Frequently Asked Questions

In both areas. Certainly the welding machine is a more professional tool than an hobbystic one, as those who practice some professions that involve metalworking (such as the bodyworker, the blacksmith, etc.) just can’t help using it. However, those who are passionate about DIY and / or have to carry out small repairs at home, can also use the welding machine in the home environment, as long as they choose a suitable model.

We have differentiated the welders in two categories: the Blue one refers to Hobby / Semi-professional items while the Black one refers to a professional ones.

Yes, it is possible, it is important that it is stabilized and with a power compared to the welding machine at least 1.5 times higher.

We produce three types:

1. Manual electrode welding machine (MMA, or “Manual metallic arc”)
2. Continuous wire welding machine with gas protection and without gas (MIG / MAG / MOG. The abbreviation MAG stands for “metallic active gas”, MIG stands for “metallic inert gas” and Mog stand for “No Gas”)
3. Tig welding machine with infusible electrode and gas protection (TIG, acronym for “Tungsten Inert Gas”).

No, this type of welder is a typically professional tool because to use it well it takes a certain experience.
So it’s best to avoid using it at home. Even professionals use it under the supervision and guidance of a welder with more experience than them.

Not particularly (it still depends on the type of equipment: a TIG welder is more difficult to use than a MAG / MIG), but at the beginning it may not be very easy. The trick for a good welding is to learn how to adjust the speed of the wire, so that a balance is created with the intensity of the current. In fact, the wire must advance at a higher speed than the melting speed: not too much, however (otherwise the metal risks not melting well).

• electrodes with acid coating
  
• electrodes with rutile coating
  
• electrodes with cellulosic coating
  
• electrodes with basic coating

Its are all the protective tools and accessories to wear during the welding operation to protect themselves from splashes and sparks: full-face protective helmet, gloves, apron or anti-burn suit (these are specific welding garments that protect against burns).

It can become so if you do not work with caution, attention and with respect for the necessary safety regulations.
The dangerous reasons are essentially due to the fact that jets and sparks are emitted during welding which can cause burns on the skin or, in the worst case, even fires (if they come into contact with easily flammable substances). Furthermore, some techniques are carried out with a gas cylinder and this is an additional risk factor.

The shielding gases used in MIG / MAG and TIG welding processes are essentially of two categories: inert and active. Argon, helium and argon-helium mixtures belong to the first category, while gases such as carbon dioxide, mixtures of argon with oxygen or carbon dioxide are defined as active.

Both in the case of professional use and in the case of domestic use, it is necessary to be scrupulous in following the safety rules:

• Buy a welding machine from a reliable brand and a recent model: first of all it is good to make sure that you have a welding machine made in a workmanlike manner, that is in full compliance with safety standards. Old models may not be completely up to standard.
• Always wear all safety devices (sometimes they are sold together with the welding machine: otherwise they must be purchased separately)
• Be careful not to inhale the gases emitted during welding, as they can be toxic and harmful to health.
• Keep away from the place where you are welding flammable substances (as we have seen, the jets of the welding could cause a fire)

Tungsten electrodes are used for TIG welding and thanks to the very high melting temperature of tungsten of about 3400 ° C, they allow to maintain the electric arc with the piece to be welded.

The terms “MIG” and “MAG” identify two types of continuous wire arc welding that are very similar to each other. More precisely, it is a technique that can be put applied in two slightly different ways. Both types of welding are performed by keeping the metal to be processed under the protection of a gas. In this way the power released by an electric arc heats the metals and join together the parts to be welded.

The absence of the gas cylinder in the welding circuit, together with the use of cored electrode wires, identifies the welding process without gas protection (SELF SHIELDED WIRE, NO GAS or FLUX); in this case the gaseous protection is obtained thanks to the action of the core which is part of the wire.

MMA (Manual Metal Arc) coated electrode welding uses heat generated by an arc that arises between the electrode and the piece to be welded. It is probably the most widely used technology in the world for welding electric arc manual. With this procedure all ferrous metals are commonly welded, namely iron, the different types of steel, including stainless steel, and cast iron. With other metals poor results are obtained, for some welding ad electrode is impossible. The productivity of this process is limited: it is necessary to stop welding when the electrode is worn out and needs to be replaced, moreover yes must remove the slag after every single pass.

