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The welding industry can be very demanding. Operators must conform to all sorts of environments, climates and surroundings. Miller has always taken these demands seriously and is constantly producing better technology and superior equipment to necessitate all of these challenges.
Here are just a few of these innovations.
Easily turn your machine on and off remotely so it only runs when you need it. Get more out of each tank, extend time between maintenance and work without the hassle of walking back to your machine, all at the click of a button.
Currently available on the Bobcat 260 Engine Driven Welder.
Eliminate the cumbersome use of remote cables when welding with ArcReach technology. No longer will you need to walk or climb from the weld-joint to the power source and back again to adjust parameters. With ArcReach, you can adjust your meters remotely.
Learn more about Miller’s ArcReach here.
Auto-Set is a breakthrough control that automatically sets your welder to the proper parameters. Simply set the wire/rod/tungsten size, set the material thickness, and start welding!
Currently available on the Millermatic 212, Multimatic 215 and the Millermatic 255
Allows connection to common 120 and 240-volt power receptacles without the use of tools. . Simply choose the plug that fits your receptacle and the power source automatically reconfigures.
See all the Miller products currently available with MVP.
The fan operates only when the thermostat senses the need for power source cooling. Running the fan for shorter periods, consumes less energy while keeping internal components cleaner and increasing their life span.
Found on various MIG, multiprocess, stick, TIG and plasma cutter products.
Unlike competitive machines that provide auxiliary power only at 3,600 rpm (max), Excel power delivers a full 2,400 watts (20A) of 120V inverter-based, pure sine wave power at idle. With Excel power, you can operate jobsite tools like grinders and lights at a quieter, fuel-saving engine speed. Refueling time and operating costs are reduced with Excel power, which means more productivity and profitability. Plus, everyone on the jobsite gets a better working environment because noise levels and exhaust emissions are lowered.
Miller power sources equipped with Auto-Line power management deliver consistent, powerful arcs using single-phase or three-phase electrical service from 110V to 575V — even “dirty” power with dips and spikes. “Dirty” or inconsistent input power can exist in the field or in the shop — and it can affect welding arcs. Sometimes, you don’t know what kind of AC power is available. With Auto-Line technology, it doesn’t matter. Many machines need to be linked to AC power, which delays work and increases expenses. Auto-Line machines draw less primary amperage, so you can run more equipment on one circuit.
Welding outdoors, in bight environments, or in an out-of-position welding application that blocks your helmet sensors, can be extremely frustrating. However, X-Mode, available on many Miller helmets, triggers the helmet lens to darken when it senses the electromagnetic field of the arc, rather than the brightness.
Available on the Classic, Digital Infinity, Digital Elite and T94 series of welding helmets.
These are just a few of the many technologies that Miller has designed to make your welding experience as easy as possible. You can learn more about these innovations and others here.
Regardless of where your crane is located, regular overhead crane maintenance is important to ensure safe crane and hoist operation and extend the useful service life of your equipment. However, overhead cranes that either permanently or partially operate outdoors require a bit more TLC from time to time as they are directly exposed to Mother Nature.
The constant influence on an outdoor crane is – of course – the weather. Rain and humidity can cause rust corrosion in the joints, wires, bearings, wire rope, drum, and in all moving parts, which can cause a loss in the overall strength of the crane over time. In the depths of winter, snow and ice can gather on crane runways and interfere with the motion of the bridge – even seizing the crane altogether.
Outdoor gantry cranes motor filled with ice.
A sudden temperature decrease can put the tensile strength of all the materials used to construct an overhead crane to the test. Many materials can become brittle during a cold snap. When a material becomes brittle, it becomes much more fragile. Any additional stressors on these brittle materials, such as shockloading, overloading, or even a random impact can create cracks, nicks, or more complicated and costly issues down the road. Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) used in certain crane and hoist motors do not perform well in temperatures below -10C. Conductor bar systems can react and even fail with exposure to frost, causing the crane to single phase or lose power all together. Frigid temperatures can wreak havoc between the moving parts of a motor and diminish the proper flow of oil. Even pendant buttons can crack, crumble, or fail if the temperature dips below a certain level.
