COURSE: WEL 211/212 ASAP Name:

TOPIC: ASAP Lab IV: Al GMAW Parameters Date:

INSTRUCTOR: RYAN GOOD
PENNSYLVANIA COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
Introduction
Aluminum welds much differently than the ferrous materials due to its lower melting temperature: 900 oF to 1220oF, higher thermal conductivity: 200W/(mK) (Steel is
43W/(mK)), high thermal expansion: 13.1 10 -6in/(inoF) (7.8 10-6in/(inoF) for steel), and cleanliness and shielding requirements. In this lab you are going to attempt to
really understand the basic settings necessary for welding aluminum: wire feed speed, arc length and flowrate for the material thickness and position you are working
with. Much like steel, the first parameter that you need to set is wfs, then you adjust your trim, which is the arc length. In pulse, these settings will likely be synergic,
which means that once the trim is set, if the wfs is increased or decreased the arc length will remain the same. This is accomplished because the power supply knows
what voltage is necessary to give the arc length you set the appropriate power depending upon the wfs setting.
A few things noteworthy:
 Your travel angle must always be pushing so the gas coverage goes ahead of the puddle – never pull aluminum.
 You will likely need to pick up speed as you progress down the joint as the material heats up quickly and the puddle will become very fluid.
 If the weld simply rests on top of the plate, then the amperage is not great enough to overcome how quickly aluminum can cool down, so you must increase the
wfs
 If the weld has melt-through or the face is sagging, the amperage is too great and the wfs needs decreased
 Make sure that you are set on the correct waveform for the wire chemistry, diameter, and shielding gas that you are using.
At the end of collecting the data in this lab, you are to submit a report that has the answers to questions below, and also contains a minimum 300-word reflection on
what you learned and observed while conducting this lab and reviewing the data.
Exercise
Your goal is to identify the optimum wfs and voltage for the material thickness, joint position, and gas mix you are running, and address the following questions (YOU
MUST USE DATA TO BACK UP YOUR ANSWERS):
1) What amperages should you expect with a given wire diameter for a given wfs?
2) What trim setting is comfortable for a given wfs, position and travel speed, and how much voltage produced?
3) What are the wfs settings that can be used for the 1F position with a given thickness of material and a tee joint configuration?
4) What has the biggest effect on flattening the weld out voltage or amperage, and why?
5) How does the frequency affect the arc in a profile pulse?
6) How does the arc control/ultimarc/dynamic affect the arc when using GMAW-P?
WFS (ipm) Trim/Voltage Power Supply: Miller Continuum
250 40 Wire Diameter: 0.045”
300 50 Shielding Gas: 100% Ar
350 60 Flow Rate: 35-45cfh
Polarity: DCEP

Program Material Position Joint Arc Run WFS Trim/Voltage Actual Actual Bead Appearance
Thickness Type Control Number Volts Amps
1 250 40
2 250 50

15 3
4
250
300
60
40
5 300 50
6 300 60
7 350 40
8 350 50
9 350 60

10 250 40
AccuPulse 0.125” 1F Tee 11 250 50

25 12
13
250
300
60
40
14 300 50
15 300 60
16 350 40
17 350 50
18 350 60

19 250 40
20 250 50

40 21
22
250
300
60
40
23 300 50
24 300 60
25 350 40
26 350 50
27 350 60
WFS Trim/Voltage Power Supply: Miller Alumapower
(ipm) Wire Diameter: 0.047”
175 40 Shielding Gas: 100% Ar
225 50 Flow Rate: 35-45cfh
275 60 Polarity: DCEP

Progra Material Position Joint Arc Run WFS Trim/Voltage Actual Actual Bead Appearance
m Thickness Type Control Number Volts Amps
1 175 40
2 175 50

15 3
4
175
225
60
40
5 225 50
6 225 60
7 275 40
8 275 50
9 275 60

Profile 10 175 40
Pulse 0.125” 1F Tee 11 175 50

25 12
13
175
225
60
40
14 225 50
15 225 60
16 275 40
17 275 50
18 275 60

19 175 40
20 175 50

40 21
22
175
225
60
40
23 225 50
24 225 60
25 275 40
26 275 50
27 275 60
WFS Trim/Voltage Power Supply: Lincoln S350 Powerwave
(ipm) Wire Diameter: 0.047”
175 .75 Shielding Gas: 100% Ar
225 1 Flow Rate: 35-45cfh
275 1.25 Polarity: DCEP

Progra Material Position Joint Frequency Run WFS Trim/Voltage Actual Volts Actual Bead Appearance
m Thickness Type Number Amps
1 175 .75
2 175 1

-5 3
4
175
225
1.25
.75
5 225 1
6 225 1.25
7 275 .75
8 275 1
9 275 1.25

Pulse- 10 175 .75

on- 0.125” 1F Tee 11 175 1
Pulse Off 12
13
175
225
1.25
.75
14 225 1
15 225 1.25
16 275 .75
17 275 1
18 275 1.25

19 175 .75
20 175 1

5 21
22
175
225
1.25
.75
23 225 1
24 225 1.25
25 275 .75
26 275 1
27 275 1.25
WFS Arc Length Power Supply: Fronius TransPulse 7000 CMT Pulse
(ipm) Correction Wire Diameter: 0.047”
250 -15 Shielding Gas: 100% Ar
300 0 Flow Rate: 35-45cfh
350 15 Polarity: DCEP
NOTE: With CMT/CMT + Pulse the ALC and Dynamic settings may cause your WFS setting to change while welding. Disregard the change in
WFS and capture amperage and voltage values.

Progra Material Position Joint Dynamic Run WFS Arc Length Actual Actual Bead Appearance
m Thickness Type Number Correction Volts Amps
1 250 -15

-3 2
3
250
250
0
15
4 300 -15
5 300 0
6 300 15
7 350 -15
8 350 0
9 350 15

10 250 -15
CMT + 0.125” 1F Tee 11 250 0
Pulse
0 12
13
250
300
15
-15
14 300 0
15 300 15
16 350 -15
17 350 0
18 350 15

19 250 -15
20 250 0

3 21
22
250
300
15
-15
23 300 0
24 300 15
25 350 -15
26 350 0
27 350 15
Notes: