Kemppi A7 TIG Orbital System 300 User manual

300
1920390
1615
A7 TIG Orbital System
EN
OPERATING MANUAL

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A7 TIG Orbital System 300© Kemppi Oy 2016 1615
OPERATING MANUAL
CONTENTS
1. Introduction..........................................................................................4
1.1 General ......................................................................................................4
1.2 About the product ....................................................................................5
1.3 Weld head..................................................................................................6
1.3.1 General specications .............................................................................6
1.4 Controller unit ...........................................................................................7
1.4.1 Remote control ......................................................................................7
1.5 Compatibility.............................................................................................8
2. Installation .............................................................................................9
2.1 Controller connections .............................................................................9
2.2 Water cooler ............................................................................................10
2.2.1 Filling water cooler with coolant ............................................................10
2.2.2 Operating the water ow .......................................................................10
2.3 Weld head set-up ....................................................................................11
2.3.1 Assemblies..........................................................................................11
2.4 Installing guide ring on tube ..................................................................13
2.5 Mounting the weld head ........................................................................14
2.6 Wire spool................................................................................................15
2.7 Electrode..................................................................................................16
2.8 Torch centering .......................................................................................17
2.9 Mechanical adjustments.........................................................................17
3. Operation.............................................................................................18
3.1 Welding settings .....................................................................................18
3.1.1 Setting current level..............................................................................18
3.1.2 Pulsillation (synchronized pulsed current/oscillation mode)..........................18
3.1.3 Filler wire speed ...................................................................................18
3.1.4 Root-pass procedure .............................................................................19
3.1.5 Hot-pass procedure ..............................................................................19
3.1.6 Fill passes, oscillation (weave), and stringer bead techniques ........................20
3.1.7 Shield gas eects..................................................................................21
3.2 Preparing the work piece........................................................................21
3.2.1 Groove preparation...............................................................................21
3.2.2 Joint design and t-up tolerance ............................................................21
3.2.3 Other preparations ...............................................................................22
3.2.4 Developing weld procedures/process parameters ......................................22
3.3 Controller unit menus.............................................................................23
3.3.1 Main Menu..........................................................................................23
3.3.2 Maintenance Menu...............................................................................25
3.3.3 Options Menu......................................................................................27
3.3.4 Compatible weld head models................................................................28
3.3.5 Calibrate head .....................................................................................28
3.3.6 300-head guide ring speed factors...........................................................29
3.3.7 Advanced Help ....................................................................................30
3.3.8 Autotack.............................................................................................30
3.3.9 Autoprogram.......................................................................................31
3.4 Alphanumeric labelling...........................................................................33
3.5 Manual programming.............................................................................33
3.6 Prepurge – Upslope.................................................................................37
3.7 Programmed oscillation width (without striking an arc) .......................37
3.8 Editing a weld program...........................................................................38
3.9 Completing the programming ...............................................................39
3.10 Updating software ..................................................................................39
3.11 Welding ...................................................................................................39
3.12 Travel speed correction...........................................................................39
3.13 Shielding gas ...........................................................................................40
3.13.1Purging the pipe ID with inert gas ...........................................................41
4. Additional details..............................................................................42
4.1 Controller technical data.........................................................................42
4.2 Weld head technical data........................................................................42
4.3 Ordering information..............................................................................43

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OPERATING MANUAL
5. Troubleshooting................................................................................46
5.1 Operation problems................................................................................46
5.2 Root-pass renement for horizontal pipe (5G position) ........................47
5.3 Common weld defects: identication and prevention..........................48
5.4 Warnings/error messages ......................................................................49
5.5 Checking machine setup during booting ..............................................53
5.6 Machine system messages......................................................................54
5.7 Controller unit fault conditions ..............................................................54
6. Maintenance.......................................................................................55
6.1 Preventing tungsten electrode rotation not concentric to tube OD.....55
6.2 Periodic maintenance .............................................................................55
6.3 Weld head maintenance .........................................................................56
6.3.1 External maintenance............................................................................56
6.3.2 Low prole kit installation ......................................................................56
6.3.3 Torch cable replacement........................................................................56
6.3.4 Maintenance of the wire feed nozzle ........................................................56
6.3.5 Water cooler maintenance/ushing procedure for the torch cable .................57
6.3.6 Maintenance of torch components ..........................................................57
6.3.7 Cleaning the weld head .........................................................................58
6.3.8 Internal arcing .....................................................................................58
6.4 Printer operation and maintenance .......................................................59
6.4.1 Installing paper in the printer..................................................................59
6.4.2 Cleaning the printer ..............................................................................59
6.5 Service Workshop maintenance ............................................................59
7. Disposal ................................................................................................60

