Any Tips

[Brad93]

Have an S3 with twinpulse xt, I'm trying to butt weld sheets of aluminium tread / chequer plate together just stitch welds every 200mm. I'm struggling to get decent penetration without blowing through and still get a decent looking weld.

Using the settings Matt told me which work great for fillets but not doing so well on this.

2.5Hz
50% pulse relation
35% pulse on
Bout -20 on the arc length correction
0 on the dynamics
Wire is ESAB 4043 1.2mm
Was using 4T with a 120% hot start and crater fill. Around 85 amps was working okayish.

Any advice much appreciated. I'm sure a lot of it comes down to user control, so I'll have to get practicing.

 

[Richard.]

I couldn't set a lorch up mate having never used one but your pic looks a really cold weld.
Get back to basics first.
Amps volts and travel speed.
Get something nice with these then chuck some pulse settings in around your basic settings.

 

[Brad93]

I couldn't set a lorch up mate having never used one but your pic looks a really cold weld.
Get back to basics first.
Amps volts and travel speed.
Get something nice with these then chuck some pulse settings in around your basic settings.

No idea where to start with aluminium to be honest mate that's why I got a pulse synergic machine. I know you need to be up in spray but this is 3mm material so that's not going to work.

 

[Richard.]

No idea where to start with aluminium to be honest mate that's why I got a pulse synergic machine. I know you need to be up in spray but this is 3mm material so that's not going to work.

You can mate. That's the whole idea of pulse. Spray doesn't mean high penetration it's high voltage and coupled up with a pulse it's a reduced heat input.
remember you can set your wire high which will lead to high pen but then set your volts high to take it into a spray and you will actually reduce the pen making a "hotter" weld usable on the thinner metal. It will also push your travel speed up which looking at your run is slow at the mo. Take it out of synergic and set it up old school to start with.

 

[henry Kadzielski]

Good morning Brad 93.
The secret with alli is you have to 'hall ****'. You can use the down hand filler settings with pulse, but the travel speed is critical. Because alli sinks heat quickly, the start of the weld is cold, hence the cold start function. Then when you start welding and the material gets hot it blows through. Unfortunately the solution for you is trial and error. Matt had given you a base line setting which you have to modify slightly and alter your technique to get the results you are after. Sorry.
Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but this is the way I have to deal with any new situation. Once you get a setting correct that works for you store it in the machines memory or write it down.
I am building up my settings for the new toy as I go. Prior to the next job have a play, get a base line and then refine it on the job, then write it down.
I have also been after what you are asking but never did get a result. Even when some one gives you settings it is never just press the trigger and go. We all weld slightly differently and the results very, so the setting will be slightly different.
Above all if you are shy with alli it will give you greef, unfortunately I have experienced this. Don'y be shy crank it up and go for it.
Just had a look at your settings and one thing that I noticed was the 2.5Hz. This I am assuming is the double pulse frequency. If that is correct I normally go slower any where from 1.2 to 1.7. This then allows an easier advance time to follow. However Matt gave you these settings so he would have proven them. Just a thought

 

[Omniata]

@matt1978 any input from you might be helpful?

 

[Brad93]

I'm using the twinpulse function yes as that gives Much cleaner welds over standard pulse.
Like you say I think it's going to just be a case of trial and error

 

[matt1978]

Hi Brad, you can try with a faster frequency, maybe about 3Hz and reduce the Pulse relation down so it spends a bit longer in the cooling.

I am concerned that your having to have the arc length at -17. That to me means a feeding issue so maybe you need to fit a new liner and also check the tension in the rollers. You shouldn't usually have to go more than 3 or 4 plus or minus when setting the arc length.

AlsoDon't forget on TwinPulse-XT there is the arc length 2 setting (the arc length for the background current) that also needs to be set, usually simerla to what ever arc length one is set at

 

[Brad93]

I will have a proper play tomorrow, got all day in the workshop.
I will try a new liner.
It seems the wire is right up in the shroud if I don't make the arc length longer. if I remember correctly you said I should try and set it 1mm off the pool?

 

[matt1978]

You mean make the arc length shorter?

Yes ideally the end of the wire should be about 1-2mm off the weld pool. If, on zero, the wire looks like it is burning back to the tip then there is definitely a feeding issue and your having to have such a high minus number to compensate

 

[Brad93]

You mean make the arc length shorter?

Yes ideally the end of the wire should be about 1-2mm off the weld pool. If, on zero, the wire looks like it is burning back to the tip then there is definitely a feeding issue and your having to have such a high minus number to compensate

Yes sorry you know what I mean my head not with it at the minute. I will switch the liner out in the morning and have another go. I've got loads of fresh clean off cuts/scrap.

Should I be doing a step and pause motion or just travelling along?

 

[matt1978]

What tension do you have on the rollers? You should have between 2 and 2.5

Before trying twinpulse you need to make sure that the arc length remains stable during single Pulse welding because the constant speeding up and slowing down of the wire from twin Pulse with amplify any niggle in the feeding. Also remember to keep your torch as straight as possible with no sharp bending.

 

[Brad93]

Yep got it between 2 to 2.5 on the rollers. I've gotta put the Ali wire back in so will have a go in a bit if not tomorrow