ProNews_1_06_EN.pdf - Kemppi

RoHS requirements.
Demonstration of RoHS compliance and the manner
in which RoHS compliance is overseen at the national
level are still under consideration.
EuP regulates ecological design
The EuP (Eco design requirements for Energy-using
Products) (2005/32/EU) directive should be brought into
force in EU member states by 11 August 2007. By no
later than 6 July 2007, the Commission must establish a
working plan that contains a normative listing of product
groups considered priorities in relation to the potential
for improving environmental impact, effective for a
three-year period.
The directive specifies the parameters of eco-design
requirements for energy-using products. Energy-using
products are products that require energy to operate or
are intended for the production, transmission or measurement
of energy.
The directive promotes sustainable development by
enhancing energy efficiency and environmental protection
as well as energy security of supply. The directive
requires that products be CE marked, and that the EuP
directive and any standards derived from it are noted in
Q&A
How can black soot be prevented from forming on the weld seam when MIG
welding aluminium
Surface contamination may result from a combination of factors that may combine
equipment, consumable, base material and environmental issues.
The base material surface should be clean and dry. For example, oil or cutting fluid
on the material surface will definitely result in surface contamination when burnt
in the arc. The welding area should also be in still air, free of wind or draughts, as
these factors can interfere with the protective influence of the shielding gas.
In aluminium MIG welding the gun should always be at a push angle, so that the
shielding gas being fed from the gun will provide sufficient gas shield forward
of the nozzle. The right gun angle is approximately 5 –15° push angle, free wire
length (stick out) 15–20 mm. The correct shielding gas is Argon, whose flow rate
is 15–20 l/min depending on the plate thickness and joint type.
The wire feed must be steady or the arc length will fluctuate. Wire stick out that is
too long can also result in black soot forming on the seam as a result of poor shielding.
The gun will heat up considerably more during aluminium welding than
during, for example, steel welding (Argon shielding gas and bright base metal).
A water-cooled gun is recommended for higher current work to ensure a problem-free
wire delivery. When feeding aluminium filler, the proper gun set-up includes
a ‘Kemppi DL Teflon’ liner conduit for aluminium filler wire and Kemppi
contact tip (marked with Al – these tips have a specified larger ID than standard).
U-grooved and trapezoid feed rolls also reduce the deformation of aluminium filler
materials as they pass through the mechanism. It should also be ensured that
the roller compression value is not too high, as this will damage the wire surface
resulting in wire dust that will clog the wire conduit reducing wire feed quality.
Foto: LKA/Markku Tano
the declaration of conformity.
Kemppi bears responsibility
Kemppi bears responsibility for the management of environmental
matters. Kemppi has joined producer associations
throughout Europe to carry out its producer
responsibility in the recycling of welding equipment.
The soldering process for electronic circuit boards has
been reformed, so that as of 1 July 2006 RoHS compliant
products can be brought to market. In relation to ecological
product design Kemppi and the Helsinki University
of Technology are engaged in a joint project, whose
goal is to develop a tool for the assessment of ecological
product design. •
How can I increase the amount of ‘visibility’ for welding a
root weld in V-shaped joint preparations, when the diameter
of the MIG gun nozzle is too big
The power level required for welding in the root area is generally
under 200 A, so a 250 A or 270 A gun would be suitable
for the task. Company’s too often try to use one gun model for
all operations, resulting in some compromise of quality in one
area or another. This compromise could for example, include
a ‘larger than required’ nozzle size, reducing visibility of the
root area. The Kemppi gun range includes special gas nozzles
that have a ‘smaller gas nozzle’ tip diameter.
In emergency situations, the gas nozzle can also be slightly
crimped at the tip, thus allowing for a better fit in tight grooves.
In some special cases the gas nozzle is also shortened at
the tip (e.g. 5 mm), thus improving visibility to root base. The
risk of shortening the gas nozzle is that the contact tip may
come into contact with the work piece. This could cause the
arc to burn between the contact tip and work piece, so be careful.
I recently traded in my old welding machine (different brand) for a brand new
Kempomat 2100, and I’m puzzled by the following: I turned the machine on to
weld a test piece, but the machine was almost completely silent. I didn’t hear
the cooling fan running at all. On my old machine the fan noise was extremely
loud. I’m absolutely certain that the machine was turned on. Is there anything I
should be worried about, or can I start using my new machine
Your machine is completely fine – go ahead and weld to your heart’s content.
The fan didn’t start up for your brief test weld because the new Kempomat fan is
“fan-on-demand”. This means that the fan only runs when needed, i.e. when the
machine needs cooling. This usually doesn’t happen until you’ve been welding for
some time. The fan runs and shuts off as needed, thus saving energy and wearand-tear
on the fan unit.
10 Kemppi ProNews 1 • 2006