Flatness of plates during welding

By PA

Date 04-01-2008 14:08

Hi All,

Good Day!

I am welding small (2 x 2 X 1) plates on 20 feet long mild steel plate. I clamped plate from one end and made it curved (outward) by putting bars underneath it (2 or 3 locations) to maintain flatness.

Can anybody help in the matter by any other way?

I appreciate response in advance.

Thanks,

PA

By CHGuilford (****)

Date 04-01-2008 16:37

You are already using one of the most effective methods to control distortion - you can't stop the distortion but you can compensate for it. You can easily adjust with more or less blocking to get to where you want to be.

All I would add it to try to keep your welds at no bigger than necessary, and try to run every weld at exactly the same parameters.

You can try other tricks (preheat, back stepping, alternating weld locations, etc.) bbut you have to decide if the extra trouble is worth it, or are you getting good enough results already?

By PA

Date 04-07-2008 15:43

Thanks for your reply.

Your suggestion helped. We are doing all the welds with same parameters and to the exact size.

Also slight preheat is also encouraging.

Thanks and best regards,

PA