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Can some of you gentleman share your settings for Pulsing Aluminum?I normally run a very fast pulse but I am curious on what other people like to run and how it affects the bead appearance.Feel free to post pictures!! They would help tremendously!Thermal Arc 186 AC/DC Tig SystemMillermultimatic 200 with spool gunFisher Norris 124lbs AnvilLiebherr Mining and Liebherr Nenzing Craneshttp://www.etsy.com/shop/ShootAphoto
Reply:material thickness??type of joint?end use application?Blackbird
Reply:Originally Posted by dave powelsonmaterial thickness??type of joint?end use application?
Reply:I don't pulse tig alum unless I am lazy and want to hobble the machine for a quicky small job. Otherwise it is a waste of capacity.But if you came up with something I am all ears.Last edited by shovelon; 07-25-2013 at 08:08 AM.Weld like a "WELDOR", not a wel-"DERR" MillerDynasty700DX,Dynasty350DX4ea,Dynasty200DX,Li ncolnSW200-2ea.,MillerMatic350P,MillerMatic200w/spoolgun,MKCobraMig260,Lincoln SP-170T,PlasmaCam/Hypertherm1250,HFProTig2ea,MigMax1ea.
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonI don't pulse tig alum unless I am lazy and want to hobble the machine for a quicky small job. Otherwise it is a waste of capacity.But if you came up with something I am all ears.
Reply:Hello Virginia, I might throw this out there for your consideration. Pulsing is often used to promote aesthetics (high pulse dab the rod, low pulse allow it to freeze). There are a lot of aluminum product companies that use it for that particular reason. Another consideration is to allow for better out-of-position control, you can usually run a higher amperage average (and additional speed) on out-of-position work with pulse than with straight amp control. One more possibility, where I often use it, is when you have "dirty" materials as with some repair scenarios and you would like the additional aggitation of the puddle to help with floating out impurities. I generally use a medium to high pulse rate for this purpose. Just my $.02 to add to the conversation. Best regards, Allanaevald
Reply:Originally Posted by Virginia I used to build a lot of tuna towers on sport fishing boats and thats all we ever did!
Reply:Originally Posted by DSWProbably working with anodized alum. They were probably using pulse the same reason many guys do "bump" welding on anodized alum, to help break down the oxide layer. They probably had the high end of the pulse cranked way the Fk up and on for a very short time to break down the oxide layer and then did most of the welding with the "background" amps.I've often seen it used as a "crutch" so that those who can't really weld, especially out of position, can manage "pretty" welds. A lot of the time those welds look way cold to some one who really knows what they are doing, but to the uninformed they look "great".Don't get me wrong, pulse has it's place, but most of the time if you can really weld well in alum, you can probably get away without it with the exception of a few specialized applications.Shame Sundown isn't here any more. He could probably set you straight on what they were doing on the tuna towers since that was his area of expertise.
Reply:Virginia, can you explain how you're using the term 'pulse'? Do you mean below 5Hz or above 100 Hz? just trying to get the concept you're discussing.I have an `10/12 old Dynasty 300 DX that allows pulse from parts of a second, to many Hz. When coupled to a HiFreq of approaching 250Hz, the TIG weld bead in aluminum becomes controllable at a level not possible with a 60Hz transformer.Now, if you're welding at dip-rod speeds, hand torch and off hand filler (?) these semi-auto settings may not be of much use? I typically weld with a cold wire feed TIG torch and have travel speeds as fast as steel MIG and approaching Alum. MIG.The benefit to a pulse of 126Hz is to create a faster wetted leading edge faster than one forms with lower pulses. This is not important if you're using a 1/2" wide arc cone with sharpened tungsten at 60Hz, and have a speed of travel so slow the lead edge has plenty of time to wet out. But it sure makes the world of difference when you're trying to move along at MIG speeds with a TIG weld.For example you're holding a 3/32" bead width, penetrating 1/8" with full back fusion, and traveling at more than an inch per second, wetting the leading edge is very critically important. If you end up with a pause, the bead show it, unlike hand dip TIG.here's a scale example of an inside fillet in 1/8" the bead is about 3/32" face or maybe a 1/4" but you can see that every single movement of the torch is shown because there is 'no going back' . The welds in this boat cabin were done horizontal and down hand at 4-6" in a 5 to 7 count bead. They were tedious because the bead is so small that wetting the lead edge is super critical- this cannot be done with a 60Hz power supply without distortion- but with high pulse and HI-Freq over 200 it runs nicely.Further by using higher pulse rates, that is above 100Hz, combined with a HiFreq above 150-180 the arc cone is so controllable (wetted area at the bottom of the arc setting bead width) that penetration increases by a factor of four or five over the 60Hz, fixed gap HIFreq with dip rod filler.I use the Dynasty settings to control the arc cone foot print on the parent metal and combine that with the arc length, 1/3 to 1/4 diameter of tungsten to attain close tight beads that are put down fast enough to avoid distortion and wrinkles.here a grooved seam between a previously welded plate edge and a half pipe extrusion are added by using 300 A and 158 pulse, and 250 HiFreq, with balance down to 68, the weld fills the V, is nearly flat and fully fuses down into the previous weld for a 100% mechanically sound rail connection on this skiff.Arc control by higher pulses combine with HiFreq and Balance allow welds not possible without these arc control features.