The production managers noted that the flux-cored process is more forgiving on welding operators. Given the different experience levels in a facility, it’s easier to get better results with flux-cored wire than hard wire. In fact, the company had experimented with solid wire MIG welding, but had issues with cracking and lack of fusion when welding with short circuit transfer MIG.

However, while flux-cored welding produces excellent fusion, its inherent characteristics also increase overall component cost. Drawbacks include:

— Deposition efficiency of about 83 percent versus +98 percent for solid-wire pulsed MIG.
— Slag, which requires chipping after every pass. In an eight-hour shift, an operator can easily spend 45 minutes chipping slag.
— Time spent applying and removing anti-spatter spray, as well as the cost of purchasing spray by the caseload. Limited ability to control total heat input compared to pulsed MIG welding. The end customer provided the manufacturer with a strict maximum allowable joule (heat) limit to maintain mechanical properties.
— Wasted operator time or robotic motion (“air time”) moving around components to distribute and control heat input to prevent distortion.
— Limited ability (especially with the larger diameter wire) to control weld size to meet customer requirements and contain costs by preventing over-welding.

As part of comparing flux-cored welding with Accu-Pulse, the team realized that bottom line improvements required changing.

User friendly
After making the decision to switch, the team next obtained buy-in from all the welding operators. Prior to installing the 22 new Axcess 450 systems (which occurred over a weekend), the team set up an Axcess welding station and trained all the operators on how to set up and use the new technology.

One thing that surprised some people the most is that welding with Accu-Pulse was just as user-friendly as the old process, and that managers seemed to be able to train new welders a bit easier.

Operators easily adapt to Accu-Pulse because the technology lets them adjust arc length to match their personal preference regardless of electrode stick-out. The process also gives them excellent directional control over the weld puddle because it produces a more focused arc column. An additional control lets operators adjust arc column width, such as a narrow column for deep joints or inside corners and a wide column for cover passes or to catch both sides of joint.

The plant foreman especially liked the equipment’s ability to switch between two welding programs on the fly, using the dual trigger schedule. For instance, program one can provide a tight arc for fillet welds, while program two offers a wider, more fluid arc suited to completing a butt weld.

While ease-of-use is important, the manufacturer’s biggest concern was to maintain or improve the quality of the finished products. Like any supplier, this company doesn’t like to hear customer complaints or perform warranty work. Once a frame goes out the door, they don’t want to see it again, other than when driving down the street.

Fortunately, some of the Axcess systems’ advanced capabilities help to address consistency issues.

For example, managers can lock the operators into parameters that maintain welding procedures. They give them just enough room to adjust wire-feed speed, arc length and arc cone width to their individual preferences, but operators can never weld with an unapproved setting. The management team spent several days working with the operators to establish parameter limits so that they were comfortable once the limits became locked.

One of the managers added that any operator staffing a particular weld station is now much more likely to produce consistent results. He further notes that increased uniformity puts less of a burden on QC people.