aws welding journal january 2013

Ordinary welders go to work. Warriors do battle. And youre a warrior youve got the experience to prove it. Now theres an extraordinary machine thats as rugged and reliable as you are. Introducing Warrior by ESAB. Designed with input from real-world welders like you and brought to life by ESABs leading-edge engineering. Warrior is built with inverter technology and features a high-duty cycle, read-anywhere display, and glove-friendly controls to give you the power to be your best, anywhere, anytime.

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PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN WELDING SOCIETY TO ADVANCE THE SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND APPLICATION OF WELDINGAND ALLIED JOINING AND CUTTING PROCESSES WORLDWIDE, INCLUDING BRAZING, SOLDERING, AND THERMAL SPRAYING

January 2013

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January 2013 Cover_4/06 Cover 12/13/12 10:28 AM Page C1

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3WELDING JOURNAL

CONTENTS28 FABTECH 2012

Weldings premier marketplace, education, business, networking, awards, skills, and personal recognition all came together at this grand exhibitionA. Cullison et al.

38 What You Should Know about Hybrid Laser Arc WeldingTake a look at the pros and cons of this unique combinationof lasers and gas metal arc weldingP. Denney

42 Effect of Tool Angle on Friction Stir Weldability of AISI 430The parameters for getting the best weld in austenitic stainlesssteel are studiedM. B. Bilgin et al.

48 Benefits of Remote Laser Welding in the Automotive IndustryRemote laser beam welding is shown to have advantages in welding high-volume componentsT. Ryba et al.

54 Friction Stud Welding of Dissimilar MetalsA milling machine was used to produce a sound joint betweena steel stud and aluminum plateG. Zhang et al.

Welding Journal (ISSN 0043-2296) is publishedmonthly by the American Welding Society for$120.00 per year in the United States and posses-sions, $160 per year in foreign countries: $7.50per single issue for domestic AWS members and$10.00 per single issue for nonmembers and$14.00 single issue for international. AmericanWelding Society is located at 8669 Doral Blvd., Ste.130, Doral, FL 33166; telephone (305) 443-9353.Periodicals postage paid in Miami, Fla., and addi-tional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send addresschanges to Welding Journal, 8669 Doral Blvd.,Suite 130, Doral, FL 33166. Canada Post: Publi-cations Mail Agreement #40612608 Canada Re-turns to be sent to Bleuchip International, P.O. Box25542,London, ON N6C 6B2

Readers of Welding Journal may make copies ofarticles for personal, archival, educational or research purposes, and which are not for sale orresale. Permission is granted to quote from arti-cles, provided customary acknowledgment of authors and sources is made. Starred (*) items excluded from copyright.

Departments

Editorial ............................4Press Time News ..................6News of the Industry ..............8International Update ............12Stainless Q&A ....................14RWMA Q&A ......................20Product & Print Spotlight ......22Letter to the Editor ..............58Coming Events....................60Certification Schedule ..........62Conferences ......................64Welding Workbook ..............70Society News ....................73

Tech Topics ......................76Guide to AWS Services ........94

Personnel ........................98Classifieds ......................104Advertiser Index ................106

1-s Interfacial Microstructure of Diode Laser Brazed AZ31BMagnesium to Steel Sheet Using a Nickel InterlayerThe brazeability of a magnesium alloy to steel was improved with an electro-deposited microlayer of NiA. M. Nasiri et al.

11-s Processing Effects on the Friction Stir Weld Stir ZoneThe understanding of the correlation between microstructural evolution and the varying thermomechanical cycles a weld undergoes is further advanced with this studyJ. Schneider et al.

20-s Evaluation of Heat-Affected Zone Hydrogen-Induced Cracking in Navy SteelsCritical stress ratio and embrittlement index were determined for high-strength steels in an evaluation of hydrogen-induced cracking in the heat-affected zoneX. Yue and J. C. Lippold

Features

Welding Research Supplement

28

48

38

January 2013 Volume 92 Number 1 AWS Web site www.aws.org

On the cover: Laser welding of a powertrain component. (Photo cour-tesy of TRUMPF, Inc., Farmington, Conn.)

January 2013_Layout 1 12/13/12 3:45 PM Page 3

EDITORIAL

As most of you know, there is a dire shortage of skilled and educated welders andother welding professionals, particularly in manufacturing and energy production. Theshortage of skilled welding personnel has reached a critical level. By 2019, it is estimat-ed there will be a need for at least 239,000 new and replacement welding professionals.To meet the shortage, we need to improve the image of welding to draw more peopleinto our field. We also need to train these new people and provide additional educationopportunities for those who have already chosen welding as their profession. The payis good, but increased skills and education can lead to even better compensation.

Traci Tapani, copresident of Wyoming Machine, has described her companys andthe countrys need for welders in an article published in The New York Times. For thepast 19 years, she and her sister have been copresidents of a sheet metal company theyinherited from their father in Stacy, Minn.

Many years ago, people learned to weld in various ways they did not under-stand metallurgy, modern cleaning and brushing techniques, and how different metalsand gases, pressures, and temperatures had to be combined. Moreover, in small man-ufacturing businesses like hers, explained Tapani, we do a lot of low-volume, high-tech jobs, and each one has its own design drawings. So a welder has to be able to readand understand five different design drawings in a single day.

Women are an underused resource in welding in the United States. According to theDept. of Labor, women represent only 6% of the U.S. welding and brazing workforceand only 2% of welders are women. History has shown that women have stepped up intimes of need. Everyone has heard of Rosie the Riveter, but there was also Wendy theWelder and Barbara the Brazer. Welding and brazing are great occupations for womenas well as men. There are many opportunities in many different types of work. We justneed to publicize those opportunities and showcase the role models we already have.

Thus, lets celebrate women in welding and recognize those women who are the rolemodels and the trendsetters. One of those role models is a young female welder whosegreat-grandmother welded during World War II and whose grandfather welded in ashipyard. She is proud to follow in their footsteps. Another is a trainer who sums up theopportunities in this way, Theres an opportunity in this industry to have a career forlife. You can work on the manufacturing floor or in the field as a welder, or as an iron-worker building a stadium. You can become an engineer and develop welding productsor travel around the country as a Certified Welding Inspector. There are also womenCWIs, welding engineers, welding engineering technicians, welding quality assuranceprofessionals, nuclear and nonnuclear welders, materials engineers who do welding andbrazing, welding sales reps, CEOs, COOs, members of the AWS board of directors,chairs and past chairs of AWS Sections, and speakers at Section meetings and interna-tional conferences. Thus, we already have good female role models, but we need to doa better job of getting the word out about them. We need to encourage women in allways and in all employment categories of our profession. I challenge you to be a men-tor to a capable woman welding professional. Give her some encouraging words, or bet-ter yet, give her an opportunity.

This year I am proud to annouce that the AWS Foundation now offers two newscholarships that have been endowed specifically for capable females to improve their

skills and education. In addition, Airgas is offering adiscount for all female card-carrying members ofAWS in honor of the companys female leaders. Thisyear, lets celebrate women in welding and help fillthe need for properly skilled and educated weldingprofessionals who will make our country proud.

JANUARY 20134

OfficersPresident Nancy C. Cole

NCC Engineering

Vice President Dean R. WilsonWell-Dean Enterprises

Vice President David J. LandonVermeer Mfg. Co.

Vice President David L. McQuaidD. L. McQuaid and Associates, Inc.

Treasurer Robert G. PaliJ. P. Nissen Co.

