THEWELDER

01// 2013

ESAB YardFeeders bring cored wire welding to every corner of Gudrun.PAGE // 3

“Competence” is a combination of knowledge, skills, and behavior used to improve performance.

With tough economic climates for the majority of enterprises, welding in recent years has not been easy.

With higher demands on productivity than ever before, there are greater demands on welding skills at

the supplier. It is therefore necessary to use robust and quality-assured welding products and processes.

ESAB has always focused on creating products and solutions that serve our customers because we

have the experience, knowledge, and a heritage we are proud of. Our passion is committed to pioneering

innovation that customers can translate directly into enhanced quality and improved profit margins.

ESAB also works closely to help you, as our customers, take away the bottlenecks you have in your

welding production. This is achieved through a well-proven method that is called Value Engineering.

Do not hesitate to contact us if you want to know more about this.

In this issue of our magazine, you can read how ESAB has applied their welding competence and

technology to assist Norwegian Offshore Fabricator Aibel AS and Belleli Energy CPE who design and

manufacture large pressure vessels for petrochemical and energy.

In addition, you can read about ESAB’s new welding power sources, AristoMig® 4004i Pulse, excellent for

advanced welding in aluminium and stainless steel, as well as two brand new plasma cutting machines,

PowerCut™ 400 and PowerCut™ 700, and the new ESAB Warrior™ Tech welding helmet.

We trust you will enjoy keeping up-to-date with

developments and products by ESAB. In addition,

why not subscribe to our local e-newsletter

which you can do by visiting our website,

www.esab.co.uk/newsletter.

Enjoy the magazine and the spring.

Gary Kisby

Sales & Marketing Director, UK & Ireland

ESAB

CompetenCe is key to success.

1

CONTENTS

Successful start of ESAB’s Pipeweld Roadshow

For regular updates from ESAB, sign up for our e-newsletter at www.esab.co.uk/newsletter or scan the QR code.

New ESAB Origo™ spectacles for welder protection

Lightweight inverter-based welding equipment delivers high quality and high productivity

Portable plasma cutters combine performance with ease of use

New ESAB TIG torches put the welder’s needs first

ESAB sets new standards with Aristo Fluid pre-weld anti-spatter

New Warrior Tech reactive welding helmet

3 // FEATURE

ESAB YardFeeders bring cored wire welding to every corner of Gudrun

What have you welded lately?

CONTEST18th International SCHWEISSEN & SCHNEIDEN, Essen, Germany

Belleli Energy CPE uses Aristo® 1000, the only AC/DC “on the fly” power source for submerged arc welding

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ESAB NEWS

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PRODUCT NEWS

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ESAB YARDFEEDERS BRING CORED WIRE WELDING TO EVERY CORNER OF GUDRUN.

Norwegian offshore fabricator Aibel AS relies on ESAB’s process solutions to assemble an immense platform topside from globally built components.

The construction of Gudrun’s topside provided Aibel with a jigsaw puzzle of globally built components to be assembled in their home base of Haugesund, Norway. For this immense welding job, the company applied newly purchased ESAB OrigoTM Mig 4001i inverters with OrigoTM YardFeed 2000 wire feeders and FILARC PZ6138 all-positional cored wire.

Gudrun – one of Norway’s major reserves The Gudrun oil and gas field, discovered in 1974 in North Sea production licence 025, is one of Norway’s major reserves with an estimated 70 million barrels of oil and 48 million cubic meters of gas. The plan for development and operation was sanctioned in June 2010 and first production is planned in the first quarter of 2014. Norwegian state oil company Statoil will use a fixed platform with a 10,000 ton topside and a 7,400 ton steel

jacket for extraction and partial stabilising of oil and gas. The platform will be connected to existing installations of the adjacent Statoil operated Sleipner field for further processing. From there, oil is transported to the onshore Kårstø processing plant for removal of water and sand while gas, after taking out carbon dioxide, will be exported to Europe through the Gassled system (www.offshore-technology.com/projects/gudrunfield/).

Øyvind Sætre Aibel

3 // FEATURE

Figure 1 // ESAB Origo Mig 4001i inverter with Origo YardFeed 2000 used on one of the Gudrun platform decks. The partly assembled topside is visible in the background.

Aibel AS to engineer and construct Gudrun topside The realisation of the Gudrun platform by Statoil is a real global enterprise. The jacket (installed in August 2011) and accommodation units are manufactured in, respectively, Verdal and Stord in Norway, platform modules in Thailand, and a helicopter deck in China.

