Orion Pulse Arc Welding Workbook
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welding of solder is also not advised because of its low melting temperature. Solder will vaporize easily and leave your
workpiece looking blackened or burnt.
CAN I BUILDUP OR ADD MATERIAL TO A WELD LOCATION?
Yes, the Orion is very versatile. In Pulse Arc Mode, filler wire can be used to add metal to a weld location. In Tack Mode,
filler wire or sheet filler can be permanently affixed to a location. Wire sizes up to and greater than 1mm in diameter can be
added. However, the user should select wire diameters that match the size of the feature being welded. Users should also
select wire with similar material to that of their workpiece. For example: when re-tipping a gold ring, 0.25mm gold filler
wire is an excellent choice. If filling a large gap in a steel workpiece, 1mm steel wire may be more suitable. e Orion has the
energy and versatility to weld both of these, and many more applications with ease.
CAN THE ORION WELD SILVER?
Yes, the Orion has been specifically designed with the more difficult-to-weld materials in mind. Silver requires appreciable
energy for a sustained period of time. e Orion has enough energy and capacity to make quick work of your silver
applications.
CAN I WELD DIFFERENT DISSIMILAR METALS TOGETHER?
Yes, in many instances different metals can be welded easily together with the Orion. In pulse-arc welding the weld spot
location becomes a new alloy of the two primary metals (this new alloy will adopt new properties that may be better or
worse than the primary materials).
Dissimilar metals can also be joined in Tack / Fusion Mode. Again, weld strength and properties will depend on alloy
properties.
HOW DO I DETERMINE THE BEST ENERGY SETTINGS FOR MY APPLICATION?
In Arc Mode, metals will weld according to thermal conductivity and melting point. For example, a metal with lower thermal
conductivity (e.g. stainless steel, titanium, cobalt alloys) will weld easily because the weld heat stays concentrated in the
spot. erefore, less energy is required to weld one of these metals than other metals of the same thickness that have a
higher thermal conductivity.
Metals with higher thermal conductivity (e.g. copper, silver, gold) will require more energy to create the same spot because
much of the heat is conducted away quickly.
e melting temperature of the metal is also very important when determining the necessary energy setting for a weld.
Knowing the approximate, or relative, melting temperature of your working metal will enable you to estimate the amount
of energy required to create a spot. High melting temperature translates to a large amount of energy required. Low melting
temperature translates into a smaller amount of energy required to make the weld.
In Tack Mode, energy is important but there are two other important factors that need to be remembered. ese factors
are electrical conductivity and contact pressure. In Tack Mode the Orion is a full-fledged resistance welder. is means that
the Orion uses a metal’s electrical resistance to create the weld heat. Metals that conduct electricity well (e.g. copper) are
more difficult to weld in Tack Mode and require special Tack attachments to obtain a proper weld. e second important
factor when in Tack Mode is the weld contact pressure. e weld contact pressure can be controlled by how much force
you apply to the two pieces that are being welded together. e harder you push the pieces together the lower you make
the electrical contact resistance between them and the lower the created heat. Conversely, light pressure will result in high
contact resistance and high heat.
For all welds, the size and thickness of the metal will play a significant role in the energy settings that you choose. Orion
recommends that users start at a low energy, and work upwards until an appropriate energy setting is found.
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