Table of Contents
Welding is the process of joining any two parts of metal by heating its surface by using equipment like a blowtorch, electric arcs, or any other type of welds. Welding is done at present using a revolutionary technology involving electron beams, lasers, ultrasonic, and friction stir.
Mig Welding is one such evolutionary process’ where the metal parts are melted down using electricity and then joined together. If we heat one metal to its melting point and further, bringing it closer to another metal will melt that too to join them together. This is the easiest type of welding available.
User-Level Maintenance
- Protection: It is preferable to keep the equipment covered in a canvas cloth when not in use. Keep the shielding gas completely covered is safer.
- Cleanliness: Dust, debris, and dirt may cause the machine to malfunction and lead to weld bead problems. Hence the machine must be cleaned regularly to keep it functional.
- Drive Roll: The drive rolls in the welding machine must be cleaned to avoid troubleshooting damaged liners and faulty wire delivery. If the drive roll pressure is too high, then it might crush the wire.
- Feeder Connection: The feeder connection may go unfunctional when the drive rolls are worn out. In such cases, the feeder must be changed immediately.
- Diffuser Problems: The most commonly replaced item in a torch assembly is the tip.
- Checking Ground: A bad ground can present itself as a stutter and cause itself to search for voltage adjustment for the railing wire.
- Worn spring liner: Every cable assembly has a replaceable or removable spring liner. The wire rubs the same spot and causes to create more friction and hence the groove deepens.
Solutions
- Periodically remove all the drive rolls to ensure regular cleanup making dirt, dust, and other build-up drawing compounds to be away.
- Before feeding the wire to the hose assembly, make sure to shop some enough air pressure using an air nozzle or blower. This must be first done at the torch end and then at the feeder end. Also, make sure there are no shavings left over as the wire tends to accumulate them at the tip/junction completely stopping the process of feeding.
- If you are getting poor airflow in the welder, check your gas nozzle for partial blockage from welding blocks. A MIG Nozzle Gel can be used to avoid build-up formation.
- Loose connections or improper duty cycles might cause the electrode holder to heat up. Hence keeping track of the heat produced is essential throughout the welding process.
- The diffuser screw must be cleaned regularly with utmost care. A buildup of debris or rust might lead to weld problems.
- As already said, the tip is the most replaced part of the entire system as it is highly exposed to heat and spatter throughout the process and can be worn out very quickly.
Watch Video: MIG Welder Maintenance and Care Tips
Conclusion
It is appreciated when any instrument or machine must follow a set of guidelines for its service and maintenance. Every MIG welder operator must follow the above-mentioned steps and procedures carefully for optimal results. Documenting these set of rules and having them understood and implementing them in daily operations is advisable.
Sean Coby is a welder par excellence and well respected among the welding community in Woodbridge, VA. He prides himself to be the fabricator and mechanic in the automotive/ diesel industry for the past more than eight years now. As the chief editor of his https://weldinginfocenter.com, he shares his experience to be safe during welding and to take proactive steps for becoming a successful welder like him.