As a welder, you know the importance of creating precise, strong, and accurate welds. However, you also realize the need for speed on the job. Whether you are working on a storage tank, automotive body, or something else, getting the job done as quickly as possible while still maintaining quality and accuracy means you need to have the best equipment in your shop. As to what every welder needs in their shop to increase job speed, here are some essentials.
TIG Welder
Perhaps more than anything else, always make sure you have a TIG welder in your shop to help you increase job speed. Considered to be the most cost-effective type of welding, it is used extensively in most manufacturing environments. However, when using your TIG welder, make sure you stick to the weld specifications in designs and refrain from excessive reinforcements on groove joints since these are two mistakes that can slow down a job.
Grinder
When it comes to increasing job speed, a grinder can help you do multiple things faster. For example, instead of cleaning your welds with a hammer and wire brush, you can clean them with a grinder for speed. Additionally, if you have small cuts or minor things that need to be cut or ground down, then a grinder can help you do that. Ensure that you have plenty of grinding plates on hand so going to the hardware store for new ones doesn’t happen every time you have a new job.
Rely on Automation
When it comes to getting jobs done quickly, automated systems such as CNC machines and factory welders use programming to identify where welding should take place and requires supervision. This makes things go much faster than an individual making the welds. When you think of automation in welding, this does not always mean robotic welding. In this case, it means you should have such equipment as weld positioners, turning rolls, and manipulators, all of which can be used to keep a weldment in place, thus saving you valuable time and money. When looking over the various products offered by CMR Fabrications, make these pieces of shop equipment a top priority.
Replacement Parts
In any welding shop, things may eventually break down or malfunction. If you want to increase your job speed and ensure you have an as little downtime as possible with employees waiting around, always have replacement parts at the ready. Whether it is cables, wires, or backup systems for TIG welders or other welding equipment, ensuring defective equipment can be quickly repaired will result in fewer rejections and increase worker safety. Many welding shops will buy things in bulk to save on money over time. However, since buying things infrequently can make it so that you aren’t always aware of what you have and what you need, make sure that you take inventory for the products needed for the job before agreeing to a timeline. That way, if needed, you can have the appropriate time for ordering and receiving the products you need.
Safety Equipment
Finally, always ensure you have the proper safety equipment on hand in your welding shop. While you may think this has little to do with increasing your job speed, you are wrong. By having the proper PPE on hand, you can avoid unnecessary injuries such as burns, metal pieces hitting your face and eyes, and other hazards that will bring a job to a quick halt. Thus, always have gloves and certified welding goggles in your shop, along with fire extinguishers and first aid kits.
Once you have all of these essentials as part of your welding shop, you should immediately begin to notice an increase in productivity and efficiency, both of which will also lead to an increase in profits.