The topside, except living quarters, is fully realised by Aibel AS, to be completed by July 2013. The engineering was done by Aibel’s design office in Oslo, whereas individual deck modules were built at Aibel yards in Thailand, Poland, and Haugesund, Norway. Modules were shipped to Haugesund where the deck is now assembled indoor in Aibel’s immense construction hall, before transportation to the Gudrun field for installation in July 2013.

Aibel, as a corporation, is a relatively new name in the business, but the company has a long track record in engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning. Roots date back more than a century with forerunners such as Haugesund Mekanisk Verksted (HMV), Umoe, and ABB. It employs around 5,500 persons in Norway and abroad and generates an annual turnover of approximately 8.6 billion NOK. The fabrication of the Gudrun deck demonstrates its ability to handle complex international projects in the oil and gas industry.

Relations between Aibel and ESAB date back to the HMV era in the seventies and eighties when North Sea oil and gas exploration was coming on steam. In these days, several advanced welding consumables for thick construction sections in offshore fabrication were developed in close cooperation with Norwegian yards. The rutile all-positional cored wire FILARC PZ6138, still in use at Aibel, is a good example. Today, ESAB supplies the majority of welding consumables used by the company.

Figure 2 // Top: Graphic impression of the platform. Bottom: Location of the Gudrun oil & gas field.

New power sources for welding Gudrun With the challenging Gudrun project coming, Aibel decided to make a substantial investment in new power sources for the Haugesund yard. Welding management and welders jointly defined a wish list with key features derived from day to day practice in offshore fabrication. Subsequently, it invited four suppliers to provide their power source that best matched the requirements of the welding department.

Following requirements were formulated for the new power sources, with lighter weight being the number one feature:

n Separate wire feeder; as light as possible to be hand carried to the work site. Use of 5 kg welding wire spools to reduce weight. Welding cables of 10-25 m length to ensure a sufficiently wide reach from the power source. Euro connector for universal torch connection. Lightweight remote control, flowmeter, and spare gas supply valve are preferred.

n The weight of the power source itself must allow it to be hand pushed on a two-wheel trolley. Lifting hooks for transport by crane onto scaffolding.

n Power sources to enable at least the MMA and FCAW processes. Capacity of 300-350 A at 40% duty cycle and 230 V primary power with the possibility to change to 380-460 V, 50/60 Hz (multi voltage).

n Panel on feeder with Volt and Amperage setting. Memory positions to store parameter settings. Availability of synergic lines is an advantage, but not a necessity. Choice of 2- and 4-stroke. Release of excess gas when the gun button is pressed.

n Light and convenient air-cooled 350 A torch with 3 m hose package and Euro connector.

n Two-wheel trolley with hooks for coiled cable packages.

n Supplier must have service centre in Norway to quickly carry out warranty repairs.

NORWAY

DENMARK

GERMANY

GUDRUN

UNITEDKINGDOM

Øyvind Sætre Aibel

FEATURE // 4

Origo Mig 4001i inverter with Origo YardFeed 2000 winner at Aibel Aibel put four machines from four different suppliers to the test in a two-month investigation involving 13 of their best welders. To get a good view on their performance, the power sources were used in actual production along with existing welding equipment and with the same welding consumables.

One of the machines from another supplier was soon taken out of the test, because of its unstable wire burn-off in FCAW which was regarded to be a potential cause of welding defects. This required very precise parameter settings and could, nevertheless, not be solved satisfactorily. An aspect of this machine which the welders really disliked was the switch on the door of the wire feeder that needed to be activated to allow welding.

A second machine did not have the required voltage display on the wire feeder needed by the welder to set the welding parameters. The supplier was asked to change this, but they failed to come up with a solution. The machine had otherwise good welding characteristics.

Real competition took place between ESAB and the supplier of many of the MMA/FCAW power sources used by the yard at that moment. The latter has a solid reputation among welders at Aibel, while ESAB is respected for its automated TIG, plasma, and subarc solutions and for its excellent welding consumables. Odds were even in this respect, so the decision had to come from a comparison on design and performance of the machines.

ESAB’s Origo Mig 4001i with Origo YardFeed 2000 and power source number three are comparable equipment and both suited for heavy duty offshore fabrication. Both feature primary switching inverter technology, separate wire feeders, and good welding characteristics. Differences are minor, but yet big enough to make Aibel decide in favour of ESAB.