[I use pure tungsten, domed not balled, regardless of the "inverter only uses alloyed types" dictum; that is malarkey. But then; I'm not using the torch in one hand and the filler in another so travel speed is limited mainly by my poor old shaky hands.]I'm not discussing an amperage surge 'pulse' at frequencies below 5Hz, that is a completely separate topic from what I'm remarking about. Not sure if these references are of any use?Cheers,Kevin MorinKenai, AK
Reply:I never run pulse with aluminum... just dab the rod to get the stack o dimes while using minimal heat to get the weld to weld out properly but no more.Welding/Fab Pics: www.UtahWeld.com
Reply:Originally Posted by MikeGyverI never run pulse with aluminum... just dab the rod to get the stack o dimes while using minimal heat to get the weld to weld out properly but no more.
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonThat is my thought also. There is nothing you can do with pulse aside from cadence that you can't do better with adjusting parameters. Alum wants to be rode hard and fast.
Reply:Originally Posted by shovelonThat is my thought also. There is nothing you can do with pulse aside from cadence that you can't do better with adjusting parameters. Alum wants to be rode hard and fast.
Reply:Originally Posted by MikeGyverI dont know about that. I have best results when i go slow. I'm usually rushing and have to force myself to slow down.
Reply:Originally Posted by Kevin MorinVirginia, can you explain how you're using the term 'pulse'? Do you mean below 5Hz or above 100 Hz? just trying to get the concept you're discussing.I have an `10/12 old Dynasty 300 DX that allows pulse from parts of a second, to many Hz. When coupled to a HiFreq of approaching 250Hz, the TIG weld bead in aluminum becomes controllable at a level not possible with a 60Hz transformer.Now, if you're welding at dip-rod speeds, hand torch and off hand filler (?) these semi-auto settings may not be of much use? I typically weld with a cold wire feed TIG torch and have travel speeds as fast as steel MIG and approaching Alum. MIG.The benefit to a pulse of 126Hz is to create a faster wetted leading edge faster than one forms with lower pulses. This is not important if you're using a 1/2" wide arc cone with sharpened tungsten at 60Hz, and have a speed of travel so slow the lead edge has plenty of time to wet out. But it sure makes the world of difference when you're trying to move along at MIG speeds with a TIG weld.For example you're holding a 3/32" bead width, penetrating 1/8" with full back fusion, and traveling at more than an inch per second, wetting the leading edge is very critically important. If you end up with a pause, the bead show it, unlike hand dip TIG.here's a scale example of an inside fillet in 1/8" the bead is about 3/32" face or maybe a 1/4" but you can see that every single movement of the torch is shown because there is 'no going back' . The welds in this boat cabin were done horizontal and down hand at 4-6" in a 5 to 7 count bead. They were tedious because the bead is so small that wetting the lead edge is super critical- this cannot be done with a 60Hz power supply without distortion- but with high pulse and HI-Freq over 200 it runs nicely.Further by using higher pulse rates, that is above 100Hz, combined with a HiFreq above 150-180 the arc cone is so controllable (wetted area at the bottom of the arc setting bead width) that penetration increases by a factor of four or five over the 60Hz, fixed gap HIFreq with dip rod filler.I use the Dynasty settings to control the arc cone foot print on the parent metal and combine that with the arc length, 1/3 to 1/4 diameter of tungsten to attain close tight beads that are put down fast enough to avoid distortion and wrinkles.here a grooved seam between a previously welded plate edge and a half pipe extrusion are added by using 300 A and 158 pulse, and 250 HiFreq, with balance down to 68, the weld fills the V, is nearly flat and fully fuses down into the previous weld for a 100% mechanically sound rail connection on this skiff.Arc control by higher pulses combine with HiFreq and Balance allow welds not possible without these arc control features.[I use pure tungsten, domed not balled, regardless of the "inverter only uses alloyed types" dictum; that is malarkey. But then; I'm not using the torch in one hand and the filler in another so travel speed is limited mainly by my poor old shaky hands.]I'm not discussing an amperage surge 'pulse' at frequencies below 5Hz, that is a completely separate topic from what I'm remarking about. Not sure if these references are of any use?Cheers,Kevin MorinKenai, AK
Reply:Originally Posted by weldermikeLOL Mike, most of your stuff is all autogenous pulse. How much slower can you get than that?
