There are very few options for delicate metal joining. The vast variety of welding techniques and equipment focuses on welding on industrial and commercial levels. This often involves speed welding or welding techniques focused on large work pieces.
People who wish to work on delicate pieces such as jewelry often find that they have only one practical option, a pulse arc welder. This device delivers instantaneous burst of energy. These controlled burst are highly localized with little diffusion of energy. Thus, the technique is perfect for situations where the delicate nature of the work piece excludes high power application of other welding techniques.
The basic setup of the pulse arc welder is made of a complete loop that starts with a negative source that is often grounded. This is an important aspect of the operation because the instantaneous nature of the pulse is dependent on the ability of the pulsed energy to move to the negative terminal as swiftly as possible. This swift action results in highly localized action of the pulse.
It is important to understand that pulsed arc welding process is different from other micro welding processes that depend on the short circuiting of the work pieces. This process could severely harm delicate pieces such as jewelry because of the heat generated in the process. In addition, the shock of energy diffusion is also a factor that could seriously damage the appearance of the piece.
Pulse arc welder is a popular choice for jewelry enthusiasts and professionals because of the localized joint with minimum of energy diffusion. The result is a small weld that is often enough for small pieces. For larger pieces, a series of joints often complete the task. Since there is no danger of heat damage, the step of removing the stones from the piece could be safely bypassed.