A real workhorse for heavy duty fabrication At 40 kg for the Origo Mig 4001i power source and 11 kg for Origo YardFeed 2000, the equipment can be categorised as low weight. Weight increases by 14 kg with the water-cooled version (Origo Mig 4001iw) and another 19 kg for the cooling agent. Yet the equipment is robust and built for heavy industries such as shipbuilding and offshore fabrication – durable and dependable. In total, Aibel ordered 10 air-cooled and 20 water-cooled versions with MA23 panels mounted on the wire feeder.

Figure 4 // MA23 – ESAB’s basic panel for MMA, FCAW and MIG/MAG.

MA23 is the most basic panel, giving MMA, FCAW, and MIG/MAG short and spray arc are generally applied in welding main offshore structures with stick electrodes and cored wires respectively. The panel enables CC/CV power source characteristics, has a digital V/A meter, 2- and 4-stroke, step-less inductance setting, gas purge and wire inching, remote control, and three memory positions for parameter settings. It meets most of Aibel’s requirements in terms of welding processes and functionality. More advanced features like pulsing, QSet, and synergic lines

Figure 3 // Modules from Thailand arriving at the Aibel yard in Haugesund.

Most important was the minor amount of error codes generated by Origo Mig 4001i with Origo YardFeed 2000 and reported by the welders. Error codes result in a lower duty cycle and loss of productivity. This, in combination with a display panel of power source number three that had to be changed and repaired two times, was one of the main reasons to finally opt for the ESAB solution which performed without any problems. Another decisive factor was the lower weight of the Origo YardFeed 2000 of 11.3 kg versus 13.6 kg for the feeder of supplier number three. Also there was more space around the 5 kg wire spool, making it easier to replace. The ability to activate three different parameter settings from the welding gun was another well appreciated feature that helped ESAB win the contest.

5 // FEATURE

FILARC PZ6138 cored wire still going strong Introduced in the mid-eighties, the FILARC PZ6138 all positional rutile cored wire is still the benchmark product in offshore fabrication combining a number of unique properties. Amongst others, the Norwegian offshore industry called for the development of a low-hydrogen cored wire with excellent weldability for the productive joining of low-temperature steel. The outcome, at the time, was sensational.

Used in Ar/CO2 shielding gas, the rutile based slag formulation provides welding properties that were not seen before with cored wires. PZ6138 has a soft spatter-free arc that always operates in the spray arc mode with a good penetration and good wetting onto the plate edges. It is extremely “welder-friendly” which makes it easier for the welder to produce sound welds. The availability of all positional rutile cored wires, such as PZ6138, helped the offshore industry in combating typical positional welding defects such as lack of fusion and slag inclusions.

Another aspect much needed by the offshore industry was the very high productivity of PZ6138 in manual positional welding – up to three times as fast as commonly used stick electrodes. This, in combination with excellent low-temperature CVN (-60°C) and CTOD (-15°C) mechanical properties and low-hydrogen weld metal over the full parameter envelope, soon made this cored wire the most popular welding consumable in North Sea offshore fabrication. Nowadays, the wire is also widely applied in new offshore fabrication areas in the Middle East and Far East and in Brazil. Later introduced and based on PZ6138 are PZ6138 SR (stress relieving) and PZ6138S SR (CO2 shielding gas + stress relieving).

The fabrication of the Gudrun platform is proof that FILARC PZ6138 is still going strong in offshore fabrication. It is widely applied in primary construction, among others, for welding the super critical box nodes connecting the several stories of the deck.

Figure 6 shows the actual welding of one of the box nodes with PZ6138 all positional rutile cored wire. The lightweight Origo YardFeed 2000 wire feeder is carried to the welding site and positioned within reach of the welder. Welding parameters are set and fine-tuned with the MA23 panel on the feeder.

Figure 5 // FILARC PZ6138SR all positional rutile cored wire.

Figure 6 // Spectacular view on the welding of one of the box nodes of the Gudrun platform. The lightweight Origo YardFeed 2000 wire feeder with 5 kg cored wire spool is easily hand carried to the welding site.

are not available with the MA23 panel and are not necessary in this type of heavy wall thickness welding. There is always the possibility to later upgrade the machines with the more advanced MA24 panel, for instance to enable the welding of stainless and nickel-base materials.

