Many people are familiar with the main types of welding processes; MIG, TIG, STICK, FC. Most however never get the opportunity to dabble with pulse settings with either MIG welding aluminum or welding mild steel. Pulse is an excellent advancement in welding technology that has been around for quite some time. As the technology becomes more readily available, pulse is being found in more DIY and hobbyist machines.
Weldpro offers options when it comes to pulse welding. A machine like our TIG 200 AC DC welder, comes equipped with pulse features at a very affordable price point. If you are looking for something with a little more power and a water cooled option, look no further that our TIG250 ACDC STICK and TIG welder for sale. These machines come standard with fully adjustable pulse options and make welding with pulse control a breeze.
WHAT IS PULSE?
To understand whether or not you can benefit from pulse, we must first discuss what pulse welding is and why it is beneficial and in what circumstances. Pulse welding, in its simplest terms, is nothing more that a pulsation in current with a timed variation between background and foreground current.
A welding machine like the TIG200 has a few adjustable options to control the timing of background and foreground current on the face of the display.
A few of the adjustable options related to pulse are, Peak Amps, Base Amps, Peak On Time, and Pulse Frequency. Lets examine each one of these settings individually as these will be common adjustments across all machines with Pulse control.
PEAK AMPS & BASE AMPS
Peaks Amps is exactly what it sounds like. The highest amperage that the machine will reach at the peak of a pulse cycle. During the pulse cycle as the current fluctuates it will go from a peak(highest) current to a base(lowest) current at set intervals. The Base amperage is just as it sounds. With pulse welding the idea is that you are using a variation between a higher and lower current to produce a specific puddle definition or to control heat input on certain base materials. This “Base” or lowest current setting will vary from project to project but typically it is half or less of the peak amperage. During the base amperage period the base material has a chance to cool briefly preventing overheating or burn through.
PEAK ON TIME
Peak on time is represented as a percentage on the MIG200 and is set based on personal preference of how long the welder prefers peak amperage, vs how long they prefer base amperage. As an example, a thinner weldment may require a very short peak on time to prevent burn through while the majority (90%) of the time is spent at base amperage to keep the piece cool. Only during the peak amperage cycle does the puddle develop, filler is typically added, and the puddle cools briefly before the next pulse cycle. Playing with this peak on time to custom tailor the arc to your personal preference is a must. Take your time and experiment until you find the right setting for you.
PULSE FREQUENCY
Pulse Frequency is the final adjustment to the pulse cycle and ultimately controls the speed at which the pulsation of current occurs. Frequency is representing as a time measurement usually in HZ and is measure from increments of a second up to full seconds or longer. A fast pulse frequency like 60HZ may be used for thinner material to simply reduce heat. A slower pulse frequency like 1HZ would allow a nice slow pulse once per second and be useful for complex welds where burn through is possible so the welder can take their time and place each weld pool precisely where they want adding filler at exactly the right moments.
IN CONCLUSION
Pulse can be a very useful tool for a welder that is getting into thin material, aluminum, exotic metals, or anything else that requires careful heat control. With the advancements in pulse technology more readily available that ever, choosing a machine like the Weldpro TIG200 or TIG250 AC DC makes getting started with pulse welding simpler than ever.
If you have any further questions regarding pulse, please visit our online YouTube resources, or reach out to our friendly customer service team 7 days a week 9AM-9PM.