING THIN PARTS IN WHICH SHORT CIRCUIT IS TOO SLUGGISH. OR APPLICATIONS LIKE THE FOOD PROCESSING EQUIPMENT IN WHICH THERE ARE WELD SURFACE COSMETIC CONCERNS. IN THIS CASE, PULSED CAN BE SUPERIOR TO SHORT CIRC.

Note The best process for many stainless welds is the TIP TIG process.

[f] Welding > 3 mm stainless.

ON STAINLESS APPLICATIONS. PULSED PROCESS BENEFITS ARE DERIVED FROM LOWER WELD CURRENT POTENTIAL LEADING TO DISTORTION REDUCTION. IMPORTANT NOTE: BE CONCERNED WHEN USING PULSED ON PARTS > 5 mm WITH THE WELD FUSION ATTAINED. FOR OPTIMUM WELD FUSION AND BEST ARC STABILITY ON HIGH SPEED WELDS USE SPRAY OR TIP TIG.

[g] Welding duplex and all high alloy steels and heat sensitive medium to high alloy applications.

Note The best process for most dulex welds is the TIP TIG process.

[h] Welding overlay and any applications that require low weld dilution.

PULSED MIG, GOOD PROCESS. TIP TIG SUPERIOR WELD QUALITY.

2008: When manually welding most common carbon and low alloy steel applications, the purchase of the costly pulsed MIG equipment will not improve your weld quality, reduce your weld spatter, cut your weld costs, or help cut through the general MIG weld process confusion that prevails in most global weld shops. However the purchase will increase your weld equipment costs, add to your weld supplier's profits and generate more weld shop confusion.

Auto parts a pulsed MIG weld report. Aug. 2004:The primary issue I found with these automated, Bancroft MIG welded, stainless Torque Converter parts was the 0.053 thickness and the wide gaps. On MIG welded gage parts that are less than 0.075 “sensitivity to weld burn” through is a major production concern when welded with the spray transfer, and these leak tested parts were not suited to short circuit with it's inconsistent weld fusion. The weld burn through issue on these parts was further compounded when the welds required, had to compensate for a lap weld variable gap which is packed with stainless mesh. Click here for the rest of the story.

PULSED MIG CANNOT COMPETE WITH TIP TIG
IF WELD QUALITY IS YOUR FIRST CRITERIA.

When asked for his opinion on spray transfer logic versus
pulsed, a college drop out named Albert, might have said the following.

"Its logical that that the constant weld energy attainable from CV
MIG spray transfer, is of course a prime attribute in attaining
a consistent arc during high speed welds and constant weld fusion".

If you read the early 1980s research papers published on the newly developing pulsed MIG process, one of the prime justifications for the development of the pulsed process for carbon / stainless steel welds was to have a weld process suited to making weld in all positions.

1990s. Photo on right. Ed testing pulsed MIG over head weld on a 16 inch
gas pipe pipe root.

Since the pulsed MIG introduction in the nineteen eighties to 2008, when welding most steel applications vertical up and over head, the

pulsed MIG process has not been able to compete with the "all position gas shielded flux cored wires" developed in the 1970s - 1980s.

It must be annoying to the MIG equipment manufacturers who see great profits from the sales of useless bells and whistles and circuit boards, that the $1.80 lb, E71T-1 flux cored wires attain superior all position weld results when used on low cost, durable, CV. MIG equipment developed in the 1960s.

In the attainment of optimum all position pipe welds, the TIP TIG process will provide superior consistent weld results than any other weld process.

WHEN PURCHASING MIG EQUIPMENT, WELD SHOP FOCUS HAS TO
ALWAYS BE ON THE WELD QUALITY AND COSTS:

If before 2006, you were a frequent user of the pulsed weld process and you were welding carbon steel applications, it's likely in contrast to the traditional, CV lower cost equipment and the spray transfer weld mode, you would have been producing steel welds on parts > 4 mm with the following detriments;

[] Inferior weld fusion,
[] unnecessary weld porosity,
[] increased arc instability, typically noted on small length robot welds and high speed applications,
[] welds with less weld deposition rate potential.

Of course you may also have been using pulsed MIG equipment for the last decade and were not aware that you were overpaying for bells and whistles and having weld quality and production issues, welcome to weld reality.

When examining new MIG weld technology, one should remember that the conventional short circuit and spray transfer modes that were developed and perfected over five decades, also offer unique weld benefits. However the short circuit and spray weld benefits are rarely derived from weld personnel who have to "play around" with weld controls. To attain MIG process benefits from low cost MIG equipment requires MIG process expertise.

ED OPTIMIZED ROBOT AND MANUAL WELDS FOR HUNDREDS OF COMPANIES.

A FEW OF ED'S PROCESS OPTIMIZATION PROJECTS,

FORD F 150 FRAMES - VOLVO CABS - CORVETTE FRAMES-
HARLEY FRAMES - NEW BEETLE SEATS AND ED ALSO ESTABLISHED
THE ROBOT WELD FOR THE WORLD'S LARGEST CATERPILLAR TRUCK.

Click here for Ed's best practices / process control materials.

WELD PROCESS CHOICES ARE MADE MORE DIFFICULT, WHEN WELDS SHOPS ARE IMMERSED IN WELD PROCESS CONFUSION:

Many of you have worked or still work in weld shops in which the managers, engineers and supervisors are not aware of the real cost of that common MIG or flux cored, 6 mm fillet weld.

Many of of you have worked in a weld shop in which AWS inspectors daily criticize MIG and flux cored weld quality, yet too many of these individuals lack the weld process expertise necessary to improve those welds.

Many of you will work in weld shops which weld personnel daily "play around" with their MIG or flux cored weld controls?

Many of you have worked in weld shops in which the management has an umbilical cord attached to the local weld salesman, this guy has an open door invitation to come in and demonstrate the latest MIG gas mix, weld consumable or power source?

Many of you will work in shops where you know the weld decision makers

who selected the costly, sales driven pulsed MIG equipment or unnecessary three part gas mixes, were typically not qualified to make rational MIG weld process / equipment selection decisions.

If you work at a weld shop that has to rely on a salesman to demonstrate MIG weld equipment, or a flux cored consumable, this typically means that the weld shop decision maker lacks weld process expertise. This is common in weld shops in which the management, supervisors and engineers have minimal ownership of the weld equipment, processes and consumables utilized on their weld shop floor.

DO YOU NEED TO CHANGE WELD PROCEDURES
WHEN YOU CHANGE PULSED MIG EQUIPMENT?

12/2008: Question. Ed. We pulsed MIG weld aluminum. The weld wire most used is 4043. 3/64. For the weld gas we use straight argon. For a few years we have been using Miller XMT - 304, CC/CV Inverters for our pulsed welds. The application comprises of aluminum parts 4 to 9 mm. As we are expanding, we are looking to purchase six new Miller 350 pulsed MIG units, approx. price $5000.

As I am the lead welder, I was asked to try out the Miller 350P. Frankly I was a little concerned about the criteria I should use for testing new pulsed MIG equipment. By the way I asked our CWI level 111 inspector would we have to make any changes to our pulsed AWS qualified MIG procedures if we purchased this equipment. The AWS code gives no advice about pulsed equipment changes and weld procedure data.The CWI response to the new pulsed equipment was indifference as we were changing Miller pulsed equipment for Miller pulsed equipment. Regards BA.

Answer from Ed. Good question Joel. With the aluminum thickness range you are welding weld fusion issues and porosity problems are common and any weld inspector should be concerned with the introduction of new pulsed MIG equipment irrespective of the source of that equipment and Miller will be the first to tell you there are many differences between each pulsed power source they make. By the way you had high expectaions believing the weld inspector was qualified to answer your question..

Lets say for example you are pulsed MIG welding 6 mm, aluminum fillet welds with straight argon and setting that 3/64, 4043 wire around 400 to 450 inch/min with the Miller XMT - 304. You then set the same pulsed wire feed settings with the Miller 350P, you would be surprised to find that you will end up with a weld that has less weld energy providing less weld fusion. Your XMT power source, has a different aluminum pulsed program in which the pulsed parameters will provide higher energy welds resulting in more weld fusion than that attained with the 350P.