The panel is mounted on the Origo YardFeed 2000 wire feeder, so that the welder can do all necessary settings at the welding site. A remote control for regulation at the arc is optional, but Aibel decided it was not necessary to purchase any. ESAB offers connection cables from 10 m to 50 m in length enabling a corresponding working radius (plus gun hose assembly) of the power source. Longer cables, however, mean more weight for the welder to carry. With low weight being the major requirement, Aibel opted for the shortest length of 10 m, accepting the limited working radius.

FEATURE // 6

n Origo Mig 4001i multi-process inverter- powered welding equipment, designed for welding construction and stainless steel with Origo YardFeed 2000, digital wire feeder with working radius up to 50 m.

n FILARC PZ6138 all positional cored wire. Well established in the offshore sector and other demanding constructions like pressure vessels, etc. An impact property down to -60°C and it is CTOD-tested at -10°C.

FEATURED PRODUCTS

BELLELI ENERGY CPE USES ARISTO 1000, THE ONLY AC/DC “ON THE FLY” POWER SOURCE FOR SUBMERGED ARC WELDING.

Founded in 1997 in Mantova, Italy, Belleli has become the market leader in the industries of power generation, chemistry and petrochemical plants, in desalination, and in the construction of storage tanks in Europe and Middle East.

Belleli Energy is divided in two separated entities, Belleli Energy Critical Process Equipment (CPE), based in Mantova, and Belleli Energy (EPC), based in Dubai.

The two Belleli Energy companies in Italy employ 450 people. These are specialized in large plants manufacturing (Belleli Energy EPC) and in the manufacturing of high technology components for energy, chemistry, and petrochemical industries (Belleli Energy CPE). As well as the Mantova plant (conferred to Belleli Energy CPE), the production structure includes the plants of Jebel Ali and Hamriyah, in Arab Emirates and several fabrication plants in different Middle East countries (Arab Emirates, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and others).

Belleli Energy EPC is specialized in the design, manufacturing, assembly, and maintenance of plants and systems for desalination, petrochemical, energy, storage, and fuel processing.

Belleli Energy CPE designs and manufactures large pressure vessels for petrochemical and energy

The ESAB Aristo 1000 AC/DC power source, combined with an ESAB A2-Multitrac tractor, is being used for filling runs inside circumferential joints and for plating restoration in the area of the joint.

(reactors, columns, exchangers, separators, etc.). Today, Belleli Energy CPE is a world leader in the manufacturing of special and advanced components for refineries, petrochemical plants, and plants for urea and ammonia synthesis, among the others.

Ninety percent of the production is targeted to oversea markets, for the most important engineering companies and main contractors in the world in the petrochemical, desalination, and energy plant sectors. “Our main markets are actually extra-European countries like Russia, Turkey, Korea, and Brazil,” says Michele Musti, European Welding Engineer, Belleli Energy CPE. “In the urea plants sector we have also recently received orders from emerging countries like Bangladesh.”

The internal design, engineering, and manufacturing capabilities allow Belleli Energy CPE to ensure the integrity of materials, processes, and products, from raw materials to finished products. The company manufactures some of the largest process equipment existing in the world and transports it by ships from its own dockyard. The Mantova plant is the largest European plant for the manufacturing of large thickness reactors and heat exchangers. The latest example of this capability has been the delivery of two reactors, each weighing 1656 tons for a length of 56 meters, addressed to Lukoil Neftochim refinery in Bulgaria.

7 // BELLELI

AC and DC welding

“We mainly produce high thickness steel vessels (up to 325 mm), like hydro-cracking and hydro-treating reactors for refineries,” says Musti. “Furthermore, we produce high pressure exchangers and urea plants. We are also certified for the nuclear power sector, though in this case the applications are less frequent due to the market shrinking.”

While low thickness tubular bodies (to 150 mm) are calendared and longitudinally welded, high thickness bodies are generally manufactured using forged steel ferrules, that are jointed through circumferential welding.

“Forged steel is more expensive, but requires less working, because it is not necessary to execute longitudinal welding,” Musti explains. “In recent years, the thicknesses have been significantly increased, therefore the only solution that is technologically possible is forged steel. To resist corrosive environments, the cylindrical bodies are internally covered by a plating deposition performed with ESW process, while the plating restoration is performed with SAW process.”

This kind of production requires several operations: after the circumferential welding of the external side of large thickness forged ferrules, with “narrow-gap,” multiple runs submerged arc welding process, for the joints to be completed it is necessary to perform the welding recovery by a grinder on the internal side of the cylindrical body and then to restore the plating in the joint area. These operations are performed with different technologies, Musti explains: “The welding recovery of base material joint in 2,25Cr 1Mo 0,25V must be performed with square-wave AC current, while the plating restoring of the internal side requires the use of DC current.”

