Welding Positions
Even for those of us dealing with welding all day every day it is difficult to remember the welding position nomenclature. So here is a quick cheat sheet. Fillet Weld Positions Groove Weld Positions Pipe Weld Positions Which do you consider to be the most challenging welding position?
Why is Preheating of Steels Necessary Before Welding?
Preheating steel before welding is common practice. Sometimes we apply heat after we are done welding as well. Other times we apply heat between passes to maintain the minimum interpass temperature. Many use preheat simply because it is written in the WPS, but not really understand why it is necessary. Preheating is used for […]
Hot Cracking vs Cold Cracking
We recently helped out a customer in troubleshooting weld cracking which they were experiencing frequently. It was determined that cracking on their parts was due to rapid cooling and improperly sized welds. The discussions we had before and after determining the cause were quite interesting. We went over the typical causes for cracking with our […]
Benefits of Pulse Welding
We are frequently asked if there are any real benefits of using pulse over CV in the MIG process. The short answer is “absolutely.” But before we can answer we need to ask: “what is the application?” To really appreciate the benefits of pulsed GMAW compared to traditional CV (short arc or globular) it is […]
Conflict Minerals
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act was signed into federal law by President Barack Obama on July 21, 2010. This act promotes financial stability for the US by making the financial system more transparent and accountable. But what does this have to do with the so called Conflict Minerals? As it pertains […]
4043 v 5356 Aluminum Filler
Should I use 4043 or 5356 aluminum wire for my application? This is a very commonly asked question. The application of these two aluminum alloys has such a big overlap that a lot of times it simply comes down to welder preference, cost or availability. When determining which filler alloy to use the most important […]
Welding Industry Acronyms
If you are involved in the welding industry you are constantly surrounded by all sorts of acronyms. Below is a list of the most commonly used abbreviations in our industry. ABS American Bureau of Shipping AC Alternating current AlSl American Iron and Steel Institute. AL Aluminium AMP Amperes (measure of current) ANSI American National Standard Institute. […]
The Outrageous Cost of Overwelding
So many shops operate under the premise that the bigger the weld the better it is, or that putting down a bigger weld than what is called for is playing it safe. Although there may be some truth to this it isn’t always the case. And, in some instances, a bigger weld can actually be […]
9 Basic Steps to Read Welding Symbols
The ability to interpret welding symbols is very important, yet the vast majority of welders have hard time doing so. A very small percentage of companies require that welder candidates know how to read symbols. With the shortage of welders in today’s market imposing this prerequisite would not be feasible. What companies need to do […]
5 Major Non-destructive Testing Methods
We all have probably heard about destructive testing in welding. After all, those of us who are certified welders or work at a place that needs to certify welding procedures, have at one time or another heard about a bend test, or a charpy v-notch test. However, there are several types of non-destructive testing available. […]