• Powering Your Welding Equipment

    Date: 2011.06.02 | Category: business | Tags:

    A frequently overlooked consideration to most construction welding jobs is where the power is going to come from to do it. It’s not as simple as plugging machinery into a wall, rather portable power supplies made by companies like Diametrics or Arc Machines do all the heavy lifting to run voltage-heavy equipment instead of straining the already limited supply of electricity on most job sites.

    Powering a welding job is both complex and simple, though as a customer you should only have to worry about the latter. Industrial-grade suppliers offer an array of standalone units that fit the demands on varying job sizes. Almost any professional level power supply is going to generate well over 200 amps at 100 percent duty cycle while managing to weigh around 80 pounds sitting on casters. Portability is obviously important for moving around a working area.

    In addition to giving welding supplies the proper amount of juice, manufactures like Arc Machines or MK provide integrated system solutions that bring support well beyond wattage. Mid-level models can include an onboard computer system that comes preprogrammed with arc specifications so a certain weld can be repeated as many times as necessary with no additional user input.

    Other useful features for integrated power supply systems are wire-feeders, remote operation capability, and dust and moisture protection. Certain models have larger computer memories to meet the needs of bigger jobs and come equipped with printers in order to document labor as it happens. The benefits of an integrated system make any professional’s job easier, so explore your options before renting lower-grade supplies.