THE LATEST ADVANCEMENTS IN PULSE WELDING TECHNOLOGY

Sure, everyone loves the latest in technology. But when it comes down to value, does pulse welding warrant all of the attention it receives? Well, the answer is yes.

Pulse welding allows the operator to consistently produce welds with excellent penetration and weld bead profile, less spatter, and in some cases, higher efficiency. Many TIG applications can be completed with the faster pulse MIG process using the newest welding applications. Welders and job shops alike are embracing this technology to remain competitive in a changing industry.

Pulse welding was first developed in 1964 by BOC (British Oxygen Company) for cladding operations. The purpose of cladding, of course, is to put an overlay material on top of a base metal without too much dilution. The weld metal should join with the base metal at a uniform depth in order to increase the life of the components that have been clad. The pulse process was initially developed to limit cladding/overlay weld metal dilution, and provide increased control over welding parameters.

As technology developed over time, welding engineers realized there were numerous advantages, such as spatter, heat and fume reduction, improved productivity, and in most cases, an overall increase in weld quality. In addition, the pulsed MIG process will typically improve out-of-position welding on a wide variety of materials.

MIG brazing with copper alloys using pulse welding creates great results on coated sheet steels, and is especially effective on automotive body panels, car frames, roofs, and other applications requiring low heat input while maintaining the corrosion resistance properties of the base metal. In many cases, the welded materials can proceed directly into post-welding operations, such as painting, without any additional work or preparation.

More good news came about within the last few years as companies realized the need for more controls that would help operators with the consistency of their welds.

SYNERGIC TECHNOLOGY OFFERS UNPRECEDENTED CONTROL
With advancements in inverter-based, digitally controlled power sources, welding technology and parameter optimization for a variety of materials including aluminum, stainless steel and specialty alloy markets has never been easier.

This technology gives the operator enhanced control when adjusting for optimum welding parameters. In the past, operators had to use a series of dials, knobs and switches to alter welding parameters. In many cases, an adjustment was a trial-and-error process – operators had to depend on the feel of the weld and hope the parameters delivered the consistency they expected. In addition, if more than one operator was working from a single power source, the threat of inconsistency on the project was especially high.

Digital technology improves on these issues by utilizing completely automated controls to simplify any adjustments. The new technology is centered on synergic control, otherwise know as “one knob control”. The wire feed speed is linked to the arc voltage, and when an operator makes adjustments, the two are matched through the machine’s software to deliver perfect, consistent welding parameters every time. Multiple synergic lines form a system that is centered on automatic parameters matching unique settings, allowing for smooth, worry-free transitions between welds. For example, one synergic line for some of the most common wire and gas combinations uses up to 29 different variables and has already been developed and programmed into the machine?s digital microprocessor. This system, the PowerMaster SP, features up to 100 pre-programmed SmartMIG, PulseMIG and TwinPulse programs standard, and up to 100 independent user-defined programs can be manually entered and saved through the software.

To find the perfect balance between voltage and wire feed speed, while ensuring a consistent delivery, the welder simply selects the welding process, filler metal type and size, and a shielding gas, and adjusts the machine by either welding current, material thickness or wire feed speed. The digital process takes all the guesswork out of the process, matching up parameters to the operator’s needs. If there is not a particular program available, or if the welder has a special filler, base metal or gas mix, a program can be customized and installed into the software. Using intelligent pulsing and synergic wave design, these new machines are designed to provide precise, repeatable welds on almost any material type with advanced control for the operator. Simultaneous control of the wire feed speed, arc current and voltage ensures clean TIG-like finished appearance with GMAW productivity. The result: Improved productivity, reduced clean-up time and fewer component reworks.