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Welding<br />
Industry News Reviews Membership News FeaturesW <strong>rld</strong><br />
PAGE 04<br />
● AGM & Conference<br />
PAGE 06<br />
● Industry News<br />
PAGE 08<br />
● Product Reviews<br />
PAGE 15<br />
● Ask the Expert<br />
JULY<br />
also... PAGE 11<br />
Welding Wo<strong>rld</strong> Highlight
02<br />
ASSOCIATION NEWS
CONTENTS<br />
02<br />
04<br />
06<br />
08<br />
10<br />
12<br />
15<br />
16<br />
18<br />
20<br />
22<br />
23<br />
Welcome<br />
Conference 2011<br />
Industry News<br />
Product Reviews<br />
● Thermadyne Industries<br />
Plasma Cutting & Welding Helmets<br />
● 3M - Eye Protection<br />
● Gullco International<br />
Welding Carriage<br />
● Weldability-Sif<br />
Paste Flux & Welding Machines<br />
● JEI Solutions - Plate Beveller<br />
● GYS - Plasma Cutting<br />
Industry Insight<br />
Welding Wo<strong>rld</strong> Highlight<br />
● Fowlmere Engineering<br />
Ask The Expert<br />
Jon Mills Interview<br />
TWI<br />
Spatter Matter<br />
Harvey’s weldweb<br />
Sif tips<br />
AWD MEMBERSHIP<br />
For more information and becoming a member<br />
can help your business contact us on:<br />
01952 290036<br />
or email us at<br />
membership@awd.org.uk<br />
or visit us on the internet at:<br />
www.awd.org.uk<br />
Message from your Chairman...<br />
A NEW FUTURE FOR THE AWD<br />
I would like to say ‘thank you’, to all the Membership for electing me to the<br />
post as your National Chairman. I have been closely involved in the welding<br />
distribution industry both at BOC and as Managing Director of Weldability-Sif.<br />
I hope this past experience will stand me in good stead as your new Chairman.<br />
WELCOME<br />
I further would like to thank my predecessor Danny Gallagher, on behalf of the AWD Council and all the<br />
members, for his tremendous work, commitment and enthusiasm during his Chairmanship. He has served<br />
the AWD and the Council well for over 11 years.<br />
When I started my career in the Welding Industry back in the 70’s it was a time of much change. It in<br />
fact was the very moment when the manufacturers became focused on the distributive trade for its<br />
pathway to service industry. Most Welding Product brands of the time were delighted for the opportunity<br />
to cut their operational costs and support their preferred distributor route to market. Sadly some of those<br />
brands today now support the notion that only 60% of sales should go via the distributor and 40% should<br />
go direct. 33 years on and is this repeating pattern the new direction of the Welding Distribution industry?<br />
I am certain that many of my fellow AWD Members today can be satisfied that their fellow AWD<br />
Members, who often own major product brands, still believe that supplies to the Distributive trade<br />
remains the only route to market. It is those values that will help us ensure a positive and mutuallysuccessful<br />
future for our market.<br />
I am happy to report that since announcing the need to form 3 new working groups at the AWD<br />
conference in April, the groups have been formed with the first meeting of the PSQ (Product Safety and<br />
Quality) committee in particular, taking place on the 4th July. Each of the groups will play an active role<br />
in delivering information and constructive assistance to the Membership and help the industry develop<br />
its professionalism and relevance still further.<br />
Projects within the UK’s Renewable Energy sector strategy and structure will remain central to the future<br />
of the Welding Industry and provide us all with many new opportunities for investment, innovation and<br />
profit. The AWD is aligning itself with many of these projects in order to assist Members in developing<br />
local contacts to supply. The AWD’s strongest marketing tool is the “Welding Wo<strong>rld</strong>” brand which is<br />
being trademarked and is clearly promoted by our magazine and exhibition. Your continued support of<br />
these activities should be seen as time and money well spent in investing in a brighter future in more<br />
ways than one!<br />
Our Membership Manager, Wendy Barber, is busily contacting each Member and establishing how<br />
exactly the AWD can make a difference to your business. Many are taking the opportunity to use the<br />
magazine and website to advertise and as both of these become more central to industry-wide<br />
communication, your membership status is further enhanced.<br />
We must act as an Association representing the needs of its Members and to take control of promoting<br />
all that is good about our industry, including good practice and products, eradication of bad practices<br />
and putting forward the long-term benefits of more professional welders.<br />
We, the AWD National Executive, National Council and Regional officers are well on the way to delivering<br />
many of our best intentions and we thank you for your continued support in doing so.<br />
Adrian Hawkins, Chairman<br />
Welding<br />
Industry News Reviews Membership News FeaturesW <strong>rld</strong><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
AGM & Conference Industry News<br />
Product Reviews Ask the Expert<br />
JULY<br />
also...<br />
Welding Wo<strong>rld</strong> Highlight<br />
FRONT COVER IMAGE:<br />
The Dyfi Bridge in Machynlleth<br />
Metalworking sculptor<br />
PUBLISHED BY:<br />
Association of Welding Distribution Ltd.<br />
Secure Hold Business Centre, Studley Road,<br />
Redditch, Worcestershire, B98 7LG<br />
Tel: 01952 290036<br />
Fax: 01952 290037<br />
Email: secretaraiat@awd.org.uk<br />
Web: www.awd.org.uk<br />
EDITOR:<br />
Martin Clark<br />
Tel: 01952 250312<br />
Email: editor@awd.org.uk<br />
DESIGN & PRODUCTION:<br />
ADVERTISING MANAGER:<br />
Dominic Roberts<br />
Tel: 07850 922364<br />
Email: advertising@awd.org.uk<br />
Creative Digital Printing Limited . Oxon Business Park, Shrewsbury, SY3 5DD<br />
Tel: 01743 263030 . Fax: 01743 263031<br />
Email: sales@creativedigitalprinting.com . Web: www.creativedigitalprinting.com<br />
Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information in each issue of Welding Wo<strong>rld</strong>, the<br />
publishers, authors and printers cannot except liability for errors or omissions nor for any claims made by the<br />
advertisers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior<br />
permission of the copywrite holder and the publisher. Applications for which must be made direct to the publisher.<br />
The Association, publishers, editors or it’s contributors cannot be held responsible for any statements of views<br />
expresses editorily. The opinions expressed by the correspondents are not necessarily those of the publisher.<br />
03
04<br />
AGM & CONFERENCE<br />
AWD 37th AGM & CONFERENCE<br />
2nd WELDING WORLD EXHIBITION<br />
The exhibition took place on the Friday prior to the AGM and Conference and<br />
gave members the opportunity to showcase their products and services to<br />
the visitors. This year saw a number of new exhibitors, including non<br />
members taking stands, which was most encouraging.<br />
FRIDAY EVENING ENTERTAINMENT<br />
This annual event was as usual well supported and enjoyed by all, with the<br />
“Great British Pub Quiz” enabling guests to show off their general knowledge<br />
skills.<br />
GALA AWARDS DINNER<br />
The annual Gala Awards Dinner on the Saturday evening included<br />
entertainment from ‘Opera on the Run’ during the dinner, where two singing<br />
waiters kept the diners fully amused. Following the Dinner and Awards, the<br />
guests were able to dance the night away to the ‘Bernadette Wild Show’<br />
GOLF<br />
The annual AWD Golf Tournament took place at Wychwood Park, where<br />
great golf was enjoyed by all helped by sandwiches and bowls of chips. The<br />
overall AWD Trophy winner was Arran Nichols of Fowlmere Engineering.<br />
CHESTER VISIT<br />
On Saturday afternoon, wives and those not involved in other activities went<br />
by coach to the Historic City of Chester for lunch, shopping and a Walking<br />
History Tour of the City.<br />
Crewe Hall, Cheshire<br />
Friday 8th and Saturday 9th April 2011<br />
Sponsored by Air Products & Weldability-SIF<br />
AWD 2011 Membership Awards<br />
BRONZE - 15 years : BH Tungsten Grinders<br />
Basingstoke Welding Supplies<br />
Mitre Welding Products Ltd<br />
Nederman Limited<br />
South Yorkshire Welding & Engineering Supplies<br />
Thames Welding Supplies<br />
Weldlogic Europe Limited<br />
SILVER - 20 years : Total Welding Supplies Limited<br />
GOLD - 25 years : Welding Engineering Services<br />
Weldability-SIF<br />
PLATINUM - 30 years : Gullco International Ltd<br />
FOR SERVICE TO THE WELDING INDUSTRY 2011: Mike Hill<br />
HONORARY MEMBER TO THE ASSOCIATION<br />
OF WELDING DISTRIBUTION LTD 2011 :<br />
