Welding and repair in the field
Welding and repair work in the field can throw different challenges at you every day. When your truck is home base for tools and equipment and the work is in another spot or hard to reach, efficiently completing jobs can be one of those challenges.
Your current welding setup may be driving several habits that you consider business as usual. But they may actually be costing time and money and affecting quality. How do you know if you would benefit from a different welding solution? Ask yourself these questions:
Are you “making do”?
Are you using previously set weld parameters to avoid walking back to the machine to make changes? Your days on the jobsite are varied and so are the jobs you must complete. You likely need to switch between MIG, stick, and gouge, or dial in your arc control for different types of welds. Most welding remotes have limited options for adjusting these parameters and processes, or you may not have a remote at all. It might seem more convenient to stay in your current workspace and make do with less-than-ideal parameters, but this can result in time and money spent on poor weld quality or rework.
How long does your welder/generator run?
Do you run your welder/generator all day, turning it off only when you’re about to leave or during a break? While convenient, you likely have periods when there is no load being applied and the welder/generator doesn’t need to run. The average welder/generator is used about 30% of the time it’s running, meaning that up to 70% of the time it could be turned off. Running a machine all day can drive up your fuel costs and decrease time between maintenance cycles.
Do you go back to your truck often to switch between gouging and welding?
You might go from gouging to welding and back to gouging as you work on many different projects. Your efficiency takes a hit when you have to walk back to make these changes at the machine every time. Not only does this time add up, but it can also increase potential slip, trip and fall hazards when you have to make your way across a jobsite each time you need to make a parameter or process change.
Do you have to yell to be heard on the jobsite?
When you get to the jobsite, there are often welders, generators, air compressors and tools being used all around you. This may seem like just part of the job, but the noise can make it hard to communicate or take calls from customers. And in residential areas or near schools, reducing jobsite noise may be required to stay within local restrictions.
How much are you spending on maintenance and repairs?
Maintenance is an important part of keeping your equipment running smoothly. But if you’re running your machine more than necessary or leaving it running, you’ll significantly increase service intervals. This is time and money you could be spending on other things — not to mention the increased wear and tear on your machine from the additional run time. Turning the machine off can reduce service intervals by up to two and a half times. It can also save you up to $1,500 annually in fuel and maintenance.
Do you want more control?
What if you could get more control over your work and expenses? Learn more about new remote solutions that deliver more control right where you’re working — to help you improve efficiency and results in field welding and repairs.