Lets Talk Productivity - Esab

Let’sTalkProductivityG l o b a l s o l u t i o n s f o r l o c a l c u s t o m e r s – e v e r y w h e r eESAB’s presentationat a glance.From 14-19th September 2009, Essen isthe welding capital of the world whereESAB presents its latest welding andcutting technologies. Everything on ourvast stand has been selected for its abilityto demonstrate measurable productivityimprovements - mostly through cost andtime savings. Let us give you a brief overview:Cutting page 2.Productivity, cost-efficiency and ease ofuse are key words for ESAB’s cuttingequipment exhibits:• The new SUPRAREX TM SXG - combinedoxyfuel/plasma cutting system,equipped with two completely newcutting heads• Bevel Excavator and QUATROJET TM• VBA Wrist.• The AUTOREX TM fully encapsulatedautomatic plasma cutting centre.• Remnant steel scanner• The new COLUMBUS.NET CAD/CAM programming system and DATALEAP TM product data managementsoftware.Welding• Marathon Pac TM page 3.• ESAB’s new weldinghead for spiral weldedpipes page 3.• The Aristo TM Mig rangeof digital power sources page 4/5.• ESAB’s new narrow gapwelding head page 5.• A complete solution forwelding wind towers page 7.• The Aristo TM W8 2robotpackage, for ABB robots page 8.• AristoRod copper-freewelding wire page 9.• Effiient rail repair withTramtrac II andRailtrac TM BV/BVR 1000 page 9.• A2-A6 welding tractors page 9.• Orbital TIG welding withESAB page 10.• Rosio 3D roboticfriction stir welding page 11.• The new DemobusESAB on the move page 11.• The Knowledge Centre page 12.• New inverters from ESAB page 12.• What’s where on theESAB stand page 12.Let’s talk productivity atSchweissen und Schneiden 2009“Let’s talk productivity” – this messagecould not be more important than it is rightnow, with an economic climate forcingfabricators to drive down costs in all areas oftheir production.On an impressive 1,250 m 2 stand at Schweissenund Schneiden in Essen, Germany, ESAB willdemonstrate how world-leading welding andcutting solutions can help you to “weatherthe storm”. A general view is that qualitycompanies will survive a recession. Quality ofmanagement, manufacture, productionprocesses, products and quality of supplychain, including that of their suppliers, are theelements that ESAB has been focussing onto best serve customer needs.Several factors set ESAB apart from othersuppliers of welding and cutting equipmentand consumables. As a world-leader, ESABhas the most comprehensive product range,enabling customers to select products withoutthe need to compromise. ESAB is recognisedby the global welding and cutting market asthe most customer focussed supplier (asendorsed by Frost & Sullivan) and the mosttrusted partner to work with. Therefore ESABis unique in that we start with the customerand try to understand their needs, especiallytheir need to survive in these difficult economictimes.What is Productivity?When it comes to welding productivity, thefirst thing that jumps to mind is depositionrate or travel speed and in the case of cutting,speed and material thickness. In both cases,these factors play an important and quantifiablerole. However, there are many more contributorsto welding productivity, which truly make adifference.In MIG/MAG welding – the mostly frequentlyused method, there are a great manydevelopments which can provide productivitybenefits. This can be through the use of theMarathon Pac bulk wire system, whichsaves on downtime and brings highly efficientstorage, handling, installation and disposal,whilst having a positive effect on the qualityof the welded product. Another example isthe QSet function integrated in the U8 2pendant for Aristo digital power sources.With QSet a few seconds of test weldingis enough to enable the system to find theoptimal short arc welding parameters andsave valuable production time. Imagine thisin a mechanised installation.Last, but not least, the consumable can beoptimised to obtain higher travel speed orimproved process stability. As is the case withnew OK Tubrod 14.11 –1.2mm metal-coredwire for thin-plate welding and the AristoRodcopper-free MAG wire. Combined in a roboticenvironment with the sophisticated Aristorobot package and, controlled by AristoU8 2 or Aristo W8 2 Integrated control unit,all the ESAB features like QSet andTrueArcVoltage, off-line editing, networking,parameter handling, secure access levels andmany more are available to optimise productivity.In the field of SAW welding, the EcoCoiland BigBag are easy to handle systems forthe bulk supply of wire and flux, which offermajor reductions in downtime. Whereas adedicated flux such as OK Flux 10.72 allowsreduction of the joint included angle, savingon weld volume and arc time. Continues page 6To find your way on the ESAB stand, see back page

L e t ’ s t a l k P R O D U C T I V I T Y 2 0 0 9Marathon Pac TM - totalMIG/MAG efficiencySavings along the entire MIG/MAG production chain.Recent Frost & Sullivan research shows thatmanufacturers, especially in Asia and thedeveloping markets, will continue to automatetheir welding processes driven by skillsshortages, quality requirements, productionand health and safety issues. Marathon Pac TMhas been the trusted solution of choice inadvanced European markets. It is designedto enable customers to get the maximumreturn on capital for their automated solutions.Typical cost savings for professional usersTable 1 gives an overview of typical costsavings when comparing Marathon Pac TM with18kg wire spools. These are based on actualtests and reports from various branches ofindustry – in both low labour cost and highlabour cost environments, and in a fullymechanised production environment.Operating costsIt is essential that full welding station operatingTable 1: Typical cost savings for professional users - 18 kg spools vs 250 kg Marathon Pac TMLow labour costenviromentHigh labour costenviromentHighly mechanisedenviromentOperating cost EUR/hr 10 50 250Cost saving - Eur/kg wire usedDowntime 0.09 0.43 2.15Weld quality 0.20 1.00 2.00Equipment wear parts 0.05 0.10 0.20Total EUR/kg wire 0.34 1.53 4.35Total EUR for 250 kg MP 85 383 1088Total EUR for 475 kg MP 162 727 2066This overview is based on actual tests and reports obtained from Marathon Pac TM users from various industriesTable 2: Downtime cost savings - 18kg spools vs. 250 kg Marathon Pac TM .Spool Weight 18 kg 250 kg MPSpool changes/ton of wire 55.6 4.0Spool change time (min) 10 10Total time per ton 9.3 0.7Downtime saving (hr/ton of wire) - 8.6costs are considered, not just the net hourlywages of the welder. These include:• All indirect costs such as social charges,pension, sickness payments, holiday andovertime allowances, productivity andperformance bonuses.• Depreciation costs. These costs are significantwith highly mechanised installations.• Premises and auxiliary equipment such asoverhead cranes, forklift trucks, etc.• Operator revenues to cover overhead costssuch as supervisors, forklift drivers, QCinspectors, management, HR, administrationand sales.Being conservative, ESAB estimates theoperating costs for a low labour cost environmentto be 10 Euro/h. In a high labour cost environment,various Western European customersuse a rate of 50 Euro/h. For highly mechanisedmanufacturing, 250 Euro/h is typical for awelding station with a couple of robots andmanipulators. Some just-in-time suppliers inthe automotive industry calculate with 2,000Euro/h.Downtime costsWelding station downtime for spool exchangedepends on factors such as the set-up(accessibility of the wire feeder, liner length,etc), management focus on lean manufacturing,and whether operators are paid by finishedpiece. It is also influenced by the distance tothe location where spools are stored. Table 2,calculates typical savings on down-time forexchanging 18kg spools versus 250 kg MarathonPac TM s, in a problem-free welding situation.The savings on downtime in Euro/kg wire forthe three operating levels are shown in the 3rdrow of table 1, and an estimated 10 min.exchange for both spool or Marathon Pac TM .Downtime caused by feeding problems canbe much longer than the time lost in spoolchanging. The helix of spooled wire is a particularcause of feeding and welding irregularities(“dog tailing”). Wire from Marathon Pac TM isstraighter, by nature, due to a built-in pre-twistof the wire. The result is dependable feeding.Many users of Marathon Pac TM feed over largedistances with minimal maintenance - and stillreport problem-free welding.A factor, not covered by the calculation, issimple storage, handling, installation anddisposal. Time lost in unpacking and transportto the welding station is a fraction of that neededto pick-up and unpack spools, aided by acomplete range of accessories such as liftingyokes, trolleys and quick connectors. Foldedflat after use – Marathon Pac TM s consume afraction