This Presentation is provided to you by: WPSAmerica.com Industry
Standard Welding Procedures Software for AWS and ASME Codes Slide 2
Wire Feeder Selection Dave Fink CWA Ottawa Chapter Feb 27,2008
Slide 3 Background 1967-1970 Lincoln Electric 1967-1970 Lincoln
Electric 1970-1972 Canron Structural Steel 1970-1972 Canron
Structural Steel 1972-1997 Hobart Brothers of Canada Ltd 1972-1997
Hobart Brothers of Canada Ltd 1997-2006 Panasonic Factory Solutions
1997-2006 Panasonic Factory Solutions Oct 2006 retired Oct 2006
retired Slide 4 Generic I do not represent any manufacturer I do
not represent any manufacturer My presentation should apply to any
& all manufacturers My presentation should apply to any &
all manufacturers I have spent almost 40 years in the welding
industry and still play around at it in retirement I have spent
almost 40 years in the welding industry and still play around at it
in retirement Tonights presentation will cover some of the things I
learned about feeders over the years Tonights presentation will
cover some of the things I learned about feeders over the years
Slide 5 Idler Driven TYPE A One driven one idler Idler generally a
smooth roller, driven has a 20 degree included angle 20 deg Slide 6
Type B two driven Two driven rolls included angle 60 to 90 degrees
driven Slide 7 Slide 8 Type C two driven two idlers driven idler
Two driven, two idlers included angle 20- 60 degrees Slide 9 Type D
four driven Included angle 60 to 90 degrees Slide 10 Slide 11 Fish
Scale for less than $10 you can buy a fish scale with a range of
0-50 lbs for less than $10 you can buy a fish scale with a range of
0-50 lbs A scale is an excellent tool for diagnosing wire feed
problems A scale is an excellent tool for diagnosing wire feed
problems Dont be without one Dont be without one Slide 12 Power
Scale How much pull can you develop without the motor stalling or
the wire slipping in the drive rolls Slide 13 Slide 14 Samples 4
roll 2 driven two idlers with tack feed back,high end industrial
feeder, with 20 degree included angle,.035 mig wire pull recorded
46lbs ( 21 kg) 4 roll 2 driven two idlers with tack feed back,high
end industrial feeder, with 20 degree included angle,.035 mig wire
pull recorded 46lbs ( 21 kg) 2 roll 1 driven one idler, no tack
feedback, light industrial feeder 2 roll 1 driven one idler, no
tack feedback, light industrial feeder ( Gunslinger) 20 degree
included angle,.035 mig wire- pull recorded 22 lbs (10 kg) (
Gunslinger) 20 degree included angle,.035 mig wire- pull recorded
22 lbs (10 kg) Slide 15 Load Back off the drive rolls Back off the
drive rolls Use fish scale to pull wire through torch Use fish
scale to pull wire through torch Load should be under 10 lbs Load
should be under 10 lbs A good spread should exist between the power
of the feeder and the Load being applied to have a trouble free
system A good spread should exist between the power of the feeder
and the Load being applied to have a trouble free system Slide 16
Slide 17 Factors affecting load Gun length Gun length Liner size
Liner size Liner condition Liner condition Tip condition Tip
condition Spool tension Spool tension Number of bends in gun Number
of bends in gun Slide 18 Samples 10 ft gun 3-4lb of force required
to pull wire through gun 10 ft gun 3-4lb of force required to pull
wire through gun 12 ft gun 4-5 lbs of force to pull wire through
gun 12 ft gun 4-5 lbs of force to pull wire through gun 12 ft gun
with 12 loop 8-9 lbs of force to pull wire through gun 12 ft gun
with 12 loop 8-9 lbs of force to pull wire through gun Slide 19
Alignment Is the back end of the gun properly aligned with the
output of the drive rolls Is the back end of the gun properly
aligned with the output of the drive rolls This is absolutely
critical especially with soft wires such as Aluminum This is
absolutely critical especially with soft wires such as Aluminum
Slide 20 Gun Length Keep length a short as practically possible
Keep length a short as practically possible Locate feeder near work
Locate feeder near work Use booms to move feeder closer to work Use
booms to move feeder closer to work Recommendations Recommendations
Steel 10ft ideal 15ft max Steel 10ft ideal 15ft max Al 6ft ideal 10
max Al 6ft ideal 10 max Slide 21 Liner Make sure your liner is the
recommended size for the wire being used. Make sure your liner is
the recommended size for the wire being used. For Al use a nylon or
Teflon liner preferably with a metal jump liner in the gooseneck
portion of the gun For Al use a nylon or Teflon liner preferably
with a metal jump liner in the gooseneck portion of the gun For
stainless use a galvanized metal liner or a Teflon coated metal
liner For stainless use a galvanized metal liner or a Teflon coated
metal liner Slide 22 Liner Condition Use fish scale to determine
when a liner needs to be changed. Use fish scale to determine when
a liner needs to be changed. Once data is collected for given brand
of wire you can then change after X number of spools or number of
lbs. Once data is collected for given brand of wire you can then
change after X number of spools or number of lbs. All wires are not
created equal. All wires are not created equal. Look at performance
not just price when buying wire. Look at performance not just price
when buying wire. Slide 23 Tip Condition When ever the arc
condition seems to deteriorate change the tip. When ever the arc
condition seems to deteriorate change the tip. Determine the life
of a tip in terms of lbs and set up a change interval so that the
tip gets changed before it causes down time. Determine the life of
a tip in terms of lbs and set up a change interval so that the tip
gets changed before it causes down time. Interval should be
determined for your wire and your application, the interval will
vary from one shop to the next. Interval should be determined for
your wire and your application, the interval will vary from one
