Achieve Consistent Welding Output, Repeatable Processes and Precision Welds
Achieve Consistent Welding Output, Repeatable Processes and Precision Welds
Posted: March 24, 2022
New CD-A Capacitive Discharge Power Supplies
AMADA WELD TECH Inc. (Monrovia, CA), a leading manufacturer of welding, marking, cutting, sealing, and bonding technology, has released the next generation CD-A series of capacitive discharge power supplies. The welders feature dual pulse output control, internal pulse monitoring, optional polarity switching and are automation capable. They are ideal for battery tab welding, interconnects, honeycomb tacking and fine wire to pad applications.
The new units offer consistent welding output for repeatable process results, with ultrafast rise time for conductive material welding. Featuring fully controllable dual pulse output, the CD-A series provides pulse shaping with four discrete pulse lengths, programmable squeeze and hold times and adjustable pulse separation for process optimization. Users can also set limits around a schedule to prevent bad welds; a built-in peak current indicator indicates the last weld peak current. The ability to change polarity allows for a way to balance weld nuggets and overcome the Peltier effect, as well as extend electrode life. Pair the CD-A with an AMADA WELD TECH weld head with EZ-AIR® operation for control of weld force for repeatable, consistent welding.
The CD-A is automation ready and is easily integrated into production lines. Units can be programmed to communicate with a host computer or with an automation control system. Operators can set and store up to 63 schedules to quickly change between weld parameters. Two models are available. Built in the USA, the CD-A series is fully CE compliant.
New High-Precision Laser Welding System
The new ExactWeld 430 from Coherent (Santa Clara, CA) brings all the benefits of fiber laser welding to manufacturers of medical devices, electronic components, watches, and other high-precision products. It delivers high strength, small seam size, cosmetically attractive welds at high speeds, with minimal heat input to the workpiece. The system is easy to integrate into existing production lines and can optionally be equipped with a robot interface for automatic part handling.
This laser combines a fiber laser source, beam delivery optics, part fixturing, motion control, process gas delivery, and an intuitive user interface in a compact, freestanding, laser Class I enclosure. The result is a machine that’s simple to set up and operate, and which can weld virtually any metal. It can even join dissimilar materials. The ExactWeld 430 can be configured with a variety of different Coherent fiber laser sources, such as the StarFiber series, to match each user’s unique welding processes, materials and budget. The lasers are complemented with a complete selection of fixed focus optics and scanning heads, such as the SmartWeld+ scanning heads, to accommodate a range of welding requirements.
The system’s working chamber is 500 mm x 400 mm x 200 mm and incorporates a high accuracy, three axis, CNC linear motion system. A rotary axis is an available option. Both the motion and laser systems are mounted on a solid granite base.
Lightweight Welders Deliver Big Power with Superior Performance and Control
ESAB Welding and Cutting Products (Annapolis Junction, MD) now offers the EM 210 MIG/Flux Cored welder and EMP 210 MIG/Stick/TIG welder. These inverter-based power sources are small but deliver professional-grade power and performance for most auto/truck repair and restoration, light fabrication and construction and HVAC work. These units feature state-of-the-art digital controls typically found on industrial machines and use power management technology that delivers positive arc starts and a smooth, steady welding arc. “EM 210 and EMP 210 welders have the power to weld up to 3/8” metal and the finesse for precision welds on thin sections,” said Jay Misas, a product development manager with ESAB. “Their lightweight portability and dual-voltage input power flexibility makes them easy to move around the shop, jobsite or home garage.”
Both welders weigh just 29 pounds and deliver up to 200 amps of MIG welding power. With the EMP 210, you also get excellent Lift TIG and Stick welding performance. They both use 115/230V primary power and can run off a generator with a 10 kVA output. The technology built into the EM 210 and EMP 210 systems allow welders to gain more control over the weld puddle to produce higher-quality work for welding steel, stainless or MIG aluminum.
The EM 210 comes with a Tweco® Fusion 180 Velocity MIG gun with Tweco connection and Velocity consumables, ground clamp, argon/CO2 regulator, power adaptor, and a sample of ESAB’s OK Aristorod 12.50 premium 70S-6 solid wire in 0.030” diameter. EMP 210 comes with all of the above, plus a Tweco 17V TIG torch with 50 mm Dinse and accessory kit, and electrode holder.
