Flip the Switch to Higher Deposition: Komatsu’s Move to the SubArc Hercules™ System

Komatsu needed a faster, more reliable way to meet rising demand 

As one of the world’s leading manufacturers of construction, mining, forestry and industrial equipment, Komatsu operates a global network of “mother plants” that drive fabrication innovation and set process standards across the company. These advanced facilities develop and refine the techniques, technologies and best practices that ensure Komatsu machines can perform reliably in the world’s harshest conditions. 

One of the most critical among them is the Longview, Texas, facility. At this mother plant, teams fabricate massive loader frames and structural components for some of the largest surface‑mining machines on earth. These weldments endure extreme mechanical stress in the field, and every weld must pass exceptionally tight ultrasonic testing (UT) and visual and mechanical requirements. Even minor imperfections can lead to costly rework, schedule delays or downstream disruption for mining customers around the world. 

“We make, fabricate and weld the largest front-end loaders in the world … our UT requirements are tighter than the subsea requirements I used to deal with.” — Riley Wyers, welding engineer at Komatsu

Increasing throughput while protecting weld integrity became essential

As production volumes rose, the challenges inside the weld cells became even more demanding. Long multipass welds required heavy arc‑on time, while manual solid‑wire welding limited how quickly operators could put metal down. High‑heat fabrication bays added more to the physical strain, pushing teams to work harder to keep pace. And with customer delivery schedules tied to tight shipping windows and mine‑site readiness, Komatsu needed a more efficient way to build without compromising the quality their reputation depends on.  

To keep pace with rising demand and maintain their stringent UT and mechanical requirements, Komatsu’s engineering team defined exactly what the ideal solution needed to deliver. It had to: 

• Reduce arc‑on time 
• Increase deposition rates 
• Maintain strict mechanical properties 
• Ease operator workload 
• Support Komatsu’s culture of continuous improvement 

A breakthrough demonstration revealed a process that met Komatsu’s needs 

With a long-standing relationship with Miller and Hobart and confidence in their process expertise, Komatsu began evaluating metal‑cored wire as a way to improve deposition rates and reduce arc‑on time without sacrificing quality. The wire showed promise, offering faster travel speeds and cleaner welds than the solid wire they were used to. That’s when the Miller and Hobart team introduced an unexpected alternative. 

Within that same controlled testing environment, the team was introduced to the SubArc Hercules™ high‑deposition subarc process — an integrated system that combines a suite of components designed to work as one high‑performance solution: 

• Hobart® SubCOR™ wire 
• SubArc Hercules™ torch 
• SubArc power source (Compatible with all SubArc equipment – SubArc DC 650 Digital – SubArc DC 1000 Digital – SubArc AC/DC Digital – Legacy 14-pin SubArc equipment) 
• XMT® 450 SubArc Hercules™ 
• SubArc Hercules™ preheat switch

The demonstration immediately stood out. Engineers watched wire‑feed speed ramp up significantly while amperage held steady, bead appearance remained consistent, and the arc was stable and predictable. The system ran in standard subarc (SAW) mode by default. Flipping the switch to SubArc Hercules engaged the wire‑preheat circuit and Hercules process, unlocking high‑deposition welding without any change to the setup. 

“There's always a concern when you're changing something, especially if it's something that you've been doing for a long time. The thing that I love most about Hercules is that it's very user-friendly. It's a matter of flipping a switch.” — Riley 

The team saw potential for a dramatic improvement in throughput, especially on large, high‑volume welds in Longview’s heavy‑fabrication environment. 

Rigorous in‑plant testing proved SubArc Hercules™ could boost output without sacrificing quality 

To validate performance under Komatsu’s toughest conditions, the Miller and Hobart teams installed the SubArc Hercules system directly at the Longview facility. Together, they conducted development welds, evaluated mechanical properties, assessed bead quality and measured deposition increases. 

Komatsu engineers confirmed the results: The SubArc Hercules process met the mechanical property requirements for their most demanding applications, giving the team confidence that higher productivity wouldn’t come at the expense of weld integrity. Management completed its own review of the preliminary results and corroborated that the gains were both real and substantial. 

“There was a question from upper management on ‘are these real numbers?’ Because they are very big numbers. And they were very proud to find that, in that process, we were actually seeing those numbers.” — Clayton Pierce, manufacturing engineer for fabrication at Komatsu. 

Operators quickly bought in as well. With an intuitive, “flip‑the‑switch” workflow, the system required minimal retraining and offered predictable performance across long welds. 

An integrated high‑deposition system helped streamline workflows and reduce arc‑on time 

Throughout the transition, Miller and Hobart provided hands‑on support, ensuring operators were fully prepared to adopt the new process.  

“The Miller team has been very good being on-site, to answer questions quickly, to do a lot of one-on-one work with us in the shop. They’re very reactive when we need things. And it helps us save a lot of time because we're not waiting days when we have issues.” –– Clayton 

As a result, the SubArc Hercules system delivered immediate results for Komatsu: 

• 50% Reduction in Weld Time on a Structural Butter Weld 
  During a field trial, Komatsu reduced weld time by 50% on a specific structural component involving a butter weld. That part previously required approximately eight hours of arc‑on time and was completed in just four hours. 
  
  
• Doubled Throughput in a Dedicated Work Cell 
  By cutting weld time in half on this component, Komatsu doubled throughput for that work cell — completing two of these parts per shift instead of one — without adding equipment or floor space. 
  
  
• Accelerated Overall Build Timeline 
  While the doubled throughput applied to a specific part, the time savings contributed to an overall build acceleration of approximately six to eight weeks across the full unit. 
  
  
• Quality Fully Maintained
  Mechanical properties and UT performance remained within Komatsu’s tight specifications, confirming that productivity gains did not compromise weld integrity. 
  
  
• Operator‑Friendly Performance  
  With intuitive controls and stable arc characteristics, operators experienced smoother workflows and reduced complexity. 
  
  
• Verified Cost and Time Savings  
  Engineering and leadership validated the productivity improvements, ensuring savings were real, repeatable and aligned with Komatsu’s continuous improvement goals. 

A trusted partnership strengthened Komatsu’s long‑term fabrication performance 

Through its close technical partnership with Miller and Hobart, Komatsu reshaped a critical part of its welding workflow. The SubArc Hercules™ system introduced a level of speed and stability that allowed the Longview team to keep pace with increasing global demand while preserving the weld quality the company is known for. 

In an industry where performance, durability and timing directly influence success, this shift has given Longview a meaningful advantage. The facility can move through builds with greater assurance and efficiency, helping teams stay ahead of production pressures.