Note: With aluminum, extra weld energy also produce less porosity. It's important to note the influence of the weld process / application Expertise of the individuals who developed the pulsed programs and the sophistication of the Electronics (EE factor) that deliver the pulsed welds. It's amazing how inconsistent that EE factor is, and how it changes from one pulsed equipment manufacture to another, or from one pulsed power source to another with the same equipment manufacturer.

12 / 2008: THANKS TO PULSED MIG EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS LACK OF INTEREST IN APPLYING GLOBAL PROCESS STANDARD GUIDELINES TO THE PULSED WELD MODE, PULSED MIG POWER SOURCES SHOULD NOW BE CONSIDERED BY CODE BODIES AS AN ESSENTIAL VARIABLE UNTIL SOME UNIFORM PROCESS CONFORMITY IS ESTABLISHED:

Companies who are concerned with maintaining the MIG weld quality they established in their weld qualification procedures, need to be aware that when those short lived pulsed power sources break down and are replaced, with different pulsed MIG equipment, that at the end of the day, unlike traditional CV MIG equipment, the pulsed welds produced may have little in common with the welds produced with earlier equipment utilized in producing the original weld qualification procedure. Of course if you are welding thin gage aluminum parts < 4 mm, the differences in the pulsed equipment may not be relevant, however when dealing with code quality welds on parts > 4 mm, the weld concern factor needs to kick in, and weld macros should be required to ensure the pulsed procedures from the new pulse MIG are acceptable.

As for testing pulsed equipment, I like to be aware of the optimum low and high pulsed settings that can be used with the equipment and then I examine the suitability of welds produced on the common thickness used in the plant. If I am welding thin gage aluminum, I look at the fast freeze characteristics of the weld and the weld appearance. With the higher wire feed rates associated with thicker aluminum parts I would examine the weld fluidity attained and the control of the weld puddle. At the end of the day I have a preference for pulsed equipment which has pulsed programs established by a process / application expert, and that rarely happens with the major weld equipment manufactures. For this reason, I like pulsed equipment that allows me to change the primary pulsed parameters, one consistent, reasonable priced performing pulsed power source that comes to mind is the OTC digital pulsed MIG equipment shown on the right.

Note more on the pulsed weld equipment influence in section two..

WELD PROCESS CONTROLS SHOULD START IN THE FRONT OFFICE:

From an Ed Craig report to a General Motors plant 2001: When your managers and engineers recognize that weld process knowledge is far more important than the purchase of costly, useless electronic weld equipment with bells and whistles, your plants will take a giant leap towards establishing Best Weld Practices and Weld Process Controls.

Dec 2008: Note from Ed: As GM, Ford and Chrysler go cap in hand to the US government for billions of taxpayers dollars to prop up their failing companies, it's interesting to note that none of these companies have established uniform Best Weld Practices or implemented Robot Weld Process Controls.

Pulsed MIG and Flux Cored.
Robot Welding Carbon Steel Lamp Posts

LINCOLN DID NOT SHED ANY
LIGHT ON THIS POOR ROBOT WELD APPLICATION:

One customer I assisted around 2005, manufactured carbon steel street lamps 11 to 7 gage. It’s a simple manual welding application. On the end of the lamps they weld a flange that mounts the lamp to the floor. The flanges were heavy duty approx. 13 mm thick. They also weld around the pole access box, (gage material) located near the flange.

This street lamp application became unnecessarily complex the day they decided the parts should be welded with a robot. The lamp company ordered a Lincoln Fanuc ArcMate 100 robot. The robot came with the Lincoln PowerWave, a 450-amp, pulsed MIG power source. The robot system was sold by AGA who had the technical support from Lincoln and Fanuc. Almost two years after the robot was installed the robot had never come close to it’s daily weld production quota.

When the robot was installed it was placed on the lamp production line, however numerous weld issues occurred and the management moved the robot to another part of the plant so the highly trained plant personnel could “play around” with the robot weld settings.

With the assistance of the robot / weld experts from Lincoln, Fanuc and AGA, the lamp company personnel "played around" with the robot weld data for almost two years with pathetic results. For the rest of the story, click here.

Is your organization ready to provide
MIG and flux cored weld process control training?

I hope the following comments on PULSED MIG and the weld process comparisons with traditional MIG short circuit, spray and the flux cored process,will provide you or your organization a different perspective on the rationalization of the purchase of pulsed MIG weld equipment.

1989. Ed was invited by the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Engineers to give a speech on welding in Rio. Ed titled the speech;

Why you should avoid the robot welding mistakes of the North American Auto and Truck Industry.

YOU CANNOT OPTIMIZE A WELD PROCESS IN THIS CONFUSED INDUSTRY, UNLESS YOU CAN SEPARATE THE MISTAKES OF THE WELD INDUSTRY PAST FROM THE WELD SALES HYPE THAT TODAY SATURATES GLOBAL WELD SHOPS.

AN INTERESTING < 2005 WELD SHOP QUESTION:

Management should ask this question more frequently.
To Pulse or not to Pulse?

< 2003. E-mail Question: Ed, my company is Hayes Lemmerz.

Hayes is a global manufacturer of car and truck wheels. We use the Pulsed MIG process for most of our wheel welds. Since we introduced the Miller Maxtron and Miller Invision equipment to our automated, MIG weld production lines, we have had extensive, weld production and rework issues. The typical wheel pulsed weld problems that we experienced with the Miller equipment have been;

[1] welds skipping, resulting in weld areas that contain unacceptable and
inconsistent thin welds,
[2] missed welds,
[3] welds with inconsistent weld penetration,
[4] weld globs,
[5] unexplained weld porosity,
[6] Inconsistent weld surface appearance,
[7] inconsistent weld undercut,
[8] numerous arc start, crater and weld tie in issues,
[9] numerous wire burn back issues,
[10] extensive weld equipment break downs.

Answer: Around 2000, at the request of the Hayes management, I evaluated the pulsed MIG weld issues and quickly revealed to the Hayes management the root cause of their extensive weld issues and that root cause was the Hays management. To answer your questions and for the rest of this story
click here.

THIS OLD FART WILL USE PULSED WHEN IT DELIVERS
REAL WORLD WELD BENEFITS AND PAYS THE BILLS.

FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE LESS THAN 40 YEARS OF AGE AND THINK I AM AN OLD FART STUCK IN A 1970 MIG EQUIPMENT TIME WARP. MY WIFE WOULD AGREE THAT I AM OLD FART, HOWEVER I HAVE ALSO BEEN AROUND THE WELDING BLOCK A FEW TIMES.
THAT'S NOT MY PICTURE ON THE LEFT.

AS I HAVE SET SOME OF THE WORLD'S MOST SOPHISTICATED ROBOT WELD APPLICATIONS, AND WAS THE ROBOT WELD MANAGER FOR ABB, , I DON'T BELIEVE I AM STUCK IN A WELD TECHNOLOGY TIME WARP. I KNOW MANUFACTURING MANAGEMENT AND I KNOW WELD SHOP CULTURE. I HAVE PROVIDED MIG AND FLUX CORED WELD PROCESS IMPROVEMENTS, TO MORE THAN A 1000 COMPANIES, IN 12 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. AS I ALSO HAVE TRAINED MORE THAN 2000 WELD SALESMEN. ALSO DELIVERED THE TIP TIG PROCESS TO NORTH AMERICA.

IN 2006 I WAS THE WELD MANAGER WITH WSI A COMPANY THAT HAS CLAD APPROX. 80% OF NORTH AMERICA'S WATER WALL BOILERS. EACH YEAR, THIS COMPANY USES APPROX. ONE MILLION POUNDS OF STAINLESS AND INCONEL WELD WIRES ON THE VERY DIFFICULT, PULSED MIG OVERLAY, WATER WALL APPLICATIONS. THESE ASME CODE BOILER APPLICATIONS, ACHIEVED UNIQUE WELD BENEFITS FROM THE PULSED MIG PROCESS.

IN A FEW MONTHS OF PULSED WELD PROCESS DEVELOPMENT AT WSI, I CAME UP WITH A NEW PULSED MIG METHOD / PROCEDURE,
(WELD PHOTO BELOW UNTOUCHED) THAT WAS PATENTED IN 2007. (SEE CLAD SECTION). MY INCONEL CLAD WELDS REDUCED BY > 25% THE AMOUNT OF INCONEL WELD WIRE REQUIRED FOR THE COMMON GLOBAL BOILER CLAD APPLICATIONS . THESE WELDS , WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE WITH THE TRADITIONAL SPRAY TRANSFER MODE.
I STARTED MIG WELDING ON TRACTORS AT MASSEY FERGUSON IN MANCHESTER THE EARLY 1960s. I WROTE MY FIRST MIG PROCESS CONTROL ARTICLES IN THE LATE 1970s AND WHILE EXITED AT THE FUTURE PULSED MIG PROSPECTS, WROTE MY FIRST PULSED MIG ARTICLE FOR THE USA. WELD JOURNAL IN THE EARLY 1980s.

