Monday, February 27, 2012

Popular Sheet Metal Welding

Welding sheet bender in style within the repair, metal finishing and art ar terribly wasteful. fastening sheet takes abundant patience and talent coaching on the average. fastening procedures used is also best determined by a specific project however also can be determined by the accessible tools and fastening expertise level. The 3 commonest strategies of fastening sheet is gas fastening, MIG fastening and TIG fastening. Of the 3, TIG fastening is additional typically used as a TIG artificer is sometimes not accessible to the gas and MIG artificer.
One of the advantages for gas welding is that the soft metal sheets stored during the welding process, so the novice welder will find material that is softer and easier to work with. MIG welding is just the opposite; materials that are difficult to work with, harder and is known to shrink. The best metal welding combines the two processes to achieve desired results. My advice is to work with a first gas welder to get the hang of it, and then slowly introduce yourself to the MIG welding process, the test in less visible areas. Will weld a gas welding expert as much as they can and then in the MIG welding is more difficult to reach. The important thing to remember when combining both procedures prior to welding is a welding gas welding and MIG welding is never in the opposite order.

For welding with gas, use a small tip on your welder and be sure to have all your settings correct. You do not want to try to weld to the pressure too much or too little, so it's worth to pay attention to your equipment while you weld. If you hear a popping sound, or too many redundant, you need to make adjustments to your equipment. MIG welders with less experience tend to complain about not being able to see their work as they weld. So make sure your face mask in good repair with clear lenses, and has always worked in a lot of light.

Equipment other than the welder also need to weld sheet metal safe and successful. For security reasons, you need heavy welding gloves. Welding gloves will protect your hands from sparks or shards of metal sheets that can fly during the welding process. You will also need a special mask for welding; best model has a light sensor attached to the mask. Tool-wise, you need grinders, wire brushes, sandpaper grit in different, vice grips, clamps, pliers with rubber grips on the handle, and hammer sheet metal. None of the items are optional. They all make sheets welding easier, and safer, and ultimately will make for a job well done.

If you want to improve your welding metal sheets and then head on over to my blog on TIG welding of metal sheets which I am happy to share my decades of experience. Tips that will save you time and headaches.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

How To Weld Cast Iron With Wire Welder

Welding on forged iron may be a very little totally different from the weld metal on the opposite. as a result of the chemical makeup, forged iron is vulnerable to cracking once heat is applied. Metals like atomic number 26 or low-carbon steel will be welded with solely stripped-down preparation. However, forged iron fastening needs a fabric that has become hot before the bow affected, and conjointly need a slower cooling time. If done properly, forged iron will be repaired terribly with success.
 
Instructions
Heat a cast iron evenly with a torch. Because of its nature, cast iron will crack when welded as cold. It requires pre-heating the material to avoid damage. Apply using a torch to heat the entire surface of cast iron, including parts to be welded. By bringing the temperature of cast iron that slowly before welding on it, we can ensure that the heat resulting from the arc does not damage the metal itself. If the object is very large cast iron, heat the surrounding area as the area to be welded as possible. If small pieces, simply reheat the whole thing.

Welding cast iron is very slow, stopping every 1 to 2 inches so that the iron to cool a little in between welds. If you try to weld the whole area in one shot, iron is likely to crack due to extreme heat stress produces. If you are using flux cored wire, use a wire brush and scrape the flux off the weld every time you pause to make sure that gets arc welder, good clean when you resume welding.

Cast iron cools down very slowly after welding. If cast iron is allowed to cool too quickly, cracks are inevitable. If an item is welded rather small, you might consider wrapping it in a thermal blanket or even buried in the sand to prevent rapid cooling. If a large item, hit it with a torch every thirty seconds or so for a short time, which will bring the temperature down gradually.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

The Steps Welding Cast Iron

Cast iron is difficult, but not impossible, to weld. In most cases, welding on cast iron involves the repair of castings, not joining casting to other members. Improvements can be made at the foundry where the castings are produced, or can be made to correct errors discovered after the casting of this machine. Mis-cast iron parts may require welding machine improvements, such as when a hole is drilled in the wrong location. Often times, the cast iron damage repaired by welding cast iron parts Fractures are not uncommon, given the fragile nature of most cast iron.
Although there are various types of cast iron, the most common is gray cast iron, and guidelines are addressed to the type of material.

