Welding Positioner – The Comprehensive FAQ Guide

A welding positioner is considered one of the best and most crucial equipment in welding. But do you know what it is? Are you aware of its importance and its function in the welding space? If you’re not, then you are just on the right guide!

Not only will we be discussing what welding positioners are, but we will also give you a comprehensive take on how you can leverage it to your benefit!

What Is a Weld Positioner?

A welding positioner is a machine or a piece of equipment that’s used in the welding industry to hold, chuck, lock, move, and rotate workpieces that are being welded. The standard welding positioner is a small piece of device that allows welders to be in a single position and not move around while welding.

Why Use Welding Positioners?

Since their creation, welding positioners have been helping welders, workers, and operators in a few different ways – in welding. There are tons of reasons why, but the most common ones and why you should consider using welding positioners include:

Cleaner and Less Mess

Welding positioners give welders the chance to just stand or sit upright in a single position without the need to move around, diminishing mess and providing a cleaner and more environmentally-friendly experience.

You can expect less mess, less effort from the welders, and less energy consumed by the welding process!

Reduced Effort and Fatigue

Probably the main reason why you need to consider using welding positioners would be the fact that it eliminates and omits effort and fatigue from the welder. Going back to the point above, it allows the welder to just stay at a single position.

Better Work and Weld Quality

Last but most definitely not least among the reasons we listed would be the fact that it allows better, higher, and more beautiful weld quality compared to manual welding. A lot of higher-quality projects have been linked to using welding positioners, and that is true to stone.

If you’re looking for ways of how you can improve your weld quality, have safer and more secure welders, or provide a more accurate and precise welds, consider using a welding positioner for it! Out of the hundreds of reasons why you ought to use welding positioners for your projects, these are the most common and the most important of them all!

Different Welding Positions

If you’re new to welding, then you would probably wonder what welding positions are. From the term alone, these are positions that welders perform in order to achieve a weld.

In the industry, there are a total of four (4) different welding positions performed by welders, these are:

Flat Weld

The flat weld is actually the type of welding position that when you hear or imagine welding, it is what will come to mind. Flat weld is when the weld is laid out flat on a perfect horizontal plane, right above the joint and the welder is above those all.

Overhead Weld

The overhead weld is the type of weld where the welder would perform the welding above his or her head. Furthermore, the welding will be performed from under the joint.

Horizontal Weld

Most people think of the horizontal weld as the flat weld, but no, that is not the case. The horizontal weld runs along the horizontal plane, yes, but it would usually be angled. Imagine the welder performing the work on eye-level, horizontally. That is how the horizontal weld is done and made.

Vertical Weld

Last but most definitely not least is the vertical weld. Considered as one of the most difficult and complex welding positions, the vertical weld is the type where the welding will be performed along the axis, following a vertical plane.

These are the four (4) different welding positions that are done in the welding industry.

Why Welding Positioners Are Important in Welding

There are two (2) pieces of this question at bay: this one and why is welding position important in welding?

We can have an answer to both questions with just a single statement – it’s like hitting two (2) birds with one stone. Welding positioners are important in the welding industry because it provides a hefty amount of efficiency to the welder.

Imagine that you are the welder and you don’t have to move every now and then to achieve the perfect weld – what do you think will happen? You will have better and higher-quality welds, correct. Positioning is an important part of welding because it will define the look, functionality, and overall convenience of the weld.

Welding Positioner vs. Welding Fixture

Both are two (2) things that help welders with their welding procedures, but to emphasize, they are not the same. Welding positioners and welding fixtures are different; so, let’s go ahead and define each of them and try to know how these are different.

A welding positioner, based on what we already know, is a supplementary welding equipment that’s used to reposition, modify, tilt, and move the workpiece or weldment. It’s a device that allows welders to remain at a single position while welding.

A welding fixture, on the other hand, is a device that’s used for holding or clamping workpieces to a fixed position. It doesn’t move, rotate, twist, and turn – instead, it just keeps it there, as it is.

The difference between them would be in terms of functionality. The idea behind choosing welding positioners is that they move and keep the welder at a steady and upright position. On the other hand, welding fixtures keep the workpiece or weldment at a single position while it’s being worked on.