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OPERATING MANUAL
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 General
Congratulations on choosing A7 TIG Orbital System 300
welding equipment. Used correctly, Kemppi products can
signicantly increase the productivity of your welding and
provide years of economical service.
This operating manual contains important information on
the use, maintenance and safety of your Kemppi product.
The technical specications of the equipment can be
found at the end of the manual.
Please read the operating manual and the safety
instructions booklet carefully before using the equipment
for the rst time. For your own safety and that of your
working environment, pay particular attention to the
safety instructions in the manual.
For more information on Kemppi products, contact
Kemppi Oy, consult an authorised Kemppi dealer, or visit
the Kemppi website at www.kemppi.com.
The specications presented in this manual are subject to
change without prior notice.
Important notes
Items in the manual that require particular attention in
order to minimise damage and harm are indicated with
below symbols. Read these sections carefully and follow
their instructions.
Note: Gives the user a useful piece of information.
Caution: Describes a situation that may result in
damage to the equipment or system.
Warning: Describes a potentially dangerous
situation. If not avoided, it will result in personal damage
or fatal injury.
Disclaimer
While every eort has been made to ensure that the
information contained in this guide is accurate and
complete, no liability can be accepted for any errors
or omissions. Kemppi reserves the right to change
the specication of the product described at any time
without prior notice. Do not copy, record, reproduce
or transmit the contents of this guide without prior
permission from Kemppi.

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OPERATING MANUAL
1.2 About the product
TIG orbital welding is a semi-automatic welding method
where the arc moves automatically and without inter-
ruption around tubes creating single pass or multi-layer
welds. Its pulse technology produces consistently high-
quality welding seam.
With this method, it is easy to produce high-quality joints
even with low-level knowledge of welding. A7 TIG Orbital
System 300 consists of a controller unit, weld head, remote
control, and interconnecting cables.
The controller unit is a digital power source designed to be
used with the 300-series of weld heads including a water
cooler unit, internal memory, and a USB port for program
transfer. The unit is operated by a remote pendant that
contains all controls.
The weld heads are primarily for in-place welding of tubes
and pipes. They can be used for:
• tube-to-tube welding
• pipe-to-pipe welding
• tube/pipe-to-tting welding by interchanging
the standard electrode holder to a llet weld kit
or an angled AGC kit.
The weld heads allow use in a fabrication facility or in eld
construction/maintenance applications.

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OPERATING MANUAL
1.3 Weld head
The A7TIG Orbital System 300 includes an open-type weld
head to be fastened on the tube with a guide ring. Insertion
kits can be used in guide rings to adapt them to smaller
pipe diameters. The weld head also accommodates a ller
wire spool.
1.3.1 General specifications
Travel
Torch speed in the forward direction is adjustable from
0 to 250 mm/min.
Wire
The 300 series of weld heads has been designed to carry
a 1 kg spool (100 mm) of 0.8 mm diameter welding wire
with the feed rate adjustable from 0 to 2.54 m/min. Special
spool is available to low prole applications.
Please consult Kemppi when using other wire
diameters.
Oscillation
Oscillation stroke is adjustable from 0 to 16 mm at torch
speeds up to 1520 mm per minute.
Arc gap control
Arc gap control stroke measures 13 mm. The AGC motion
is produced by a rack-and-pinion mechanism driven by a
DC motor.
Dimensional considerations
Standard pipe sizes range from 1 to 14" (25–356 mm). You
can accommodate smaller diameters using the Guide Ring
Insert Kit. Guide rings for standard tubing sizes are also
available. A linear modication is available on request.
Radial clearance for standard pipe sizes is 63.5 mm (51 mm
with the Low Prole Package). For pipe sizes smaller than
48.3 mm, minimum radial clearance from the pipe centre
is 88.9 mm (75 mm with the Low Prole Package).
Axial clearance from the weld line to the rear of the
machine is 21 6mm and from the weld line forward 10 mm.
Torch and umbilical
Thewater-cooled torchis ratedat 200 amps.The torchbody
has been designed to accept standard consumables, both
gas lens and spud type. All services as well as the electrical
control of the weld head are supplied in the umbilical.
The standard length is 7.6 m. However, umbilicals of 15
m are available on request. Extension cables are available
for systems requiring greater distances between the
controller and the weld head.