On the flip side, sudden high temperatures can be just as damaging to multiple components of an outdoor overhead crane system. Oil seals can sweat leading to oil leaks inside gearboxes. Extended exposure to UV rays can cause insulation wires to harden and crack. Hot and dry weather can lead to dirt, dust, and sand accumulating along crane runways which can obstruct movement and safe operation.
Though an infrequent occurrence but no less critical, small animals and birds can also cause damage to your outdoor overhead crane system. Mice and squirrels can find their way into panels, chewing on wires and interfering with contactor movement, while panel boxes and crane runways can become appealing locations for birds to build their nests.
Birds nest discovered inside a cranes gearbox.
Ensure your outdoor crane is constructed from a high-strength steel to withstand any large fluctuations in temperature.
Installing panel heaters inside all bridge panels, especially those operating from VFD control!
Heat it up! Utilizing heated conductor bar will alleviate the build up of any condensation and eliminate the fear of frost along the power bar.
Lubrication is key! Maintain crane and hoist oil type and levels based on temperature breakdown within the manufacturer’s specifications for your equipment.
Consider using SOOW rather than SOW cable to protect your crane’s wiring. SOOW has both an oil-resistant insulation and an oil-resistant outer jacket while SOW only consists of the latter.
Install rail sweeps on the ends of your endtrucks. Rail sweeps are a type of brush that works to remove debris, dirt, sand, and snow with each pass of the bridge beam.
Switch your pendant! Invest in a specialized DST pendant that can withstand temperatures as low as -60C without malfunctioning.
Invest in defense control! Installing shields over your wire rope hoist protects the rope drum and wire rope from snow and moisture. You can also protect your bridge with a custom cover to eliminate many of the worries precipitation can cause.
Bridge crane with custom built cover installed at a water treatment facility.
Most importantly, the biggest weapon any overhead crane owner has in the battle against Mother Nature is maintenance. Call your Kristian crane service representative today to craft a customized inspection and preventative maintenance program for your outdoor crane systems! Regular checks and upkeep by a qualified team is essential to preventing all weather-related crane issues before they become critical.
While the Kristian team has grown steadily throughout 2019, an audience formed recently in Calgary when our newest addition to the shop was brought in: our very own CNC plasma table! Acquired to strengthen our own hands-on knowledge and provide in-house demonstrations to our customers, Welder Service Lead Hand, Gerry Davidson, and his team have been busy setting up and testing ‘Helga’!
We sat down with Gerry to get the 411 on Helga and everything she brings to the TABLE at Kristian Calgary.
“Helga is a 3×5 CNC cutting table; perfectly sized for her location right now in our induction bay and for transport around the shop as needed,” said Gerry. “We are running it right now with our Hypertherm Powermax45 XP – one of Hypertherm’s newest cutters. The Powermax45 XP is an excellent machine for this table: lightweight, small, powerful, with the ability to cut up to 5/8” if required.”
Gerry and his team mounted the Powermax45 XP on a rolling table hooked up to our CNC Shape Cutting Controller – a Hypertherm Automation Edge Ti running Hypertherm’s Phoenix™ CNC software. After automatic basic tasks using Hypertherm’s CutPro Wizard, Gerry and his team played around with automated torch height controls to see everything Helga has to offer!
But what is Gerry’s favourite thing about Helga joining the Kristian Calgary team?
“It’s going to be great to host demos and demonstrate everything a CNC cutting table can do with Hypertherm cutters, consumables, and software,” he said. “Having Helga in the shop for our technicians to test, practice, and troubleshoot is really helpful too. Everyone can gain the knowledge of working with every part of cutting so when we are selling, repairing, or finding consumables for our customers, we are speaking from our own hands-on experience!”
Over the past four years of writing the Kristian Electric blog, we have worked hard to share exciting updates from across our company – expert interviews, crane manufacturing and installation jobs, technological advancements, and new offerings from suppliers like Miller and Gorbel. But as we dive deeper into 2019, we want to turn the spotlight around and give thanks to the wide range of customers who trust Kristian to keep their equipment running. That’s why we are starting a new series on the Kristian Electric Blog – Customer Spotlights. We will take you along as we visit some of our coolest customers and talk about what they do, what equipment they love, and how they provide services for Albertans.