Reply:Originally Posted by Kevin MorinVirginia, can you explain how you're using the term 'pulse'? Do you mean below 5Hz or above 100 Hz? just trying to get the concept you're discussing.I have an `10/12 old Dynasty 300 DX that allows pulse from parts of a second, to many Hz. When coupled to a HiFreq of approaching 250Hz, the TIG weld bead in aluminum becomes controllable at a level not possible with a 60Hz transformer.Now, if you're welding at dip-rod speeds, hand torch and off hand filler (?) these semi-auto settings may not be of much use? I typically weld with a cold wire feed TIG torch and have travel speeds as fast as steel MIG and approaching Alum. MIG.For example you're holding a 3/32" bead width, penetrating 1/8" with full back fusion, and traveling at more than an inch per second, wetting the leading edge is very critically important. If you end up with a pause, the bead show it, unlike hand dip TIG. The welds in this boat cabin were done horizontal and down hand at 4-6" in a 5 to 7 count bead. They were tedious because the bead is so small that wetting the lead edge is super critical- this cannot be done with a 60Hz power supply without distortion- but with high pulse and HI-Freq over 200 it runs nicely.Further by using higher pulse rates, that is above 100Hz, combined with a HiFreq above 150-180 the arc cone is so controllable (wetted area at the bottom of the arc setting bead width) that penetration increases by a factor of four or five over the 60Hz, fixed gap HIFreq with dip rod filler.I use the Dynasty settings to control the arc cone foot print on the parent metal and combine that with the arc length, 1/3 to 1/4 diameter of tungsten to attain close tight beads that are put down fast enough to avoid distortion and wrinkles.here a grooved seam between a previously welded plate edge and a half pipe extrusion are added by using 300 A and 158 pulse, and 250 HiFreq, with balance down to 68, the weld fills the V, is nearly flat and fully fuses down into the previous weld for a 100% mechanically sound rail connection on this skiff.Arc control by higher pulses combine with HiFreq and Balance allow welds not possible without these arc control features.[I use pure tungsten, domed not balled, regardless of the "inverter only uses alloyed types" dictum; that is malarkey. But then; I'm not using the torch in one hand and the filler in another so travel speed is limited mainly by my poor old shaky hands.]Cheers,Kevin MorinKenai, AK
Reply:Rojo,Really? Dude, where have you been? I thought for sure you had even used one. I dunno. I was just surprised by your post. Well, I think the cold wire feed would be perfect for me. I have no been able to master the rod feed with one hand. I have even sat watching tv, just trying to practice rod feeding in my hand.Lincoln Power Mig 210MP MIGLincoln Power Mig 350MP - MIG and Push-PullLincoln TIG 300-300Lincoln Hobby-Weld 110v Thanks JLAMESCK TIG TORCH, gas diffuser, pyrex cupThermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101My brain
Reply:Rojodiablo,here's the TIG gun with the top open, rigged for steel wire. This system is just a 1lb gun with a TIG torch off to the side (its a right handed gun) at about 15 degrees or so. The wire rolls are proprietary and I re-roll them on a little frame with a battery powered drill.I've moved the wire feed speed pot to the opposite side of case (from the factory design on the back of the case) just above the trigger so I can reach it with the tip of my thumb. There is another pot taped to the handle for the remote current control to the power supply. I mostly work on boats so the effectiveness of the gun is coupled to mobility; but even bench welding I prefer