DURING THE LAST THREE DECADES I HAVE WRITTEN FOUR BOOKS ON MIG PROCESS CONTROLS AND HAD MORE THAN 30 MIG AND FLUX CORED PROCESS CONTROL ARTICLES PUBLISHED. I WAS THE MARKETING, PRODUCT OR TRAINING MANAGER FOR FOUR OF THE WORLD'S TOP SIX WELD EQUIPMENT AND CONSUMABLE SUPPLIERS.

I HAVE BEEN TO 12 DIFFERENT COUNTRIES TO IMPROVE MIG / FCAW WELD QUALITY AND PRODUCTIVITY AND AT ALL THE COMPANIES I VISIT, I PREACH THE REQUIREMENTS OF MANAGEMENT / ENGINEERS PROCESS / EQUIPMENT OWNERSHIP, BEST WELD PRACTICES AND WELD PROCESS CONTROLS SO I BELIEVE I AM QUALIFIED TO HAVE AN OPINION ON WELD SHOPS AND WELD PROCESSES.

$10.000 ERRATIC PULSED MIG EQUIPMENT ON LEFT. $3000, STABLE CV ON RIGHT.

WHAT THE WELD EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURE PRODUCES:
WHAT THE WELDER NEVER SEES.

AS THE ABOVE 2004 MIG PULSED CURRENT / VOLTAGE GRAPH INDICATES, A PRIMARY ISSUE WITH THE PULSED MIG WELDING PROCESS IS NOT WITH THE UNIQUE PULSED WELD TRANSFER MODE, IT'S WITH THE DILUTED WELD ENERGY, THE INCONSISTENCY OF THE PEAK TO BACK GROUND PROCESS AND THE ELECTRONIC INCONSISTENCY OF THE PERFORMANCE OF MANY PULSED WELD POWER SOURCES.

THERE HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS COST CONSEQUENCES FROM ERRATIC PERFORMING WELD EQUIPMENT.

DURING THE LAST TWO DECADES, MOST OF THE ERRATIC PULSED MIG

POWER SOURCES REQUIRED NUMEROUS E-PROM, CIRCUIT BOARD AND ELECTRONIC CHANGES, YET AS FAR AS I AM AWARE, NO PULSED MIG POWER SOURCE RECALLS WERE EVER ISSUED FROM ANY GLOBAL, MAJOR WELD EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER.

THE BOTTOM LINE. AN INDUSTRY THAT LACKS MIG WELD PROCESS CONTROL EXPERTISE WAS EASY PREY FOR EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS THAT MADE COSTLY, FAULTY MIG EQUIPMENT THAT PROVIDED ERRATIC WELD PERFORMANCE AND VERY LIMITED STEEL WELD BENEFITS.

Traditional CV MIG equipment can last 10 to 20 years and the weld equipment repair costs carried out by the plant's electrician is typically a few hundred dollars. Many of the companies who purchased pulsed MIG equipment have paid $2000 to $5000 for pulsed weld equipment repairs before the equipment was 48 months old.

2008: It would be interesting to find out;

[] WHAT PERCENTAGE OF PULSED MIG EQUIPMENT LASTS BEFORE IT'S WARRANTY EXPIRED?

[] WHAT THE AVERAGE LIFE OF A PULSED POWER SOURCE IS?

[] IN A FIVE YEAR PERIOD, WHAT THE AVERAGE REPAIR COST IS FOR PULSED EQUIPMENT?

[] HOW MANY COMPANIES TODAY WHO USE PULSED IN ROBOT CELLS, WILL PURCHASE AN ADDITIONAL PULSED POWER SOURCE SO THEY HAVE A SPARE?

[] HOW MANY MAINTENANCE ELECTRICIANS WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE ATTEMPTING TO REPAIR A PULSED MIG POWER SOURCE?

[] HOW MANY COMPANIES REALLY ATTAINED REAL WORLD BENEFITS FROM THAT NEW COSTLY PULSED POWER SOURCE?

It's a sad reality that many companies will pay $3000 to $5000 for pulsed MIG weld equipment repairs, that's more than the cost of a new CV MIG power source and wire feeder. Remember that CV power source, the one which can provide optimum weld productivity / quality. It's the power source that can produce welds that will meet any weld code requirement. It's the That's the power source that should last one to two decades without repairs.

What helped the low durability, costly, erratic pulsed MIG process become so popular in the last two decades?

[] IN CONTRAST TO TRADITIONAL CV EQUIPMENT, WHEN BUILDING PULSED MIG EQUIPMENT, THE EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER CAN REDUCE THE STEELS / ALLOY COSTS AND REDUCE THE LABOR COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH BUILDING THE CV EQUIPMENT.

[] ALL MIG EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS ARE AWARE THAT WHEN YOU ADD ELECTRONIC BELLS AND WHISTLES YOU CAN DRAMATICALLY INCREASE THE EQUIPMENT PRICES.

[] WHAT TURNS THE SALESMAN ON? IN CONTRAST TO SELLING CONVENTIONAL LOWER COST CV EQUIPMENT THAT SELLS IN THE $2000 TO $4000 RANGE, THE APPROX. 6000 WELD SALES PERSONNEL IN NORTH AMERICA HAVE A MUCH GREATER INCENTIVE FOR SELLING PULSED EQUIPMENT THAT TYPICALLY COST THEIR CUSTOMERS ONE TO THREE FOUR HUNDRED PERCENT MORE THAN A REGULAR MIG POWER SOURCE.

[] WHEN YOU SELL EQUIPMENT WITH A SHORT LIFE SPAN, YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SELL MORE EQUIPMENT.

PRACTICAL PULSED MIG BENEFITS ON SPECIFIC CARBON AND
STAINLESS ROBOT APPLICATIONS:

Spray transfer can be too hot for some "carbon steel gage applications" and there are numerous robot applications that will use high current short circuit or globular transfer not set correctly.

THE USE OF THE PULSED EQUIPMENT AND 0.045 WIRE AND THE PULSED MODE ON SPECIFIC AUTOMATED 2 to 4 mm STEEL APPLICATIONS COULD IN CONTRAST TO 0.035 WIRE, ALLOW SLIGHT WELD BENEFITS SUCH AS A SMALL INCREASE IN WELD DEPOSITION RATES.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO REALIZE. THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT A SLIGHT PULSED MIG WELD BENEFIT HERE OR THERE, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT BENEFITS THAT ARE IN REALITY NOT NECESSARY TO THE SUCCESS OF A WELDING APPLICATION. IF YOU HAVE MIG WELD PROCESS EXPERTISE WITH THE AVAILABLE MIG WELD TRANSFER MODES AND WIRE DIAMETERS, OPTIMUM, SPATTER FREE WELDS CAN ALWAYS BE ATTAINED WITH CONTROLLED SHORT CIRCUIT, GLOBULAR AND SPRAY, FROM LOW COST, TRADITIONAL, CV MIG EQUIPMENT.

IF IT SOUNDS COMPLEX IT SHOULD NOT BE IN A WELD SHOP?

IN AN INDUSTRY THAT DOES NOT THINK TWICE ABOUT PLAYING AROUND WITH A
50 YEAR OLD, TWO CONTROL, TRADITIONAL CV, MIG POWER SOURCE?

DURING THE LAST TWO DECADES OF SLOW PULSED EQUIPMENT DEVELOPMENT, (THANK GOD COMPUTERS EVOLVED AT A MUCH FASTER RATE), MOST PULSED MIG EQUIPMENT WAS PROVEN TO BE USELESS AND UNSTABLE FOR MANUAL MIG OR HIGH SPEED ROBOT WELDS ON CARBON / LOW ALLOY STEEL APPLICATIONS. YET IN THIS TIME FRAME, THE MAJORITY OF NORTH AMERICAN WELD SHOPS COULDN'T BUY THEM FAST ENOUGH.