of the space needed to store nonfoldabledrums.Weld qualityStable feeding and straight wire delivery fromMarathon Pac TM leads to better joints, goodpenetration, less spatter and improved jointappearance with less post weld repair.Quantifiable results are available from a wellknown European mass production automotivecomponents company. Savings due to thereduction of welding defects, re-work, grinding,scrapped materials, etc, amounted to fivetimes the cost savings on downtime only forthe 50 Euro/h operating cost group, in table1. This means that their recorded benefitsexceed 2 Euro/kg wire - purely due to improvedESAB’s new spiral pipe welding headweld quality. In table 1, we stay conservativewith 1 Euro/kg for the high cost environment,a level confirmed by other studies in this field,and 2 Euro/kg for the highly mechanisedenvironment. For the low cost environment,we have reduced the quality savings to only20% of the high cost group, mainly becausere-work costs are lower.Equipment wear partsMarathon Pac TM wire is straight which, in itself,leads to reduced wear in the feed system, eg,liners, guiding tubes and feed rolls. Anotherreason for reduced consumption of wear partsand feeder components is the absence ofturning spool weight - as with 18kg spools.ESAB has studied the wear and spare partscosts for industrial users. Typical consumptionis around 2 tons of wire/year per weldingmachine. Typical wear parts cost 200-400Euro per year/welding machine (labour costsfor replacement excluded).In table 1, we have again been conservative,taking 200 Euro per year as a representativefigure for spare parts. For the low costenvironment, the assumption is that spareand wear parts costs per kg of wire, is neverless than 50% of the above, ie, 0.05 Euro/ kgwire. For the high labour cost environment,the saving amounts to 0.10 Euro per kg wire.In the highly mechanised environment, asdowntime is so costly, manufacturers shouldallow a higher safety margin in terms ofpreventive maintenance. It is realistic to doublethe cost in comparison with the high labourcost environment.Marathon Pac TM pays back.Changing to Marathon Pac TM always givespay back, regardless of the cost environment.The total savings in the low operating costcolumn of Table 1, are not necessarily “typical”– but minimum. From the higher cost columns,anyone buying MAG wire will understand thatunder “typical” conditions, savings will be atleast the same, or exceed, the cost price ofthe wire. Marathon Pac TM is, therefore, morecost-effective than spools for any professionalcustomer in any environment – and couldeffectively be free of charge.Endless Marathon Pac TM is the latest step inMIG/ MAG efficiency, with no stopping at allfor wire exchange – a system with manyadvantages for true lean manufacturing injust-in-time production and multi-robot stations.There is a constant, worldwidedemand for increased productivityin spiral welded pipe fabrication.So-called two-step technology,with GMAW-tack welding and finalSAW-welding stations, ensures productionflow and increased quality. ESAB, involved inwelding for more than 100 years and with over60 years experience in submerged arc welding,constantly reassesses the demands of pipewelding customers. As a result, we havedeveloped new highly productive spiral pipewelding equipment. At Essen, we present theinternal SAW welding head with up to threewire feeders.The internal spiral pipe welding head is themost important element in the welding of aspiral pipe. The welding head fits into a 20inch pipe and is mounted on an internal boom.The limited space in a 20 inch pipe is challenging.Our designers were charged with the task ofensuring high speed welding, with less wearat contact points and quick and easy adaptationfor different pipe diameters.By customer preference, side wire feedersare used, mainly, in push-pull-mode. The wirefeeders at the end of the boom de-coil wirefrom a 1000kg EcoCoil and the welding headwire feeders ensure the correct wire feedspeed. The design of the welding wire systemwithin the welding head, depends on thesmallest and largest internal diameters of thepipe, the steel strip width and the left or rightposition of the forming station. The easychange of welding head angle – generally athree-wire arrangement – is ensured by theconnected welding and control cables. Thelaser joint tracking head is in line with the jointat the front of the welding head and gives thesteering signal to the motorised cross slide.The flux hopper is positioned just above thelaser and the flux supply nozzle is betweenthe front of welding head and laser.Optimum welding quality is achieved usingour newly designed wire contact equipment.Spring loaded special alloyed copper contactjaws, with a contact length of 30mm, ensureconstant current transfer to the wire. There isno voltage drop. This advanced design avoidsthe problem of fast wearing contact tips. Thewelding angle of the isolated contact equipmentfor each wire can be changed quickly andeasily, or fixed with rigid spacers between thewire contact equipment as required in theWPS. ESAB offers customers a choice ofeither solution.The flux recovery nozzle is mounted on aswivel arm adjusted to the best recoveryposition. To observe the ID-welding process,a video camera is mounted in front of theinternal welding head, in line with the axis ofthe pipe.The design of ESAB’s internal welding headfulfills not just best welding practice. With thereduction of service time for the exchange ofwear parts, such as contact jaws, and withthe reduction of mounting time in the case ofpipe dimension changes, increased output inpipe tonnage gives fabricators a competitiveedge.3

L e t ’ s t a l k P R O D U C T I V I T Y 2 0 0 9As versatile and intelligent as you want it to be– always easy to operateAristo TM Mig 3001i, 4001i, 5000i Aristo TM Mig U4000i and U5000iESAB continues a tradition in digitalwelding technology that startedin the 1980’s with the introductionof the world’s first power sourcewith digital weld process control.Today, our Aristo TM Mig range represents thelatest generation of intelligent, reliable andextremely user-friendly digital power sources.The modular production design and a rangeof panels with increasing application intelligence,allows the Aristo TM Mig power sources to becustomised for the needs of individualfabricators.Strong and reliable machinesAll Aristo TM Mig power sources have designfeatures that provide clear advantages forfabricators. The corrosion-proof chassis iseasy to clean, and designed for long servicelife under tough working conditions.Although compact by design, Aristo TM Migpower sources have air-cooling built-in tofacilitate long and trouble-free service underthe most demanding conditions. The air-coolingfan and water pump are “run-on-demandsystems”,i.e. they are only activated duringwelding and shut off automatically. The ELP(ESAB Logic Pump) recognises whether awater cooled torch is present and activatesthe water cooling systems accordingly. Thissaves energy and reduces wear andmaintenance costs as well as the noise level.Our Aristo Mig power sources are designedwith air-cooling separated from electronics.The integrated dust and metal-particles filteris easily reached for cleaning.The Aristo TM impresses with its breathtakingperformance in terms of control and precision.The process repeatability, both within one unitand after component exchange, is a greatbenefit when weld quality matters.Processes, process functions and intelligence of AristoMig panel typesAristo TM U6 Aristo TM U8 2 Aristo TM U8 2 PlusProcessesMIG/MAG X X XSynergic MIG/MAG X X XPulse MIG/MAG X X XSynergic pulse MIG/MAG X X XMMA X X XArc gouging X X XTIG (DC) X X XPulse TIG (DC) X X XSuperPulse TMXQSet TM X X XProcess functions2/4 stroke X X XCrater filling X X XCreep start X X XHot start X X XAdjustable burn-back time X X XGas pre- and post flow X X XDigital V/A meters X X XGas purche/wire inching X X XAuto save modeXRelease pulse X XLarge display X XDials to adjust wire feed speed and voltage X XDial to scroll menu X XIntelligenceLanguages displayX (17, including X (19, includingchinese & russian) chinese & russian)Memory for 10 parameter setsXMemory for 255 parameter sets X XBasic package synergic lines (92)XComplete package synergic lines (>230)XCreate synergic linesXSupport manual and mechanised applications X XLimited editor set and measured values X XLAN (via Aristo TM W8 2) X XFile managerXWeld Point TM X XProduction statisticsXThe unique TrueArcVoltage TM system, incombination with a PSF TM welding torch,guarantees welding with the selected arcvoltage, independent of the torch and returncable length. You get what you see. Aristo TMMig power sources use CAN-Bus communication,optimising the flexibility of the equipment.CAN-Bus is a digital communication and controlsystem that enables all “intelligent” componentsof the power source to communicate internallyand externally with feeders, remote controlsand the control panels.The digital communication system is basedon “pulse trains” which need only two leadseach for communication and power supply.The system is reliable, insensitive to disturbancesand additional functions/features can be addedwithout any change of the infrastructure.Modular design provides fabricators with thefollowing options to ‘build’ their Aristo TM Migpower source:Capacity1. 