Custom Knurled Drive Rolls

Date 05-29-2015 17:09

Has anyone tried making their own knurled drive rolls from regular rolls for solid wire? I know it sounds crazy. I want to try 0.035" metal-core wire in my robot but the manufacturer doesn't make knurled drive rolls that small.

My tool shop is order some knurling tools and they have a concept in their head on how they are going to modify the curren drive roll by adding the knurls.

Does anyone know of any custom shops that already do this? Or is there any other suggestions?

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 05-29-2015 18:06

Hey Hawk,

Have you tried operations with the Metal Core and regular rollers and found problems ?

As long as you can drive the wire without crushing it... You are ok with V-groove rollers :)

If you are running a robot you might also consider getting your wire in 500 lb kegs which might have a more positive effect on the cast and helix of the wire and therefore a better push through the assembly than knurled rollers and 44 lb spools.

Also

http://store.millerwelds.com/commerce/product?ProdID=079606

Lincoln make them too :)

By fschweighardt (***)

Date 06-01-2015 17:43

I'd try the standard v-groove rolls, never had a problem with MCAW (manual). The MCAW wire seems to be a bit harder than FCAW filler.

I'd be interested in what the advantages of MCAW would be in your application. Occasionally, MCAW is a solution looking for a problem.

By Superflux (****)

Date 06-03-2015 23:02

Many times on cored wire when the operator has feeding issues, they tend to default to increasing roller pressure when the problem may have been too much tension to begin with and already deforming the wire, hence the feeding problem...

By fschweighardt (***)

Date 06-04-2015 18:34

I've seen wire coming out of the gun (contact tip removed) that was almost square

By hawkeye (*)

Date 06-08-2015 14:35

Well the original problem is reducing or eliminating the silicon islands and improving the depth of fusion. Since my original post, our local miller rep has come in and verified that a similar OEM is using MCAW with their robot with positive results, on the same type of product. He also mentioned that there are some other manufacturers that stuck with hard wire but went with non-coated wire to reduce the silicon islands. I am going with the knurled rollers to reduce any potential slip issues without over tightening the driverolls. The driveroll system that my robot uses is a single drive roll with a dead roll (flat non-groove). All my sample spools are 30-45lbs. Production will be using either 500lb boxes/drums or 1000lb spools. Do to my joint geometery and length of weld 5-6", there is some level of diffuculty eventhough this should be a relatively simple joint. Some of our engineers like to be creative and do not design (nor standardize) for manufacturering. There are other issues here and this is just one of them.

By fschweighardt (***)

Date 06-17-2015 02:48

I'd look at ER70 S-3 if you haven't already