TIP TIG Welding is always better quality than TIG and 100 to 500% faster with superior quality than TIG - MIG - FCAW.

You will not be surprised to hear that in 2008 pulsed MIG power sources are the majority of the weld equipment purchased for robot cells. The weld reality is that both the MIG manual and robot MIG weld industry will get better weld results on the majority of steel and stainless applications with a lower cost, more durable, traditional CV MIG power source.

The following photos of MIG manual weld samples provide fundamental visual evidence that traditional, low cost, CV equipment can provide superior weld results than the more costly, less durable, pulsed equipment.

 

 

 

Ed testing pulsed MIG versus
spray transfer welds. Magna plant USA 2004.

The following weld comparisons were made using a low cost MIG power source, the Lincoln CV 300, (the Lincoln CV 400 provides the same results and can be interfaced with a robot). The Lincoln CV 300 costs approx. $2000 and the CV 400 would cost approx. $3000.

Compare what you pay for your robot weld equipment. In 2004, the CV 400 robot MIG package, including wire feed and interface, would sell for approx. $6500. For those tier one companies who get a thirty percent discount on the weld equipment they purchase, did you pay more than $4500 for your robot weld package, (power source and interface). Every penny you spent over this price was a penny thrown out of your window.

The Lincoln CV 400 will outperform the Lincoln pulsed Power Wave 455 and any of the Miller, ESAB or Japanese pulsed equipment on carbon steel weld. In contrast to the low cost CV equipment, the Lincoln Power Wave unit including a wire feeder and interface will retail for around $12000 to $14000. In this segment the Lincoln CV welds are also compared with the Lincoln Invertec, an inverter pulsed power source which sells for approx. thirty percent more than the CV 400.

PICTURE ABOVE: With an 0.045, (1.2 mm), E70S-3 MIG wire and argon - 10% CO2 gas mix, Ed ran the 0.045 wire at a wire feed rate of 450 ipm. The 450 ipm is an optimum spray transfer wire feed rate for many auto / truck frame manufactures, robot welding carbon steel parts 2.5 to 6 mm. The 450 ipm wire feed rate will enable a 4 to 5 mm fillet weld at a robot travel rate of 40 to 50 ipm. This rate will also produce a 1/4, (6 mm) fillet weld at a robot speed of 20 to 22 ipm.

Pulsed versus Spray. 0.045 (1.2mm) steel wire set at 350 ipm.

Picture above. The pulsed weld on left sample made with the 0.045 wire, versus the weld on the right made with with the same wire size and wire feed rate using conventional CV spray. Both welds were made with the wire feed set at 350 ipm delivering approx. 9 - 10 lb/hr. When set at 350 ipm, the 0.045 wire is in an "optimum" pulsed wire feed setting. The 0.045 wire set at 350 ipm is also the approx. "start point" of spray transfer weld. Again note the pulsed weld inconsistency is clearly evident in the convex surface and inconsistent weld edges. When sectioned, you know which of these two welds provided superior weld fusion.

If you want robot weld stability at high weld deposition rates, purchase a CV power source and pay approx. $6000 rather than waste $12000 on pulsed MIG equipment. If you have already spent your dollars on that pulsed power source and want to improve weld fusion or arc stability switch over to spray transfer.

 

Pulsed versus Spray. 0.045 (1.2mm) steel wire set at 450 ipm.

Picture Above: Again you don't have to be a weld expert to that when the 0.045 wire is set at 450 ipm, (approx. 13 lb/hr), which weld is optimum. The 0.045 wire set at 450 ipm is used on many robot spray welds on parts >5 mm. This one picture tells you why auto industry executives and engineers have wasted millions of dollars on paying an expensive premium for electronic pulsed equipment that has not created any steel weld benefits for their plants

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Pulsed versus Spray. 0.045 (1.2mm) steel wire set at 550 ipm.

PICTURE ABOVE: Of course if you want the maximum possible MIG weld deposition rate or highest ROBOT weld speeds from the robots on steel parts > 8 mm you will use an 0.045 wire set around 550 ipm, 15 to 16 lb /hr. This is a common spray wire feed setting you don't want to set with that costly pulsed power source. One thing you can say for the pulsed process, at low or high wire feed rates the weld inconsistency is consistent.

IT'S ALSO TRUE WITH 0.035 (1mm) WIRES.

PICTURE ABOVE: With the 0.035 wire and argon 10% - CO2. Ed opened the wire feed control to it's maximum setting and provided a wire feed rate of 700 ipm. Again look at the spray weld on the left versus the pulsed weld on the right. The pulsed weld with the 0.035 wire indicated the same inconsistent weld transfer pattern as with the 0.045 wire. The pulsed weld was again more convex and the side wall weld fusion was again less inconsistent than the spray weld. Again note both welds are untouched with no spatter.

 

0.035 SET AT AN OPTIMUM MID RANGE PULSED WIRE FEED RATE OF 550 ipm
you know which is the best weld.

Picture Above. Again note the 0035 wire comparison of the pulsed mode versus spray transfer weld. In the pulsed picture on the right, the welds are made at a mid range wire feed setting of 550 ipm. As the weld indicates again the traditional spray mode shows more consistency in the metal flow rate.

 

If you want up-todate, unbiased, Pulsed MIG versus lower cost traditional CV MIG equipment data, don't ask a salesman, visit the world's largest website, www.weldreality.com.

 

 

 

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