Monday 30 June 2014

Ways On Stainless Steel Welding

By Sherry Gross


Stainless steel is classified into three classes which include; ferritic, martensitic and austenitic. This classification is centered on their crystal structures. The chromium content of these metals is about ten percent. The austenitic grades come with a carbon content that is low. The following steps act as a direction in stainless steel welding

First ensure safety. Ensure self-protection and protect the others. Fumes and the gases used affect health and electric shock is dangerous. Read manufacturers guidelines and educate workers on their safety, Protect head form fumes. Ventilate the area and keep exhaust in the arc, Put on protective gears and avoid touching live wires.

Make a decision on the preferred joint design so as ensure the welded steel is of good strength. Consider the thickness, strength of metal, bonding positions and the joints accessibility when you are joining the metals. Five joints are common and they include edge, t, butt, corner and lap, they are arranged in numerous combinations that create a wide variety of weld. You can use jigs and fixtures in order to help you secure work pieces. Safeguard the sheet metals, fillet and lap joints tightly when joining.

There are many processes that you can choose from when working on the steel. One of them is the stick electrode which has an electric arc that is between metal base and metallic electrode that produces heat required in bonding. This process is both cheap though inefficient due to coating of slang and loss of stub. The tig process is easily performed on many metals. The arc that produces heat lies between the metallic base and the tungsten electrode and it is protected by inert gases. A filler metal may be added in case it is deemed necessary.

Mig welding is quicker on metals of thin gauge and heavy plate. The arc between the base metal and filler electrode provides heat for the process. Shielding is by a gas. There are two types of Mig welding; the short circuit transfer and the spray transfer. Short circuit transfer is used in small, thin gauges and it produces shallower weld. In spray transfer method, continuous spraying of metal droplets is done to transfer metal on the arc.

If the method you have chosen requires a shielding gas, determine the best gas to use. No shielding gas is required in stick electrode method. In tig process, use argon for thicknesses approximated to be half. On thicker sections, use a mixture of argon and helium or helium alone. For deeper penetration, employ helium.

Next, select filler metal. If metal pieces are same, make use of a filler metal with the same composition as the base metals for uniform properties of the weld. Consider the mechanical characteristics, the possibility of cracking and the compatibility when you choose a filler metal having different applications of base metal.

When using the method of stick electrode, use either direct current or alternating current. The direct current takes a single direction in the flow of circuit and the polarity it uses is either straight or reverse. The advantage with it is that it works even in low current settings. It is advisable to use straight polarity direct current in tig bonding.




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