i Series
User Manual
26
readIng the Waveform graPh
The Waveform Graph is a helpful tool for understanding the things taking place during a weld . One quick look can pro-
vide information such as which ignition mode is being used, which waveform has been selected, which agitation profile
is being used, and the length of the energy discharge . The resulting “area under the curve” represents the total energy
being discharged and doesn’t include the ignition bump and agitation .
Ignition
During the time right before the Main Energy Discharge of the weld, a
low current “Focus Arc” will be displayed for “St” and “Adaptive”
ignition modes .
Weld Discharge Waveform
The shape of the Waveform indicates the way the energy is being discharged .
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Classic mode has a high peak current which drops more quickly than the other two waveforms – leading to a
smooth weld puddle . The higher the peak, the longer the weld discharge will last (as long as the length is set to
100%) . Welds performed with higher peaks are more forceful and produce larger weld spots with more penetra-
tion than welds with lower peaks .
•
Triangle mode is very similar to Classic, but the discharge is linear and the length can be adjusted independent
from the Peak (a very high peak can be combined with very short length, or a very short peak can be combined
with very long length) . This gives users the ability to better tailor the way energy is released into the weld site .
•
Square mode can also be adjusted independently, but the peak remains constant for the duration of the discharge .
This means that twice the energy would be released into the weld site compared to Triangle mode if the peak and
lengths were set to the same values .
Agitation Profiles
If agitation is enabled, the spikes will be displayed on the graph accordingly . Each spike adds to the total energy being
discharged . This generally leads to increased penetration, heat, and spot size . Agitation can also improve weld qual-
ity in certain metals like stainless steel .
Length
The length of the weld discharge is a large part of how much energy is released into the weld site . The longer the
length, the more energy/heat goes into the weld site - especially in Triangle and Square modes . In Classic Mode, the
long length gives weld puddles time to cool properly for smooth results because there is less energy being added to
the weld spot the longer the weld lasts .
Energy
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