Efficiency, performance, control and communication — these were the things The Lincoln Electric Co. wanted to integrate and build into a new arc welder design.
“The Power Wave AC/DC 1000 is a high deposition, inverter-based welder. The need for a welder such as this came from the need to expand the natural gas pipeline in the world,” says George Blankenship, vice president of engineering and quality assurance at Lincoln Electric. “Lincoln Electric was approached by Europipe to build and improve the process of welding for the natural gas pipelines in order to meet demand.”
The renewed interest in submerged arc welding created the opportunity for Lincoln Electric to manufacture a welder that went beyond the industry’s standards.
“Submerged arc welding had been viewed as an old technique, and now we are seeing a renewed interest and things pushing forward,” says Blankenship.
The unit that the company manufactured is more efficient than previous models. The Power Wave 1000 has significantly less current draw, which means lower electricity consumption. It also has better arc performance, resulting in fewer weld defects, less rework and better weld appearances.
Lincoln’s new welder offers full control over previously uncontrollable parameters, and is now capable of digital communication. This capacity to link between system components, as well as new plant automation and Internet-capable monitoring capabilities, makes the Power Wave 1000 a one-of-a-kind innovation.
“As far as we know, it’s the only welder of its kind in the world,” says Blankenship, who adds that that the technology used to create the new welder will be applied to many other Lincoln Electric manufacturing processes.
Demand for the new welding system has been strong, and production through June 2004 was pre-sold. The annual impact on Lincoln sales from these systems alone is anticipated to be $8 million to $10 million each year. And because the system carries with it an increased demand for other Lincoln products, there is an ancillary impact of up to an additional $5 million a year in revenue.
With the new demand for submerged arc welding, Blankenship sees Lincoln as a key provider and notes the potential impacts on the industry.
“It will impact several industries, such as offshore and hard surfacing,” he says. “There will be significant productivity gains, which will allow customers to cut back on waste and reduce labor cost. By rebuilding production equipment, the process goes faster, and significant cash flow gains are made.” How to reach: The Lincoln Electric Co., (216) 481-8100
