Understanding and Extending Contact Tip Life

 

Social Media Terms of Use

1-855-MIGWELD (644-9353)

Understanding and Extending Contact Tip Life

While only a small part of a larger system, contact tips play a critical part in achieving high quality welding
performance. The primary function of this consumable is to transfer the welding current to the welding wire as it
passes through the center bore, effectively creating the arc. To achieve the most consistent results, the wire needs
to feed through the contact tip with the least amount of resistance possible, while still maintaining electrical
contact.

Because of the constant friction from the wire and the

exposure to the heat of the arc (and, in some cases, the
reflective heat from the base material), contact tips take a
tremendous amount of abuse during the course of welding.
This abuse can easily turn into contact tip failure without the
proper precautions.

Not surprisingly, contact tip failure not only hinders

productivity by creating downtime for change over, but it can
also negatively affect weld quality and create rework. Adding
to that, the cost of replacing contact tips on a frequent basis
can add up over time.
Understanding the typical types of contact tip failures and their
causes is the best approach to preventing them.
Types of contact tip failure
There are two main types of contact tip failure.

1. Failure that leads to a burnback and its associated

problems

2. Failure that produces contact tip wear

Burnbacks occur when a weld forms within the contact tip and
can occur at any point along the weld. They are not Contact tip failure not only hinders productivity by creating downtime for
necessarily the result of poor contact tip performance, but change over, but it can also negatively affect weld quality and create
rework. Understanding the typical types of contact tip failures and their
rather burnbacks can result from too slow of wire feed speeds causes is the best approach to preventing them.
and/or incorrect contact-tip-to-work distance (also referred to as CTWD). The CTWD is the distance between the
end of the contact tip and the base material; if the distance is too short (i.e. the contact tip is too close to the
workpiece), a burnback can occur. The quality of the wire, incorrect parameter settings and micro-spatter buildup,
as well as incorrect wire feeder and liner adjustments can all contribute to burnbacks.  When they occur,
burnbacks reveal themselves by way of poor arc starts, arc instability, inconsistent wire feeding and, ultimately,
stoppages in wire feeding altogether.

http://www.bernardwelds.com/understanding-and-extending-contact-tip-life-p157448[5/19/2017 9:35:39 AM]

Understanding and Extending Contact Tip Life

Contact tip wear can be both mechanical and electrical. It occurs from the friction of the wire feeding through the
bore of the contact tip and is especially prevalent in higher amperage semi-automatic and robotic applications. In
the latter, contact tip wear can produce issues with tool center point (TCP), resulting in offset welds and potentially
rework, especially in robotic welding systems that do not employ seam tracking. The design of the contact tip and
the material it is composed of are two factors that affect a contact tip’s tendency toward wear. Typically,
manufacturers use copper for contact tips because it is readily available and offers good electrical and thermal
conductivity. Copper, however, has a relatively low resistance to wear, making it more prone to failures. For higher
amperage applications, companies often turn to chrome zirconium contact tips due to their strength and their ability
to resist wear by heat.

Rectifying contact tip failure

All contact tips, regardless of the material used to manufacture them, will eventually fail if used or abused for a
long enough periods of time and/or at a high enough temperature. They are, after all, consumables with a finite
lifespan. The goal, nonetheless, is to prolong the life of the consumables in order to avoid unnecessary downtime,
as well as cost for additional inventory. A good step in achieving those goals is to understand the ways to help
prevent contact tip failure.

Burnbacks: There is no one solution to minimize contact tip failure due to burnbacks; each situation is unique and
may require a series of corrective actions. The goal is to address the associated errors or issues that are leading
to the burnback in the first place.

The two key solutions for minimizing burnbacks include increasing

the wire feed speed and/or lengthening the distance of the MIG
gun from the workpiece. The nozzle should be no further than
one-half inch from the base metal.

Matching a welding wire with the appropriate cast for the contact
tip bore tolerance can also reduce the risk for burnbacks, as it
Burnbacks, as shown here, occur when a weld forms within the helps improve electrical contact and reduce CTWD variability. The
contact tip and can occur at any point along the weld.
wire’s cast is affected by three main factors: the supply reel (spool
or drum); drive roll tension; and MIG gun neck angle. A tight wire cast may allow for a looser bore tolerances and
still be able to make the appropriate electrical contact with the contact tip to create a stable arc. A straighter cast
may require a contact tip with a tighter bore to exert pressure on the wire and create consistent conductivity. It is
important to note that with a smaller contact tip bore, there is a risk of the spatter build up, so cleanliness is key.

Selecting contact tips with a smooth surface and bore can also help prevent the wire from snagging on the
consumable and causing a burnback. Using a contact tip/gas diffuser design that maximizes the surface area
between these consumables is another option to reduce the potential for this problem — the tight connection
creates less heat and can reduce micro-spatter that could hinder the wire from feeding and becoming blocked in
the contact tip bore.

