The importance of welding parameters for the quality of the finished product – ODC Robotics

quality

When you're running a production line, the quality of the finished product is critical to the success of your business. Engineers will spend a lot of time developing standards for your product, including developing exact welding parameters for each part of the process. But how important are these parameters for the quality of the finished product? The use of inappropriate parameters may result in excessive spatter and then the need for a rated finish weld. Cold welding will sit high above the surface of the metal workpiece and cause a lack of fusion at the root of the weld, resulting in thin joints and time-consuming finishing. Here are some examples of how current, voltage, and wire feed speed can affect the finished weld if the welding parameters are not set correctly.

The importance of welding parameters for the quality of the finished product – ODC Robotics

The importance of welding parameters for the quality of the finished product – ODC Robotics

amperage

As long as the travel speed is correct, the amperage can confirm the penetration depth and weld size. The amperage is determined by the thickness of the part to be welded, and the wire gauge used is determined. Setting the amperage below this parameter may give you a tall, narrow weld with very few welds, and then make the joint weaker. Welding will be difficult to start and the arc will tend to drift towards one side of the joint rather than bridging both. If the amperage is set too high, it will make your beads wider, flat and irregular, and easily cause excessive splashing.

voltage

All other things being equal, the voltage determines the generalization of the weld. If the weld is too low, the beads will fall on the surface of the workpiece and excessive spatter will occur, which will require a lot of sanding or finishing work to flatten the surface of the workpiece, and may cause a failure point to enter the joint due to poor weld permeability. If it is too high, it will form a wide, flat bead with inconsistent welds, poor arc handling, poor quality welds in the product, and perhaps a lot of spatter, requiring more grinding and finishing to produce a usable part. High pressures can also cause welds to sag, and thinner metals may be deformed by overheating.

Wire feeding speed

In MIG welding, the wire feed speed (WFS) determines the current used to create the weld. Just like the voltage, too high WFS will form beads that will fall on the surface of the workpiece and cause too much spatter, requiring a lot of finishing, and beads that are too wide, which have poor permeability and a high chance of burn-through. If the WFS is too low, you'll end up with a narrow, perhaps concave bead, which requires a lot of rated grinding and finishing. Generally, a 1/4" to 3/8" electrode protruding from the tip is approximately correct, but the welding engineer will further test and document it with supervised settings and standards.

As you can see, manipulating the variables in the welding parameters can have a significant impact on the quality of the finished weld and the finished product. If your current equipment is not satisfactory to your welding mission within the parameters and you are considering adding equipment or upgrading, please contact us today. At OTC, we've been responding to the challenges facing the industry for nearly a century and are ready to help you make your production equipment a success.

The importance of welding parameters for the quality of the finished product – ODC Robotics

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