300A2. 400A3. 500AType of power source1. Air cooled2. With water-cooling3. With multi-voltage unit (500A)4. With water-cooling andmulti-voltage unit (500A)Type of wire feeder1. Aristo TM Feed 30042. Aristo TM Feed 48043. Aristo TM YardFeed 20004. Aristo TM RoboFeed 3004Accessories such as torch, cable assembly,trolley, remote control, kit for multiple wirefeeders and counterbalance device.Aristo TM Mig– the control unit does itThe U6 panel, incorporated in the wire feeder,and the U8 2and U8 2Plus control pendants,contain most of the software that determinesthe level of functionality and intelligence of thepower source to meet the welding requirementsof individual fabricators.The table shows the level of processes, machinefunctions and intelligences supported by theAristo TM Mig 3001i, 4001i or 5000i powersources equipped with, respectively, U6, U8 2and U8 2Plus. The U8 2control pendant providesfull flexibility for both today’s and futurerequirements. U8 2Plus offers the highest levelof intelligence available.4

L E T ’ S T A L K P R O D U C T I V I T Y 2 0 0 9Aristo U8 2- connect to the welding universeESAB has launched the AristoU8 2second-generation digitalcontrol pendant as a radical newway to enhance welding performance, extend communicationsand improve ease of use. Designed tocomplement our Aristo power sources andwire feeders, the new pendant is suitable formanual and mechanised MIG/MAG welding,and TIG and MMA.User friendlyAristo U8 2 creates a whole new universe ofwelding control opportunities offering maximumfunctionality with minimum complexity. Fivefunction buttons, single menu and “Enter”button and three setting wheels cover everyoption. A large, bright, easy-view LED displayand knurled setting wheel give you simplegloves-on, visor-down operation.MultilingualIn the global welding community, ESABtechnology is the benchmark for fl exibility,say goodbye to poor displaysand confusing manuals.effi ciency and consistent quality. Ingenioussoftware, intuitive interfaces and logical controlshave dramatically simplifi ed welding processes.Even so, language is a critical factor in understandingand using the full potential of suchadvanced welding systems.With an expanded memory and updateddisplay, the Aristo U8 2 supports seventeenworld languages, including Russian and Chinese(with original Cyrillic and Chinese characters).Manuals are available in all seventeen languages.WeldPointOur proprietary WeldPoint software bringsthe shop fl oor to the production offi ce!Weld schedules, production statistics, qualitylog, error log, limit setting and measure limitscan be transferred from the power source viaLocal Area Network (LAN) and converted ontoHTML or text format by WeldPoint.SuperPulseSuperPulse is the recommendation forapplications where control of heat input isessential. Combination of short arc/pulse,spray arc/pulse, pulse/pulse or short arc/shortarc provides excellent control of the heat inputfor heat sensitive applications.Fieldbus and LANAristo u8 2connected to Aristo W8 2addonmodules, provides access to Local AreaNetwork (LAN) and Fieldbus (DeviceNet,Profibus, CANopen and Ethernet) forcommunication with computers and externaldevices (robot controller, PLC, etc).USB memory stickExport and import of data. Transfer of datafrom one unit to another for welding similarcomponents on other machines. Transfer ofdata to WeldPoint for analyses and/or qualityassurance.User defined synergic linesNew combinations of welding material andshielding gas can be tested and recorded asa new synergic line. You can then immediatelyimplement this in production by copying thedata from one unit to another, using the USBmemory stick or transferred to WeldPoint.Production statisticsThis function keeps track of the total arc time(sec) consumed wire (gram) and the numberof welds. Useful data when recalculatingwelding time and consumables.QSetSet and forget. A few seconds test weldingand the short arc stabilises as you watch. TheQSet function automatically sets and storesthe optimal welding parameters, maintainingconsistent arc stability, regardless of wire feedspeed.Dials for quick settingQuick setting of wire feed speed and voltageby the setting wheels on the right side of thepanel and the cursor on the left side provideeffi cient setting and operation.Limit editorThe limit editor provides two options - settinglimits and measure limits. Setting limits protectthe operator from exceeding the weldingprocedure setting data. Measure limits protectthe power source from exceeding a numberof defi ned values.Multiple wire feedersUp to four wire feeders can be connected toone power source and controlled by AristoU8 2. A typical solution for applications requiringwire size, wire type and shielding gas changes.Support MMA, TIG and MIG/MAGAristo U8 2supports the processes MMA,carbon arc gouging, DC TIG, pulsed DC TIG,MIG/MAG short arc/spray arc, pulsed MIGand SuperPulse.The processes available to the operatordepend on the identifi cation (ID number) ofthe connected power source.Standard power sources support MMA,carbon arc gouging, MIG/MAG short arc/sprayarc, pulsed MIG and SuperPulse.Aristo Mig U4000i and U5000i are universalpower sources supporting MMA, carbon arcgouging, DC TIG, pulsed DC TIG , MIG/MAGshort arc/spray arc, pulsed MIG andSuperPulse .New HNG head marks 30years ESAB in narrow gapweldingFor the past three decades, several innovationshave improved the narrow gap weldingequipment and the process. The thirdgenerationHNG multi narrow gap weldingheads feature several innovations to bring anew level of functionality:• Double sided tracking makes it possible toweld a wider joint and to weld more beadsper layer in the automatic mode.• Flux delivery between the two wires toensure weld quality• Modular torch design, making both theleading and trailing torch to be the same• Air cooled torch• Improved angle of the trailing wire for improvedweld quality• Improved PLC control system, fully integratedwith external equipment and a weld datalogging program.The lower part of the weld nozzle is moveable.With a pre-set nozzle angle, the welding wirealternates to weld from left to right. Forcircumferential applications, the changeoveris automatic, achieved with an off-set to avoidbuild-up on the same spot.Due to the position of the nozzle, the wireenters the side wall at an angle, giving excellentslag detachability and penetration to eliminateweld defects. By joint tracking on the weldingside, the exact stick-out is achieved and theweld process guaranteed.The narrow gap process for submerged arcwelding is based on a two bead per layer weldprocedure in a narrow joint. The standard jointis machined with an angle opening of 1 to 2degrees, a width of 18-24mm and a maximumdepth of 350mm.Narrow gap welding offers two major benefi ts:it is an economical joint confi guration with lessweld volume to fi ll compared to other jointconfi gurations; and the automation-friendlyjoint, with only two beads per layer, limits welddefects and gives a high quality weld.Typical applications for SAW Narrow Gap arethick-walled objects for both longitudinal andcircumferential welding where high quality isdemanded in, for example; pressure vessels,rotor shafts, nuclear reactors and turbineshafts.5