shop to the next. Slide 24 Tip Size Consult manufacturer to make
sure you are using correct tip size. Consult manufacturer to make
sure you are using correct tip size. The ideal hole size in the tip
will be determined by the application. The ideal hole size in the
tip will be determined by the application. Different gas mixtures
require different tip sizes. Different gas mixtures require
different tip sizes. Different metals such as AL will require a
different hole size than steel for same wire size. Different metals
such as AL will require a different hole size than steel for same
wire size. Flux core requires different hole size that solid wire
for same wire size. Flux core requires different hole size that
solid wire for same wire size. Slide 25 Spool Tension Adjust so as
to have minimum tension to stop over run Adjust so as to have
minimum tension to stop over run Slide 26 Sharp Bends= poor feeding
Sharp bend Slide 27 Better feeder stand= improved feeding Slide 28
Bends in Gun If feeder is on power source mount it at 30- 45
degrees to reduce the bend in cable as it comes out of feeder. If
feeder is on power source mount it at 30- 45 degrees to reduce the
bend in cable as it comes out of feeder. Use booms so that guns may
be kept as straight as possible. Use booms so that guns may be kept
as straight as possible. Use fish scale to see how dramatically
load increases with bends in gun. Use fish scale to see how
dramatically load increases with bends in gun. Slide 29 Booms One
of the greatest productivity tools available to the general
fabrication shop One of the greatest productivity tools available
to the general fabrication shop Purchased booms are available from
some of the welding supply people Purchased booms are available
from some of the welding supply people Home made or custom made
booms often are a good solution Home made or custom made booms
often are a good solution Slide 30 Canron Boom Electric driven
carriage moved on a wall mounted track 50 ft to each side of the
power source. Electric driven carriage moved on a wall mounted
track 50 ft to each side of the power source. A 22 ft boom made of
garage door track was attached to the carriage so that it could be
swung out of the way of the overhead crane A 22 ft boom made of
garage door track was attached to the carriage so that it could be
swung out of the way of the overhead crane Feeder could move in
& out along boom Feeder could move in & out along boom 2200
sq ft of coverage from one feeder 2200 sq ft of coverage from one
feeder Slide 31 Slide 32 Slide 33 Slide 34 Slide 35 Slide 36 Slide
37 Booms The lack of booms in Canadian industry is frightening. The
lack of booms in Canadian industry is frightening. Welding costs
are much higher than they need to be. Welding costs are much higher
than they need to be. We need to get your welders making sparks not
wrenching their guts out lugging feeders. We need to get your
welders making sparks not wrenching their guts out lugging feeders.
Slide 38 Summary Type A ( one driven one idler) low cost, highly
effective with solid wire. Type A ( one driven one idler) low cost,
highly effective with solid wire. Type B (two driven) low cost
better choice than type A for flux cored or Aluminum when used with
proper knurled or Ushaped drive rolls Type B (two driven) low cost
better choice than type A for flux cored or Aluminum when used with
proper knurled or Ushaped drive rolls Slide 39 Summary continued
Type C a compromise feeder ( two driven two idlers) that is quite
versatile Type C a compromise feeder ( two driven two idlers) that
is quite versatile Type D ( four driven) best for flux cored wire
with knurled drive rolls, or Aluminum with U shaped drive rolls.
Not as good as type A or Type C for solid wire. Type D ( four
driven) best for flux cored wire with knurled drive rolls, or
Aluminum with U shaped drive rolls. Not as good as type A or Type C
for solid wire. Slide 40 Smooth V with 20 degree included angle
Used with type A or type C feeders provides the ultimate in feed
ability for solid Mig wire & stainless Used with type A or type
C feeders provides the ultimate in feed ability for solid Mig wire
& stainless Not used with types B and D feeders Not used with
types B and D feeders Slide 41 Other smooth V rolls A compromise
but may be used with type B & type D feeders A compromise but
may be used with type B & type D feeders Slide 42 Knurled rolls
Best choice for flux cored & metal cored wires. Best choice for
flux cored & metal cored wires. Care should be taken not to
over tighten drive rolls as indentations in wire from drive rolls
quickly increase friction. Care should be taken not to over tighten
drive rolls as indentations in wire from drive rolls quickly
increase friction. Works best with type D feeder Works best with
type D feeder Works reasonably well with type Bfeeder Works
reasonably well with type Bfeeder Slide 43 U rolls Best for soft
solid wires such as aluminum Best for soft solid wires such as
aluminum Works best with type D or Type B feeders Works best with
type D or Type B feeders Slide 44 Geared drive rolls Seldom seen
today Seldom seen today Bests for very soft flux cored wire Bests
for very soft flux cored wire Best when used with type D feeder
Best when used with type D feeder Slide 45 Which feeder is best?
Depends on the application Depends on the application I hope this
presentation will help you better understand how to pick the best
feeder for your application. I hope this presentation will help you
better understand how to pick the best feeder for your application.
I hope some of the tips included here will help you use your
feeders more efficiently. I hope some of the tips included here
will help you use your feeders more efficiently. Slide 46 Thank you
Dave Fink 11 Rock Haven Dr Bonfield, ON P0H1E0Tel:705-471-5054
E-mail: [email protected]
