Field of Dreams

Multiprocessor capabilities have had a significant impact on the time in which High Tech Welding can complete jobs. To switch between processes, Carlton and his team need only to switch out the cables on the Multimatic 200 to match the job they need to tackle. After selecting the cable, it’s a matter of employing the Auto-Set Elite technology on the unit’s interface to select material thickness and stick electrode, tungsten or wire diameter before beginning to weld.

The machine doesn’t require any dialing in of welding parameters; it does it all. And there is no longer downtime for returning to the shop to get equipment or for changing over machines they may be carrying on the truck. “I do use all of the processes — the TIG, the Stick and the MIG,” explains Carlton. “I’ve got other machines that I know work. But I don’t use them. I stick with this one and keep on using it.”

The portability of the machine adds to the efficiencies Carlton has found with the multiprocess capabilities. Because it is so lightweight, he can easily move the unit around any job and keep it close by even when welding in tight places. Its impact-resistant case can also withstand the rigors of field welding, especially when it’s necessary to put it on the ground or under a piece of equipment being repaired.

“I’ve never had a problem with the machine. I’ve had it out in the sand, out in hayfields where the wind is blowing. Dust doesn’t affect it,” adds Carlton. “Sunny days to rain, I’ve had it out in everything.” On a recent project, he put the Multimatic 200 to work repairing a logging truck. Because the truck is used to haul lumber in and out of the woods, traveling over rough terrain, it requires welds that can maintain their structural integrity under heavy weights and stresses.

After grinding out the old welds, Carlton was able to place the portable unit right on the truck and carry through with the Stick welding required for the repairs (see photo), using an American Welding Society (AWS; Miami, FL) E7018 stick electrode. The unit provided the arc quality and penetration needed to ensure the quality of the welds on this job.

“On a job like that one, there are a multitude of different thicknesses of material. With my other machines, I’d have to get off the truck, go over to the power source and give myself more or less power. Now I’ve got everything sitting right next to me,” states Carlton.

Having this versatility has paid off. In the last year, Carlton estimates that the company has gained 25 to 30 percent productivity in the field by having, as he says, “one unit that I can depend on for everything.”

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS IN THE SHOP
In addition to field repairs and fabrication, High Tech Welding manages a high volume and large variety of projects in the shop. Carlton has found similar benefits there using the Multimatic 200.

“I never know minute by minute who is going to walk in the door with what,” he says. “I could be welding a mower deck with MIG and ten minutes later another a guy comes in with stainless steel couplings for a chemical plant that need to be TIG welded. That’s where the Multimatic 200 saves me so much time. I’ve got that machine sitting right next to me. I keep the MIG gun on it and I don’t have to disconnect to use the other processes. I just hook up my other cables.”

Just as in the field repairs High Tech Welding completes with the Multimatic 200, the company is able to pass on the benefit of increased productivity in the shop to their customers, too — both in the way they consistently meet or exceed deadlines and in terms of cost. The faster the job gets done, the more cost-effective it is for everyone.

Carlton says that in the shop, the unit is especially good for the many tacking processes he encounters and for welding around or under equipment. “In the shop, it’s great because it’s so small and I can basically have it sitting at my hip. I can reach behind me if I need to adjust it. Everything is at my fingertips,” he explains. “When I get a five-minute job through the door and the customer needs it now, I’ve got it [the machine] right here and can buzz things together.”

THE QUALITY AND COST THAT CUSTOMERS WANT
Keeping its customers happy with the quality, cost and timeliness of its services has always been top priority at High Tech Welding. In order to maintain that goal, and continue to grow and adapt its business, Carlton and the other welding operators are sure to continue investing in new products, like the Multimatic 200, to gain greater efficiencies.

He believes that “It all comes down to dollars. Being able to do a job more efficiently makes the customer happy. They’re not at all hesitant to call back. And any job that anyone brings, I’ve only got to use one machine to do it.”