Page 46: of Marine News Magazine (April 2017)

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BOATBUILDING

Point-of-Use

Welding Control

Shipyards can gain a competitive advantage with improved technology.

By Clay Byron, Miller Electric Mfg. Co.

s competition for contracts intensi? es in the ship- building and ship repair industry, shipyards are look-

Aing for equipment and technologies that give them a competitive edge. Shipyards are being asked to provide lower costs and meet increasing quality requirements while also delivering vessels on tighter schedules. Technology is one solution to help them meet these customer demands.

In the shipbuilding welding operation, point-of-use controls can save up to an hour or more every day – per welding operator. These productivity gains can have a sig- ni? cant impact on the bottom line. The resulting savings translate into a quick return on investment for shipbuild- ing operations – sometimes within months – that justi? es the conversion to remote-control technology.

Advancements in remote-control welding technology make it more bene? cial than ever to implement this solu- tion, especially in industries such as shipbuilding that of- ten involve large vessel erection areas, shop environments

One advanced remote-control solution on the market, Arc-

Reach technology from Miller Electric Mfg. Co., provides these capabilities utilizing only the existing weld cables and without the need for a separate control cable. Eliminating the control cable reduces the time and money that shipyards spend on maintenance, troubleshooting and repair of these cables.

April 2017 46 MN