Executive Director Ray W. ShookAmerican Welding Society

DirectorsT. Anderson (At Large), ITW Global Welding Tech. Center

U. Aschemeier (Dist. 7), Miami Diver

J. R. Bray (Dist. 18), Affiliated Machinery, Inc.

R. E. Brenner (Dist. 10), CnD Industries, Inc.

G. Fairbanks (Dist. 9), Fairbanks Inspection & Testing Services

T. A. Ferri (Dist. 1), Victor Technologies

D. A. Flood (At Large), Tri Tool, Inc.

S. A. Harris (Dist. 4), Altech Industries

K. L. Johnson (Dist. 19), Vigor Shipyards

J. Jones (Dist. 17), Victor Technologies

W. A. Komlos (Dist. 20), ArcTech, LLC

T. J. Lienert (At Large), Los Alamos National Laboratory

J. Livesay (Dist. 8), Tennessee Technology Center

M. J. Lucas Jr. (At Large), Belcan Engineering

D. E. Lynnes (Dist. 15), Lynnes Welding Training

C. Matricardi (Dist. 5), Welding Solutions, Inc.

J. L. Mendoza (Past President), Lone Star Welding

S. P. Moran (At Large), Weir American Hydro

K. A. Phy (Dist. 6), KA Phy Services, Inc.

W. A. Rice (Past President), OKI Bering

R. L. Richwine (Dist. 14), Ivy Tech State College

D. J. Roland (Dist. 12), Marinette Marine Corp.

N. Saminich (Dist. 21), Desert Rose H.S. and Career Center

K. E. Shatell (Dist. 22), Pacific Gas & Electric Co.

T. A. Siewert (At Large), NIST (ret.)

H. W. Thompson (Dist. 2), Underwriters Laboratories, Inc.

R. P. Wilcox (Dist. 11), ACH Co.

J. A. Willard (Dist. 13), Kankakee Community College

M. R. Wiswesser (Dist. 3), Welder Training & Testing Institute

D. Wright (Dist. 16), Zephyr Products, Inc.

Founded in 1919 to Advance the Science,Technology and Application of Welding

Women: An UnderusedResource in Welding

Nancy C. ColeAWS President

Editorial January 2013_Layout 1 12/12/12 2:28 PM Page 4

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PRESS TIMENEWS

AWS Holds Open House to Celebrate World Headquarters

More than 200 guests attended an open house celebration held at the American Weld-ing Societys (AWS) new world headquarters in Doral, Fla., on November 30. The reno-vated, 122,482-sq-ft building has five stories and offers space for future growth.

Over the past few years, AWS has seen a significantly increasing interest from across theglobe in attaining AWS certifications, standards, and membership, said Ray Shook, execu-tive director, AWS. Weve launched a global initiative that will allow us to better serve thewelding community, and our new modern headquarters is one of the primary steps to be-coming more accessible to our members.

During the event, AWS President William A. Rice Jr. showed a photo journey throughthe organizations 93-year history. In addition, Rice announced that he along with his wife,Cherry, donated $50,000 for a new scholarship intended to help women interested in weld-ing careers. The AWS Foundation will match that amount for a total of $100,000.

Also, a 6-ft-tall bronze welder sculpture donated to AWS by Bill and Cherry Ricewas unveiled. Noted artist Gregory Johnson of Cumming, Ga., created the welder thatweighs more than 225 lb and kneels on top of a base made by D&D Mobile Welding andFabrication, Inc., Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The figure resides in the first floor lobby of theAWS headquarters building.

Im thrilled. It has met and exceeded my expectations, Johnson said of the sculp-ture, adding he is humbled AWS visitors will see his artistry.

Creating the sculpture took about 200 hours, spanning over the course of two months.Johnson first made an armature using threaded rods and braided copper wire, thenpressed clay onto this form. He then kept refining and detailing his work. As a refer-ence, he looked at welders attire, including a helmet, jacket, gloves, pants, and shoes.The bronze welder holds a gas metal arc welding gun in its right hand. Eagle Bronze,Inc., Lander, Wyo., performed the mold and casting duties, which Johnson oversaw.

Among the attendees were AWS leadership, consisting of current officers, boardmembers, and past presidents, as well as international counterparts and agents, ven-dors, and community members. Speakers included The Honorable Michael Bileca,Florida House of Representatives, and Miguel Otero, deputy chief of staff for Congress-man Mario Diaz-Balart. Diaz-Balart has an office in the building. The event video is athttp://videos.aws.org.

The day concluded with AWS employees guiding visitors around the building wherethey met spokespersons from each department. Lunch was catered by Carolina AleHouse, a tenant, and served on the second floors covered patio area.

Lincoln Electric Acquires Businesses from ITTLincoln Electric Holdings, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, has acquired the Kaliburn, Burny,

and Cleveland Motion Control (CMC) businesses from ITT Corp. Terms of the transac-tion were not disclosed, but all three businesses are consolidated in a headquarters andmanufacturing operation in Ladson, S.C. The combined annual sales in 2011 were $35million. The three operations employ approximately 140 people.

JANUARY 20136

MEMBER

Publisher Andrew Cullison

Publisher Emeritus Jeff Weber

EditorialEditorial Director Andrew Cullison

Editor Mary Ruth JohnsenAssociate Editor Howard M. Woodward

Associate Editor Kristin CampbellEditorial Asst./Peer Review Coordinator Melissa Gomez

Design and ProductionProduction Manager Zaida Chavez

Senior Production Coordinator Brenda FloresManager of International Periodicals and

Electronic Media Carlos Guzman

AdvertisingNational Sales Director Rob Saltzstein

Advertising Sales Representative Lea PanecaSenior Advertising Production Manager Frank Wilson

SubscriptionsSubscriptions Representative Sylvia Ferreira

[email protected]

American Welding Society8669 Doral Blvd., Doral, FL 33166(305) 443-9353 or (800) 443-9353

Publications, Expositions, Marketing CommitteeD. L. Doench, ChairHobart Brothers Co.

S. Bartholomew, Vice ChairESAB Welding & Cutting Prod.

J. D. Weber, SecretaryAmerican Welding SocietyD. Brown, Weiler Brush

T. Coco, Victor Technologies InternationalL. Davis, ORS Nasco

J. Deckrow, HyperthermD. DeCorte, RoMan Mfg.

J. R. Franklin, Sellstrom Mfg. Co.F. H. Kasnick, Praxair

D. Levin, AirgasE. C. Lipphardt, Consultant

R. Madden, HyperthermD. Marquard, IBEDA Superflash

J. F. Saenger Jr., ConsultantS. Smith, Weld-Aid Products

D. Wilson, Well-Dean EnterprisesN. C. Cole, Ex Off., NCC Engineering

J. N. DuPont, Ex Off., Lehigh UniversityL. G. Kvidahl, Ex Off., Northrup Grumman Ship Systems

D. J. Landon, Ex Off., Vermeer Mfg.S. P. Moran, Ex Off., Weir American Hydro

E. Norman, Ex Off., Southwest Area Career CenterR. G. Pali, Ex Off., J. P. Nissen Co.

N. Scotchmer, Ex Off., Huys IndustriesR. W. Shook, Ex Off., American Welding Society

Copyright 2013 by American Welding Society in both printed and elec-tronic formats. The Society is not responsible for any statement made oropinion expressed herein. Data and information developed by the authorsof specific articles are for informational purposes only and are not in-tended for use without independent, substantiating investigation on thepart of potential users.

Ribbon cutting ceremony participants at the AWSopen house were (from left) Executive DirectorRay Shook; Treasurer Robert Pali; Vice Presi-dent-Elect Dave McQuaid; Vice PresidentsDavid Landon and Dean Wilson; President-Elect Nancy Cole; and President William Rice.

Noted artist Gregory Johnson posesnext to the bronze welder he sculptedthat resides in the first floor lobby ofthe AWS headquarters building.

PTN January 2013_Layout 1 12/12/12 2:04 PM Page 6

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NEWS OF THEINDUSTRY

Green River Community College StudentsWeld Junction Boxes to Curb Wire Theft

The city of Auburn, Wash., and Green River Community Col-lege teamed up to fight the growing problem of copper wire theftin the city by welding junction boxes shut.

Thieves were stripping our street light junction boxes cost-ing the city thousands of dollars to repair, said Mayor Pete Lewis.They opened these boxes, cut the splices, and pulled out wirefrom box to box. Each junction has three wires that run 100150ft through an underground conduit to the next junction box.

According to Glenda Carino, Auburns public affairs and mar-keting manager, the project started on Oct. 10 and finished Nov.14 with a total of 15 actual work days. There were approximatelyan average of 5 students per day for an estimate of between 500and 600 man hours. The actual number of boxes welded was 1833.