A few facts about cast iron help in understanding the welding challenges. Cast iron typically has a carbon content of 2% - 4%, roughly 10 times the steel. High carbon content causes the carbon to form graphite flakes. This graphite gives gray cast iron characteristic appearance when fractured.

When the castings are made, molten iron is poured into molds and allowed to cool slowly. When this high carbon material was allowed to cool slowly, crack free castings can be made. Considering this is helpful when welding cast iron: during and after welding, casting either be allowed to cool slowly, or should be kept cool enough that the cooling rate is not important.

Critical temperature in most cast iron is around 1450 degrees F. When the temperature conditions, which can cause cracks occur. While casting the arc will heat to temperatures above this level, it is important that the casting is held at this temperature for long periods of time.

Electrode Selection
If the part is to be machined after welding, a nickel-type electrode will be required. Use Lincoln Softweld 99Ni stick electrode to pass, high dilution welds. Softweld 55 Ni is preferred for multiple pass welds. Sometimes, through the roots put in by Softweld 99 Ni, followed by passing the contents of the Softweld 55 Ni. For welds where the machine is not required, and where welding is expected to rust like cast iron, Lincoln Ferroweld ® stick electrode can be used.

For the Heat, or Heat
In general, it is preferred to weld cast iron with preheat - and lots of it. However, another way to successfully weld cast iron is to keep it cool - not cold, but cold. Below, both methods will be described. However, once you choose a method, stick with it. Keep it hot, or cool, but do not change horses in midstream.

Welding Techniques with Preheat
Preheating the cast iron part before welding will slow the rate of cooling of the weld, and the area around the weld. It is always preferable to heat the entire casting, if possible. Typical heating temperature of 500-1200 degrees F. Do not heat over 1400 degrees F since that will put the material into a critical temperature range. Heat the part slowly and evenly.

Weld using a low current, to minimize the mixture, and residual stress. In some cases, it may be necessary to restrict the welds to small segments about 1-inch length to prevent the build up of residual stresses which can cause cracks. Weld bead peening can help in this regard as well.

After welding, allow the part to cool slowly. Wrapping the casting in an insulating blanket, or buried in dry sand, will help slow the cooling rate, and reduce the tendency to crack.

Welding Techniques without Preheat
The size of the casting, or other circumstances, may require that repairs be done without preheating. When this happens, the need to stay cool, but not cold.

Increase the casting temperature to 100 degrees F is helpful. If the part is on the machine, it is possible to run it for a few minutes to get this temperature. Do not heat the casting so hot that you can not put his bare hands on it.

Make it short, about 1 long welds. Peening after welding is important with this technique. Let the cold welding and casting. Do not accelerate the rate of cooling with water or compressed air. It is possible to weld in other areas of the casting while the previous weld cools. All craters shall be filled. Whenever possible, the beads should be stored in the same direction, and preferably the end of the bead is lined up parallel to each other.

Sealing Cracks
Due to the nature of cast iron, tiny cracks tend to appear next to the weld even when good procedures are followed. If the casting must be watertight, it can be a problem. However, leaks can usually be removed with some type of sealing compound or they may be rusted shut down shortly after returning to service.