Previously, for these operations to be performed with the tractor, two separate power supplies were required that had to be exchanged during the process, therefore significantly increasing the time. To solve the problem in the best way, it is therefore preferable to use a single power supply that is able to automatically exchange by a simple switch from AC current to DC current (possibly without interruptions) like the new Aristo 1000 AC/DC by ESAB.

In fact, by pressing a simple pushbutton on the PEK panel, the Aristo 1000 AC/DC power supply allows the operator to switch from DC current to AC current without extinguishing the welding arc. For instance, when circumferential welding is being performed, the first run is normally executed in DC for the best penetration to be obtained. With the “on the fly” function it is not necessary to turn off the welding at the end of the first run; on the contrary, it is possible to continue the welding by converting the process to AC, with a resulting significant increase of productivity for each welding. Moreover, the risk of welding defects is drastically reduced, thanks to the full elimination of the stop/start sequence. By using a PLC control it is possible to program the full cycle, from the first to the last run, and to perform the welding without interruptions.

Quality of the welding run and flexibility

“We chose the new ESAB power supply because it can perform both DC and AC current weldings,” Musti says.

“This allows us to execute both the base material joining welds, in AC current, and the plating restoration of the internal part, in DC current, when previously two different products were required. Now, when it is necessary to weld reactors that show access difficulties we use an internal tractor, the same single equipment offers us the flexibility required to execute both the joining welds in AC current and the plating restore operations in DC current. In addition the welding quality and accuracy are excellent.”

Belleli Energy CPE appreciated other features of the new ESAB power supply: “As well as being flexible, the machine is also very modern and well trimmed,” Musti says. “In addition, we were already using other welding equipment and consumables by ESAB and it was therefore natural to use the Aristo 1000 AC/DC power supply.”

In the future it could be interesting to use this system also on manipulators, in applications where now two separate power supplies are being used. Also the possibility of cable extension offered by Aristo 1000 AC/DC, thanks to ESAB patented Cable Boost technology, will be useful in the manufacturing of rather long reactors and, in general, in the situations where it is not possible to take the power supply close to the welding zone. In automatic plants, for example, you often require the use of very long welding cables. Specifically in AC current, the inductance value resulting from cable length gives rise to serious voltage drop and square-wave deformation problems that can compromise the stability of the set welding parameters. The Cable Boost technology solves the problem, by storing energy and releasing the energy to recover the set levels.

BELLELI // 8

Figure 1 // Top: Macrograph of a welding on SA 182 F22 V base material, thickness 325 mm, performed with SAW tandem AC/AC process. Bottom: ESAB Aristo 1000 AC/DC power source, combined with an ESAB A2-Multitrac tractor, being used for filling runs inside circumferential joints.

ESAB spotlight on Welding and Cutting ESAB will be participating at the 18th international SCHWEISSEN & SCHNEIDEN trade fair which will take place at Messe Essen between 16 and 21 September, 2013.

During the weeklong event the exhibition will show an overview of the latest developments and trends from the world of joining technology.

The 2009 exhibition impressively demonstrated the unique position of the SCHWEISSEN & SCHNEIDEN as the world’s No. 1 trade fair of this industry. No other event in the industry can be compared to the show in terms of quality or size. In 2009, the show attracted over 52,000 visitors from various industries. Over 41% were overseas visitors from outside Germany. It is only at Essen where customers can see, touch, and experience products in a competitive setting.

ESAB is a complete supplier that produces consumables and equipment for virtually every welding and cutting process and application. Powered by innovation and uncompromising standards, ESAB continuously seeks new and improved ways of serving customers.

Promises have been fulfilled

“In our production, quality is an issue, because a finished reactor can’t show any defect: it would be unthinkable to correct a mistake on an internal run in a thickness of 325 mm,” Musti concludes. “ESAB equipment, and the new Aristo 1000 AC/DC power supply in particular, have always perfectly fulfilled this quality requirement and are mainly used to weld carbon steel with submerged arc. The new Aristo 1000 AC/DC power supply and the relevant control system have perfectly fulfilled their promises.”

The equipment has been commissioned approximately six months ago and is now being used on large size reactors. In Belleli Energy CPE dockyard, equipped with cranes of 900 tons each, the ship is waiting for the next load.

