Tim Hensley

Articles by Tim Hensley

Understanding Stainless Steel Filler Metals

The properties of stainless steel offer corrosion resistance, toughness and strength, a good appearance and longer useful life. But there are some challenges when welding stainless steel. Consider these tips and best practices, including proper filler metal selection, to get the most from stainless steel welding applications.

How Submerged Arc Welding Can Improve Productivity

Ideal for demanding applications in pipe, pressure vessel and tank, railcar manufacturing and heavy construction/mining, this process offers great benefits in its simplest form of single wire welding, plus more in twin wire, tandem wire and multi-wire SAW configurations.

The Importance of Proper Welding Operator Training

To gain more business in the face of a skilled labor shortage, fabrication shops need welding operators that are familiar with a wider variety of welding processes and materials and can take on new jobs to set their shops apart. Proper operator training plays a key role in reaching these goals.

Increasing Aluminum Weld Strength and Quality

Aluminum is popular in many fabrication applications, but welding the material presents challenges of cracking, porosity and burn-through on thinner sections. Here are some critical insights on how to combat these potential problems. 

Considerations When Selecting a Filler Metal (Part Two)

Although the effect of various elements in filler metals can be rather complex, a review of their general properties can also help welding operators determine which filler metal is ideal for the job. It is important to consider the properties needed in a completed weld when making the filler metal selection.

Considerations When Selecting a Filler Metal (Part One)

Filler metal selection is critical to maintain the integrity of the final weldment. Here is a review of their general properties that can help you determine which filler metal is ideal for the job. 

Tips to Make Welding Operations More Profitable

These tips may involve an investment of time, effort and resources, but they can pay off in the long run for welding operations that use a variety of welding processes and equipment. 

Tips for Taking the Trouble Out of Aluminum Welding

Here are some tips on how to maintain exceptional cleanliness, select the right filler metal and employ the correct welding preparations to remove the oxide layer on the surface of the material.

What You Must Know About Filler Metals

Understanding these important details will help your shop decide whether a new welding technology is your best way to remain competitive or if a filler metal conversion your best next step. 

Filler Metals: Accuracy in Ordering and Usage Matter

It only makes up about 20 percent of the cost of your typical welding operation, but incorrectly estimating the amount of filler metal needed can have a far-reaching impact to your bottom line.

Common Causes and Cures of Hydrogen Cracking

Knowing the means by which hydrogen can enter the weld is a good defense against potential problems. These steps can help reduce the risk of cracking that leads to costly rework, downtime, increased labor needs, poor productivity and most importantly, product failure.

Understanding the Basics of Low-Hydrogen Stick Electrodes

Knowing the basics about E7018 low-hydrogen stick electrodes can be helpful in understanding how to maximize their operation, their performance and the welds they can produce.

Understanding the Basics of Flux-Cored Wires

As with any filler metal, welders must weigh out the advantages and disadvantages of gas-shielded and self-shielded FCAW wires to determine if these are the best choice for their specific application.

Stick Welding Still Has a Place in the Fabrication Industry

Many applications in the fabrication industry still require stick welding. Like other filler metals, stick electrodes are available in many types, each of which provide different mechanical properties and operate with a specific type of welding power source. Before you power up your machine and pick up your stick electrode holder, consider these basic guidelines to help simplify your stick welding experience. 

Four Things You Must Know About Metal-Cored Wire

In recent years, metal-cored wires have become an increasingly common option to enhance productivity, improve quality and reduce costs in the metal fabrication industry. Here are four important details about metal-cored wire that shops should know if they are considering a filler metal conversion.

Advancements for Welding Galvanized Steel in Automotive Applications

Galvanized steel, with its protective layer of zinc oxide on the surface, offers excellent corrosion resistance and high strength, even at thinner gauges. These features make it an increasingly popular material in automotive applications, because it allows manufacturers to build lighter-weight vehicles capable of greater gas mileage, while still maintaining safety and quality.

Filler Metal: The Key to Welding Austenitic Stainless Steel Tube and Pipe

Welding austenitic stainless steel does present some challenges compared to welding ordinary steel piping. Special attention must be paid to the amount of heat input during welding, and beforehand when selecting filler metals. Here is a brief overview of the sizes and types of filler metals used with each welding process, as well as their pros and cons.

Beyond the Robot: Improving Robotic Welding with the Right Filler Metal and Packaging

To achieve the full benefits of robotic welding, it’s important to focus on the entire system — not just the robot and power source. While a small part of a much bigger picture, the selected filler metal and its packaging can both play a critical role in maximizing the performance of a robotic welding system. Here’s how.

From Selection to Storage: The Basics of Common Aluminum Filler Metals

In order to gain the best results when welding aluminum, Tim Hensley of Hobart Brothershere are the reasons why and how it is critical to select the correct filler metal and carefully follow the proper storage and handling procedures for these products.

Preventing Weld Failures

Here are four ways that welding operators can protect against weld failures and help maintain the productivity and profitability of a shop’s welding operation.

Minimize Downtime with the Right Filler Metal Package

Delivering the right size and style of filler metal packaging on a timely basis contributes meaningfully to overall efficiency. Tim Hensley of Hobart Brothers explains how to assess your current filler metal usage to determine if you have the most appropriate size to support your production goals.

Taming MIG Troubles: Tips for Solving Common Weld Defects

Tricks of the Trade: Seasoned welders will find some good troubleshooting tips in this back to basics primer from Tim Hensley of Hobart Brothers, while new welders can educate themselves toward building a solid foundation to advance their skills.

Meeting Energy Demands with a New Welding Process

With pipeline projects worldwide looking for ways to build longer pipelines, faster and more efficiently, some contractors are converting from the stick welding process to a self-shielded flux-cored wire process to weld on high-strength pipeline projects. Tim Hensley of Hobart Brothers examines the three main reasons for this transition.

BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH THE X-FACTOR

Ideal for use when welding boilers, process piping, heat exchangers and other applications subject to high service temperatures for long periods of time, Tim Hensley of Hobart Brothers introduces a formula that helps determine a weld’s resistance to the brittleness that occurs when the weld is slowly cooled through a certain temperature range.

Basic Tips for Understanding (and Preventing) Common Types of Weld Cracking

The best defense against weld cracking is to understand its causes and solutions. And he shows why the best place to start is by understanding hot cracking and cold cracking.

WELDING IN THE ENERGY SECTOR: CAN A PROCESS CHANGE HELP MEET INCREASING DEMANDS?

As the demands for energy continue to increase worldwide, fabricators serving this industry will be challenged to remain competitive by changing from the stick welding process to a gas-shielded flux-cored welding process. Tim Hensley of Hobart Brothers explains why they must carefully assess their quality needs and available labor or training ability before making this sort of switch.

TAKING A GLANCE AT LOW ALLOY FILLER METALS

The goal when selecting a low alloy filler metal is to obtain the right mechanical and chemical properties in the completed weldment. Tim Hensley of Hobart Brothers explains why no single low alloy filler metal is going to fit the bill for all of your applications, and shares some tips on how to make the proper filler selection.

CAN METAL-CORED WIRE IMPROVE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY’

Part Two: Tim Hensley of Hobart Brothers shows how to determine if your welding operation is a good candidate and, if so, how to make the change.

CAN METAL-CORED WIRE IMPROVE YOUR PRODUCTIVITY’

Can Metal-Cored Wire Improve Your Productivity? To open this two-part article, Tim Hensley of Hobart Brothers explains the fundamental technology and its impact on the welding operation.