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Contractor Saves $7,000 per Service Truck
- Engine drive with strong simultaneous welding and generator power creates two-arc system
- Two arcs from one engine lowers costs for equipment, fuel and maintenance
- Generator power enables second operator to run 300-amp inverter or 55-amp plasma cutter
- 12kW sufficient to start, run 1- to 5-HP motors, eliminating need for stand-alone generators
Customer Testimonial
“If I can have one engine drive and power two welding arcs with it, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that our maintenance costs are cut in half. It’s a smart business decision.”
— Mark Reimers, job superintendent, K.S. Mechanical
Application
Erecting conveyors, crushers, screens, washing equipment, piping and clarifying tanks in the pit of a rock/sand/gravel processing facility.
Key Business Issue
Controlling costs when outfitting service trucks with welding and cutting equipment.
Challenge
Finding an engine drive with sufficient generator power to run welding and cutting equipment, tools and motors on job sites without power.
Previous System & Process
Competitive diesel engine drives with limited generator power.
New Solution
- Miller's PipePro 304 diesel engine drive paired with XMT 304 inverters or Spectrum 2050 plasma cutters.
- With 12,000 watts of single-phase or three-phase generator power, the PipePro 304 enabled K.S. Mechanical to equip its service trucks with one engine drive and use that engine drive's generator output to run a second welder or plasma cutter.
- When welding at 150 amps, the PipePro can simultaneously provide up to 9,500 watts of generator power.
Results
- $7,000 Saved per Truck by using a generator/inverter combination. Diesel engine drives in the PipePro's class have a list price of more than $10,000. By adding a 300-amp inverter (which has a list price of about $3,500) instead of a second diesel engine drive, K.S. Mechanical saves more than $7,000 per truck.
- Equipment costs lowered. “This whole area of the pit is electrically dead. There is no power down here other than what we generate. As opposed to bringing in a regular generator, which would add to our costs, we power [1- and 5-HP motors] with the PipePro's generator power.”
— Ken Stiles, president, K.S. Mechanical - Better productivity. “We've equipped four service trucks with two of everything: two people, two grinders, two torches and two welding machines. It's basically a doubled-up truck so we can get more accomplished.”
— Ken Stiles, president, K.S. Mechanical