At the Essen Fair, ESAB will show and demonstrate leading technological advances in the industry – something not to be missed!

For further information on ESAB’s participation at the fair visit www.esab.com.

18th InternatIonal SChWeISSen & SChneIDen, EssEn, GErmany.

9 // BELLELI

FEATURED PRODUCTS

n Aristo 1000 AC/DC; AC/DC inverter power source for efficient submerged arc welding.

n OK Autrod 12.32: is a manganese-alloyed wire and OK Flux 10.62: high basic flux. A combination has excellent impact toughness down to -60°C and it is CTOD-tested at -15°C. It is used for multi-run welding of thick sections of high strength steels at low temperatures and can be used also for narrow gap welding.

ESAB’s welding safety eyewear is renowned for combining the highest standards of eye protection with the ultimate in wearer comfort. All ESAB spectacles use a polycarbonate to provide protection against impact as well as UV, IR rays, and visible glare. This combination is again featured in the new Origo Spec range.

A replacement for ESAB’s successful Pro range, the highly durable Origo Specs conform to EN 166 and have an optical rating of 1, meaning no distortions and perfect clarity. There is a variety of lens configurations from clear, amber, smoked, and Shade 5 UV/IR with the highest optical class and featuring a special hard coating on the lens to prevent scratching. The hard-coated lens also promotes longer service life and unimpaired vision.

At only 24 grams, the lightweight, wrap-around style offers both comfort and good protection from all angles. Other features include an integral neck cord and non-slip nose pads.

Visit us online at www.esab.co.uk for more information.

ESAB’s one-day event, Pipeweld Roadshow, focuses on demonstrating the key benefits of various processes and applications for pipeline industry. The roadshow and ESAB specialists recently visited the U.K., Belgium, and Poland as part of the global tour.

ESAB offers a complete solution for pipeline welding with knowledge about the processes, applications, welding equipment, and consumables. ESAB’s welding specialists demonstrate pipe welding and equipment in action.

ESAB’s Pipeweld product range supports and inspires our partners to think about alternative ways to gain the most productivity. Participants demonstrated how the ESAB portfolio offers excellent operability and mechanical performance. The event combines both theoretical presentations and demonstration focusing on:

n Root welding with cellulosic electrodes

n Hot pass techniques

n Filling techniques, self-shielding, solid wires & FCW

n Demonstrations, automatic welding

During the recent events each region held 2 one-day shows and in total the road show was visited by more than 140 guests in Scotland, Belgium, and Poland where one show was conducted for Czech and Slovakian participants. The next stop will be Dubai.

During the demonstration ESAB explains that modern solutions for automatic pipeline welding can use:

n Cellulosic electrodes for the two first layers (speed and quality)

n Basic electrode for the third layer (base for the next layers)

n Filling and cap layer with flux cored wire

ESAB offers a complete solution for pipe welding and has developed unique products in recent years to meet the challenges in the pipe welding industry.

Full details about our Pipeweld product range and future events can be found on our website at www.esab.com/global/en/news/events.cfm.

SucceSSful Start of eSaB’S PiPeweld Roadshow.

New eSAB OrigO™ SPECTACLES for welder protectioN.

ESAB NEWS // 10

Designed for high productivity and quality welding applications, the new Aristo Mig 4004i Pulse power source belongs to ESAB’s top-of-the-range Aristo family of welding equipment. The pulse function makes it suitable for advanced welding in aluminium and stainless steel. Aristo Mig 4004i Pulse power source connected to the wire feeders Aristo Feed 3004 or Aristo YardFeed 2000 forms a complete MIG/MAG package. The Aristo Feed 3004 is offered with a choice of the advanced U6 or more sophisticated U82 control panels and the Aristo YardFeed 2000 is available with the U6 control panel. Together, these products can boost productivity, enhance weld quality, and save money through reduced energy consumption.

The Aristo Mig 4004i Pulse is designed for a modern welding, lightweight, multi-process welding power source that can be used for MIG, pulsed MIG, MAG, MMA, or TIG. Compared with conventional welding equipment, the electronically-controlled Aristo Mig 4004i Pulse weighs 70% less and has a footprint that is 70% smaller. This new equipment is therefore easy to transport and much easier to use in confined spaces. Typical applications include the manufacture of trucks, busses, trailers, off-highway equipment, trains, and railway rolling stock, as well as wind turbine towers, structural steelwork, shipbuilding/offshore, and general industrial fabrication.