Studding method
One method used to repair major breaks in large castings is to drill and tap holes on the surface has been tilted to receive the repair weld metal. Screw steel studs into the threaded hole, leaving 3/16 "(5 mm) to ¼" (6 mm) above the surface of the stud. Using the methods discussed above, weld studs in place and cover the entire surface of the break with weld deposit. After a good weld deposit is made, both sides of the crack can be welded together.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Little About Welding Process

The development of metal technology provides ease of connection to humanity in the conduct of life. Today, the advancement of science in electronics through That studies look at the characteristics of atoms, have Contributed greatly to the discovery of new materials and also how do the connection. Manufacturing industry can not be separated from the metal connection. The connection is made of metal for Various purposes, Such as to create an item That is not possible with other techniques, facilitate the work, and can Reduced production costs. Switching process is Widely used metal in the manufacturing industry is welding. Metal welding is a fairly precise. Welding does not require a long time, the construction is lightweight, has a pretty good connection strength, and Relatively low cost.

The definition of welding material is a connection Between two or more of the process utilizing the process of diffusion of the material, based on the principles of magnetic bonds Between atoms of the material to be spliced. Welding can be Divided into two types, namely Solid State and Liquid State Welding Welding: Solid State Welding is a welding process in the which objects in the solid state, and usually by using a pressure That Is Often also called Pressure Welding. Solid State Welding process has Several advantages, Such is Able to connect two or more pieces of material That is not the same melting point, the process is rapid, precise, and almost no heat affected areas (heat affected zone / HAZ). However, Solid State Welding also has drawbacks, namely the preparation and the process is complicated connections, so it takes meticulous very high. Included in the Solid State Diffusion Welding Welding of them, Forge Welding, Cold Welding and Friction Welding.
Liquid State Welding is a welding process in a way That would dilute the area until the liquid is spliced ​​together evenly, Provided the material to be jointed should be the same melting point. Grafting material in this way has to be the same material terms, Because to get a perfect connection material temperature should be equal, if not the process of splicing is not going to Happen. Advantages of this welding method is the preparation process and the connection is not complicated, the cost is Relatively inexpensive, easy implementation. The disadvantage is the need of skilled welders, the HAZ the which cause changes in material properties, and there is potential for accident and health impaired welders. Which includes the Liquid State Thermal Welding Welding, Resistance Welding, and Electric Arc Welding.

Very broad application of the welded joints. Welded joints are Widely used in the construction of bridges, buildings, automotive industry, household appliances industry, and even industrial goods with too many plastic materials using the welding process. Variables That Affect the quality of welded joints, Including: materials, welding process, welding methods are used, used welding equipment, skilled welders, welding environment, testing of welding, safety and health.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Mig Welding

METAL INERT GAS WELDING
With a 'flat' volts/amps characteristic an attempted alteration in arc length (volts) will have little effect, hence arc length (volts) remains constant but a significant change in current will result. This is often referred to as the 'self-adjusting arc'. Metal Inert Gas (MIG) welding is a 'flat' arc process (constant) voltage. Also known as Metal Active Gas (MAG); CO2; Metal-arc Gas Shielded, flux core and GMAW (US). MIG can be used on all materials, in all positions, with high productivity and low heat input. There is no CO2 MIG welding with stainless steel. Normally DC positive though some flux core uses DC negative.
Type of Operation.
            Manual, mechanised, semi-automatic and automated (robotics).
Mode of Operation.
An arc is maintained between the end of the bare wire electrode and the work piece. The wire is fed at a constant speed, selected to give the required current, and the arc length is controlled by the power source. The operator is not therefore concerned with controlling the arc length and can concentrate on depositing the weld metal in the correct manner. Hence the name 'semi-automatic' for manual operation, in which wire, gas and power are fed to a hand held gun via a flexible conduit.
The process can be operated at high currents (250 - 500 A) when metal transfer is in the form of a 'spray', but, except for aluminium, this technique is confined to welding in the flat and horizontal positions. For vertical and overhead welding special low current techniques must be used, i.e. 'dip' transfer or pulsed arc. The arc and weld pool are shielded by a stream of gas. The electrode can be solid or flux cored.
(In mechanised MIG and submerged arc welding the process may also be operated using constant current or drooping arc characteristics).


