Troubleshooting Welding Problems: nexAir KnowHow’s Tips for Effective Problem Solving

Ask any veteran welder about their worst day on the job, and you’ll likely hear about that mysterious problem that shut down production and refused to be solved. Sometimes, it’s porosity that appears for no apparent reason. Other times, it’s a wire that suddenly won’t feed right. These issues cost time and money, driving even the most patient welders crazy.

Don’t Just Treat the Symptoms

When trouble strikes, there’s always pressure to get things running again fast. This pushes many shops into a cycle of quick fixes that never really solve the underlying problem.

Take the case of a metal fabricator who kept experiencing burnbacks in their MIG guns. They’d trim the wire, replace the tip, and return to work – only to face the same issue an hour later. This went on for weeks. When they finally slowed down to investigate systematically, they discovered their drive roll tension was set too high, deforming the wire slightly. This created increased electrical resistance at the contact tip, generating extra heat that caused recurring burnbacks.

With welding problems, what you see isn’t always what needs fixing. Our expert KnowHow™ focuses on tracking issues to their source rather than just clearing the immediate symptom.

Isolate Variables to Find the Real Culprit

When faced with a persistent welding problem, changing multiple things at once is tempting but usually counterproductive. You might fix the issue but never know which change actually solved it.

A truck body manufacturer struggled with inconsistent penetration on a critical joint. They tried changing wire type, adjusting gas flow, tweaking machine settings, and even blamed the base material – all at once. The problem would improve briefly, then return. They discovered their gas flow was occasionally dropping due to a regulator issue when they methodically tested one variable at a time.

Start your troubleshooting by changing just one thing, then test. Keep careful notes about what changes and what stays the same. This systematic approach feels slower initially but actually solves problems faster and more permanently.

Look Beyond the Obvious Suspects

The source of a welding problem often hides where you least expect it. Power supply issues get blamed for a host of problems that actually stem from other causes.

One small fabrication shop struggled for months with porosity in stainless steel welds. They replaced their entire gas delivery system, retrained welders on technique, and even questioned their material supplier. The actual culprit? A box fan positioned near the welding station was creating just enough draft to disrupt shielding gas coverage. Moving the fan solved a problem they’d spent thousands trying to fix.

Simple environmental factors – air movement, temperature changes, even the position of nearby equipment – can dramatically impact weld quality. Don’t overlook these “invisible” factors when tracking down stubborn problems.

Document Everything During the Good Times

The best time to prepare for problems is when everything’s working perfectly. Shops that document their processes during successful runs have a huge advantage when troubleshooting becomes necessary.

A custom motorcycle frame builder made a habit of recording all welding parameters when quality was excellent – taking photos of control settings, measuring actual gas flow rates, and noting ambient conditions. When they later encountered issues with a particular joint, they could compare current conditions with their documented “success recipe” and quickly identify deviations.

This approach helps fabricators Forge Forward through problem-solving with less guesswork and more precision. Even simple records – gas type and flow rate, machine settings, ambient temperature – provide valuable reference points when things go wrong.