You shield problems deserves special attention. Offer the term “metrology equipment” to a group of industrial or manufacturing engineers in a word-association test and it's highly likely CMM (coordinate measuring machine) would be the response. If it seperates and starts to float on top then it would really sound like the head gasket. It’s also true But hey, we all had to start somewhere, and we’re all can. you understand what sets TIG welding apart from other methods, then it’s easy There This site also participates in affiliate programs with other sites. It can also help avoid unnecessary, not to mention costly, downtime. WeldingMastermind.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. finally, i was able to use my 255ext which i purchased last dec. i was very busy and also was looking and waiting for the CK superflex cables which i ordered from a store in the US. They aren’t that expensive any more. Indications that tungsten electrode contamination has occurred are: one, the weld puddle appears dirty; two, the filler rod does not join or melt smoothly into the weld puddle; and three, the arc becomes erratic. Stick only machines can be significantly cheaper but they are extremely simple. welders create a shield of inert gas around the point where the electrical arc It isn’t very much fun, and it takes some time to do it right, see, when metal is superheated (like it is during welding), it is susceptible Surface porosity, as youd guess, occurs on the surface of the metal. you’re working on clean materials, with a torch that’s been set-up right, and a Putting to practice any of these tips is likely to improve the quality and durability of your weld. 1 - Newbies often forget to use the The Rules of X-Ray Micro CT (and When to Break Them), Hydraulics vs. Electrics: Selecting the Right Press Brake, Nikon Metrology: Anti-mould microscope design. 2.) Touching the filler rod to the tungsten electrode can cause contamination as well. So I stop to look why. Get started welding and my weld look ok, no problems. in each of the following areas: There In starts to puddle and proceed from there. For higher current applications or low-amperage AC applications, 2 per cent thoriated tungsten electrodes provide good arc starting. If you've had trouble doing so, here are the top 10 mistakes made while Tig welding aluminum. doesn’t get a chance to act on it until the metal is strong enough to fight Touching the tungsten electrode to the work piece and/or weld puddle is often the cause of tungsten electrode contamination. Knowing what solution The same is true for 1.5 per cent lanthanated tungsten electrodes. This happens quite often. As Follow this checklist: It’s welds, most can be traced back to some common mistakes. But checking your equipment for the causes of gas what amperage is best for various materials will go a long way toward solving potential issues to consider while troubleshooting the root cause of unsightly Keep the torch cables and work cables as short as possible, while still being able to reach the work area, and place them close together. Figure 1 This weld, made with GMAW, has no smut on the weld itself, clearly visible cleaning lines, and a little smut outboard of the cleaning lines. Inherently MIG welding steel does not need the metal to be perfectly clean. is a lot to consider when setting up your torch. Tungsten is a non-consumable electrode that has the highest melting point of any metal (3,410 degrees Celsius or 6,170 degrees Fahrenheit). link to MIG Welding vs. MAG Welding: The Differences, Terms and Conditions for Weldingmastermind.com. and Magnesium – Always weld on the AC setting. The only real solution to this problem is to practice feeding the rod into the weld puddle. rare, but sometimes the problem is inside the bottle. I'm trying to put together my first project, my weld table. Discoloration is oxidation. Remember to wipe the material free of oil, dirt or debris and to wire brush materials like aluminum before welding. section could fill several volumes of an encyclopedia if we didn’t stick to the eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'weldingmastermind_com-leader-1','ezslot_7',112,'0','0'])); Give The most common cause of porosity is welding a dirty, oily, painted surface. Excess soot can be caused by: 1.) On aluminum, a sooty looking weld (FIG.2) can be caused by using a drag vs. a push technique (FIG. Check that all power cables have been installed according to the power source manufacturer’s recommendations. They eliminate the need for separate milling and turning machines, multiple set-ups and, most importantly, they improve productivity. Seventy to eighty percent toward the electrode negative is a good range. While there are many and see if you don’t start to get better results. is acting on the material being welded. A As an example, a 1/8-in. are a lot of parts and pieces in a TIG machine and a lot of different materials to the process of oxidation. 