IS THIS BS WHAT YOU WANT TO SEE AND HEAR IN YOUR WELD SHOP? The unique $12000 MIG power source called called X-MIG, is controlled by a palm pilot, it offers artificial intelligence with adaptive synergic controls.
X-MIG provides millions of wave form variations. With X-MIG you get fuzzy, weezy, fuzzy woozy logic and triple pulsed on triple pulsed. X-MIG also provides a refined super adaptive turbo pulse. Also included with the X-MIG is a modified short circuit mode called MSC - STP. Your new, X-MIG power source can also be hooked up to your cell phone, or I-Pod and controlled if you feel the need with the palm pilot through the ethernet. X-MIG comes with a two week warranty, (check small print for warranty clauses) and there is no return policy. By the way as we feel we are not responsible for the performance of this power source we feel you should be aware that it has never been field tested correctly. To order this unique, useless MIG equipment, which cost the price of a small car, contact the industry leaders in weld technology, at askaWeldSalesman.com

HOW CAN YOU DO BETTER THAN THIS?

Ed made this manual, optimum, spatter free MIG spray weld with
a $2000 traditional CV. MIG power source that had no electronics.

The low cost, durable, 400 amp, CV MIG power source I utilized on
the above weld, was developed four decades before wave
forms and fuzzy logic and electronic BS buzz words.

THE MORE COSTLY THE PULSED MIG EQUIPMENT, THE MORE COMPLEX AND EXPENSIVE THE MIG WELD EQUIPMENT REPAIRS.

WHEN THE MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR SAW THE NEW PULSED MIG EQUIPMENT, HE REALIZED HIS ELECTRICIANS WERE NOT CAPABLE OF FIXING THE MIG EQUIPMENT.

THE SUPERVISOR HAD A DIFFICULT TIME FINDING A LOCAL EQUIPMENT REPAIR SHOP THAT COULD PROVIDE THE NECESSARY ELECTRONIC PULSED WELD EQUIPMENT REPAIRS WITH A QUICK TURN AROUND. TO MAINTAIN HIS DAILY ROBOT WELD PRODUCTION, HE DECIDED TO ORDERED ANOTHER 4 PULSED UNITS AS SPARES?

To purchase MIG equipment wave forms you don't need, how much will your company this year budget for new pulsed MIG equipment and the annual pulsed MIG weld equipment repairs? Two weeks after the three year old warranty has elapsed on that pulsed power source, you could end up with a pulsed MIG weld power source repair bill that is in the $2000 to $5000 range. The bottom line after that expensive repair, that three year old pulsed power source is the equivalent of a 10 year old car and you know what direction that power source is heading.

Dec. 2008. Norfolk Virginia. I requested that the local Miller rep bring in a Miller 350P pulsed power source to a client of mine for a pulsed MIG demo on Aluminum. It took 10 to 15 minutes to figure the pulsed arc characteristics were poor (insufficient energy for the wire feed delivered) on the 5356 program welding 1/4 (6 mm) aluminum fillets. I switched the aluminum weld wire to 4043, however we could not use the equipment as the 4043 program and the arc control (voltage control) did not work. The demo failed.

TWO QUESTIONS YOU COULD ASK
YOUR PULSED EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURER.

[1] YOU ADMIT YOUR PULSED EQUIPMENT HAS HAD MANY ELECTRONIC ISSUES, YET I CANNOT RECALL YOU INFORMING US ABOUT THOSE FAULTS OR PROVIDING COMPENSATION FOR OUR WELD ISSUES OR PROVIDING A WELD EQUIPMENT RECALL.

[2] AS WE RESENT BEING A TEST LAB FOR YOUR EVOLVING, ERRATIC WELD EQUIPMENT, WOULD IT BE POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO THOROUGHLY TEST YOUR NEXT NEW MIG EQUIPMENT BEFORE YOU PRESENT IT THIS WELD SHOP?

A minor detail to some.

PULSED MIG EQUIPMENT PERFORMANCE:

As this MIG volt / amp graph of a 2004 PANASONIC pulsed MIG POWER source indicates, the weld current (black) and voltage (red) are anything but stable.

Arc and weld energy stability with pulsed weld equipment is something that should be a concern for any weld individual that understands the importance of attaining consistent weld energy for consistent weld transfer and consistent weld fusion.

High pulsed MIG wire feed rates can lead to excessive pulsed frequency resulting in high peak current weld content, leading to excess weld fluidity and agitated weld puddles.

�

Ed on right providing robot process control training for Magna plant in the USA 2004.
While there he tested Lincoln pulsed MIG Equipment versus CV equipment and spray transfer.

The following weld test comparisons were made using a Lincoln pulsed power source and a low cost MIG power source, the Lincoln CV 400. The Lincoln CV 400 costs approx. $3000.

Compare what you pay for your robot weld equipment. In 2004, the CV 400 robot MIG package, including wire feed and interface, would sell for approx. $6500. For those tier one companies who often get a twenty to thirty percent discount on the weld equipment they purchase, did you pay more than $4500 for your robot weld package, (power source and interface). Every penny you spent over this price was a penny thrown out of your window.

The Lincoln CV 400 will on the majority of weld applications outperform the much more costly Lincoln pulsed Power Wave 455 and any of the Miller, ESAB or Japanese pulsed equipment on carbon steel welds. In contrast to the low cost CV equipment, the Lincoln Power Wave unit including a wire feeder and interface will retail for around $12000 to $14000. In this segment the Lincoln CV welds are also compared with the Lincoln Invertec, an inverter pulsed power source which sells for approx. thirty percent more than the CV 400.

Lincoln CV 300 or 400: Ed made this untouched "manual",
5/16, (8 mm) fillet weld, 045 wire, 450 ipm, approx. 13 lb/hr

Note: With this untouched spray transfer fillet weld sample, no weld spatter, and the "flat" smooth weld surface. Also note the spray weld's straight edges which indicate consistent weld transfer and consistent weld fusion.

PICTURE ABOVE: With an 0.045, (1.2 mm), E70S-3 MIG wire and argon - 10% CO2 gas mix, Ed ran the 0.045 wire at a wire feed rate of 450 ipm. The 450 ipm is an optimum spray transfer wire feed rate for many auto / truck frame manufactures, robot welding carbon steel parts 3 to 6 mm. The 450 ipm wire feed rate will enable a 4 to 5 mm fillet welds at a robot travel rates of 40 to 50 ipm. This deposition rate will also produce a 1/4, (6 mm) fillet weld at a robot speed of 20 to 22 ipm.

Pulsed versus Spray. 0.045 (1.2mm) steel wire set at 350 ipm.

Picture above. I made the pulsed weld on left sample with the 0.045 wire. Compare it with the spray weld I made on the right using the same wire size, the same technique, the same WSO and same wire feed rate using conventional CV spray. Both welds were made with the wire feed set at 350 inch/min delivering approx. 9 - 10 lb/hr. When set at 350 inch/min the 0.045 wire is at an "optimum" pulsed wire feed setting. The 0.045 wire set at 350 ipm is also the approx. "start point" of spray transfer weld. Again note the pulsed weld inconsistency is clearly evident in the convex, irregular weld surface and inconsistent weld edges. When sectioned, you know which of these two welds provided superior weld fusion.

If you want robot weld stability at high weld deposition rates, purchase a CV power source and pay approx. $6000 rather than waste $12000 plus on pulsed MIG equipment. If you have already spent your dollars on that pulsed power source and want to improve weld fusion or arc stability switch over to spray transfer.

Pulsed versus Spray. 0.045 (1.2mm) steel wire set at 450 ipm.

Picture Above: Again you don't have to be a weld expert to see that when the 0.045 wire is set at 450 ipm, (approx. 13 lb/hr), which weld is optimum. The 0.045 wire set at 450 ipm is used on many robot spray welds on parts > 5 mm. This one picture tells you why auto industry executives and engineers have wasted millions of dollars on paying an expensive premium for electronic pulsed equipment that has not created any steel weld benefits for their plants

.

Pulsed versus Spray. 0.045 (1.2mm) steel wire set at 550 ipm.

PICTURE ABOVE: Of course if you want the maximum possible MIG weld deposition rate or highest ROBOT weld speeds from the robots on steel parts > 8 mm you will use an 0.045 wire set around 550 ipm, 15 to 16 lb /hr. This is a common spray wire feed setting you don't want to set with that costly pulsed power source. One thing you can say for the pulsed process, at low or high wire feed rates the weld inconsistency is consistent.

