ESAB to demonstrate at Schweissen & Schneiden 2017

Since their introduction last year, Rebel multi-process welding systems have established themselves as the industry's most innovative machines in their category. Rebel's sMIG (smart MIG) function enables users to start welding - with a very stable arc and minimal spatter - just by setting material thickness and wire diameter. Stand visitors need to experience sMIG first hand to appreciate how well this technology works; sMIG enables novice welders to obtain good results with less practice, and it enables experienced welders to reduce set-up time and complete jobs faster.

For those who need to MMA and TIG weld in portable and field applications, ESAB will offer hands-on demonstrations of Renegade inverters, which offer extreme power in a compact format. They weigh 15kg, measure 320 × 200 × 460mm and produce a top output of 300A at 40 per cent duty cycle. As a next-generation inverter, Renegade provides state-of-the-art weld control for a more stable arc, less spatter, improved arc starts and stops and the ability to optimise MMA performance for cellulosic and low-hydrogen electrodes.

For extreme cutting power in field and shop applications, the ESAB Cutmaster 60i manual plasma cutter weighs 16.8kg and provides a rated output of 7.6kW at 50 per cent duty cycle at 60A. It produces a recommended cut of 16mm, has a maximum sever thickness of 38mm, and provides the fastest cut speed at any thickness material for its class. Features include an over-sized, high-visibility LED display, gas optimiser technology that helps ensure premium cut quality and performance by precisely regulating air pressure, and a best-in-class ability to hold a longer arc, which especially helps when cutting in awkward positions and when gouging. The Cutmaster 60i system includes the new SL60QD 1Torch, which offers a quick disconnect feature enabling selective replacement of either the torch handle assembly or torch leads at a lower cost than replacing both together.

Following the introduction earlier this year of the Sentinel A50 welding helmet, ESAB will introduce the Sentinel A50 Air, which includes a PAPR (Powered Air Purifying Respirator) unit. Sentinel has been one of (if not the most) in-demand welding helmets on the market due to its striking visual design, innovative colour touchscreen control panel and Halo adjustable 5-point headgear. The ergonomic, low-profile design delivers improved weight distribution with five contact points, including a central pivot point that allows maximum head clearance while the helmet is in the up position.

Data and productivity

Demonstrating its commitment to Industry 4.0 and the need to help customers automate activities that surround the welding processes, ESAB will demonstrate its award-winning WeldCloud online data management system in semi-automatic and robotic welding applications. Using a tablet or a touchscreen display, ESAB experts will show how WeldCloud's powerful applications and analytical tools enable real-time reporting and greater insight into welding data.

For mechanised cutting, Weldcloud Cut is a web-based application with the ability to combine Columbus CAD/CAM nesting data and DataLeap production data. Because ESAB uses an open-architecture, WeldCloud Cut and WeldCloud can interlink all of the production data in a business, across all departments. Operating, machine and quality management data are collected. This brings complete transparency to production flows, including order processing, process times and more, so users can see immediately where optimisation is possible.

For greater productivity and better quality when pulsed MIG/MAG welding aluminium, ESAB will demonstrate its upgraded Aristo MIG 4004i Pulse power source, enhanced Aristo Feed 3004 wire feeder and the new MA25 Pulse Panel for aluminium. The highly intuitive MA25 Pulse comes with 30 pre-programmed synergic lines for aluminium wire and uses icons, push buttons and digital displays to simplify use and eliminate language barriers.

ESAB will also demonstrate PURUS, a next-generation mild steel wire specifically formulated to reduce post-weld cleaning of spatter and silica islands. Simply by switching to PURUS premium MIG wire, users can reduce post-weld cleaning time and unplanned downtime associated with spatter, reduce or eliminate downtime for removing silica islands in multi-pass welding and reduce or eliminate paint-related quality issues.

PURUS will be showcased in a Marathon Pac bulk wire system as part of ESAB's robotic welding demonstration featuring the Aristo MIG U5000iw power source. This system provides customers with the flexibility to use any MIG/MAG process available, including pulsed MIG.

Additional automated welding displays include live Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) with ESAB's patented ICE (Integrated Cold Electrode) technology, which is the introduction of a cold electrode into a twin-wire process. This live demonstration features ESAB's Gantrac 300 column and boom system, the Aristo 1000 AC/DC power source and BlockPacs of OK 10.62 flux. With ICE, users can increase deposition rates by up to 50 per cent over twin-wire SAW. Another live demonstration features ESAB's OK Band series of 30mm stainless steel strip and strip cladding system that provides a flexible and economical way of depositing a corrosion-resistant protective layer of stainless steel or high-alloy metal on a mild or low-alloy steel.

Mechanised cutting

ESAB will demonstrate multiple new technologies and products for automated plasma cutting on its Suprarex HDX, a powerful and very durable gantry cutting machine with impressive positioning speed. ESAB will debut its exclusive Direct Multi Axis motion bevel cutting system (DMX), a new way of driving bevel torch motion that reduces complexity and improves performance. The new DMX Beveller delivers high reliability and maximum uptime through a simple design with fewer moving parts. Advanced Collision Sensing automatically resets after torch crashes, and it doesn't require an alignment check. The DMX Beveller is easy to use because of ESAB's Smart Bevel Technology, also making its worldwide debut. Smart Bevel takes the guesswork out of plasma bevel cutting, simplifies bevel programming, and delivers consistent and accurate bevel cutting results.

To provide the power for ESAB's live plasma bevelling and cutting, ESAB will use its iSeries plasma cutting power sources, introduced in Europe last year. Available in 100 to 400A configurations for cutting plate up to 50mm thick, all iSeries models feature a common cabinet and components as well as StepUp modular technology, allowing users to increase the output from 100A all the way up to 400A by adding inverter blocks. The iSeries lowers the cost per cut by using XTremeLife Wear Parts for cutting at 300 and 400A, which can lower operating cost up to 30 per cent on mild steel.

For more information about equipment for manual and automated welding and cutting, go to www.esab.com or visit the company on 10F04 in Hall 10 at Schweissen & Schneiden.