WSP - CALIBRATION

A recipe is an amazing document. It belongs at Hogwarts or in Treasure Island. By following the instructions, you’re creating a magic potion or finding a buried treasure. The book publishers get it. They’re not ashamed to publish one more cookbook; they just put in different pictures and change the book cover. And the avid cook never grows weary of another cookbook. They’re as optimistic as an old gold prospector. Of course, we don’t do much to help them with their addiction. Buying them new books, raving about their cooking so they’ll let us continue to be guinea pigs for their experiments.

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“crazy, but they can open the fridge”

A welding procedure specification (WPS) is very much like a recipe minus the carnal pleasures. A WPS is a step-by-step map to make a quality weld under specific conditions. The WPS begins in theory and finishes in reality. You begin by making sure that the chosen manner in which the welding is done will match the applicable code requirements and job specifications. And before the WPS is handed over to production, someone needs to test the steps to prove they actually work in the real world. This procedure helps do away with good luck charms and astrology.

Now as all good cooks will tell you, a recipe doesn’t give you automatic qualification to the Iron Chef. There are several truths that have to be true. One, the cook has to understand cooking jargon. Two, he has to be able to preform the required actions; whipping and folding create different results. Three, his measuring devices must be somewhat accurate; too much or not enough of an ingredient can make the difference whether the final product makes the bright lights of the dining table or the darkness of the garbage can. Four, you need tools that will do what they say they’re going to do; i.e. the oven shouldn’t be out by 100 degrees. Without drawing the parallel lines, the WPS has the same demands.

Can you imagine how far off the cook would be if his tools weren’t accurate. Same thing is true in a WPS. This is why some customers aren’t letting you touch any of their work until you prove that your machines are calibrated. The more crucial the weld, the more sure your machine needs to be. It doesn’t have to be bang on but the differences need to be within 10%.

Now here’s a tip that’ll give you a sure payoff and doesn’t involve betting or stockbrokers. It’ll help you on your WPS. It’s something that won’t be done in the calibration of your welding machine. Measuring the flow of gas coming out of the nozzle of the gun. You can set your flowmeter to the prescribed flow but how do you know that’s the actual rate of flow coming out of your gun.

There is a simple inexpensive tool to measure how much gas is flowing out the end. A gas flow meter. It goes on the end of the gun’s nozzle. Pull the trigger for gas flow (you don’t want the wire running) and the little ball floats up and gives you a reading. It’s even marked for CO2 or Argon.

If we can help you make your customer feel more assured that you can do his work. And/or you need your machines calibrated. Give us a call. We do them on site or in house.

Give us a call; we’ll make it happen

A Few Brands That We Are Proud To Carry

  • miller
  • victor
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