L E T ’ S T A L K P R O D U C T I V I T Y 2 0 0 9Continuation of page 1A special lining in our new BigBag keeps the fl ux dryand allows it to be used without re-baking – anotherhuge productivity advantage.There is also the ESAB Telbo, our new telescopicboom, which utilises far less factory space and offersincreased manufacturing fl exibility. It can take largewelding heads for multi-wire processes that utiliseDC- and AC-SAW. The Multi-wire SAW process isa productivity and profi tability booster. For example,in wind tower manufacture, it’s no coincidence that80% of the worldwide installed wind towers arewelded with ESAB consumables and equipment.Another key example is mechanised TIG equipment,which increases both productivity and quality. It allowsmultiple-machine operation by a single operator andwelds are absolutely reproducible.So what is productivity all about? Productivity is alife style, in which every aspect of welded fabricationis constantly under review, with the aim of becomingfaster and more effi cient. ESAB would like to helpyou to reduce costs and gain more from yourproduction. This is the ESAB philosophy and wewould like to share it.So, let’s talk productivity in Essen.Local access to world-classproducts, service and support- also through distributorsAs one of the world’s premier industrialbrands, ESAB has established a networkof highly trained distributors for weldingand cutting equipment, consumablesand accessories. These distributors alsoact as a source of advice, backed up by ESAB’s owntechnical support engineers’ experience of globalapplications and processes. Distributors play a vitalrole in enabling ESAB to offer global solutions forlocal customers – everywhere’.ESAB has the most comprehensive range of highqualitywelding electrodes, wires and fl uxes to meetevery need. Distributors stock the most popularproducts, while others are available for rapid deliveryfrom ESAB’s supply centres that are located strategicallythroughout Europe and served by advanced onlineorder processing.By using an ESAB distributor, customers alsobenefi t from access to the very latest technologicaladvances in welding and cutting processes andequipment. Demonstrations can be arranged at thedistributor’s premises or, if more convenient, at thecustomer’s site.When a customer purchases equipment, the relationshipdoes not end there. Technical support is provided for thelife of the equipment, and distributors can also take careof any maintenance requirements, with many additionallyoffering in-house repairs.ESAB distributors are truly a one-stop-shop for welding andcutting products, service and support.The power of theESAB productrangeESAB has the most complete and comprehensiveproduct range in the welding and cutting industry.Whatever your welding or cutting requirement, ESABwill be able to supply it, be it a general purposewelding electrode or a full “Turnkey” welding or cuttinginstallation. For ESAB customers this offers substantialbenefi ts. A one-stop shop for high quality industrialproducts can bring signifi cant time and cost savings.There is also the guarantee of consistent productquality from a supplier you can trust to support yourneeds long after the initial sale. Endorsed by the factthat ESAB recently won its largest ever, single orderfor a turnkey solution for a windtower manufacturein the US.An environmentallyresponsible supplierESAB is one of the very few internationalcompanies to have acquired a global ISOiso 14001 is the internationalstandard for environmentalmanagement systems (ems),providing organisations witha framework for achievingtheir environmental andeconomic goals.14001 certifi cation, covering everything fromdesign, development and production to salesand service worldwide. Customers are assuredthat every ESAB product is produced to thesame environmental standard with every steptaken to minimize environmental impact.Customers striving to obtain ISO 14001certification themselves, or aiming to continuallyimprove their environmental performance,will be able to benefi t from having ESAB asa dedicated partner.Reducing environmental impactThe fundamental reason for implementingan environmental management system(EMS) worldwide is to have a structuredapproach towards minimizing the negativeimpact of our activities on the environment.Responsibilityextends far beyondthe offi ce doors and factorygates of ESAB, so it is important tounderstand the impact of our activities in abroader sense. By using a lifecycle approach,we can map the effects of a product fromdesigner’s desk to the end of its life andincluding disposal. Right from the earlystages of development, aspectssuch as fi nding alternatives for hazardouscomponents, or energy consumption duringproduction and use, and packaging wasteand recyclability are all taken into account.This results in products with a reducedenvironmental impact.ESAB awarded for customer service excellenceThe “2008 Global Welding ConsumablesCustomer Service Excellence Award” hasbeen presented to ESAB. “ESAB has developedan exceptional product range in response tocustomer specifi c needs,” notes Frost & SullivanSenior Research Analyst Archana Chauhan.“The company has one of the largest weldingconsumables product ranges; it has consumablesfor every welding application type, butalso to cater to particular industry segmentssuch as shipbuilding, automotives, pipelines,and pipe mills. They are manufactured undera strict ISO 9001 quality assurance programme,in factories that are ISO14001 approved,worldwide.“A global presence and widely dispersedmanufacturing facilities have facilitated anextensive reach and more effective responseto customer needs.“The ESAB Group has manufacturing plantsacross the globe and sales offices anddistributors in almost 80 countries, enablingESAB to provide a truly global experience toits customers.“ESAB invests heavily in R&D to enhancethe quality and productivity of its consumables,while reducing their environmental impactand improving the working environment ofits customers.”The Excellence Award is bestowed eachyear upon the company which hasdemonstrated global excellence in a givenbusiness function such as sales, marketing,customer service, product quality and supplychain management.About Frost & Sullivan.Frost & Sullivan, the Growth PartnershipCompany, empower clients to create a growthfocusedculture that generates, evaluatesand implements effective growth strategies.Frost & Sullivan employs over 45 years ofexperience in partnering with Global 1000companies, emerging businesses and theinvestment community from more than 30offi ces on six continents.6

L E T ’ S T A L K P R O D U C T I V I T Y 2 0 0 9the weld quality. And even if quality only sufferson the minority of fabrications, which can berectifi ed through rework, the costs associatedwith the additional work will far outweigh thesavings in consumable costs.While it is fair to say that a highly skilled weldercan produce good results with almost anyequipment and consumables, it is also truethat better quality consumables are often moreforgiving, enabling welders with less skill toproduce good quality welds. Few companieshave the luxury of employing only the mosthighly skilled welders, so this point should beborne in mind when purchasing consumables.Low-cost welding wires can also causeproblems with build-up and wear in wirefeeders and welding nozzles. Once again, thiscan result in deteriorating quality andun-planned downtime for cleaning andmain-tenance - all of which impacts onprofi tability.Just as important as the physical characteristicsof the welding consumable is thesupplier. During these diffi cult times there willbe many suppliers making offers that seemto good to be true and indeed, they may wellbe. Choose a supplier that is prepared to workwith you as a partner in order to get throughthe tough times. ESAB, for example, will lookat a manufacturer’s entire welding process toidentify opportunities to enhance productivityand reduce production costs - but withoutsacrifi cing quality or introducing hidden costselsewhere. Furthermore, ESAB is committedto maintaining its technological leadershipthrough continued research and development,as well as working with customers to createtailored consumables and optimised weldingprocesses if that is what is required.We see many manufacturers trying to makedesperate short term gains by bypassing theirdistributors. However, ESAB is committed toits global network of distributors and will workalongside distributors to help solve customers’business problems. We recognise that ourentire value chain offers signifi cant benefi ts toour customers.So far we have focused primarily on weldingconsumables, but similar arguments hold truefor welding equipment. Low-cost equipmentis likely to produce lower-quality welds -especially in the hands of lower-skilled welders- and manufacturers need to be aware of thereduced productivity that would result fromthe need for more rework and post-weldcleaning. As we have seen above, deliveringlower quality can lead to the customernegotiating a lower price or walking away.Cheap welding equipment is also more likely tofail. Aside from the downtime associated witha breakdown, the repairs will eat into a company‘sprofi ts. As with consumables, the additional costof higher quality welding equipment is smallcompared with the potential impact that poorquality equipment can have on profi tability.With two years of stormy trading conditionslooking likely, ESAB has already taken stepsto prepare its business for the diffi cult timesahead. This fact, coupled with the company‘sexperience of surviving past recessions, meansthat ESAB is well placed to cope with thecurrent challenging market conditions and isconfi dent that it will emerge from the recessionin a much stronger position. But mostimportantly, ESAB is working with