Dr David Harvey<br />
Paddy Tibbenham
AGM & CONFERENCE<br />
The Secretary and Treasurer reports were presented. The annual election of officers took place with Adrian<br />
Hawkins, Weldability-SIF appointed Chairman, Phil Tranter, Air Products appointed Vice-Chairman with Helen<br />
Brewin, Proactive Gas Safety Ltd elected to the Council.<br />
The new Chairman presented an overview of the Association and future important developments including: -<br />
1. The Association’s need for a modern modus operandi to take advantage of a major re-investment in<br />
manufacturing and training skills, with a large part directed at the welding industry.<br />
2. The need to move away from being a one person centred association providing a handful of complicated<br />
Member benefits and the odd Conference and Regional meeting, to a diverse and valuable collective<br />
organisation with a multitude of skills.<br />
3. The “Welding Wo<strong>rld</strong>” brand to be trademarked and clearly promoted by the magazine and exhibition.<br />
4. The AWD to act as an Association representing its Members’ needs and controlling the promotion of all<br />
that is good about the industry, eradicating some of the bad practices, emphasizing the long term benefit<br />
of more professional welders and the promotion of best practice and best products.<br />
5. The AWD’s need to create a support base to access Parliamentary assistance and discussion, product<br />
and process research and support, lobbying government and industry power bases and the creation of a<br />
series of 3 Working Groups with the first Product Safety and Quality meeting on the 4th July 2011.<br />
Vice Chairman, Phil Tranter gave a presentation on the AWD Marketing intentions and why they are so important.<br />
Wendy Barber, new Membership Manager gave a presentation on how she will be contacting every member<br />
and potential new members over the coming weeks and months.<br />
After the AGM the conference began with Doug Thornton, Chief Executive of the British Compressed Gases<br />
Association giving a presentation on the ‘BCGA and Welding Matters’, followed by an enlightening presentation<br />
by Graham Dodd of Crewe Hall and Local Historian, who gave an outline of the history of Crewe Hall, highlighting<br />
key features, inhabitants and events.<br />
AWD Chairman, Adrian Hawkins closed the proceeding by thanking the sponsors, secretariat, speakers and<br />
membership for supporting the AGM and Conference through time and effort they had put into their presentations.<br />
AGM & CONFERENCE<br />
AWD 37th AGM & Conference - Charity Draw<br />
The AWD Council is very grateful to those who donated prizes and bought tickets for the Charity Draw.<br />
A very commendable £600 was raised for the 2011 nominated Charity Cancer Research<br />
PRIZE DONATED BY WINNER<br />
£150 M&S Vouchers Weldability SIF Paul Graham - Grahams Machinery<br />
Spa Day Air Products PLC Paul Graham - Grahams Machinery<br />
Overnight stay - Chesford Grange Sovereign Conference Alexis Hawkins - Weldability SIF<br />
£100 John Lewis vouchers Fowlmere Welding Engineering Paul Graham - Grahams Machinery<br />
Cordless drill Energas Arran Nicols -Fowlmere Welding<br />
Bottle of Remy Martin Corewire Andrew Brookes - Thames Welding<br />
Bottle of Jamesons Flextraction Alexis Hawkins - Weldability SIF<br />
Three Barrels Pro –active Gas Safety Arran Nicols - Fowlmere Welding<br />
Three Barrels Flextraction Mary Tibbenham<br />
Case of Wine Air Products PLC David Harvey - Thames Welding<br />
Spa Product Crewe Hall Sally Gourley - Air Products PLC<br />
Bottle of Wine GYS Danny Gallagher - Air Products PLC<br />
Bottle of Wine GYS Helen Brewin - Pro-active Gas Safety<br />
Bottle of Wine GYS Arran Nicols - Fowlmere Welding<br />
Bottle of Wine GYS Gareth Hawkins - Weldability SIF<br />
Bottle of Wine GYS Paul Graham - Grahams Machinery<br />
05
06<br />
INDUSTRY NEWS<br />
A-Plant Eye in the Sky Helps Catch Plant Thieves in Cross Country Recovery Operation<br />
The incredible recovery record of A-Plant’s A-Trak GPS satellite tracking and<br />
security system used to protect the machines in the company’s hire fleet has been<br />
demonstrated by the successful retrieval of a stolen telehandler following a cross<br />
country recovery operation involving A-Plant, the hiring customer, the Police and<br />
Enigma Vehicle Systems who host the A-Trak system on behalf of A-Plant and all<br />
because of an out-of-hours call reporting the theft of a 12 metre telehandler from a<br />
site in Oldbury, West Midlands.<br />
Asif Latief, A-Plant’s Marketing Director said: “This is a remarkable recovery<br />
operation which was only possible due to the power of the A-Trak system and<br />
fantastic collaboration between the customer, A-Plant, Enigma and the Police. Over<br />
98% of stolen A-Plant equipment protected with A-Trak is recovered, compared to<br />
an industry average of just 5-10%.”<br />
www.aplant.com<br />
Danny Broadbent wins silver<br />
in Euroskills Lisbon 2010<br />
Danny Broadbent, SkillWeld 2010 Finalist and Wo<strong>rld</strong>Skills<br />
London 2011 squad member, has taken a joint Silver Medal in<br />
the EuroSkills 2010 welding competition in Lisbon.<br />
The EuroSkills competition is designed to help the EU member<br />
states to raise skills standards, to promote excellence in<br />
vocational skills and to increase awareness of the importance<br />
of skills and vocational education and training for the EU<br />
economies and societies.<br />
Alstom Thermal Services welder and Grimsby Institute exapprentice<br />
Danny entered the competition to hone his skills in<br />
preparation for Wo<strong>rld</strong>Skills 2011and his excellent performance<br />
bears testament to the quality of UK welder training and<br />
welding skills.<br />
The Welding Institute and Weldability-Sif are supporters of the<br />
SkillWeld competition and the development of welding<br />
competitors for Wo<strong>rld</strong>Skills London 2011<br />
www.baesystems.com<br />
UK MANUFACTURERS REPORT SOLID DEMAND<br />
CBI reports UK manufacturers continue to report healthy order books and expect<br />
further output growth in the coming quarter, though at a slightly slower pace than over<br />
the past few months.<br />
Manufacturing demand remained strong in June. Of the 457 manufacturers responding<br />
to the CBI’s latest monthly Industrial Trends Survey, 27% of manufacturers describe<br />
total orders as above normal, while 26% said they were below normal. The resulting<br />
balance of +1% is well above the long-term average (-18%), and is a slight improvement<br />
on the previous month’s balance of -2%.<br />
Export orders books also picked up slightly in June, with 27% of firms saying they were<br />
above normal, and 27% below normal. The resulting balance of 0% compares with -<br />
3% in May, and is significantly above the long-term average (-21%). It is a continuation<br />
of the broader trend of improvement that has been evident over the past two years.<br />
Manufacturing firms still expect solid growth in output in the coming quarter. While<br />
28% predict output will rise in the coming three months, 14% predict it will fall. The<br />
resulting rounded balance of +13% is down slightly on very strong expectations seen<br />
over the past five months, but still exceeds the long-term average (+5%).<br />
However, price pressures remain a concern, with 31% of manufacturers predicting<br />
they will raise output prices over the coming quarter, and 5% expecting to lower prices.<br />
Follow the CBI on Twitter at: www.cbi.org.uk/twitter<br />
HMS QUEEN ELIZABETH STEPS OUT INTO THE LIME LIGHT<br />
Construction of the first of the two new aircraft carriers for the Royal Navy, HMS<br />
Queen Elizabeth, took a huge step forward as BAE Systems' Govan yard moved two<br />
giant sections of the hull together for the first time. The structure is so big that it fills<br />
an entire hall at Govan and now extends beyond the doors onto the yard, providing<br />
a spectacular view from across the River Clyde.<br />
It took a team of 20 employees and remote controlled transporters just one hour to<br />
move 1,221 tonnes of steel over 100 metres across the shipyard. The hull section was<br />
then manoeuvred carefully into position to line up with the rest of the block.<br />
Steven Carroll, Queen Elizabeth Class Project Director at BAE Systems’ Surface Ships<br />
division, said: “Seeing the mid section of the carrier come together brings into sharp<br />
focus the sheer scale and complexity of this engineering feat.<br />
“With construction underway at six shipyards across the country, it is one of the<br />
biggest engineering projects in the UK today – second only to the London 2012<br />
Olympics – and we’re all very proud to be a part of it.”
