Manufacturers are constantly trying to reduce costs and improve the quality of their products. Selecting the appropriate MIG wire for your project can accomplish cost reduction and improvement in quality.
- Offshore competition, the increased cost of raw materials, higher energy rates and elevated transportation costs …these are just a few of the issues today which are forcing manufacturers to take a hard look at ways to reduce costs and ultimately improve the bottom line.
- Because welding can be a significant fabrication activity for many companies, it is usually one of the first manufacturing processes to receive careful scrutiny when cost cutting is the goal. In reality, an inferior MIG wire could translate into additional dollars spent in pre- and post-weld operations such as cutting, forming, surface and joint preparation, pre-heating, cleaning, tacking, grinding and painting.
- Beyond Mild Steel. HSLA (high strength low alloy) steels are becoming increasingly popular for fabrication in many industries. In addition,
- The Effect of Wire Diameter. Consistent wire diameter is critical to ensure proper current passage from the contact tip to the wire. Undersized wire causes arcing between the wire and the inside diameter of the tip, which erodes the I.D. of the tip and eventually fuses the tip to the wire.
- The Importance of Chemical Composition. Be sure to select a wire with consistent chemical composition. Why? Consistent chemical composition results in more consistent performance.
- Packaging: More Important than You Might Think. With the breadth of packaging options on the market today, selecting the right packaging for MIG wire is an important cost consideration.
- Switching to MIG.Up to this point we have been discussing how to get the most from MIG wire. From automotive parts to fabricated structures, shipbuilding, metal buildings and sheet metal applications, all have often reaped benefits from the switch to MIG wire. Advantages include slag free welding with less clean up, even in multiple pass operations. In addition, MIG requires lower operator skills levels than stick or TIG.
- MIG wire quality matters in your overall cost structure.
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