Width of welding bead

By Niekie3 (***)

Date 05-11-2004 19:56

Hi Sidekick

There is no direct relationship between bead width and voltage or current setting. The relationship must also take welding speed and welding technique into consideration.

The heat input (HI) is defined as:

HI = (V x A)/Welding Speed

In general, the greater the HI, the wider the weld bead. Some fabrication codes limit the width of welds. In the case of SMAW, the bead width is a measure of the HI, and is in fact the only real way of monitoring HI.

Hope this helps.

Regards
Niekie Jooste
Fabristruct Solutions

By srw2506 (*)

Date 05-19-2004 17:44

Depends on your code?

By Surefireinspect Date 06-24-2004 06:28

I am having a hard time at work with stringer beads vs. weave. Now this is with Low Hydrogen welding rod. Years ago I certified at a ship yard for the ABS & Coast guard and there was no weave beads alowed. The rule was max weave was 2&1/2 times the diameter of the rod.
I'll be fit to be tied if I can find a AWS specification addressing this issue
any help out there?

By swnorris (****)

Date 06-24-2004 15:52

Hi Surefire,

The only thing I'm aware of is in the D1.1 Structural Code, Table 4.6, which is a supplementary table for PQR Essential Variable Changes for CVN Testing Applications Requiring WPS Requalification for SMAW, SAW, GMAW, FCAW, and GTAW, and it indicates at item 11 that in the 3G position, a change from stringer to weave would be cause for requalifying a WPS. Other than this, I don’t know whether or not specific code requirements for other types of fabrication limit the use of weave beads.
It may also be tied back into how a weld procedure specification is written. Some may be written for stringer, and some for weave. I’ve seen some that say both stringer and weave.