the amperage control on the torch over a pedal that is less agile for me.By 'zeroing' the pots, you can light up (Pull and hold trigger) with no wire feed and low amperage. Then roll up the heat, until the puddle wets out and start rolling up the wire speed to feed at the 6:00pm lead edge of the puddle. To stop, roll the wire speed down, and the pull off 1/2 the amperage, allow the crater to come to the top then continue chilling down/freezing the top of the last puddle. Then roll off the wire more, and pull out of the amperage until the puddle is capped and let off the trigger to stop the arc.Here's a hand in the position I use to weld with this torch, I like the control this way and the steady or off hand holds the torch just below the top of the rubber gas and water tube boot. This gives a two handed grasp, like MIG, and allows the wire feed to put in the filler, (copper, steels, SS's, aluminum alloys) in smaller diameter than is easily held without a TIG pencil. I use 0.023", 0.030", 0.035" in this torch the advantage is that you can just keep pouring wire into a puddle and I've single pass welded 1/2" with the same wire you can weld 0.080".The CK push only systems I've seen suffered a similar wire surge or feed speed control problem that I've seen trying to weld aluminum wire with a regular steel MIG 10-12' lead. The (aluminum) wire coils up slightly in the lead and then springs out or it fails to feed evenly while it is 'packing' the lead - either extreme means the travel is not even. But I've only use that 'hook on' type of wire feed twice and both times, I had to stay in a certain relation to the wire feed cabinet to get the aluminum wire to feed.With this design, the wire only pushes a few inches, is always even so you can 'forget' the wire and just weld, not what I found with the CK push only systems. But that system did work OK for steel and ss. I don't mind the leads dangling below this torch but the wire feed conduit in the CK cold wire feed is stiffer and reduces its mobility.Hope this make more sense? I showed welds above where I'd put a pattern into the bead, this will drag a 'machine bead' pretty well too.3/8" mild steel, grooved to 40deg. single pass root fusion 100%, filled even to the top, drag of torch; DC with pulse of 160, Dynasty 300DX. 4" long weld; 6-7 count time to weld. 0.030" dia wire rerolled off MIG wire roll.Close coupled concentric reducer fittings of SS caps and 1/2 couplers; electric positioner rolled; SS 304 & 308L 0.030" wire; #4 shouldered cup, 1/16" Lanthated electrode; fixed position torch (fixed hand stand to hold torch) single pass, 3/16" face weld.test welds using different pulses to attain different weld patterns on 1/4" alum. plate cap on sched 40- 6061 T6 aluminum pipe. The pulse here was about 60 to 70 and the weld was done on the rolling positioner table. So in semi-auto TIG, amperage surging arc controls (pulsed TIG) is very useful in cosmetic control, especially when traveling at higher welding speeds.Unfortunately, IMO, OTC does not make this gun any more. I've found a few extras' in the last few years and purchased them because I can't get spares or a new torch. I'd hate to have to go back to dip rod speeds to weld.I'd still like to hear how the term 'pulse' is being used in the various posts? Is the pulse train setting being discussed at rates that can be simulated with the pedal OR are we discussing using the amperage surges to attain penetration profile changes, and other benefits?Cheers,Kevin Morin
Reply:Originally Posted by MikeGyverI never run pulse with aluminum... just dab the rod to get the stack o dimes while using minimal heat to get the weld to weld out properly but no more.