JCB SECURES MULTI<br />
MILLION DIGGER DEAL<br />
JCB has announced deals worth almost £20 million from two leading UK<br />
Hire Companies.<br />
The first order is to supply 350 machines to plant hire company, Kent-based<br />
H.E. SERVICES Group, who has ordered a range of JCB products including<br />
mini excavators, Loadall telescopic handlers, 3CX backhoe loaders, skid<br />
steer loaders and tracked excavators.<br />
The H.E. SERVICES Group based in Strood, Kent employs more than 1,000<br />
people. As well as its hire business, the company is well known for the<br />
network of ‘Diggerland’ theme parks, where adults and children can enjoy<br />
the experience of driving JCB’s.<br />
The machines ordered include 8018, 8030 and 8065 mini excavators to be<br />
made at JCB Compact Products in Cheadle; 520-40, 535-95, 535-125 and<br />
540-170 Loadall telescopic handlers and 3CX backhoe loaders produced at<br />
Rocester and tracked excavators made at JCB Heavy Products in Uttoxeter.<br />
The second order from Tool Hire - the rental division of Jewson - is for 300<br />
JCB 8014 mini excavators, 100 JCB 8008 micro excavators, and 53 VMT160-<br />
The Manufacturing Institute welcomes Governments<br />
Recognition of importance of UK Manufacturing<br />
The Manufacturing Institute (TMI) has supported the government’s<br />
recognition of the value delivered by the UK’s manufacturing sector, and<br />
the need to ensure that the image of modern manufacturing is vigoursly<br />
communicated to attract more talent to the sector<br />
Myths abound about manufacturing being dead-end, messy and lacking<br />
creativity, with boring assembly lines, poor pay and a lack of esteem for<br />
its workers. There is recognition that manufacturers themselves need to<br />
further improve its image and to open their doors to students and<br />
teachers to tackle this and to further encourage new talent into the<br />
sector<br />
The dot com collapse, followed by the banking crisis and recent<br />
recession has resulted in a long overdue recognition that manufacturing<br />
is crucial to the future prosperity of the UK.<br />
TMI published ‘Manufacturing - the Truth behind the Myths’, that<br />
dispelled the top ten negative views on manufacturing through a series<br />
of case studies from influential and high-profile wo<strong>rld</strong>-class<br />
manufacturers, including Bentley Motors, BAE Systems Submarines,<br />
Siemens and Airbus.<br />
Dr Julie Madigan, Chief Executive, TMI said: “The high standards of<br />
innovation and intellectual challenge in modern UK manufacturing,<br />
together with exacting environmental and ethical production methods<br />
and a high regard for the health, safety and wellbeing of workers, means<br />
that manufacturing is now certainly very much an appropriate choice for<br />
those seeking a rewarding and fulfilling working career.<br />
For a copy of the ‘Myths’ booklet, please send an email, with your name<br />
and address, to ed.moss@manufacturinginstitute.co.uk<br />
INDUSTRY NEWS<br />
80 vibratory tandem rollers. The company has also invested in 200<br />
Thwaites mini dumpers in a deal worth an additional £2.2 million.<br />
Jewson, whose head office is in Binley, Coventry, first entered the micro<br />
excavator market in 1995 and have had a partnership with JCB since 2004<br />
when the company purchased 70 JCB micros – a venture which has grown<br />
in success and led to the continued investment in this product now and<br />
back in 2008 when 100 JCB micros were also purchased. The company<br />
also invested in 10 VMT160-80 rollers in 2007.<br />
JCB Image JT11 036 caption: John Dolphin (left), Gunn JCB Group Sales<br />
Director, and Jewson Tool Hire Director Richard Pedersen with the line up<br />
of new machines.<br />
TWI EXPERTS KEEP FLYING LEGEND AIRBORNE<br />
1940’s engineering and 2011 welding expertise joined forces at TWI recently, in a<br />
combined effort to keep the wo<strong>rld</strong>'s oldest flying jet aircraft in the skies.<br />
A thin sheet stainless steel shroud surrounding the jet pipe of a North American<br />
Aviation F-86A Sabre jet fighter was in need of some specialist attention. This shroud<br />
deflects any leaking exhaust gases away from the internal structure during the brief<br />
period, between start-up and the engine reaching running temperature, when<br />
previously weeping seals around the jet expand and become leakproof.<br />
Although within limits, several small cracks and tears were in need of attention<br />
during the Sabre's annual maintenance if the aircraft was to achieve its Permit to<br />
Fly.<br />
“It's very tricky to weld materials like this but we're lucky here at Duxford” said Roger<br />
King of the Aircraft Restoration Company. 'TWI's experts are almost on our<br />
doorstep.”<br />
Using TIG welding and an appropriate consumable for the aged material, TWI was<br />
able to arrest and repair cracks in the wafer thin material. “It's not a structural part”<br />
clarifies King. “It is a heat deflector.<br />
Had it made a structural contribution a more rigorous and detailed procedure would<br />
have been demanded. New parts no longer exist, so the only alternative to repair<br />
would be to re-manufacture from scratch.”<br />
The Sabre is best known for its service in the Korean War where it was pitted against<br />
the Soviet MiG-15.<br />
The Golden Apple Trust, which owns the Sabre (registered G-SABR), believe it to<br />
be the oldest airworthy jet-powered aircraft in the wo<strong>rld</strong>: its first flight was in<br />
March 1949.<br />
www.twi.co.uk<br />
07
08 PRODUCT REVIEWS<br />
PRODUCT<br />
PRODUCT<br />
PRODUCT REVIEWS<br />
For details contact: Thermadyne Industries<br />
T: +44 (0)1257 224811<br />
E: darcher@thermadyne.com<br />
W: www.thermadyne.com<br />
ULTRA-CUT 400 HEAVY DUTY HIGH PRECISION<br />
PLASMA CUTTING SYSTEM<br />
Ultra-Cut 400 is a fully featured High Precision plasma cutting system<br />
capable of outstanding quality cuts on mild steel, stainless steel and<br />
aluminium.<br />
This 400 Amp system features a full 100% Duty Cycle @ 400A, liquidcooled<br />
High Precision torch and fully automatic gas control which<br />
easily integrates into most CNC controllers. It is designed for high<br />
quality production cutting up to 50mm but is also suitable for high<br />
quality cutting and piercing up to 60mm. Maximum cut capacity is<br />
100mm.<br />
This system is ideal for bevel cutting and robotic applications and<br />
uses the XTR short-profile torch which can be fitted to a wide range<br />
of robots from many different suppliers. Specially designed, pointed<br />
consumables are available which offer outstanding quality bevel cuts<br />
and excellent visibility for precise positioning in robotic applications.<br />
For details contact: Weldability-SIF<br />
T: +44 (0)1462 482200<br />
E: gareth@weldability-sif.com<br />
W: www.weldability-sif.com<br />
NEW SIFBRONZE ECO PASTE FLUX<br />
Sifbronze ECO paste flux is a boric-acid free solution that can be<br />
applied directly to the weld joint or as a ‘deep dip’ to the filler rod<br />
to aid cleaning and consumable flow when oxy/acetylene brazing<br />
and for other welding applications on mild steel, copper alloys and<br />
cast iron.<br />
A feature of this patented paste flux is that it is ecologically clean in<br />
that it does not contain traditional noxious ingredients normally<br />
associated with brazing fluxes and meets the European Union REACH<br />
(Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals)<br />
regulations introduced in June 2007.<br />
This pre-mixed paste flux can be used in a wide range of applications<br />
and it can be used by itself, where 3 fluxes would have been used in<br />
the past and has a melting point starting from 420°C.<br />
PRODUCT<br />
For details contact: 3M<br />
T: UK - 0870 60 800 60<br />
Ireland - 1 800 320 500<br />
W: www.3m.co.uk/ohes<br />
SMART PERFORMANCE AND AFFORDABLE<br />
EYE PROTECTION<br />
The 3M Virtua AP Safety Spectacles boast sleek unisex styling, with<br />
the wrap-around design featuring an integral side shield for improved<br />
safety and greater protection.<br />
They are lightweight and comfortable enough for all-day wear. With<br />
a choice of clear or grey lenses, they can be used indoors or<br />
outdoors for a wide variety of industrial applications. The grey lens<br />
offers excellent protection against sun glare when used in an outdoor<br />
environment. Both products protect against high-speed particles<br />
tested at extremes of temperatures (between –5oC and +55oC), in<br />
accordance with the European Standard EN166:2001.<br />
They also feature CE-approved anti-scratch optical class 1 lenses<br />
which protect against UV radiation and sun glare (grey lenses only)<br />
to the EN170:2002 and EN172:1994 standard respectively.<br />
PRODUCT<br />
For details contact: JEI Solutions Ltd<br />
T: +44 (0)1706 229490<br />
E: sales@jeisolutions.co.uk<br />
W: www.jeisolutions.co.uk<br />
AUTOMATIC PLATE BEVELLER<br />
A new innovation in weld preparation technology is the BM-26 has<br />
been designed to carry out the beveling of steel plates in an<br />
automatic role without the assistance of an operator.<br />
The BM-26 operates on a guide track system, with simple positioning<br />
and easy start up procedure, using a purpose built milling head<br />
equipped with high quality carbide Inserts. It has a maximum<br />
beveling width of 35mm, with the ability of face off plate at 0 degrees,<br />
right through to a 60 degree angle.<br />
Another key feature is the ability to simply produce a J bevel form<br />
with an optional attachment and tooling available.<br />
PRODUCT<br />
For details contact: Gullco International Ltd<br />
T: +44 (0)1257 253579<br />
E: sales@gullco.co.uk<br />
W: www.gullco.com<br />
ORBITAL WELDING CARRIAGE INCREASES PRODUCTION<br />
Gullco’s PIPE KAT® Automated Pipe Welding System with integrated<br />
wire feeder unit incorporates 40 IPM welding carriage design with<br />
quick action mounting for ease of installation. The carriage is<br />
equipped with a high speed return feature for faster repositioning of<br />
the carriage.<br />
The PIPE KAT® also comes equipped with a linear oscillator with<br />
adjustable weave width and weld joint centerline adjustment and all<br />
electronic motorized functions incorporate jog settings. The system<br />
has a main control box with 25 ft (7620 mm) umbilical, wire feed spool<br />
capacity of 10 lbs (4.5 kgs), with a maximum wire speed of 35-633<br />
IPM (89-226 cm/min) and a wire size range of 0.8mm to 2mm. The<br />
welding torch uses standard consumables.<br />
PRODUCT<br />
For details contact: GYS Ltd<br />
T: +44 (0)1926 338609<br />
E: n.pulsford@gys.fr<br />
W: www.gys.fr<br />
NEW SIMPLE TO WELD MIG WELDERS<br />
Smartmig 142, Smartmig 162 and Smartmig 3P are highly innovative<br />
low cost MIG machines with a revolutionary ‘Smart’ control panel to<br />
simplify set up, which is ideal for non professional welders welding<br />
mild steel, stainless steel and aluminium.<br />
Setting the welding parameters is a simple 3 step process; 1. Select<br />
wire diameter and metal thickness, 2. Switch the controls, 3 Weld. And<br />
with prices from just £269 GYS have positioned this machine to fulfil<br />
the needs of the many customers who need a machine for the<br />
occasional job and who do not want to spend a fortune.<br />
The 3 machines in the Smartmig range, range from 140 to 170 amps,<br />
with and without Euro Torch and a multi-process machine that is also<br />
an MMA welder.
