Welder World Blog

Posts Tagged ‘control’

The goal of every organization is the continual improvement of its manufacturing processes. There is no exception for the arc welding industry. All would agree that information is at the heart of continuous improvement. Information is required to direct the very action necessary to improve processes or resolve problems. Without information, organizations employ random acts with unknown benefits. This wastes valuable time and resources.

Information in the welding industry includes a myriad of data; material data, consumable data, fixture tolerance, part tolerance, weld process information, and much more. Weld process information is a substantial and critical component to improving welding applications. A valuable AIDE would provide the necessary tools to analyze and optimize the weld process.

Intentional collection, storage, and analysis of weld process data has largely been avoided. Welding, for too long, has been solely considered an art at the expense of good engineering practices. The art of welding many times is at the center of an organizations setup, maintenance, and launch of welding applications. As a result, organizations tend to lack documentation, setup methods, and historical information. Procedures derived from information produce common launch practices, universal “best practice” weld procedures, expected productivity and utilization metrics, and historical analysis of preventive maintenance practices to name a few. In a report released by the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Industrial Technologies titled Welding Technology Road Map, the report stated “The transition of welding over the coming decade to a rigorous science based on physical data will contribute greatly to the industry’s success in achieving its vision.” Information is and will be increasingly more the cornerstone of improving and advancing weld practices.

A common opinion, which becomes a barrier, is information driven practices are for fortune 500 companies. That is sorely untrue. Large companies are highly dependent on medium and small suppliers to provide a myriad of components. It is obvious the overall assembly is only as good as the weakest link. Best practices must be employed throughout the chain. The benefits are huge; multiplied efficiencies, information sharing, common practices throughout the supply chain. Consider a mobile work force that can transition from industry to industry utilizing universal practices and tools similar to an electrical engineer employing data acquisition techniques to develop PC electronics and automotive electronics. The electrical engineer uses the same oscilloscope in each capacity. The electrical engineer requires the same information. This should be the same in welding. The welding professional will utilize a universal tool to capture the same information whether the application is a car frame or heavy industry tractor. Information will drive setup, maintenance and production activities.

A read of the industry suggests a new openness to embrace information and its effective utilization. In order to marshall in such an opportunity, a welding AIDE is proposed; a process independent method defining the steps for continuous improvement. AIDE is a simple acronym and easy to remember. It can be the building block to a successful practice to continually improve arc weld operations.

Step 1: Audit – gather real-time weld process information and store creating a historical database

Goal: Collect footprint of welding operations
Metrics: Machine utilization, productivity, Weld Signature® capture

Step 2: Identify – analyze welding information creating knowledge base

Goal: Document weld process and measure process stability and repeatability
Metrics: weld process set point, repeatability of a given weld, number of welds per part, reasons for downtime.

Step 3: Detect – establish control limits and alert on loss of process control

Goal: Bound weld process and alert when violated
Metrics: detect missing welds, detect incomplete welds, detect process anomalies

Step 4: Engineer – use weld information coupled with welding knowledge to improve

Goal: Exploit weld process data to increase quality and velocity
Metrics: tighter process operating range, reduced downtime, reduced process faults

AIDE is an iterative methodology which is continually implemented. Continuous improvement is by definition “continuous”. As such, the method requires a tool to automate the acquisition, analysis, and collection of weld process information. The AIDE methodology is only as good as a tool that makes it possible. What is interesting is the implementation and study of the AIDE methodology largely defines the necessary features of the tool. The tool must quickly and effectively source the information necessary to perform each AIDE step. The goal is continuous improvement and the tool is an enabler to that end.

Don’t worry too much about how your welds look at first:
* While you’re improving electrode control, you’ll be learning more about different welding job situations.
* Plus I’ll tell you WHY it’s important to have good rod control.
* After you read these tips, THEN you can practice your welding rod control techniques.
* Whether you swing a golf club or a bat, if you don’t practice in correct ways, the results can be at least EMBARRASSING!

