Kemppi: changing the welding in India

August 12, 2013 12:02 pm

Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra, National Sales Manager, Kemppi India explains the innovation in the field of welding and Kemppi’s roleBrief us about the latest technology development in the field of welding.Welding is an integral part in manufacturing. Technology has a major impact in this field. Known to be a “blue collar” job it has come a long way shedding its image.
The welding process consists of equipment and consumable to create a fusion. Welding equipment are manufactured based on certain technology. The evolution of technology was in the order of diode-based, thyristor-based, chopper-based, and MOSFET-based.
However, the latest technology in welding equipment is Inverter-based; many of us may say IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) inverter too. The technology change has impacted the size and ergonomics aspect of the welding machine. The future generation machines from KEMPPI are pretty compact and deliver more than the conventional machine.
Besides the major shift in design, the modern welding equipment are embedded with software to address the challenges faced by the welders and take welding to a different level.
Kemppi has been a pioneer in inverter technology in the field of welding. We have introduced inverter-based welding machine in 1977.
Our latest offering to the welding industry is the “ARC Q” system. This is again a first for the industry. ARC Q is a welding management system which takes the welding to a different domain.
What measures have you taken to make welding process energy efficient?The whole reason of inverter taking prominence in welding is to save power. Secondly, the high power factor, some term it as cos Ø, in inverter-based machines makes these as energy efficient.
All the Kemppi machines are energy efficient. Our machines save 50 per cent cost in power vis-à-vis other conventional machines (Thyristor). Moreover, the high power factor of 0.95 to 0.99 signifies that the whole input power is consumed for welding alone bringing in a high degree of efficiency.
Energy efficient is synonymous to Kemppi machines. But our software help the customers improve their productivity and quality. What are the factors considered while choosing a welding process for a specific process? The selection of the welding process and the welding procedure and technique is as important as the selection of the deposit alloy. Almost all the arc welding processes and several others can be used for the application of hard facing weld metal.
The shielded metal arc welding process is probably the most commonly used of any of the welding processes for hard facing. It can be used in the field and in the shop and can be applied to small and large parts in any position.
Submerged arc welding is also used for many applications but it is restricted to welding in the flat position. Most often it is used for plant operations and not used in the field. It is often used for repeating applications when the same part is surfaced on a routine basis.
Flux-cored arc welding with and without shielding gas is a popular semiautomatic welding process. It can be used in the field or in the shop and is not restricted to the flat position.
The gas tungsten arc welding process is used for many smaller applications, usually for shop work in which the part can be brought to the shop and manipulated and moved for ease of welding. Gas tungsten arc can be used manually or in an automatic mode with automatic wire feeders, oscillators, etc. It is more expensive than the other processes and for this reason is restricted to the more technical type jobs.
Plasma arc welding is also used much in the same manner as gas tungsten arc. It does have a higher temperature and for this reason can be used in certain cases where gas tungsten arc welding is not applicable. It is again restricted to the smaller types of jobs. The electroslag welding process is also used for certain special applications. It has been widely used for rebuilding crusher hammers. These can be rebuilt with special fixturing and done quite rapidly with the electroslag process.
Oxyacetylene welding is also used for certain applications. It is widely used for application of specialised cobalt alloys on relatively thin edges.
In general, the process is selected based on normal process selection factors and modified by some of the above comments. Once the process is selected, the next requirement is the selection of the deposited metal to provide the necessary properties.
What are the initiatives taken to reduce the emission of welding fume during the process?At Kemppi, we are concerned about the occupational hazard of the welder. While it is easier to say that the fume is created by the consumable. For example, the flux or the burning of wire creates the fume in the welding process.
What is the welding fume?Welding is the method of joining two metal parts together by applying intense heat between them, which causes the parts to melt and intermix. This process can be done directly between the two parts or through the use of an intermediate molten filler metal. The filler, base metal and base metal coating used during welding operations and the subsequent gases that are formed during the welding process release small, solid particles into the air creating a plume. This plume is called welding fume.
All welding processes produce these fumes, but most fumes are produced during arc welding. In this type of welding process, high heat from an electric arc (formed between the work and an electrode) is used to melt and fuse the metal at the joint between the two parts. When a welder strikes an arc, the arc’s heat vaporises a small quantity of metal and releases welding fumes into the air, which can adversely affect the health of the welder as well as the health of those in the immediate area.
