http://www.thefabricator.com/Consumables/Consumables_TechCell.cfm The Consumables tech cell is packed with specific links to help you find product information, suppliers, technical articles, case studies, seminars and conferences, as well as books, software, and videos on metal fabricating-related topics. en-us http://www.thefabricator.com/RSS/images/thefabricator_rss.gif http://www.thefabricator.com Copyright 2007 FMA Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. official publication date Tue, 21 Aug 2007 11:17:59 AM CDT Vicki Bell Laurie Harshbarger http://www.thefabricator.com/Consumables/Consumables_Article.cfm?ID=1650 The decision to switch to metal-cored wires involves much more than just a financial investment. Because they comprise only about 4 percent of the overall cost of a welding operation, filler metals often are perceived as a simple commodity. They have a per-unit cost and require ongoing stocking, which separates them from equipment acquisitions in terms of expenditures and financial justifications. Or does it? In today's high-level manufacturing environment, companies con... Roger Pihl Tue, 12 Jun 2007 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/Consumables/Consumables_Article.cfm?ID=1579 To get the most benefit from flux-cored stainless steel electrodes, you first must know what they are, what types are available, how they work, when they are used, and how to maintain them. The Making of a Flux-cored Electrode A thin stainless steel strip about 1/2 inch wide is formed into a U shape and passed under a belt that feeds a stream of powder that fills the U shape to a set level. Rolls close the U to form an O shape. The round wire is drawn through a series of ... Ron Smith Tue, 13 Mar 2007 12:00:00 AM CST http://www.thefabricator.com/Consumables/Consumables_Article.cfm?ID=1401 The first step in making your own water- soluble purge dam with water-soluble paper is to cut the paper in a diameter about 1.3 times the inner diameter of the pipe. Next, slit the edges and insert the paper disk into the pipe with the lip of the paper dam toward the weld area and then tape it into place. The purge dam is ready; insert a purge gas needle into the root gap and introduce your purge gas. In g... Jennifer Simpson Tue, 11 Jul 2006 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/Consumables/Consumables_Article.cfm?ID=1397 It's important to consider ways to make any welding process more efficient and effective. Welding abrasion-resistant plate, commonly known as AR plate, is no exception. Taking certain precautions and choosing the most appropriate filler metal for your application—whether you're repairing service equipment or fabricating a new part or structure that requires the protection of AR plate—are vital to ensuring welding success. AR Plate and Typical Applications ... Keith Packard Tue, 11 Jul 2006 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/Consumables/Consumables_Article.cfm?ID=1360 Photo courtesy of Hobart Brothers Co., Troy, Ohio. Editor's Note: This article first appeared on www.thefabricator.com on April 15, 2002. The student was terrified. "They're giving us 6011 instead of 6010!" he whispered. "Don't worry, it's just like 6010," I reassured him. We were at our regional Vocational Industrial Clubs of America (VICA) competition. My students just had been debriefed and were going out to the shop to begin their welding... Marty Rice, Contributing Writer Tue, 13 Jun 2006 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/Consumables/Consumables_Article.cfm?ID=1286 Aluminum, especially thin-gauge, presents unique welding obstacles. Gas metal arc welding (GMAW) in particular presents challenges in wire feeding and selecting the right type of filler metal and equipment. However, several options can aid in effective aluminum welding. In its pure form, aluminum is a relatively soft metal that has many uses but requires adding one or more alloys to increase its strength and add qualities that make it suitable for different applications. Common alloys ... Chris Roehl Tue, 07 Mar 2006 12:00:00 AM CST http://www.thefabricator.com/Consumables/Consumables_Article.cfm?ID=1241 A lot goes into the successful operation of a fabrication company. Whether it's large or small, your business involves many details, from the work itself to the employees who perform it to the finances. And that's just for starters. The welding and gases distributor you use to get the equipment and consumables you need works much the same way. For example, if you need a cylinder of oxygen, the distributor first has to receive the order. Your order goes to dispatch, a cylinder... Steve Beckman Tue, 10 Jan 2006 12:00:00 AM CST http://www.thefabricator.com/Consumables/Consumables_Article.cfm?ID=1188 These shielding gas nozzles are standard for flat-wire applications. Companies that manufacture products requiring intensive welding are being forced to optimize their production processes and produce more efficient welding methods to remain competitive. They must use new technologies and increase the economic viability of existing production methods. The use of conventional gas metal arc welding (GMAW) has grown over the last few decades—it's now utilized in more than two-thi... Dirk Dzelnitzki Tue, 08 Nov 2005 12:00:00 AM CST http://www.thefabricator.com/Consumables/Consumables_Article.cfm?ID=1118 Editor's Note: This article, which covers consumables for gas tungsten arc welding, is the second installment of a two-part article. Part I, which appeared in the June issue, discussed gas metal arc welding consumables. Consumables comprise only a small portion of the total cost of gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW), but they are an important factor in creating quality welds. The characteristics of GTAW torch consumables—including back caps, collets and collet bodies, gas lense... Mike Sammons Tue, 12 Jul 2005 12:00:00 AM CDT http://www.thefabricator.com/Consumables/Consumables_Article.cfm?ID=1100 Many factors influence gas metal arc welding (GMAW) consumable selection. Chief among the factors is productivity. Because 85 percent of the cost of making a weld is labor, you need to choose consumables based on how well they improve welder productivity and minimize downtime. To get the longest life from GMAW consumables, you need to know what to look for when making a decision. Three important consumables are contact tips, nozzles, and liners. Contact Tips GMAW employs continuously... Bill Giese Tue, 14 Jun 2005 12:00:00 AM CDT