Let’s talk about arc pressure and gravity:
1) Arc pressure is produced by the voltage from the machine as it’s pushing the molten metal outwardly.
2) The pressure will vary depending on machine settings, rod size, & the amount of arc gap.
3) Gravity not only effects the direction of the molten metal, but also it’s going to try to make your puddle drip.
4) If you’re arc welding in a flat position, you mainly just worry about keeping the rod at right angles to the work-pieces, & tilted away from the puddle, to help control the puddle & the slag. (And that will help you to SEE THE PUDDLE!).
5) If you’re going to weld in a vertical position, you need to aim the arc up-ward to preheat the metal & to help keep the puddle from dripping.
6) At the same time, in vertical welding, you no longer need to worry about slag, because gravity is keeping it out of the way.
7) For horizontal positions it’s a lot the same. Gravity will try to drip the weld, so you aim the arc upwardly.
For overhead jobs you keep the rod nearly straight up for the same reasons. You don’t want to do any weaving in overhead welding, instead just use straight “stringer” beads.

Pipe welding:
* Pipe welding is rather unique, in that it involves all positions as you go around it. You will gain real electrode control experience in pipe welding!
* Horizontal welding on pipe can be tricky too, because you need to keep changing the rod angle as you go around.
* Save overhead welding practice for last. Get used to ELECTRODE CONTROL & amp settings in the easier welding positions first.

General tips:
* Learn to keep the arc length as steady as possible, plus keep the rod angle steady.
* Weld in a straight a line. This helps to give your welds to look better, and to give them more strength.
* Use both hands to steady the rod. Either place both hands on the rod holder, or one hand on the rod itself, until it gets too short (or until the rod gets too hot).
* Work on a steady speed to keep a uniform puddle shape. An oval shape is good, but don’t let it get too pointed. A round shape may be too wide, unless you need a wider or heavier bead for the job you’re doing. You’ll soon be able to judge that your welding speed is right for the job size & situation.
* Finding a good amperage setting for the job at hand, will help you to concentrate on getting a good weld, & not be fighting sticking rods, or having the rod burn through the work-piece.
* Learn to hesitate slightly at the start of your welds to ensure that the “puddle” forms sufficiently.
* Also pause a bit, at each side of the bead, when you’re doing a weave weld, to make sure there is good penetration.

REMEMBER, Don’t worry too much about how your welds look at first! Now start practicing!

Joel Ort of Miller Electric Mfg. Co. shares his tips for MIG welding success. Placing the focus on MIG technique, Ort’s useful comments are applicable for many garage applications involving farm and automotive repairs. Topics include: simple setup, butt joints, T-joints, lap joints and horizontal, vertical and overhead welding positions.

Related Welding Positions Articles

• Continuous output control for fine heat adjustment
• Easy to set-up. Comes with attached input cable and plug
• Easy to operate with full range continuous amperage output control
• 3 year part and labor warranty
• Smooth arc makes it easy to weld with different electrodes, including mild steel, low hydrogen, stainless steel and hardfacing electrodes

Product Description

Features and Benefits:   

• Portable, easy to operate 230 volt stick welder with continuous output control from 40-225 amps
• Produces extremely smooth welding arc at any amp setting
• Can be used for carbon, low alloy and stainless steels from 16 gauge to heavy plate metal
• Includes electrode holder and cable, heavy duty work clamp, sample pack of electrodes and welders guide.
• Continous output control – fine heat adjustment and smooth arc
• Fan cooled for extra thermo protection
• Easy to operate – full range of output 40-225 amps
• Low cost operation – few cents per welding hour
• Optional carbon arc torch for brazing, soldering and bending metal

  

Lincoln Electric K1357 AC 225C Auto Stick Welder

If you really don’t like, for example, hot humid weather like in the southern USA, is welding a bad career choice?

Does the environment vary by the welding specialty (like pipefitting or fabrication)?

Please, only answers from those with experience, no speculative answers, thanks.