Ever since Oscar Kjellberg invented first coated electrode in , welding materials keeps updating and now we have thousands kinds of welding wires, tig rods, welding flux, covered electrodes,etc.
Goto JINHUA HARDFACING to know more.
In China, hundreds of manufacturers produces about 5-6 million tons every year selling to domestic & abroad markets.
Among the hundreds of Chinese manufacturers, there are giant factories like Golden Bridge, who produces more than 1.5 million tons of welding materails every year and also there are more family factories producing only thousands tons every year, mostly located in Northern China ( sure there are also several good manufacturers in Shandong and Hebei).
Take our company as example, we will explain how to choose a trustworthy welding wires supplier
1, Approvals
Many of our customers are big shipyards and engineering machinery companies, they require different approvals for ER70S-6/ SG-2. We have more than 100 different approvals for different products, that costs us about USD300,000 every year, while small factories have none or very few approvals, making their customeres sales difficult.
2, QMS
Many companies have QMS certificate but in fact their quality management system is not carried out well in everyday manufacturering as they don't have enough people. But with dozens of Q&A people, Temo welding has very detailed in & after production quality management measures.
Small factories may choose cheap wire rods from smaller steel companies. That lead to not stable chemical compositions of wires rods, so as the weldability of welding wires.
Also some customers encountered spool crack problems when they purchased from some small northern China manufacturers.
In production inspection: sample wires will be taken from every bobin to test the helix & cast, evenness of cooper coating, and roundness.These are very small aspects in wires, but by ensuring these data, wire feeding performance is ensured.
After-production inspection: sample wires will be taken from every batch to test the weldability / chemical compostion & mechanical properties of weld bead. This is very important to ensure all our wires complies with GB & AWS standards.
However same factories, even bigger ones, they don't test every batch as this is very costly, they use same testing data from the begining of one year to the end of this year.
3, One-stop service:
Many factories produce 3 or 5 simple products because these are products with big volumes. They can't or not willing to produce special products.
But our customers are faced with different customers with varies welding materials demands, if you want more items with small qtys, it will be hard to source from these manufacturers.
During our 61 years history, Temo developed more than 200 kinds of welding materials ( welding electrodes, solid wires, flux cored wires, tig rods, etc ). We can offer one-stop service to our customers and outsource for you if necessary. Outsourced products will also have our quality warranty.
4, After-sales service
For all private companies, big qty product return ( even after proving they have serious quality prolems) , will be very difficult.
It is not because of the complicated procedures, but because private companies can hardly cover the loss beceause of this, especially when most welding materials manufacturers are running with very low profit levels.
But for Temo welding, as a government company, we have enough profit from our military orders to run our company and our reputation is much more valuable than hundreds of bad wires.That is why we are more trust worthy.
Are you interested in learning more about Bulk Hardfacing Wire Suppliers? Contact us today to secure an expert consultation!
5,Production capacity
Many customers ignores about the production capacity of their suppliers,but this is important. I have seen many customers who complained to me that one or several of their orders were delayed more than 2 months and they lose a big fortune because of delayed order to their customers
In business, delayed shipments kills many opportunitis.
If you choose a small manufacturer who produces hundres of tons every month, once they have a bigger order, your lead time will be very possibliy delayed.
Temo produces 100,000 tons of mig Co2 wires, 60,000 tons of flux cored wires and 40,000 tons of welding electrodes. They is very few delays in our company.
After reading this, I think you can somehow understand how to choose a good supplier:
1, QMS is the basis of stable quality products, details tells about quality
2, Comphensive manufactures help you to deal with varies welding materials demands, save your money and time from buying different products from different manufacturers
3, Numbers of approvals helps to explain if the manufacturer is good and strong.
4, If you want in-time delivery, pls choose a big manufacturer.
Contact me if you want to know more about welding materials.
*Copyright LINCOLN ELECTRIC®, please quote before any repost.
By Lisa Byall, Portfolio Manager, The LINCOLN ELECTRIC® Company
In these challenging economic times, manufacturers find themselves on a constant quest for ways to cut costs and streamline welding operations in the most efficient, productive manner. Effective solutions to this end result aren&#;t always born of big changes, but small ones.
One such way to achieve long-term cost savings and production efficiency focuses on wire packaging. By switching from small packaging to bulk packaging such as a drum or box, most shops will be able to reduce changeovers and costs almost immediately.
Bulk MIG wire packaging of 250 pounds and larger in bulk packages such as drums, reels, or boxes can offer many cost advantages. Since it was first used several decades ago, bulk wire has been used to maintain consistent, continuous, efficient wire feeding to the welding drive system.
If you decide to use bulk MIG packages, it&#;s necessary to evaluate the different options on the market and determine which solution is the good choice for your particular shop. No two shops have the same wire feeding needs or layouts and this should be taken into account when choosing the wire delivery system and package.
