message from the chairman - american welding society

1 550 NW LeJeune Road, Miami, FL 33126 Phone:(305)443-9353 Fax:(305)442-7451

E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.aws.org/rwma

Spring 2008

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIRMAN Dear RWMA members: I would like to extend a hearty thanks to all of the members who participated in the 2008 RWMA Spring Meeting in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The active involvement of our member companies shows signs they are developing a level of comfort in our transition under the American Welding Society. I heard some very positive comments about the direction of the RWMA, and, I am also beginning to hear comments about areas in which we need to improve. This shows me that everyone ─ from long-standing to relatively new members ─ see enough value that they want to expand the activities of the RWMA. This proves we have a progressive group. As individuals, representing member companies, we must keep in mind that a strong institution does a few things well, and then builds upon them. We must keep looking for new avenues, but always keep our immediate focus on completing our current task, and relating new ones to how they can improve on the previous goals. I look forward to my, as well as my company’s, continued involvement in this dynamic RWMA as we make our change in the Governance body at the conclusion to our Fall meeting this year. Thank you.

Michael S. Simmons RWMA Chair

RWMA 2008 SPRING MEETING RECAP RWMA held its 2008 Spring Meeting in Bowling Green, Kentucky, on April 30 through May 2, at the Holiday Inn, University Plaza. This meeting was dedicated to the memory of Joe Daumeyer, one of RWMA’s active and dedicated members, who tragically lost his life on February 20, 2008. The following RWMA member companies were in attendance. Automation International Luvata Ohio, Inc. Watteredge, Inc. Banner Welder NGK Metals Corporation Apex Controls, LLC BF ENTRON, LLC. NSRW, Inc. Dengensha America Corp. Cadi Company, Inc. Obara Corp. USA Fusion Welding Solutions CenterLine (Windsor) Ltd. RoMan Manufacturing, Inc. Huys Welding Strategies, Ltd. CMW Inc. RWC, Inc. KVA Resistance Welding Supply Cybersmith Engineering Sciaky, Inc. Nonferrous Products, Inc. Dimplex Thermal Solutions Shanghai Mountain Welding Indus. RoMan Engineering Services ENTRON Controls, LLC Standard Resistance Welder Co. Sherbrooke Metals Etal S.A. de C.V. T. J. Snow Company, Inc. Southern Copper & Supply Ewald Instruments Corp. Tennessee Rand, Inc. Spotwelding Consultants Flex-Cable, Inc. TG Systems, LLC. Tower Automotive Huys Industries, Inc. Tuffaloy Products Intertron Industries, Inc. Unitrol Electronics, Inc.

News



While at the meeting, the members enjoyed two evenings of social networking, as well as the opportunity to attend workgroups and Committee meetings. The Certification Committee of Resistance Welding Subcommittee (CCRW), and the AWS J1 Committee on Resistance Welding Equipment, met in conjunction with the Spring Meeting, thus allowing more members to become involved in these committees. A special thank you to Larry Moss, Past Chair of RWMA, for his informative Power Point presentation on the history of the Corvette. Attendees participated in a fun trivia game prior to the presentation. The RWMA Spring Meeting concluded with the attendees enjoying a behind-the-scenes tour of the Bowling Green Corvette Assembly plant.

RWMA 2008 ANNUAL MEETING Join us on October 23 – 25, 2008, at the beautiful Mission Inn Resort and Club located in Howey-in-the-Hills, Florida, just 35 minutes northwest of Orlando and area attractions. This meeting will be filled with many opportunities to visit with your fellow industry colleagues, as well as to be part of the workgroups and other committee meetings. Forge and grow business relationships. Grow your business knowledge through interactive discussions. Network with leaders in the Resistance Welding Industry.

To receive more information on the 2008 Annual Meeting, contact Susan Hopkins at [email protected].

RWMA SCHOLARSHIP RAFFLE

RWMA kicked off its third raffle at the recent 2008 Spring meeting to raise money for the RWMA National Scholarship Fund. Take a chance to win an authentic Corvette Leather Racing Jacket. (Size chosen by the winner.) Raffle tickets cost $10 each, or 11 tickets for $100. Only 1000 tickets will be sold. Proceeds from this raffle will go directly to the new RWMA Scholarship Fund. Contact Susan Hopkins, RWMA Program Manager, at [email protected], or call 800-443-9353, ext. 295, to purchase your raffle tickets and take a chance to win this great leather jacket.

The RWMA scholarship was established in 2005 by the Resistance Welder Manufacturers' Association (RWMA) in an effort to continue its legacy of support for welding education. The purpose of this scholarship is to provide financial assistance to those individuals who express an interest in the resistance welding process, while pursuing a career in welding engineering. Congratulations to Ed Langhenry Jr., from Watteredge, Inc., winner of the second RWMA raffle held during the FABTECH International & AWS Welding Show in Chicago, Illinois, at the RWMA Booth. Mr. Langhenry won a $500 gift card. He requested five individual $100 Home Depot gift cards, in order to give them away during a drawing at Watteredge’s holiday party. He made those individuals very happy through his good fortune.