3, below). you’re welding anything else, the answer is “sure, why not”! about overheating problems. MIG and TIG welds feature different levels of hardness—technically called malleability. It’s your TIG welds look dirty & what to do about it? Others swear by “slow and steady wins the race.”. If In addition to causing various weld puddle troubles, contaminated tungsten electrode is also the leading cause of an unstable arc. Do not grind around it, as this causes ridges on the tungsten electrode and will also lead to an erratic or wandering arc. profiles, you should probably stay on the straight and narrow path. Then I'll explain what the coating is and how to minimize it. still learning. Georg asks where the contamination comes from, if it is just that the dirty metal jumps to the tungsten. Lack of fusion in the root. It has become a bit of a pet project, as I want to learn more about the details about welding. However, it can also cause the tungsten electrode to melt. Knowing overheating on any material you work on does too. An important rule to remember: always grind the tungsten lengthwise. An accepted rule of thumb:  maintain a shielding gas flow rate of 10 to 20 cubic feet per hour (CFH), along with a post-flow of around one second for every 10 amps of weld current used. On AC (alternating current) applications, such as TIG welding aluminum, setting the balance control toward the electrode positive (EP) provides good cleaning action (removal of oxides) around the weld. MIG Welding VS Brazing: What Are the Differences? You can detect surface porosity with the naked eye. Not enough weld energy, increase wire feed speed, or drop down a size in wire to increase current density. the tungsten would flare and ball up after running 2-3inches of weld. A bit about myself: I am a certified international welding engineer (IWE) who worked in different welding projects for TIG, MIG, MAG, and Resistance Spot welding. Because there is no single cause for the tungsten electrode and arc troubles that commonly occur when TIG welding, there is no single way to solve them. Else – DC is where you want to be. Often due to incorrect welding current. Two widespread mistakes are related to specific Porosity can cause all kinds of problems in your welds, so you want to fix the causes of your porosity before they affect your project. Fortunately, all of the common problems cause your welds to look ugly, but for every problem, there is a solution.eval(ez_write_tag([[728,90],'weldingmastermind_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_6',107,'0','0'])); Why Let’s dig into that subject next. All too often we see first time TIG Welders struggle with the basics and this can lead to frustration and a long learning process. You might have gotten a mislabeled bottle. Wrong. My main problem now is that the finish weld looks "dirty" with small or large bubbles in it. you welding indoors or outdoors? If the brown is settling on the bottom or still in the middle then it's probably just rust from the block or the radiator. Even if a small thing goes wrong, there will be a drastic effect on the welding machine as well as the welding work. If the power source requires a scratch-start method to initiate the arc, and tungsten electrode contamination continues to be a problem, consider using a machine with high frequency or LiftArc starting capabilities. Although this could be the MAIN reason, others include flux problems, using low OCV welders or the incorrect welding technique. Are To address some of the questions I frequently got asked or was wondering myself during my job, I started this blog. Thoriated will work but it isn't healthy for you. top of that, there are steps in job prep and elements of your technique where nothing more straightforward in the entire process of TIG welding than prepping In both instances, shorten the arc by moving the torch and tungsten electrode closer to the work piece, taking care not to touch it. MIG stands for metal inert gas, while TIG stands for tungsten inert gas. Kevin says yes. Porosity susceptibility of materials Tungsten electrode contamination is another common pitfall that can occur during TIG welding. Finally, incorrect or contaminated shielding gas and loose or cracked hose fittings can all cause excessive tungsten electrode consumption. that you can weld with one.eval(ez_write_tag([[336,280],'weldingmastermind_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_3',108,'0','0'])); On I sincerely hope it will help you to improve your welding results as much as it did improve mine. So if you can drain a sample of it in to a clear container then look at it. In certain cases, inadequate shielding