MIG/MAG Process Characteristics.
The heat source used to melt the parent metal is obtained from an electric arc that is formed between the end of a consumable electrode wire and the work piece. The arc melts the end of the electrode wire, which is transferred to the molten weld pool. The electrode wire is fed from a spool that is attached to the wire driving system and passes through a set of rolls, which are driven by a variable speed electric motor. By varying the speed of the motor, the level of the welding current can be adjusted - high wire feed speed gives high welding current. Altering the voltage can also vary the arc length - high voltages give longer arc lengths and vice versa.
In order to prevent the air reacting chemically with the molten metal, a shielding gas of either CO2 or argon/CO2 mixture is passed over the weld zone from a nozzle attached to the welding gun or torch. This protects the molten droplets passing across the arc and the molten weld pool.
Electrical power for the process is a direct current that is obtained from a transformer-rectifier. The welding gun or torch is connected to the positive pole of the power supply unit and electrical contact to the wire is obtained as close to the arc as possible by means of a copper contact tip or tube.

The metal at the end of the electrode is melted and transferred to the molten weld pool. The two main types of transfer are:
  • Spray or globular transfer.
  • Short-circuiting or dip transfer.
Spray Transfer/Globular Transfer.
            This type of metal transfer generally occurs at high current and high arc voltage ranges,
e.g., 250 - 600 Amps at 28 - 40 volts. As the current is increased the rate at which the droplets are transferred across the arc increases and they become smaller in volume. The droplets can be seen in a high-speed cine film but cannot be seen with the naked eye. It appears as if there is a spray of metal.
The type of shielding gas greatly affects the current rate at which the spray transfer occurs. The use of CO2 as a shielding gas requires a much greater current density than argon to produce the same droplet rate.
With the use of high currents giving strong magnetic fields very directional arcs are produced. In argon shielding gases the action of these forces on the droplets is well balanced and transfer from wire to work is smooth with little or no spatter. However, with a CO2 shield the forces tend to be out of balance giving rise to an arcing condition that is less smooth and spatter levels are heavier. Metal transfer under these conditions is normally called globular or free flight.
The welding conditions that give spray or globular transfer are normally associated with high deposition rates on medium and thick sections giving high productivity. It has a higher heat input and can only be used in the flat and HV positions except when welding aluminium when it can be used in all positions.
Short Circuiting Arc/Dip Transfer.
When using lower arc voltages and currents, generally in the 16 - 26 volt and 60 - 180 ampere ranges, metal transfer takes place during short circuits between the electrode and the weld pool, giving a lower heat input. These follow a consistent sequence of alternate arcing and short circuiting causing the end of the electrode wire to dip into the weld. As the wire touches the weld pool there is a rise of current, the resistance of the wire causes heating and the end of the electrode melts. The wire necks due to a magnetic pinch effect and the molten metal flows into the pool. During this short circuit period the current delivered by the power source is much higher than during arcing - typically 1000 - 1500 amps. This creates high forces that have an explosive effect on the weld pool and spatter is considerable. To reduce this effect an inductance is connected in series with the power supply and the arc to reduce the rate of rise of current during the short circuit period.
The short circuit is cleared more slowly and gently, and the spatter is reduced to an acceptable level. Ideally the droplets are transferred in an almost irregular dip/arc cycle taking place about 50 - 200 times a second. Too little inductance gives rise to unstable arcing conditions, excessive spatter and lack of fusion defects.
The dip transfer mode is used for the welding of thin sheet and medium plate, and for all thicknesses when welding in the vertical or overhead positions. (With thicker plate there can be lack of fusion problems.)

