Latest Technologies for Overcoming Confab Welding Challenges

The construction and fabricating industries, colloquially referred to as “confab,” hold an important prominence in the American landscape. Welding is critical in this space, creating the secure frameworks, structures, pipelines, utilities and metal components to create finished products. As the backbone to this expansive industry, it requires the right combination of technical skills and equipment to execute these infrastructure needs.

To accomplish these larger-than-life tasks, having enough skilled laborers and the right equipment for welders is imperative to keep up with the demands of nationwide projects and industrial production. The reality is that there is a stark shortage of skilled welding operators. According to AWS data¹, 330,000 new welding professionals are needed by 2028, necessitating an average of 82,500 welding jobs to be filled annually to meet this shortfall.

In the face of this labor shortage, companies are searching for ways to improve productivity and decrease onboarding for new welding operators. Even in markets where labor is plentiful, there may still be a push to reduce training time for operators and get them up to speed on the job so they can positively impact an operation’s productivity sooner.

Transform your operations with advanced welding technology

Industries are always working to create better and smarter technology, and as a result, the welding category has evolved to provide unprecedented control and precision without sacrificing quality. Whatever challenge an operation is facing, there are advanced welding technologies that rise to the challenge and offer business-enhancing benefits.

Whether a business is producing custom parts and components or constructing complex structures, the following Miller® technologies have been engineered to address labor challenges and enhance quality, productivity and efficiency.

1. Experience consistent, powerful arcs with Auto-Line™ Technology

Every day, unstable primary power causes problems for welders and their welds, often resulting in more time and money for rework. Miller power sources with Auto-Line™ Technology make it easier to achieve consistent, powerful arcs by using single-phase or three-phase electrical service ranging from 208V to 575V. This technology absorbs and smooths out sharp changes in voltage — even if the power is inconsistent. Maintaining consistent power delivers arcs that help both experienced and novice welders get the job done right the first time.

Auto-Line™ Technology also makes the jobsite more efficient. Operators can plug in and start working — no need to wait around for an electrician. Additionally, it allows more machines to run on the electrical system, drawing less primary amperage and allowing more work to get done.

2. Remotely adjust welding parameters with ArcReach®

Trips to and from the power source can add up quickly and derail daily efficiency. An ArcReach system lets an operator adjust the welding parameters from the wire feeder or remote, saving trips to the power source and up to 250 hours per operator per year. So, operators can take full control of the process, polarity and parameter changes right at the point of use. Additionally, cable length compensation (CLC™) delivers yet another performance benefit: The voltage output is automatically adjusted from the power source to account for voltage drops in weld cables to ensure smooth arcs and quality welds.

All of these benefits clearly save time (and money), but the improvements to jobsite safety cannot be underscored enough. Operators don’t have to worry about slips, trips or fall hazards from unnecessary walks to and from the power source. Fewer steps and more focus on the work at hand mean a better bottom line.

3. Use an XMT® multiprocess welder — designed for confab applications

Created specifically for confab operators, these machines provide portability, versatility and excellent arc performance no matter the job, making them essential equipment for welders. The newest model in the XMT lineup is the XMT® 400 ArcReach. It’s the lightest and smallest machine in its amperage class and has a rating of 400 amps at 60% duty cycle to achieve bigger, longer welds with a larger diameter wire and rods. It’s also enhanced with new features and technologies that help operators work harder and smarter — along with more jobsite flexibility, fewer space requirements and more portability.

This multiprocess welder includes ArcReach, Auto-Line and CLC technologies, and its dedicated weld processes include gas-shielded flux-cored, TIG, self-shielded flux-cored, stick and gouge so operators can dial in whatever they need whenever they need it. Additionally, a front panel lockout disables the power source interface when connected to an ArcReach accessory to avoid inadvertent changes to the power source, keeping arcs stable. Combined, all of these technologies help amplify productivity and push job performance to a new level.

The XMT 400 is a great addition for its lightness to help round out the XMT series, which spans the needs of every amperage class. The portability and flexibility of the XMT 450 makes it an industry favorite, delivering up to 600 amps and available in ArcReach and non-ArcReach models. It has the core multiprocess capabilities and the flexibility for 14-pin spool guns, feeders and remote controls. The XMT® 650 series, which is also available in ArcReach and non-ArcReach models, is ideal for structural fabrication operations. It delivers up to 815 amps for larger wires and optimized gouging to remove more material per pass. This system can handle larger diameter wires and 16-inch diameter coils when paired with the ArcReach 16 feeder, improving deposition rates and productivity. Systems with ArcReach capabilities give operators the power to change the voltage at the feeder — eliminating a trip to the power supply and increasing productivity.

4. Make the switch to induction heating

When a workpiece requires heat treatment, the go-to method is most commonly open flame and/or resistance heating. These options can complicate work schedules, stress a budget and create safety concerns. Induction heating systems offer a safer, faster, more efficient approach. With induction, what’s being heated becomes its own heating element. Induction delivers exceptional accuracy and efficiency, plus fast time-to-temperature with true temperature uniformity across the workpiece. Applications that would typically require hours to heat can be done in minutes.

The ArcReach® Heater and ProHeat™ 35 induction heating solutions are two options that don’t waste time, energy or money. The ProHeat in particular facilitates four basic induction heating configurations, and its applications go beyond just preheating:

• Liquid-cooled cables: for heating applications up to 1450°F (preheating, hydrogen bake-out, post-weld heat treatment and other heating applications).
• Rolling inductor system: for heating rotating or moving applications up to 600°F (preheating and various other heating applications).
• Flexible air-cooled induction heating blankets: for heating applications up to 400°F (preheating and various other heating applications).
• Air-cooled heating cables: specifically designed for preheating applications up to 400°F

The ArcReach® Heater is very portable at just 43 pounds, delivering up to 8 kW of heat output and allowing preheat and bake-out applications up to temperatures of 600°F (315°C). The Miller® ArcReach® welding machine/engine drive works as its power source.

Together, these two induction heating systems address several key issues where heat treatment is required:

• Mitigates exposure to burns from an open flame because only the workpiece becomes hot.
• No significant expense for fuel gases.
• Produces less weld fumes than flame heating.
• Produces less particulate from overheated insulation caused by electrical wires and ceramic pads.
• Eliminates the need for an operator to conduct the heating process.

Embrace welding technology to move business forward

Welding for the confab industry is a job that demands precision, diligence, attention to detail and the appropriate safety measures. Like the industry as a whole, this particular subset of welding is in need of skilled operators who can tackle such technical work.

To meet these challenges, new technology in welding has come online to help in multiple ways, making it possible to supplement the skillsets of newer and seasoned operators and augment quality and productivity across the board. Operations that are willing to invest in and embrace the latest welding equipment will reap the benefits — among them accelerated training for welders, better weld quality, faster project completion and future cost reductions. Whatever the challenge, the latest technologies have been engineered to help solve them. By taking the time to investigate, invest in and embrace these advancements, operations can maximize their impact and stay ahead in the industry.

¹ https://weldingworkforcedata.com/