What is a DIY Welding Positioner?

DIY welding positioners, short for Do-It-Yourself positioners are machines that have been homemade, or, if anything – not purchased from a manufacturer that serves the purpose of a welding positioner. It helps welders achieve better and higher-quality welds without the need to move around and be tedious.

Unlike those that are purchased from a manufacturer or a retailer, DIY welding positioners are usually bare. They won’t have branded casing and would often appear as if they were made from the rawest of the raw materials there are.

DIY welding positioners are considered alternatives to store-bought ones simply because they’re cheap, easy-to-find, and they can do the job as good as those that are from manufacturers.

There are many different places where you can purchase DIY welding positioners, but among those, you can try searching for them on Craigslist or eBay.

Applications of Welding Positioners

Just because they’re labeled as “welding positioners,” doesn’t mean that they’re solely for the purpose of welding or industries that follow welding as one of their processes.

Yes, that is their primary use, but other than just welding, you can also use them for other services and projects too, such as:

• Heavy welding equipment mounting
• Mounting of oversized parts and components
• Rotating of workpieces and other types of infrastructure
• Rotary repositioning
• Assembling and dismantling workpieces and components

There are countless ways on how you can leverage welding positioners to your advantage. Think about its functionality and how you can relate it to making your work easier and more comfortable.

How Do You Use a Welding Positioner?

Now that we have full awareness of what a welding positioner is, let’s jump straight right to discussing the right and appropriate way of using them!

1. To start, you must first ensure that the welding positioner you are going to use is complete with all the accessories you bought it with (chucks, clutches, jaws, etc.).
2. After then, you can now start mounting the workpiece onto the welding positioner. Ensure that the workpiece is stable and is not loosely connected to the jaws and chucks of the positioner.
3. Then, set the program of how you want your weld positioner to function. Several brands of positioners have different settings – from low speed to high speed, clockwise and counterclockwise, etc.
4. Once your settings have been finalized, or start the welding positioner. Turn it on and ensure that when it’s revolving or rotating, the workpiece is not wiggling around. Check it every once in a while, and make sure that it has been properly set.
5. Reposition the workpiece if necessary but avoid overdoing it as it can cause the results to be asymmetrical.
6. When you’ve finished the welding process, proceed to the unmount the weldment or workpiece, and then mount the next project you’ll be working on.

That is how easy and simple using a weld positioner is. You don’t need to be extra technical and highly-experienced to use it, especially if you’re using a simple positioner!

What Are Benchtop Welding Positioners?

Benchtop welding positioners are welding positioners that are just made to be eligible for mounting on top of a workbench. They are small welding positioners and are used for standard-sized welding like regular-sized tubes, pipes, vessels, tanks, and fittings. Like big-sized positioners, benchtop weld positioners are designed to minimize fatigue of the welder and to ensure that the welder just stays at a single position while welding, minimizing risk and ensuring that the results will be high quality.

NOTE: Benchtop welding positioners are virtually the same as benchtop welding turntables!

What Are the Different Types of Welding Positioners?

Because of the complexity of welding, positioners have also been divided into a few different types. Now, these types may have similarities between them, but they have been designed and engineered to act in a specific type of way – their purpose is specific to their use!

2-Axis Weld Positioners

These are the simplest and most basic types of weld positioners where it’ll move at two (2) axes – up and down, left and right. They are ultimately designed for reducing vibrations, completely removing elastic deformations, as well as maximizing stability and steadiness on the workpieces.

Multi-Axis Weld Positioners

Next up would be the multi-axis welding positioners. Unlike 2-axis weld positioners, multi-axis positioners move in different, multiple axes accordingly. These are the common welding positioners purchasable today, and they are typically used for tilting, moving, and in angling the workpiece as well.

Tailstock or Headstock Weld Positioners

These are the types of welding positioners that are ideally used for workpieces and weldments that are rectangular in shape and are required to be supported on both ends, hence the term “tailstock” or “headstock” welding positioners.

Typically, these positioners are used for large infrastructures and weldments.

Turning Rolls or Welding Rotators

Last but most definitely not least are the welding rotators or turning rolls. These are the most different among the bunch as they are purposely made for supporting workpieces or weldments that are round or cylindrical in shape. Weld rotators continuously and constantly rotate or turn these cylindrical-shaped workpieces in order for the weld head to reach the full diameter of the workpiece.

