Definition of highlighted terms
The cost of labor in welding mild steel is usually greater than 80% of the total cost. Thus, increasing productivity is crucial to reducing welding costs. In a welding operation, this means increasing travel speed and/or deposition rate and, most importantly, operating factor via a continuous “arc on” automatic process.
Material costs in mild steel welding are generally very low. Thus, reducing material costs has little effect on overall cost reduction. Small gains realized in stick, wire and/or gas price cutting are of little value if the process is slow and inefficient and the welds are poor.
Operating factor is defined as the amount of time (%) the arc is on with respect to the total time to perform all operations. Operating factor is highly dependent upon many factors including work piece prep, slag removal, rework due to weld quality issues, and welder skill/motivation level. Time studies consistently show that operating factor for manual stick is 20-30%, semi automatic MIG 30-40%, and automatics 60-80%. For our purposes, the Bortech Cost Analysis Wizard uses and operating factor of 25% for stick, 35% for semi automatic (hand held) MIG and 70% for the Bortech method.
Bortech’s automatic bore welding method is efficient and fast because it's a continuous (arc on) process and utilizes a much higher travel speed and deposition rate then any other method. With Bortech equipment, you will complete the job 2 to 4 times faster. Bortech automatic equipment is designed to be run at a continuous surface travel speed of 18 to 24 inches per minute. The Bortech method for the Cost Analysis Wizard utilizes a weld procedure of 240 IPM/18V at a travel speed of 22 IPM. Shielding gas is 75% Ar/25% CO2.
Bortech’s automatic MIG welding system, if run with a proper weld procedure (short circuit or pulse), will produce the most consistent, defect free, high quality overlay that is possible using the GMAW/FCAW processes. Why? Because the wire's electrical stickout (distance between contact tip and work piece), travel speed and bead overlap are tightly controlled.
The ease of machining a newly welded bore is highly dependent upon the quality of the overlay. Voids, slag inclusions, porosity, high spots, low spots and hard spots (from numerous stops and starts) commonly associated with stick and semi automatic MIG (hand held) result in tool breaks, down time, smaller cuts and more cuts. A high quality and consistent Bortech produced overlay is easily machinable and will require a minimum of cuts, thus increasing productivity and reducing labor costs.
Bortech Cost Analysis Wizard will estimate your annual cost savings using the Bortech automatic bore welding method. In addition to a package quote on the system that’s right for you, Bortech can help you determine return on investment, or payoff time, before you purchase.