customersand distributors so that all parties can weatherthe storm together. Quality companies tend todeal with quality companies and ESAB isbuilding a quality organisation to be betterplaced to serve the needs of its customer base.Why therecessionis the bestreason to buy qualityBy Nazmi Adams, Global Marketing Director,ESAB Holdings Ltd.ESAB- motivated, intelligent and passionate people dedicated to customer service.Nobody can predict the future, buta good working assumption isthat manufacturing industry maytake two years to return to thelevels of output seen in 2007.With lower levels of demand, business ownershave to ‘right size’ their organisations to suitthe current market. At the same time, businessesneed to set a new level of productivity and alower break-even cost point. After taking thesesteps, manufacturing operations will have littleor no slack, so it is vital to keep productionrunning smoothly. Stoppages and rework willeat into profi ts or wipe them out altogether.Running an operation this lean requires thatmoney is spent wisely. However, this does notmean ‘buy the cheapest’ because low-cost,low-quality products can be a false economy,resulting in further expenditure elsewhere thatmakes the initial savings pale into insignifi cance.If manufacturing companies are trying to savemoney, they may try to cut costs by switchingto low-priced welding consumables such aswelding wire and electrodes. While we havealready argued that businesses need to countevery penny, it should be borne in mind thatconsumables typically account for 2-3 percent of fabrication costs, whereas labouraccounts for 10-20 per cent.Switching to cheaper consumables may savea small proportion of the 2-3 per cent, butthere could be substantial hidden costs.Moreover, the 10-20 percent accounted forby labour is a more obvious target for savings,by improving the productivity capabilities ofthe welders.If you are not yet convinced, consider thepotential consequences of switching to cheapconsumables.First, it has to be remembered that theconsumable can have a signifi cant impact onTHE ESAB WELDING AND CUTTING JOURNAL VOL. 64 NO. 1 2009TRANSPORTATIONEXHAUST SYSTEMS • SHOCK ABSORBERSMOBILE CRANES • TRUCK COMPONENTS • FERRIESTRAMWAY REPAIR • FORKLIFT FRAMES• MOBILE MACHINERYSvetsaren, the esabwelding and cuttingjournal, is our technicalcustomer magazine.it is published once ortwice a year in the englishlanguage. svetsaren wasfirst published in 1936 andtoday it has more than13,000 subscribers from allover the world. ask yourlocal sales organisation fora free subscription.7

L e t ’ s t a l k P R O D U C T I V I T Y 2 0 0 9Complete solutions for the fabricationof wind towersESAB has been involved in the windtower industry from the early days,and has steadily responded toincreasing requirements to thepoint where, today, 80% of all windtowers in service, worldwide, have beenmanufactured using our technology. All overthe world, we partner with manufacturers oftowers, foundation piles and transition pieces,for land-based, offshore or arctic service. Ourservices range from retrofitting of existingproduction facilities to turnkey equipment forgreenfield installations.At Schweissen und Schneiden we will showyou a complete station for welding circumferentialjoints in wind tower sections – designed todeliver all-round productivity. This is valuablenot only for the wind tower industry, but forfabrication of any large circular object withcircumferential and longitudinal welds. Theinstallation at Schweissen und Schneidenfeatures:• The revolutionary, space saving ESABtelescopic column and boom - Telbo TM• The 1000kg EcoCoil TM bulk wire spools• The new moisture protected 1000kg BigBagfor welding flux• The world renowned OK Flux 10.72 windtower submerged arc fluxTelbo - ESAB´s unique telescopic columnand boom - requires significantly less rearclearance because of the unique 3-sectiontelescope-like retraction of the boom. All threesections are synchronised to ensure even,stable motion throughout the entire reach-out.Offering flexibility for plant design, Telbo cansave valuable workshop space and canconsiderably reduce investment costs forbuildings, heating, lighting, etc.Two standard sizes are available: Telbo 6500with a travel range of 6.5m and 8m maxreach-out; or Telbo 9500 with 9.5m travelrange and an outstanding 12m reach-out.The latter has a boom end loading capacityof 500 kg! Using Telbo, production will bemore flexible, even when mixed sized workpiecesare to be welded. Consequently, dwell timesare dramatically cut.When it comes to stability, there is an obviousadvantage in being able to use a tandemwelding head with front mounted 100kg wirereels, still ensuring consistent quality of welds!The operator, with easy access to the fullyintegrated PLC control system, can safelycontrol the welding operations at the workplatform. It includes a modem for all -functionexternal communication - including the weldprocess - and for fast, accurate on-line supportfrom ESAB.Joint tracking can be accurately controlledusing a supervision welding head camera,reproducing the joint on a monitor at theplatform.EcoCoil TM bulk wire spoolsIn many welding set-ups, conventional 30kgspools can be replaced with EcoCoil TM bulkwire spools - reducing the number of spoolchanges by a factor of 33. Moreover, packagingmaterial is reduced to a minimum whilst stillgiving full protection from moisture and dustduring transport. All materials are fully recyclable.Since it is a one-way-package, there is noneed for return logistics.The costs for the required decoiling stand/turntable are soon compensated by timesavings on spool changes, after which the bigsavings begin. Advantages over heavy spoolsare achieved because the wire is not spooledtightly around the cardboard core. In the startand stop phases, the spool can slowlyaccelerate and stop whilst the wire is fed tothe welding head at constant speed, therebyreducing welding defects.New to the market is our environmentallyfriendly 350kg Octagonal BigDrum TM for2.5mm to 5 mm wire diameters. This is forcustomers who require frequent wire changes,prefer to have a lower weight per package,or need to have the full wire package protectedagainst dirt or moisture during pay-off.The ESAB Octagonal BigDrum TM is based onthe Marathon Pac TM outer shell - but with aninner tube. The packaging is made of cardboardand thus disposed of as recyclable paper. TheOctagonal BigDrum TM needs to be placed ona rotating table during decoiling which, ofcourse, can be obtained from your full-solutionprovideror ESAB.The new moisture protected BigBags have aBigBag discharge spout showing aluminium lining.very well defined discharge spout whichcan be closed during the flux flow.In order that customers can use fluxeswithout prior redrying, ESAB has equippedthe BigBags with an aluminium liner,reliably protecting the flux from moisture,even in tough climates such as aroundthe equator. The complete BigBag is fullyrecyclable.OK Flux 10.72 is an agglomerated, basicflux, designed for the production of windtowers. It combines the high demandsfor multi-layer thick section welding, usinghigh deposition rates with respectabletoughness values down to -50°C whencombined with a standard non-alloyedSAW wire. It is used for single and multiwireprocedures such as tandem, twin-arc,and tandem-twin welding and worksequally well on DC and AC current. Theexcellent slag removal in narrow V-jointsallows the included angle of the joint tobe reduced. OK Flux 10.72 can be appliedfor unlimited plate thicknesses.8

