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Dodge Machining Keeps Mining Equipment in the Dirt
- Flux cored and borewelding processes speed equipment repair
- XMT 350’s Auto-Line technology overcomes primary power fluctuations
- Automated Bortech equipment is 50 to 85 percent faster than hand welding
- Advice to improve weld quality
Customer Testimonial
“After our old inverters got to a certain age, we sold them and upgraded to the XMT 350. This way, even if we do forget to shut off the breaker, there isn’t any problem because Auto-Line works well with generators.”
— Derek Dodge, Owner, Dodge Machining Corporation
Application
Welding repair and machining of shovels, trucks and other heavy equipment used for mining and construction.
Key Business Issue
- Keeping equipment up and running (“in the dirt”) as much as possible to help mines maximize productivity
Challenge
- Achieve maximum welding productivity and quality
- Running equipment off generator power
- Welding in the field under adverse conditions
Previous System & Process
- Older inverter technology
- Hand-held borewelding technology
New Solution
- Nine XMT 350 CC/CV inverters with Auto-Line power management technology
- Bortech Model 306-P and Model 1202 automated borewelding equipment
Results
- Better inverter reliability when running off generator power. “Our old inverters sometimes failed when someone turned on the generator without first shutting off the breaker that supplied power to the inverters. We have not run into that problem with the XMT 350s because of Auto-Line.”
—Derek Dodge, owner, Dodge Machining Corporation - Flux cored welding completes big jobs faster, increasing customer satisfaction. “Last year on a drag line shoe repair in Montana, five of our welders [working with XMTs] used 3,700 lbs. of wire in 12 days. Considering down time for a drag line can be $100,000 a day, our flux cored welding capabilities enable us to offer mines an excellent value proposition.”
—Mike Knowles, welder, Dodge Machining Corporation - Inverter reliability in extreme conditions. “The mine [in Death Valley] was ventilated with outside air. When the outside air is 123o F, that's how hot the mine was. Our Miller equipment gave us no problem.”
—Mike Knowles, welder, Dodge Machining Corporation - More productivity per employee. “I used to have one person in my shop where the major portion of his job was borewelding by hand. After I bought Bortech equipment, borewelding became the minor portion of the job, and I could use him for other things.”
—Derek Dodge, owner, Dodge Machining Corporation - Outstanding weld quality. “In think the biggest contributors to our success are weld preparation and weld clean-up, which improve the quality of the repair. If you don't clean up a weld properly and prepare for the next pass, something will cause poor fusion.”
—Derek Dodge, owner, Dodge Machining Corporation
