ABIBLOG USA: ABICOR BINZEL's Welding Blog

We often see different materials used for welding torches and their consumables. Mostly you can see Brass and Copper or Copper alloy - depending on the needs. Since there are various Copper alloys, we focus on the Copper Alloy: CuCr1Zr. Remember also that Brass, which is known as an alloy from Copper and Zinc, has many variations, as well. We will work with an example here.

We get it, not everyone loves fume extraction torches. For one reason of another, whether you're a welder or a welding engineer or a project manager, the same problems or complaints come up when it comes to fume guns.

Most MIG guns are designed to last. Problem is, a lot of welders and welding professionals don’t believe it. There are ‘problems’ with MIG guns – and specifically lightweight ones. They can have a bad rap, or are misunderstood. Light doesn’t mean weak. In fact, a lot of times it’s just the opposite.

Usually when I'm meeting with a Foreman or Production Manager and get a chance to talk first hand to his or her welders, one of the most common topics that come up is their contact tips. The problem:  they have to change them too much. This kills productivity for the shop, takes a big bite out of cost, and generally just creates a less efficient atmosphere for the welder to work in.

When I meet a customer for the first time I like to ask them first and foremost about the torches they currently use. Most of the time they answer the question something like this:

When it comes to robotic MIG welding you often have to ask the question about whether you should go air-cooled or water-cooled. It's always good to have the right tool in the right place for both optimal performance and cost. Looking at water-cooled versus air cooled, there are obvious cases where you would choose one over the other.

When you think of welding automation, cable assemblies are probably not the highest priority when evaluating options. But you may be overlooking a critical part of the torch as you go through all the different robot torch options out there. Without question, the quality of your cable assembly plays a key role in maximizing the efficiency of your automated welding processes.

When choosing a through-arm torch or an over-arm torch, one should know the advantages, disadvantages, and the compatibility of each. And you might be surprised about which orientation is best for you, and what mount might be best for you depending on your process.

One of the biggest hurdles in any automated joining system is the ability to find and track the joint in a consistent nature. Joint quality can be poor due to a number of variables including the standard variance in upstream parts supply or simply poor joint design from either a process or product perspective. Firstly, there is the variation that is inherent in single parts and the overall stack up.

I've been in the welding industry for something going on 40 years. I've seen a lot, and to this day I still see a lot of welding operations out there that put some crazy contraptions on their welding fixtures to get their welds done. Some of them make sense for the applications, but a lot of times they're doing it to their own detriment.