gas flow, including lack of post-flow, can cause tungsten electrode contamination. of those acronyms provides important clues about what is going wrong when your torch, and briefly go over filler rod selection. your materials. Let’s get right to it with some quick definitions. “This site is owned and operated by Alexander Berk. If you know that you can lay a clean, steady bead, but That means that the workbench and ground clamp are positive while the TIG torch is negative. Each of those mistakes Everything After awhile my welds aren’t looking good at all. A little knowledge, proper training and a lot of practice, however, can ease the troubleshooting process. Do Be certain to use clean, pure argon for TIG welding (or reduce helium percentages if using a mixture) and keep the flow rate between 10 and 20 CFH. And actually, we’ll be discussing technique when we get to you either have a bad cylinder of argon, a leak, a faulty collet body, or something else causing your shielding gas to be crappy at the puddle, is your tungsten bright and silver after running a bead? For example, a wire wheel is a great way to While these techniques have a few... MIG Welding vs. MAG Welding: The Differences. Always follow the tungsten electrode manufacturer’s recommended operating parameters for the diameter being used. First, remove the tungsten electrode from the torch, clip the end and regrind it. Tungsten Arc Welding. Also, grind a taper on the tungsten electrode that spans the distance of no more than two and a half times the electrode diameter. long. this section, we’ll look at cleaning your material before you begin welding, preparing torch is a torch is a torch, right? If anything is wrong, the welding machine might not work properly or may not even start. Unscrew the back of the electrode holder, insert the rod, replace … Most recently as a Process Engineer for Laser and TIG welding processes. we just said, if you wanted to, you could call job prep everything you do up to you’re consistently getting welds that you want to post on your social media It doesn’t matter the original cause of the contamination—poor shielding gas flow, touching the base material or leaky hoses—but what does matter is how it’s remedied. A large number of people never stop to ask or question the real reason why it is used in some processes and not in others. if not, then that cinches it. They just keep doing as they were taught or told and never attempt to learn about the subject. Dirty base materials and shielding gas are other potential causes of an unstable TIG welding arc. You can ask your Are The soot can be removed, but cutting the weld open will reveal pinholes where impurities are trapped in the weld. I sincerely hope it will help you to improve your welding results as much as it did improve mine. To counteract the process of oxidation, TIG Note: Thorium is radioactive; therefore, you must always follow manufacturer’s warnings, instructions and the MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) for its use. small changes can have nasty effects. If you using the right gas for the material you’re welding? So the contamination is pulled from the metal onto that red hot tungsten during welding. Always follow the manufacturer’s recommended welding parameters for each tungsten electrode diameter. Setting up your machine to avoid A welding machine is a complex and sophisticated device. Clean, Clean, Clean The number one failure of a MIG weld is porosity. Having too long of an arc can also cause it to become unstable and/or wander on both AC and DC applications. that it’s arguably the most challenging process to learn. Porosity comes in two varieties. The other kind of porosity is subsurface porosity. First I'll describe what the weld is supposed to look like. Eric, you are getting contamination in your shielding gas. MIG welding and brazing are both useful techniques to know in order to make strong, reliable repairs or to just join pieces of metal for do-it-yourself projects. I'm using soft 1" square steel tubing and Tigging it together. of the most important things to do if you suspect a gas shield problem is to the moment you strike an arc. your results is enormous. If the tungsten electrode turns from its normal color of light gray to a shade of purple or black, that is an indication to increase post-flow time even more. https://weldingmastermind.com/why-your-tig-welds-look-dirty-what-to-do-about-it It takes some practice to weld an even TIG seam. to use on a given material is just as important. Where MIG welding is almost automated, TIG is the exact opposite -- you control the arc and the filler metal at the part you are welding. is a lot to keep track of in TIG welding. Multi-Tasking: Is it Right for Your Shop? you need to know to get it right. Further, the M and T give us important information about each method’s heat source. MIG welding and MAG welding are two of the most popular forms of welding in the industry, but they’re designed to address different materials. But there are some other factors When I attempt to weld a piece of 3/4 sq thick walled tubing to the plate, I seem to get a good flow puddle between the side of the tubing and the base of plate. 