IT'S ALSO TRUE WITH 0.035 (1mm) WIRES.

PICTURE ABOVE: With the 0.035 wire and argon 10% - CO2. I opened the wire feed control to it's maximum setting and provided a wire feed rate of 700 ipm. Again look at the spray weld on the left versus the pulsed weld on the right. The pulsed weld with the 0.035 wire indicated the same inconsistent weld transfer pattern as with the 0.045 wire. The pulsed weld was again more irregular and convex and the side wall weld fusion was again less inconsistent than the spray weld. Again note both welds are untouched with no spatter.

0.035 WIRE SET AT AN OPTIMUM MID RANGE PULSED WIRE FEED RATE OF 550 ipm,
Compare with the spray weld, you know which is the best weld.

Picture Above. Again note the 0035 wire comparison of the pulsed mode versus spray transfer weld. In the pulsed picture on the right, the welds are made at a mid range wire feed setting of 550 ipm. As the weld indicates again the traditional spray mode shows more consistency in the metal flow rate.

If you want the most effective robot and manual MIG and
flux cored weld process control training program, visit here..

Ed's process control training resources.

Pulsed MIG welding Torque Converters:

THIS COSTLY LINCOLN POWER WAVE, WAS NOT UP TO THIS SIMPLE WELD CHALLENGE.

After years of trying to educate big three weld management, it's only fitting that my last auto weld consulting job in the year 2000, ended up in a Detroit General Motors plant and the application was using the infamous Lincoln pulsed MIG equipment.

The GM management and engineers who typically like Ford and Chrysler engineers are not aware of MIG process fundamentals were not satisfied with their new multi-million dollar torque converter line welds. This line had been set up to automatically MIG weld approx. 1000 torque converters daily.

The torque converter parts are delivered to the weld stations by conveyors. In the weld cells, the round parts rotate while the MIG welding guns were stationary. The parts required a continuous 3/16 (4.8 mm) horizontal lap seal weld. Each weld station had three MIG guns which would simultaneously weld the converters as they rotated. The pulsed MIG weld problems generated from the Lincoln equipment delivered a product with;

[a] GM averaged 4 - 8% leak rate from the multi MIG pulsed welds. In the auto industry this leak rate in some plants would be considered good, however at this GM plant, as the weld production volume was extensive, the finished machined torque converters costly and weld repairs were not allowed.

[b] Excess weld heat from the multi-torch operation was also causing production "assembly" issues.

The Lincoln power source pulsed arc weld instability at the recommended pulsed wire feed settings established by Lincoln employees, caused extensive weld quality issues, weld rework and productivity issues for GM. The engineers had worked out the annual weld rework and loss of productivity losses for this plant would be in the range of 1.5 to 2 million dollars. For a little weld process logic and the the rest of the story click here.

It was 2004. Another Pulsed MIG Problem and I was
wondering, do those guys at Miller know what defines a good weld
and do they ever test their pulsed MIG equipment?

2004: This time my pulsed MIG application was a major manufacturer of stainless exhaust coupling and flexible fittings as used in the auto / truck industry. The tight tolerance, stainless parts, are rotated in an automated Bancroft welding machine with the single MIG gun stationary. As indicated in the photo, the stainless MIG welds were made inside the flange. With these parts I was again provided the opportunity to evaluate pulsed MIG versus traditional spray.

To weld the stainless coupling parts, the manufacturer had selected Miller

Invision pulsed MIG equipment and the weld transfer mode utilized was the pulsed MIG mode. The 0.045 (1.2mm) 300 series stainless weld wire was set at what should have been an an optimum, conservative pulsed wire feed rate of 300 ipm. After welding each part, the parts were leak tested. The pulsed welds looked good, yet the average weld rework as revealed by the leak test was over ten percent.

To fix the leaks, I first switched off the pulsed mode and within a few minutes established new "spray transfer" weld parameters. With the spray mode I set the 0.045 wire feed rate higher, at "400 ipm". With the higher spray wire feed rate I increased the actual weld production by 25%and the leak test for the new spray transfer welds was "zero percent".

AS THE WELD TRAVEL RATE AND WIRE STICK OUT WAS CONSTANT, THIS WAS A GREAT APPLICATION TO COMPARE THE MILLER PULSED MODE WITH SPRAY TRANSFER. To reevaluate the pulsed mode at the same wire feed rate set with the the spray weld, I then reset the Miller Invision power source back to the pulsed mode and set the pulsed wire feed rate at 400 ipm. I then fine tuned the pulsed parameters to minimize spatter with the shortest arc length. The new pulsed welds looked as good as the spray welds, however when the parts were leak tested approx. 8% required weld rework. I turned the pulsed mode off and from 2005 and these important auto / truck part welds are made the old fashioned Ed Craig way, using "spray transfer".

WITH PULSED, IT'S OFTEN WHAT YOU DON'T SEE WITH THE WELD THAT SHOULD BE A CONCERN.

For those of you struggling with consistent pulsed MIG quality welds, be aware that in most instances the traditional spray transfer arc on parts > 3 mm can provide superior weld fusion and be more stable.

As much as weld equipment companies benefit from making their weld equipment complex and costly, please note MIG welding has never been rocket science. The wires in your $10 Chinese toaster provide the correct amount of resistance and current to maintain the wire in a consistent red heat condition.

As the photo on the right indicates, for a few hundred dollars, you can put two car batteries together. With the 24 volts hooked up a small spool wire feeder gun you can then produce an excellent MIG weld.

In the simple task of melting the tip of a small diameter, MIG wire, weld equipment manufactures today don't blink as they offer a sophisticated, electronic pulsed MIG power source at the cost of a small car.

Miller Pulsed Update 2008. It's the same stainless coupling company I visited in 2004, only this time we compare the Miller Axcess pulsed mode against lower cost CV equipment and the traditional spray transfer mode.
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In 2004 when an auto parts supplier had problem with the Miller Invision pulsed MIG flange welds on the stainless couplings, I found that we could get the consistent weld results the company desired by switching the pulsed mode off and welding the the flange stainless welds with spray transfer. (See above story).

In 2008 Miller delivered it's new Axcess with a promise that the pulsed mode was now stable and would achieve the desired weld quality on the automated stainless coupling welds. The coupling company was dubious about Millers promises so they invited me back to compare the Miller Axcess pulsed mode against the traditional spray mode I had previously established.

The automated weld cells had a two torch setup. I set one gun on the Miller Invision in the traditional spray mode. I set the other gun to a new Miller Axcess and utilized the Accu Pulse mode. I ran both systems using the shielding gas I developed for this weld, Argon - 5 CO2. We used an 0.045 (1.2mm) stainless weld wire. The wire feed range tested was 300 to 500 ipm.

In the weld tests the Miller Axcess performed well in the pulsed mode. With both the pulsed arc and spray arc lengths finely tuned to minimize spatter. The weld results were again interesting. The Axcess package is priced about 50% more than a standard CV Miller Delta Weld package. The Miller Axcess pulsed mode did no better than the spray mode. It's true that the average weld current from the pulsed mode was less, however lower current on this application subject to leak tests was not a benefit. As for weld spatter, the coupling weld position and small ID create an excellent weld spatter trap, so weld spatter was a major concern. Again the Axcess did well on the spatter count, however the spatter results between the pulsed mode and spray mode were so miniscule that when the pulsed and spray parts were placed side to side, no one could tell which was the spray weld and which was the pulsed weld. There was no justification to pay the extra price for the Miller Axcess so I fine tuned the traditional spray mode and the afternoon shift ran 800 parts that required no weld cleaning or weld rework..

AS EVERY WELD SHOP KNOWS WELD EQUIPMENT PROOF IS FOUND IN THE WELD RESULTS:

IT'S LOGICAL TO ASK, WHAT REAL WORLD WELD BENEFITS ARE DERIVED FROM MAKING THE MIG WELD EQUIPMENT MORE COSTLY AND COMPLEX? WHAT DOES THE PULSED MIG EQUIPMENT HAVE TO DO TO MAKE THAT COMMON 1/4 (6 mm) FILLET WELD?