PRODUCT<br />
For details contact: Thermadyne Industries<br />
T: +44 (0)1257 224811<br />
E: darcher@thermadyne.com<br />
W: www.thermadyne.com<br />
TWECO AUTO-DARKENING WELDING HELMETS<br />
The TWECO Auto-Darkening Welding helmet has been launched to<br />
complement ithe existing range of TWECO welding torches and<br />
accessories.<br />
This helmet offers Auto-darkening automatically adjusting from light<br />
to dark and from dark to light, variable welding shade levels from 9<br />
to 13, adjustable based on the arc strength. It is Light-weight for<br />
operator comfort has two sensors to respond rapidly to the welding<br />
arc and can be used for both welding and grinding.<br />
It has a Long/Medium/Short delay time switch, a wide viewing area,<br />
is Solar-Powered, therefore need to worry about changing batteries<br />
and it is competively priced<br />
The TWECO helmet has undergone rigorous testing and is backed<br />
by a full 2 year warranty.<br />
PRODUCT<br />
For details contact: GYS Ltd<br />
T: +44 (0)1926 338609<br />
E: n.pulsford@gys.fr<br />
W: www.gys.fr<br />
SINGLE PHASE MIG INVERTER WELDERS<br />
PEARL and PEARL XL are single phase, 110V / 230V 13A, 50/60Hz,<br />
6kVA, compact, portable MIG welding inverters utilising synergic<br />
welding technology<br />
GYS power management technology provides integrated Flexible<br />
Voltage which automatically adapts to any voltage in the range 85-<br />
265V and Power Factor Correction (PFC) technology which<br />
substantially increases efficiency. In combination these features<br />
overcome power supply problems caused by imperfect generators<br />
or long extension leads.<br />
The 230V PEARL is rated 120A @ 60% duty cycle using a 13A plug<br />
and 0.6mm – 0.8mm diameter MIG wire as well as 0.9mm flux cored<br />
wires. The 230V PEARL XL is rated 120A @ 60% duty cycle using a<br />
13A plug and 0.6mm – 1.00mm diameter MIG wire as well as 0.9mm<br />
flux cored wire.<br />
PRODUCT REVIEWS<br />
PRODUCT<br />
For details contact: Weldability-SIF<br />
T: +44 (0)1462 482200<br />
E: gareth@weldability-sif.com<br />
W: www.weldability-sif.com<br />
EASY TO WELD MMA WELDING MACHINES<br />
ARC200S and ARC250S MMA welding machines are portable,<br />
economically affordable, single phase 230V or 3-phase 400V AC<br />
MMA machines featuring ‘fan on demand’ air cooling and<br />
thermostatic protection with the output current being controlled by<br />
a simple wind-in transformer.<br />
The ARC200S is ideal for DIY and hobby enthusiasts, light sheet metal<br />
fabricators as well as for repair and maintenance applications.<br />
Rated 200A @ 10% duty cycle with a current range from 60 – 200A, it<br />
can be used with 1.6mm – 3.22mm diameter mild steel electrodes.<br />
The ARC250S is suitable for light to medium sheet metal fabricators<br />
as well as for repair and maintenance applications. Rated 250A @<br />
10% duty cycle with a current range from 65 – 250A, it can be used<br />
with 2.0mm – 4.0mm diameter mild steel electrodes.<br />
09
10 INDUSTRY INSIGHT<br />
A series of views from<br />
John Swain, Managing Director,<br />
Anopol Limited<br />
Keeping ContaCt<br />
My modest company has on average a customer data base of 2,500 firms, of which around 600 are active at any one time. Our data base<br />
covers companies which use our services on a regular and periodic basis; services comprising sub-contract stainless steel finishing,<br />
supply of machines and pickle pastes for cleaning welds on stainless steel components and fabrications.<br />
A very real problem facing companies like mine is how to maintain contact with the majority of customers, particularly those whose<br />
requirements are spasmodic. This topic has been raised in sales meetings over a period exceeding 20 years, knowing that the problem<br />
of regular customer contact was becoming more acute with the ever increasing number of customers. The sales force was far too small<br />
to undertake any regular customer contact, so another solution was required.<br />
One of my favourite activities, which has helped to occupy my time over the past forty years, is Public Relations. Unfortunately, the mention<br />
of PR is like waving a red cloth to a bull in the minds of many managers, especially engineers. For some ten years we employed a PR lady<br />
in London part-time at a modest cost. She proved to be brilliant at promoting the company and in raising my personal profile within the<br />
industry. Public Relations encompass a whole range of interesting activities, from producing advertisements to having press releases<br />
and articles about the company and its services published.<br />
Every company benefits from good PR. You don’t necessarily need to use an external agent, but telling industry about your company and<br />
what it sells is what PR is all about. Having an informative website or sending out sales literature is another form of PR. Where is all this<br />
leading? Let’s go back to the question of how to maintain contact to many of our old and new customers? It was suggested that I should<br />
use my PR knowledge to edit a regular Newsletter. The success or otherwise of the Newsletter would depend upon its content. It was<br />
agreed that it would have a light side as well as a serious one. Inclusions would not be limited to the company’s activities, but would<br />
encompass items of general interest. A few carefully vetted jokes would also not be out of place.<br />
The Newsletter would be circulated electronically in the first instance, with hard copies being posted with invoices. The circulation list<br />
would also include other parties possibly interested in the company’s activities, for example: the Bank, company accountants and even<br />
some competitors.<br />
The initial response from recipients was encouraging. Some favourable comments were received and no one asked to be removed from<br />
the circulation list. One recipient suggested making the Newsletter a little lighter in tone. Consequently,<br />
more humour was incorporated in subsequent issues. The Newsletter is now entering its third year<br />
and each quarter an average of 1500 companies and individuals receive it electronically or by post.<br />
In March 2010, a random number of 50 recipients of the Newsletter were contacted by email<br />
or telephone by two ladies in the office. They conducted a small survey, posing the following<br />
questions under the guise of whether we should continue with the Newsletter: “Are you<br />
aware that you receive our Newsletter every quarter?” Of the 50 replies 44 were positive<br />
and 6 negative. The second question to the 44 who replied positively: “Can I ask you if you<br />
read it and if so, do you find the contents interesting?” Forty-two replied ‘yes’ and 2 said<br />
‘no’. I am currently working on Issue Number 13.<br />
I am not advocating that all members of AWD should invest in producing a Newsletter.<br />
Few probably have the time or inclination. I am simply stressing the importance of<br />
keeping in touch with both past and present customers. A regular letter or email to<br />
these customers, stating that you are still in business and reminding them of the<br />
services and products you supply may suffice.<br />
(If you would like to see an example of a Newsletter, contact: tonyduell@anopol.co.uk)
HIGHLIGHT<br />
Association of<br />
Welding Distribution<br />
The voice of the<br />
welding supply industry<br />
The primary objective of the AWD is to provide<br />
strength, support and influence to the welding<br />
supply industry. The AWD is supported by major<br />
Welding Product and Gas manufacturers and<br />
suppliers working together with members of<br />
the distributive trade.<br />
The AWD provides members with the<br />
opportunity to proactively discuss, debate,<br />
support and input into legislative matters and<br />
other areas of interest that may influence the<br />
future of the welding industry. Full details of the<br />
many ‘member benefits’ available from the<br />
AWD can be found at www.awd.org.uk<br />
Why not join the AWD to-day!<br />
Contact: Wendy Barber, Membership Manager<br />
Telephone: 01952 290036<br />
Email: membership@awd.org.uk<br />
June<br />
2011<br />
I N T H I S I S S U E T H E AW D P R E S E N T S<br />
FOWLMERE ENGINEERING LTD
WELDING HIGHLIGHTS<br />
Fowlmere engineering ltd<br />
Established some 45 years ago, Fowlmere<br />
Engineering has grown into one of the largest<br />
UK independent welding distributors and the<br />
largest Air Products Gas Agent in Europe.<br />
In September 1992, Arran Nicoll joined the Company,<br />
to help run the business with his brother Rob. For eight<br />
years prior to that, Arran was the Chief Race Engineer<br />
for his other brother Kurt who was an aspiring grand prix<br />
motocross rider.<br />
