B-7

OPERATION

B-7

 

 

 

POWER MODE™

The Power Mode™ process was developed by Lincoln to maintain a stable and smooth arc at low procedure settings which are needed to weld thin metal without pop-outs or burning-through. For alu- minum welding, it provides excellent control and the ability to maintain constant arc length. This results in improved welding performance in two primary types of applications.

Short Arc MIG at low procedure settings.

Aluminum MIG welding.

Power Mode™ is a method of high speed regulation of the output power whenever an arc is established. It provides a fast response to changes in the arc. The higher the Power Mode Setting, the longer the arc. If a welding procedure is not established, the best way to determine the Power Mode Setting is by experimenta- tion until the desired output result is established.

In the Power Mode two variables need to be set:

Wire Feed Speed

Power Mode Trim

Setting up a Power Mode procedure is similar to set- ting a CV MIG procedure. Select a shielding gas appropriate for a short arc process.

For steel, use 75/25 Ar/CO2 shield gas.

For stainless, select a Helium blend Tri-Mix.

For aluminum, use 100% Ar.

Start by setting the wire feed speed based upon mate- rial thickness and appropriate travel speed. Then adjust the Volts/Trim knob as follows:

For steel, listen for the traditional “frying egg” sound of a good short-arc MIG procedure to know you have the process set correctly.

For aluminum, simply adjust the Volts/Trim knob until the desired arc length is obtained.

Note the Volts/Trim display is simply a relative number and DOES NOT correspond to voltage.

Some procedure recommendations appear in Table B.3.

Recommended Welding Procedures for Power Mode - Table B.3

 

MATERIAL

Aluminum 4043

Aluminum 5356

Mild Steel

Mild Steel

Mild Steel

Mild Steel

Mild Steel

Mild Steel

Stainless Steel

Stainless Steel

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WIRE

E4043

E5356

L56

L56

L56

L56

L56

L56

E308L

E308L

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WIRE SIZE

0.035

0.035

0.025

0.025

0.030

0.030

0.035

0.035

0.030

0.035

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

GAS

100% Ar.

100% Ar.

100% CO2

75/25 Ar/CO2

100% CO2

75/25 Ar/CO2

100% CO2

75/25 Ar/CO2

Tri-mix

Tri-mix

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THICKNESS

SETTINGMODE

22 ga.

 

 

Not Recommended

100 / 0.8

Not Recommended

90 / 1.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

20 ga.

 

 

120 / 1.0

120 / 1.0

100 / 0.7

100 /1.0

 

 

80 / 1.5

50 / 0.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

18 ga.

 

 

140 / 1.7

140 / 1.5

110 / 1.5

110 / 1.5

100 / 2.5

100 / 2.5

110 / 2.0

110 / 2.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

16 ga.

 

 

190 / 2.0

190 / 2.0

125 / 2.0

125 / 2.0

125 / 3.0

125 / 3.0

140 / 2.5

130 / 2.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MATERIAL

/WFSPOWER

14 ga.

400 / 2.0

400 / 2.5

260 / 3.0

260 / 3.0

160 / 2.3

160 / 2.3

160 / 3.8

160 / 3.5

210 / 3.0

190 / 3.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3/16

570 / 9.0

600 / 7.8

330 / 5.0

330 / 4.5

400 / 7.5

400 / 7.0

200 / 5.0

200 / 4.5

270 / 5.0

230 / 6.0

 

 

12 ga.

 

 

230 / 3.5

230 / 3.5

 

 

10 ga.

500 / 7.0

500 / 7.0

 

 

300 / 6.0

300 / 6.0

240 / 6.5

240 / 7.0

325 / 6.5

300 / 7.0

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1/4

700 / 9.1

700 / 8.5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not

Not

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

COMMENTS

Recommended

Recommended

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

below 400

below 400

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WFS

WFS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

POWER WAVE 355M

Page 24
Image 24
Lincoln Electric IM845-A manual Recommended Welding Procedures for Power Mode Table B.3