As the pulsed MIG weld wire travels into the weld at typical speeds of 100 to 700 ipm, that highly sensitive, artificial intelligent pulsed MIG power source has to;

[a] Control and diagnose both the pulsed arc start and arc end weld parameters. If the preset pulsed data does not produce the weld start or the weld end crater will your weld personnel know how to set the correct pulsed data?

[b] Control and diagnose the pulsed low back ground current. If the weld is unstable or lacks weld energy, does your weld decision maker know what the optimum pulsed back ground current should be, or what an adjustment to the back ground current will do to the arc or weld?

[c] Control and diagnose the pulsed high peak weld current. Does your weld decision maker know what the optimum pulsed peak would be, or what an adjustment to the peak current will do to the arc or welds?

[d] Control and diagnose the pulsed frequency. Does your weld decision maker know what the optimum pulsed frequency should be, or what an adjustment to the pulsed frequency will do to the welds?

[e] Control and diagnose the pulsed pulsed up-slope / down slope and the pulsed profile. Does your weld decision maker know what an adjustment to the pulsed profile, (select one of 4 million available wave forms) will do to the welds?

FOR DECADES SPRAY TRANSFER HAS BEEN A SIMPLE PROCESS, YET FEW WELD SHOPS PROVIDED THE PROCESS TRAINING NECESSARY TO ATTAIN PROCESS OPTIMIZATION.. IN CONTRAST TO THE COMPLEXITIES ASSOCIATED WITH PULSED MIG, LOOK HOW SIMPLE IT IS TO MAKE THAT COMMON STEEL FILLET WELD FOR ANY STEEL OR STAINLESS APPLICATION, USING A CV POWER SOURCE, AN ARGON CO2 MIX AND 0.045 (1.2 mm) WIRE:

[1] You select one of three optimum wire feed positions, (from my weld books and training resources).

[2] You set the optimum spray weld voltage, one of two settings (from my weld books and training resources) then fine tune the voltage by the sound or spatter length and shape.

If the weld shop was confused about
the two control short circuit and spray modes,

what hope does the shop
have understanding pulse?

A traditional CV, MIG power source may be short on electronics, however it does a great job while welding as it automatically maintains the arc length during wire stick out variations.

The low cost, durable MIG equipment provides three unique MIG weld transfer modes suited to all metals. Short circuit provides controlled low heat input suited from 20 gage to 0.100. Controlled globular produces a small amount of weld spatter and suited to weld 14 gage to 0.125 and depending of the use of robot or manual welding, spray is suited to welding all steel parts >0.070.

WHAT ABOUT THOSE INVERTERS OR CC/CV MULTI-PROCESS POWER SOURCES?.....Did you know the regular lowest cost CV power source is superior to an Inverter and a multi-process or pulsed power source when used for the MIG weld modes, short circuit or spray and for welding with the gas shielded flux cored wires?.
(This info and evidence in my MIG and flux cored Process Control training CDs).

There is a great value for any weld decision maker, when they combine weld process expertise with a $2000 CV power source that can handle the vast majority of the world's welding applications.

Ed providing MIG and flux cored process control training to
60 engineers and managers from 6 countries.

2010: MIG WELD BEST PRACTICES AND PROCESS CONTROL TRAINING FOR WELD OPTIMIZATION. MOST COMMUNITY COLLEGES DON'T PROVIDE IT, UNIVERSITIES THAT OFFER WELD ENGINEER DEGREES DON'T DO IT, AND THE MAJORITY OF THE WORLD'S WELD SHOPS GIVE IT MINIMAL CONSIDERATION .

IF THE WELD PROCESS CONTROL TRAINING IS PROVIDED FROM MY CD, MIG AND FCAW POWER POINT PROGRAMS, THE WELD RESULTS FOR YOUR ORGANIZATION CAN BE REMARKABLE.

[a] WELD PERSONNEL WILL NO LONGER "PLAY AROUND" WITH WELD CONTROLS ATTAIN OPTIMUM WELD DATA.

[b] WELD PERSONNEL WILL KNOW WHEN TO SWITCH FROM SHORT CIRC, GLOBULAR SPRAY OR PULSED OR WHEN TO CHANGE THAT WELD WIRE SIZE OR GAS MIX FOR OPTIMUM WELD QUALITY AND PRODUCTIVITY.

[c] WELD PERSONNEL WILL IMMEDIATELY UNDERSTAND THE ROOT CAUSE OF THEIR WELD ISSUES AND WILL PROVIDE INSTANT WELD PROCESS RESOLUTIONS NECESSARY FOR THE COMMON ALL WELD ISSUES.

[d] WELD PERSONNEL WILL UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WELD COSTS, WIRE FEED SETTINGS AND THE WELD DEPOSITION RATES THEY DAILY ATTAIN.

A FEW OF ED'S PROCESS OPTIMIZATION PROJECTS,

FORD F 150 FRAMES - VOLVO CABS - CORVETTE FRAMES-
HARLEY FRAMES - NEW BEETLE SEATS AND ED ALSO ESTABLISHED
THE ROBOT WELD FOR THE WORLD'S LARGEST CATERPILLAR TRUCK.

click here for Ed's best practices / process control materials.

ARE YOUR PEOPLE WELD
PROCESS QUALIFIED?

WHY NOT GIVE THEM
THIS FUNDAMENTAL MIG WELD
PROCESS CONTROL TEST

HOW FAR IN THE WELDING INDUSTRY DID WE EVOLVE BETWEEN 1988 AND 2010? In the graphs below we have two MIG welds both set with optimum weld data. If you believe in the importance of MIG arc stability take your choice. Compare the spray voltage (red) and current (black) graph on right from a regular $2000 MIG power source built in 1988, with the optimum pulsed mode graph on the left from a $12.000 USA manufactured pulsed power source built in 2008.

Even lawyers could figure this weld equipment performance graph out.

In my last weld process control presentation during Nov 2007. I was providing a process control work shop with a large group of ASTEC / Kolberg managers and engineers. There was two lawyers present, ready to give a talk on patents. I asked the lawyers which of these graphs they would accept in the attainment of consistent, optimum MIG weld quality. You know they both picked the one on the right.

The next two pictures are are two 3/16 (4.8 mm) fillet welds I made during 2003 on 1/4 stainless steel. The welds were made with a Lincoln 300 Power MIG. The 300 power source was a single phase, pulsed MIG unit that retailed at that time for approx. $3,700. This pulsed MIG power source has pre-scheduled pulsed programs for specific wire types and diameters.

This Lincoln pulsed MIG power source was purchased by a company that welds both steel and stainless parts. Due to it's daily welding issues, (most caused by lack of process expertise) this company believed it needed Lincoln's so called unique pulsed power source. The MIG wires used for the 3/16 fillet welds were 0.035, (1mm) - 308L and 309 wires.

With the Lincoln power source, I set the 0.035 wire feed at 550 ipm, a setting that should have been an optimum pulsed wire feed rate. The power source provided the pulsed parameters, I simply had to set the trim, (fine tune the weld voltage) to attain the optimum pulsed arc length. The manual welds were untouched after welding. Take note of the mediocre pulsed weld appearance and also the heat affected zone in contrast to the spray photo.

A PULSED PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS. A MACRO
LOOK AT THE PULSED MIG FUSION MAY CAUSE MANY COMPANIES CONERN.

$3700: Lincoln 300. Pulsed MIG "On".

Lincoln 300: Same wire feed settings as above
with the pulsed mode turned "off".

With the pulsed mode switched off, the Lincoln 300 power source was set to spray transfer. The same weld wire and wire feed rate as the pulsed weld were used for the 3/16 stainless spray transfer fillet weld. As you can see above, even the spray weld was poor with an obvious lack of weld energy. Poor slope output for spray is common from pulsed MIG equipment. As you can see when comparing both welds even the HAZ is similar. My point is simple. Why pay extra for the pulsed electronics when you don't need them? Why pay for something that provides inferior performance to traditional CV equipment and is less durable and more costly to repair?

Check the weld similarity from the two weld transfer modes.
Check out the Lincoln poor performance for both the pulsed and spray weld.

The above welds would be dramatically improved using the same wire feed settings and spray transfer from a regular > 250 amp CV power source. So we have another weld shop that purchased a pulsed product that did not live up to the salesman promises.

IF YOU WANT TO FIND THE WORLDS WORST WELDS
PAY A VISIT TO AN AUTO / TRUCK PLANT

NO WELD EQUIPMENT ISSUES HERE,
JUST LACK OF ROBOT WELD PROCESS EXPERTISE.