JANUARY 20138

Student Gilbert Serrano performs shielded metal arc weldingin the Trades and Advanced Technology Center on the SantaFe Community College campus. Jeremy Fiedler serves as hisinstructor. (Photo courtesy of Barbara Woltag.)

The training needs of two large local organizations,as well as nationwide demand, have led to creating a newwelding degree program at Santa Fe Community Col-lege (SFCC), Santa Fe, N.Mex.

An Associate in Applied Science degree in weldingwill be offered starting in the spring 2013 semester. Awelding certificate is also available.

The program is possible in large part thanks to thesupport of Los Alamos National Security, LLC, whichanticipates the need for welders for construction proj-ects planned for Los Alamos National Laboratory(LANL) over the next 15 years.

Originally, the college developed a welding trainingprogram to meet the needs of LANL and CaterpillarSanta Fe, a manufacturer of products that reduce dieselengines exhaust emission levels, that has also supportedthe programs development. When Caterpillar purchasedthe former CleanAIR Systems in 2010, no welding train-ing existed in the community; the company provided thecollege with funds to support a welding lab on campus,which will now allow it to offer a full welding degree pro-gram.

We believe that Santa Fe Community College needsto launch these high-skill and high-wage training pro-grams because it is the colleges responsibility to becomethe economic engine for Santa Fe. This collaborationwith our partners will advance our economy and providenew employment for years to come, said SFCC Presi-dent Ana M. Guzmn.

In addition, SFCCs Dean of Economic and Work-force Development and Director of the Sustainable Tech-nologies Center, Randy Grissom, stated the collegesTrades and Advanced Technology Center is prepared toexpand with local demand.

For more information, visit www.sfcc.edu.

Need for Training Leads to New Welding Degree Program at Santa Fe Community College

To prevent the theft of cop-per wire from street lightjunction boxes in the Cityof Auburn, Washington,Green River CommunityCollege students and Pub-lic Works mentors weldedthem shut. As pictured inaction, a welder uses theshielded metal arc process.

NI January 2013_Layout 1 12/12/12 2:52 PM Page 8

9WELDING JOURNAL

Scott Schreiber, who heads the colleges welding program,also mentioned the opportunity for students to work side by sidewith city crews is invaluable. This is the first time field mentor-ships have been offered, Schreiber said.

Additionally, Carino pointed out that city crews were happywith the students outstanding job, and as of press time, therewere no reports of new wire theft from these junction boxes sincethe project began.

ESAB Partners with KUKA RoboticsESAB, Florence, S.C., a manufacturer of welding and cutting

equipment and welding filler metals, is partnering with KUKARobotics, Shelby Township, Mich., whose robots are used in arange of industries.

Our relationship with KUKA will enable us to create prod-ucts and services that offer greater value and solutions to the ro-botic arc welding customers and make our automation facilityeven more capable of providing wide-ranging services and solu-tions to the welding community, said George Learmonth, VPof ESAB Automation.

Austal Lays Jackson (LCS 6) KeelAustal recently held a keel-laying ceremony for the third

Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ship (LCS), Jackson(LCS 6).

Dr. Katherine Holmes Cochran, the ships sponsor, weldedher initials as the keel authenticator, assisted by J. B. Craig III,

an A Class welder. Cochran, an associate professor at the Uni-versity of Southern Mississippi, is the daughter of U.S. SenatorThad Cochran, a native of Pontotoc, Miss., currently holding hissixth term in office.

Due to Austals modular approach to ship manufacture, 35 ofthe 37 modules used to form this 127-m aluminum trimaran de-sign are already being assembled. Four modules have been moved

Katherine Holmes Cochran, daughter of Mississippi Senator ThadCochran, and Austal USA welder J. B. Craig III weld her initialsas part of the keel-laying ceremony for Jackson (LCS 6).

For info go to www.aws.org/ad-index


JANUARY 201310

from Austals Module Manufacturing Facility, three of which areerected in the final assembly bay in their prelaunch position.

Jackson (LCS 6) is the first of ten Independence-variant Littoral Combat Ships awarded by the Navy to Austal as primecontractor, said Craig Perciavalle, Austal USAs senior VP ofoperations.

Koike Aronson Acquires Majority Interest inBrazilian Welding Positioners Manufacturer

Koike Aronson, Inc./Ransome, Arcade, N.Y., a subsidiary ofKoike Sanso Kogyo, Tokyo, Japan, recently announced the pur-chase of the majority of shares of Biondi Maquinas, DispositivosE Ferramentas LTDA, Jaboticabal, Brazil, a manufacturer ofwelding positioners and similar equipment, made through its sub-sidiary, Koike Aronson Brasil Business Consulting LTDA.

The new company is named Koike Aronson BiondiMaquinas, Dispositivos E Ferramentas Do Brazil, LTDA. Thecurrent owners, Nelson Biondi and Evandro Faccio, will remainwith the company, with Mr. Biondi retaining a minority holding.A new facility is planned to be built in Jaboticabal to accommo-date the growing demand for Koike and Biondi products in Brazil.

Also, in related news, the largest weld positioner Koike hascreated, a 130-ton model, has now been installed and is operableat Harbin Electric Corp., Qinhuangdao City, China (as pictured).Rob Flaig served as the companys on-site coordinator, assistedby Matt Hopkins. The $1.5 million device is set to weld and cladcomponent parts for a new nuclear reactor in that region. It canhold, rotate, and tilt 550,000 lb.

Boy Scouts Earn Welding BadgesThanks to Local Tech Center and 3M

Nine Boy Scouts earned welding merit badges with assistancefrom the Northeast Metro District 916 Career and Technical Cen-ter, White Bear Lake, Minn., and 3M Co., St. Paul, Minn.

Representatives from 3M, including Don Garvey, a construc-tion industrial hygienist, Derek Baker, a welding technical serv-ice specialist, and Kim Gates, a welding marketing manager, sup-plied the classroom portion regarding welding safety, personalprotective equipment, and different types/mechanics of weldingwith their common uses. At Northeast Metros welding lab, TonyWaldner provided welding instruction and coaching.

The Scouts got hands-on time with the gas metal arc welding

gun. The merit badge requires they scribe their initials on a car-bon steel plate and cover the initials with a weld bead; cover asmall plate with weld beads side by side; and tack and weld twoplates with a square groove butt joint, a T joint with fillet weldsand a lap joint with fillet welds on both sides.

The Scouts were excited to learn a new skill, and several ex-pressed interest in the possibility of making it a career, especiallywhen discussing current job opportunities.

Chrysler Group Invests $240 Million toIncrease Engine Production, Adds Jobs

Chrysler Group LLC will invest nearly $240 million to increaseengine capacity and add about 1250 new jobs at several Michi-gan facilities.

Sergio Marchionne, Chrysler Group chairman and CEO, con-firmed the company would make investments and add jobs at thefollowing local plants: Mack I Engine Plant, $198 million to pro-duce the Pentastar (V-6) engine; Mack I Engine Plant, addingup to 250 new jobs, subject to market conditions; Trenton NorthEngine Plant, investing an additional $40 million to add a flexi-ble production line that can run the Pentastar engine and Tiger-shark (I-4) engine; and Warren Truck Assembly Plant, adding1000 new jobs on a third crew in March 2013 to produce the 2013Ram 1500.

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing, other local officials, and UAW VicePresident General Holiefield joined employees to celebrate thenews at the Mack I Engine Plant.

Mack Avenue Plant Manager Bob Hollingsworth recently spoke atthe Mack 1 Engine Plant. Chrysler Group LLC Chairman and CEOSergio Marchionne was also present to announce a $240 millioninvestment for engine production. (Photo courtesy of Chrysler.)

As shown above, now installed and operable at Harbin Electric inChina, is the 130-ton weld positioner fabricated by Koike. It is setto weld and clad component parts for a new nuclear reactor.

