Welding is the process of joining two overlapping sheets through the application of heat. Useful for a number of different purposes, certain aspects of welding can be confusing to many, so the following are some of the most common questions that people ask about welding, as well as their answers in plain English so it is easy to understand.

Q. What types of material can be welded?

A. There are many materials that can be bonded together with the use of heat! Some of the most common materials that are capable of being welded are as follows: Water hardening alloys, tungsten alloys, titanium, stainless steel, shock resisting alloys, powdered metals, oil hardening alloys, monel, low carbon steel, inconnel, hot work alloys, high carbon, high speed steel, chrome moly, aluminum, and air hardening alloys. If there is a material not listed here that you are looking to have welded, that doesn’t mean that it is impossible! Simply contact the company you are interested in working with and ask them if that have experience with that material and what they can do for you. It is very possible that they will be able to find a way to help you out, depending on their level of experience with the material in question.

Q. What is hardsurfacing or hardfacing?

A. These are both terms for a service in which wear-resistant or build-up weld materials are applied to the surface of a part or component through joining or welding processes. Hardsurfacing or hardfacing provides the part or component with a continuous surface that is both impact resistant and gives it nonporous wear.

Q. What is the largest piece of material that I can have welded by a welding company?

A. This question is one that can be difficult to answer, but one that people are frequently seeking an answer to. It depends on the company that you are working with, exactly what you are looking to have done to the piece in question, and whether or not the piece needs to go through the process of being preheated. Depending on the company and the tools they have available to them, the answers to this question might vary. It’s best to simply contact the company you are considering working with and let them know what project you are trying to get completed. Then, they will be able to let you know whether or not it is within their scope of abilities.

Q. How thick can the material be that I need welded?

A. This is another question with an answer that depends on the factors of your project. The thickness of material that can be welded depends on the base material’s configuration, the joint type required, and the specific welding process the welding company is going to use. It’s best to get in touch with the welding company you are considering and asking them if they will be capable of completing your project.

The economy being what it is today, it has become a commonplace money-saving tactic to refurbish old equipment rather than to buy new and replace the old machinery. However, this is not the ideal decision to make in every case; there are some factors that should be considered in order to determine whether refurbishment or replacement is the best decision for your situation. They are as follows:

• What Refurbishment Means: Refurbishment entails replacing and re-assembling components of a machine in order to restore it to its original condition. This process is also frequently referred to instead as “remanufacturing.” Every single aspect of the machine should be considered during this process, which means that the end result is a machine that has been analysed inside and out to make it operate as if it is brand new. Not all service centres will refurbish a machine so thoroughly, though, although they should. This is why it is essential to pick the right service centre for your needs.

 

• Qualities of a Service Centre: Some service centres offer a flat rate fee to replace everything that needs replacing during the refurbishment process; others offer differing prices on a case-by-case basis, depending on your specific needs. The latter option is typically best, as it is usually more cost effective for the customer. In addition to that, it is best to find a brand-certified refurbishment centre and utilise their services, as they typically are willing to take more responsibility if something goes wrong post-refurbishment. Finally, it is important to ask the service centre about the standards they check their machines against in order to ensure you are getting the best service possible.

 

• The Right Time to Refurbish: Refurbishing, if done at the right time, on the right machines, and by the right people, is an extremely cost-effective option compared to replacement. The best candidates for refurbishment are mid-size and larger machines; anything more compact than that might be better off being replaced, as it holds a stronger resale value. In addition, refurbishment can take somewhere in the area of two months or more in many cases, so the right time to refurbish is when the facility can plan ahead for the downtime. As for after how long a machine needs to be refurbished, this can vary greatly depending on what the machine in question is. It’s best to ask the manufacturer for their advice.

 

• Refurbishment Benefits: Refurbishment is often an attractive option for companies due to the fact that it is often about half the cost of replacement. In addition, however, another benefit is the fact that it prevents the learning curve of getting a new machine, as workers can continue operating a model they are already familiar with.

 

• Expectations After Refurbishment: After having a machine refurbished, the machine should be expected to last about 80% of the time that it did brand new. To put it simply, if the machine was refurbished at 15,000 hours, then it should be expected to serve the company for another 12,000 hours.