ESAB Teaching Mode Operation for Digipulse Wire Feeder Troubleshooting instruction

INSTRUCTIONS FOR

TEACHING MODE OPERATION

FOR DIGIPULSE WIRE FEEDER

F-15-013-A

November, 1996

F-15-013-A

These instructions are for experienced operators. If you are not fully familiar with the principles of operation and safe practices
for electric welding equipment, we urge you to read our booklet “Precautions and Safe Practices for Arc Welding, Cutting and
Gouging, “Form 52-529”. Do NOT permit untrained persons to install, operate, or maintain this equipment. Do NOT attempt to
install or operate this equipment until you have read and fully understand these instructions. If you do not fully understand
these instructions, contact your supplier for further information. Be sure to read all Safety Precautions in wire feeder manual
before installing or operating this equipment.

Be sure this information reaches the operator.
You can get extra copies through your supplier.

I. INTRODUCTION

The Digipulse with optional teach control is the most en­hanced version of the Digipulse family. It features a “teach”
mode that allows an operator to develop and store his
own pulse welding conditions in addition to the standard
preprogrammed conditions (codes 1- 6) already available
in the standard control. The Synergic program logic of­fers the Digipulse system fixed operating parameters that
follow preprogrammed relationships. The Adaptive logic
utilizes a closed loop feedback system that continuously
modifies the output to maintain a constant arc voltage.

II. PROGRAMMING YOUR OWN PULSE PA-

RAMETERS

The “teach” mode program is incorporated in Material
Codes #11 through #15. Each of these codes is designed
to allow the operator to develop and store one set of cus­tomized Pulsed mig parameters* for wire types which have
not been preprogrammed in this control (for example; ti­tanium, inconel, monel, etc.). In some instances the
preprogrammed carbon steel or stainless steel param­eters may be inadequate, and the “teach” mode can then
be used to further refine those particular arc characteris­tics.

*You may wish to permanently incorporate your “self de­veloped” conditions in codes 7 thru 10 which are reserved
for custom applications. If so, you can special-order a
custom E-PROM, from ESAB, that will include your teach
conditions along with the other preprogrammed applica­tions. In order to do this, you
will have to provide the necessary welding condition de­velopment parameters outlined in Section IV of this supple­ment.

adjustment to the pulse frequency to maintain
stable metal transfer. Since the operator selects pulse

parameters at a given point, the control will not assume
values at other wire feed speeds. Also note that the
Trigger Lock/Crater Fill feature is not programmable

P

W

Pulse
Width

P

F

Pulse

Frequency

Peak Current

P

H

Spray Transition
Current

Average Current

Background

P

B

Current

Zero Current

Fig. 1 - Pulse Wave Description

Should be high

P

H

enough to detach the
droplet.

Works with the pulse

P

W

peak current to allow
time for the droplet to
form.

Should be set high

P

B

enough to maintain
the arc between
pulses.

Used to establish

P

F

the necessary arc
length for good arc
stability.

to the teach mode (codes 11 - 15).

For the inexperienced operator, use the following
graphs to assist in pulse parameter set-up. These
graphs will provide you with pulse parameters used in
the preprogrammed codes (1-6). To obtain specific arc
characteristics these parameters can be set-up and
changed in the teach mode. The following procedure

The following instructions assume that the operator is fa­miliar with “pulse-mig” welding and the effects of pulse
variables with respect to arc performance.

Pulse height, width, background and frequency can be
programmed for any wire feed speed set in the IPM win­dow. The metal transfer and arc characteristics are de­fined by pulse height (PH), width (PW), and background
current (PB). These parameters, shown in Figure 1, must
be developed for each wire type, diameter, shielding gas,
and stickout. To maintain the proper arc characteristics
once an appropriate pulse height, width and background
have been established, the pulse frequency should be
the only parameter requiring readjustment with changes
in wire feed speed to maintain a stable arc condition. The

“teach” mode operates in the synergic logic “only”
(not adaptive), and only one wire feed speed setting can

be programmed in each material code (11 thru 15).

Changes in wire feed speed will require a manual

2

4

5

3

6

2

1

Fig. 2

will achieve a reasonable starting point for pulse weld­ing.

pulse parameter switch (Item 1, Fig. 2) in its “down”
position and for following.

A. Make sure the Synergic/Adaptive logic switch (Item

2, Fig. 2) is set in SYN position.

