Full Product Manual

53
TERMS RELATED TO MIG/FLUX-CORED SETUP
Start. This is the initial wire feed speed (WFS) that helps start the weld. Expressed in Inches per Minute, this can be used inter-
changeably with the term run-in, which is designed to slow the run-in of the welder so that the wire doesn’t tend to stutter
(machine-gun) when you start the weld. Or the wire speed can be set a bit higher if desired than the wire feed speed used when
welding. In 2T this is automatically carried out. In 4T, this is the rst stage of the weld cycle when the trigger is pulled for the
rst time. If no run-in is desired, set to the same setting as the main WFS. However, lowering run-in does improve start quality.
Pre-Flow. This is the amount of time (in seconds) that shielding gas flows at the rst stage of the weld cycle before welding be-
gins. Pre-Flow is used to improve starts and weld quality at the beginning of the weld. By using Pre-Flow to form a pocket of
shielding gas to start the arc in, porosity at the beginning of the weld can be reduced. This is used in TIG welding frequently, but
previously only offered in more expensive MIG welders where high quality welds are demanded. For basic welding where top
quality welds aren’t required, the Pre-Flow can be set to 0.0. However, for welds where good, porosity free-starts is a concern,
set Pre-Flow for .5 to 1 second for most welds. More time can be used, of course, but this will begin to signicantly delay the
start of the weld because welding will not start until the Pre-Flow time is over.
NOTICE: If you try to weld and no wire is fed initially, check pre-flow times to make sure a long pre-flow hasn’t been set.
Post-Flow. This is the amount of time (in seconds) that shielding gas flows after welding has been completed. This is used to
help cool the weld and the MIG gun after welding is completed. The Post-Flow is also used to improve weld quality at the crater.
If gas suddenly ceases at the end of the weld, while the weld is still molten, or still glowing, the weld can quickly oxidize. The
Post-Flow provides a shielding pocket of the gas around this area and prevents oxygen from the atmosphere getting to the weld.
If Post-Flow is not required, the Post-Flow can be set to 0.0. However, if burn back time is used, it does also help keep the wire
from oxidizing while the burn back timer cycles and the wire cools. For the best quality welds, set Post-Flow timer to 1 to 3
seconds for most welding applications. More can be used, of course, but be careful not to waste too much gas. To make the
most of the Post-Flow time, hover over the weld with the MIG gun until the Post-Flow stops.
Spot/Stitch. Spot and Stitch are separate functions, but are combined on the panel because their functions are linked. The Spot
timer is used to make spot welds, which require precision and consistency in size. The Spot timer ( in seconds) automatically
controls the length of time the welder feeds and energizes the wire when the gun trigger is pulled and held. This is used most
often in body work, and tacking operations. As the user pulls the trigger and holds it in, the Spot timer energizes the welder for
the time the user selects and then automatically shuts off the weld output and feeding when the time expires as the trigger is still
held down. To reset and spot another weld, release the trigger and press and hold it again, until the cycle times out. The Stitch
timer is used in combination with Spot timer to provide an “off” period between individual spot welds, while the gun trigger is held
continuously. By holding the gun trigger down, this will provide a regular on and off cycling of the welder or tack large sections
of body panels with regularly spaced welds. The Spot timer can be used without a Stitch timer setting. If Spot only operation is
desired, set Stitch to 0.0. Stitch cannot be used without a Spot timer setting.
NOTICE: If installing wire, or trying to feed wire with the trigger pulled and the wire feeds and then stops after a short amount of
time, or it seems to pulse on and off, check to make sure Spot and Stitch timers are not on.
Volts. If electricity is compared to water (as it often is because of their similarities in behavior), Voltage would be the same as
pressure. Voltage in MIG is considered constant and is used to control arc length, basic weld bead height/width and wire burn-off
rate. The Voltage setting is sometimes referred to as “heat” in the welding eld. Having too much Voltage results in undercutting,
fast burn off rate of the wire, wire burning back into the tip while welding, and excessive spatter. Too little Voltage results in the
wire piling up unmelted, or a high ridge in the center of the weld, incomplete fusion at the toes of the weld, and possibly large
pieces of wire flying off while welding. Too little welding Voltage can result in poor arc starts and what feels like the wire stubbing
in to the puddle and “pushing” off the weld intermittently.
WFS (Wire Feed Speed). The wire feed speed is registered in Inches Per Minute (IPM). This is the rate at which the wire is fed
into the weld. When combined with the correct voltage, it helps to control penetration. ( Penetration is the amount ingress that
the molten pool makes into the base metal being welded, and to some extent the prole of the bottom of the molten puddle).
Wire Feed speed is also controls Amperage. The faster wire feeds into the puddle, the greater the Amp output. The slower the
wire feeds into the puddle, the lower the Amp output. Though WFS controls amperage, it does so indirectly. Amperage in most
simple terms is a product of wire type (conductivity of the ller metal), wire diameter, and wire feed speed. If any varies, Amper-
age will vary. For example, .023” and .045” steel wire will deliver a different amperage per inch of wire fed. It takes about 3.5
inches of .023” of steel wire to deliver 1 amp. For .045”, it only takes one inch of wire to deliver the same amp to the weld. So, in
steel, to achieve the same equivalent amperage with .023” wire, you’d need approximately 3.5 times the wire speed of .045” wire.
Section 2 Setup Guide
UNDERSTANDING MIG FUNCTIONS