Mixed Arc Transfer.
This is a globular transfer using medium volts and medium amperes. It is generally unusable having an unstable arc and high spatter levels. Use is mainly with flux cored wires in filling passes.
Pulsed Arc Transfer.
This is a synergic transfer of 50 - 250 kilohertz that combines short circuit and spray transfers. It uses high and low voltages and amperages, and can be used in all welding positions on plate thicknesses greater than 6 millimetres.
Welding Variables And Parameters.
            1.   Electrode extension - affects the amperage. Stick out length should be 10 - 15 mm.
2.   Inductance - ' smoothes' the arc characteristic. Also called the choke. Set low gives                                                             excess penetration and high, no penetration.
            3.   Wire feed speed - amperage. Controls fusion and penetration.
            4.   Travel speed - controls depth of penetration.
            5.   Gas flow rate - protects weld from atmosphere.
            6.   Voltage - set on the welding machine and controls the arc length.
            7.   Tilt angle - back or fore hand should be not greater than 15° from the perpendicular.
            The welding position and type of weld are further variables to be considered.
Welding Sets.
Sets are manufactured in a range of sizes, identified by current, similar to metal arc welding. Currents below 200 A can only give dip transfer operation, suitable for welding steel only.
Larger sets may have the wire reel and motor as a separate unit, so it can be placed near the job. Controls on the set adjust output voltage and may allow a choice of inductance. The wire speed control will be on the wire feed unit.
Electrical input is from single phase 240 V mains for small sets, or three phase 415 V for medium size and upwards. Output is always DC with a flat output characteristic for semi automatic and drooping output for mechanised.
Sets which supply current in pulses (at 40 - 200 per second) give improved results on some jobs. Because the 'pulse-MIG' increases the number of controls, an electronic 'synergic' control system varies all the parameters in step to simplify adjustments.
Sets often have a built-in holder for a gas cylinder.
A set will usually be supplied with a suitable welding gun. Heavy duty guns may be water cooled and the set may have a water tank and cooling radiator built in.
When welding aluminium the wire is soft and tends to kink when pushed through a hose. A gun carrying a small reel of wire - 'reel-on-gun', obviates this.
MIG Welding Gun.Accessories.
Welding cables    Similar to manual metal arc - one set usually included.
Connectors to set. 
Clamps or clips.
Gun and connecting hose assembly to suit current, usually supplied with set.
Gas regulators and hose, connections to suit.
Vaporiser for carbon dioxide gas on industrial sets.
Cylinder stand.
Spares.
The following parts come into contact with the wire - spares are needed to replace worn parts, or if wire size or type is changed.
Inlet and outlet guides    On drive assembly.
Drive rolls. 
                   
Contact tip in gun - needs fairly frequent replacement.
Gas shielding nozzle for gun - various sizes to suit different jobs.
Wire conduit liner - spring steel coil (like curtain wire) for steel electrode wire, or plastic tube for aluminium.
Typical Defects and Causes.
Lack of fusion.
Excessive penetration.
Silica inclusions (with steel only).

Solidification (centreline) cracking.
            a.         Spray transfer current too high.
            b.         Deep narrow prep.

Porosity.

            a.         Gas flow too high or too low.
            b.         Blocked nozzle.
            c.         Leaking gas line.
            d.         Draughty conditions.
            e.         Nozzle to work distance too long.
            f.          Painted, primed, wet or oily work surface.
            g.         Damp or rusty wire.

Lack of penetration.

            a.         Current too low.
            b.         Prep to narrow.
            c.         Root face too thick.
            d.         Root gap too small.
            e.         Worn tip causing irregular arcing.
            f.          Irregular wire feed.
            g.         Poor technique.
            h.         Mismatched joint.

Undercut.

            a.         Speed too high.
            b.         Current too high.
            c.         Irregular surface.
            d.         Wrong torch angle.

Spatter.

            a.         Inadequate choke.
            b.         Voltage too low.
            c.         Rusty or primed plate.

Crater cracking.
            a.         Poor finishing technique.

Applications.
            Structural steel.
            Aluminium sections.
            Stainless steel and nickel alloys.
            Some offshore applications (flux core only).