Arc energy per unit length, calculated as volts times amps times 60, divided by travel speed in inches or millimeters per minute, giving joules per inch or per millimeter, divided by 1,000 to report kJ; waveform-controlled machines use measured instantaneous power. High heat input coarsens grain and lowers HAZ impact toughness, while very low heat input raises hardness and cracking risk. Procedures for impact-tested and quenched-and-tempered steels set a maximum.
Your weave's too wide, heat input is way over the 55 kJ per inch the PQR supports.
A wide weave raises heat input more than a few extra amps, because travel speed drops so much across the joint.
Also heard as
- arc energy
- HI
Related terms
HAZ
Heat-affected zone: base metal next to a weld whose structure changed from the heat but did not melt.
Stringer bead
A straight, narrow bead run along the joint without weaving, the opposite of a weave bead.
WPS
Welding procedure specification: the written instructions that tell welders exactly how to make a weld.
Interpass temperature
The temperature of the weld area just before the next pass starts, with minimum and maximum limits.