Evolution of packaging
Bulk MIG wire has evolved over the years and now comes in a variety of options that offer different features and benefits that enhance a variety of welding shop environments and applications. Important factors to consider include the number of waste streams (e.g., cardboard box, plastic overwrap, steel frames, wood reels), wire placement in the welding joint, risk of tangling, set-up, floor space, and storage.
The first bulk wire made its way into shops in the form of reels and drums that needed to be rotated for proper wire payout, a choice that is still available today. These options provide the suitable wire placement, giving welders, automated torches, and robots the ability to continuously place wire accurately and precisely in the weld joint.
Bulk reels provide additional advantages for shops with limited storage and floor space, as they can be stacked on top of each other up to three high.
However, rotated reel or drum packaging does have some disadvantages. They are the most expensive package to set up, as additional, relatively expensive bulk wire feed payoff equipment is required to provide rotation. The setup also requires additional changeover time from one reel or drum to the next compared to some of the newer packaging options.
Bulk reels provide limited protection for the welding wire, as most of the wire is exposed to the environment while in use. There are protective covers for bulk reels, however, these add further expense.
Rotated reels or drums are ideal for applications where critical wire placement is a must, such as on thin-gauge material or where small weld deposits are needed. Other ideal applications include automated or robotic applications without a welder to compensate for wire misplacement. Such jobs include welds on water or propane tanks.
The next bulk wire option type, non-rotated reel packaging, also offers good, accurate wire placement and like any product on a reel, minimal tangling. Auxiliary set-up is cheaper and simpler than rotated reels. And, storage is simple, as these reels also stack well in areas with limited space requirements.
Like rotated reels, non-rotated reel packaging also exposes wire to the environment while in use.
This type of bulk-packaged MIG wire is ideal for hard automation applications or for shops that already use rotated reels.
-n reels &#; rotated and non-rotated &#; can be recycled, and in many cases, reused by the reel manufacturer.
A third type of bulk wire comes in the form of non-rotated fiberboard drums. The biggest advantage of this packaging type, outside of the fact it offers good wire placement, is that the wire is not directly exposed to the environment during use. In terms of change outs, this packaging option offers simple set-up with inexpensive, auxiliary payoff equipment, although some do require a payoff hat. In storage, non-rotated drums can stack up to three high, minimizing floor space usage.
The biggest disadvantage to this type of bulk wire packaging is that it can feature multiple waste streams that are difficult to separate for disposal and recycling, including fiberboard and steel used for structural support at the top and bottom of the drum. These drums also are more susceptible to material handling issues as they do not have integrated pallets or straps and are often more challenging to lift and move. Drums can not be tipped or tilted as the wire loops can move and cause tangling during payout.
The applications for non-rotated drums are high-volume, semi-automatic welding, robotics, and those with space limitations.
A fourth option is a non-rotated corrugated box that provides good wire placement. This 100 percent recyclable alternative has a limited number of materials that are easy to separate into only a few waste streams. It also offers integrated payoff, with no auxiliary payoff equipment required.
Multiple product handling methods include straps or attached integrated mini pallets that are forklift-ready offering maximum portability and recyclability.
This packaging choice can require more storage than other bulk options and can stack only two high for 1,000-pound boxes and three high for 500-pound packages. However, because such packaging is stackable, it still can reduce traditional storage methods by 50 percent or more, depending on the shop.
Robotic and semi-automatic welding applications are fit for this bulk packaging option as it minimizes changeover to increase productivity.
Questions to consider
Now that you&#;re familiar with the different options in bulk packaging, as well as the features, benefits and challenges of each type, you can better assess which of the products would be the better choice for your bulk wire needs.
In order to get the right bulk wire solution, consider the following questions during the selection process:
Is recycling a major concern? If so, look for a package that has a limited number of waste streams.
Would you like multiple lifting method options (e.g., one that can be picked up from the top or bottom)? If so, consider using packaging that offers an integrated pallet and strap options.
Are you looking for bulk packaging that requires less auxiliary equipment? Consider an option with integrated payoff
Is wire placement critical? Rotated reel packaging is your right option, followed by non-rotated reel packaging
Do you have limited storage space? Be sure to select a product that has proper stacking ability
Every manufacturer requires different packaging solutions to achieve cost savings and increased production efficiency and productivity. Understanding your needs and how different packaging options can meet them is the first step in selecting a bulk MIG wire package that works better in your shop and ultimately will reduce downtime and changeovers to lower your bottom line.
Lisa Byall is the Portfolio Manager for welding consumables at The LINCOLN ELECTRIC® Company.
For more information, please visit Hardfacing Wire Wholesale.