Submerged arc welding is typically done automatically, meaning it is not done by hand, but rather set up as hard automation. The operator simply controls the welding machine and torch position to obtain the desired results. Typically,the system is run by an operator, not a welder. So when problems come up, the operator may not […]
Stress relieving is a form of post weld heat treatment. In stress relieving we heat a material to a specific temperature; hold it at this temperature for a specified amount of time in order to reduce or eliminate residual stresses; and then cool it at a slow enough rate to prevent these stresses from redeveloping. […]
Voltage is one of the most important variables in a welding procedure. It is also one that is sometimes misunderstood. You may ask five welders what effect voltage has on a weld and you may get five different answers. This is because voltage can do a lot of things, some good and some bad. Understanding […]
Today we are faced with a tremendous shortage of welding professionals. This includes welders, fitters, cutters, inspectors, supervisors, robotic technicians and welding engineers to name a few. Although every fabricator can benefit from having a welding engineer on staff, most welding engineers tend to work in specific industries such as Oil & Gas, Aerospace, Automotive […]
Weld failures happen all the time. Some are more serious than others in terms of cost and potential for property damage and bodily harm. If a weld failure is considered serious it typically gets a lot of attention. Forensics labs and industry experts get called to determine the root cause of the failure. It may […]
Preheat is necessary in certain carbon and low alloy steel applications to prevent hydrogen induced cracking, also known as cold cracking. Cold cracking susceptibility increases as the amount of carbon in steel and the thickness go up. The higher the carbon content the easier it is for the steel to harden. And, the thicker the […]
High carbon steels are those containing 0.45% carbon or higher. They are typically considered “hard to weld” because they are crack sensitive and are susceptible to undergoing significant changes in their physical and mechanical properties after welding. However, high carbon steels can be welded successfully and without problems by having a sound understanding of the […]
In a perfect world parts would fit together perfectly every time. However, as we all know, this isn’t the case. We mostly think of poor fit up as something that annoys welders but which they can compensate for. But the reality is it can have tremendous impact on your bottom line. Or, in many cases, […]
Abrasion resistant (AR) steel plate is used in applications requiring abrasion and impact resistance. It is alloyed with high levels of carbon in order to attain high levels of hardness through the quenched and tempered process. AR plate is primarily used in conveyors, buckets, dump liners, construction attachments, grates, body armor and ballistic plates. AR […]
If you look at any of the structural welding codes you’ll notice that contact-tip-to-work-distance (CTTWD) is a variable which must be listed in welding procedure specifications (WPSs). However, it is not an essential variable, meaning that changes to CTTWD of any amount do not require requalification. This can seem puzzling to some, especially those […]
