How to Determine Weld Penetration
Welding is an extremely useful method of joining two pieces of metal together, whether for functional or repair purposes. However, when welding, it is important to use the correct degree of penetration. The degree of welding penetration varies from welding machine to welding machine and is dependent on the thickness of the metal being welded, the welding current, and the welding style. Since so many factors are involved, it is best to determine which characteristics will give you a welding penetration in line with your needs, and experiment with them using a piece of scrap metal.
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Instructions
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1
Strike the electrode against the scrap metal to open an arc between the metal and the welding tool. Turn the dial controlling the welding current to vary the current. A higher welding current, for any welding electrode, will give a higher degree of welding penetration. Weld at different current levels until you reach an appropriate welding penetration.
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2
Move the electrode further away from the metal to decrease penetration, or closer to the metal to increase penetration. Take mental note of the electrode-to-metal distance required to obtain your ideal penetration.
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3
Experiment with different welding speeds: welding at a higher speed creates a deeper weld penetration, while welding at a lower speed allows for the welding pool of molten metal to shield your metal from the heat of the electrode and therefore reduces the extent of penetration.
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4
Experiment, finally, with different welding angles. Using a welding angle of 25 degrees to the horizontal allows for maximum weld penetration, while using a lower welding angle will reduce penetration.
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5
Apply the conditions from Steps 1 through 4 that provide the ideal weld penetration to your project.
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