Flowmeter Regulator Offers One-Two Punch for Welders
One challenge that welders face on the job is setting gas flow to the exact rate they need. Another is the need to regulate the pressure so that the flow stays consistent. Having these two capabilities in one unit makes the welder’s job easier and contributes to a better finished result. Yet many welders find themselves buying two separate products, perhaps unaware that there’s another option: a combined flowmeter regulator.
The 355-2 Flowmeter Regulator from Harris Products Group, (Mason, OH) a Lincoln Electric company, delivers this option while also offering heavy-duty performance, long life and a reasonable price. The flowmeter regulator has a one-piece encapsulated seat design, making it tamper proof. It features an internal filter and PTFE Teflon® seat. The 355-2 is used almost exclusively for welding applications that require gas. For MIG welding of large or thick materials, this type of flow meter regulator is highly recommended. The product features a durable, easy-to-read flow tube and cover. The flow tube and float are easily changed for different gases. The sensitive needle valve allows for fingertip control.
Upgrade for Powermax® Style Consumables
American Torch Tip (Bradenton, FL) offers a new consumable design. HelioCut™ is just one part of a larger family of plasma cutting products which offer long life and economy to fabricators and MRO operations. HelioCut is a patent-pending consumable upgrade for Powermax 45XP, Powermax 65, or the Powermax 85 plasma cutting system. This high-quality drop-in replacement for costly factory consumables keeps money in your pocket and out of your scrap bin.
HelioCut’s design decreases consumable wear, increases lifespan, and allows for an improved current path for the electrode. Its motionless electrode creates a stronger, more secure connection to your torch with no springs attached, which translates into fewer consumable changes and more uptime. The kit is available in 45 amp, 65 amp, and 85 amp and includes two electrodes, two nozzles and a swirl ring.
https://americantorchtip.com/heliocut/
Pointers to Implementing Sustainable Welding Practices
It is important to act sustainably to achieve efficient manufacturing during the welding process. There are many factors that have an impact on sustainability where the welding process is concerned. Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT® (West Melbourne, FL) offers a few ways to implement sustainable welding processes. Weld Purge Monitors® are an essential instrument to help obtain non-oxidized, zero color welds by monitoring the oxygen levels when welding sensitive materials such as titanium, zirconium, nickel, stainless steels and low alloy steels containing chromium. Oxidation can lead to a loss of corrosion resistance and a decrease in mechanical strength. Weld purging is the act of removing, from the vicinity of the joint, oxygen, water vapor and any other gases or vapors that might be harmful to a welding joint.
Many decades have gone into the development of the PurgEye® range of Weld Purge Monitors. These reliable monitors measure residual oxygen content as low as 1 ppm (0.0001%). Inert gas purging is the preferred method to avoid contamination during welding. The use of an inflatable weld purging system, such as PurgElite® and QuickPurge®, can reduce purging times dramatically, particularly as tube and pipe diameters increase. Manufactured from 1” (25 mm) to 88” (2,235 mm), these systems reduce inert gas usage and therefore cost.
The use of Argweld Weld Trailing Shield® can provide inert gas coverage during the cooling process and thus avoid oxidation in high temperature zones. They simply attach onto any TIG/GTAW, PAW/Plasma and MIG/GMAW welding torch. For complete inert gas coverage, essential where complex geometry joints are involved, welding inside a Flexible Welding Enclosure® offers another option.
Lincoln Electric Expands Ranger® Portfolio
The Ranger 330MPX™ EFI welder/generator from Lincoln Electric (Cleveland, OH) is a compact and versatile machine that combines all the features and benefits of the popular Ranger 330MPX welder/generator with a 330-amp Kohler® 25-hp electronic fuel injection (EFI) engine. The Ranger 330MPX EFI welder/generator is built for all seasons, thanks to the Kohler engine’s advanced design that ensures quick and easy starts in cold weather with no choke required, improved fuel efficiency, reliable operation, and optimal performance in high-altitude applications. The new welder/generator offers the same benefits of the Ranger 330MPX model: compact size, smarter performance and quieter operation. It is 20% smaller in footprint, 31% smaller by volume, and 25% lighter by weight than other machines in its class. Features include CrossLinc® technology, Ready.Set.Weld® quick setup and more to help streamline operations and improve efficiency.
www.lincolnelectric.com/Ranger-330-MPX
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