Arran’s Father bought into the Company in 1973 when it was solely an engineering company. The Company expanded into<br />
the Industrial Gas and Welding distribution business in the late seventies.<br />
When Rob and Arran took over the running of the business in 1992, they made the decision to focus on the distribution side.<br />
In 1995, their Father took a less active role and the engineering side of the business was closed.<br />
To-day Arran and Rob run the company with their parents holding positions as Directors. Their Mother had trained as an<br />
accountant so is able to offer advice on any financial issues and whilst their Father is available for advice through his wealth<br />
of business experience. He is the current FIM Wo<strong>rld</strong> Motocross Race Director, so in this capacity he travels the Wo<strong>rld</strong> for<br />
most of the year.<br />
Fowlmere employs 15 people, with the primary contact for any sales<br />
enquires being either Rob or Arran.<br />
Arran says: “We have a very strong relationship with Air Products<br />
and were their ‘European Agent of the Year in 2008’. Migatronic is<br />
our main supplier of welding equipment alongside Lincoln Electric,<br />
GYS and Mosa. Weldability-Sif is our largest supplier of welding<br />
consumables with additional products coming from Wilkinson Star<br />
and Weldspares, whilst our gas control equipment comprising<br />
regulators and manifolds are supplied by Gas Arc.<br />
Left to right:<br />
Arran Nicoll, Matthias Kuhn (Air Products, General<br />
Manager, UK and Ireland) and Rob Nicoll at Trade counter<br />
Left to right Janice, Melanie and Sarah (Sales/Accounts Office)<br />
We also have a great deal of success in selling abrasive products supplying SIA and Klingspor products. Fume and Dust<br />
Extraction is a rapidly growing market, where we represent Kemper. In November 2010 we added Calor Gas products to<br />
our portfolio, so you can say that we could be looking forward to long cold winters!”<br />
Fowlmere deliver to customers old and new across East Anglia supplying a very varied customer base from large fabricators,<br />
universities and colleges, construction sites, agricultural manufacturers to private farmers and individuals.<br />
At the beginning of 2010, the Company entered into an agreement with Weldability-Sif to create an ecommerce website,<br />
which has increased the Company’s profile on the internet. To see how professional this site is just log onto: -<br />
www.fowlmerewelding.com
Arran continued: “We have a fleet of nine delivery vehicles,<br />
six 7.5t lorries, one 18t lorry, a 26t lorry and a Vivaro van so<br />
consequently we try to deliver on our own transport where<br />
possible, we also have two new vehicles on order an 18t and<br />
a 26t DAF which should be on the road by the start of June<br />
2011. This will give us full control and confidence in the<br />
quality of service we offer. It also means that we maintain<br />
relatively high stock levels to provide our next-day service.<br />
Andy Linwood is our Service Engineer and he handles<br />
machine servicing and breakdowns, whilst Ivor Harvey is our<br />
Gas Control Engineer covering installations and inspections.<br />
Both Rob and I are very competitive people and we get great<br />
Showroom<br />
satisfaction from success. We always maintain our core<br />
values of treating all our customers in the manner in which we would like to be treated ourselves and only supply high<br />
quality products that we both believe in and would be happy to receive ourselves.”<br />
Fowlmere’s employee training centres around safety issues associated with the Air Products gas side of our business which<br />
is very heavily regulated. Both our machine and gas service engineers attend manufacturer’s training courses on a regular<br />
basis, whilst Rob and Arran are always absorbing new ideas to help improve their business.<br />
The Company operates a very small trade counter due to its location and because around 94% of sales are delivered. Talking<br />
about the distribution industry in general Arran said: “The growth (and decline) of many smaller re-sellers and the<br />
diversification of tool merchants into the welding sector has caused pressure on profit margins. With times becoming harder<br />
for manufacturers and wholesalers there has been a removal of ‘minimum order values’ and ‘quantity discounts’ which has<br />
made very competitive pricing available to any re-seller, who previously would have had to pay a premium price, if they were<br />
allowed to even open an account. This again has affected pricing in the market place.<br />
I feel things will not get any easier in the short term but there will always be a place for professional welding distribution<br />
and we continually research and look at new opportunities.<br />
I was asked by the Editor of Welding Wo<strong>rld</strong>, were I not working in the welding industry what would I like to be doing. Well, I<br />
would like to be an extreme sports athlete (with an amazing ability to consume alcohol without affecting my fitness!). How<br />
about that!”<br />
Fowlmere would like to thank all their customers and suppliers for<br />
their continued support and assure them that they will continue to<br />
support and promote them in the most professional way. CONTACT<br />
WELDING HIGHLIGHTS<br />
Telephone: : 01763 208265<br />
Fax: 01763 208515<br />
Email: fowlmereeng@btconnect.com<br />
www.fowlmerewelding.com<br />
Fowlmere Welding Supplies<br />
Rectory Lane<br />
Fowlmere<br />
ROYSTON<br />
Hertfordshire SG8 7TJ
Gas Control<br />
you can rely on<br />
t: +44 (0) 1379 652263<br />
e: enquiries@gas-arc.co.uk<br />
www.gas-arc.co.uk
More about<br />
Ask the Expert…<br />
If you would like to Ask the Expert a<br />
specific question, to be answered in the<br />
next issue of AWD’s Welding Wo<strong>rld</strong>,<br />
please email expert@airproducts.com.<br />
ASK THE EXPERT<br />
Phil Tranter, marketing manager and welding industry expert<br />
at Air Products, offers advice on shielding gas selection and the<br />
benefits it can bring for most arc welding applications.<br />
ASK THE EXPERT<br />
What is the purpose of the shielding gas?<br />
In gas shielded arc welding, the primary function of a shielding gas is to protect the molten weld<br />
metal from the potentially damaging effect of the surrounding atmosphere, and also to provide the<br />
right conditions for the arc. However, a shielding gas protects more than just the weld pool, it can<br />
also help to optimise productivity and weld quality at the same time as protecting the environment.<br />
How do I decide which is the best shielding gas to use?<br />
When selecting the right shielding gas for a particular application, it is important to consider the type<br />
of weld metal being used (mild steel, stainless, aluminium or other); the welding process (MIG/MAG,<br />
TIG or other); the metal transfer mode (short arc, pulsed or spray arc) and the thickness of the material<br />
and surface conditions.<br />
The most commonly used shielding gases are inert gases such as Argon and Helium. Being inert,<br />
these gases remove air from the process and prevent oxidisation, which could damage the weld.<br />
These gases are used for a wide range of in MIG/MAG and TIG welding applications.<br />
Active gases, such as Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, Hydrogen and Nitorgen, are sometimes used to<br />
improve weld quality or to otherwise benefit the efficiency of the welding process.<br />
How many gas mixtures are there and how are they used?<br />
There are many gas mixtures used as shielding gases (too many to mention). The most common are<br />
listed below:<br />
● Argon (TIG & MIG)<br />
● Argon + CO2 + O2 (MAG)<br />
● Helium (TIG & MIG)<br />
● CO2 (MAG or CO2 welding)<br />
● Argon + CO2 (MAG)<br />
● Argon + O2 (MAG)<br />
● Argon + He (TIG & MIG)<br />
● Argon + He + CO2 (MAG)<br />
● Argon + H2 (TIG)<br />
● Argon + CO2 + H2 (MAG)<br />
To help process managers and welders to select the right gas for the job, Air Products has developed<br />
its MAXX® range of shielding gases, based on the most commonly used mixtures for specific<br />
applications.<br />
When would it be appropriate to add oxygen and / or carbon dioxide to the shielding gas mixture<br />
and how much should be added?<br />
The addition of 1 – 5% oxygen and/or 3 to 25% carbon dioxide to argon or argon/ helium mixtures<br />
produces a noticeable improvement in arc stability and reduces the tendency for undercut and risk<br />
of insufficient penetration. Adding an active gas to the inert base gas, is what changes the process<br />
from MIG (Metal Inert Gas) to MAG (Metal Active Gas).<br />
The optimum amount of oxygen and / or carbon dioxide to be added to the inert gas depends on the<br />
