Show off your welds!

[who716]

unfortunately, we do not weld our robot but funny you should make this thread cause every year, the Drive team is fascinated by how smooth a perfect the welds are done on the driver station, im sure its done by a machine but every year the first thing we look at is the welds.

[JamesCH95]

Originally Posted by who716

unfortunately, we do not weld our robot but funny you should make this thread cause every year, the Drive team is fascinated by how smooth a perfect the welds are done on the driver station, im sure its done by a machine but every year the first thing we look at is the welds.

I would be stunned if a robot was used to weld such low-volume items as the player stations. A professional welder, or even a good amateur welder, can make some incredible looking welds.

[steinra]

We overdid the welding last year, and have almost gone the other way this year. Rivets and bolts. Similar case, worried that a repair on some critical parts that were welded would take us out of the competition.

But we have some interested students so this off season we will be practicing welding.

This was last years frame. Planned on a corner climber that didn't work out due to time and weight. And some of my early aluminum work.





Randy

[Tristan Lall]

Can you list your process parameters? (Things like filler alloy and thickness, base alloy and thickness, gas cup type and size, torch size, electrode type, size and point, current, voltage type and effect, gas mix and pre/post/welding flow, machine type, size, input voltage and duty cycle, joint preparation and position, etc..)

We might benefit from a thread about welding practices, material selection and post-weld heat treatment.

[steinra]

Originally Posted by Tristan Lall

Can you list your process parameters? (Things like filler alloy and thickness, base alloy and thickness, gas cup type and size, torch size, electrode type, size and point, current, voltage type and effect, gas mix and pre/post/welding flow, machine type, size, input voltage and duty cycle, joint preparation and position, etc..)

We might benefit from a thread about welding practices, material selection and post-weld heat treatment.

We used a Miller Diversion 180. 100% argon, and made sure the aluminum was really clean. That seems to be the key for aluminum. Used a stainless steel brush to mechanically clean the joints.

The Diversion 180 makes it easy, has presets for steel and aluminum. The only place where a bigger machine would have been nice is getting deep into corners and being able to change the frequency to drive th arc some more.

6061 aluminum, and 4043 (I think) filler. 3/32 tungsten and the cup for that size. Did not use a gas lens, but understand that can help. Part of the future practice sessions.

Mistakes made. Welded too much at once and heat warped the parts. Keep track of how much heat and take it slow. May mean restarting some beads part way through. Work far apart to minimize the heat.

The diversion is a good dual voltage unit as well. 120, and 240 with the change of a plug, just limits the upper end of the amperage provided. It is very light and easy to move as well.

[JamesCH95]

A more advanced machine with current pulsing settings can work miracles for heat management, allowing beads to be welded continuously with little warping.

Alternatively the operator can pulse the pedal to get nearly the same effect, but that's a somewhat advanced technique. Something else to add to the practice list

[Jonathan Cheng]

http://i.imgur.com/frdygfp.jpg
How are these?

[JamesCH95]

Originally Posted by Jonathan Cheng

http://i.imgur.com/frdygfp.jpg
How are these?

Temperature looks good, but hard to say for sure without seeing the back of the weld. Practice on keeping your bead width consistent, and don't leave a crater at the end of the weld, it's a great place for cracks to start.