As of December 31, 2007, more than $6100 has been raised to help fund the new RWMA scholarship.

IRON MAN COMIC BOOK As you know, businesses across the manufacturing, construction, and maintenance and repair sectors suffer from a growing shortage of welding professionals. In light of this, AWS has executed several initiatives to promote the welding profession and stimulate recruitment across the industry. As part of these initiatives, AWS has joined forces with Marvel Comics to create the first-ever custom comic book about welding. This exciting, new and unique promotional medium will deliver a heroic tale about the superhero, Iron Man, who uses welding and ingenuity to fight evil. The story explores the many career paths and opportunities that exist in the welding industry, and highlights the current increased demand for skilled welders. The target audience for these comic books is high school and technical school students, as they are typically considering future goals and choosing a career direction. The comic book was being launched in conjunction with the feature film, Iron Man, which opened in theaters nationwide on May 2, 2008.

AWS CAREER GUIDE AWS has published a new welding career guide, Your Career in Welding, and it is available free to students, teachers, guidance counselors and parents. The AWS welding career guide is being offered on the AWS website at www.aws.org. As an industry resource and recruitment tool, the guide features general information about welding and AWS, industry success stories, AWS scholarships, student chapter information, and details about a range of welding careers and entryways into the industry. The various career choices and pathways featured in the guide present information on typical work environments and career demands. Welding careers highlighted are welding engineer, underwater welder, welding salesperson, welding technician, welding educator, and welding machine operator. To receive your free welding career guide, please visit the AWS website at www.aws.org and click on the tab marked “careers.” Requests can also be made by calling 800-443-9353, ext. 248, or via e-mail at [email protected].

“COMMITTEE WORK IN PROGRESS” J1 Committee. A meeting of the AWS J1 Committee on Resistance Welding Equipment was held on Thursday, May 1, 2008, in conjunction with the RWMA Spring Meeting. The timing enabled quite a few guests to participate and get an overview of the AWS standards organization and the J1 committee objectives. As a result, several individuals expressed a desire to help move the J1 task group activities to completion. The current J1 Committee activities include: J1A – Specification for Resistance Welding Controls (planned to supersede RWMA Bulletin 5) J1B – Guide to Installation and Maintenance of Resistance Welding Machines (planned to supersede RWMA Bulletin

14) J1C – Resistance Welding Pocket Handbook (planned to supersede RWMA Quickie Reference) In addition, there was discussion of a new task group to resolve the RWMA electrode materials classification system and ISO5182 “Welding-Materials for resistance welding electrodes and ancillary equipment.” Greg Chambers of Luvata offered to help advance this task group effort. Individuals who missed the opportunity and are interested in participating in any of these task groups can express their interest or obtain additional information from the J1 Secretary, Annette Alonso, by phone (800-443-9353, ext. 299) or e-mail [email protected]. The committee membership application can also be completed on-line at the AWS website ( http://www.aws.org/w/a/survey/standard?survey_start=techapplication).



C1 Committee. The most recent AWS C1 Committee on Resistance Welding meeting was held on Tuesday, April 8, 2008, hosted by Tower Automotive in Novi, Michigan. The committee is currently completing work on revisions of C1.4M/C1.4, Specification for Resistance Welding of Carbon and Low-Alloy Steels, and C1.5, Specification for the Qualification of Resistance Welding Technician. The next edition of the C1.1M/C1.1, Recommended Practices for Resistance Welding, is being developed at the task group level and will soon be prepared for committee ballot. For more information on the C1 committee, please contact the C1 Secretary, Annette Alonso, by phone (800-443-9353 x 299), or e-mail [email protected]. If you are interested in joining the C1 committee, submit an online technical committee membership application using the following link: http://www.aws.org/w/a/survey/standard?survey_start=techapplication. CCRW Subcommittee. The AWS-CCRW Subcommittee was successful in moving its agenda forward by reviewing the status of the AWS-C1.5 committee report, presented by Ms. Annette Alonso, during its recent meeting on May 1, 2008, in Bowling Green, Kentucky. This meeting was held in conjunction with RWMA’s Spring Meeting.

On behalf of the American Welding Society, a Certificate of Appreciation was dedicated as a special tribute in memory of the late George “Joe” Daumeyer III. The subcommittee members also reviewed and discussed detailed comparisons between the “AWS Certified Resistance Welding Technician” program and the European Welding Federation’s current resistance welding program. The members also reviewed the status of the AWS QC20 draft-document, and all members agreed to begin the balloting process of the standard for the AWS CRWT program. AWS would also like to thank Chris Breidenbaugh, David Ganser, Ron Leibovitz, Matt Post and Tom Snow, Jr. for submitting their applications to become the newest members of the AWS CCRW

Subcommittee.