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A7 TIG Orbital System 300© Kemppi Oy 2016 1615
OPERATING MANUAL
1.4.1 Remote control
A
E
Q
R
BF
CG
H
I
J
K
M
L
N
P
O
D
All the functions of A7 TIG Orbital System 300 are
accessible via one handheld device. The remote control
includes an easy-to-use graphical user interface and clear
colour display.
You can create, modify and manage welding programs.
Use adaptive auto programming for automatic calculation
of welding parameters.You can ne-adjust welding values
and electrode movements during welding. The system
automatically offers to adapt the welding program
according to changes.
1.4 Controller unit
A7 TIG Orbital System 300 power source and cooling
unit are integrated inside its controller unit. This unit also
includes a printer to print welding parameters on paper.
The parameters can be saved on a memory stick through
the USB port. Programs can be stored in internal memory
(100) and saved on a memory stick.
A. LCD: A colour display for information. The
microprocessor requires approximately 12 seconds
to properly boot when power is rst applied.
During this time, the display remains blank.
B. Cursor Up: move the cursor up the display.
C. Cursor Down: move the cursor down the display.
D. Enter: enter the item highlighted by the cursor.
E. Soft keys (4): select menu items.
These items/functions change depending on the
operation mode (e.g. setup, programming, operation).
During programmed and welding modes, the four soft
keys adjust the inner and outer dwell times. Oscillation
dwell is the time that the torch remains stationary at either
stroke end points. (“Inner” refers to the location where the
torch is closer to the weld head body, “Outer” the reverse.)
F. Home Position: To rotate the weld head until it
reaches a home position, at which point rotation
ceases.
(Home position for the 300-series head is one of 6 locations
60º apart around the guide ring.) Active only when no
arc is present, this button causes the weld head to move
forward until one of the position notches on the guide ring
is found.When using Autorewind, the weld head rotates in
reverse until it nds home location.
G. Start Weld/Start Downslope: start a weld or to
initiate downslope if a weld is in progress.
H. Emergency Stop: immediately terminate the weld
cycle and all the weld head functions.
In non-welding operation, use this button as an
“Escape” back to the Start Up screen/Main Menu.

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OPERATING MANUAL
Functions
The following -/+ perform multiple functions depending
on the operating conditions:
• During programming, these serve to directly
input the desired parameter values.
• During “Run Program” mode, these serve as JOG
switches when no arc is present.
• During welding, they serve as override switches
for each function, within the pre-set limits of the
% override screen.
I. Current: decrease/increase welding current level in
both programming and welding modes.
J. Travel: decrease/increase welding travel (rotation)
speed in both programming and welding modes.
K. Wire: decrease/increase welding wire speed in both
programming and welding modes.
L. Arc Length: decrease/increase welding arc length
(and therefore arc voltage) in both programming
and welding modes.
M. Oscillation Speed: decrease/increase welding
oscillation speed in both programming and
welding modes.
N. Oscillation Amplitude: decrease/increase oscillation
amplitude (torch weave width) during both
programming and welding modes.
O. AGC Stop: primarily used in weld repairs; causes
the AGC operation to cease. While the AGC is
disabled, a warning indicator is displayed on the
LCD. Pressing the button a second time causes the
function to reactivate. When the AGC Stop is on,
the two AGC buttons can be used to jog the torch
up/down.
P. Wire Stop: operation is similar to AGC Stop above,
except that the function interrupted is wire feed.
Pressing this button causes the ller wire feed to
interrupt until pressed for a second time. A warning
indicator is displayed. When the Wire Stop is
actuated, the two wire buttons can be used to jog
wire.
Q. Control knob: increase/decrease any parameter
that has been selected during programming.
During welding, the encoder is used to“steer” the
torch in the seam and adjust the centre point of the
oscillation strokes.
R. USB Port (on top): to connect a standard digital
memory stick. This allows program transfer
between power sources, program archiving, and
QC data downloading. Weld parameters can be
downloaded for subsequent print-out on a PC
equipped with a printer.
1.5 Compatibility
The A7 TIG Orbital System 300 controller is compatible
with A7 TIG Orbital System150 weld heads using an
adapter cable.

