Controlling Energy Costs in a Welding Shop Series 1

When I was a young man growing up, I happened to watch an older gentleman from our community doing some welding on a railing in our school yard.  He was welding overhead and I marveled at how he could weld lying on his back.  I knew enough about welding to know that the steel became liquid during the welding process and I couldn’t understand how he could keep the molten metal from dropping on himself and burning his neck or shoulders.

Later as an adult I became a welder myself and owned a welding and fabrication shop in the town where I grew up.  I quickly learned how to weld overhead without getting burned.  It turns out that is all about controlling the “pool” of molten metal.

And  that’s what our topic is about today.   What does saving energy in a welding shop look like—or how do you keep the “pool” cool?

This will be a five part series and will include:

• Inverter power supplies.

• Energy calculator

• TIP-TIG Process.

• Idle time—fan on demand.

• HVAC Safeguards

As I researched this topic I found that a lot has changed in just a few years since I was a welder. The person with the stinger (electrode holder) in his hand has a lot to do with the efficiency of his or her work, but for the sake of this article I will concentrate on the welding machine and its features that contribute to increased efficiency and lower operating costs, and touch briefly on HVAC controls in shop heating and cooling.  - David F. Ask