Welding instructor Tony Waldner of Northeast Metro and Boy Scoutsfrom Troop 200 show off their welding skills, which are part of earn-ing their welding merit badges.

continued on page 102


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INTERNATIONALUPDATE

Canadian College to Enhance Its Trades Facilities

Camosun College in British Columbia, Canada, expects to re-ceive more than $29 million from the Ministry of Advanced Ed-ucation to renew and enhance its existing trades facilities at theInterurban Campus. John Yap, minister of Advanced Education,Innovation and Technology, and Ida Chong, minister of Aborigi-nal Relations and Reconciliation, announced the funding, whichwill assist the college to create a state-of-the-art Trades Learn-ing Centre for Excellence.

The facility will include a new marine and metal trades centerto house welding, sheet metal, metal fabrication, and shipbuildingand repair programs; new mechanical trades center to house heavy-duty, commercial truck transport and automotive service techni-cian programs; repurposing of the Jack White Trades Building tohouse electrical, plumbing and piping trades, and future renewableenergy programs; repurposing of the John Drysdale Trades Build-ing as a new technology and innovation center that will also housea general-purpose classroom space and trades equipment storage;new central student commons facility to serve the combined tradescenters; expanded and reconfigured trades yard space, outdoorstorage, and construction project areas with improved accessabil-ity; and upgrade to electrical service for existing trades buildings.

The new facilities, according to Yap, will encourage more andmore young people to consider careers in the trades.

Genesis Systems Opens New Office inJapan

Genesis Systems Group, a robotic workcells integrator, recentlyannounced the establishment of a sales office in Nagoya, Japan.Genesis Systems Group Japan, KK, will lead the companys effortsto strengthen its global footprint and better serve new and existingJapanese clients. The office will be led by Tadaji Seko, who servedToyota Corporation as a trainer of the Toyota Production System,manager of Production Engineering, and deputy chairman of in-formation discussions, and Junko Fukutome who started with Gen-esis in 2005 and most recently has worked as its liaison in Japan.

Wheelabrator Group Expands to Mexico

Wheelabrator, a provider of equipment-support services,opened WG Plus de Mexico, a new 34,000-sq-ft manufacturing

and aftermarket parts and service facility, in Monterrey. The fa-cility supports regional original equipment manufacturing andaftermarket sales as well as equipment manufacturing operationsfor the global customer base. This expansion provides heavy-dutymanufacturing, secondary light assembly operations, and after-market support to service the increased demands for all of theAmericas. Robert E. Joyce Jr., president and CEO, NoricanGroup, said, Our investment plans are to continue to expandour company globally to meet the growing demands and needsof our customers.

Canadian Fabricator to Build Plant in Montana

ADF Group, Inc., a fabricator of structural steel and steelcomponents in Montreal, Canada, approved an estimated $24million plan to build a new 100,000-sq-ft structural steel fabrica-tion complex on 100 acres of industrial land located in GreatFalls, Mont. Its annual fabrication capacity is estimated at morethan 25,000 tons. Adjacent to the new facility, ADF will set up alarge structural steel fabrication and preassembly yard to rapidlyand effectively serve new sectors and fast growing markets.

In addition to expanding westward, the investment will giveADF access to the U.S. public infrastructures market segment.Jean Paschini, chairman of the board and CEO, said, Duringthe past months, we have studied many other sites to set up a sec-ond plant, and we have chosen Great Falls in Montana for itsstrategic geographic location. Situated at 160 km from Albertasborder, the city of Great Falls will allow ADF to pursue its de-velopment both in Canada and the United States. The new plant,equipped with state-of-the-art machinery, is expected to be op-erating by the second half of 2013.

Camosun College student Jenny Albrecht prepares AdvancedEducation, Innovation & Technology Minister John Yap andAboriginal Relations & Reconciliation Minister Ida Chong for awelding demo.

Wheelbrator opened a new 34,000-sq-ft service facility in Mon-terrey, Mexico.

Artist rendering of ADFs structural steel fabrication plant to bebuilt in Great Falls, Montana.

JANUARY 201312

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STAINLESSQ&A BY DAMIAN J. KOTECKI

Q: I have been told that nitrogen is an es-sential ingredient in duplex stainless steelweld metal. But I understand that nitro-gen is only an accidental impurity in otherstainless steel weld metal. Is this correct,and if so, why is it essential in duplexstainless steel?

A: You have been told correctly. There aretwo factors involved. The first has to dowith pitting corrosion resistance. There isa well-accepted formula for a Pitting Re-sistance Index (PREN).

PREN = %Cr + 3.3(%Mo + %W/2)+ 16%N

As the PREN increases, the pitting re-sistance increases. Duplex stainless steelsare often used in chloride-containing envi-ronments, including the higher alloygrades in seawater. The higher alloygrades of duplex stainless steel, often re-ferred to as superduplex, have a PRENgreater than 40. As you can see, the coef-ficient for nitrogen in the above formula ismuch larger than for any other element.The superduplex stainless steels typicallycontain about 0.25%N, or more.

But pitting corrosion resistance is onlypart of the story concerning nitrogen induplex stainless steels and their weld met-als. In weld metal in the as-welded condi-tion, nitrogen is the critical element for ob-taining a proper phase balance betweenferrite and austenite. There remains a lotof discussion about what amount of ferrite(remainder austenite) is appropriate forbest properties, but most engineers willagree that the range of 30 to 70 FerriteNumber or 22 to 50% ferrite (higher fer-rite content is allowed with inert gas-shielded processes) provides the best com-bination of properties, particularly corro-sion resistance, toughness, and ductility.

Nitrogen is critical because it is the onlyuseful alloying element that is an intersti-tial atom rather than a substitutionalatom. Interstitial atoms are much smallerthan the matrix alloy element atoms iron,chromium, nickel, molybdenum, and pos-sibly tungsten. As a result, nitrogen candiffuse more than 100 times faster than theother atoms. Nitrogen promotes austeniteformation by diffusing out of the ferrite asthe virtually 100% ferrite weld metal coolsat temperatures above 1040C (1900F).Under ordinary arc welding cooling condi-tions, only nitrogen diffuses fast enough topartition appreciably between ferrite andaustenite. This was very well demon-strated in the work of Ogawa and Koseki(Ref. 1).

Unfortunately, when the work ofOgawa and Koseki was published in theWelding Journal, color printing in the Re-search Supplement was not in use, and theelement partitioning was illustrated bycolor-coded maps, so it was difficult to ap-preciate exactly what was going on in theblack and white reproductions, and I thinkvery few people did appreciate it. How-

ever, Ogawa and Koseki also presentedtheir work a year later in Commission IXof the International Institute of Welding,as IIW Document IX-1600-90, and I wasfortunate enough to obtain a copy withcolor. Three figures extracted from thatwork serve to illustrate the importance ofnitrogen, and these are reproducedherein.

Fig. 1 2205 base metal as hot-rolled. A Microstructure; B 22% Cr; C 6% Ni; D 3% Mo; E 0.12% N.

Fig. 2 Autogenous 2205 GTA weld metal, as-welded. A Microstructure; B 22% Cr;C 6% Ni; D 3% Mo; E 0.12% N.

JANUARY 201314

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Stainless Q+A Jan_Layout 1 12/12/12 2:25 PM Page 14

Figure 1 shows the microstructure ofthe 2205 duplex stainless steel base metalas hot-rolled. The lighter etching phase isthe austenite and the darker etching phaseis the ferrite. Then it includes Cr, Ni, Mo,and N distributions obtained by a scanningelectron microscope (SEM) of exactly thesame area as the microstructure, colorcoded so that red indicates high concen-tration, yellow to green indicates nominalcomposition concentration of each ele-ment, and blue indicates low concentra-tion. The nominal composition is alsogiven in the figure. It is easily seen that Crand Mo are concentrated in the ferrite,while Ni and N are concentrated in theaustenite. It is noteworthy that, in the caseof nitrogen, the blue color indicates virtu-ally zero percent nitrogen in the ferrite.That is, the nitrogen has almost entirelyleft the ferrite in favor of the austeniteduring hot-rolling.

