ABIROB INSTRUCTION MANUAL
10
TROUBLESHOOTING: SPATTER
Problems/Causes
Possible Solutions
SPATTER
Too fast or too slow wire feed for the arc voltage
Set the wire feed rate and voltage in accordance with good
welding practices as recommended by a qualified welding
engineer.
Too long an arc.
Adjust the wire feed and voltage so that the arc is in
accordance with good welding practice for the joint to be
welded. The distance from the contact tip to the workpiece
should be 15 times the welding wire diameter. If the arc is
too long there will be spatter, usually in the direction of the weld.
Damaged contact tip.
If the contact tip becomes worn the welding wire will not be
in constant contact with the tip and the arc will become
unstable. A contact tip contaminated with spatter will cause
uneven wire feed resulting in further spatter.
Inclination of welding gun too great.
The angle of the gas nozzle relative to the workpiece should
be between 45 to 90 degrees. If the angle is too small, the
wire runs parallel to the weld pool, resulting in spatter in the
direction of welding.
Faulty power source.
Have the power source checked for faulty conditions such as
broken wires and faulty contacts.
Incorrect start.
A great deal of spatter occurs if the stick-out is too great and
if the welding gun is held too far from the workpiece when
striking the arc. Try to start with as short a stick-out as
possible and with the welding gun as close to the starting
point as possible. If a large ball end is formed on the end of
the welding wire, remove it by cutting the wire with sharp
wire cutters. It is helpful if the wire is cut to a point. Always
remove the ball end before striking an aluminum arc. Check
the welding ground connection.
Incorrect pulse parameters.
Check the user manual for your power supply or consult a
qualified welding engineer.
Uneven wire feed.
Uneven wire feed gives rise to heavy spatter. Find the cause
of the disturbance and correct the condition before proceeding.
Impurities on the base metal.
Paint, mill scale, rust and other contamination on the base
metal form an insulating layer causing an unstable arc that
results in heavy spatter. Clean the surfaces to be welded.
Poor ground contact.
Inspect ground cable for loose connections, fraying and cuts.
Correct any problem areas found and attach the ground
cable directly to the workpiece after having cleaned the
contact surface first. POOR GROUND CONTACT IS THE
MOST COMMON CAUSE OF UNSTABLE MIG WELDING
CONDITIONS.
Too long stick-out (short-arc welding).
The stick-out should be 15 times the diameter of the wire
electrode being used. With increasing stick-out, the current is
reduced and the arc voltage rises, giving a longer unstable
arc and increased spatter.
Incorrect polarity.
Check for correct polarity. Follow the electrode
manufacturer’s recommendations.
ABIROB INSTRUCTION MANUAL
11
TROUBLESHOOTING: GENERAL GUIDE
Problems/Causes
Possible Solutions
ERRATIC WIRE FEED
Slipping feed rolls.
Check that the feed roll size is correct for the wire size being used. Increase the
drive roll pressure until the wire feed is even. Do not apply excessive pressure as this
can damage the wire surface, causing copper coating to loosen from steel wires or
metal shavings to be formed from soft wires like aluminum. These metal fragments
or shavings can be drawn into the wire feed conduit and will rapidly clog the gun
liner. When welding with flux-cored wires, excessive drive roll pressure may open
the wire seam and allow flux or metal powders to escape.
Clogged or worn gun liner.
a. Dust, particles of copper, drawing lubricants, metal or flux and other forms of
contamination can all clog the gun liner so that the wire feed is slowed or impeded.
A liner that has been in use for an extended period of time becomes worn and filled
with dirt and must be replaced.
b. When changing the welding wire, remove the swanneck from the front end of the
gun and blow out the gun liner with clean, dry compressed air from the back of the
gun. Repeat with the neck liner. Note: Wear safety goggles when using compressed
air to clean the liners. Make sure proper safety procedures are followed in order to
avoid possible serious eye injury.
Liners too long or too short.
Check the lengths of the neck and gun liners and trim or replace if too long or too
short. The efficient feeding of the welding wire is dependent on the liners fitting
correctly. Consult the liner installation instructions on pages 2-6 or contact your local
Authorized ABICOR Binzel Distributor for additional help.
Spatter on wire.
An unprotected coil of wire quickly collects dust and other airborne contamination. If
grinding is being performed in the vicinity, particles can become attached to the
wire, severely interfering with the wire feed. Replace with clean wire and keep it
protected with a cover. Make sure spare wire rolls are stored in a clean, dry place.
Coil brake incorrectly adjusted.
Set the brake so that the coil immediately stops rotating as soon as welding is
interrupted. If the brake is applied too hard it will cause the feed rolls to slip, resulting in
uneven wire feed. If it is too loose, overrun of the wire will occur, causing wire tangles,
inconsistent tension on the feed mechanism and irregular arc characteristics.
UNSTABLE ARC
Incorrect setting of voltage and/
Set the wire feed in relation to the arc voltage in such a way that the arc is stable
or current.
and burns evenly. In spray arc welding, set the wire feed so that there are no short
circuits and the filler metal is transferred in a spray across the arc. Find the cause of
the interference and correct it. (See ERRATIC WIRE FEED above)
Problems in wire feeding..
When the internal diameter of the contact tip becomes worn from the passage of
Worn contact tip.
wire through it, the wire may no longer stay in continuous electrical contact with
the tip. This results in an unstable arc and an increase in spatter.
Paint, mill scale, silicon scale, rust or flux deposits from previous weld runs may form
an insulating layer causing an unstable arc. Clean the surfaces to be welded.
Impurities on the base metal.
Securely attach the ground cable as close to the point of welding as possible on the
workpiece. Clean the surfaces thoroughly to ensure good contact.
Poor contact between ground cable
Check to insure the welding power connection on the power source is tight, the
and workpiece.
connection on the wire feeder is tight, the connection to the adaptor block is tight,
Loose power connection
and the connection of the gun to the adaptor block is tight.
Stick-out too long.
Adjust the contact tip to work distance to a minimum of 3/8” for short arc
welding. A more precise distance is 15 times the wire diameter.
