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Key Business Issue

Reducing Weld Costs



Product Solutions



Article Summary

XMT Inverters Lower Utility Bill by $303 per Machine

  • Utility bills lowered $303 per year, per machine
  • Utility offers $413 energy efficiency rebate for each welder
  • Lower maintenance costs, better utilization rates
  • Reject rates less than one-half of 1%
  • Operators notice, appreciate arc quality improvements

Customer Testimonial

“We knew that welding machine technology had changed greatly, so we wanted to invest in this [inverter] technology, particularly the newer energy-efficient power sources. We also wanted machines that were operator- and maintenance-friendly, along with multi-process capability.”
— Donald J. Murphy, president, Team Industries

Application

Fabrication of high quality stainless steel, carbon steel and exotic alloy steel pipe spools, piping modules, plates and tanks for processing industries.

Key Business Issue

Acquiring new welding equipment that cuts production and operating costs.

Challenge

Ensuring that new equipment provides a good return for the next decade. Factors examined included energy efficiency, operator-friendly controls, maintenance costs, multiprocess arc quality and weld quality.

Previous System & Process

13-year old multiple process power sources.

New Solution

  • Miller's XMT 304 multiple process inverters.
  • The XMT's energy efficiency lowers utility bills; its operator interface is easy to understand; its inverter technology provides superior arc performance in all welding modes, and maintenance issues are covered by Miller's True-Blue three-year warranty.

Results

  • Energy savings and rebates. Each XMT Team's lowered its utility bills an estimated $303 per year, and Team received a one-time utility rebate of $413 utility rebate per machine.
  • Lower maintenance costs, better utilization rate. New machines eliminated issues related to replacing mode switches ($186 savings), fan motors ($125 savings) and PC boards ($574 savings). Further, operator downtime while the welders were being repaired (valued at $50/hr.) was no longer an issue.
  • Lower reject rates. Advanced inverter technology helps Team Industries claim a reject rate of less than one-half of one percent for materials that arrive to the field, one of the lowest rates in Team's industry. Consequently, the company avoids expensive rework, and repairs can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars.
  • Fast learning curve. “The XMT's process selector switch makes switching between processes fast and simple.”
    — John Panetti, chairman, board of directors, Team Industries
  • Operator satisfaction. “The way the XMT 304 handles the TIG arc at such low amperage is really sweet. The operators can watch the root and see if they're starting to lose it, and when they back off, it's very smooth—they have good control.”
    — Tony Fisher, welding supervisor, Team Industries
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