RWMA 2007 NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT Congratulations to Alan Kirchhoff, the RWMA 2007 National Scholarship Award recipient. Kirchhoff is a junior at Ferris State University in the Welding Engineering Technology Program and holds a cumulative GPA of 3.91. Kirchhoff said, “I am honored and grateful to receive the RWMA Scholarship. This will greatly aid me in reaching my educational goals. I would like to thank the American Welding Society for selecting me for this award. I would also like to thank my family and the Welding

Engineering Faculty at Ferris State University for their support.”

RWMA PUBLICATIONS

RWMA publications and bulletins can be purchased through World Engineering Xchange Ltd. (WEX). Call 1-888-WELDING, or e-mail your orders to [email protected]. You can also place orders through the RWMA Web site at www.aws.org/rwma.

(L-R) Frank Lopez del Rincon, AWS Sr. Manager Certification Programs, Mike Simmons, RWMA Chair, and Don Maatz, CCRW Vice Chair



G. J. “JOE” DAUMEYER RWMA was very saddened to learn of the loss of one of its members, G. J. (Joe) Daumeyer III, 45, of Fishers, Indiana. Joe died February 20 in an automobile accident. An AWS member for 23 years, he was technical representative and a past chairman of the Indiana Section. Daumeyer was owner of Athena Plus in Anderson, Indiana, and president of Resistance Welding Equipment and Supply Co. (RWESCO), in Indianapolis. A welding engineering graduate of The Ohio State University (OSU), he was an active member of the RWMA, and served on numerous AWS technical committees, including the Committee on Resistance Welding, Educators Committee, Subcommittee on Automotive Resistance Welding, Handbook Chapter Committee on Projection Welding, and the Subcommittee on Certification of Resistance Welding Technicians. Donations in his name may be made to the OSU College of Engineering Scholarship Fund. Joe is survived by his wife, Chris; his parents; a son, George J. “Jake” IV; two daughters, Natalie and Paige; two sisters; three brothers; and Taz, his dog, as well as many other loving family members.

RWMA WELDING SCHOOL IN LAS VEGAS

The Emmet A. Craig Resistance Welding School is being held in Las Vegas, Nevada, October 7 and 8, 2008, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This is the only resistance welding school sponsored by the voice of the industry, the RWMA. Each program session is prepared to offer every participant a thorough knowledge of resistance welding. Actual demonstrations and hands-on participation using a classroom welding machine and other auxiliary equipment aid tremendously in the learning process. This intensive 2-day course about the basics of resistance welding is offered once a year. The

school is designed to give operators, production supervisors, engineers, and others the opportunity to study, better understand, and further their knowledge in the theory, applications, and equipment used in the resistance welding process. This intense learning atmosphere will better prepare the unfamiliar and further educate the experienced. For more information on this school, contact Natalia Lopez de Quintana at [email protected].

RWMA WELDING SCHOOL TABLETOP EXHIBIT & RECEPTION RWMA members will have the opportunity to have an exhibit at the Emmet A. Craig Resistance Welding School. This year, the tabletop exhibit will be held during the school’s lunch hour both days. This is a perfect opportunity to network with students, welders and industry customers (or potential customers) one on one. The opportunity to exhibit is only open to RWMA members. More information will be available soon.

AWS ONLINE FORUMS Did you know that AWS has online forums? These live interactive forums on the AWS website at www.aws.org are your virtual sounding board to the wide world of welders. It provides a fast and east way to exchange ideas, post questions, share insights and get tips and advice on everything welding. There is no limit to what you can learn on the forums. Everything from inspection questions to new jobs to advice on equipment and consumables to local events are posted. It is the one place where welding professionals from near and far can get together for a chat or even a good laugh. Don’t miss out on the action. Join the forums at http://www.aws.org/cgi-bin/mwf/forum_show.pl.



MEMBER NEWS CMW MAKES PERSONNEL ADDITIONS

CMW Inc. welcomes Vincent Sanders as Operations Manager. In this capacity, Mr. Sanders’ responsibilities include all aspects of operations management including purchasing, manufacturing, quality, process engineering, shipping and maintenance processes. Mr. Sanders most recently served as Manager of Process Improvement for O’Neal Steel, which is the largest family-owned, full-line metals service center in the Midwest. Mr. Sanders spent twelve years with O’Neal Steel in different capacities ranging from Industrial Engineer to Quality Assurance Manager. He brings a wealth of knowledge in the areas of process improvement and quality to CMW. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Indiana University, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering

from the University of Dayton. CMW is very excited about the contributions to be made by its expanded leadership team. CMW, the former Mallory Metallurgical Co., is an Indianapolis, Indiana, based manufacturer of highly engineered metal alloys and composites used in a broad array of industrial applications. CMW makes products in three primary market segments with business units dedicated to arc-tolerant electrical contacts, high-density metals and resistance welding consumables. Dating back to 1916, it owns dozens of highly recognizable patents and registered trademarks around the world.