To help in achieving high deposition rates, the Aristo Mig 4004i Pulse delivers a welding current of 300 A and voltage of 32 V at a 100% duty cycle. At a 60% duty cycle these figures rise to 400 A and 36 V.

Pre-programmed synergic lines set the optimum welding parameters when welding with different combinations of material, wire, and shielding gas. While the U6 control panel has a memory to store up to ten welding schedules, the U82 can store 255, plus this panel caters for customised synergic lines.

Another feature that contributes to high-quality welds, even in the hands of less experienced operatives, is the QSet™ intelligent welding system that automatically fine-tunes the welding parameters “on the fly” so the operative only has to adjust the wire feed speed. In addition, the LiveTIG start function electronically limits the start current, and SuperPulse (available with the U82 control panel) controls the heat input for bridging variable gaps with a spatter-free arc. Creep start, gas pre-flow, and hot start functions all help to provide a soft and more direct start with less spatter. TrueArcVoltage (applicable when using a torch from the PSF range) measures the actual arc voltage at the contact tip to ensure the welding performance is not adversely influenced by the length of the interconnection cable, return cable, or the welding torch assembly.

As well as boosting productivity and enabling lesser-skilled operatives to produce high-quality welds, the Aristo Mig 4004i Pulse and associated equipment also reduces operating costs through lower energy consumption. The COOL 1 cooling unit, used in conjunction with water-cooled torches, switches off automatically after 6.5 minutes of inactivity to reduce energy consumption while the equipment is at idle, as do the cooling fans in the power source. Furthermore, the fourth-generation inverter technology achieves a power factor of 0.94, resulting in further energy savings.

Visit your closest ESAB distributor shop to test weld our new pulse power source or visit us online at www.esab.co.uk.

Lightweight inverter-based weLding equipment delivers high quality and high productivity.

11 // PRODUCT NEWS

Meet our new PowerCut 400 and PowerCut 700 portable plasma cutting packages suitable for use on all electrically conductive materials in production, assembly, repair, and maintenance applications. Well balanced and with a convenient, comfortable carrying handle, the PowerCut 400 and 700 can be carried easily from one work site to the next, or to exactly where it is needed in the workshop. However, the PowerCut 700 machine can also be fitted with a CNC interface so that it can be connected directly to a cutting table.

Despite its compact dimensions (466 mm x 160 mm x 340 mm) and low weight (14.5 kg including the torch), the PowerCut 400 is a powerful machine with a number of features that enhance the quality of cut and ease of use. The maximum material thickness that can be cut when operating from 230 V is 10 mm for a high-quality cut or 13 mm when the finish is less important. When operating from 110 V the maximum thicknesses are 7 mm and 10 mm, respectively.

Portable Plasma cutters combine performance with ease of use.

PowerCut 700 has a compact (559 mm x 211 mm x 381 mm), lightweight (21.3 kg including the torch) design and could easily be taken to the job site. The maximum material thickness that can be cut is 15 mm for a high-quality cut or 20 mm when the finish and speed is less important. Both PowerCut 400 and 700 can also be powered from engine-driven welders when working remotely without access to a main power supply.

The Dynamic Arc Control controls the pilot arc when cutting grate or mesh for continuous operation without any arc outages. To enhancing the cut quality and improving the ease of use, particularly when operatives are inexperienced, the PowerCut 400 and 700 have been designed for drag cutting along straight edges or around templates. Another user-friendly feature is the Voltage Booster that helps to achieve drop cuts on thicker plates.

Each PowerCut 400 and 700 is supplied complete with a PT-39 plasma torch and a kit of wear parts. The PT-39 torch has been specially designed to be compact, lightweight, and ergonomic, with a comfortable grip and compact head that provides better arc visibility. For connecting the PowerCut 700 to a table for CNC cutting applications, ESAB offers an interface kit that includes a PCB, cable harness, and connector.

The plasma cutters arrive fully assembled – ready to go out of the box.

Visit your closest ESAB distributor shop to view our new PowerCut 400/700 or visit us online at www.esab.co.uk for more information.

PRODUCT NEWS // 12

New eSAB TIG Torches put the welder’S NeedS firSt.

ESAB’s versatile new range of TXH™ TIG welding torches have been designed with the needs of the welder in mind. They have a highly ergonomic design, are convenient to operate, and produce high quality results in all common TIG welding applications. The torches are designed for use with all TIG welding machines that have an OKC connection. Remote versions will operate with CAN-bus controlled machines.