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OPERATING MANUAL
2. INSTALLATION
2.1 Controller connections
A
E
B
H
I
J
K
C
G
D
F
All controller connections are located on the rear of the
controller unit:
A. Power ON/OFF
B. Sensing cable to workpiece (WORK)
C. Sensing cable to weld head (TORCH)
D. Pendant control cable
E. Weld head control cable
F. Cooling hoses
G. Gas Out (to weld head)
H. Gas In (from cylinder)
I. Welding power connector ( – )
J. Earth return connector ( + )
K. Resettable fuses
TRVL = travel motor, WIRE = Wire feed motor,
OSC = oscillation (weave), AGC = Automatic gap
control
A
B
D
C
The front of the controller unit:
A. Equipment Stop
B. Printer
C. Remote control in holder
D. Water cooler lling hole

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OPERATING MANUAL
2.2 Water cooler
The controller unit includes an integrated water cooler.
The water ow is factory calibrated, and interruption in,
or insucient water ow (less than 0.5 LPM), will result
in termination of welding and a warning message on the
display.
2.2.1 Filling water cooler with coolant
Cooling and heat-balancing requires that cooling water is
pure. However, the degree of water purity as well as the
temperature of the environment determine if you need to
apply additives and/or otherwise take care of the water
supply. You can ll the water tanks with normal tap water.
When employing TIG system at temperatures below +8
°C, add an anti-freeze medium.
1. Fill the water tank with 3.5 liters of Kemppi torch
coolant uid or equivalent (Monopropylenglycol).
2. Use max. 40 % of coolant uid added to water. This
will provide freezing protection to ‐25 °C.
Do not use distilled or demineralized water. Zinc
deciency causes corrosion and a risk of leakage.
Even if the temperature stays above +8 °C, use a
small quantity (ca. 10 %) of anti-freeze additive. It prevents
adverse algal growth in warm water.
The amount of cooling uid required depends on the cable
length of the weld head. Normally, 3.5 litres is sucient.
Check the level of coolant after several minutes of rst
turning on power to top o the coolant level as required.
2.2.2 Operating the water flow
The water ow switch has a factory pre-set trip point
that is not adjustable. If there is inadequate water ow
to actuate the switch, a welding arc cannot be initiated.
Pressing Start Weld causes pre‐purge to occur. When
the arc should be initiated, the starting sequence is
interrupted and a warning displays.

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OPERATING MANUAL
2.3 Weld head set-up
2.3.1 Assemblies
The series 300 weld head assembly consists of the
following assemblies.
Machine package including:
A. Torch mounting
B. Torch oscillation and electronic cross-seam
adjustment capability
C. Arc gap control (AGC) and torch height
adjustment
D. Wire drive and spool mount assembly
E. Torch and cable assembly
F. Weld head
G. Guide ring (optional, size according to the pipe
size)
H. Roller chain and tensioner (included in the guide
ring kit)
The vulnerable mechanisms of the machine package
assembly are completely enclosed in an aluminium
housing. Permanent magnet DC gear motors inside the
housing provides both axial and vertical torch motion.
The arc gap control (torch up/down motion) is powered
by a DC motor rotating a splined shaft which in turn
moves the torch using a geared slide assembly.
Axial torch motion cross-seam (oscillation) is provided
by a second motor through a helical cam and follower
assembly. A linear potentiometer provides axial position
feedback for both oscillation and cross seam adjustment.
Wire-drive and spool-mount assembly
• The wire-drive assembly mounts on a link arm
adjacent to the machine package that consists
of a motor, bevel gear set, and drum-and-roller-
beam assembly.
• The roller presses the wire into a U-groove on
the rotating drum, driving the wire by friction.
• The wire-spool mount attaches to the link arm
on a swing-out bracket to facilitate changing
wire spools.
• Hand-tighten the knurled knob used to retain
the wire spools to automatically apply a pre-set
drag to the spool.
Torch and cable assembly
• Three hoses and an electrical control cable
encased in a berglass-reinforced silicone
sheath with the torch permanently mounted on
one end.
• The control cable is terminated in a small
connector that mates inside the tractor
assembly.
• The machine package is cooled by interrupting
the line carrying water to the torch.
• The electrode cable is located inside the water
return line.
• A voltage sensing lead is directly attached to
the torch and provides the arc voltage signal
used for arc gap control (AGC) operation.
Weld head
The tractor propels the machine package around the
pipe.
1. Attach the tractor to the machine package by a
pair of hinge pins and a link.
2. Change the link for each pipe or guide ring size to
maintain the minimum radial prole for any pipe
size.
The tractor consists of:
• A permanent magnet gear motor driving a
sprocket that engages a chain on the guide ring
for the traction
• Aluminium housing
• A cavity where the control cable plug is mated
with the in-line receptacle to provide control
power to the tractor, machine package, and wire
drive.
Use only the correct link for a given guide ring to
ensure proper engagement of the drive sprocket teeth in
the guide ring chain. The links are labelled with the pipe or
tube size. Use them with the same size pipe or tube guide
ring.