Submitted by Evelyn Mulherin CMW Inc.

Indianapolis, Indiana

U.S. CONGRESSMAN BRAD ELLSWORTH VISITS CMW INC.

CMW welcomed Brad Ellsworth (United States Congress – 8th District) to its Indianapolis, Indiana, facility recently. Congressman Ellsworth spent time visiting with CMW management and other employees as well as touring the company’s operation. CMW and Congressman Ellsworth discussed many areas of business in support of CMW’s continued growth including workforce development, tax policies and international business.

“It’s great to see what goes on behind the scenes and to learn about the cutting-edge technology used by Hoosier businesses like CMW,” said Ellsworth. Added Mark Gramelspacher, CMW President & CEO, “CMW and its employees greatly appreciate the genuine interest shown in CMW’s business by Congressman Ellsworth. Indiana should feel well represented in Washington.”

CMW LAUNCHES NEW PRODUCTS CMW Inc. has introduced two new resistance welding products. The new Elkaloy® 20 dispersion-strengthened copper cap electrode (patent pending) and CMW® Finned Cap electrode (patent pending) provide unprecedented life and welding efficiency. Please contact CMW or contact a CMW Authorized Welding Distributor near you for more information.

SHEET METAL WELDING CONFERENCE XIII CMW Inc. was a corporate sponsor and participated in Sheet Metal Welding Conference XIII, which was held in Livonia (Detroit), Michigan, May 13 – 16, 2008.



CMW RECERTIFIED TO ISO STANDARD CMW Inc. recently completed an external ISO audit and was recertified to the ISO 9001:2000 standard.

Submitted by William (Bill) Love CMW Inc.


FLEX-CABLE MANUFACTURES ROCKWELL AUTOMATION’S NEW SERVO CABLES Flex-Cable was selected by Rockwell Automation to be its manufacturer of servo cables, thus largely expanding that department and resulting in several new hires. CONGRATULATIONS TO FLEX-CABLE ON ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL ISO 9001:2000 AUDIT Flex-Cable recently completed its third ISO 9001:2000 audit since recertification under its new ownership, and for the third consecutive audit had no nonconformances.

FLEX-CABLE EXHIBITS AT WELDMEX 2008 AND EXPO MANUFACTURA

Flex-Cable proudly displayed its products at recent trade shows in Mexico, AWS Weldmex 2008 and Expo Manufactura 2008. It also participated in this year's Sheet Metal Welding Conference on May 15, 2008, in Detroit, Michigan.

Submitted by Holly Stevens Flex-cable

Howard City, Michigan

T.J. SNOW COMPANY WELCOMES NEW SALES MANAGER

Robert J. Hosa recently joined T. J. Snow Company as District Sales Manager, selling resistance welding machinery throughout the Midwest from his base in Columbus, Ohio. Hosa has over 30 years of experience in the resistance welding industry, having held sales and management positions with McKay Machine, Wean-United, Taylor-Winfield and A&E Welding Machinery. Hosa is an active participant in various technical societies, such as SME, PMA and RWMA. T. J. Snow Company, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, is a 45-year-old vertically integrated

manufacturer and distributor of resistance welding machinery and related supplies and accessories. In addition, the company offers training and on-call resistance welding machine service.

Submitted by Tom Snow, Jr. T. J. Snow Company

Chattanooga, Tennessee

RESISTANCE WELDING MACHINE & ACCESSORY ADDS SEKI’S NUT AND BOLT FEEDER AUTOMATION SYSTEMS Resistance Welding Machine & Accessory (RW Machine) proudly announces the addition of Seki’s Nut and Bolt Feeder Automation Systems to the list of reputable product lines it represents. As stated by Pete Battista, RW Machine President, “The agreement signed with Seki on January 25, 2008, offers RW Machine the rights to market and sell Seki’s Nut and Bolt Feeder Systems throughout the United States and Canada. We are extremely pleased and grateful for the opportunity to market such a quality product within the industry we serve. Seki’s Automated Feeder Systems are a natural fit, and complement, to the weld products already offered by our firm, and will prove a great offering for our existing clients, as well as future prospects.” Seki’s Nut and Bolt Feeders enable an automated and efficient feeding process for both stud and nut welding applications. Its unique flexible design allows for a wide-angle degree range for feeding nuts or bolts.

