Welder Settings
Monica Okane
The following basic MIG welding settings are for welding steel with solid wire. Joint design, position and other factors affect results and settings. When good results are achieved, record the parameters.
Good weld: Notice the good penetration into the base material, flat bead profile, appropriate bead width, and good tie-in at the toes of the weld (the edges where the weld metal meets the base metal).
/ Visual impression: The trained eye can see at first glance whether the material is steel, stainless steel, aluminum, or another metal. The color is a particular giveaway. Dull, dark gray indicates a high iron content. Bright and sparkling suggests chrome-nickel alloys.
/ Magnet test: In case of doubt, a magnet can help to identify the material. Only steel, nickel, and cobalt are magnetic at room temperature. If the material is strongly attracted to the magnet, it is usually iron or low-alloy steel. If there is a weak attraction between the material and the magnet, it is probably alloyed stainless steel. Aluminum is not magnetic.
/ Weight: This criterion is particularly relevant with regard to aluminum. Steel has a much higher density than aluminum, and the same size of material is therefore about three times as heavy.
Before the user can get started, they need to select the correct wire electrode. The electrode must match the parent material and be of higher quality in comparison. This is because during welding, alloying elements in the parent material and in the wire electrode evaporate due to the heat. If an equivalent filler metal were to be used, the weld seam would ultimately be inferior and this must be prevented.
Next, the gas valve is opened and the gas quantity is adjusted. There is a practical rule of thumb for this: Gas quantity (liters/minute) = wire diameter (millimeters) x 10 For example, if a wire electrode with a diameter of one millimeter is used, ten liters per minute are sufficient in a closed workshop. If there is a draft, a little more gas is needed.
Before the welding system is adjusted, the grounding cable must be connected. The clamp should be attached as close as possible to the weld seam. If a welding table is used, the clamp can be mounted on the table, otherwise it must be attached directly to the workpiece.
Does all that sound too complicated? There is also a digital solution! Welding apps guide you intuitively through the basic information. Parent material, additive, shielding gas, desired welding speed, weld seam profile, and number of beads simply need to be entered and the welder receives the basic parameter sets in no time: current, voltage, wire speed, deposition rate, and heat input. Using the Wizard function of the Fronius WeldConnect app, these parameters can also be transferred directly to the welding system wirelessly via Bluetooth. The app therefore not only helps to find the right parameters, but also saves time when applying welder settings. The app is available to download free of charge for iOS from the App Store and for Android from the Google Play Store.
Thanks for a good read. You did a great job illustrating how to properly apply the welder settings. I really enjoyed this article and think it will help my business when communicating with clients. Thanks for the article.
AC frequency is adjustable on many tig inverters but there is verylittle information on where to set the AC frequency for different jobs.
So hopefully, this video will shed some light on that.
First of all, one of the main benefits of having an inverter like this HTP Tig welder is AC frequency adjustment.
In the past, we were stuck with 50 or 60 hz. It seemed fine and we made it work.
But now we can adjust AC frequencies all the way up to 5000hz on some tig welders. ( like the Miller Dynasty 350)
Why would anyone want to tig weld aluminum at 5000hz?
Frequencies like 5000hz may seem unnecessary for the average user butthere are segments of the welding industry like tube mills that arediscovering that increased AC frequency translates directly intoincreased travel speed....and that means increased production. and thatmeans more $$$$$.
Most welders like you and me will never have the need to tig weld withfrequencies of 5000hz. And besides, the high pitch whine at high frequencies like that is very annoying.
But I do adjust the AC frequency setting on every inverter I use. ...Iroutinely use ac frequency settings as high as 150hz when I need tofocus the arc. And I have talked with many welders who see benefits upto around 400hz.
You really need good quality tungsten at 400hz.
For this Video, I started out welding one inch thick ( 25mm) aluminumwith a setting of 50hz on the HTP Tig welder, because a low frequencylike 50hz actually puts more heat into a thick part. If you think aboutit , it makes total sense. More time is spent on the negative andpositive currents and less time is spent switching back and forth.
Next, 60hz was used for overlay type beads that would be used in buildup of castings or worn parts. 60hz is what I am accustomed to from allthose years of welding with transformer style machines. It worked justfine way back when...and still works.
For welds like an edge weld on a piece of .125" (3mm) piece, you canbenefit from a more focused arc. So 100hz is a good choice for thosetypes of welds. I also set the AC balance to 60%en to allow for plentyof cleaning action so that the puddle would wet out and flow clean at aminimal heat.
But stepping down to thinner material like .063" (1.6mm) thickness, asetting of 120hz worked great along with dropping down to a 1/16"(1.6mm) electrode.
The last application was a fillet weld on a Tee joint in .063" (1.6mm)thick aluminum. This joint is difficult. Its hard to maintain a smallweld while getting the puddle to fuse into the root.
A setting of 150 hz helped in pinpointing the arc so that I could drive the molten puddle down into the root of the joint.
So there are a few practical applications for setting AC frequency .
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MIG welding is a versatile and widely used welding technique that requires proper machine settings to achieve optimal results. The ability to fine-tune your MIG welding machine settings is crucial for controlling the weld pool, managing heat input, and ensuring strong, clean welds. In this article, we will delve into the key machine settings involved in MIG welding and provide practical tips to help you master the art of adjusting these settings for superior welding performance.
Two primary machine settings in MIG welding are voltage and wire feed speed. Voltage controls the arc length, while wire feed speed determines the rate at which the welding wire is fed into the weld pool and more importantly, determines welding amperage. This is for most wire feed welding machines that are constant voltage although some machines do use constant current. Achieving the right balance between these settings is crucial for obtaining proper penetration and preventing issues like lack of fusion or burn-through.
To fine-tune these settings, consider factors such as material thickness, joint configuration, and welding position. Thicker materials typically require higher wire feed speed and/or amperage, while thinner materials may necessitate lower settings. Additionally, different welding positions, such as flat, horizontal, vertical, or overhead, may require adjustments to optimize penetration and bead appearance.
Experimentation and practice are key when dialing in voltage and wire feed speed settings. Make small adjustments and observe the changes in the weld pool behavior, bead appearance, and sound of the arc. Remember to keep a consistent travel speed to maintain uniform heat input throughout the weld.
Shielding gas is another critical aspect of MIG welding that influences weld quality. The choice of shielding gas depends on cost, desired transfer mode, the type of metal being welded and the desired welding characteristics. Common shielding gases include 100% CO2, a mixture of CO2 and argon such as C25, or argon-oxygen blends.
CO2 is cost-effective and offers good penetration, but it can result in more spatter, fume generation and a less stable arc compared to gas mixtures containing argon. Argon-based mixtures provide better arc stability, reduced spatter and fume, and improved weld appearance.
Refer to welding reference charts, manufacturer guidelines, and welding procedure specifications (WPS) to determine the appropriate shielding gas for your specific application. Consider factors such as material type, thickness, welding position, and required weld appearance.
Stickout or electrode extension refers to the length of the welding wire protruding from the end of the gas nozzle. ESO, on the other hand, refers to the length of the wire beyond the end of the contact tip. This is sometimes referred to as contact-tip-to-work-distance (CTTWD). Proper stickout will help control the welding arc and influence the bead profile as well as maintain steady amperage and weld penetration.
Maintain a consistent stickout, typically between 3/8 to 1/2 inch for small diameter wires like 0.030 inch and 5/8 to 3/4 inch for larger diameters such as 1/16 inch, to ensure a stable arc. Longer stickout will reduce weld penetration and potentially cause porosity due to loss of shielding gas coverage while a shorter stickout will make it difficult to see the weld joint.
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