Improving Shipbuilding Safety,

Productivity, and Weld Quality with

Remote Control Technology

Joe Ryan – Marketing Segment Manager

Miller Electric Mfg Co.

Lynn Falgout – VP Amelia Operations

Conrad Ship Building

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Continuous Improvement Activities

• Productivity

• Quality

• Safety

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Benefits

• Improved Safety

• Reduce exposure to slips,

trips, and falls

• Eliminates trips back to

the power source for

parameter adjustments

Benefits

• Increased Productivity

• More arc on time and reduced

exposure to workplace hazards

• Less operator fatigue and

distractions

• Automatic process select to MIG

FCAW (w/gas)

• Reduce exposure to

slips, trips, and falls

by eliminating the

need to go back to

the power source to

make voltage

adjustments.

Benefits

• Improved Weld Quality

• Operator can precisely set arc

voltage and WFS at the feeder

• Remote override of weld

process and arc voltage

prevents setting changes from

being made at the power

source when the feeder and

power supply are in

communication

• Reduce exposure to

slips, trips, and falls

by eliminating the

need to go back to

the power source to

make voltage

adjustments.

Benefits

• Save Time and Money

• Eliminate costly control cord

repairs

• Save time – no longer need to

troubleshoot welding system

problems that are the result of

damaged control cables

• Reduce exposure to

slips, trips, and falls

by eliminating the

need to go back to

the power source to

make voltage

adjustments.

How Do Remote Controls Work?

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Improved Safety

• “Falls” are listed as #1 in

OSHA’s “Fatal Four”

– 39.9% of fatalities on

construction sites were

attributed to falls (2014)

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http://www.osha.gov/oshstats/commonstats.html

Improved Safety

• PPE

• Awareness and focus

• Few technologies are able to eliminate a hazard

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Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016

Improved Quality

• Experienced welders are retiring

– The average welder is in their mid fifties

– Not enough young people are replacing them

– In 1988 there were 570,000 welders in the US, in

2012 only 360,000 remain

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AWS Welding Shortage Fact Sheet, 2007

Matthew Philips, Bloomberg, 2014 http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-03-20/skilled-welder-shortage-looms-in-u-dot-s-dot-with-many-near-retirement

Improved Quality

• Quick/convenient control of

the welding process

– Allows novice welders to

make needed adjustment to

compensate for

• Fit up issues

• Heat build up

• Misalignment

• Welding pass progressions

– Promotes welding with ideal

parameters

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Increased Productivity

• More time at the weld joint

– “Minimum of 10 minutes to

walk back to the machine”

• Less set up time

– Dial in proper parameters

faster

– New technologies eliminates

control cables

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No more control cables to repair

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Specific Remote Options

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ArcReach Technology

Convenient Solution for

Reliable Remote Control

Eliminates

Control Cables!

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Remote Control of the Power

Source Without a Cord

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ArcReach Technology

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Remote Control of the Power

Source Without a Cord

ArcReach Technology

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Remote Control of the Power

Source Without a Cord

XMT 350/450 ArcReach • Industry Tested • Rack Able Solutions • Common Interfaces

ArcReach Technology

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Remote Control of the Power

Source Without a Cord

Dimension 650 ArcReach • 650A at 100% • Dedicated Gouge Setting • Designed for Yard

Environments

PipeWorx FieldPro™ System

• Complete remote control

• Remote process change over

• Correct polarity

• Mitigates Errors

Eliminates

Control Cables!

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FieldPro™ Stick/TIG System

• Complete remote

control

• Ensures proper

connections

• Automatically selects

the correct polarity for

each welding process

• Sets actual amperage

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Eliminates Control Cables!

FieldPro™ MIG/FCAW System

• Automatically

changes to CV output

• Control Voltage and

WFS at the weld joint

Eliminates

Control Cables!

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FieldPro™ RMD®/Pulse System

• All controls

automatically shift to

the feeder

• Doubles the distance

previously possible for

advanced processes

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Eliminates Control Cables!

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New Remote Technologies

• Improve Safety

• Increase

Productivity

• Reduce Failures

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Remote Control of the Power

Source Without a Cord

Continuous Improvement Results

• Productivity

• Quality

• Safety

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Questions?

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