Your MIG welding bead offers insight for troubleshooting…
Most common welding problems fall into four categories:
- Weld porosity
- Improper weld bead profile
- Lack of fusion
- Faulty wire delivery related to equipment setup and maintenance
The following chart illustrates some common weld bead distortions, and their likely cause:
Good weld bead
- Voltage too high; inconsistent penetration of base material; turbulent weld pool
- Voltage too low; poor starts, control, penetration; convex bead, poor tie-in of weld, excessive splatter
- Low shielding/long stickout; porosity, pinholes in face/interior of weld indicate low shielding gas, excess stickout; possible surface issues
- Travel speed too fast; narrow convex bead, poor tie-in, insufficient penetration and weld bead
- Travel speed too slow; excessively wide bead, poor penetration; potential burn-through on thinner material
- Wire feed speed/Amp too high; poor arc starts, wide weld bead, burn-through, distortion; caused by wire speed, or Amp setting
- Wire feed speed/Amp too low; narrow, often convex bead, poor tie-in; caused by wire speed, or Amp setting