The contents of the welding fumes depend on the components of the base metal, coatings and/or filler materials and the temperatures used in the welding process. Types of metals commonly found in welding fumes include aluminium, beryllium, cadmium oxides, chromium, copper, fluorides, iron oxide, lead, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, vanadium and zinc oxides. Welding fumes also produce gases, which can contain carbon monoxide, fluorine, hydrogen fluoride, nitrogen oxide and ozone.
Tell us on the health effects of welding fume exposure and manganese.Exposure to welding fumes can cause numerous health problems. When inhaled, welding fumes can enter the lungs, bloodstream, brain nerve cells, spinal cord and other organs and can cause both short- and long-term health effects.
Of the many welders who work in factories or in the construction, ironworks, manufacturing, mining, metallurgy, petrochemical, railroad, shipbuilding or steel industries, most suffer from some sort of respiratory illness or pulmonary infection. In recent years, however, the effects of manganese welding fume exposure on welders’ health have warranted closer study.
Manganese is a naturally occurring metal and the twelfth most abundant element on earth. It is a highly reactive gray-white metal that resembles iron, and it is often added to carbon steel and stainless steel to increase hardness, stiffness and strength. In addition to steel, manganese is found in many different types of welding rods and wire, and it is considered the most harmful metal present in welding fumes. Even when used properly, manganese welding rods can still emit manganese fumes.
An essential trace nutrient, manganese is necessary for healthy skin, bones and cartilage in humans, but high concentrations of manganese in the body, often referred to as manganese poisoning or manganism, can irreversibly damage the brain and central nervous system. Studies have shown that exposure to high levels of manganese welding fumes for only a few months can cause sickness, and since many welders are exposed to these fumes on a regular basis, they are at an increased risk of developing manganism or welder’s disease.
According to National Safety Council, exposure to manganese dust or fumes can cause asthenia, dry throat and cough, dyspnea, encephalopathy, fatigue, fever, insomnia, lower back pain, malaise, mental confusion, metal fume fever, paralysis, rales, spastic gait, tightness in the chest, vomiting, and weakness.
Why use respiratory protection?Occupational lung diseases are the number one cause of work-related illness in terms of frequency, severity, and preventability.
The most common route of exposure for most health hazards is inhalation. This includes breathing in dust, fumes, oil mist, and vapours from solvents and various gases. Some chemicals have damaging local effects on the lungs, others are absorbed into the bloodstream and have potentially damaging effects on various target organs. Target organs are those parts of the body that particular chemicals always affect, the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), the heart, lungs, kidneys and liver. What are the R & D initiatives taken by your company?The heart of KEMPPI’s business is our R&D. We have been the pioneers in bringing inverter technology to welding. To address the challenges faced by the welders our machines are backed with software.
Our recent offering is a welding quality management system – ARCQ which is unique and completely new to the industry.
Our designs have won several accolades in Europe. Our KEMPACT RA has won the IF design award in 2012. Our Fitweld had won the Reddot design award in 2009. Our SUPERSNAKE was conferred the Reddot Design award in 2009.
Besides these we have taken several steps for the customers and demand in the industry. We have launched a new product exclusively for Pipe line welding across the globe known as Fastmig X 450. This product has been accepted phenomenally all over.
Our new generation MMA machine for the Indian market has been launched to rave reviews of the customer. The HiArc S 400 R is a winner in itself. Our HiArc M 400R has set the standard for MIG welding in the Indian market.
Kemppi transcends from the basic MMA machine to the ARC Q – addressing all the segments of the welding industry. The joy of welding drives us and we look forward to change the welding in India.
Kemppi offers Beta 90 FreshAir helmets: respiratory protection for welding and grindingDesigned for welders working in all positions, Beta 90 FreshAir provides improved protection for the eye’s, face and lungs. The multi-point head harness ensures maximum adjustment and comfort, plus the 3 stage flip lens makes welding, tacking and grinding operations effortless and safe.• Protection for Arc welding/Plasma cutting/Gouging/Grinding operations• Provides safe, clean and cool breathing air• Positive pressure design makes breathing effortless• Light-weight 900 gm battery powered filter pack or air-line supply• Air flow reduces weld lens misting • Three stage flip lens for welding, tacking and grinding operations• Lightweight and comfortable• Standard or automatic welding lens options• Welding and grinding rated to EN175B• Filter efficiency no less than 99,998 per cent of the airborne particles.
Kemppi has the “WISE” functions which normally help in:• WISE ROOT: The root pass in a MIG mode than the conventional TIG mode for increased productivity• WISE THIN: For thin sheet welding – mostly in automobile industry• WISE PENETRATION: For uniform penetration across the process (irrespective of the welders)• WISE FUSION: For aluminium welding and better aesthetics.