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New Inverter-Based Pulsed MIG and TIG Welding Technology Reduces Sheetmetal Welding Costs, Increases Productivity
- New pulsed MIG technology increases travel speeds, reduces heat input, prevents burnthrough on sheetmetal and minimizes costs associated with rework or high scrap rates
- Newest generation of TIG inverters pulse 5000 times per second to yield higher quality welds, a narrow weld bead and HAZ, and increased travel speed.
Customer Testimonial
“Metalformers that weld sheetmetal and use conventional arc-welding equipment likely have an opportunity to leverage new technology to improve first-pass yield rates, and reduce cycle times and piece costs.”
— Chris Roehl and John Luck, Miller Electric Mfg. Co.
Application
Welding thin gauge aluminum and stainless steel.
Key Business Issues
- Improving productivity by increasing travel speed
- Reducing welding costs by decreasing rework
- Optimizing operator efficiency by reducing training time
Challenges
- Improving overall throughput by increasing travel speeds
- Minimizing welding costs and rework by preventing burnthrough on aluminum sheetmetal and preventing warping and excessive heat input on thin gauge stainless steel
- Reducing operator training time
Previous System & Process
- Spray transfer and short circuit MIG to weld aluminum sheetmetal and conventional pulsed TIG technology to weld thin gauge stainless steel.
New Solution
- A Miller inverter-based pulsed MIG or TIG power source
Results
- Increased productivity. New Miller inverter-based pulsed MIG and TIG technology produces higher travel speeds.
- Pulsed MIG produces travel speeds 30 percent faster compared to AC TIG when welding on aluminum sheetmetal. New pulsed MIG technology also enables the operator to better control the weld bead profile to ensure proper fusion.
- The new pulsed TIG technology produces a narrower arc which increases travel speeds.
- Increased operator efficiency.
- In a recent case study, Alum-Line an aluminum trailer manufacturer reduced its operator training time. Alum-Line operators learned to weld with the new Miller inverter-based power sources just after a few hours of training.
- In another case study, H.L. Lyons Co., a manufacturer of stainless steel appliance components, switched from conventional pulsed TIG inverters to new pulsed TIG technology, which increased pulse rates from 10 to 175 pulses/sec. As a result, the company cut welding time in half and reduced its finishing time (post weld grinding) by one third.
- Reduced welding costs. Pulsed MIG reduces burnthrough on aluminum sheetmetal and the newest generation of TIG inverters pulse up to 5000 times per second. These attributes reduce weld defects, warping and heat input which helps to control costs associated with rework.