The following pictures are robot pulsed MIG welds made between 2003 and 2005 on Ford truck frames. The sad looking welds were made with one of the most expensive, American manufactured, pulsed power source available, the "Lincoln Power Wave".

I have been in too many auto / truck frame plants and from a weld perspective it was always a gut wrenching, frustrating experience. I often think the coating they put on the frames after welding is not there to prevent rust, it's there to either hold the steel together or to make sure no one can see the welds. The pathetic Ford truck welds shown below are of course not the fault of the workers on the floor and not the fault of the robots or weld equipment.

2003 - 2004. Weld Equipment. Lincoln Pulsed Power Wave.
Purchased by managers and engineers who lacked
the ability to take ownership of a welding process.

These Ford truck robot welds were managed and programmed by engineers and
robot weld personnel who thanks to inexperienced management lacked the ability
to establish Best Weld Practices and Weld Process Controls.

Purchase the most expensive and most sophisticated electronic
MIG equipment available. Make some bad choices on the weld wire size selected. Mix in inexperienced, hands off weld management. Toss in some poorly trained engineers, supervisors and technicians and you to will have the right combination to produce truck frame welds that look like they fell out of the rear end of a pigeon as it flew over the parts.

What a combination, America's most expensive pulsed power source welding on America's most expensive truck, it was a lousy marriage. Here in the USA we can blame the loss of many jobs on overseas lower labor costs or superior Japanese quality, which from a weld perspective is simply a myth. If we face weld reality, we may want blame a good portion of the demise of the Big Three and North American job losses on under qualified, manufacturing management who for decades lacked the ability to control and optimize the equipment they own and therfore lacked the abilty to recognize the process control training necessary for their plant employees.

Remember optimum MIG welds are not about a unique weld transfer mode such
as pulsed, they are about a balance between the weld energy (slope output)
delivered and the wire feed rate utilized.

Visit Ed's Weld Process Control Training Resources.

THE FOLLOWING IS A CASE OF WELD PRODUCT MARKETING / SALESMANSHIP AND BOVINE FECAL MATTER THAT FROM MY PERSPECTIVE REACHED AN ALL TIME LOW.

I was amazed to read one advertisement in the Nov. 2003. Weld Journal, a magazine that often struggles to walk a line between it's source of advertising revenue and maintaining unbiased weld technology credibility.

The advertisement in the Weld Journal was from National Standard, (NS), a primary North American MIG wire manufacturer. The NS advert made ridiculous claims for it's new Pulse PLUS Steel MIG Weld Wire.

National Standard claimed. "That with their unique MIG wire and the pulsed MIG process you will get less weld spatter, less weld fumes and their MIG wire will reduce the need for grinding. NS also claimed that their pulsed wire is supposed to provide a wider operating range than competitive MIG wires. NS made four claims that were simply four lies.

BS about NS Pulse Plus MIG Wire.

When an industry has to rely on salesmanship, there will always a supplier
ready to deliver it. The sad point is the Weld Journal should not deliver it.

I guess that $12000 pulsed power source you just purchased from Lincoln that's loaded down with sophisticated electronics that controls the pulsed weld transfer, will now with the magic NS wire provide an enhanced pulsed transfer.

This type of weld product advertising belongs on the very top of the the mountain of the never ending Bovine Fecal matter that for decades has spewed from the marketing department many global weld equipment and consumable manufacturers. This is the type of weld BS data that adds to weld shop myths and weld shop confusion. This is part of the the BS that has helped destroy the technical credibility of today's welding industry.

SHAME on National Standard, a major North American weld wire manufacturer for it's gross product lies and complete lack of respect for the intelligence of it's North American welding customers.

SHAME on a Welding Journal affiliated with the none profit American Weld Society for providing this ad. This is a journal that prides itself on it's technical articles, perhaps this journal forgot that it only benefits it's "paid subscribers" as long as the information and advertising it provides is credible.

SHAME ON the welding industry that's been using the MIG process for more than five decades, an industry which still has many gullible readers that actually believed the NS claims and purchased this ridiculous MIG wire.

This MIG weld wire fiasco, is yet another reason why it's important that the global weld industry needs to take ownership of it's processes and why weld decision makers need to cut the umbilical cord that has been attached to weld equipment and consumable manufacturers for more than fifty years.

< 2005. When it comes to reading advertisements and welding literature written by personnel who work for world's leading MIG equipment and consumable manufacturers, before you believe what you read, put that weld shield in place, believe the wire feed rates you can deliver, the arc and weld consistency, THEN CUT THE WELDS AND BELIEVE IN THE WELD FUSION YOU SEE.

Ed Craig 2005.

E- Mail Weld Question
June 19, 2003.

Subject: GMAW-P Problems.

Hello Ed. We are trying to utilize GMAW-P on an HY-80 steel pipe welds. I was pushing for gas shielded flux cored wires, but our engineers will not allow flux cored wires for our procedures. The engineers complain of poor mechanical properties from the flux cored wires on the HY metal. We can't use spray as many of the welds are out of position. We are having a difficult time passing UT with our Miller Invision pulsed power source. The MIG pulsed parameters required provide a wide arc zone and long arc length, this results in inconsistent weld fusion.

We are thinking about switching to Lincoln Pulsed equipment, as they tell us with their equipment that we can control the pulsed wave forms and get better results. The Miller Equipment does not allow wave form manipulation from the interface, you have to run off the factory resets. Do you have any suggestions on getting better results with our GMAW-P equipment?

Ed's Reply: Forget that nonsense about "pulling a magic wave form out of that red machine". Your question brings to light some of the pulsed process issues I have been talking about for more than a decade. Pulsed variable parameters and pulsed arc length sensitivity combined with a lower energy, fluctuating pulsed MIG arc plasma will have welding consequences especially to those who are concerned about the weld fusion attained. Of course to attain more weld energy with pulse one can always increase the pulse parameters. However there are limits and when those parameters are outside the optimum pulsed parameter range, you will not likely be pleased with the resulting welds.

Good luck with the Lincoln Power Wave and it's numerous wave forms. I think you will find that wave form control which sounds great in the Lincoln marketing brochure is going to have have little impact on your weld applications. You may want to read one of my many experiences with the Lincoln Power Wave when it created serious weld quality issues for American Axle, a major tier one axle manufacturer. Check out the MIG equipment section.

Your statement on the engineers comments on unacceptable gas shielded flux cored weld mechanical properties shows a real problem in your organization and a common major problem for many companies.

If your company is interested in attaining consistent weld fusion and higher than traditional weld strength it should fire the engineers who made the ridiculous flux cored statement and quickly get used to welding with the highly cost effective gas shielded flux cored consumables or better still take a look at TIP TIG.

Your companies weld issues are typical of many companies in the pipe and pressure vessel industries, companies where you will find many engineers who provide MIG and flux cored weld opinions, yet few are qualified to make a rational MIG or flux cored weld process decision.

E Mail 01/ 2005.

Question: Ed I just recently purchased the Lincoln Power wave 355 Pulse power sources to weld 0.055 stainless steel pipe to a much thicker 6 mm solid donut shaped carbon steel part. These are automated welds and the nozzle to work distance is fixed. I have been experiencing arc stability issues and INCONSISTENT weld appearance every now and then during the circumferential welds. Could I talk with you in more detail regarding this problem?

Sincerely. Travis Schifferns.

Ed's answer. You are finding the weld reality that the pulsed equipment you purchased does not live up to the promises made by the equipment mfg. Call me reference the solution to this problem. Ed.

ROBOTS AND HIGH SPEED MIG WELD CONCERNS: The pulsed, inconsistent, lower open arc energy attained from < 2005 pulsed equipment was not the logical choice for many high weld speed robot applications, especially when you consider the two prime weld quality issues on many robot welds on steel or stainless parts > 4mm was;

[1] marginal or lack of side wall weld fusion.
[2] inconsistent or skipped welds caused by inconsistent transfer of the electrons across the arc.

SPRAY VERSUS PULSED PLASMA AND THE WELD STREAM:
In contrast to the ever changing, peak to back ground pulsed MIG transfer mode, the constant energy, higher velocity, denser plasma with the spray transfer weld stream, offers three unique weld attributes;

[1] Spray Transfer: With consistent weld parameters, spray transfer will provide a less fluctuating, more consistent

plasma shape and therefore maintain the location of the arc plasma energy influencing the weld fusion potential. In contrast to spray, the pulsed plasma is typically weaker as 50% of it's time its at the back ground current setting. In the pulsed back ground to peak condition, the plasma profile continuously collapses between a narrow and wider plasma.

