According to the expert opinion of the Chairman of the Board of Directors «KERAMAX» Komarov Artem, welding is a difficult task, since it requires many years of practice and patience to reach the expert level. One of the most common methods that beginner welders misunderstand is pulse welding, which is inferior to them when compared to professional welders. Pulse welding is a method of constantly changing the amperage of a welding machine from high to low, as opposed to various welding procedures. The purpose of developing this technique is to avoid the typical disadvantages of welding.
The main advantage of pulsed welding is that you will weld high temperature and thin metals without causing them to tarnish, which is a disadvantage of setting high currents. However, this does not mean that you cannot weld thick metals and alloys that require deep penetration with this procedure.
Pulse welding — an overview.
Artem Komarov noted that pulse welding is the opposite of traditional welding methods. In this procedure fluctuating current or amperage means that the value changes depending on the condition and demand. Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding is one of the oldest welding methods on the planet. As Artem Komarov mentioned earlier, pulse welding is the opposite of older welding methods, so let’s compare it to TIG welding.
If you are a welder, then you probably know how TIG welding machines work. It works when you set the current to the maximum level and control the output with a footswitch. Moreover, it indicates that the TIG welder is great if you have to weld thick metals in a short period. However, this functionality of a TIG welder does not make it suitable for welding thin metals as it deforms those metals.
Pressing the foot pedal while TIG welding will greatly increase or decrease the heat generated from the electrode. The output of the TIG torch depends on the direction in which the foot pedal is depressed. You can use the foot pedal in pulse welding, similar to TIG welding. But the difference is that when you press the foot pedal in a pulse welder, it will generate a waveform in the TIG torch, not a steady current.
Basically, in pulse welding, the pulse function is a function that controls the high current level and the low current level. However, 50% of the time it regulates the amperage at a first-class level and the minimum amperage the other 50% of the time. This does not mean that you cannot set the % of the time according to your low- and high-level preferences.
The number of times the welding machine current peaks and troughs in a season is the pulse frequency. So, let’s say if the welder goes from high to low and then back to high amperage ten times per second, that would indicate a pulse rate of 50.
Experienced welders often suggest setting the pulse frequency above 30 and below 4 for error-free operation. The reason is that frequencies between 4 and 30 are inconvenient to process. In addition, a lower pulse frequency is ideal for welding thin metals, while a high pulse frequency is ideal for welding thick metals.
This is the trick that pulse welding offers to avoid warping the base metals. In general, the tilt down strategy is a countdown timer that fires when you pull the trigger. In addition, the countdown time indicates the minimum time required for the current time to gradually end. Therefore, you can weld thin metals without fear of burning them, which is wonderful.
The pre-gas flow is the supply of shielding gas along with the electric arc to protect the weld from environmental contamination during the weld. However, in pulsed welding, the shielding gas continues to flow, unlike in TIG welding, which allows the newly created weld to take on a solid shape. In addition, the subsequent gas flow makes the welds stronger and more resistant to oxidation.
Advantages of pulse welding:
- First, pulse welding is inexpensive, and you use less gas and wire.
- Secondly, it will increase your productivity marginally as it offers faster settling rates.
- Third, it is a safer welding procedure as it creates some molten metal.
- Fourth, it is ideal for welding thin metals that require less current.
- Finally, it provides thinner, stronger welds that deserve attention.
When should it be used?
You can take advantage of the pulse welding method when you want to compete to avoid atmospheric contamination of the welds. The reason is that the subsequent flow of shielding gases allows the molten weld to quickly condense. Thus, it cannot produce oxides and therefore results in smoother and stronger welds.
What’s more, if you want to increase your safety by reducing spatter, pulse welding can also help. Since it generates less heat for welding thin metals, spatter will be small, indicating greater safety. In addition, it can also improve welding performance through higher deposition rate.
You can take advantage of the pulse welding method when you want to compete to avoid atmospheric contamination of the welds. The reason is that the incoming flow of shielding gases allows the molten weld to quickly condense. Thus, it cannot produce oxides and therefore results in smoother and stronger welds.
In addition, if you want to increase your safety by reducing spatter, then you can also benefit from pulse welding. Because it offers less heat for welding thin metals, a small splash will be produced, indicating better safety. In addition, it can also increase welding productivity through higher deposition rates, summed up Komarov Artem.