L e t ’ s t a l k P R O D U C T I V I T Y 2 0 0 9The ultimate welding robotwith superior weldingtechnologyABB and ESAB have joined forces to create theultimate arc welding robot – designed for ‘plugand play’ within half a day. Combining the bestof each partner’s expertise in welding andautomation, the new, comprehensive packageincludes ABB’s versatile, high performanceIRB1600, IRB1600ID or IRB2400L robots, ESAB’sAristo TM W8 2Integrated robot package and you,the client’s, preferred choice of torches. Therobots are available directly from ABB factories,and are ideal for the welding of carbon steel,stainless steel and aluminium. The Aristo TM W8 2robot package is also ideal for the retrofit ofexisting robots, giving them a new welding life.The robots feature our Aristo TM W8 2robotpackage – a complete set of welding equipmentand consumables, based on our latest digitalpower source technology.The package consists of:• The Aristo TM Mig 3000i and 5000i inverters.• The Aristo TM W8 2 Integrated interface .• The Robofeed 3004w ELP encapsulatedwire feeder.• Cable packages.• The Marathon Pac TM bulk drum with robotquality welding wire.Aristo TM Mig 5000i and 3001i inverters -designed specifically for robotic MIG/MAGwelding in metal fabrication industries –represent ESAB’s latest generation of digitalpower sources, offering up to 500A/39V at60% duty cycleThe Aristo TM W8 2Integrated interface.is built-into the ABB’s IRC5 robot control unit,which has a major advantage in the sensethat both the robot and the power source canbe operated from a single pendant. The powersources are easy to use with the user-friendlyW8 2control facilities which feature the fulllibrary of ESAB and ABB synergic linesdeveloped for thin-plate welding. IntelligentESAB process functions such as Qset TM ,SuperPulse TM and Weldpoint TM are included.The Robofeed 3004w ELP encapsulated,robot mounted wire feeder is 4-wheel driven.OK Tubrod 14.11-1.2mm -fast as lightningOK Tubrod 14.11 is a new 1.2mm diametermetal-cored wire for non- and low-alloyedsteel which has been specially developedfor the high speed welding of thin plates(1-4mm). Treated with ESAB’s revolutionarycored wire surface technology, it sets newstandards for reducing welding costs,especially in mechanised and robotic stations.The difference in welding performance inthe thin-plate area, compared to solid wire,is striking. In many applications, travelspeeds between 150 and 250cm/min canbe achieved, regardless of whether it is thinfillet welds (a=2-2.5mm) or overlap joints.Here, OK Tubrod 14.11 tends to producewelds without undercut and with nice washto the plate edges.OK Tubrod 14.11 Ø1.2mm operates in thespray arc mode at currents as low as 160A,providing the widest possible envelope forlow-spatter welding with a fine droplettransfer. This is a major advantage comparedto 1.0mm and 1.2mm solid wires, whichcan only be used in the short arc or globulararc mode when welding thin plate.With high welding speed and an extraordinarilylow arc voltage, heat input into the weldedpart is very low, making it a viable alternativeto modern, so called‚ ‘cold arc’ weldingprocesses in welding non- and low-alloyedsteel. These advantages also provide benefitsin welding zinc-coated plate, where OKTubrod 14.11 Ø1.2mm stands comparisonwith very low porosity and spatter.Short welds with many starts and stopscan also be achieved at a low spatter levelwith OK Tubrod 14.11 Ø1.2mm. A stablearc is established a split second after ignition.OK Tubrod 14.11 Ø1.2mm is very forgivingwith respect to poor fit-up, bridging gapseven at very high travel speeds - resultingin less post weld repair work and lessrejects in serial fabrication.Parameter setting with OK Tubrod 14.11Ø1.2mm is simple. In the thin-plate area,the arc voltage is between 22V and 24V– whether one welds at the lowest wirefeed speed of 7m/min or at the highest of14m/min.The best bead appearance and spatterlevel are obtained in EN ISO 14175: M20with 92% Ar and 8% CO 2 , but also thestandard 82%Ar/18% CO 2 (EN ISO 14175:M21) mixed gas also gives good results.Weld penetration is not noticeably influencedby the amount of CO 2 in the shielding gas.However, the higher amount of silica islandswith a higher amount of CO 2 has to betaken into account.The application of OK Tubrod 14.11 bringspotential cost savings to any applicationinvolving mechanised or robotic weldingof sheet metal up to 4mm thickness wherethe welding station forms a bottleneck inproduction. Station cycle times can besubstantially reduced, due to the significantlyhigher welding speed. This results in a20-40% increase in productivity and acorresponding decrease in welding cost.Applications can be found, generally, inthe fabrication of thin-walled componentsfor the automotive and transport industries,and in the furniture industry.It has all important functions for robotic weldingsuch as manual forward and reverse inching,shielding and cleaning gas purge, gas sensor,air test and anti-collision detection, motorcurrent control which are accessible throughthe IRC5 control unit. ESAB’s TrueArc-Voltage TMsystem is built-in for continuous measurementof the arc length. Windows in the casing allowvisual inspection of the feeding mechanismwithout having to open the feeder. The wirefeeder is easy to connect/disconnect by usingquick connectors.The Robofeed 3004w ELP features the ELP(ESAB Logic Pump) switch that ensures watercoolingis only provided when a water-cooledtorch is connected.Cable packages connecting the Aristo Migpower sources to the Robofeed 3004w ELPwire feeder are available in 7.5m and 10mlengths for the ABB IRB 1600, IRB 1600 IDand IRB 2400L welding robots. Other lengthsare available on request.Marathon Pac TMOur Marathon Pac TM family offers a choice ofthree drum sizes for a variety of wire types –including robotic quality wires such as OKAristoRod TM , Matt Stainless types and 1.2mmOK Tubrod 14.11, all of which can beincorporated in the Aristo TM W8 2robot package.Continued success forOK AristoRod TMThe ‘Aristo TM ’ name is synonymous with ESAB’shighest quality traditions. That is why you canbe certain that OK AristoRod copper-freewire with ASC surface technology will deliverclearly measurable performance and efficiencyenhancements across your welding operations.All over the world, fabricators have recognisedthis and in most markets OK AristoRod hasbecome the leading product in its category.OK AristoRod takes your MAG weldingoperations and systems to new levels ofperformance and all-round efficiency in bothrobotic and mechanised welding. ESAB’sdevelopment of Advanced SurfaceCharacteristics (ASC) has enabled the creationof a whole new family of wires with outstandingproperties. Taken together these deliver thepotential for increased productivity in automatedMAG welding facilities.With OK AristoRod you gain consistent,trouble-free feeding, with no clogging of theliners and guns, as well as low contact tipwear. The new generation of bare wires hasexcellent start properties too, with good arcstability at very high welding currents andproducing extremely low spatter.Combined, these properties translate directlyinto reduced maintenance downtime, excellentweld finish with minimal post weld cleaning,and increased deposition rates.OK AristoRod wires can be safely storedfor extended periods too. That’s because theASC surface technology creates a barrier thatis highly resistant to corrosion.These new generation MAG wires are specificallydesigned to reduce your overall welding costs.What you’ll gain is high quality, dependableproduction welding, time and time again.OK AristoRod is available either on adapterfreebasket spools or contained in MarathonPac 250 and 475kg octagonal bulk drums.There’s even an ‘Endless’ Marathon Pacversion for continuous, non-stop delivery ofwire to the welding head.OK AristoRod - the benefits• Very stable arc at very high welding currents.• Extremely low levels of spatter.• Excellent start properties.• Consistent trouble-free feeding, even athigh wire speeds and lengthy feeddistances.• Reduced contact tip wear.• Improved protection against corrosion ofthe wire.• Low fume emission level.9

L e t ’ s t a l k P R O D U C T I V I T Y 2 0 0 9Rail repair needn’t becomplicatedESAB’s Tramtrac II and Railtrac BV/BVR1000 are lightweight, easy-to-use systemsdesigned for accurate, efficient repairs totramway and railway rails. Easy to mount,easy to programme and easy to remove! Aone-man job.Tramtrac IITramtrac II, with an Origo Mig 320 orOrigo Mig 410 constant voltage weldingpower source and a suitable power generator,is the perfect equipment combination to repairworn embedded tramlines in curves in citytramway systems.The Tramtrac II is a lightweight tractor thatuses the tram rail it is welding, for guidance.Simplicity of use is one of its major advantages.It can easily be applied to the rail by oneoperator. All welding process travel speed andstart/stop manoeuvres are controlled from aneasy-to-use control box.The welding head is attached to a slide systemwhich includes a semi circular slide for torchangle and horizontal and vertical slides. Thewire feed unit is placed on top of the spoolcover and is easily accessible when changingwire spools.Tramtrac II uses OK Tubrodur 15.65 andOK Tubrodur 14.71, self shielded wires, speciallydesigned to weld grooved rail without preheating.Your investment in Tramtrac II equipmentwill result in a short pay back time, thus provingto be extremely cost efficient for repairinggrooved tram rail. It eliminates the need forheavy cumbersome submerged arc weldingstations and huge power sources that needtwo component welding consumables and alarge crew to operate.Railtrac BV/BVR 1000Railtrac BV and BVR 1000 are designedespecially for the repair welding of carbonmanganese and 14% manganese rail steel,on site or in the workshop.Major applications are the repair of weldingcrossings, wheel burns and rail ends. You willfind that Railtrac BV/BVR 1000 systems arevery cost efficient compared to replacing worncrossings and rails.The compact Railtrac BV 1000 gives you thechoice of 4 basic pre-defined programmes.The programmes have dedicated weldingTramtrac IIpatterns for repairing carbon manganesecrossings, 14% manganese crossings, wheelburns, rail ends and other plain rail defects.Railtrac BV 1000 is easy to use and noprogramming skills are needed. The Railtracsystem comprises:• A 2-metre lightweight aluminium track• Main Controller• Weaving Carriage• Small remote controllerThe Railtrac is connected to an Aristo Migsemi-automatic welding machine with wirefeeder which supplies the 42V AC powerneeded. Once the required information hasbeen set in the main controller, all functionsare controlled from the remote.Lightweight, versatile and easy to use, Railtracwill give you accurate and efficient weldingrepairs. One operator can easily handle theapplication of the unit to the rail or crossing.Advanced process control for A2-A6 welding tractors couldbe the key to successful weldingESAB’s contribution to successful mechanisedwelding includes the new A2-A6 PEK CANProcess Controller adapted for use with our LAF631 / 1001 / 1251 / 1601 CAN and TAF 801/1251 CAN automatic power sources.The A2-A6 PEK CAN Process Controller,with its clear text menu, is easy to use. Userscan choose between 16 different languages.The large display keeps users informed aboutthe main parameters - current, voltage andtravel speed. 