Content tagged with "arc"
Results: 33
Article
January 15, 2008
Welding helmets in view
Lincoln Electric's VISTA Choosing the right welding helmet is not as easy as it once was. Technology advances have turned these once simple pieces of protective equipment into smart, lightweight safety devices that, in some cases, can adapt their settings automatically to accommodate... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2007
Let 'er rip
WWU's Jake Parks drives the Viking 41 at the 2006 Mini Baja competition. Earning a reputation for innovation and quality is a difficult task. It is particularly difficult but equally impressive when this is achieved with a rotating group of students at a public university. That is exactly... Read more...
Article
May 8, 2007
Arc Welding 101
I am building a 400-gallon paint tank and I'm having trouble with leaks when using gas metal arc welding (GMAW). I'm using a welding machine running on 440. My best results come when running hot 19.5 on the heat and about 21/2 on wire speed. I am using a trimix gas and 0.035-inch 308 wire.... Read more...
Article
February 13, 2007
Arc Welding 101 - Preheating a shaft-sprocket assembly
We are welding 1018 cold-rolled, 2.5-inch-diameter shaft to a sprocket made from 1045 steel. We preheat the shafts to about 200 to 250 degrees. We are having some failure of the shaft, and I'm wondering what the proper procedure is for welding the assembly together. The sprockets are welded... Read more...
Article
March 7, 2006
Staying grounded
Grounding means much more than punishing your teenager by restricting his privileges. In welding, grounding is critical to arc welding safety. Various codes and standards document grounding electrical circuits as a safety practice. A typical arc welding setup may consist of several... Read more...
Article
July 13, 2004
Welding Miniature Devices
Welders have been joining miniature electromechanical devices for industrial and medical applications for more than 30 years. However, it's a subject that hasn't been featured much in papers and technical publications. The history of joining miniature devices goes back to the turn of the... Read more...
Article
June 8, 2004
Selecting a shielding gas for joining stainless steel
The use of stainless steel has grown significantly over the past decade in North America. As its use has grown, so has the number of different consumables required to join it. Because stainless steels are used in applications that are different from carbon steels, it follows that their... Read more...
Article
June 8, 2004
Gouging: The other plasma process
Plasma arc gouging may not be as well-known or widely used as plasma arc cutting, but the two processes share many characteristics: ease of use, cut speed and quality, cost of operation, and versatility. Let's compare the plasma gouging and cutting processes and take a look at... Read more...
Article
April 6, 2004
Titanium—You can weld it!
"Titanium need not be all that hard to weld!" The American Welding Society (AWS) 1 said it, and I agree. Well-done titanium welds look like frozen mercury: shiny and reflective. A couple of basic factors make titanium different from other metals. These unique characteristics, and a lack... Read more...
Article
February 26, 2004
Selecting the right tungsten
But this isn't as true anymore, as the welding industry has shifted toward using inverter-based AC GTAW machines that incorporate square wave technology. Selecting the right tungsten becomes an increasingly critical issue with inverter technology to maximize its benefits. In the past pure... Read more...
Article
December 11, 2003
Getting the best results in gas-shielded FCAW
The demand for flux cored arc welding (FCAW) has grown significantly over the past 10 years. Manufacturers who weld carbon, stainless, low-alloy, and high-alloy steel are turning to this process primarily because: It has a high deposition rate. It can be used to weld in all positions... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2003
Selecting the best lens for welders' eye protection
The Dangers of Ultraviolet and Infrared Light Radiant energy exposure, also called optical radiation, occurs with work applications that involve intense concentrations of ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR), and intense visible light. Arc welding and cutting, as well as laser welding,... Read more...
Article
August 28, 2003
Inverter versus transformer power supplies for aluminum GTAW
I'm looking for a new GTAW power supply for AC aluminum welding. I had intended to buy a conventional transformer unit, but several people have told me to buy an inverter-based power supply. Which one is better for my application? Inverter-based power supplies do have some advantages over... Read more...
Article
August 28, 2003
Making plasma cutting easier
For many people, the world of plasma cutting is a complex and daunting place, with a cryptic set of rules that can be mastered only by highly trained technicians after weeks of training. For every change of material or thickness being cut, a long process ensues of resetting gas mixtures,... Read more...
Article
July 24, 2003
Welding aluminum with inverter-based power supplies
Direct Current All welding power supplies transform relatively high-voltage, low-current incoming power to lower-voltage, high-current welding output using a transformer. In the past the transformer operated directly from 50- or 60-hertz incoming alternating current (AC). At these... Read more...
Article
July 24, 2003
Using inverter technology
Those familiar with inverters usually know they offer size, weight, and portability advantages. They also can improve reliability by overcoming primary power fluctuations, also known as dirty power. Question: Does the weight of the plasma cutter matter? Answer: Yes, because labor... Read more...
Article
July 24, 2003
Which wire do you require?
Many fabricators overlook the efficiencies they can gain by changing a wire or process. In fact, when you ask fabricators why they're using a particular electrode, some respond with "That's the way it's always been done here," even though another way might yield significant improvement.... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Robots and dials and knobs—oh my!
It has been said that necessity is the mother of invention. You be the judge. In the late 1950s, the U.S. Navy wanted to find a way to join heavy aluminum structural sections used to fabricate motor torpedo boat hulls. Gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) offered suitable process... Read more...
Article
April 10, 2003
How to recognize, minimize weld smut
When I weld any aluminum alloy, I see a covering, light gray to black in color, over the weld. I see it when I gas tungsten arc weld (GTAW), but it's worse when I gas metal arc weld (GMAW). What is it? Does it affect the mechanical properties of the weld? How do I get rid of it? A common... Read more...
Article
March 27, 2003
Article
November 15, 2001
Article
September 4, 2001
Changing the way they do business
Dealing with work loads, delivery schedules, and many other responsibilities doesn't leave managers with much time to consider factors that justify equipment improvements. Often this means ideas for improvements get shelved. However, fabricators who want to improve production and... Read more...
Article
September 4, 2001
Robotic arc welding gets smart in real time
Though robots probably are best-known for their ability to accomplish repetitive manufacturing tasks, it's no secret that, by themselves, they are unintelligent and must be told what to do. They are silent, unable to talk over problems with their controller, power sources, the robot in... Read more...
Article
August 16, 2001
Article
July 26, 2001
Article
July 12, 2001
Examining the GTAW environment
Possibly the greatest development of the last decade was increased awareness of environmental and health concerns, which in the welding industry has prompted improvements in air quality, ergonomic workstations, and decreased exposure to materials deemed harmful to health. It is important... Read more...
Article
May 30, 2001
Using a hand-held plasma cutter
Fabricators, contractors, maintenance personnel, artists, and do-it-yourselfers who experience a hand-held air plasma arc cutting machine rarely want to return to oxyacetylene cutting or mechanical cutting processes such as saws, cutoff wheels, shears, and snips. Plasma cutting can improve... Read more...
Article
May 30, 2001
Dressing for success and other welding safety tips
Whether we are attending a social occasion or dressing for the job, we all give some thought about what we are going to wear. For many social occasions, the decision is made for us, or it depends on how good we want to look. On the job, safety is more important than appearance, but again, some... Read more...
Article
May 30, 2001
Article
February 19, 2001
Article
February 19, 2001
Joining aluminum with GTAW: Advice for the novice
Aluminum: beautiful, lightweight, strong, versatile—and a real challenge to weld, especially for beginners. This article describes some of the new gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) equipment available and its benefits, accessories required, points to consider before welding, and the... Read more...
Article
February 19, 2001
Article
February 19, 2001
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