This is our normal unlimited thickness test, except we use .045 wire. There is not much difference in .052, so don't worry about that. We use a 95/5 Argon/CO2 mix. I would set the machine at about 33 Volts and 500 ipm wire speed to start out, as we all know each machine is different, and fine tune it from there. What I tell my guys is to make 3 passes, then split the remaining (usually 4 passes). Make sure to preheat the test pice and clean very good between passes. The most common problem for my guys is they get too much reinforcement, 1/8" max. I also tell them NOT to stop in the middle, as Darren has stated. Reason being, my test plate is 10", D1.1 only requires 5". So, I let them weld the 10" test plate and cut out the best 5" to send off for RT. Also, always push, never drag. Hope this helps.
Michael
Man that's half the battle being able to do the test on a 5" long test coupon. You could save a ton of material and time if you you use angle iron on the ends and disgard the inch on both ends of the coupons. Most guys usually have no problem getting 3 inches of good weld in the 5" coupon with angle iron on top of the backing strip. I feel your pain about the over an 1/8" build up. I always have them flush out then cook it across the coupon for the cap.lol If they go over flush before the cap, the grinder is your friend, but only for the guys that you need to qualify and not the new guy in off the street.;-)
Michael,
Thank You. most everything I've been told in this thread is pretty much what I had already envisioned the test to be like, and how to perform said test. I'm just getting nervous because I haven't done this test before. Thanks for the great Information.
Respectfully, Jeffrey
When I do Welder qualifications, they weld an 8" plate 1" thick, the complete 8 inches is subject to visual inspection with 5" X-rayed. when your in production and splicing a plate, they dont discard the ends of the splices!
darren,
Thanks for Your response. I'm just getting pre-test jitters is all. Tie- in of my welds sounds like one heck of a good idea. Especially if run off tabs are not allowed. This will keep my test plate free of craters at the ends...even though they are taking 1" off each end and tossing it out. Thanks for posting up on this. The links were helpful too.
Respectfully, Jeffrey