255 complete welding programscan be stored in the memory. The controllercan be used for both SAW and GMAW.Our new A2–A6 welding tractors all featurethe A2-A6 PEK CAN process controller. Forwire feed motors with encoders, the CAN bussystem ensures constant travel and wirefeeding speeds.The A2T Tripletrac with A2-A6 PEK CANprocess controller is designed for internalcircumferential welding. The three-wheeledtractor steers with the front wheel via a steeringwheel. This, combined with the fact that thesteering wheel also controls the horizontalslide, ensures easy control of the wire position.The A2T Multitrac with A2-A6 PEK CANProcess Controller is designed to optimisewelding operations and to increase productivityand quality. The compact tractor is fourwheeldriven, and features a clutch for quickmovement to new positions. The A2T Multitracfor submerged arc welding is available in twoversions, for single or twin wire. Wire up to4mm diameter can be used. A version is alsoavailable for gas metal arc welding.A6T Mastertrac with A2-A6 PEK CANprocess controller is designed for heavierwelding projects than the A2T tractors. Thetractor is four-wheel driven, has compactdesign and a clutch for quick movement ofthe tractor to new positions. The A6T Mastertracis available in three different designs, single,twin or tandem.The A2 PEI Welding Controller can be usedwith all of our A2 Automats and A2 motors.Three knobs on the front panel set travelspeed, voltage and wire speed. The actualparameters are shown on the digital displays.It can be connected to most analog DC powersupplies.The analog PEI controller can be used with aminimum of training. The A2 Multitrac withPEI controller can be used with the new LAF631 / 1001 / 1251 / 1601 CAN power sources.In Submerged Arc Welding, 4mm wire can beused in the single wire version, or 2.5 mm inthe twin version.Orbital TIG welding with ESABThe highest levels of weld reproducibility and qualityThe compact, lightweight, Aristo MechTigC2002i power source features an integratedWindows-based man-machine interfacewhich, together with the PRH enclosedwelding head, makes it ideal for thepharmaceutical and food and beverageindustries; shiny welds which require nocleaning. The equipment is robust anduser-friendly, allowing one operator to runtwo welding heads simultaneously forincreased productivity. An ‘auto generationof parameters’ function minimises theequipment start-up period. Basic parameters- material, tube diameter and thickness - areentered by the operator and the controlunit automatically calculates a weldprogramme. This programme, or one refinedby the operator, can be stored in the controlunit and/or on a USB memory stick forrepeated use. The auto generation functionis valid for tubes with wall thickness up to3mm. Alternatively, welding parameters canbe manually set using a graphical orspreadsheet interface.For larger pipeswith thicker walls,for instance in theoff-shore andpower generationindustries, themore powerfulAristo MechTig4 0 0 0 i p o w e rs o u r c e w i t hi t s A r i s t o MechControl 4control unit is thebest choice - usingPRC and PRD 160weld heads. Thefully programmablepower source maintains precise control ofthe welding process. Synchronised pulsingminimises the risk of hot cracks, andautomatic arc voltage control (AVC)guarantees a constant arc length. Weavingof the electrode holder can give a muchquicker filling of the joint and the weavedwell times can be individually programmedto avoid lack of fusion onto the side walls.A small remote control is used to changeparameters during welding.The stationary A 25 modular componentsystem can be used when the weld objectcan be rotated. The modular componentscan be put together to suit applicationrequirements, from the basic system withmanual slides for positioning of the torchto the more advanced version with weavingand AVC slides.The Aristo MechTig 3000i power source,Aristo MechControl 2 control unit andPOC weld head, are suitable for tube to tubesheet welding.10

L e t ’ s t a l k P R O D U C T I V I T Y 2 0 0 9Rosio - Robotic frictionstir welding of complexcomponentsBy using high-payload industrialrobots, a new field of 3-D applicationsfor friction stir weldingcan be created. After a successfulevaluation period, ESAB FSWRosio is now available for various weldingapplications.Power game in FSWThe main advantage gained by using anindustrial robot for FSW is the 3-dimensionalworkspace. But along with the axis configurationneeded to achieve this workspace, compliantbehaviour is unavoidable. As the robot comesinto contact with a rigid object, the structurecompresses and leaves erroneous encoderreadings. As those readings are fed back tothe control system to be used in the continuousplanning, the applied motion will not correspondto that intended. And, as the force experiencedduring FSW may be at the outer limits of thesystem’s performance, such behaviour willcause instability and most likely cause theoperation to fail.A common solution to such a problem is forcecontrol. By disregarding positional readingsin the active direction of the tool and, instead,reading the contact force and regulating itaccording to a desired value, contact stabilityis ensured. It is obviously a difficult task,requiring not only experience in robot systemdynamics, but also the process. It has, nonethe-less,been recognised as a suitable solutionnot only for FSW, but also in many other incontactoperations in which robots are used.The ESAB robot prototypeESAB has chosen to utilise a standardindustrial robot for friction stir welding, whilstacknowledging the known challenges of forcecapacity, instability, etc. In order to keep theprocess entry level threshold low, it wasdecided that a standard, widely availableindustrial robot is used as a building block forRosio.In order to minimise the effects caused by theprocess, focus areas for development havebeen inthe implementation ofadaptive controlby mechanicallyreconfiguringthe robotso that the maximum downforce of 500kgcan be fully utilised.The actual welding head consists of a tooladapter, a spindle and a motor. It is dimensionedto apply a maximum torque of 40Nm and arotation speed of 3000rpm. This is sufficientfor friction stir welding AA6000-series aluminiumalloys in thicknesses up to 5mm.When integrating the welding head with therobot, two main areas need to be considered.Firstly, the operating area of the robot shouldnot be affected by the addition of the frictionstir welding head. Secondly, with a constantdistance between the FSW tool and the robot’swrist, stability is increased and the positionof the tool centre point is better controlled.Minimum mechanical re-configuration of therobot is needed. However, for FSW the 6thaxis is more or less redundant, so the spaceoccupied by that axis is used for housing thewelding equipment. This increases stabilityby locating the FSW tool closer to the wrist.As previously mentioned, there is always aneed for an advanced control system whenperforming FSW with a robot. This is due tothe fact that robots are typically not designedfor in-contact operations, and very rarely – ifever - for the contact forces experiencedduring FSW. With elastic deformation alwaysexisting in the system under load, processcontrol is very demanding.In FSW, operations can be divided into bothplanar and complex welds. Planar weld seamsare performed by traditional machines, or anyother 2-dimensional welding technique.Complex weld seams are applied on objectshaving curved