RIHUI probems on Pipe Welds

RIHUI probems on Pipe Welds:

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Ed. We are trying to utilize GMAW-P on an HY-80 steel pipe welds. I was pushing for gas shielded flux cored wires, but the engineers will not allow flux cored wires for our pipe procedures. The engineers complain of poor mechanical properties from the flux cored wires on the HY metal. We can't use MIG spray as many of the welds are out of position. We are having a difficult time passing UT with our Miller Invision pulsed power source. The MIG pulsed parameters required provide a wide arc zone and long arc length, we end up with extensive, inconsistent weld fusion. We are thinking about switching to Lincoln Pulsed equipment, as they tell us with their equipment that we can get the controls we require from their unique pulsed wave forms. The Miller Equipment does not allow wave form manipulation from the interface, you have to run off the factory resets. Do you have any suggestions on getting better results with our GMAW-P equipment?


Ed's Reply: Forget that pulsed MIG equipment and especially that Lincoln pulsedwave form nonsense. Your question brings to light some of the <2003 pulsed process issues I have been talking about for more than a decade. Pulsed variable parameters and pulsed arc length sensitivity combined with a lower energy pulsed MIG arc plasma and good deposition rates combine and often result in weld quality issues. Of course to attain more weld energy with pulse one can always increase the pulse parameters and lower the trim volts, however there are optimum pulsed parameter limits and when those wire feed settings and pulsed parameters are slightly outside the optimum pulsed parameter range, you will not likely be pleased with the radiograph results. 

I think you will find that wave form control which sounds great coming from the mouth of a sales rep, is going to have have little weld quality / productivity impact on your weld applications. You may want to read one of my many experiences with the Lincoln Power Wave and the ineffective wave forms when this equipment created serious weld quality (weld fusion) issues for a tier one axle manufacturer. Check out the MIG equipment section for extensive pulsed MIG issues. The real issue here is not the weld issues, its the stupidity of your engineers for not allowing the superior flux cored process to be utilized.


2008: Update from Ed: If using pulsed equipment > 2005, it's now possible to attain improved pipe weld quality, however with pulsed "manual welds" you can still expect lack of weld fusion, and from a weld quality / productivity point of view, the 2013 pulsed MIG process still cannot compete with gas shielded flux cored wires for most all position carbon steels and stainless welds.

If you want defect free pipe welds, their is only one cost effective manual process and its called the Rihui www.welding-backing.com.

Date: 2023-04-10     hits: 750    Return