Robert J. Hosa



Systems offered include:

• Nut Air Rod Feeder: supplies nuts to lower electrode • Bolt Feeder: supplies bolts to lower electrode. • Feeder Mate: supplies nuts to either upper or lower electrode • Nut and Bolt Selector: canister that supplies nuts or bolts to feeder unit. • Spare Parts readily available.

Resistance Welding Machine & Accessory carries a full line of spot weld items, including tips, caps, shanks, threaded adapters, cap adapters, cables, shunts, along with copper bar stock and special metals, to name a few.

Submitted by Pete Battista Resistance Welding Machine & Accessory

St. Joseph, Michigan

HUYS CELEBRATES 10 YEARS REGISTERED AS ISO 9000 Huys recently celebrated its 10th anniversary as the first North American resistance welding company to be ISO 9000 registered. Huys also says it was the first North American resistance welding company to be registered to QS 9000 (also in 1998), and ISO 14001 (in 2001). VERSION 9 OF SORPAS RESISTANCE WELDING SOFTWARE RELEASED Huys Industries released Version 9 of SORPAS resistance welding software, which can now predict not only the strength of the weld and martensite formation in dissimilar stack-ups in the HAZ, but also the likelihood of cracks forming as a result of residual stresses in the weld. ADVANCES IN RESISTANCE WELDING SEMINAR BEING HELD IN TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA Huys Industries is pleased to announce that the 5th Advances in Resistance Welding Seminar, to be held September 24 – 26, 2008, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, has been expanded to three full days of papers as a result of the interest in new, emerging technologies such as adaptive controls, equipment innovations and improved predictive tools.

Submitted by Nigel Scotchmer Huys Industries, Ltd.

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

RESISTANCE WELDING MACHINE AND ACCESSORY NAMED AS A PREMIER SUPPLIER FOR DSSI LLC DSSI LLC, a leading provider of procurement outsourcing services, named Informs Inc., Resistance Welding Machine and Accessory, and Volk Corporation, as its first premier suppliers. The premier supplier designation was created to recognize suppliers who have met the highest service levels across a variety of criteria including request for quote response timing, on-time delivery, purchase order confirmations and cost-saving targets.

"DSSI strives to build relationships with the best indirect suppliers in the marketplace," said Sheila Wolney, director of purchasing for DSSI. "We manage hundreds of thousands of transactions annually, rigorously measuring and managing performance. Through this process, we know the suppliers who provide exceptional service and are pleased to recognize these progressive companies with this award."

"Our relationship with DSSI is truly viewed as a strategic partnership. We are working as one to generate profitable revenue by providing the most competitive products to the marketplace and our shared customers," said Dave Hockstra, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Informs, Inc. "We are honored to be elevated to premier status. This demonstrates both companies’ continued commitment toward cleaner and more efficient operations."

Pete Battista, President of Resistance Welding Machine and Accessory, commented, "We're delighted that DSSI selected Resistance Welding as its premier supplier for spot welding supplies and accessories, a decision we believe will further strengthen the position of both companies in the industries we serve. We look forward to further building our relationship with DSSI as a premier supplier, while continuing to meet and exceed the expectations of customers."



"Volk is honored to become a DSSI Premier supplier. We have found that using the DSSI performance report, in conjunction with our ISO 9000 program, has helped us achieve greater customer satisfaction in customer service, delivery and order quality," said Ken Binder, sales and marketing representative for Volk Corporation. DSSI presented awards to each of these suppliers at its supplier meeting held on November 13, 2007.

Submitted by Pete Battista Resistance Welding Machine & Accessory

St. Joseph, Michigan AUTOMATION WELDING ALLIANCE – AWA OFFERS ONE-STOP SHOPPING In late January, Automaton Welding Alliance proudly welcomed visitors to an open house at its Sterling Heights headquarters. Welcoming guests were Roy Tucker, R&E Automated Systems; Ken DeYonker and Dan Jaraczewski, DC Automation; Jeff Spada and Scott Krueger, Intec; John Inscho and Wesley Barr, Fusion Welding; and Matt Trompeter, Trompeter Enerprises. Mayor Richard Notte, Councilwoman Yvonne Knlaz, and Chamber of Commerce ambassadors filled out the guest list along with about 200 industry colleagues.

Submitted by Connie Frost Fusion Welding Solutions

Clinton Township, Michigan RoMAN MANUFACTURING, INC. RECEIVES U.S. SMALL BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION AWARD RoMan Manufacturing, Inc., of Grand Rapids, Michigan, received the U.S. Small Business Administration award for the Michigan Family Business of the year for 2008. The award was presented in Lansing, Michigan, on April 24, 2008.

Submitted by Don DeCorte RoMan Manufacturing, Inc.