Figure 2 shows the microstructure andalloy element distribution of an autoge-nous GTA weld made in the same basemetal, containing 0.12% nitrogen, usingthe same color coding. Austenite appearsonly as particles along the grain bound-aries of the very large ferrite grains thatformed during solidification, and as a fewscattered particles within the ferritegrains. Then the color maps of Cr, Ni, andMo indicate virtually no partitioning ofthose alloy elements they are distrib-uted at virtually the nominal compositionlevel throughout the microstructure but the nitrogen map clearly shows nitro-gen concentrated in the grain boundaryaustenite.

In the ferrite immediately beside thegrain boundary austenite, the blue color

indicates virtually zero nitrogen as the ni-trogen there had enough time to diffuse tothe austenite. Farther from the grainboundary austenite, the yellow to greencolor indicates near-nominal nitrogenconcentration on average. In fact there arescattered chromium nitride particles thatappear as dark specks in the microstruc-ture (Fig. 2A) that formed within the fer-rite when the nitrogen could not escapefrom the ferrite to the austenite duringcooling. Even though there is 0.12% Npresent in this composition, the phase distribution is not acceptable; the weld isbrittle.

Figure 3 shows the microstructure andalloy element distribution of an autoge-nous GTA weld made in an identical basemetal composition except that the nitro-gen is increased to 0.18%. As in the case

of the 0.12% N weld metal, austenite ap-pears as particles outlining the originalferrite grain boundaries, but there are alsonumerous austenite plates throughout theinterior of the ferrite grains. Then thecolor-coded maps of Cr, Ni, and Mo indi-cate only very slight partitioning of theseelements (most clearly seen in the Mo dis-tribution where the grain boundaryaustenite regions are more clearly blue).But the nitrogen partitioning is complete the ferrite regions are all blue while theaustenite regions are all red. The highernitrogen of the Fig. 3 weld metal as com-pared to the Fig. 2 weld metal made the as-welded weld metal ductile by producingmuch higher austenite content.

In practice, filler metal manufacturerstend to include extra nickel to improvetoughness and assist in the development ofaustenite, but the nitrogen is the essentialalloy element for providing weldability.

Reference

1. Ogawa, T., and Koseki, T. 1989. Ef-fect of composition profiles on metallurgyand corrosion behavior of duplex stainlesssteel weld metals. Welding Journal 68(5):181-s to 191-s.

15WELDING JOURNAL

DAMIAN J. KOTECKI is president,Damian Kotecki Welding Consultants, Inc.He is treasurer of the IIW and a member ofthe A5D Subcommittee on Stainless SteelFiller Metals, D1K Subcommittee on Stain-less Steel Structural Welding; and WRCSubcommittee on Welding Stainless Steelsand Nickel-Base Alloys. He is a past chair ofthe A5 Committee on Filler Metals and Al-lied Materials, and served as AWS president(20052006). Send questions to [email protected], or Damian Kotecki,c/o Welding Journal Dept., 8669 DoralBlvd., Ste. 130, Doral, FL 33166.

Fig. 3 Autogenous 2205 GTA weld metal, as-welded. A Microstructure; B 22% Cr;C 6% Ni; D 3% Mo; E 0.18% N.


A B C

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Stainless Q+A Jan_Layout 1 12/12/12 2:26 PM Page 15

Friends and Colleagues:

The American Welding Society established the honor of Counselor to recognize individualmembers for a career of distinguished organizational leadership that has enhanced the image andimpact of the welding industry. Election as a Counselor shall be based on an individuals career ofoutstanding accomplishment.

To be eligible for appointment, an individual shall have demonstrated his or her leadership in thewelding industry by one or more of the following:

Leadership of or within an organization that has made a substantial contribution to the weldingindustry. The individuals organization shall have shown an ongoing commitment to the industry, asevidenced by support of participation of its employees in industry activities.

Leadership of or within an organization that has made a substantial contribution to training andvocational education in the welding industry. The individuals organization shall have shown anongoing commitment to the industry, as evidenced by support of participation of its employee inindustry activities.

For specifics on the nomination requirements, please contact Wendy Sue Reeve at AWSheadquarters in Miami, or simply follow the instructions on the Counselor nomination form in thisissue of the Welding Journal. The deadline for submission is July 1, 2013. The committee looksforward to receiving these nominations for 2014 consideration.

Sincerely,

Lee KvidahlChair, Counselor Selection Committee

Counselor Letter 2013_Layout 1 12/12/12 9:16 AM Page 16

Nomination of AWS Counselor

I. HISTORY AND BACKGROUNDIn 1999, the American Welding Society established the honor of Counselor to recognize indi-

vidual members for a career of distinguished organizational leadership that has enhanced theimage and impact of the welding industry. Election as a Counselor shall be based on anindividuals career of outstanding accomplishment.

To be eligible for appointment, an individual shall have demonstrated his or her leadership inthe welding industry by one or more of the following:

Leadership of or within an organization that has made a substantial contribution to the welding industry. (The individuals organization shall have shown an ongoing commitment to the industry, as evidenced by support of participation of its employeesin industry activities such as AWS, IIW, WRC, SkillsUSA, NEMA, NSRP SP7 or other similar groups.)

Leadership of or within an organization that has made substantial contribution to trainingand vocational education in the welding industry. (The individuals organization shall have shown an ongoing commitment to the industry, as evidenced by support of participation of its employees in industry activities such as AWS, IIW, WRC, SkillsUSA, NEMA,NSRP SP7 or other similar groups.)

II. RULESA. Candidates for Counselor shall have at least 10 years of membership in AWS.B. Each candidate for Counselor shall be nominated by at least five members of

the Society.C. Nominations shall be submitted on the official form available from AWS

headquarters.D. Nominations must be submitted to AWS headquarters no later than July 1

of the year prior to that in which the award is to be presented.E. Nominations shall remain valid for three years.F. All information on nominees will be held in strict confidence.G. Candidates who have been elected as Fellows of AWS shall not be eligible for

election as Counselors. Candidates may not be nominated for both of these awards at the same time.

III. NUMBER OF COUNSELORS TO BE SELECTEDMaximum of 10 Counselors selected each year.

Return completed Counselor nomination package to:

Wendy S. ReeveAmerican Welding SocietySenior ManagerAward Programs and Administrative Support

Telephone: 800-443-9353, extension 293

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: July 1, 201

8669 Doral Blvd., Suite 130Doral, FL 33166

3

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(please type or print in black ink)

COUNSELOR NOMINATION FORM

DATE_________________NAME OF CANDIDATE________________________________________________________________________

AWS MEMBER NO.___________________________YEARS OF AWS MEMBERSHIP____________________________________________

HOME ADDRESS____________________________________________________________________________________________________

CITY_______________________________________________STATE________ZIP CODE__________PHONE________________________

PRESENT COMPANY/INSTITUTION AFFILIATION_______________________________________________________________________

TITLE/POSITION____________________________________________________________________________________________________

BUSINESS ADDRESS________________________________________________________________________________________________

CITY______________________________________________STATE________ZIP CODE__________PHONE_________________________

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND, AS APPLICABLE:

INSTITUTION______________________________________________________________________________________________________

MAJOR & MINOR__________________________________________________________________________________________________

DEGREES OR CERTIFICATES/YEAR____________________________________________________________________________________

LICENSED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER: YES_________NO__________ STATE______________________________________________

SIGNIFICANT WORK EXPERIENCE:

COMPANY/CITY/STATE_____________________________________________________________________________________________

POSITION____________________________________________________________________________YEARS_______________________

COMPANY/CITY/STATE_____________________________________________________________________________________________

POSITION____________________________________________________________________________YEARS_______________________

SUMMARIZE MAJOR CONTRIBUTIONS IN THESE POSITIONS:

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________IT IS MANDATORY THAT A CITATION (50 TO 100 WORDS, USE SEPARATE SHEET) INDICATING WHY THE NOMINEE SHOULD BESELECTED AS AN AWS COUNSELOR ACCOMPANY THE NOMINATION PACKET. IF NOMINEE IS SELECTED, THIS STATEMENT MAYBE INCORPORATED WITHIN THE CITATION CERTIFICATE.

**MOST IMPORTANT**The Counselor Selection Committee criteria are strongly based on and extracted from the categories identified below. All in-

formation and support material provided by the candidates Counselor Proposer, Nominating Members and peers are considered.