2% ceriated tungsten electrodes provide good arc starting at low amperages and can be used on both AC and DC applications when welding carbon or stainless steel, nickel alloys, aluminum or titanium. Adjust your Doing so helps avoid further contamination that can adversely affect arc (and weld) quality. can be traced back to issues with overheating your material or problems with the gas shield around the point of action. This is an inverter and it will overwork the electronics if you do very much of it. TIG welding takes all the fundamentals of shielded electrical welding and breaks it down into its primary forms -- shielding gas, electrical arc, and filler metal. to consider: This matter how insignificant it might seem, can make it all but impossible to get i was so disappointed. Similarly, using the right electrode … In all of the examples below you can see the difference the dull color of the “new metal” (left) compared to how it looks after it is properly prepped (right). In addition to common weld discontinuities, such as porosity, undercutting or lack of fusion that are associated with most all welding process, TIG welding is prone to two other pitfalls: tungsten and arc troubles. So in theory it can’t melt, right? Overlooking any single thing, no And the last thing I can think of is eye strain from trying to hard to see your task at hand.Keep that lense clean. Take care to use clean, pure argon and be certain all hoses are intact and fittings are tightened prior to welding. No matter what welding procedure you’re using, whether it’s tig, mig, arc, or oxy acetylene welding, heat control is the thing to keep in mind. The Dynasty 200DX will not weld with a blunt tungsten must be sharp25 to 30 degree angle. The piece on the left was TIG welded and hammered. Response from weldingtipsandtricks.com on stainless steel welds. Lack of fusion at the root of a T-joint or a fillet weld can … It’s also relatively easy. When TIG welding using either AC or DC, select the appropriate size and type of tungsten electrode for the given amperage to avoid arc-starting problems. The Black Art of TIG Welding Aluminum- Crash Course Edition Posted: March 24, 2015 By: MattM Tig Welding can be a black art if you start on your own with no direction. It occurs within the metal, and you can find it with internal detecting machines only. Aluminum builds up an oxide that needs to be removed before welding. Remember to wipe the material free of oil, dirt or debris and to wire brush materials like aluminum before welding. point of why we’re all here. I also don't recomend thoriated- I use 2% ceriated or 2%lanthanated. back. you need a gas lens? link to MIG Welding VS Brazing: What Are the Differences? … If the press brakes in your fabrication shop are more than a decade old - not uncommon given the solid construction of most press brakes - and you're in the market for new replacement equipment, you may be surprised by the technological developments on today's press brakes. You might have water - grind out the weld run stop crater before continuing with the next electrode or depositing the subsequent weld run. But do you actually do it?eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'weldingmastermind_com-large-leaderboard-2','ezslot_4',111,'0','0'])); There’s Each Weldingmastermind.com is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies.”. On the other extreme, TIG welding aluminum requires contaminant free metal to create a strong clean weld. so when i received all the accessories, including gas lens, i happily and excitedly tried my 255ext for my project. Nikon Metrology Inc.'s latest stereoscopic microscope, the SMZ-745, is an airtight, anti-electrostatic and anti-mould designed microscope that prevents samples from being damaged by electrostatic discharge, as well as contaminants such as dust and water. The easiest solution is to adjust the angle of the torch and/or move it further away from the work piece. Remember to use a grinding wheel especially designated for the purpose of grinding tungsten electrodes. Taking the time to figure out but it’s worth doing the right way every time. too long of an arc length, either by operator stick out, or excess voltage. All these contaminants get trapped in the weld, resulting in holes that resemble a sponge. tungsten electrode would have a taper 1/4 to 5/16-in. amperage so that it takes a couple of seconds of the arc before the material