Holding & Labelling
Holding and clamping parts accurately is critical to achieving good outcomes in welding.
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Holding and clamping parts accurately is critical to achieving good outcomes in welding.
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As you will be handing over your parts to a technician for welding, it is important to clearly articulate how the project should come together. This can be done by creating a labelling system for your parts and joins. Any system you devise should be clearly understood by the technician before commencing with welding.
If you are laser cutting parts, you might like to add labels with the laser etching. Alternatively, tape and marker should do the trick.
If your job is especially complex, provide as much documentation as you can as to which parts go where.
You can consult with a FabLab technician to figure out the best ways to label parts and the order in which they should go together.
Holding allows parts to be positioned accurately during welding, while also allowing the welder to keep their hands free. Most common joins are easily held by magnets, clamps, or a combination of both.
If you have a complicated join, perhaps using compound angles, consider ways that these two parts may be held in position during the welding process. Specialist magnets and clamps are commonly used, but if your work is especially complex, you may want to consider making a jig.
Ideally, jigs should be made from plywood or similar.
Stainless steel, although ferrous is NOT magnetic.
Understanding what is possible in holding should inform your design.