SUBMITTED BY: PROPOSER_______________________________________________AWS Member No.___________________The proposer will serve as the contact if the Selection Committee requires further information. The proposer is encouraged to include adetailed biography of the candidate and letters of recommendation from individuals describing the specific accomplishments of the can-didate. Signatures on this nominating form, or supporting letters from each nominator, are required from four AWS members in additionto the proposer. Signatures may be acquired by photocopying the original and transmitting to each nominating member. Once the sig-natures are secured, the total package should be submitted.

NOMINATING MEMBER:___________________________________Print Name___________________________________AWS Member No.______________




CLASS OF 2014

SUBMISSION DEADLINE JULY 1, 2013

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JANUARY 201320

RWMAQ&A BY TOM SNOW

Q: Our company needs extra spot weld-ing capacity because production is increas-ing. We have an old spot welding machinein storage that has not run in years. ShouldI try to get it going or buy a new one?

A: As with many things in life, it all de-pends.

Spot welding machines are among themost durable of production machines andthe three Rs of machine maintenancecan easily be applied repair, retrofit,or rebuild.

That being said, some brands of spotwelding machines are better than othersand an old, light-duty machine may not beworth fixing.

To begin finding the answer to yourquestion, check to see if your machine issuitable for the anticipated welding appli-cation. As an example, if you need to weldtwo pieces of 12-gauge mild steel, a little10-kVA foot-operated rocker arm machineis not going to get the job done properly.

Charts are readily available listing var-ious combinations of amperage (heat) andpressure (forging force) required forwelding various material thickness com-binations. Hopefully your machine hasenough capacity to achieve a Class Aweld, which optimizes strength and ap-pearance by using proper force, high am-perage, and short weld time.

Also, if your application involves pro-jection welding, such as resistance weld-ing nuts or studs, an air-operated verticalaction press-type welding machine withthe proper diameter cylinder is the way togo. A rocker arm spot welding machine,although typically less expensive, appliesweld force with a rocking action and willnot set down the projections evenly.

And speaking of rocker arm spot weld-ing machines, be wary of installing longerarms if the existing arms are too short toreach all the welds on your deepest part.Because the spot welding electrode tipsare typically on the wrong end of theair-operated fulcrum mechanism, increas-ing the arm length robs the machine ofweld force capability.

As an example, one representativeheavy-duty rocker arm spot welding ma-chine built to RWMA Size 3 specificationscan produce 2250 lb of weld force at 80lb/in.2 of incoming air pressure with an 18-in. throat depth, whereas extending thethroat to 36 in. reduces the maximumavailable force to 1150 lb, a loss of morethan a half-ton of forging capability.

Likewise, as the throat depth or verti-cal shut height (gap) between arms is in-creased, the available welding amps at the

tips will decrease due to the larger sec-ondary loop. In other words, a spot weld-ing machine with an 18-in. throat depthwill produce significantly more amps thanthe same machine with 36-in. armsinstalled.

The same rocker arm spot welding ma-chine spec sheet referenced in our exam-ple shows that a 50-kVA machine with 18-in. arms installed produces 22,100 second-ary amps at full power settings, whereasthe same machine with a 36-in. throat pro-duces 15,700 A. This could be the differ-ence between making a good or bad weld.

Once youve determined that yourwelding machine in storage is suitable forthe application, examine its condition.Many older resistance spot welding machines are built better than new ones,so a heavy-duty resistance welding ma-chine thats 2040 years old should notbe ruled out.

A veteran American-made spotwelding machine built to RWMA specifi-cations is often superior to some of thelight-duty imported machines on the mar-ket today. However, if the welding ma-chine is more than 1015 years old, itwould probably benefit from being retro-fitted with a new control that includes allthe latest features Figs. 1, 2.

Virtually all spot welding machine con-trols sold today have fully programmablefunctions, such as pulsation and upslope,that were once expensive options. If youretrying to weld heavy material thicknessesand/or coated steel, those two options areoften a big help in achieving good welds.Also, these days its advisable to convertspot welding machines from mechanicalcontactors or mercury-filled ignitrons tomodern SCR contactors. Just be sure todispose of the ignitrons properly andlegally.

And if you want to greatly improve thesafety of the machine, a spot welding ma-chine control is now available with a softtouch safety feature that senses if some-thing nonmetallic is between the tips, suchas a finger, and retracts the tips beforeweld force is applied. This protects youroperator from serious finger injury andalso includes the ability to dress your elec-trodes under low force.

Once youve gotten a retrofit weldingmachine control on order, if needed, itstime to address the condition of the ma-chine itself. Resistance welding machinesare relatively simple to fix if you under-stand the basics of electricity, pneumat-ics, and mechanics.

Here are the systems to check as youinspection and repair the machine as

needed or go through the process to com-pletely strip and rebuild the machine.

Welding Transformer: The Heartof the Machine

Spot welding machine transformershave no moving parts and often run for

Fig. 1 Example of a heavy-duty press-type combination spot and projection weld-ing machine suitable for rebuilding.

Fig. 2 The same press-type welding ma-chined after being stripped and rebuilt tolike-new specifications, including the in-stallation of a new control with program-mable functions.

RWMA January 2013_Layout 1 12/12/12 3:01 PM Page 20

21WELDING JOURNAL

decades if not abused. Abuse includesoverheating due to excessive duty cycleoperation, lack of adequate water flow,and internal water saturation due to waterleaks or condensation.

If your welding transformer is water-cooled, check to make sure the small-diameter internal copper water coolingtubes are not clogged, crushed, or leak-ing. If the machine has been run on cityor well water, minerals can accumulateover the years just like excessive choles-terol clogs our arteries. Chemicals areavailable to clear clogs in water coolinglines, but sometimes the transformerneeds to be disassembled so the waterlines can be replaced.

Shorted-out spot welding machinetransformers can be rebuilt, but its bestto send them to a specialist rather thanyour local electric motor repair shop.

Secondary Connections

Spot welding machines are designed togenerate heat at the weld zone due to theresistance of the material being welded,but every other source of resistance from the transformer out to the electrodes(tips) should be minimized. This is sig-nificant because the welding transformerconverts the incoming power of 220 or 440V into extremely low secondary voltage,typically only 68 V, that pushes the highwelding amperage through the weldingmachines secondary circuit. Any form ofunwanted resistance in the loop restrictsthe flow of welding current to the work.

Although its a lot of work, disassem-bling the welding machines copper sec-ondary loop connections and removingthe accumulated oxide is a task that shouldbe done annually.

If a connection in the welding machinesecondary has gotten loose and arced outover time, the contacting surfaces willneed to be remachined flat and smooth.Various conductive pastes are availablethat are designed to improve conductivityand reduce oxidation by coating the mat-ing surfaces prior to reassembly. For theultimate in conductivity, secondary con-nections can also be silver plated.

If the flexible copper shunts that con-duct electricity from the transformer tothe moving part of the welding machinehave broken copper sheets or show arc-ing at the connecting surfaces, they shouldbe replaced. Replacement shunts are notextremely expensive and are usually theweakest link in conducting the necessaryhigh welding current through thesecondary.

Pneumatic System

As the metal reaches the molten stateduring the spot welding process, deliveryof consistent force and fast forging follow-up is critical to good weld quality. Mostspot welding machines used in productionare air-operated, so check the air systemfor smooth operation. Air cylinders aresimple to repair and relatively inexpen-sive to replace, so dont ignore those im-portant components.

Also, check to make sure there is aworking filter, regulator, lubricator(FRL), and gauge installed on the incom-ing air supply. Restriction of air to thewelding machine through a clogged FRLcan cause poor follow-up during the weld.This results in excessive metal expulsion(flash), reduced electrode life, and incon-sistent weld quality. If in doubt, replacethe FRL.

Mechanical System

On rocker arm spot welding machines,check for worn pivot points and replace

bearings as needed. An easy way to checkfor problems is to grab the arm out at theend and shake it from side to side. Thereshould not be much slack.

