Field of Dreams

When welding in the field, versatility is key, especially for companies that are never quite sure what projects they’ll encounter day-to-day. But to thrive at these tasks, it’s also critical to evolve with industry demands and have an open mind. High Tech Welding, Inc. knows that all quite well.

What began as a motorcycle fabrication shop in the 1970s has evolved over the years into a fabrication shop focused on building wrought iron furniture to what it is today: a business focused on farm equipment, local plant and power piping repairs, as well as custom jobs.

As support to their past and current success, welding operators like Greg Carlton hold certifications in multiple processes, materials and codes, and follow technology trends closely to ensure they are at the cutting edge to provide more cost-effective, higher-quality services than their competitors in the Westfield, WI, area.

According to Carlton, having the right equipment is the biggest contributing factor behind their ability to maintain high quality levels, meet their customers’ stringent requirements and deadlines, and maintain an acceptable profit level. “We are very well known for the quality of work that we do,” he explains. “And the quality of the work that we are capable of is completely due to the quality equipment we have in the shop. We stake our livelihood on it. It also means we don’t have to pass any extra costs on to our customers.”

http://youtu.be/nWMzzvaPrkk
Take this in-depth walk-around of the Multimatic™ 200 all-in-one multiprocess power source.

In the past year, Carlton and the others at High Tech Welding have turned to the Miller Multimatic 200 all-in-one multiprocess power source as a means to achieve that quality, as well to increase productivity on their field applications. In that time, Carlton says he and his team have found the machine’s ease of use, multiprocess capability and portability to be key factors in increasing their efficiencies — to the tune of 25 to 30 percent, by his estimate.

VERSATILE EQUIPMENT REDUCES DOWNTIME, EASES SET UP
The Multimatic 200 is an all-in-one, portable, multiprocess power source that weighs only 29 lb, making it easy for welding operators at High Tech Welding to move it quickly and easily from one job site to another, or from the shop to the field. It operates on either 120- or 230-volt power using the multi-voltage plug (MVP™) — Carlton and his team simply select the appropriate plug and connect it to the power cord, a benefit that helps minimize downtime for switching machines between areas with varying power available. The unit is also capable of performing MIG, TIG, Stick and Flux-Cored welding processes.

Because of these capabilities, it can be used it for welding multiple types and thickness of materials. It MIG welds 24 ga to 3/8 in mild steel and TIG welds .020 in to 3/16 in mild steel, a material that High Tech Welding encounters regularly. The company also uses it for welding on stainless steel quite frequently.

The unit features Auto-Set™ Elite technology, which allows Carlton and the other welding operators to set up the machine quickly for any job. It’s only a matter of selecting the desired process, electrode diameter and material thickness.

So how do these features translate into the versatility that High Tech Welding needs to improve quality and increase productivity? Simple. By providing multiple processes in a lightweight package that addresses most any need in the field.

AN ALL-IN-ONE SOLUTION FOR THE FIELD
According to Carlton, field repairs and fabrication jobs that High Tech Welding takes on vary significantly. They include anything from repairing tractors, forestry harvesters or mower decks to custom installations like stainless mezzanines or enclaves for hospitals.

In some cases, additional jobs can transpire on a field visit, too. Welding operators may go to a job to make a stick welding repair, only to discover that the customer also needs parts welded that require the TIG welding process.

“The biggest challenge in the field is bringing enough equipment to cover a multitude of scenarios that we might run into. It’s not uncommon to get on a job site and have someone ask for additional repairs,” notes Carlton. “Before using the Multimatic 200, we would either have to come back or cover ourselves by carrying extra equipment in the truck. Now I can set this one machine in my passenger seat and go.”