[2] Spray transfer can weld with a much shorter arc length than pulsed. The shorter arc length focuses the most concentrated area of the arc plasma plasma energy in the weld rather than over the external weld surface. The concentrated, higher energy spray plasma is beneficial to attaining optimum weld fusion and stable electron transfer with high speed welds.

[3] The traditional spray transfer plasma configuration and short arc length potential can provide an arc less sensitive to mill scale or specific coatings.

THE REGULAR MIG ARC ALSO CORRECTS ITSELF: When you read anout the pulsed MIG electronics performing miracles as the MIG arc lengths change, remember In most robot and automated welding systems, the MIG arc length (wire tip to work distance) variations that take place during the welds should be minuscule. However if the constant voltage (CV) arc length does change during the weld, the traditional CV MIG power source has always had that unique slope feature in which a small voltage change in the arc will result in a high rapid weld current change that instantly "self corrects the arc length".

E-mail from l. KD - P&F. 12 /07

Ed, you would be interested to know that by the end of the year I will have at least 100 of our robots welding with US 0.035 (1 mm) wire using conventional spray transfer with "no pulsing". It took 10 years Ed, but we are finally using the recommendations you made to us in the nineteen nineties. I now have the top guy in North America convinced traditional spray is the way to go with the robot MIG applications. In regards to your MIG process control training programs and resources we now have two other plants that will be contacting you.

Note from Ed: This is one of the largest tier one suppliers to Honda and Toyota in the USA. The plant has hundreds of Panasonic robots and Panasonic pulsed MIG equipment.

The Panasonic weld equipment and pulsed process was a requirement of the Japanese parent company. For more than a decade, this pulsed MIG equipment, daily generated numerous pulsed weld and production issues that dramatically impacted the daily robot weld quality and production. With all the problems, the blinkered corporate engineers and apathetic managers in Japan were reluctant to hear that the the traditional, more durable, lower cost, North American CV equipment would provide solutions to the majority of their daily robot weld issues.

Many Japanese companies are hobbled daily with their Achilles approach to manufacturing. What is that Achilles heel? It's an arrogance that what they do is superior to anyone else. Bringing erratic performing Japanese weld equipment and Japanese MIG wires to America was like sending second grade coal to Newcastle. The costly Asian weld wires provided no benefits, the Panasonic weld equipment was a disaster of inconsistency and the performance of the Panasonic Japanese robots left a lot to be desired.

Thanks to the Japanese lack of MIG process expertise, their lack of flexibility to make change when change was required and there disregard of the process advice I provided them 10 years previously, I believe this company has wasted at least 20 million dollars in robot down time, rejects and rework. But I suppose the important thing is the Japanese engineering egos are still intact.

DON'T FORGET THE INFLUENCE OF THE SPRAY WELD
GAS ON THE STABLE SPRAY TRANSFER WELDS.

Click here for Ed's MIG Gas Mixes

GAS MIXES CAN PROVIDE A GREAT CONTRIBUTION TO WELD STABILITY AND WELD ENERGY

In a time of equipment electronic bells and whistles, please remember with MIG gas mixes, that the CO2 gas dissociation and oxidation properties, are often not given the credit or consideration they deserve. I recommend you visit the MIG gas section of this site.

The Japanese will often add electronics to welding equipment
without understanding why they add the electronics

E-mail. Oct 2008:

I am emailing you because I have come to a questionable snag with my pulsed MIG equipment. I have the equipment set in the spray mode. I am welding on 5/16” carbon steel material, my settings are set to spray transfer (29 volts 500 wire speed in/min).

When making a 3/16” fillet weld with the 0.035 wire I have noticed that at the end of the weld, the weld flattens out and has what I have been taught to refer to as a “fish eye” ( I am not sure if this is the right term for this problem ).

The attached photo will show you what I am referring to. When coming to the end of my weld I back over the weld about ¼” instead of just stopping. I don’t pull my nozzle away before I let the trigger go, so I don’t think this issue is caused due to the length of the stick out. My gas is set to 35cfh argon/CO2 mix.

Could you please advise what may be causing this poor finish is this just cosmetic or an issue that needs to be addressed? If this is an issue that needs to be addressed could you please explain the proper procedure for fixing. These parts are under extreme vibrations and some stresses Vertical / Horizontal and Lateral. Thank you.T Eason.

Ed's Reply. Two things going on here.

[1] First the weld picture indicates poor side wall fusion. As you are using good spray parameters the lack of fusion is likely a result that the weld surface was wire brushed and the mill scale has been left. If you are concerned about fatique properties you don't MIG weld over mill scale. Grind the weld area before welding, I am sure you will see a difference in the weld appearence. As for the crater and crater hole.

[2] A fish eye is typically a pore evident in a failed weld and the bright shiny appearence in the pore indicates the presence of hydrogen, so you dont have a fish eye. You do have a pulsed power source that has a built in defect. This is a a commom classic issue with pulsed equipment in which the machine controlled end parameters or burn back parameters are set too high, (more evidence that pulsed equipment manufactures don't correctly test the equipment they build.)
I see this defect all the time in pulsed equipment in robot cells. At the end of the weld, the high voltage spike applied for the burn back causes a suck back effect in the arc leaving that classic hole in the crater. In many instances if you examine with magnification you will find shrinkage cracks around that hole and with your fatigue concerns, this defect has to be ground out and the crater filled in. My MIG process control training resources deal with this issue and provide process solutions, however you would be well served to send the power source back to the company who manufactured it. It's ironic that this defect would not occur on a lower cost traditional CV power source.

THE PULSED MIG PROCESS HAS MORE THAN ONE ACHILLES HEEL: Even with the world's best pulsed equipment, on many common applications the Pulsed MIG process will always have its Achilles Heel. Visit section 2 of pulsed MIG. Find out about useless wave form options and concerns for lack of weld fusion.

Invest in your weld career, talk to a salesman or order Ed's books and MIG and flux cored, weld process control CD training resources.

PULSED MIG CANNOT COMPETE WITH TIP TIG
IF WELD QUALITY IS YOUR FIRST CRITERIA.

If you are teaching your self, or providing weld process control training for others, the following resources are the key to attaining MIG and flux cored weld process optimization.

Item.1. The Book: "A Management & Engineers Guide To MIG Weld Quality, Productivity & Costs"

Item 2. A unique robot MIG training or self teaching resource.
"Optimum Robot MIG Welds from Weld Process Controls".

Item 3. A unique MIG training or self teaching resource.
" Manual MIG Weld Process Optimization from Weld Process Controls".

Item. 4. A unique flux cored training or self teaching resource.
"Optimum Manual and Automated Flux Cored Plate and Pipe welds.

Item 5a."Proceso de Soldadura MIG Manual" (MIG Made Simple. Self teaching in Spanish)

Item 6a. The Self Teaching MIG Book/ Video. (MIG Made Simple in English).

Note: Items 2-3-4 are the most comprehensive process control, self teaching and training programs ever developed..

Visit Ed's MIG / flux cored process control books and CD training resources.

Continue with extensive
pulsed MIG welding data, in section 2.

For MIG and Flux Cored process
expertise visit www.weldreality.com

For TIP TIG better quality than TIG and
up to 10 x as fasf visit www.tiptigusa.com

All Welding and Steels Programs: / Ed's Welding Books, Manuals & CD Training Resources

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Welding Books

Welding CD's

Return to www.weldreality.com home page. HAVE YOU SEEN TIP TIG? THIS PROCESS PROVIDES LESS WELD HEAT AND BETTER WELD QUALITY THAN TIG AND PROVIDES THOSE WELDS AT MIG WIRE FEED RATES. Click on the Evolution of TIG icon if you want a TIP TIG brochure.

Return to www.weldreality.com home page.

HAVE YOU SEEN TIP TIG? THIS PROCESS PROVIDES LESS WELD HEAT AND BETTER
WELD QUALITY THAN TIG AND PROVIDES THOSE WELDS AT MIG WIRE FEED RATES.

Click on the Evolution of TIG icon if you want a TIP TIG brochure.