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These are very similar types of welding. Specifically, they work in the same way: the welding process varies only with reference to the shielding gas used. The MIG method, or “Metal Inert Gas”, involves the use of an Inert Gas. The MAG method involves the use of an active GAS. For this reason, the term MAG stands for “Metal Active Gas”.

Tig welding, or “Tungsten Inert Gas”, is another of the most popular methods precisely because it allows you to create high quality joints. Also in this case, inert gas protection is used. The procedure can be performed with or without a filler tube. Tig welding differs from MIG and MAG welding in that it is proposed as an arc welding process which however involves the use of an infusible tungsten electrode.

The coated electrode is composed of two parts or a metal core that acts as a filler material and a coating that provides protection.
During welding, the electrode core melts and, in the form of drops, is transferred to the melt pool; at the same time, the coating also follows the core in the melt pool in such a way as to form a cup at the end of the electrode; with this conformation, the coating contributes to the protection of the end of the electrode where the material is melted and also creates a local overpressure of the gases inside, capable of causing the detachment and transfer of the drop.

The coatings of these electrodes consist of iron oxides, ferroalloys of manganese and silicon. They guarantee good arc stability which makes them suitable for both alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC). hey have a very fluid bath that does not allow vertical welding; furthermore, they do not have a great cleaning power on the base material and this can cause cracks.
They do not withstand high drying temperatures, with the consequent risk of residual moisture and therefore of hydrogen inclusions in the weld

The coating of this electrode is essentially composed of a mineral called rutile. The latter is made up of 95% titanium dioxide, a very stable compound that guarantees excellent arc stability and high fluidity of the bath, with an appreciable aesthetic effect on the weld. The task of the rutile coating is however that of guaranteeing a smooth, easy-to-make melt, facilitating the formation of an abundant and viscous slag that allows good smoothness in welding, especially in a flat position. In this case the cord is visually beautiful and regular.

The coating of the basic electrodes consists of iron oxides, iron alloys and above all of calcium and magnesium carbonates to which, by adding calcium fluoride, fluorite is obtained, which is a mineral capable of facilitating fusion. They have a high purification capacity of the base material, so that quality welds with considerable mechanical strength are obtained. Furthermore, these electrodes withstand high drying temperatures, so they do not contaminate the bath with hydrogen.

The coating of these electrodes consists mainly of cellulose integrated with ferroalloys (magnesium and silicon). The coating gasifies almost completely, thus allowing welding also in a vertical descending position, which is not allowed with other types of electrodes; the high gasification of the cellulose reduces the amount of slag present in the weld. The high development of hydrogen (deriving from the particular chemical composition of the coating) causes the weld pool to be “hot”, with the melting of a considerable quantity of base material; in this way welds are obtained which penetrate deeply, with little slag in the bath.
The mechanical characteristics of the welding are excellent.

Tig electrodes are conductive elements: they connect an external electrical circuit with a medium within which the current must flow. Tungsten electrodes (TIG) are used in arc welding with inert gas and tungsten (Tungsten Inert Gas).

As in the coated electrode process, the MIG wire completes the electrical circuit by creating the arc, but is continuously fed through a welding torch from a coil or barrel. MIG wire is a solid wire, uncoated and protected by a gaseous mixture.

Cored wire is similar to MIG wire in that it is a filler metal for continuous welding. However, the flux cored wire is not a solid wire, but internally contains the flux that provides the protection (chemical components and metallic materials). Gas is not needed.

Time of use of a welding machine, expressed as a percentage, without causing excessive overheating from the activation of the thermostatic protection. (Example: 170 A @ 40% – the welding machine is characterized by periods of 4 minutes of work and 6 minutes of pause).

Dynamic increase of the welding current when the arc becomes too short. It prevents sticking of the electrode to the piece to be welded. It could be adjustable by the operator, or prepared in the design phase so that it intervenes automatically.

Drastic reduction of the welding current when the electrode sticks to the piece, or the arc voltage is zero for a time that exceeds the limit set in the design phase. It facilitates the removal of the electrode from the piece to be welded and avoids overheating of the secondary circuit of welding.

The arc striking occurs without contact between the electrode and the piece. o avoiding such contact is important, because any tungsten parts residual in the weld pool, may cause mechanical defects of the welded joint.