Grand Rapids, Michigan

ATHENA PLUS HAS ADDED NEW MACHINING FOR CUSTOMIZATION Athena Plus, Inc., has added three-axis CNC machining and manual machining to its capabilities, thus allowing to custom make or modify tooling components for its use and for its customers. Athena Plus has also added Unigraphics and Surfcam software to its Solidworks and AutoCad packages currently in use.

Submitted by Tom Tescher Athena Plus, Inc.

Anderson, Indiana DENGENSHA AMERICA PROMOTES NEW STANDARDIZED NDX PEDESTAL WELDING MACHINES Dengensha America will now be promoting a new standardized NDX Pedestal Welding Machines through its new dealer network throughout the United States. These are available for immediate delivery. MFDC AND SERVO GUNS BEING OFFERED BY DENGENSHA AMERICA Dengensha America will be offering its new line of standardized weld-guns in the near future. Both MFDC and servo guns will be offered.

Submitted by Steve Andrassy Dengensha America

Bedford, Ohio



SENATOR BARACK OBAMA VISITS CMW INC. CMW enjoyed a recent visit on April 30, 2008, to its Indianapolis facility from United States Senator Barack Obama, the Democratic front-runner for President of the United States. Senator Obama toured the company’s operations with Mark Gramelspacher, President of CMW. He met many employees, listened and responded to questions about American manufacturing and his proposed policies, and then conducted a nationally televised Town Hall meeting with approximately 200 people from the Indianapolis community. Mr. Gramelspacher kicked off the Town Hall

Meeting with general comments about the family-owned business. He stated that “CMW weathered various storms over the years but has grown over the last four and seeks to expand in the future. CMW wants to stay where it is, expand where it is and hopes that federal, state and local government regulations and programs will enable, not disrupt, the process. CMW is not alone in its desire for success.” He also expressed specific concern over one of the major challenges CMW and similar employers face regarding workforce development and hiring qualified people. Citing a recent in-depth Indiana Chamber of Commerce report on the subject, Gramelspacher called for government to play “an active and constructive role in solving this serious problem facing American manufacturers.” He concluded by stating, “Senator Obama’s visit to CMW is a clear sign of his commitment to the success of American manufacturing, the city of Indianapolis, cities and towns throughout Indiana, and to the development of our workforce and neighborhoods.” Senator Obama described his vision for America emphasizing issues close to the hearts and minds of many Hoosiers, including education, the future of trade agreements, the need for reciprocity in those agreements, the need to invest in infrastructure that supports American commerce, and the need as a nation to develop an energy plan that reduces our dependence on oil. He called CMW “a model of the kind of company that we should be seeing all across America where management and labor are working together for decent wages and decent benefits.”

Submitted by Evelyn Mulherin CMW Inc.


NEW ALLIANCE WITH METALFORM

The FABTECH International & AWS Welding Show has formed an alliance with METALFORM. Four trade show organizers formed the alliance to better serve the needs of trade show exhibitors and manufacturers in North America from the fields of fabricating, tube and pipe, welding and cutting, metalforming and related processes. The show alliance among the three organizers of the FABTECH International & AWS Welding Show [the Society of Manufacturing Engineers, the Fabricators and Manufacturers Association International, and the American Welding Society (AWS)] and the organizers of METALFORM [the Precision Metalforming Association (PMA)] will result in a combined annual exhibition. “AWS is pleased that METALFORM will join with the FABTECH International & AWS Welding Show,” said Ray Shook, AWS executive director. “Metalforming companies are major customers of the welding and cutting industries. We’re confident this alliance will add significant value for both exhibitors and attendees.” The first official combined exhibition will take place in November 2009 in Chicago, Illinois, but the partners have agreed to a soft start at the 2008 FABTECH International & AWS Welding Show, to be held October 6 – 8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, Nevada. This year’s show will include a METALFORM pavilion, displaying innovations in stamping technology.



DID YOU KNOW?

Recently a machine manufacturer experienced insufficient welds on a longitudinal AC seam welding machine. Constant Current on the control was the solution. For longitudinal seamers, where the work is moving in or out of the secondary, the inductive losses due to the change in the amount of ferrous material in the secondary can create large variations in size and quality of the weld nugget. Ferrous materials in the secondary contribute to poor power factors due to the change in the inductance in the secondary. The

ferrous material in the secondary is actually absorbing some of the energy in the secondary, thus providing less energy to make a weld. Providing a constant current is an excellent answer to this problem. As the magnetic losses increase (or decrease), the current at the electrodes will remain constant. The constant current function of the control will automatically increase the phase shift to increase the welding current to offset the magnetic losses (or increases) in the secondary.