surface condition of the workpiece, the joint geometry, the welding position or technique and the<br />
base metal composition. Generally, 2% oxygen and/or 8 to 10% carbon dioxide is considered a good<br />
compromise to cover a broad range of variables.<br />
15
16<br />
Q<br />
Q<br />
Q<br />
Q<br />
Q<br />
JON MILLS<br />
Interview with Jon Mills Mills – Metalworking Sculptor<br />
Has your family always been involved in metalworking?<br />
My grandfather was a Birmingham jeweller and also ran a metal<br />
pressings business. My father & uncles went into the metal pressings<br />
business and heat treatment, so metalworking was always around.<br />
What made you decide to work and live in Brighton?<br />
I was born in Birmingham, and did a Design Degree in<br />
Wolverhampton. I then spent 2 years as the resident blacksmith<br />
at Bewdley Museum, Worcestershire, before wanting to get<br />
closer to London and the art gallery scene. I had contacts in<br />
Brighton so that is why I came here.<br />
Q<br />
Where did you learn to weld?<br />
I am self-taught, but it’s only very general MIG welding; I remain in<br />
awe of the many types of welding practices that go on out there.<br />
I have a 3-phase Murex Tradesmig 293 (with 1mm liner) and a<br />
Tradesmig 165 with 0.6mm liner, both using Air Liquide Argon/CO2<br />
gas plus a Hypotherm Powermax 30 plasma cutter and my local<br />
supplier is Eltham Welding in Portslade.<br />
What materials are you generally working with?<br />
Mostly mild steel and some stainless as well as cor-ten steel ranging<br />
from 1mm – 15mm plate sections. 3mm – 25mm round bar and 3-<br />
10mm flat bar.<br />
What other metalworking equipment do you use in your<br />
workshops?<br />
My grandfather was a Birmingham jeweller and also ran a metal<br />
pressings business. My father & uncles went into the metal<br />
pressings business and heat treatment, so metalworking was<br />
always around.<br />
Q<br />
What made you decide to become a sculptor<br />
in metal?<br />
I still find it hard to think of myself as a sculptor.<br />
I realised very early on at college that manipulating steel<br />
and making things gave me a real buzz – it must be in<br />
the blood. It’s a form of expression - reacting to the wo<strong>rld</strong><br />
around me makes me want to make my ‘version’ of it,<br />
but it’s not quite ‘art’ and its not quite ‘blacksmithing’.<br />
Do you mainly work with metals?<br />
I never use any other material; My style doesn’t require high precision. I might attempt<br />
to make an exact form, but sometimes it’s not what I imagined and sometimes it’s<br />
different and better than I imagined. A happy accident is not something you can<br />
specify – it just comes about through experimenting with ideas; metalworking allows<br />
me to add/weld a bit more here and there, chop a bit off, weld & grind a bit more etc<br />
I’m not sure I’d get away with it in the same way if I was a woodworker.<br />
Q<br />
Q<br />
How important is welding in your work?<br />
I couldn’t achieve anything if I couldn’t weld. I<br />
use it for shaping and building up shapes as well<br />
as surface decoration. The latter might be a<br />
“spatter” all over the surface to emulate a<br />
corroded or ‘barnacled’ lost anchor (I am sure<br />
professional welders would throw their hands up in<br />
horror but I love doing it!) I really like welding and<br />
some days I’ll be doing it for hours at a time and<br />
getting a bit cheesed off, it’s soon forgotten when<br />
I’m dreaming up the next piece.<br />
Is the life size 2-dimensional locomotive<br />
you are working on, the largest project<br />
you have undertaken?<br />
It’s the biggest project all in one piece – although<br />
I have worked on bridges (right) and railngs/gates<br />
that are taller & longer . The train has taken about<br />
3 months to fabricate, but I first proposed it 4<br />
years ago – the planning permissions/ consents<br />
etc and all the bureaucracy has been ongoing in<br />
the time in between..
Q<br />
Q<br />
What do you consider to be the most important<br />
project you have ever undertaken and why?<br />
I couldn’t say really – many jobs have been important for<br />
different reasons – one of my old favourites is a giant chandelier<br />
for Wolverhampton Museum & Art Gallery – not only because I<br />
really like it, but its in my old stamping ground! A large balcony<br />
for a Tourist Information Centre in Caerphilly (1995) was the one<br />
of the first,so in retrospect, that became a ladder rung in my<br />
career. The Dyfi Bridge in Machynlleth was my largest project<br />
with contractual implications and moments when I thought I’d<br />
lost everything, so it becomes one of the jobs you feel proud to<br />
have survived.<br />
Where can the readers of Welding Wo<strong>rld</strong> go to see your art?<br />
I have work all over the country – it best to check out my website.<br />
Q<br />
JON MILLS<br />
Can you tell me something more about your<br />
locomotive project?<br />
I have written a ‘diary’ of its fabrication which can be<br />
seen at www.metaljons.wordpress.com<br />
In many ways this has been the perfect commission – I<br />
love transport heritage and am a big fan & collector of<br />
railway and highways memorabilia. The train fits<br />
perfectly in my workshop (if I take its chimney off) and<br />
I’m happy to keep it all intact for as long as I can. Soon<br />
it will have to be disassembled and packed onto pallets<br />
for shot-blasting, zinc spraying & powder coating. It is<br />
going to sited on a disused railway bridge in Brighton –<br />
close to the site of the locomotive works and marshalling<br />
yards that used to dominate the area. It will be powder<br />
coated in different shades of grey black & white, in order<br />
to emulate the Victorian etching that I have used to<br />
scale it off. (I knew the driving wheel was 6’ diameter &<br />
scaled everything accordingly).<br />
17
18<br />
TWI<br />
TWI<br />
<br />
<br />
Job Knowledge - a regular column from<br />
TWI covering on-the-job aspects of<br />
welding processes and practice <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The Metal Inert Gas welding process<br />
( (MIG (<br />
welding)<br />
Metal inert gas (MIG) welding was first patented in the USA in 1949 for<br />
welding aluminium. The arc and weld pool formed using a bare wire<br />
electrode was protected by helium gas, readily available at that time.<br />
From about 1952 the process became popular in the UK for welding<br />
aluminium using argon as the shielding gas, and for carbon steels<br />
using CO 2 . CO 2 and argon-CO 2 mixtures are known as metal active gas<br />
(MAG) processes. MIG is an attractive alternative to MMA, offering high<br />
deposition rates and high productivity.<br />
Process characteristics<br />
MIG is similar to MMA in that heat for welding is produced by forming<br />
an arc between a metal electrode and the workpiece; the electrode<br />
melts to form the weld bead.<br />
The main differences are that the metal electrode is a small diameter<br />
wire fed from a spool and an externally supplied shielding gas is<br />
necessary. As the wire is continuously fed, the process is often referred<br />
to as semi-automatic welding.<br />
Metal transfer mode<br />
The manner, or mode, in which the metal transfers from the electrode<br />
to the weld pool largely determines the operating features of the<br />
process. There are three principal metal transfer modes:<br />
<br />
Short<br />
<br />
circuiting<br />
Droplet<br />
<br />
/ spray<br />
Pulsed<br />
<br />
<br />
Short-circuiting and pulsed metal transfer are used for low current<br />
operation while spray metal transfer is only used with high welding<br />
TWI<br />
<br />
<br />
currents. In short-circuiting or ‘dip’ transfer, the molten metal forming<br />
on the tip of the wire is transferred by the wire dipping into the weld<br />
pool. This is achieved by setting a low voltage; for a 1.2mm diameter<br />
wire, arc voltage varies from about 17V (100A) to 22V (200A).<br />
Care in setting the voltage and the inductance in relation to the wire<br />
feed speed is essential to minimise spatter. Inductance is used to<br />
control the surge in current which occurs when the wire dips into the<br />
weld pool.<br />
For droplet or spray transfer, a much higher voltage is necessary to<br />
ensure that the wire does not make contact i.e.short-circuit, with the<br />
weld pool; for a 1.2mm diameter wire, the arc voltage varies from<br />
approximately 27V (250A) to 35V (400A).<br />
The molten metal at the tip of the wire transfers to the weld pool in the<br />
form of a spray of small droplets (about the diameter of the wire and<br />
smaller). However, there is a minimum current level, threshold, below<br />
which droplets are not forcibly projected across the arc.