Reply:Originally Posted by Kevin MorinRojodiablo,here's the TIG gun with the top open, rigged for steel wire. This system is just a 1lb gun with a TIG torch off to the side (its a right handed gun) at about 15 degrees or so. The wire rolls are proprietary and I re-roll them on a little frame with a battery powered drill.I've moved the wire feed speed pot to the opposite side of case (from the factory design on the back of the case) just above the trigger so I can reach it with the tip of my thumb. There is another pot taped to the handle for the remote current control to the power supply. I mostly work on boats so the effectiveness of the gun is coupled to mobility; but even bench welding I prefer the amperage control on the torch over a pedal that is less agile for me.By 'zeroing' the pots, you can light up (Pull and hold trigger) with no wire feed and low amperage. Then roll up the heat, until the puddle wets out and start rolling up the wire speed to feed at the 6:00pm lead edge of the puddle. To stop, roll the wire speed down, and the pull off 1/2 the amperage, allow the crater to come to the top then continue chilling down/freezing the top of the last puddle. Then roll off the wire more, and pull out of the amperage until the puddle is capped and let off the trigger to stop the arc.Here's a hand in the position I use to weld with this torch, I like the control this way and the steady or off hand holds the torch just below the top of the rubber gas and water tube boot. This gives a two handed grasp, like MIG, and allows the wire feed to put in the filler, (copper, steels, SS's, aluminum alloys) in smaller diameter than is easily held without a TIG pencil. I use 0.023", 0.030", 0.035" in this torch the advantage is that you can just keep pouring wire into a puddle and I've single pass welded 1/2" with the same wire you can weld 0.080".The CK push only systems I've seen suffered a similar wire surge or feed speed control problem that I've seen trying to weld aluminum wire with a regular steel MIG 10-12' lead. The (aluminum) wire coils up slightly in the lead and then springs out or it fails to feed evenly while it is 'packing' the lead - either extreme means the travel is not even. But I've only use that 'hook on' type of wire feed twice and both times, I had to stay in a certain relation to the wire feed cabinet to get the aluminum wire to feed.With this design, the wire only pushes a few inches, is always even so you can 'forget' the wire and just weld, not what I found with the CK push only systems. But that system did work OK for steel and ss. I don't mind the leads dangling below this torch but the wire feed conduit in the CK cold wire feed is stiffer and reduces its mobility.Hope this make more sense? I showed welds above where I'd put a pattern into the bead, this will drag a 'machine bead' pretty well too.3/8" mild steel, grooved to 40deg. single pass root fusion 100%, filled even to the top, drag of torch; DC with pulse of 160, Dynasty 300DX. 4" long weld; 6-7 count time to weld. 0.030" dia wire rerolled off MIG wire roll.Close coupled concentric reducer fittings of SS caps and 1/2 couplers; electric positioner rolled; SS 304 & 308L 0.030" wire; #4 shouldered cup, 1/16" Lanthated electrode; fixed position torch (fixed hand stand to hold torch) single pass, 3/16" face weld.test welds using different pulses to attain different weld patterns on 1/4" alum. plate cap on sched 40- 6061 T6 aluminum pipe. The pulse here was about 60 to 70 and the weld was done on the rolling positioner table. So in semi-auto TIG, amperage surging arc controls (pulsed TIG) is very useful in cosmetic control, especially when traveling at higher welding speeds.Unfortunately, IMO, OTC does not make this gun any more. I've found a few extras' in the last few years and purchased them because I can't get spares or a new torch. I'd hate to have to go back to dip rod speeds to weld.I'd still like to hear how the term 'pulse' is being used in the various posts? Is the pulse train setting being discussed at rates that can be simulated with the pedal OR are we discussing using the amperage surges to attain penetration profile changes, and other benefits?Cheers,Kevin Morin
Reply:Originally Posted by VirginiaThanks for the info!! that gun is seriously the craziest thing i have ever seen! i am at a loss for words
Reply:Tig gun looks cool if you have a bunch of work for it....With Aluminum (Thick) I pulse the pedal for those cosmetic welds but just rely on filler control for most get er done welds........ Miller Dynasty 350Twenty Six HammersThree Crow BarsBig Rock
Reply:B_C, I use the gun for every single TIG weld (I do) - 0.040" to 1/2" it's 300A water cooled and takes standard collets and cups so it's no different than reaching for a MIG torch instead of stick. But I don't use the same pulse settings for all welds and rarely use the rates below 5 Hz, I form the puddles (mostly) like we do with MIG, electrode motion in the puddle. The main gain is the 'hundred feet per day' of welding over a hand torch- just like the difference in stick and MIG.Cheers,Kevin Morin |
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发表于 2021-8-31 22:43:57