The hotstart thread!

[Sparkey]

Hiya folks it's me again....it seems that people like to read my nonsense so i've decided to start this thread with some help of Matt1978!

I've been playing around with the settings on my Oerlikon mig at work....unfortunately my trusty kit (named "Paulie" ) has so many settings that i don't understand, that i decided to create this thread with Matt and help others too by explaining these terms....

I really want to know what hotstart, softstart, downslope, anti crater, anti stick, etc means! And of course how and when do i use them?

Matt??

 

[matt1978]

I think there maybe some confusion with these names and also different processes.....

Hotstart

Is as the names suggests a 'Hot' start. This helps to eliminate cold lumpy starts at the beginning of the process and is especially good on Aluminium. Its usually a percentage of the main welding current, so if your welding at 100 amps and your hotstart is 135% it will strike up at 135 amps to give an initial burst of power to get some heat into the joint. If your on 2 step on the trigger, you can then set the amount of time in seconds that it will stay at this higher power level. If however you are on 4 step (latch) you usually decide the time, by how long you keep the trigger pressed in for.

Softstart, is as above, but rather than a percentage higher than the main welding current, the machine will strike up at a lower value and then ramp up to the main welding current. This is good is your starting right on a edge.

Crater Current (Anti Crater???)

Is like the Hotstart function, but just in reverse. Its for the end of the welding process where you can get the machine to ramp down to a lower value to enable you to fill in the crater and thus reducing the small crack or pin hole that can occour at the end of the weldpool. (The middle of weldpool is always the last to solidify, so it helps to cool down the pool slowly rather than imediately)

UpSlope/DownSlope

Are used inconjunction with Hot/Cold Start and Crater fill functions. Its just the amount of time in seconds that the machine will take to get from the normal welding current to the crater current, so for example, rather than go from 100 amps straight to 50 amps imediately, you can get the machine to gradually slope down from 100 amps to 50 amps over 3 or 4 seconds.

Anti Stick.

I am not sure about this in conjunction with Mig, but definately on MMA, it just means that if the electrode is shorted out onto the plate and there is a dead short, the machine will cut the power to the electrode holder, so you can remover/break the electrode off without causing damage/making a mess of the work piece and the electrode holder.

 

[Sparkey]

anti crater...heh yea, sorry i have to translate it all from French...my welder is set in French if i change it my colleagues wont be happy...
the french people are very into foreign languages...not!

 

[matt1978]

the french people are very into foreign languages...not!

Like us English then

English but Slow and Loud is our foreign language

 

[Hitch]

Does the power source double us an MMA/Tig too? The anti stick might be specific to that mode....?

 

[Sparkey]

Another setting i really like is that when you use it, it eliminates the small ball you have on the end of your wire after each weld!! Awesome! no need to snip it off anymore plus it prevents a lot of splattering when you start a new weld!
It is called "electrode sharpening" or summat....(again translation )

 

[Sparkey]

Does the power source double us an MMA/Tig too? The anti stick might be specific to that mode....?

Yes, i think it does....i have a small icon for it in my settings...mmm, have to look that up...

 

[Robotstar5]

Another setting i really like is that when you use it, it eliminates the small ball you have on the end of your wire after each weld!! Awesome! no need to snip it off anymore plus it prevents a lot of splattering when you start a new weld!
It is called "electrode sharpening" or summat....(again translation )

I'm sure the robots use something similar, a quick burst of increased power to "spit" the end of the wire off.

 

[Robotstar5]

Hehe, yea they don't have pliers to snip it off....

sorry, stupid joke...

Nearly right, some "bullseye" TCP checking fixtures have a wire cutter on them!

 

[Sparkey]

Nearly right, some "bullseye" TCP checking fixtures have a wire cutter on them!

Really? lol!
And they clean the torch at the same time right?

 

[Robotstar5]

Really? lol!
And they clean the torch at the same time right?

Never seen them combined, bullseye is for checking TCP (relationship of tip of wire to robot) and seperate torch cleaning station which usually has a reamer to clean tip and shroud followed by an anti-spatter fluid spray, robot then air blasts the torch internally to blow out excess fluid/bits.

Bullseye check is only done a few times per shift due to the time it takes, 2-5 mins!

 

[Sparkey]

For those who are interested, here's the complete manual (pdf) of my kit the citowave 280 MX :

http://portal.airliquide.com/P_Doc/view.php?base_id=31&doc_id=785&version=0&file_id=1

Don't worry it's in French AND English!

 

[Tigman]

Links been cut then ?

 

[Wozzaaah]

Try this one, I'm sure Sparkey will let me know if it's the wrong machine next time she's online.

 

[Sparkey]

Hmm, yeah that's the same kit, wozzles but....my file was more of a users guide while your pdf file is more for pr purposes if you get what i mean!
I have it stored on my lappy if anyone wants it...
No idea why the link doesn't work anymore?

 

[madkayaker]

i'll have a copy good to read about posh kit

 

[Sparkey]

I'll send it to your email MK, but not right now....i'm setting up my new lappy!!!! wooohooo! (does a happy dance) the forum looks awesome on a led screen!! and fast!!! can't believe my eyes....