Welding Information

Top Service Call: “The Machine Sparked”

This is one of the top service calls we get. The customer says the machine sparked, or it won’t weld. Often the machine is fine. The air cylinder has run out of stroke.

Electrodes wear, and they get dressed shorter. Each time, the cylinder must travel farther to clamp the parts. One day the piston hits the end of the cylinder first. The electrodes barely touch, or they don’t touch at all. There is no weld force, so the weld current sparks.

The fix: make sure the cylinder has stroke left when the electrodes close. Adjust the stroke, or replace worn electrodes. Still stuck? Call us at 800-582-5229.