If an open arc technique is attempted much below the threshold<br />
current level, the low arc forces would be insufficient to prevent large<br />
droplets forming at the tip of the wire.<br />
These droplets would transfer erratically across the arc under normal<br />
gravitational forces. The pulsed mode was developed as a means of<br />
stabilising the open arc at low current levels i.e. below the threshold<br />
level, to avoid short-circuiting and spatter.<br />
Metal transfer is achieved by applying pulses of current, each<br />
pulse having sufficient force to detach a droplet. Synergic pulsed<br />
MIG refers to a special type of controller which enables the<br />
power source to be tuned (pulse parameters) for the wire<br />
composition and diameter, and the pulse frequency to be<br />
set according to the wire feed speed.<br />
•<br />
Shielding gas<br />
In addition to general shielding<br />
of the arc and the weld pool,<br />
the shielding gas performs<br />
a number of important<br />
functions:<br />
forms the arc plasma<br />
stabilises the arc roots on the<br />
material surface<br />
ensures smooth transfer of molten droplets<br />
from the wire to the weld pool<br />
Thus, the shielding gas will have a substantial effect on the<br />
stability of the arc and metal transfer and the behaviour of the<br />
weld pool, in particular, its penetration.<br />
General General purpose purpose shielding shielding gases gases for MIG for MIG welding welding are are mixtures mixtures of of<br />
argon, argon, oxygen oxygen and CO and , CO and , and special special gas gas mixtures 2 mixtures may may contain helium.<br />
2<br />
steels<br />
T CO2 argon +2 to 5% oxygen<br />
<br />
argon +5 to 25% CO<br />
<br />
2<br />
non-ferrous<br />
<br />
argon <br />
argon / helium<br />
<br />
Argon based gases, compared with CO , are generally<br />
2<br />
more tolerant to parameter settings and generate<br />
lower spatter levels with the dip transfer mode.<br />
However, there is a greater risk of lack of<br />
fusion defects because these gases are<br />
colder.<br />
<br />
The gases which are normally used for the various materials are:<br />
MIG is widely used in most industry sectors<br />
and accounts for more than 50% of all weld<br />
metal deposited. Compared to MMA, MIG has the<br />
advantage in terms of flexibility, deposition rates and<br />
suitability for mechanisation. However, it should be noted<br />
that while MIG is ideal for ‘squirting’ metal, a high degree of<br />
manipulative skill skill is is demanded of of the the welder. welder.<br />
<br />
<br />
TWI<br />
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<br />
<br />
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<br />
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<br />
<br />
<br />
TWI<br />
As CO 2 cannot be used in the<br />
open arc (pulsed or spray<br />
transfer) modes due to<br />
high back-plasma<br />
forces, argon based<br />
gases containing<br />
oxygen or CO 2 are<br />
normally employed.<br />
Applications<br />
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SPATTER MATTER<br />
NEW WEBSITE FOR A-PLANT<br />
A-Plant has launched a brand new website to allow<br />
customers to navigate round the site far easier than<br />
ever before and access a wealth of product and<br />
specification information about the company’s extensive<br />
range of Plant, Tools and Specialist Equipment for hire.<br />
SPATTERMATTER<br />
A-Plant’s Marketing Director Asif Latief said: “Our new website has a much cleaner look and is<br />
ultimately designed to allow customers to find all the information they need far quicker than ever<br />
before. We’ve expanded our online Product Guide and it incorporates specification details and<br />
user instructions on hundreds of products.”<br />
www.aplant.com<br />
AWD LEADS<br />
FUME DEBATE<br />
The AWD is leading the debate on safer and environmentally friendly best practice in the<br />
fabrication industry by actively working on behalf of its member companies with the Health<br />
and Safety Executive (HSE).<br />
AWD are members of the HSE welding partnership group, which is part of a long term project<br />
that aims to raise awareness of the risks of exposure to dust, gases, fumes and vapours in<br />
the workplace and to get employers and employees to think about the way they work and<br />
whether they can be doing more to protect themselves<br />
Welding is one of the activities considered to put workers at the highest risk of exposure, to<br />
potentially harmful fumes along with work in quarries, foundries construction, carpentry and<br />
stonemasonry. Continued exposure can lead to long latency disease, respiratory ill health<br />
and even death.<br />
The partnership group has set up a discussion group which has agreed to focus on - the<br />
respiratory hazards in the welding and thermal cutting environment.<br />
This group will give advice and guidance on how to reduce the risks of respiratory disease<br />
by: . Talking to and working with those involved in the welding industry.<br />
. Raising awareness and improving workers knowledge of the risk of<br />
exposure to welding fume.<br />
. Promoting the correct use of the control measures used in high risk tasks.<br />
. Changing perceptions, attitudes and behaviours to health and safety<br />
. Encourage good working practices.<br />
If you have any questions or require further information in relation to the welding partnership<br />
group please contact the AWD representative in the group, Adrian Hawkins, Managing<br />
Director of Weldability-Sif: adrian@weldability-sif.com<br />
AWD National<br />
Council<br />
Mr. Adrian Hawkins<br />
Chair, Weldability-SIF<br />
e-mail: adrian@weldability-sif.com<br />
Mr Phil Tranter<br />
Vice Chairman, Air Products plc<br />
e-mail: trantep@airproducts.com<br />
Mr. Dave P. Ellwood<br />
Secretary, Britannia Welding Supplies Ltd<br />
e-mail: dave@britweld.co.uk<br />
Mr. Lee Darton<br />
Treasurer, Flextraction Limited<br />
e-mail:lkd@flextraction.co.uk<br />
REGIONAL OFFICERS<br />
North East - Mr. Derek Ferguson<br />
Derek Ferguson Consultancy<br />
e-mail: derek.ferguson@googlemail.com<br />
South - Mr. James Westhorp<br />
Welding Engineering Services<br />
e-mail: james@wesweld.co.uk<br />
North West – Ms. Helen Brewin<br />
Proactive Gas Safety Ltd<br />
e-mail: helen@proactivegassafety.com<br />
North West - Vice Regional Officer,<br />
Steve Ross<br />
Wilkinson Star Ltd<br />
e-mail: steve.ross@wilkinsonstar.com<br />
Midlands - Mr. Stephen Haymes<br />
BOC<br />
e-mail: stephen.haymes@boc.com<br />
South West & Wales – Ms. Emily Wright<br />
Safety First Manufacturing Co. Ltd.<br />
e-mail: ewright@sfm-tusker.com<br />
East - Mr. Tony Gourley<br />
Air Products plc<br />
e-mail: gourlett@airproducts.com<br />
MEMBERSHIP MANAGER<br />
Ms. Wendy Barber<br />
AWD Ltd<br />
Telephone: 01952 290036<br />
e-mail: membership@awd.org.uk
BRIGHT SPARK FROM PLYMOUTH<br />
Emily Wright has been promoted to Managing<br />
Director of Plymouth-based Safety First<br />
Manufacturing Company. The Company was<br />
founded in 1981 by Amanda Thatcher, who now<br />
becomes CEO. Emily, a Cardiff University Law &<br />
Politics graduate, joined the Company in 2004 and<br />
quickly made a huge impression and shortly after<br />
became Director and General Manager.<br />
Despite the economic climate, SFM has just launched their new e-commerce<br />
website, which features their entire product range. Emily said: “We are totally<br />
committed to leading the industry from the front. The website has been in<br />
development over 2 years to make sure we got it righ.” www.sfm-tusker.com<br />
AWD New Member<br />
The Validation Centre (TVC) Limited . Unit 9, Sinclair Court . Faraday Road<br />
Gapton Hall Industrial Estate . Great Yarmouth . Norfolk . NR31 0NH<br />
Contact: Chris Cathles<br />
Telephone: 01493 443800 . Mobile: 07799 654885<br />
e-mail: chriscathles@tvcalx.co.uk www.tvcalx.co.uk<br />
SIA ABRASIVES (GB) AWARD<br />
Sia Abrasives (GB) Ltd has been<br />
awarded the prestigious<br />
Customer First standard and<br />
accreditation for achieving and<br />
delivering ‘Customer Service<br />
Excellence’.<br />
The Customer First standard is<br />
an independent assessment that<br />
formally recognises the hard<br />
work and commitment of the<br />
company and ensures that its<br />
sia Abrasives (GB) Customer Services team:<br />
L-R: Andrea Allen, Sharon Pennington, Sarah Carroll<br />
customers receive ‘best in class’ Customer Service and support within the UK<br />
abrasives industry.<br />
Ray Bardsley, General Manager, sia Abrasives (GB) Ltd, said: “More and more<br />
customers are making their buying decisions based on the quality of customer<br />
service they receive and their expectations are increasingly more demanding.<br />
This award enables us to differentiate ourselves from the more old fashioned,<br />
traditional supplier, where service is not the first priority.”<br />
www.sia-abrasives.com<br />
N E W B U S I N E S S<br />
D E V E L O P M E N T M A N A G E R<br />
SPATTER MATTER<br />
JEI Solutions Ltd has appointed Chris Birt, as Business<br />
Development Manager, responsible for developing new<br />
brands and products within the JEI range, including<br />
deliver new Hole Cutting and Beveling Solutions both<br />