surfaces. The major differencebetween the two, in terms of path planning,is that the motion of a planar weld may beplanned according to a pre-defined fixedcoordinate system. The system internallycalculates how to orientate the tool in orderto apply a tilt angle defined by the user - likea welding parameter - just by being given thepositional coordinates from, for example,teach-programming. The robot system alsofeatures the ability to apply a proper tilt ortravel angle with relative ease. By implementingwelding instructions for the robot’s programminglanguage, including the algorithms to applythe tilt angles for a set of common operation,the operator may program the robot as withany standard robot operation.ApplicationsOne of the early users of robotic FSW isthe automotive industry, where relativelysoft aluminium alloys - AA5000 and AA6000-series - are used in thicknesses under 3mm.In these applications, forces under 5000Nand tool rotating speeds below 3000rpm aretypical. Successful butt- and overlap-jointson AA6063, AA6082 and AA5754 have beenperformed in order to verify the performanceof Rosio - first in 2D or planar applicationsand, later, in a real 3D environment. For the3D tests, programs were generatedautomatically from the CAD-drawings forconcave-convex-concave objects as off-lineprogramming.Force capacitySpindle torque capacitySpindle rotational capacityReachControl featuresTool interfaceProcess monitoringMainsWeightConnections13 kN44 Nm.Rosio technical data.3000 rpm.2.55m from the originhybrid force/position control modeWeld on interface with 25mm diameterForce (x, y, z); Torque (ix,iy,iz); Position (x,y,z);Tool orientation (q1,q2,q3,q4); Spindle rotation (rpm)3ph. - 400V, 50HzRobot ~ 2500kg, control cabinet ~ 250kg2 Ethernet connections (1 service), RS232 terminalThe new Demobus –ESAB on the moveThe new ESAB Demobus makes its publicdebut at Essen. In true world premiere style,our new on-the-road showroom, with itsmodern spacious interior, will highlight recentdevelopments in equipment, automation, fillermaterials and accessories.Our Demobus has been a highly valued salestool for ESAB distributors for many years,enabling them to present to their customersan overview of ESAB’s welding solutions. TheDemobus has toured throughout Europe,re-appearing annually in many countries.At Essen, visitors can take a tour through ‘theworld of ESAB’, and see for themselves howeducation programmes, customer days andtrade fairs can be enriched and – above all– how sales can be increased.Under the theme “we have it all”, our equipmentand consumables will be presented in livedemonstrations, in displays, and in videosviewed on one of the many screens aboardthe Demobus.We will show how we were at the birth ofdigital welding and illustrate by livedemonstrations using portable Caddy MIG/MAG inverters how several decades ofdevelopment have taken us to the top in digitalwelding technology. ESAB comes to you ratherthan expecting you to come to ESAB!For distributors, we will also demonstrate howyour sales area can be transformed with ourpoint-of-sales displays and shop fittings –including a complete range of personalprotection equipment, which features ourrenewed programme of welding helmets.11

L e t ’ s t a l k P R O D U C T I V I T Y 2 0 0 9ESAB Hall 1, Stand 309What’s where on the ESAB standDemonstrationsRosio TM 3D friction stir weldingDemonstrationsAristoRod TMcopper-freeMAG wireDemonstrationsTotal MIG/MAG efficiency fromMarathon Pac TM octagonal bulkdrum systemNew MIG InvertersReceptionDemobusDistributorCentreWeldingaccessoriesThe Knowledge Centre– intelligence at yourfingertipsWe would like to introduce you, directly,to some of the clever ‘hidden’ aspects ofour products. How is it that we can measurewelding parameters so precisely and alwaysdisplay the true value? And how doesartificial intelligence simplify your MIG/MAGshort arc welding?The demand for welding parametersupervision and documentation becomesever-stronger Have a look at WeldLog.The software displays and logs the weldingparameters.We have a full programme of welding andhandling equipment as well as consumablesfor wind tower production. We have animpressive computer presentation that willgive you a detailed picture of ESAB’scomplete solution for wind towerproduction. If you are interested in howeverything works together, we can showyou integration opportunities and offlinePLC programming.Laser Hybrid is mostly used for thinmaterials. ESAB has now developed aprocess and a welding head that makesthis method available for thicker materials.DemonstrationsNarrow gap weldingDemonstrationsAutomated CuttingSolutions withProgramming3D and High SpeedPlasma CuttingDesigned to function in the most adversewelding environments, our new range of MIG/MAG welding inverters have superb power toweight ratios. Higher than normal duty cyclesmake these systems more than capable ofmeeting the intensive arc time requirementsof the heavy and medium duty fabricationindustries. They are the ideal companions forfabricators operating within the shipyard,offshore, energy and transport segments.The use of modern materials provides alightweight, high performance power sourcewith minimal environmental impact.ESAB’s design focus on maximising efficiencylowers both energy consumption andinstallation costs.Weldingheads forpipemillsTramtrac,Railtrac,MechanisedTIGDemonstrationsComplete solution for windtower fabrication. IncludesTelbo TM BigBag EcoCoil TMHybrid LaserRetrofitPipemill weldingDemonstrationsAristo TM W8 2robot package/OK Tubrod 14.11 for highspeed, thin-plate weldingA2/A6 welding tractorsVersatility is provided by a choice of threepower source outputs ranging from 300A to500A. The wire feed unit that encloses thewire spool can be fitted with a choice of easyto understand control panels offering differinglevels of functionality and enabling a precisematch to the desired application.Flexible and efficient, lightweight yet powerful,these new systems are packed with featuresto simplify the welders task and assure weldquality.A library of synergic lines for the most commonmaterials, and our patented QSet TM adaptivearc system for automatic generation of optimalshort arc parameters simplifies the arc settingprocess while minimising spatter and aidingKnowledge centreAristo digitalmulti-process powersources, includingU8 2control unitNew inverters from ESABMore power, less weight andenergy savingNew MIG Invertersconsistent results. The unique True ArcVoltage TMsystem guarantees welding with the selectedarc voltage, independent of the torch andconnection cable length.The ability to select the MMA welding process,further adds to the versatility of this compactand mobile welding system.Durability and repeatability, in the face of themost demanding applications, were also majordesign considerations for these new systems.The new four wheel wire drive mechanismdown to the integration of QSet TM , all contributeto a system which is easy to use and yieldsconsistent results.What are the cost drivers for a weldingproduction? Learn more about it at ourKnowledge Centre. ESAB does not wantto sell you products only, but a completeprocess that does more than just removea bottleneck.What exactly is an inverter, and do electronicparts wear? If you always wanted to knowwhat’s inside different types of weldingmachine, how they function and whatmakes ESAB welding equipment unique– our Knowledge Centre staff will answeryour questions, explain many of the hiddenaspects of the equipment, and provideyou with background information.Reduction of Harmonics is a legalrequirement. ESAB deals with thoserequirements in a very responsible way– for our customers’ benefit and safety.Learn about QSet as artificial Intelligencein a welding machine and why True ACRating is beneficial for repeatability andquality with AC-TIG welding. An outstandingfeature that provides true data in MIG/MAGwelding is True Arc Voltage. It reducesa possible deviation from the absolute valueto a negligible level and allows exchangeof components without recalibration.Watch our new Aristo U8 2 and AristoW8 2 high-end controls run on a PC, aswell as our WeldPoint PC control software.Remote editing of data on particularmachines in the network, as well asadvanced parameter filing and systembackup, are of particular interest wheredowntimes should be as short as possibleand repeatability is a must.Come and share our view on technologyand environment in the Knowledge Centre.ESAB ABBox 8004S-402 77 GöteborgSwedenTel. +46 31 50 9000Fax. +46 31 50 9390info@esab.sewww.esab.comESAB GmbHBeethovenstraße 135D-42655 SolingenGermanyTel. +49 212 298 0Fax. +49 212 298 218info@esab.dewww.esab.deESAB Cutting Systems GmbHRobert-Bosch-Str. 20D-61184 KarbenGermanyTel. +49 6039 40 0Fax. +49 6039 40 301info@esab-cutting.dewww.esab-cutting.de