If you’re the type of person who takes pride in finishing the welding routine with minimal mess, finding remnants of black debris inside your machine can be aggravating. This, in fact, is a common problem and can be resolved by improving your welding skills. Here is a discussion of best welding practices and weld cleaning machines in the UAE that are sure to increase the longevity of your equipment and save time in cleaning and maintenance.
Why aluminum welds go black
- Fusion
- Graininess
- Arc length is too long
- Contamination due to poor gas coverage
- Incorrect polarity or adjusting balance
- Filler metal or base is dirty
- Wrong push gun angle
- Amperage on aluminium is too high
Welding causes discolouration and other surface flaws that aren’t simply cosmetic. These discolourations are referred to as Black Gun Stains and are a regular occurrence in the stainless steel welding business. Few other common words used in industrial language to describe the same occurrence are oxide scale, and rainbow effect. All of them show a colour difference on the top layer of stainless steel, particularly around the weld bead and within the heat-affected zone.
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Removing Black Gun Stains The Right Way
The most commonly practised methods to remove discolouration on stainless steel after welding are:
- Mechanical Weld Cleaning
- Chemical Weld Cleaning
- Electrochemical Weld Cleaning
Mechanical Weld Cleaning
Cleaning stainless steel with a mechanical weld cleaning machine is a common and low-cost method. It entails using abrasives and grinding machines to remove the top layer of metal surfaces where rust and other slag particles might accumulate. Mechanical welding takes a long time and rarely produces 100% clean results with the required aesthetic value. It’s only useful for easy-to-reach surfaces.
Chemical Weld Cleaning
Cleaning metals using chemicals is the most popular way. Cleaning after welding work is accomplished with a chemical pickling paste. The paste is applied to the afflicted regions with a brush or a spray and allowed to interact with the metal for a short period of time. After that, it is removed and the surface is neutralised with a neutralising agent.
Electrochemical Weld Cleaning
Electrochemical weld cleaning machine is the best option among these three weld cleaning methods if you are looking for a quick way to clean after a weld. Cleaning and passivating your metal parts properly are quick, safe, and effective. It removes surface contaminants in minutes, eliminating the need for hazardous agents like pickling paste and time-consuming weld cleaning operations. To achieve a clean and passivated stainless steel surface, simply dip the brush in cleaning fluid and wipe it across the weld.
The electrochemical technique is particularly effective since it eliminates oxides from the surface while also restoring the anti-corrosive passive layer. It is increasingly gaining favour as the quickest and safest weld cleaning procedure among the three. For example, the TIG Brush, which was the first to employ a conductive brush, eliminates rust, surface contaminants, and heat tints using electrochemical cleaning. The electrochemical cleaning technique can also make a metal workpiece smoother, shinier, and brighter, which is a big benefit for projects where aesthetics are important.
Rockwood Machinery represents Ensitech, Australia for stainless weld cleaning. The innovative technology used by them maximizes heat transmission efficiency to the work surface and assures peak performance in even the most demanding environments. Ensitech’s low-toxicity fluids, on the other hand, are custom-designed to optimize human safety while also protecting the environment.
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