Updated: April 04, 2022
Welding is a great way to make money and it is also an incredible skill that you can use for many different jobs. However, there are some dangers involved with welding, so it’s important that you know about safety precautions before starting your job. This blog post will discuss the most common positions when welding, as well as tips on how they can help keep you safe!
Working in the different welding positions
Welders usually stand to weld. But there are a few other possible welding positions you might want to know about, especially if your joints or back start hurting while you’re working. These include flat, horizontal, vertical etc. Each position requires a specific technique to do the best job possible without damaging your equipment or hurting yourself. -Flat welding position: In this position, the weld is done from one side of a surface while laying the shielding gas on the other side. The torch is kept stationary, and only moved to change directions when swapping sides of a surface. -Horizontal welding position: In this position, you are laying down with your head at one end of the metal and feet at the opposite end. You will use short strokes in this position because it helps keep your elbows out of the way. -Vertical welding position: In this position, you are standing up and welding while using long strokes for maximum heat input. Sometimes it is more comfortable to use a swivel seat which helps relieve some fatigue in your back or joints as you weld but requires that someone be stationed at one end with their head at the other end. -Laying down welding position: In this position, you are lying down and welding with long strokes because there is no chance of your elbows hitting anything too close to a joint. -Overhead position: This position is the same as laying down welding except that you are standing up, with your feet at one end of the metal and head at the opposite end. -Vertical overhead position: This position is like vertical welding but instead you will use long strokes because it’s hard to reach a joint if using short strokes.Positions for pipe welding
Pipe welding usually requires a different position because you are focusing on making your weld where the pipe meets with other pipes. -The vertical pipe welding position: In this position, you are standing up and leaning over to make long strokes at an angle so that both sides of the welded area can be easily accessed by someone stationed in front of the welder. -The horizontal pipe welding position: In this position, you are lying down on your back and making long strokes so that both sides of the welded area can be easily accessed by someone stationed in front of the welder. -Pipe weaving positions: There is also a pipe weaving technique where you’re able to weave the pipe in and out of your body. The key features of these positions are that they all keep your hands away from sharp edges or flames as possible for better safety.Tips for welding positions
There are a few tips for welding positions to help you be as safe as possible. -Safety gear is important: Safety equipment includes safety gloves, and eye protection because these two things can make the difference between life or death in some dangerous situations. -Work at an even pace: One of the key features of all three of these welding positions is that they are counter-intuitive. -Avoid hot metal: It’s important to stay away from the piece you’re welding because it will be too hot for your hands and could cause a serious burn. The weld should just look like an orange tinge on top of the steel, but not so much that there are orange burns all over the steel. -Avoid slag: Slag is what happens when you weld and some of your bits or metal just don’t catch on fire, so they’re still stuck to the surface. You can avoid this by making sure that everything’s clean. If there’s dirt, oil, paint or any other substance covering your metal, it’s going to be harder for the welding wire or rod to penetrate and fuse with your materials. -Keep an eye on how fast you’re moving: Working at a constant pace is important because if you overheat the steel too quickly there will be less time for that material to cool down properly before trying again.How Does Duty Cycle Affect Different Welding Positions?
The duty cycle in welding plays a crucial role in determining the efficiency and performance of welds in different positions. When welding in vertical or overhead positions, the duty cycle becomes even more crucial due to increased heat buildup. Proper management of duty cycle ensures effective cooling and prevents overheating, resulting in high-quality welds and increased productivity.
