To prevent distortion and ensure precision of joints, make several tack welds along the area to be butt welded.
The thinner the panel, the smaller the pitch of the tack weld.
2.
Main welding:
Tilt the torch 10 to 15 degrees and use the push (forward) welding method to weld along the mating line.
To prevent an unsteady hand while welding, place yourself in a comfortable and supported position to help maintain the correct tip-to- work clearance and torch angle.
Move the torch at a steady speed while confirming adequate weld penetration.
When welding thin panels, such as an outer panel, use a skip or stitch welding technique, by moving the torch to different areas of the butt weld. This will help avoid overheating the panels, which can cause warpage or burn through.
3.
Butt Weld Visual Inspection
Penetration Examples of typical faults:
Lack of penetration resulting in insufficient strength Weld may fail or cracks when it is being ground smooth.
Arc length too long.
Sufficient penetration, but bead is too high requiring excessive grinding to finish.
