Read Full Story
Print Summary
Share Summary
Article Summary
Renovating Soldier Field
- Portable inverters, suitcase-style feeders and engine drives provide location and process flexibility
- Strong CV output helps maintain flux cored welding productivity
- Flawless operation during sub-zero Chicago weather
Customer Testimonial
“The most important aspect of this job is being flexible, getting welders from one spot to another quickly and knowing they’ll have adequate power when they go to work.”
— John Principe, sheet metal foreman, Hill Mechanical Group
Application
Welding and fabricating the complete heating, air conditioning and ventilating system for the new Soldier Field.
Key Business Issue
Maintaining the ambitious construction schedule.
Challenge
Location and welding process flexibility, welding in Chicago winter conditions.
Previous System & Process
Competitive portable wire feeders.
New Solution
- Miller's SuitCase wire feeders, paired with either an XMT 304 inverter or Bobcat 250 D NT diesel engine drive.
- These two power source/wire feeder combinations enables them to tackle multiple process welding tasks required of sheet metal contractors: Stick welding, short circuit MIG and flux cored welding. The Bobcat provides generator and welding power in sites without a primary power connection, while the 80-lb. XMT provides portability.
Results
- Project completed on time. “Every one of them [the fabricators] credited the Miller SuitCase. It operated flawlessly in one of the most difficult applications you could imagine”—welding at12 degrees below zero.
— Patrick Kelly, fabricator, Hill Mechanical Group - Location flexibility. Hill strategically placed six Bobcats and three XMT 304s throughout the stadium. “We've had to weld on our backs, on our knees, even upside down and inside some of the ductwork. I can't say enough positive things about the Miller machines, whether we are welding with gas [solid wire] or with self-shielded flux cored wire, when we were outside battling high winds.”
— Roy Kuzmin, sheet metal worker, Hill Mechanical Group - Consistent weld quality. “We run everything off the Bobcats, especially the [SuitCase] 12VS wire feeders. You can set the engine drive for either MIG or flux cored welding and be assured of a rated output of 250 amps at 28 volts, the highest in its class.”
— John Principe, sheet metal foreman, Hill Mechanical Group