Inline Fabrication
Calgary, AB
We’ve gotten to know Inline Fabrication pretty well over the years as they always choose KEL to repair their welding and plasma cutting equipment when it breaks down.
Inline Fabrication is nestled in Calgary’s Ogden Industrial, located on 17 Street SE. They are a fabrication and machine shop mainly serving customers across Alberta’s oil and gas industry. We were lucky enough to get a tour through the shop by Cody Johnson, Lead Hand, and learn a little about Inline and what they do.
Q: How long have you been in business?
About 15 years. We have been at our current location in Ogden Industrial since I started working here.
Q: How did you get started in the fabrication business?
I knew Mike Nghi, the owner, through family ties. I was welding out in Airdrie before I started full-time at Inline about seven years ago. Since then, everything I have learned has been on the job training. I do a little bit of everything – welding, fabrication, purchasing, billing, etc.
Q: How many employees do you have?
About six full-time staff.
Q: What products do you mainly fabricate for your customers?
We fabricate all kinds of products for the oilfield, ranging from plate flanges to cone strainers, but we definitely specialize in expansion joints.
Q: Can you describe your customers? Why do they choose Inline over your competitors? What do you believe sets Inline Fabrication apart?
Our customers are typically all larger companies in the oil and gas industry: suppliers of oil and gas production equipment and gas compression equipment. We fabricate for most of our customers in the field, so we are constantly shipping out completed work across Alberta and British Columbia.
As for our strengths, I would say number one is our speed. We have an incredibly fast turnaround time, which we have seen time and again is very important to our customers. Other companies may quote two weeks for a job that I can start, complete and ship out next day. Having an excellent turnaround time combined with competitive pricing maintains our strong and loyal customer base.
Q: What does your standard process look like?
First, the paperwork comes into the shop and we figure out what raw materials we need for what we have to build/fabricate. All product we make from scratch. We order raw steel and make what we need to fulfill the customer’s request, then we ship the completed product to the customer in the field.
Q: What kind of equipment do you use? What do you like about this equipment?
We use MIG welders from Lincoln – right now we are using a Lincoln CV 300 and a Lincoln Invertec STT II. When we need to do TIG and Arc welding, we use Miller machines. (not pictured)
Our Plasma Cutters are all Hypertherm – right now we are using Hypertherm Powermax 1000 and Powermax 45 plasma cutters (hand torch) and a Hypertherm Powermax 1650 with our CNC Plasma Table. We swear by Hypertherm Plasma Cutters because they never let us down in quality.
Q: What do you see in the future for your business?
I want to see us growing and expanding on what we do — have our products reach new markets and be able to branch out and acquire new customers.
Phone: +1 (403) 720-8000
Fax: +1 (403) 720-8550
Email: inlinefab@gmail.com
Address: 4119 17 St SE, Calgary, AB T2G 3W5
Website: inlinefabrication.ca
If you or your company is interested in being profiled, please reach out to profiles@kristian.ca
Vacuum lifters are devices used to transport a variety of products within a set area, such as a warehouse or manufacturing facility. They are regularly employed in applications as delicate as placing eggs in egg-cartons, as well as the transport and lifting of heavy duty loads. Vacuum lifter tools can be as basic as a handheld suction cup or as complex as a pump-powered, multi-pad device.
Typically, heavy duty vacuum lifters are suspended from a hoist or boom arm by a hook or other attachment. The lifter’s suction devices are connected to the pump through a series of pneumatic tubes.
A standard vacuum lifter locks on to the load and maintains the seal, without constant suction, however, in material handling applications that are porous, such as canvas bags, or objects that bend and twist when lifted, a continuous lifter is much more suited. These style lifters provide perpetual suction on the load to maintain the lift safely.
Self-powered mechanical vacuum lifters, electric and air-powered vacuum lifters are all available in lifting capacities ranging up to 60,000 lb (26,600 kg) or more.