The electrode is placed on the piece and slowly lifted up to ignite the welding arc, the risk of tungsten contamination is modest.

Use on: common carbon steel (commonly called “iron”), stainless steel, copper and its alloys, silver, titanium and its alloys.

• Piece thickness (mm) 0,4 Current (A) 5-15
• Piece thickness (mm) 0,6 Current (A) 10-30
• Workpiece thickness (mm) 0,8 Current (A) 20-40
• Piece thickness (mm) 1,0 Current (A) 30-60
• Piece thickness (mm) 1,5 Current (A) 40-80
• Piece thickness (mm) 2,0 Current (A) 70-100
• Workpiece thickness (mm) 3.0 Current (A) 80-120
• Piece thickness (mm) 4.0 Current (A) 100-150
• Workpiece thickness (mm) 5.0 Current (A) 150-260
• Workpiece thickness (mm) over 5.0 Current (A) 250-300

The following is the list indicating the diameter of the tungsten electrode to be used depending on the current chosen:

• Electrode diameter (mm) 1.0 Direct current (A) 10-75
• Electrode diameter (mm) 1.6 Direct current (A) 40-120
• Electrode diameter (mm) 2.0 Direct current (A) 100-200
• Electrode diameter (mm) 2,4 Direct current (A) 170-250
• Electrode diameter (mm) 3.2 Direct current (A) 225-330
• Electrode diameter (mm) 4.0 Direct current (A) 300-480

• Piece thickness (mm) 1,0 Current (A) 15-35
• Piece thickness (mm) 1,5 Current (A) 30-60
• Piece thickness (mm) 2,0 Current (A) 40-70
• Workpiece thickness (mm) 3.0 Current (A) 60-100
• Workpiece thickness (mm) 4.0 Current (A) 90-130
• Workpiece thickness (mm) 5.0 Current (A) 120-170
• Workpiece thickness (mm) over 5.0 Current (A) over 170

The following is the list indicating the diameter of the tungsten electrode to be used depending on the current chosen:

• Electrode diameter (mm) 1.0 Alternating current 20-30
• Electrode diameter (mm) 1.6 Alternating current 30-60
• Electrode diameter (mm) 2.0 Alternating current 40-80
• Electrode diameter (mm) 2,4 Alternating current 60-100
• Electrode diameter (mm) 3,2 Alternating current 90-150
• Electrode diameter (mm) 4.0 Alternating current 150-200

Below is a list of values ​​for welding:

1. Material thickness in mm from 0.7 to 4 wire diameter from 0.8 to 1.0 and welding current up to 200 Ampere
2. Material thickness in mm from 0.7 to 7mm wire diameter 0,8 to 1 and welding current up to 250 Ampere
3. Material thickness in mm from 1 to 12 wire diameter 0,8 / 1,0 / 1,2 and welding current up to 350 Ampere

Tig Electrodes are differentiated by color:

• Red Color 2% Thorium: for Stainless Steel
• Blue Color 2% Lanthanum: Specific for Stainless Steel
• Green Color Pure Tungsten: Specific for Aluminum
• Gold Color Tungsten with 1.5% Lanthanum is possible use with AC / DC current it is used with high alloyed and non-alloyed steels, aluminum magnesium alloys, titanium, nickel, copper etc
• Gray color with 2% Cerium Oxide Specific for welding Aluminum and Stainless Steel.

In both processes, two materials are joined together. We talk about welding if the union occurs through the fusion of the edges of the pieces to be joined (regardless of the addition of filler material). On the other hand, when the base material is simply heated and only the filler material is melted, we are faced with brazing.

The choice of a charger essentially depends on various factors such as:

1. The amperage of the battery to be recharged.
2. The desired battery charging speed.
3. Type of battery to be recharged Pb / PbCa / Gel / Agm.

You can consult the list of our Area Agents or, alternatively, you can send us your references to the email address fcompierchio@awelco.com and we will contact you.

Contact our resp. Sales Italy AT to the number 3483508062, will give you all the relevant info. Or, if you prefer, you can leave your number and we’ll get back to you.

Contact 0827363601 and we will give you all the relevant info, or you can write your references to one of the following emails:

• fdimattia@awelco.com
• laboratorio3@awelco.com

We’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Contact our technician Salvatore, at the email address: laboratorio3@awelco.com