ImpactWelding.com

Application Challenge:
Motorcycle and ATV frames were regularly being found with missing welds after final paint and assembly had already been completed. Repair costs were climbing and frustration was the norm. Using IMPACT's Patented Part Tracking™, they are controlling the process by dynamically counting welds and ensuring the right number of welds are being performed. Customer recently stated that "the only missing welds they struggle with are on stations that don't yet have your equipment."

Description of Problem(s):
Who hasn't shipped short or incomplete welds to a customer? When human inspection is involved, even 200% or 300% visual inspection can miss this weld defect. This customer was forced to hire independent visual inspectors to sort through loads of parts. They have since integrated ARCAgent™ weld monitoring systems to reduce the risk by requiring a specified amount of ARC ON time for every weld. At the same time, they began monitoring each weld's set-point parameter averages and now know when their process becomes unstable.

Description of Problem(s):
This customer exemplifies the majority of our customer base. They have weld defects, not from poor design or improper setup, but from the vast number of arc welding robots they maintain. They have deployed over 50 ARCAgent™ 2000 systems because, in their words, "when the system detects faults, there is something wrong and it needs to be addressed." "We [the customer] have identified 7 or more defective welding power supplies in the last few years." They enjoy enhanced process quality because they use ARCAgent™ technology to analyze each weld to detect instabilities before they become serious defects. This customer's management team has decided that real-time, 24/7, arc weld monitoring is one of the key ways they can ensure the highest quality welds for their customers.

Description of Problem(s):
When using through-the-arc weld monitoring technology, a weld defect is a weld defect. The tube industry presents a unique challenge in that they can weld for hours, if not days, at a time without even one arc extinguishment. IMPACT designed and implemented a unique monitoring technique specific for continuous weld monitoring applications. The implementation was so successful that the customer began to automatically cut our sections of welded tube solely on analysis and feedback from the ARCAgent™ weld monitor.