Puddle welding deck to galvanized steel

[kmead]

I have always specified Hilti fasteners to attach deck to galvanized beams, but I've been asked if puddle welds could be used instead. My thought that it's harder to puddle weld to galvanized steel than it is to use the Hilti fasteners but the fabricator is telling me otherwise.
Any thought on this would be greatly appreciated.

 

[kingnero]

I'm not that familiar with english language, but what are puddle welds? similar to plug welds?
It's not hard to weld to galvanized beams, but it's 1) not healthy , 2) it gives bad quality welds and 3) it messes up the galvanized beam.

Unless there's more to it, I would strongly advise against...

 

[Ron]

Mechanical fasteners are much easier to put in than a PROPER puddle weld. I'd bet your contractor has 20 years of experience doing it incorrectly and getting by with it.

Stick to your guns. Puddle welds are fine, but you need quality inspection and the welder must be certified for sheet steel in the potential number of layers that can occur at laps (Usually max. of 4 layers)

 

[XR250]

Seems like tek screws or ramset pins would be cheaper for the contractor

 

[kmead]

Thank you all for the input. I have advised the contractor that I am not allowing the use of puddle welds. I think it's a bad idea.
Ron, you're absolutely correct, that's almost the exact thing he said

 

[dik]

kingnero... puddle welds are similar to 'plug' welds, but for thin material They are used for light gauge material and are effected by burning a small hole through the deck with the fusion between the base material and the 'burned' circumference of the 'puddle'.

They are often used for galvanised deck material and touched up with zinc rich primer, but I've not spec'd them for base material that is HDG... the spatter, fumes and damage to the base material, as noted, are a real problem.

Dik

 

[kingnero]

thanks for that, Dik. That's what I thought, yet I'm still astonished that it's often used for galvanised deck material. Don't you guys have safety/health inspectors? Even outdoors and with helmets with pressurized air intake, zinc fumes can easily make a welder sick.

 

[DDBPE]

OSHA would govern over this work in the US in the respiratory protection section, companies that do this type of work are supposed to have a written plan in place. The main requirement would be to keep the area well ventilated, which could simply be a fan blowing the fumes away from their face and/or a respirator with the type of filter for the fumes which are made to work with a welding shield. Typically for metal decking and beam to bearing connections on bridges, fans is what worked for them.

Old timers would also drink lots of milk as this helped settle there stomach from the fumes, I have seen several young welders welding beams to bearings come up puking when it was not well ventilated.