Modernizations in Wire Feeders and Filler Metals Advance Processes
Steady wire feeding promotes better weld quality. New equipment protects wire integrity.
Posted: April 19, 2023
High-precision and groundbreaking combinations of wire feeders and power sources bring new levels of productivity and cost savings to your shop.
Communication Module Enhances Capabilities of Portable Wire Feeders
ESAB Welding & Cutting Products’ (Annapolis Junction, Md.) RobustFeed Pro Connect communication module enables users of competitive welders to increase performance and uptime by connecting to ESAB’s RobustFeed Pro portable wire feeder. The RobustFeed Pro Connect works with Lincoln CV, Invertec V350 and Flextec 650 power sources, and Miller’s Dimension and XMT models.
The RobustFeed Pro PreciDrive wire feed system combines high precision, power and reliability to feed solid wires up to 5/64” and cored wires up to 3/32”. It delivers better arc starts and stops without backlash or play in the gears, and features a four-wheel drive system where competitive feeders have a two-wheel drive system.
Leading Manufacturer Offers a Variety of Innovative Filler Metal Products
Hobart Brothers LLC (Troy, Ohio), a leading manufacturer of the innovative Hobart® brand of filler metals, offers a range of filler metal products, which include:
- FabCOR® Edge™ XP metal-cored wires offer best-in-class silicon gathering to simplify post-weld cleaning and minimize rework. The wires have balanced arc characteristics, high deposition rates and fast travel speeds to support good weld quality and productivity.
- FabCO® Triple 7 gas-shielded flux-cored wires feature expanded mechanical properties so they are usable on T-1 and T-9 applications and offer the quality and versatility needed in a dual-gas flux-cored wire.
- MaxalMig® 4943 aluminum wires and MaxalTig® cut-lengths are formulated to provide 25% higher ultimate tensile and shear strengths in the as-welded condition compared to 4043 products.
New Welding Power Sources and Wire Feeder Maximize Productivity
Miller Electric Mfg. LLC’s (Appleton, WI) XMT® 650 ArcReach® Systems let users weld and gouge with a single system and make process changes at the feeder without a control cable.
Configurations are available for field and shop applications, with remote polarity-reversing power source and non-polarity-reversing power source models — both compatible with the ArcReach 16 wire feeder.
Productivity: XMT 650 ArcReach Systems let operators change processes and polarity at the feeder. They can switch between welding and gouging with the push of a button — without swapping leads or disconnecting them from the wire feeder. Operators can also remotely select electrode-positive or electrode-negative self-shielded wire.
Cost Savings: XMT 650 ArcReach Systems leverage the ability to weld and gouge with one machine so operations don’t have to rent a dedicated gouging power source. And since the point-of-use control at the wire feeder doesn’t need a control cable, it cuts expenses and maintenance, as these cables are easily damaged and require frequent repair.
Power: XMT 650 ArcReach Systems remove more material per pass when gouging without sacrificing control; the power source is rated for 3/8-inch carbon. The ability to use large-diameter filler metal wires and large wire coils also helps operations improve project timelines and minimize downtime.
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