There you have it! These are the four (4) different types of welding positioners you can get in the market today!

Are Welding Manipulators Welding Positioners?

For some of you who might have had a few eyes on welding supplementary equipment, you might be wondering – why isn’t there welding manipulators in the list of welding positioner types? This is because welding manipulators have a different working principle than welding positioners.

A welding manipulator moves and travels the weld head across the surface of the workpiece. It’s usually partnered up with welding positioners, which move the workpiece in conjunction to where the welding material or weld head is.

That is the reason why welding manipulators are not welding positioners, and vice versa.

What is 2G, 3G, and 4G Welding?

We’ve covered the different welding positions, right? Well, 2G, 3G, and 4G are welding positions, too, but instead of just referring about the position, it also indicates the type of weld that’s required. To start off, let’s discuss the suffix or the letter at every end of the number.

F is the suffix that stands for fillet or the type of weld that joins two (2) pieces of metal together when they meet at a perpendicular angle (L). G, is the suffix that stands for groove or the type of welding where it’s used to close a gap or a root opening from two (2) or more sources.

Now that we’re aware of what those suffixes are, let’s go ahead and discuss what 2G, 3G, and 4G welds are!

What the Numbers of Those Welding Symbols Mean

To give it to you directly, the numbers relate to the position of welding. Do you remember the four (4) different positions of welding? Yes, they are those!

This terminology is used in order to give welders the signal on what weld needs to be done for a particular project.

1G Weld

1G weld is a type of groove weld that is done in a flat position. It’s where the weldment or workpiece is laid out flat and the welder is overhead the workpiece.

2G Weld

Then, 2G welding is the horizontal type of weld. It is where the welder is almost at the same level as the workpiece – and is working along the horizontal axis of the material.

3G Weld

3G weld is the vertical weld or the weld that goes from down to up or up to down.

4G Weld

Then last would be 4G or the overhead groove weld. It is where the welder welds at a location that is higher than his or her head.

All of these are groove welds. Whenever you see “F” as the suffix, then it only means that instead of a groove weld, it’s a fillet weld.

The Best Place to Get Welding Positioners

The world is filled with a ton of manufacturing companies and suppliers for welding positioners. In fact, check out the market and you won’t find any mishaps or shortages. Dozens of businesses and companies offer welding positioners – old and new to clients who are in need of it.

If, however, you are looking for world-class quality welding positioners – the west would be your best option. Countries like Canada, North America, and several nations in Europe have mastered the art of welding, and therefore, are open to providing businesses with their welding supplements innovation.

Here in Asia, though, Chinese welding positioner manufacturers are beating the craft. Over the years, Chinese businesses and organizations have constantly improved and developed, even overtaking some brands in the west.

And out of all the many Chinese manufacturers you will find in the market, nothing will beat the way we do our weld positioners here at MISA Welding. We have given the best and highest quality of welding positioners to businesses and companies worldwide!

Wherever you are in the world and whatever type of welding positioner you need – whether you’re looking for prefabricated weld positioners or those that need to be customized, you can bank and count on us!

Why is MISA Welding Your Best Option For Welding Positioners?

With more than 2 decades of experience in the industry, we are no strangers in the welding space. We’ve traversed every nook and cranny in welding and we have produced thousands of equipment and products for our clientele.

Armed with multiple certifications of compliance, standards, and excellence certificates from various standards all over the world, you can bank and count on us to help you create the best welding positioners you want and need.

Our excellence spans from welding positioners, welding rotators, column and boom welding, CNC pipe cutting machines, manipulators, and many more! Do come to us if you have questions adjacent or related to welding positioners!

• All our products are OEM and are high quality
• We are equipped and employed with some of the industry’s top engineers and experts
• Our Research & Development (R&D) team is ready to help you customize your welding positioners
• We never stop researching to give you the best quality of products you can get

If you’re unsure of where to go or what to do – you will never be lost when you decide to work with us here at MISA Welding. Our research and development skills plus our determination to be the ultimate best in this region is what drives our passion into glory.

Contact us by any of the available channels that we have!