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OPERATING MANUAL
Guide ring
The guide ring consists of:
• Two hinged segments closed around the pipe
and latch
• Two xed stainless steel "pads" mounted in
one-half of the guide ring that provide a "Vee-
block" to square the guide ring relative to the
pipe axis
• Pads dimensioned so that the guide ring is
centred on the pipe as long as the pipe is within
nominal outer diameter (OD) size range.
If the pipe is either under or oversized, do one of the
following:
• Shorten the pads.
• Use longer pads to maintain concentricity.
• Substitute pads with alternate pads to allow a
guide ring designed for a larger pipe size to be
mounted concentrically on a smaller pipe size.
Clamp the guide ring rigidly on the pipe using setscrew(s)
on the other half of the ring.
Guide rings for 8" and larger pipes are supplied as two-
piece units that are bolted together by two recessed
captive socket-head screws.
To specify guide ring kit P/N (see related charts):
• The part number for the 300-series weld head
guide rings also indicates the workpiece
diameter in inches. For example, a 2" pipe is
2.375" OD .
• If radial clearance is important for an
application, use appropriate size guide ring for
the minimum radial clearance.
• Or use a guide ring for the next smaller size
down by replacing the insert pads.
To specify guide ring insert kit P/N (see related chart):
• To use a guide ring on a smaller size pipe or
tube, substitute dierent steel pad "inserts" for
the those supplied standard. The last 3 digits of
the part number indicate the height of insert
pad in inches.
• Example: To weld a pipe 0.5" (12.7 mm) smaller
in OD. than nominal pipe size of guide ring,
0.5"/2 = 0.25" radial clearance between new
pipe OD. and guide ring. Insert should be 0.25"
in height. Therefore P/N is 102222-250 (250
standing for .250).
A longer setscrew may be required depending on the
length of the insert. This is provided if required as part of
the insert kit.
To position the guide ring:
• Place the guide ring approximately 60.00 mm +/-
1 mm from the weld joint in order to eliminate
the need for mechanical adjustments of the
head.
• Place the ring as square as possible to the weld
joint to minimize the need for torch cross seam
adjustment during the weld.
• If the guide ring is substantially misaligned
("cocked"), it may result in rubbing the bottom
surface of the head on the pipe.
Always loosen the setscrew before unlatching the
guide ring. Mount the guide ring fairly concentrically with
the pipe OD. The arc gap control system will compensate
for variations in mounting eccentricity. Remember that the
12 mm AGC stroke must be preserved to allow automatic
torch-to-workpiece corrections both within and between
passes.

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OPERATING MANUAL
Roller chain and tensioner
Roller chain and tensioner hold the 300-series weld head
on the guide ring. Roller chain changes for each pipe size
and is supplied as part of the guide ring kit with the link
that improves the rigidity of the hinge.
• The roller chain and tensioner assembly circles
the guide ring reaching from the machine
package to the tractor.
• The latch/tensioner mechanism is located at the
tractor end.
• Rollers on the exible chain minimize friction and
facilitate motion around the pipe.
• An integral spring in the tensioner compensates
for expansion of the guide ring caused by
heating.
• Because of the positive drive properties of the
sprocket/chain system, the cylindrical tensioning
collar only requires nger tightening.
2.4 Installing guide ring on tube
1. Manually tack the two pipes together.
2. Install the guide ring with the notched side away
from the weld joint.
3. Locate the guide ring 60 ±1 mm from the centre
of the weld joint.
The guide ring must be parallel to the weld joint
because accurate torch tracking depends on its position.
Mount the guide ring parallel to the weld joint
because accurate torch tracking is dependent upon the
guide ring position. For repetitive welds, do the following:
A. Make an alignment xture to slip over the pipe to
be welded and locate from the pipe bevel.
B. Make the end of the xture square and hold the
guide ring tightly against it.
C. Tighten the guide ring against the pipe.
Drilled holes are provided for removal with a special
pin in special cases; do not use them during normal
installation and removal.

