Originally Posted by JLarson

Dealing with a strange issue that some of you guys may have seen before in manufacturing.

We're having trouble welding endcaps on a part. The endcaps are wire EDM'd. When the parts are tack welded, the tack weld is abruptly burning through, creating a crater or blowout. This is a seriously experienced welder who has done this job for years with no issues. Only change is that in the past we've used a punch, not a wire edm, to make the endcaps.

Any idea on whether or not the recast layer created by the wire edm would cause issues with weldability? Thinking about grit blasting the edge, ultrasonic cleaning it, and then trying the weld again.