Filler Wire Control

Date 01-18-2010 15:12

Is there a good industry specification out there that lays out some basic filler wire control requirements or best practices? We use a lot of aluminum rod and spooled wire and I'd like to place more controls on how it is handled, stored, cleaned, etc to avoid chances of contamination.

I'm looking at things like how long a spool of aluminum wire can be stored before it should be discarded, the proper storage procedures for a new rod/spools of aluminum, how long wire can be sitting on a machine or out in the open before it needs to be put back into storage, proper solvents to clean wire, etc

Thanks.

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 01-18-2010 17:54

Zeek

D17 is the only code I'm aware of that has handling/storage requirements for solid wire. See 5.2.2

I don't think you are going to find specific ambient air dwelltimes for aluminum solid wire. In fact I doubt you will even find a recommendation along those lines from the solid wire vendors themselves. I have the Alcoa and Aluminum Association handbooks at my workdesk and I don't ever recall noting these kind of controls even here.

Likely you will need to implement your own in-house requirements...

If you do find some control data someplace let me know!

PS: I took some aluminum solid wire rolls that had been sitting in open air for over 8 years and ran some trials with it just before Christmas.. We ran GMAW and GMAWP and did Fillet breaks and Acid Etched Macros in all positions in thicknesses from 1/8" to 1/4" and everything worked quite well. The only thing we did not do were tensiles. The only precaution I took was to remove the two top layers of filler wire from the spool before we started.

By ssbn727 (*****)

Date 01-19-2010 09:23

Good sources to look into Larry! ;)
I would also add to the thread about contacting Tony Anderson of AlcoTec which is part of ESAB and see what he recommends...

Here's a link or two:

http://www.alcotec.com/us/en/support/index.cfm

http://www.alcotec.com/us/en/education/knowledge/qa/Storage-and-Preparation-of-Aluminum-Base-Alloys-and-Filler-Alloys.cfm

http://www.alcotec.com/us/en/education/knowledge/qa/Smoke-and-Twist-Testing-of-Aluminum-Welding-Wire.cfm

Here are many other questions related to Aluminum Welding:

http://www.alcotec.com/us/en/education/knowledge/qa/index.cfm

Here are some technical articles as well;

http://www.alcotec.com/us/en/education/knowledge/techknowledge/index.cfm

Here's their main webpage:

http://www.alcotec.com/us/en/index.cfm

Respectfully,
Henry