Submitted by Patricia Adams ENTRON Controls, LLC. Greer, South Carolina

FROM THE FIELD

A mystery solved by Ron Leibovitz Unitrol Electronics, Inc.

Northbrook, Illinois I had a call the other day from a customer who was having trouble with his welding machine. He wanted to send the unit in for repair. He was complaining that his control was acting strangely. The symptoms were that the display would start to show random characters when the control was initiated, it would not weld, and he could not make any changes to the programs. He also mentioned that the weld tips would not close and that the control would also display emergency stop on occasion when the welding machine was not being used. I had the customer do some checking and, sure enough, several of the LED indicators were not lit. I asked him if anything had been done to the welder recently. He assured me that this machine had been working fine for years and his electrician had just checked all the wiring and he could not see anything wrong. It appeared that we would indeed have to issue a return authorization and repair the control. This meant downtime for the customer and, because he was desperate to have this line running, a large air freight bill. Because of his desperation, I asked him again if anything was different from the last time the welding machine worked. I suggested possibly a lightning strike or other power surge. He said that he knew of no problems and other equipment in the building was working fine. I just had to be sure that it wasn’t something that we were missing. I asked him to check the voltage where it came into the control board and he was reading 260 volts. He told me that the primary voltage of the welding machine was 460 volts. I asked him to measure the voltage at L1 and L2 where it enters the main enclosure and sure enough there was the 260 volts again. I had him measure the voltage back at his main bus, and there it was again, 260 volts. I told him that this voltage was enough for the control to start the microprocessor but just barely. When he would initiate the control and the solenoid valve output came on, the voltage dropped even lower and the microprocessor would stop running and display the random characters. This was when he decided to tell me that the welding machine had been causing problems with the lights dimming in the office so they decided to put in a new line to the unit. This was a three-phase line and the electrician picked up the wrong phase when he hooked the welding machine back up. The point is that when calling for service be sure to have as much information as possible in advance. If he had told me about the new line to the welding machine I would have had him check the incoming power first. Here are some things to keep in mind before placing the service call:



• Have the model and serial number available if you can find it. • Try to convey the symptoms of the problem with as much detail as possible. • Be sure to mention any maintenance or facility changes that may have occurred since the last time the

machine worked properly. • Try to keep the troubleshooting simple to start with. It is frustrating to take something apart and check

each component before you realize somebody kicked out the plug.

RWMA 2008 MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY By now, you should have received your copy of the RWMA 2008 Membership Directory. If you would like additional copies, contact Susan Hopkins at [email protected]. This directory is also available online at www.aws.org/rwma. This Directory will be available at all trade shows where AWS participates.

WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST RWMA MEMBERS

PRAXAIR DISTRIBUTION, INC., is a distributor of welding gases and consumables with over 500 locations in the United States and Canada. Visit its website at www.praxair.com.

LINCOLN JOINS CAMPAIGN TO RELIEVE THE WELDER SHORTAGE

New welding career video to be produced by Lincoln and AWS Foundation The American Welding Society (AWS) announced that The Lincoln Electric Company will donate $300,000 to the AWS Foundation to help relieve a nationwide shortage of welders. In association with this donation, Lincoln and the AWS Foundation will collaborate on new marketing initiatives to promote welding careers and help bolster the ranks of welders. According to AWS and other industry research, the average age of a welder is in the mid-fifties. Fewer graduates entering the profession, coupled with the continuing retirement of experienced welders, has led to a shortage of skilled welders that could weaken the U.S. manufacturing sector and overall economy. Lincoln will donate the funds over a two-year period beginning in 2008. Lincoln will also contribute marketing support and partner with AWS to produce a promotional welding career video to be used online, in classrooms and throughout industry. The video will feature several well-known personalities who have sponsorship agreements with Lincoln. In addition, this donation will support the AWS Foundation’s Welder Workforce Development Program. The Foundation launched the program in 2006 to address the critical need for recruitment and specialized training of entry-level welders while supporting industry workforce needs. It is an essential component of the AWS Foundation’s $10 million capital campaign, Welding for the Strength of America, which is aimed at facilitating programs, scholarships and other initiatives in support of the welding industry. At year-end 2007, the AWS Foundation had raised $2.6 million toward its campaign effort. Ronald C. Pierce, AWS Foundation Chairman, said, “This generous contribution to our campaign will enable AWS to launch much-needed programs and marketing initiatives toward the promotion of welding careers. Lincoln Electric has always been a very important partner to AWS, and their continued support helps us build a stronger welding workforce for America.” The AWS Foundation will utilize this donation to fund new programs and marketing initiatives for the recruitment of welders and promotion of welding careers. In addition, funds will support the Foundation’s Solutions Opportunity Squad (SOS), which is made up of new AWS staff individuals who consult with and build strategies for



end users and welding educational institutions. They will also support local AWS Sections, businesses and other organizations that have specific workforce development needs.

