ac dc machine settings

[oceanobsession]

Hi again all. can you advise on some basic settings for aluminium.

1. pre gas
2. start current
3. start current time
4. upslope
5. downslope
6. ac balance
7. finale current
8. finale current time
9. gas post flow time
10 . ac frequency

im welding 2mm plate at 85 amps 2.4 tungstune 12 lpm argon
cheers all ocean

 

[matt1978]

Hi Phil,

1. pre gas 0.5 seconds max
2. start current About 135% of main welding current
3. start current time
4. upslope 2-3 seconds
5. downslope 2-3 seconds
6. ac balance 35% (+)
7. finale current 35% of main welding current
8. finale current time
9. gas post flow time leave as factory set
10 . ac frequency 80 Hz

If you put the machine on 4 step (latch) you will be able to determine how long the machine stays at the start current and the end current. Only you can decide this by looking and reading the weldpool. In 4 step mode, when you pull the trigger, keep it pulled in and the machine will strike up and stay at the start current.......then when your happy that the weld pool is established, release the trigger and the machine will go thru the slope and stay at the welding current, so you can complete the weld. When you are ready to stop, pull the trigger again and hold it it, then the machine will go thru the downslope and then remain at the end current, for aslong as you keep your finger held on. Only when you loose the trigger will the machine stop. Only loose the trigger when you are happy that the crater has been filled.

Cheers,

Matt

 

[oceanobsession]

Re ac dc machine settings

Hi matt. ive now put a switch on the floor. thanks for the settings.im still a
little confused about slope down and finish current are they not the same thing cheers ocean

 

[Archie]

The final current time only applies to 2T. In 2T you press the button down, the welder arcs up to the start current ('Is' on the machine?) for the amount of time specified by start current time ('ts'?). Then it increases/decreases the current to I1 over the period of time defined by the upslope. The same is true of the end procedure only in reverse (obviously!). In 4T you don't need to worry about the start or end current times because they are determined by the length of time you hold the button for before letting go, as Matt's explained above.

 

[oceanobsession]

Re ac dc machine settings

Thanks archie. i think im going to be looking at a foot pedel. also a water
cooler for aluminium. ive had a play this afternoon on 3mm aluminium sheet
115 amps ish gets very warm. ive managed to get some reasonable results
but you start at 115 amps after 100mm in lenth you need to increase to say
125amps then 50mm from the end its all getting to hot a foot pedel could
control all of the above or is it like rubbing youre head and belly in opposite
directions. with alumimium it seems the only way to get youre bead the same
size and shape for the whole lenth/piece of aluminium that you are welding
cheers ocean

 

[hotrodder]

Foot remote... initally a bit like the head/belly thing but it soon becomes second nature and you find your foot will be making small adjustments subconsciously. Like riding a bike/driving etc

With a pedal you can move along at a comfortable speed making adjustments with the pedal as needed, without a pedal you adjust your travel speed as the part heats up.

 

[matt1978]

Hi matt. ive now put a switch on the floor. thanks for the settings.im still a
little confused about slope down and finish current are they not the same thing cheers ocean

Hi Ocean,

The Slopes are the time that the machine will take to get from the Start current to the main welding current (I1) and from the main welding current too the end crater current.

For example.

IS (Start current) is 120 amps

Upslope is 3 seconds

I1 (Main welding current) is 100 amps

Downslope is 5 seconds

IE (End Current) is 40 amps.

So this means, you would strike up at 120 amps, then the machine would take 3 seconds to slope down too 100 amps and then when you finish welding the machine will slope down over 5 seconds to the end current which is 40 amps.

However, if your using a foot pedal, the slopes won't come into effect as its you (the operator) with your foot who determine all of that.

 

[choppo]

First post here guys And i just found exactly what i was after in this post after trawling the net for hours without luck. Just a beginner, but i think you just clarified 95% of my problems! Thanks

 

[Tungsten Sharpener]

You`ll find that pre heating ally will give a much more consistant weld pool over distance.

The heat transfer properties of ally rob power at the start and then reduce as the parent metal warms, speeding up the filler feed to cool the weld pool also controls this trend.

Pre heat is an important part of accurate fabrication in all metals but particularly with ally, not only does it give a consistant heat rquirement but also aids in the stability of the finished fabrication.

TS