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OPERATING MANUAL
2.5 Mounting the weld head
1
2
3
1. Place the weld head on top of the pipe.
2. Aim the guide rollers over guide ring and leave the
roller chain and tensioner hanging down to one
side.
3. Rock the machine lightly to ensure that drive
sprocket is properly meshed with the chain.
4
5
6
4. Hold the weld head in its position and pull the
tensioner and latch assembly to the mating
attachment.
5. Check that all guide rollers and chain rollers are in
place and the guide rollers are properly in place.
6. Adjust tensioner length as required and tighten
with moderate nger force only.

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OPERATING MANUAL
2.6 Wire spool
1
2
b
a
Swing the wire spool mounting bracket away from the
pipe to accommodate easy spool installation.
1. Install the wire spool on the mounting bracket.
a. Be sure to align anti-rotation pin in the sleeve
with the slot in the nylon nut.
b. Tighten the knurled knob to prevent accidental
unwinding.
2. Swing the mounting bracket back to its original
position.
3
3. Push the wire through the guide tube and insert
into groove on the lower feed roll.
4. Jog motor forward so that the wire passes the feed
roll.
5
6
7
7
5. Guide the wire into the liner and jog the motor
until wire end comes through nozzle.
6. Release about 10 cm and cut at the nozzle.
7. Adjust the position of the nozzle with knurled
adjustment screws.
If the wire slips within the wire feed mechanism, adjust
it for more positive feeding:
1. Loosen the two retaining screws on the roller arm.
2. Using an adjustable wrench or pliers, gently rotate
the tensioning arm to increase the spring force on
the drive roller.
3. Tighten both screws. This adjustment should not
be made with wire in the mechanism

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OPERATING MANUAL
2.7 Electrode
Almostall weldingcanbe donewith thetungstenelectrode
ground to a 30° included angle. The tungsten electrode
should have a 0.15 mm at to avoid tungsten "spitting".
The greater the included angle of the tungsten, the greater
the penetration capability. Changing the included angle
also aects weld bead width. Oscillation width needs to
be changed accordingly. See recommended tungsten
electrode geometry.
If tungsten electrode is sharpened at both ends, you
can change direction after one end has worn o.
0.1 mm
0.15 mm
30°inc. both ends
38 mm
To select a suitable electrode for the welding application
and a suitable collet for the electrode:
1. Insert the electrode through the collet and collet
body.
2. Screw the body into the torch with the large end of
collet upwards.
3. Ensure that the electrode extends to correct length
without ceramic gas nozzle touching the pipe
surface.
4. Tighten collet body with torch back-cap (minimal
torque).
5. Use the adjustment screws to set the correct torch
angle and position.
For most applications, the torch centreline should pass
through the centre line of the pipe.
Replace the torch back cap with a back cap plug for
minimal radial clearance:
1. When you use the back cap plug, use collet wrench
(supplied in the tool kit) to clamp the tungsten
electrode in the torch.
2. Engage the "ats" of the collet around the "ats"
of the collet body and rotate. Do not use excessive
force.
3. Install the gas cup.

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OPERATING MANUAL
2.9 Mechanical adjustments
Numerous adjustments are available for the torch and
ller wire positioning according to pipe size, pipe wall
thickness, and electrode extension:
• Torch angle pushing/pulling (± 5°)
• Torch lateral angle (10°)
• Vertical wire aimer (coarse or ne)
• Lateral wire aimer (coarse or ne)
• Wire nozzle angle
• Arc Gap Control (AGC); a setting that
automatically controls the distance of the
electrode from the work piece and maintains
the correct arc length during welding.
2.8 Torch centering
1. Centre torch weaving over the weld joint.
a) Rotate the Cross-Seam Adjustment Encoder to
the centre position.
b) Ensure that the electrode is centered on the
pipe joint. If necessary, loosen the clamp on
the weaving shaft and move the torch and AGC
mechanism to adjust the electrode position.
2. Use Wire inch button to run the wire until its end is
just beyond the electrode.
3. Loosen the wire nozzle clamp and angle the nozzle
to obtain desired entry angle for the ller wire into
the weld pool (60 to 70 degrees).
4. Adjust the wire sideways, so that it’s centred on the
electrode.
5. Adjust the wire vertically to 1.5 mm gap.
6. Adjust the wire stick-out length so that it’s not too
close to electrode at arc start.
7. Press the Home button to rotate weld head to the
next home position.
8. Lower the electrode to position about 1.5 mm
above the work (if not using Touch Start mode).

