The importance of process reliability for the welding result
These success factors determine the quality of the weld seam
High process reliability is the be-all and end-all when welding, as unstable processes favor spatter, pore formation and bonding defects. Such irregularities must be avoided at all costs, as this prevents the creation of a high-quality weld seam. What boundary conditions must be met for welders to produce a perfect seam?
Every welding task is different. This fact makes the welding process so complex, as many individually varying factors have to be taken into account. These include the selection of the correct welding filler metal and shielding gas, the component preheating and layer sequence to be adhered to as well as the welding parameters to be set, such as current, wire feed and corrections. The welding speed and the respective torch guide also play an important role. In order to master this complexity, device manufacturers are increasingly increasing the user-friendliness of their products. Although it is still up to the welder to guide the arc correctly, they now receive significant support in setting the devices in order to achieve a stable welding process
Stable arc thanks to stored characteristic curve
EWM's XQ series for MIG/MAG welding is an example of increased ease of use and innovative welding processes. The big advantage: characteristic curves for the various welding tasks are stored in the software of the devices. The user only has to select the correct welding process, specify the material, shielding gas and wire diameter and can then start straight away. The desired output can be set on the working curve called up. The stored characteristic curves always regulate the arc with the best possible stability in order to be able to use the respective process optimally for the result. This applies to short arc welding, spray arc welding and pulsed arc welding. The highlight: set operating points can be saved using the existing favorites buttons and easily recalled at any time at the touch of a button. This saves users having to frequently set up preferred welding parameters. This quick selection is also helpful when using several WPS. Operators also benefit from the innovative welding processes, such as forceArc puls® - a MIG/MAG welding process with a heat-minimized pulsed arc for welding steel and stainless steel. Thanks to excellent wetting and optimum gap bridging, the process enables a higher welding speed even in the high power range. This results in a deep, concentrated penetration and a symmetrical seam - with virtually no spatter.
Special importance of the welding torch for the welding result
While the right choice and setting of the power source is the most important factor in achieving optimum seam quality, the right choice of welding torch is also crucial. Only with high-quality equipment can perfectly coordinated processes be transformed into high-quality seams. This particularly includes the use of a high-quality welding torch. They are characterized by a long service life and low wear part consumption. This is because components such as contact tips, gas nozzles, gas distributors and nozzle holders are subjected to high stresses during the welding process. The contact tips in particular have a decisive influence on the quality of the arc, as they transfer the welding current to the wire electrode. If they are worn on one side, the nozzle becomes increasingly clogged. A worn contact tip can lead to micro arcs and short circuits. If the contact tip overheats, wear is accelerated. It is therefore important to check it regularly for wear and replace it with a higher quality contact tip if necessary. It is worth using quality products from the outset. This is because the high process stability and low wear of the components show that high-quality torches not only deliver the best weld seam quality, but also have economic advantages.