Plasma Welder Guide

Plasma welders melt areas with an arc and then use high velocity and high-temperature ionized gas to make the welds. The plasma welding process improves the control of the arc welding process in lower current ranges. Provides an advanced level of control and precision to produce high-quality welds in miniature or precision applications and to ensure long electrode life under high production requirements. Plasma is a gas, such as argon, which is heated to very high temperatures and ionized, making it an electrical conductor.

Plasma welders melt areas with an arc and then use high velocity and high-temperature ionized gas to make the welds. The plasma welding process improves the control of the arc welding process in lower current ranges. Provides an advanced level of control and precision to produce high-quality welds in miniature or precision applications and to ensure long electrode life under high production requirements. Plasma is a gas, such as argon, which is heated to very high temperatures and ionized, making it an electrical conductor.


Types of Plasma Welding

Plasma arc welding

Plasma arc welding is often overlooked when the welding process must be selected for high integrity applications such as those used in the medical, electronics, aerospace, and automotive industries. This process has been neglected because it is more complex and requires more expensive equipment than other arc processes, and because welders want higher speeds, such as with laser beam welding. But, automakers are more and more opting for plasma welding for a number of applications, including body panels and exhaust system components.


Gas tungsten arc welding

Tungsten Electrode Welding, also known as Tungsten Inert Gas Welding (TIG), is commonly used for high-quality welds at lower speeds, while laser beam welding is often selected for higher speed welding.


Which is better? 

Plasma arc welding with a plasma welder sometimes offers a faster welding speed than gas tungsten arc welding at a lower cost than laser beam welding and maybe the most efficient process in many applications. These include plasma welders for welding of stainless steel expandable bellows where plasma arc welding is more tolerant of joint misalignment than laser beam welding and provides better penetration than gas tungsten arc welding; welding of coated steels such as those used in automotive exhaust systems; and keyhole welding to produce full penetration welds in relatively thick material in a single pass.

Plasma welder arc welding is a process that uses non-consumable tungsten or tungsten alloy electrode, similar to gas tungsten arc welding. The main difference between the two welding processes is that in plasma arc welding the electrode is recessed into a nozzle that is used to narrow the arc.


Plasma welder operation modes

Plasma welders have three different operating modes, which are determined by the current, the plasma gas flow rate, and the hole diameter. 

Microplasma 

The so-called microplasma mode, ranging from 0.1 to 15 amps, allows the plasma welder to work longer than the gas tungsten arc welding and without the ability to touch the electrode for work. The arc remains stable at low welding currents, making it suitable for welding very thin materials in delicate situations. Microplasma mode can be used to work with tools and dies, as well as to repair molds.


High current

Usually in the range of 15 to 400 amps, the high current mode is also known as the melt mode and is used for high-precision plasma welder operations. It is also used for overlay applications such as Hard surfaces. This mode also ensures reliable arc transmission and arc stability. However, to avoid burnout of the plasma tip of your plasma welder, this technique can only be used in conjunction with larger openings and accurate plasma gas flow rate control. The amount of tungsten in the flashlight can be adjusted in two ways in this mode. In most cases, the top of the tip will be flush with the electrode. Similar to the gas tungsten arc welding arc, this generates a soft arc. The second option is for the tungsten in the plasma tip to be cut out. This may vary, but it should not exceed the recommended setting. The recess in the tip creates an arch that is more columnar.


Keyhole

The keyhole mode of a plasma welder means that the tungsten is recessed into the tip in the keyhole mode, from 100 amps and above, and the current level and plasma gas flow are increased. A powerful plasma arc very similar to a laser beam is produced by this model. The plasma arc of the plasma welder pierces the material during welding, creating a keyhole in the part, and the molten solder pool flows around the hole to form the solder bead. In one pass, this ensures complete penetration through the thickness of the part. In the case of very thick material, the joint must be designed to reduce the thickness of the material and multiple passes are required in the no-keyhole mode to fill the joint.

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