Product category:
Arc welding equipment, manual and automatic
News Release from: Lincoln Electric Company, The | Subject: Arc welding power sources
Edited by the Manufacturingtalk Editorial
Team on 16 February 2007
Fabricator replaces welding power
sources
Fabricator of large industrial equipment components, always looking for ways to improve and streamline working methods has invested in 115 new inverter welding power sources.
Sfi, a steel fabricator headquartered in Memphis, Tennesee, USA, has purchased and installed 115 Lincoln Electric Power Wave 355M and 455M inverter power sources, as well as a Lincoln Power Feed 10M wire feeder for each Power Wave unit - one of the largest one-time purchases in recent Lincoln history This major investment is just one part of the company's strategic overhaul and redesign of its Memphis plant
This article was originally published on Manufacturingtalk on 16 Feb 2007 at 8.00am (UK)
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At its two plants in Memphis and Conway, Arkansaw, Sfi fabricates large industrial equipment components for companies such as UPS, MTD, Caterpillar, FedEx, John Deere, JLG, International, General Motors and Black and Decker.
With a focus on becoming a world-class organization, Sfi undertook a close examination of all of its operations, including ,looking at its equipment, methodology and processes for ways to improve and streamline.
Working with Lincoln and nexAir, the nation's second largest privately owned distributor of gases and welding supplies, Sfi took a hard look at its welding operations.
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"Our weld shop, which works on everything from locomotive oil pans to large crane outriggers, needed a complete overhaul," said William Jacobi, Sfi manufacturing engineering manager.
"We considered a number of different weld equipment vendors and chose Lincoln Electric and nexAir because they have world-class equipment and demonstrated an unprecedented commitment to our company and its success." Sfi asked Lincoln and nexAir to compete against a second welding equipment manufacturer for a six-month on-site test.
"It wasn't just enough for the companies to come in and demonstrate their equipment.
We installed a number of their machines on our floor for the three-month test, and our welders took them through the paces and used them on a wide variety of jobs," Jacobi said.
"It was a very competitive situation, but Lincoln was extremely professional and invested in the process.
And the performance of the Power Waves and the commitment of the Lincoln and nexAir team members to spend countless days with us, answering our questions," he added.
A number of Sfi team members also visited Lincoln's Cleveland headquarters, toured the company's manufacturing facilities and met with senior management and engineers to ensure that Lincoln's equipment would meet SFI's needs.
SFI also turned to Lincoln and nexAir to advise on every aspect of the weld shop redesign, including equipment, welding wire, processes, personal protection equipment and lighting.
Sfi's purchase of 115 Lincoln Power Waves included the 355M and 455M models.
Both welders are highly efficient inverter power sources with the 355M designed for high-end semiautomatic applications and the 455M ideal for semiautomatic, as well as hard automation and robotics.
The 355M handles stick, TIG, MIG, pulsed and flux-cored welding, along with arc-air gouging.
The 455M works with MIG, pulsed, STT and flux-cored.
Both models feature Lincoln's Waveform Control Technology, allows the operator to select the right waveform for each application.
This provides optimal appearance, penetration, bead shape and travel speed for individual applications.
For more information on Sfi, visit
To learn more about nexAir and its 22 locations throughout Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama and Louisiana, visit
* About Lincoln Electric - The Lincoln Electric Company, headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, is the world leader in the design, development and manufacture of arc welding products, robotic arc-welding systems, plasma and oxyfuel cutting equipment and has a leading global position in the brazing and soldering alloys market.
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