On vertical press type spot welding ma-chines, you can check the ram mechanismfor wear with a similar side-to-side andfront-to-rear method, but on machineswith roller rams, its also advisable to re-move the sheet metal that typically cov-ers the ram area and look for wear on theways and/or rollers Fig. 3. Roller bear-ings can seize up and wear the ways. Onceagain, these mechanisms are relativelysimple to repair.

The old-style quill press welding ma-chine rams typically seen on U.S.-mademachines from the 1940s and some ma-chines being imported today are oftenmetal on metal and can be more challeng-ing to repair if lubrication has been ig-nored over the years and wear is heavy.Rather than spending money to repair oneof these rams, it might be time to scrapthe machine and use the proceeds to buya new one.

Thats the saving grace of old spotwelding machines most of them areloaded with copper and, if salvaged prop-erly, can provide a nice down payment onanother machine.

And, as always, an experienced spotwelding machine dealer can help guideyour decision-making process and providethe needed material to get your old spotwelding machine back into production.

TOM SNOW is CEO, T.J. Snow Co., Inc.,Chattanooga, Tenn., a member companyof the RWMA, a permanent AWS standingcommittee. Send your comments and questions to Tom Snow at [email protected], or mail to TomSnow, c/o Welding Journal, 8669 DoralBlvd., Ste. 130, Doral, FL 33166.

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The company designed the TeraBlade2000, a 2-kW ultrahigh-brightness directdiode laser, specifically for cutting steeland other metals in industrial applica-tions. It operates at 970 nm, features a

JANUARY 201322

The DP direct drive series, a new generation of frictionwelding machines, produce all types of drill pipes. A light-weight, quick release tooling system has been added so thereis no need for changeovers using cranes, and an updated, in-process optical measurement device provides accurate TIRdata for every component. In addition, the company devel-oped an in-cycle, internal boring tool for removing flash fromnarrow-diameter tool joints, meaning the process can be per-formed on the same machine without transferring the com-ponents elsewhere for a separate operation. The environ-mental friendly machine includes redesigned hydraulic packswith energy-saving, variable speed drives, nonpriming pumps,and low noise guard booths. Also, they are equipped withforge clamps for friction welding an unlimited range of pipesizes and lengths. They use a closed loop control system formonitoring the weld head speed and position.

Thompsonwww.thompson-friction-welding.com(586) 466-6180

Friction Welding Machines Feature Quick Release Tooling System

P and P January 2013_Layout 1 12/13/12 12:57 PM Page 22

23WELDING JOURNAL

100-micron output fiber, and a platformscalable up to 6 kW.

TeraDiodewww.teradiode.com(978) 952-2501

Animated Movie HighlightsPipe Manufacturing

The advertising design firm has cre-ated an animated movie with 3D motiongraphics, photographs, and text that pres-ent the American Steel Pipe ERW manu-facturing process. Included are images ofthe steel roll loading, edging, forming,welding, seam annealing, cutting, and in-spection processes at the plant. The pres-entation is available as a continuous HDvideo for YouTube and iPad use, a loop-ing Flash swf file for trade show exhibitmonitors, and a navigable Flash swf forthe corporate Web site.

Ninetimeswww.ninetimes.com(707) 494-3883

GMA Gun Liner SystemReduces Downtime

The Quick Load Liner Au-toLength system minimizes downtimeand prevents quality problems associatedwith incorrect GMA gun liner length. Itcan be used with guns equipped with theseliners, specifically the Bernard T-Gun

semiautomatic gun and Tregaskiss ro-botic GMA guns. Also, it helps reducewire-feeding problems and decreasesmeltbacks, along with premature contacttip failure and wear associated with mis-alignment between the liner and contacttip. A spring-loaded module housed in-side the power pin applies constant pres-sure on the liner, keeping it seated prop-erly in the retaining head at all times. Thesystem allows for up to 1 in. forgivenessand accommodates liner movement dur-ing welding.

Tregaskisswww.tregaskiss.com(877) 737-3111

iPhone App ContainsSafety Information

The company has launched an appli-cation for iPhones that provides metal-workers around the world with easy ac-cess to essential safety information. Theapps highlights include an abrasivesspeed chart that provides maximumrev/min information for the companysdiscs; minimum and maximum grindingangles according to type of grinder andchoice of abrasive; a chart that providesoptimal drilling rev/min; an annular core

cutting speed chart, which establishes therecommended rev/min; a unit converter;flashlight; and a level to determine theangle of any surface. Walter Safety App canbe downloaded from iTunes.

Walter Surface Technologieswww.walter.com(800) 522-0321

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Mobile CollaborationConnects Experts toRemote Locations

Onsight, a mobile collaboration sys-tem, connects internal experts to remotelocations in real time with multiple layersof security. Companies can now take videocollaboration onto the plant floor, to asupplier location, or into the field wherethe problems are occurring. The systemcontains three components: either an On-sight 1000, Onsight 2000, or Onsight2000EX wireless device; Onsight Expert,the desktop collaboration software thatruns on the computer of a subject matterexpert; and Onsight Management Suite

software, which provides system adminis-trators with centralized managementtools.

Librestreamwww.librestream.com(800) 849-5507

Laser Beam SplittersFacilitate Measurements

A new line of CO2 laser beam splittersand laser beam combiners, made fromZnSe with various coatings to achieve

JANUARY 201324

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their polarization states, are designed forengraving, marking, and scribing lasers.The beam splitters facilitate power meas-urements and other dual uses by reflect-ing a percentage of the beam, typically50% or polarization insensitive beam,which covers all polarizations. The beamcombiners permit alignment and focusingby providing a visual light beam.

Laser Research Opticswww.laserresearch.net(888) 239-5545

Posters Provide Guide toWelding, Cutting Processes

The companys wall posters offer a vi-sual guide to GMAW, GTAW, SMAW,cored-wire, and oxyfuel gas welding andcutting processes. Included is informationon how to select the right welding equip-ment for a given process, wire feeder units,torches, and shielding gases. They areavailable free of charge.

Murex Welding Productswww.murexwelding.co.uk+44 (0) 1992 710000

Laser Safe Gloves ProtectAgainst Radiation

Laser Glove, a five-finger certified laserprotection glove, offers a resistance of 40kW/m2 against laser radiation of 1064 nmbefore exceeding the MPE Skin-Value.The gloves features include temperatureisolation, protection against cutting dam-age, and coating of the fingertips and palmto protect delicate laser optics and opticalelements from sweat and other liquids.

Laservisionwww.laservision-usa.com(800) 393-5565

25WELDING JOURNAL




Welders Pliers Presentedfor Multipurpose Use

The 9 in. 360 Professional Multi-Pur-pose Welders Plier features an originalgroove-nose design for quick and cleanspatter removal; a precision-machined,laser heat-treated, knife-and-anvil cuttingedge for long-term cutting performance;an elongated nose with cross-hatch gripsfor secure drawing of wire or gripping ofhot metal; and two hammering surfaces.This six-in-one plier is made of 12 oz ofdrop-forged, high-carbon C1080 steel.Also available is a CODE BLUE ver-sion of the tool, model number 360CB.Product specifications and images areavailable on the Web site.

Channellock, Inc.www.channellock.com(800) 724-3018

Catalog Showcases GMAWGuns and Consumables

The companys new catalog helps cus-tomers select semiautomatic GMAWguns and consumables. Included is prod-uct feature and benefit information, aswell as comparative reference charts and

JANUARY 201326

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continued on page 100


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otc daihen_FP_TEMP 12/11/12 2:45 PM Page 27

JANUARY 201328

FABTECH 2012

With a supersized welding productmarketplace, fullon professionalprogram, and countless networkingopportunities, Las Vegas attendeescould bet the house theyd findsomething to enhance their careers atthis years show

BY ANDREW CULLISON, KRISTIN CAMPBELL, CARLOS GUZMAN, AND MARY RUTH JOHNSEN

ANDREW CULLISON ([email protected]) is publisher, KRISTIN CAMPBELL ([email protected]) is associate editor, and MARY RUTH JOHNSEN ([email protected]) is editor of the Welding Journal. CARLOS GUZMAN ([email protected]) is editor, Welding Journal en Espaol.

