Welding Tips and Tricks

what are companies looking for in tig beads I took a project up to a new instructor we just got in school the project was 2" pipe to pipe aluminum 3/32 root but my fit up was a little off but I did the root and then weaved for the cover no under cut but he said that companies want thinner beads is this just for aluminum or with mild steel and stainless my issues im having is my speed is to slow and I have a heavy foot on the pedal to control that heat any suggestions to fix this

For advice I'll say post up pics, that will get you the most comments. As to what companies like, for pipe I'm not sure, not a fitter/welder but in my experience companies like smaller beads and neatness. Welding is very visual, so it's important to make it look good along with being sound. As for weave or stringers, my last weld test I simply asked. Some places will give you a wps when you test also that will specify bead size.

There is a maximum bead size relative to the thickness of the material welded, in AWS codes. I don't think this applies directly to aluminum pipe, as that's more likely to fall under an ASME code.

I think your instructor is applying the code he knows best.

That said, the narrower the bead, the better it presents to an inspector. Ideally, TIG welding aluminum, your bead should exceed the width of the bevel by a "rod thickness". If you're welding with 3/32, your cap should be 3/32 beyond the bevel's edge into the parent metal on each side.

This is a "rule of thumb", and you should study the WPS for any test weld. If the information is not there, point this out and ask your inspector.

It's been a few years since I did aluminum pipe to code, though, so don't be surprised if I'm corrected.

Steve S

smc1118 wrote:what are companies looking for in tig beads I took a project up to a new instructor we just got in school the project was 2" pipe to pipe aluminum 3/32 root but my fit up was a little off but I did the root and then weaved for the cover no under cut but he said that companies want thinner beads is this just for aluminum or with mild steel and stainless my issues im having is my speed is to slow and I have a heavy foot on the pedal to control that heat any suggestions to fix this

Steve answered with the code response, I will give a general company approach.
As far as what is acceptable it will in fact depend on what the company or end customer is requesting. Some companies may want a larger cap or wider cap for appearance sake. Others will complain that you are using to much filler material if the cap it to tall or if the weld is exceptionally wide. The wider the bead, generally the slower you are and more consumables you will use.
I agree that the WPS will be there to answer all your questions and if not go to the supervisor or boss and see exactly what they are wanting. I have a customer that has me do some aluminum for appearance sake only and does not necessarily follow a code or WPS. In this situation it is whatever the customer wants, as long as it does not violate a safety concern.
I am curious to what your passes look like and whether the instructor was just wanting you to weld it to how he would want it. Get a picture up if you can.
-Jonathan

Another thing that causes large beads on aluminum is not enough tungsten stick out. A guy at our shop damn near buries the tungsten flush with the cup and never actually sees the root of the puddle and ends up with these humongous gob stoppers. Even his tacks are scary big in the wrong direction. He's not allowed to tack for me because I cannot blend his tacks in normal sized welds. I have to wash them in first and run a fake pass over them, after I poke some holes in them with an 1/8" drill bit!

haha. . .I tell him that I bet he was that kid in school with the fat crayons.

I should've kept it I junked it I got a pretty good grade for it sorry practicing for my bend test I finish school Wednesday 23 I think that was one of my mistakes was not keeping my aluminum projects I will in the barrow today and check they only projects I have are the mild steel pipe to plate