Maximise
YOUR WELDING EQUIPMENT
Alongside regular servicing and maintenance, having your machine professionally calibrated is one of the best ways to ensure that your welding machine performs at its best.
BS EN IEC 60974-14:2018
BS 60974-14 covers the requirements for electrical and welder testing of your welding machines. BS 60974-14 is an accredited British Standard which brings together day-to-day work practices and the latest technology for regular assessments of welding machines and equipment.
Long term vs short term
There’s no denying that regular system maintenance and maintenence comes at a cost. But it’s nothing compared to the price you will pay if you cannot prove that your production process is in line with the standards in the event of damage occurring.
How often should welding machines be calibrated?
Typically every 12 months for standard grade equipment and every 6 months for precision grade equipment. These should be performed more regularly if it's suspected that the performance has worsened, as well as after any repairs to the power supply or its metering system i.e. the wire feed unit
Should you consider a service plan?
Combining servicing with calibration is an effective way of saving time and money. It is also the best way to ensure you are getting the maximum benefit from your machines and avoiding more costly repairs due to poor upkeep of machinery.
The Benefits of Calibration
It's critical to calibrate your welding machine to ensure that it's running at the correct settings. If you execute welding operations on non-calibrated welding equipment, you may create an atmosphere conducive to welder mistakes, which may result in costly rework.
Calibration of your welding equipment before starting any new welding processes will help guarantee that the procedures written are carried out in a controlled environment. This ensures that the welding processes carried out on your welding equipment are precise.
Calibration of your welding equipment before starting any new welding processes will help guarantee that the procedures written are carried out in a controlled environment. This ensures that the welding processes carried out on your welding equipment are precise.
calibration
PROCESS
Welding machines are connected to a calibration station to inspect the actual voltage, amperage, and wire feed speed. It’s also possible to establish the welding current source’s gas flow rate.
The resulting numbers are analysed and obtained for your welding equipment and compares them to the standard requirements to find any inconsistencies.
If the necessary procedures aren’t followed, the welding equipment should not be used for manufacturing due to potential quality issues.
MIG/MAG, manual metal arc welding, and TIG systems may all be calibrated. Qualified fabricators must have their welding equipment calibrated at least annually.
The standards provide the concepts that will guide the quality assurance process for welded goods. EN 1090 specifies the manufacturing specifications and CE marks for steel and aluminium.
Calibration
PROCEDURE
Calibration compares the displayed values against the reference values. To ensure production work is carried out in accordance with the applicable standards, regular calibration of your welding machine is required, usually annually. Modern machines are rarely out with the reference values, but regular inspection reduces the risk of any safety-related defects.
Regular calibration of power sources is essential in the regulated welding technology sector where special quality standards are in force.
Alongside regular servicing and maintenance, having your machine professionally calibrated is one of the best ways to ensure that your welding machine performs at its best. The demands of the welding industry today require the use of properly calibrated welding equipment to enable you to perform the high-quality welds that your customers are looking for.
When all machines are purchased they are calibrated as standard. However, it is important to keep up-to-date with calibrations to ensure safe and reliable welding is maintained.
By regularly calibrating your machines in accordance with the regulations, you can maintain the quality of the welds and can ensure the safety of the equipment is not compromised due to mechanical breakages.
