Manual welding
A multi-process welding machine for challenging applications
13 December 2022
A skilled and experienced welder can handle different kinds of material, welding applications and positions – even in demanding conditions. However, it is not only the skills that count – without appropriate high-quality welding equipment, excellent welds are only a dream. The performance of a welding machine also has a direct impact on the time spent on welding tasks. Significant cost-savings are only possible when work is done in minimal time with maximum results.
Anu Rousku
Turula Engineering is a production company of high-value-added products located in Outokumpu, Finland. The company offers machinery and equipment manufacturing services to well-known brands worldwide. The top priority of the company is to provide the best quality products and reliability to its customers, and welding is one of the key functions of their production processes. Turula Engineering employs approximately 30 welders, and Atte Nykänen is one of them.
Despite being only 20 years old, Nykänen has already worked with Turula Engineering for three and a half years. As a matter of fact, he currently has more welding qualifications than any other welder at the company. Because of the complex and highly standardized industry, the daily tasks can often be extremely demanding. The pieces to be welded are different shapes and sizes, which often requires position welding and good mobility for the welder and the welding machine. The applications vary from MIG/MAG, DC TIG, and stick welding (MMA) to gouging. The range of materials used is quite large – Turula Engineering welds all different kinds of steel types, titanium, copper, nickel… You name it.
Software and digital tools offer assistance
Because of the wide range of applications and materials, and frequently changing welding locations, it is very important that a welding machine is as versatile as its user. In addition to the equipment being optimal for different welding applications, the change of accessories also needs to be smooth. When the user interface is intuitive, it is easy to modify the settings and work can continue without unnecessary delays. Tools such as Kemppi’s Weld Assist, a ‘fast-set guidance’ solution, help to set the right parameters by simply selecting the joint type, welding position, and material thickness. It is also an excellent instructive and educational tool for defining parameter relationships between alternative materials, joint types, and welding positions, no matter how complex or new the task is.
Turula Engineering is in a highly demanding industry and there is no room for mistakes. The company pays a lot of attention to the skillset and education of its welders, the quality and properties of the welding fleet, and the traceability of welds. With cloud-based WeldEye welding management software, they can be rest assured that their work is properly recorded and documented.
X5 FastMig Pulse is a partner for daily work
Turula Engineering was among the first companies to pilot Kemppi’s X5 FastMig Pulse, a versatile industrial multi-process welding machine with a modular set-up. Atte Nykänen spent several months welding with X5 FastMig Pulse only, and he experienced great welds, ease of use, and smooth arc characteristics.
“I was expecting a versatile welding machine, and yet I was positively surprised. I was able to use X5 FastMig with all the welding applications and even in the most challenging tasks. The best word to describe the arc would be “soft”. The smoothness and ease of use were excellent, and the good arc performance ensured that I did not have to waste my time on afterwork”, commented Nykänen.
Time is money indeed. The arc-on time is only a minor part of a welder’s working day – most of it is spent changing the welding machine set-ups, changing locations and doing afterwork. Reducing spatters significantly speeds up the work and helps the welder focus on the task at hand. X5 FastMig Pulse was developed with a welders' day-to-day work in mind. In industrial welding, even the smallest details can add up to significant improvements in usability and welding productivity.
At its best, a welding machine is more than a tool for a welder. When a welding machine can successfully and reliably handle even the most complex tasks, it eventually becomes a daily partner one can trust, no matter the challenge. Every welder deserves a partner worth their skills.
Read also the welding reference of Turula Engineering.
Anu Rousku
Marketing Communications Specialist at Kemppi Oy until September 2020. Experienced professional in content marketing with a demonstrated history of working in the industrial B2B sector. Playing with words, persuading the reader, with the spirit of getting things done – it is all seen in the result.