Cullison et al Feature January 2013_Layout 1 12/11/12 2:16 PM Page 28

29WELDING JOURNAL

Monday, November 12Annual Business Meeting Convenes. William Arent,

director of economic and urban development, Las Vegas Rede-velopment Agency, welcomed the American Welding Societyto the city of Las Vegas, noting the city has a population of600,000, with another two million in the surrounding area. Chal-lenges still exist in the manufacturing and construction sectors,but he sees opportunities developing in both of those areas. Itis time to dwell on the positive, he said. Manufacturing in theUnited States is still the strongest in the world.

The 93rd business meeting of the American Welding Soci-ety was called to order by AWS President William Rice. Digni-taries from 15 sister organizations in the United States and fromaround the world were recognized. President Rice then notedthis has been a very good year for the American Welding Soci-ety. He went on to list some of the Societys achievements dur-ing 2012. In that list were the continuing development of Amer-ican Welding Online (AWO), a series of online courses for ed-ucation and certification programs; AWS hosting the Interna-tional Institute of Weldings 65th Annual Assembly, which at-tracted 800 attendees from 49 countries; scouts all over thecountry earning the Boy Scout welding merit badge, the devel-opment of which was spearheaded by AWS; the success of thetraveling Careers in Welding trailer, which has exposed thou-sands of young people to welding; and the Societys move intoa new World Headquarters, which had its grand opening thispast November.

President-elect Nancy Cole spoke of the shortage of weldersthat still plagues many industries. To meet this shortage, wehave to improve the image of welding, invite new faces into theprofession, and get the word out of the good pay and opportu-

nities that exist, she said. Women have been underutilized incombating this shortage, she continued. I will celebratewomen in welding and encourage more to enter the professionduring my presidency. Cole noted the many past and presentachievements of women who have advanced their careersthrough welding.

Adams Lecture. Professor Sindo Kou (Fig. 1) of the Uni-versity of Wisconsin, Madison, has spent much of his careerstudying fluid flow and solidification of the weld pool. Funda-mental research at the university has demonstrated the follow-

FABTECH 2012 defied the Las Vegas odds andcame up a winner. Attendance for the threedayevent was a robust 25,903, and the combined netsquare footage for the exhibition was 465,330.Crowds and optimism marked FABTECH, which washeld Nov. 1214, in Las Vegas, Nev. On the weldingside, 522 exhibitors occupied 174,129 sq ft.Although uncertainties still exist in the economy,many manufacturers see an improving growth ratein 2013.

In addition to the exhibitions, there was a fullarena of educational opportunities throughout thethree days. More than 100 conferences, seminars,technical presentations, and keynote speakerswere offered to the attendees. One discussion thatgarnered a standingroom only crowd featured apanel of experts who offered an analysis on thepresidential election result and how it may affectmanufacturing in 2013. A roundup of that analysisis reported later in this article. Following is a daybyday review of the shows highlights.

Fig. 1 During this years Adams Lecture, Prof. SindoKou related how fluid flow and solidification duringwelding dominate the fusion zone of the resultant weld.


JANUARY 201330

ing: Computer models capable of calculating the weld-poolshape; visualization of Marangoni flow, including its reversaland oscillation; a theory on the effect of surface-active agentbeyond Heiples; quenching of the weld pool to reveal the mi-crostructure development during welding; suppression of solid-ification cracking with a wavy crack path; weakening of the par-tially melted zone by severe grain-boundary segregation; pre-diction and elimination of liquation-cracking susceptibility; fun-damental concepts regarding dissimilar filler metals; andmacrosegregation mechanisms beyond Savages.

The full text of Kous lecture was published in the Novem-ber 2012 Welding Journal beginning on page 287-s.

The AWS/SkillsUSA U.S. Invitational Weld Trials.Eleven competitors from five countries competed throughoutthe exposition in the AWS/SkillsUSA U.S. Invitational WeldTrials. Attendees witnessed firsthand the competition spreadover four days of welding using multiple welding processes. Thejudging criteria comprised safety, print reading, penetrationand fusion, distortion control, selection of filler metal, manipu-lative skills, destructive and nondestructive testing, welding ma-chine parameter setting, and general appearance of the proj-ect. Some of the welding required X-ray reviews and hydrostaticpressure tests to 1000 lb/in.2 to verify the integrity and qualityof the welds.

Six national SkillsUSA welder finalists (Fig. 2) competedalongside five international welders representing Australia,Canada, United Kingdom (2), and Russia.

The top three U.S.A. competitors were 1st place winner AlexPazkowski from Washtenaw Community College; 2nd place An-drew Cardin from Valley Technical High School; and 3rd placeTanner Tipsword from Wyoming College. The overall top threefinishers were Alex Pazkowski (Gold), Andrew Cardin (Silver),and Canadian Nick Kitt (Bronze).

The top three U.S.A. competitors will advance to a tuneup at the AIDT Training Center in Mobile, Ala., a division ofthe Alabama Department of Commerce that encourages eco-nomic development through job-specific training. Past Tea-mUSA welding medalists will train the three finalists to giveTeamUSA the best chances of earning a medal in Germany.These top three welders will compete for the final TeamUSA

position during the 2013 Daytona 500 Speedweek. That winnerwill not only represent the United States at the 42nd World-Skills Competition in Leipzig, Germany, July 27, but will alsoreceive a $40,000 scholarship from the Miller Electric Mfg. Co.,administered through the AWS Foundation.

Tuesday, November 13Plummer Memorial Education Lecture. Professor

Yoni Adonyi, LeTourneau University, Longview, Tex., deliveredthe Plummer Lecture for 2012 Fig. 3. His talk was titled Weld-ing Engineering Education and Training National and Inter-national Perspectives Confessions of a PhD Who Can Weld.

From his formal educational beginning in Romania to hisPhD in welding engineering from The Ohio State University,Adonyi has led a life of varied experiences. His welding experi-ences began in the summers between college semesters andwere enhanced while in the Israeli military, where he becameproficient with the GTAW process welding aluminum.

Knowing how to weld has made him a better teacher. Thepractical experience I learned from gas tungsten arc weldingmade me better aware of the fundamentals of the process andwhere improvements could be made, he said.

His teaching career began when he became aware of an open-ing at LeTourneau University. Even though he was on a suc-cessful career path working in the research department of U.S.Steel at the time, he was willing to take a 40% pay cut to teach.It was a calling I felt I had to fulfill, he said. It was an op-portunity to give back to society. Adonyi was also concernedabout the lack of qualified welding engineers in the workforce.He cited statistics from a survey that indicated only 30% ofthose in industry who hold the title of welding engineer havethe educational background for that position. This group lack-ing in formal education for a welding engineer included me-chanical engineers and materials engineers, as well as welderswho have come up through the ranks.

His mission is to improve those statistics, but he feels for-mal education is under attack in the information age. There isso much information available on the Internet that some mis-take this as enough for a formal education, he said. They thinkall knowledge can be accessed electronically, he continued. In

Fig. 2 The U.S.A. instructors are (back row, from left to right) Stan Nichols, Glenn Kay, Scott Holcomb, Dan Rivera,Matt Hayden, and Christian Beaty. The U.S.A. participants are (front row, left to right) Tanner Tipsword (3rd place inthe U.S.A. competition), Alex Pazkowski (1st place in the U.S.A. competition and Gold Medal overall), Jordan Decker,Andrew Cardin (2nd place in the U.S.A. competition and Silver Medal overall), Drew Swafford, and Michael Miller.


31WELDING JOURNAL

reality, education requires discipline anddirect instruction. He uses electroniccommunication to enhance learning, butplaces an emphasis on appealing to a stu-dents sense of reasoning. It is not justfinding the information, but he encour-ages processing the information.

Adonyi also spoke of some myths ofresearch vs. teaching that need debunk-ing. There is sometimes in academia thethinking that research is fun and teach-ing is boring, or research is just a money-making proposition, or teachers dontknow how to do research. I say teach-ing feeds on new research and researchcant exist

aws welding journal january 2013

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