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3. OPERATION
3.1 Welding settings
3.1.1 Setting current level
Choose weld current after selecting RPM (tungsten speed).
Use the following guidelines:
Carbon
steel
1.3 amps per .025 mm of material to
penetrate.
Stainless
steel
1.0 amps per .025 mm of material to
penetrate.
High alloy
steel
0.75 amps per .025 mm of material to
penetrate.
Above guidelines do not take into consideration ller
wire addition, bevel geometry, or tungsten geometry. They
are based on an electrode moving across a at surface
(typically at a speed of 76 mm/min). When making a 360°
horizontal pipe weld (5G), some current programming
may be needed to counteract the eect of heat buildup. In
some cases, a given start position is mandatory to prevent
concavity at 6 o'clock position.
To avoid current programming or to minimize
programming requirements, use pulsed current technique.
Pulsed current allows the weld puddle to chill and partially
solidify between pulses and provides better control of the
weld puddle. When pulsing, a minimum of 50 % overlap
of the ID bead must be maintained for proper ID bead
reinforcement. Pulse frequency is typically 1 to 10 Hz. A
frequency of 1 Hz is typical for tungsten electrode speeds
of 63 to 90 mm/min.
Increasing tungsten electrode speed above 90 mm/min
requires an increase in pulse frequency to maintain an
appropriate 50 % overlap of ID bead (the solidied bead
from the previous pulse). To obtain high and low pulse
current, use the following formula:
• Average current + (average current/3)
= high-pulse current
• Average current - (average current/3)
= low-pulse current
As a starting point, keep the high and low pulse times
equal (0.3 seconds on, 0.3 seconds o).
Lowpulsecurrentisalways programmedasa percentageof
high pulse (rather than an actual value). If the weld current
is reduced to compensate for heat buildup in the pipe,
both high and low pulse levels go down proportionally.
• High pulse current programmed on remote
control is actual amperage value.
• Low pulse current programmed on remote
control is a percentage of high pulse current.
3.1.2 Pulsillation (synchronized pulsed current/
oscillation mode)
Pulsed current is automatically synchronized with torch
oscillation whenever the two functions are switched on
simultaneously. This "pulsillation" capability is useful in
certain situations:
• The 2nd or "Hot Pass" can pose special diculties.
• A current level too high will cause re-penetration
of the root pass.
• A level too low will result in lack of sidewall
fusion.
When using the pulsillation mode, the high and low pulse
periods are controlled by the torch oscillator system. High
pulse current occurs during both oscillation stroke end
point "dwell" periods. Low pulse current occurs as the torch
moves laterally across the weld joint. The high and low
pulse controls are not functional when the synchronized
pulsed current/oscillation mode is selected.
3.1.3 Filler wire speed
Filler wire speeds for the root pass are determined by prep
geometry. Typical values for a square butt or a "J" Prep are
25 to 76 cm/min. As the land thickness increases, wire
speed should decrease. Fill-pass wire speeds range from
76 to 190 cm/min. For 360° orbital welding, the higher the
wire speed, the you need to use pulsillation to control the
weld puddle size.

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OPERATING MANUAL
Wire feed can be continuous, or you can select Step Mode.
In Step Mode, two levels of wire feed are synchronized
with pulsed current. Wire feed during the low current
pulse period is set as a percentage (0–99 %) of the high
pulse wire feed speed. This feature is useful to control
weld puddle size and to maximize ll rate. It may not be
possible to use the same wire feed speed for both high
and low current pulse periods, but the amount of wire fed
during low pulse can be tailored to optimize solidication
rate and puddle control.
3.1.4 Root-pass procedure
Filler wire to tungsten electrode gap should be
approximately 1.5 mm (rule of thumb is 2/3 the diameter
of the electrode). When welding a "J" prep, the wire entry
into the weld puddle is correct when it appears that the
wire is standing still. Wire should feed smoothly into the
front edge of the weld puddle. There should be no drip or
drag of the wire. When welding a 37.5 degree bevel, the
wire should push slightly into the work.
To make the wire enter the weld puddle directly under the
tungsten electrode:
1. Adjust arc length so that wire entry is correct. As
the weld puddle partially solidies during low
current, the edge of the puddle freezes, forming a
circular "chill mark".
2. Observe the chill marks on the weld bead surface.
If the chill marks are closer than 0.8 * root land
thickness, increase travel speed by 3 mm/min until
you have reached the needed reinforcement.
• If the ID bead is almost solidied between current
pulses, increase high-pulse heat input by doing
one or more of the following:
• Increase high pulse current.
• Increase high pulse time (0.2 s minimum).
• Decrease wire speed.
• Decrease travel speed.
• If the ID bead is too uid, reduce low pulse heat
input by doing one or more of the following:
• Reduce low pulse current (reduce % of high
pulse).
• Increase low pulse time.
• Increase wire speed.
• If there is insucient penetration on the I.D,
observe the chill marks on the weld surface.
• If chill mark spacing is adequate, check that low
pulse weld current is at least 50 % of the high
pulse level and increase high-pulse weld current
if necessary.
• Record all changes.
3.1.5 Hot-pass procedure
1. Set wire to tungsten electrode distance and ensure
that the wire is aimed laterally directly under the
electrode.
2. Ensure that the hot pass is not causing the root
bead to melt again as this may result in "suckback"
or concavity of a previously acceptable root bead.
3. If the root pass melts, reduce weld current.
4. Ensure that the weld puddle is fusing into both
sidewalls.
5. Check centering and increase oscillation width if
necessary.
6. If the puddle runs ahead of the tungsten electrode
on the downhill side, reduce wire speed.
7. If the puddle is sticking or making "wagon tracks"
on the sidewalls, reduce travel speed.
Whenusing thepulsillation technique,the loweramperage
during torch excursion across the seam reduces the size of
the weld puddle. The weld puddle must be large enough
to ensure that the ller wire melts properly and does not
"drag" on the unmelted solid surface of the joint. Set low-
pulse amperage to approximately 70 % of high pulse.