Additional preventive measures include:

•    Adjusting the drive rolls to ensure smooth wire feeding

•    Properly selecting and installing the MIG gun liner
•    Using shorter power cables when possible
•    Eliminating loops or kinks in the power cable
•    Using dust covers to protect the wire from contaminants that could clog the contact tip

Contact tip wear: The degree of wear on a contact tip depends on multiple factors, including operating
temperatures; the wire cast; and the surface condition, material properties and bore tolerances of the contact tip.

http://www.bernardwelds.com/understanding-and-extending-contact-tip-life-p157448[5/19/2017 9:35:39 AM]

Understanding and Extending Contact Tip Life

Lowering operating temperatures, when feasible, is among the best defenses against contact tip wear. These
lower temperatures can be achieved in a number of ways, for example, using a water-cooled MIG gun. These
types of guns are especially well suited for higher amperage applications (usually between 300- and 600-amps).
They do, however, introduce some additional complexities to the welding operation that companies need to
consider.

Namely, water-cooled guns have a weaker neck than air-cooled

models, so in robotic applications specifically, they can be more
prone to bending in the event of a crash. They also tend to be
more expensive to maintain. When deciding whether to use a
water-cooled MIG gun to help combat the excessive heat that
could lead to contact tip
wear, users will have to weigh out the advantages and These images show the characteristics of contact tip wear. The
image on the left (A) shows the bore conditions of a new contact
disadvantages of this equipment in terms of costs and productivity tip. The image on the right (B) shows a contact tip that has
experienced wear after many hours of welding.
to determine if the product is the best choice.

An alternative to reduce contact tip wear via lower temperatures would be to use a thermally-effective air-cooled
torch in combination with front end consumables designed to dissipate heat. Typically, high quality consumables
have been designed to seat firmly together to minimize electrical resistance, thereby generating less heat and
reducing the opportunity for contact tip wear and failure. Remember that cheaper isn’t always better. When it
comes to purchasing consumables, it may be worth the extra cost upfront for such a design in order to minimize
long-term costs and downtime associated with contact tip changeover.

The value of extending contact tip life

In any welding operation, there is no single solution to instill efficiencies — it can be a matter of technique,
equipment and more. However, minimizing contact tip failure is an important way to reduce downtime and costs,
while also ensuring higher weld quality. Be sure to train new welding operators as to the value of taking preventive
measures to combat burnbacks and contact tip wear, emphasizing the impact of these occurrences on the overall
welding operation. As with any process, education can go a long way in helping companies create a more
productive and profitable business.
 

 TECHNICAL RESOURCES
Spec Sheets, Replacement Parts and Operations Manuals
Archived Product Spec Sheets and Manuals

Tech Connection Product News

How-To Guides and Videos
Article Library
Technical Resources
Troubleshooting Guide

Get Connected
Enter your email

http://www.bernardwelds.com/understanding-and-extending-contact-tip-life-p157448[5/19/2017 9:35:39 AM]

Understanding and Extending Contact Tip Life

Sign up here to receive the following electronic communications from Bernard and Tregaskiss: Amperage
eNews (quarterly), special company announcements, event invitations, contests/sweepstakes, and
information about our products and services!
You can unsubscribe at any time. Please refer to our Privacy Policy or Contact Us for more details.

BERNARD WELDING PRODUCTS TECHNICAL RESOURCES

Semi-Automatic MIG Guns Spec Sheets, Replacement Parts, Manuals
Self-Shielded Guns Tech Connection Product News
Fume Extraction MIG Guns Technical Resources
Consumables and Parts Article Library
Welding Accessories

ONLINE RESOURCES ABOUT BERNARD

Configure My Gun Online Press Room
Miller Equip to Weld System Configurator History of Bernard
Where To Buy - Distributor Locator ITW Welding
Product Literature & Promotional Videos Privacy Policy
Literature Request Form Website Terms of Use
Warranty

Bernard semi-automatic welding products, consumables and accessories combine quality and rugged durability to provide you with all
the welding supplies your project requires. Whether it's a welding consumable, nozzle, MIG welding tip, welding tip, welding torch,
welding cable, welding company, Centerfire, butt connector, wire feeder, splicer, self-shielded flux-cored gun, FCAW gun, GMAW
gun, stick welding gun, manual gun, fume extraction gun, smoke gun, MIG gun, MIG welding gun, terminal lugs, MIG gun, Bernard
welding gun, welding gun, MIG torch, or a Bernard MIG Gun, Bernard has it for you.

Copyright 2017 Bernard | All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use

http://www.bernardwelds.com/understanding-and-extending-contact-tip-life-p157448[5/19/2017 9:35:39 AM]