Last week we discussed the hot wire process, its history, and applications. This week Dave Hebble and I demonstrate how to tune process variables to make sound welds. We show what we look for in the arc with the help of a Xiris Automation Inc. weld monitoring camera.
This is the second in our series on TIG or Gas Tungsten Arc Welding of aluminum. We have chosen to focus on weld quality beneath the surface. On the internet, you will find no shortage of photos of gorgeous manual TIG welds. I can appreciate a “stack of dimes” weld bead as much as anyone. Symmetrical, perfectly spaced ripples do indeed showcase the skills of the welder. But sometimes beauty is only skin deep.
This is the first in our series on TIG or Gas Tungsten Arc Welding of aluminum. We have chosen to focus on weld quality beneath the surface. On the internet you will find no shortage of photos of gorgeous manual TIG welds. I can appreciate a “stack of dimes” weld bead as much as anyone. Symmetrical, perfectly spaced ripples do indeed showcase the skills of the welder. But sometimes beauty is only skin deep.
Eight is (much) greater than six when it comes to robot axes. In this episode, we showcase how a two-axis part positioner with coordinated motion will allow your six-axis robot to do things no human can.
Regular viewers of Weld of The Week seem to enjoy both cutting-edge as well as older technology. This episode showcases an odd old technique. I would like to read your comments if you are familiar with it.
I have made a good living building machines that make welded coatings on a variety of parts around the world. Welding creates strong metallurgical bonds between the coating and the part. But there is another way: thermal spray.
No other arc welding process allows you to make full penetration welds on a variety of metals up to 3/8” thick without a bevel and without filler material. The arc punches through the part creating the “keyhole”, molten metal fills behind the arc making narrow deep weld through the entire section.
We use Tab & Slot construction in our weld shop to fabricate our robotic manufacturing systems. I was introduced to the technique by Richard Holdren who had applied it in the shipbuilding industry.
Plasma Transferred Arc Welding (PTAW) is a great process for robotic joining and overlay. The tightly columnated arc focuses the arc energy in a small area, making torch height less critical. The tungsten electrode is protected. So you change the tungsten less and weld more. PTAW allows the use of powdered filler materials, so you can weld all sorts of composite and exotic metals.
Not many people are aware of the buried arc welding process so it is rarely seen in the industry. This is a shame because no other welding process can make 1-inch fillet welds in a single pass and penetrate 5/8″ into the part. The process is limited to 1G and 1F welds on aluminum.