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3.1.6 Fill passes, oscillation (weave), and stringer
bead techniques
The choice of a torch oscillation (weave) or stringer bead
technique is aected by a number of factors, as both
techniques have positive and negative features.
Oscillation
• High deposition rate, faster weld-out time
• Lower number of passes generally
• Higher heat input
• High alertness of welder required to monitor
torch centering
• Filler wire positioning more critical to ensure that
wire is not "dragging"
• Weld parameters require changing for each ll
pass to increase oscillation stroke and maintain
constant oscillation speed (requires multipass
programming).
The maximum normal oscillation width is 9.5 mm bead
width.
• You can use greater oscillation stroke widths,
but oscillation speed and travel speed must be
substantially reduced.
• Keep dwell times as short as possible because
they also aect bead overlap.
When welding on the horizontal pipe (5G position),
oscillation speed should equal the dwell times. This will
keep the bead at and the next pass will be easier to put
in.
• If the weld bead is convex, the AGC will have to
constantly correct arc length and the wire entry
becomes critical (entry angle should be 15 to 30°).
• The atter the entry angle, the more the wire will
drag on the weld surface. If the entry angle is too
steep, the wire pushes into the weld puddle.
When oscillating, you only want the spread to weld pool
into the sidewalls without undercutting or "climbing" the
walls.
• If the torch climbs the sidewalls, reduce the
oscillation width.
• If the puddle is wetting into the sidewalls, but
undercutting one wall, check that the torch is
perpendicular.
• If undercutting is occurring on both walls,
increase the at on the tungsten electrode.
When using continuous current (one current value) in the
oscillation mode during a 360° orbit, you may need to
reduce weld current on the uphill side due to heat buildup.
• When the current is too high, the downhill side is
concave and the uphill convex.
• Control the current to obtain a uniform at bead
or use the pulsillation technique.
• Adjust the dwell times to obtain uniformity in
weld bead.
In the pulsillation mode, the molten weld puddle should
solidify 3 mm (1/8") behind the electrode as it moves from
dwell point to another.
Stringer Bead
• Lower deposition rate, inferior weld-out time
• Higher number of passes generally
• Lower input desirable for heat input sensitive
materials
• Better weld puddle control with alloys having
poor puddle uidity (wetting)
• Lower level of welder attentiveness to monitor
torch centering
• Filler wire positioning less critical
• Easier for inexperienced personnel
• Identical parameters on all ll passes possible.
Stringer beads are typically run at higher wire speeds.
Typical wire speeds are 200 to 250 cm/min. Run stringer
beads using continuous travel mode and continuous wire
speed.
• When running stringer beads while wire is in
the 13 to 25 cm/min range, do not use the Wire
Step function unless background (two-level) wire
speed is available.
• If the weld bead is at on the downhill side and
convex on the uphill side, you may use the Wire
Step in conjunction with the Travel Step function
to atten the uphill side (wire speed 76–102 cm/
min).
The Travel Step and Wire Step function are commonly
used for single-pass square butt joints. Travel step can
also be used with consumable inserts to control ID bead
reinforcement in the horizontal pipes (5G position).