There is a range of air-cooled and water-cooled TXH torch packages available including the remote versions. Flexible head versions ensure welding tasks can be carried out in difficult access areas, while the 401w HD torch is designed for heavy duty applications up to 400 A.

Welding diameters range from 1.0 mm – 3.2 mm for the TXH 121 torch to 1.0 mm – 4.8 mm for the TXH 401w model. All torches comply with EN60974-7 GOST-R and CCC standards.

TXH torches can be specified with or without a gas valve and with or without a flexible neck, according to individual preference and intended usage. The welding torch heads are lightweight and durable. They have a highly effective cooling system and are manufactured with high temperature resistant silicone rubber. Copper components ensure cooler running temperatures, while also maximising the torch’s current capacity and therefore welding performance.

Visit us online at www.esab.co.uk for more information.

ESAB’s new Aristo Fluid pre-weld anti-spatter is based on an advanced formula that will help to prevent spatter and molten metal from sticking to a work piece during welding. This will in turn reduce the need for subsequent chipping, sanding, and grinding of the work piece thereby reducing cost and increasing efficiency and productivity.

Aristo Fluid has a high strength formula that is up to three times stronger than alternative products currently available. The combination of high concentration and high heat resistance, together with the efficiency of the BOV system, means that Aristo Fluid can offer tangible cost savings. Add these benefits to a competitive price and Aristo Fluid is set to appeal to many different markets including plant fabrication and maintenance work, the automotive industry, civil construction, agriculture, and general fabrication.

Visit us online at www.esab.co.uk for more information.

ESAB SEtS nEw StAndArdS with Aristo Fluid pre-weld Anti-spAtter.

13 // PRODUCT NEWS

Designed for use in all welding applications, ESAB’s new Warrior Tech welding helmet meet the needs of welding professionals requiring a high specification, ergonomically designed lightweight helmet that provides protection from dangerous UV/IR radiation, heat, and spatter.

Critical for any welder is the performance of the lens and with the Warrior Tech, four welding arc sensors provide high response levels and a wider sensory coverage than many alternative helmets of this type. It has a large viewing area of 98 mm x 48 mm and this wider than normal field of vision increases spatial awareness. It features shade adjustment between DIN9 and DIN13 with its automatic shade darkening filter (ADF) lens. This lens also gives the welder optimal viewing clarity and excellent optical quality.

New WARRIOR™ Tech reactive weldiNg helmet.

What have you welded lately?Submit your welding story and become a part of our Fabrication Hall of Fame We know you’re proud of your work, and we want to see it! Send us info on the metal masterpieces you’ve created with ESAB products, and see how they stack up against your fellow welders across Europe. We may even feature your story in our next e-newsletter.

Send your story and details together with a picture to info@esab.co.uk.

All stories published in the e-newsletter qualify the submitter for ESAB prizes, including the new Warrior Tech welding helmet.

The helmet offers optimal performance for most fabrication and out-of-position welding. Its sensitivity control is a useful adaptable feature when welding with low amperages, such as when TIG welding, and ensures a better reaction to darker arc light.

The delay control allows the welder to set how long the lens stays dark after the welding arc stops. A short delay will help to get the job done faster during tack welding, while a longer delay is useful for high amperage welding. The delay and sensitivity can be adjusted from the inside.

Ergonomically designed for high operator comfort, the helmet’s headband is fully adjustable over the head and there are three longitudinal adjustments to increase field of vision. For enhanced comfort, the angled front pad sits flat on the forehead to reduce frontal lobe pressure. The shell has “B” grade impact safety rating.

Visit us online at www.esab.co.uk for more information.

PRODUCT NEWS // 14

Designed for high productivity welding.

ESAB, Hanover House, Queensgate, Britannia Road, Waltham Cross, Herts. EN8 7TF. UK.Tel +44 (0) 1992 760698 Fax +44 (0)1992 717191 Email: info@esab.co.uk www.esab.co.uk

Designed for high productivity and quality welding applications, the new Aristo® Mig 4004i Pulse power source belongs to ESAB’s top-of-the-range Aristo® family of welding equipment. The pulse function makes it suitable for advanced welding in aluminium and stainless steel.

New technology gives a footprint that is 70% smaller than conventional power sources. The wire feeder is offered with a choice of the advanced U6 or more sophisticated U82 control panels to suit your needs.

For more information, contact your ESAB representative or your nearest distributor.