B. Set the Process selector switch (Item 6, Fig. 2) to its

PULSE position.

C. Select a programmable Material code from 11 thru

15 by “holding down” the Material selector key (Item
3, Fig. 2) and holding the Inc/Dec key (Item 4, Fig. 2)
under the IPM window in the up position. Release
both keys once a Material code is selected.

NOTE: You may notice that a Wire Dia. code number

will appear in the VOLTS window when the Wire
Dia/Material key is depressed. This code # must
match the wire installed when you’re using
“preprogrammed” data in codes 1 thru 6, how­ever, this is not required in the teach mode codes
11 thru 15. Please remember that all other pa­rameters that are programmed will be retained
in memory (for teach codes 11-15) except for
the wire size—therefore, it is suggested that you
document the wire size dia. used and all other
parameters relating to a particular teach code
for future reference.

D. Set a wire feed speed in the IPM window by using the

Inc/Dec key (Item 4) below the window.

E. Using the pulse parameter graph(s)), shown on the

following pages, approximate the pulse height, width
(for step F), and pulse background and frequency (for
step G) settings for the material type and diameter
you plan to use. Select the appropriate pulse param­eter graph which corresponds to the material type
being used. For wire types other than those shown,
choose the graph that comes closest to your wire type.
For example, for coppers use the silicon bronze graph
parameters as a starting point.

F. Program the Pulse Height (PH) and Pulse Width (PW)

parameters, from the material graph legend for the
diameter wire installed, by “holding” the pulse param­eter switch (Item 1, Fig. 2) to its “up” position and the
following:

1. Set the selected Pulse Height (PH) parameter in
the IPM window using its Inc/Dec switch (Item 4).
The number in this window represents pulse height
from .1 to 10 volts (in 1/10 volt increments).

2. Now, set the selected Pulse Width (PW) param­eter in the VOLTS window using its Inc/Dec switch
(Item 5). The number in this window represents
pulse width from 1 to 10 milliseconds (in 1/10 mil­lisecond increments)

G. Program the Pulse Background (PB) and Pulse Fre-

quency (PF) parameters, from the material graph leg­end for the diameter wire installed, by “ holding” the

1. Set the selected Pulse Background (PB) param­eter in the IPM window using its Inc/Dec switch
(Item 4). The number in this window represents
pulse background current from 15 to 100 amperes
(in 1 amp increments).

2. Now, set the selected Pulse Frequency (PF) pa­rameter in the VOLTS window using its Inc/Dec
switch (Item 5). The number in this window repre­sents the approximated pulse frequency derived
from the graph for wire feed speed selected (step
D) and is displayed in Hertz from 25 to 909 pulse
cycles/second.

H. Assuming that any other desired parameters (e.g.,

preflow, inch, spot, postflow, burnback, etc.) have
been programmed, as described previously in F-15­012, you can energize the torch switch and begin
welding. The torch switch must be held closed
throughout the teach mode operation.

I. Once an acceptable arc condition has been obtained

by further modifying pulse height, pulse width, and
pulse background, changes in wire feed speed will

necessitate a manual adjustment to the pulse fre­quency to maintain a stable metal transfer.

Operating Note: The 5 programmable codes (11 thru

15) provide the operator with an opportunity to develop
a complete welding procedure by having different weld­ing parameters preprogrammed into separate schedules.
Once programmed, the operator only needs to change
to the appropriate program number for the weld
parameters required. For example, when welding pipe,
root pass, fill pass and capping pass pulse parameters
can be programmed into separate schedules and ac­cessed when needed (see II-C). Each set of parameters
can have a different pulse height, width, background,
frequency, and wire feed speed.

III. USEFUL DATA FOR SYNERGIC-ADAPTIVE

OPERATION

The operating characteristics of synergic vs adaptive
logic in the welding operation is covered in booklet F­15-012 and following. The selectability of either of these
features is made from the front panel (see Item 2, Fig.

2) in the feeder. Please note that either type of logic can
be used in the “preprogrammed” material codes 1 thru
10; however, only the synergic position can be used in
the “teach” mode material codes 11 thru 15.

1. Synergic Operation
a. Pulse Arc Welding:

Synergic welding is a relationship of pulse fre­quency and wire feed speed (see graph) pro­grammed into the weld control. As the wire feed

3