on a Domestic and Global Scale.<br />
Weldability-SIF Appointment<br />
Weldability-SIF has appointed Barry Rosser as Senior<br />
Technical Support and Sales. Barry - an HNC-qualified<br />
engineer – brings a wealth of experience in brazing,<br />
welding, metal reclamation and hardfacing, having<br />
previously worked many years for Eutectic Castolin.<br />
Barry's experience has made him especially skilled in<br />
process engineering and consumable metallurgy, with a<br />
further proven track-record in sales and training roles.<br />
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HARVEYS<br />
HARVEYS<br />
NEXT COLUMN<br />
Dr. David W. Harvey<br />
BSc (Hons), Phd, Consultant Welding Metallurgist Eclipse Welding Metallurgy,<br />
Advanced Metal Joining Technology, Filler Material Selection and Development,<br />
Consultancy & Business Support,Metallurgy and Welding Engineering Services,<br />
Technical Writing, Consultant to VBC Group Ltd, Gas Turbine Component Welding<br />
Please-e-mail me your ideas at: joanneharvey28@btinternet.com<br />
Telephone: 01792 404434 . Mobile: 0776 8004701<br />
PEDs-Personal Electronic Devices are an essential part of our business tool kit now. Consequently power is<br />
made available for plug in on trains, planes, airports and service stations. On planes the power socket is below<br />
the seat and supplies on average an adequate 80 watts.<br />
Popular PEDs include the sought -after iPads & iPhones which are<br />
reliable, fast and with hundreds of Apps, are exceedingly versatile.<br />
Emailing, texting, mobile phoning and web browsing via Wi-Fi and G3<br />
dongles extend the scope of flexible working whilst on the move. The<br />
office is now able to travel with us on the same journey. With high car<br />
fuel costs, slow motorway journeys and difficult parking- this flexible<br />
sales and marking support using PEDs is ever more cost effective.<br />
The rapid growth of the popular touch-screen iPad usage has been a<br />
severe challenge to Acer and other laptop suppliers, whose sales have<br />
rapidly declined. The iPad is also the death knell of underperforming<br />
10” netbooks, which have never really been popular.<br />
Tablet computers such as the iPad, ebook -electronic book reader and<br />
smart phone all constitute the post PC era. The 10”-Netbook has quickly<br />
been superseded by the faster and simpler-to use iPad tablet. There<br />
are 65,000 applications available from the Apps Store to enhance<br />
performance and utility of iPad tables. With longer life batteries, lightweight<br />
construction, and enhanced performance these are now the<br />
new business computers. There are no moving parts since storage is<br />
solid state, making the devices more rugged and faster. So for email,<br />
browsing, database logging and communicating, tablets have become<br />
vital business accessories. All of the writer’s colleagues use iPhones<br />
and iPad tablets.<br />
We are all part of the second major internet revolution where smart<br />
‘phones and tablet computers with 24 hour fast connections and<br />
unlimited data sourcing and communication access provide resources<br />
that were unthought-of just a few years ago. See www.ipsos-mori.com<br />
- for scope.<br />
Dynamics of Sales & Marketing<br />
The fact that one in three high street shops have closed in many towns,<br />
shows the folly of out-of-touch town councils not providing affordable<br />
and convenient parking or making the town centres attractive. This has<br />
led retail shoppers to trade by web services and to visit distant plazas.<br />
Similarly, our customers will trade elsewhere unless we shine like<br />
beacons in the dross. It demonstrates the dynamics of sales and<br />
marketing and how we all must adjust our business practices to<br />
survive.<br />
Recent AWD AGM, exhibition and week-end networking<br />
activities at the magnificent & ancient Crewe Hall<br />
AWD has evolved its structure and services to an impressive level and<br />
the trade association is an even more significant asset to its<br />
membership. This was a valuable and creative week-end exhibition<br />
and set of top professional meetings well attended by keen and<br />
enthusiastic members. The spectrum of welding industry services and<br />
products on offer through the membership is ultra modern and far<br />
ranging. The leaderships’ volunteer directors & executive together with<br />
the very capable Sovereign Services make an impressive team and the<br />
AWD continues to be a significant and professional benefit to its<br />
membership. Do visit the new AWD website, www.awd.org.uk and do<br />
consider being an active part of this important Trade Association.<br />
Check all of the valuable website links. A talk from a senior technical<br />
director of the BCGA- British Compressed Gas Association about gas<br />
cylinders, especially acetylene in fire situations was very informative.<br />
Strong members make a strong organisation. Your trade association is<br />
very dynamic and focused and it helps to underpin the businesses that<br />
are part of the metal joining and engineering industry.<br />
WELL-BEING AND BEING VALUED<br />
Many businesses have programmes of mentoring and coaching and<br />
in-work teaching of their staff. This promotes well-being and a sense<br />
of being valued as well as improving efficiency, enthusiasm and<br />
product and service knowledge. It is another way to stay as a market<br />
leader. See Clutterbuck Associates. to be continued in next issue...
Sifbronze was established in 1925 and is one of the last companies who<br />
continue to manufacture welding consumables here in the UK.<br />
In February 2008 they became a wholly owned company within the WWS<br />
Group and now feature as part of the combined WELDABILITY SIF product range.<br />
The company has kindly offered to provide a series of technical advice documents for the welding sales<br />
engineer and AWD members, following the traditional SIFTIPS format which was originally started in 1932.<br />
Welding Copper and Brass<br />
SIF TIPS<br />
Copper<br />
Pure copper has characteristics of high thermal and electrical conductivity and, because the metal requires about six times more<br />
O<br />
heat (melting point is 1,083 C) for fusion welding than steel, particular care must be taken during welding and brazing.<br />
Tough pitch copper, which includes most varieties of high conductivity copper, contains up to 0.5% oxygen (cuprous oxide) and is<br />
not suitable for fusion welding since it has a tendency to embrittlement and cracking, though it can be brazed.<br />
Deoxidised copper, where the oxygen has been removed during manufacture by the use of deoxidising agents, can be fusion<br />
welded.<br />
For MIG and TIG welding, It will be necessary to preheat workpiece if it is over 6mm thick. The usual shielding gas is argon, but<br />
with thicker material an argon/helium mixture can beneficially increase the arc temperature. Consumables to be used are SIFMIG<br />
985 and Sifsilcopper No 985, although Sifsilcopper No 7 can be used for TIG welding sheet up to 3mm thick.<br />
O<br />
Gas welding of copper, such as whiskey stills, tanks etc, requires the parts to be preheated to 600 C and slowly cooled on<br />
completion of the joint. Sifsilcopper No 7 together with Sifsilcopper flux will produce a joint with excellent colour match.<br />
Copper is not generally joined using arc welding electrodes. But in circumstances where there is no other welding equipment other<br />
than a transformer, Hilco Bronsil proves ideal.<br />
Brass<br />
Brass is a generic term covering a wide range of copper alloys containing additions of zinc. All brasses, which includes Gilding<br />
Metal, can be silver soldered, MIG and TIG welded successfully. However, the addition of lead for free cutting brass and in<br />
gunmetal (LG1 & LG2) causes porosity and fume problems with gas shielded arc welding. Phosphor Bronze, copper/tin alloys such<br />
as PB2, can be readily brazed or welded.<br />
Gas welding of brass is not recommended as the zinc will tend to vaporise causing fumes (zinc oxide) and porosity. However, PB2<br />
phosphor bronze can be joined with oxy-acetylene and Sifphosphor However, BronzeSIFMIG No 8, as328 sometimes and 968used or Sifalbronze by sculptors. No 32 and<br />
S<br />
For MIG and TIG welding a shielding gas of argon or argon/carbon dioxide mixture is used. If it is felt necessary to use preheat,<br />
O<br />
this must be limited to less than 80 C, otherwise the structure of the brass may become altered.<br />
The choice of filler wire or rod will depend on the composition of the alloy being joined. As a general comment, SIFMIG 8 or<br />
Sifphosphor Bronze No8 is recommended as first consideration. However, SIFMIG 328 and 968 or Sifalbronze No 32 and<br />
Sifsilcopper No 968 may also be suitable. If colour match with brass is important, Sifphosphor Bronze No 82 is recommended<br />
Only The Best From...<br />
tel : +44 (0) 845 130 7757<br />
fax : +44 (0) 800 970 7757<br />
email : sales@wholeweld.co.uk<br />
web : www.wholeweld.co.uk<br />
solutions<br />
in fusion<br />
tel : +44 (0) 1449 771 443<br />
fax : +44 (0) 1449 771 945<br />
email : sales@sifbronze.co.uk<br />
web : www.sifbronze.co.uk<br />
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