“We are proud to participate in these AWS programs,” said Richard Seif, senior vice president, Global Marketing, Lincoln Electric, and AWS Foundation board trustee. “This campaign is new territory for all of us. We are excited about the direction in which AWS is headed to attract the best and the brightest to the industry and we are particularly impressed with their SOS team. The shortage of welders is one of the most important issues facing our industry. It is absolutely critical that we make motivated, organized and responsible individuals aware that welding is a safe and rewarding career option. We feel the video will also become an important tool since it will give us a way to directly reach those who are looking into new or different career paths.”

Lincoln Electric has been an AWS Sustaining Member Company for 71 years. During its history of involvement with the AWS, the company and many individual employees have endowed scholarships, funded awards and served with the AWS Foundation, including incoming AWS President Victor Matthews, a 44-year Lincoln employee.

WEMCO 2009 ANNUAL MEETING

WEMCO would like to extend a personal invitation for all RWMA members to join them on February 26 – 28, 2009, at its 13th Annual Meeting, and spend two days examining the impact of industry globalization, and the economic potential in emerging markets. Each year, the WEMCO

Annual Meeting continues to bring together top-level executives from the major welding equipment manufacturers throughout the United States and Canada. The 2009 Annual Meeting promises to be especially informative and dynamic.

During WEMCO’s two-day analysis, issues surrounding rapid growth and expansion, as well as trends of private labeling, will be discussed. With more developing countries integrating with the world economy and an increase in the private label sector, globalization and private labeling has changed business practices in America, and will continue to affect industries in the future.

The legendary Rancho Bernardo Inn Golf Resort and Spa is the ideal location for the 2009 WEMCO Annual Meeting. Beautifully nestled in the hills of north San Diego, California, the resort is conveniently located within 30 minutes of most area attractions. With its warm and intimate setting, attendees can spend their evenings relaxing in the newly renovated spa, or networking with old and new friends. Take the opportunity to join fellow attendees for a game of golf on Thursday and Saturday afternoons. The fee to attend the 2009 WEMCO Annual Meeting is $720 per attendee, and $225 for spouses and guests. WEMCO has also secured a group rate with the Rancho Bernardo Inn of $250 per room, per night, plus applicable taxes.

Register to attend the 2009 WEMCO Annual Meeting today! Registration forms can be submitted via e-mail at [email protected], or via fax at 305-442-7451. For further information about the Annual Meeting, please contact Natalie James-Tapley at 800-443-9353, ext. 444, or via e-mail at [email protected].



RWMA SPRING MEETING GALLERY

To view more highlights from the 2008 RWMA Spring Meeting log to www.aws.org/rwma

(L-R) Don Maatz, RoMan Engineering Services and Tim Flanigan, Fusion Welding

(L-R) Greg Chambers, Luvata; Holly Stevens, Flex-Cable; and Matt Post, Apex Controls

(L-R) RWMA Chair Mike Simmons, TG Systems, and Bob Kerr, Banner Welder

(L-R) Ron Pratt, Cadi Company; Richard (Dick) Vreeland, Ewald Instruments; and William (Bill) Brafford, Tuffaloy Products

(L-R) Nigel Scotchmer and Kevin Chan, Huys Industries; Dan Galiher, Tower Automotive; Jack Smith, Cybersmith Engineering; and John Meek, Tennessee Rand

(L-R) Ernesto Ehrensberger, ETAL S.A. de C.V.; Ron Leibovitz, Unitrol Electronics; and Dan Uszynski, CenterLine (Windsor), Ltd.

(L-R) Roger Hirsch, Unitrol Electronics; Edward Kang and Frank Wang, Shanghai Mountain Welding Industries, Inc.; and Larry Moss, Automation International

(L-R) Holly Stevens, Flex-Cable and Patricia Adams, ENTRON Controls, LLC

(L-R) William (Bill) Love and Greg Chambers, Luvata



CALENDAR OF EVENTS

IMTS 2008 Chicago, IL

September 8 – 13, 2008

WELDEXPO Canada 2008

Toronto, Ontario Canada

September 23-25, 2008

FABTECH INTERNATIONAL &

AWS WELDING SHOW Las Vegas, NV

October 6-8, 2008

RWMA ANNUAL MEETING Mission Inn Resort & Club

Howey-in-the-Hills, FL October 23-25, 2008

ASNT Annual Meeting & Quality Testing Show

Charleston, SC November 9-11, 2008

POWER-Gen Int’l

Orlando, FL December 2-4, 2008

ANYTHING TO ADD? If you have news for us, we’ll be glad to print it. Send a copy of the information in electronic format to [email protected], and we’ll make sure it gets in the next issue. © 2008 by American Welding Society, Miami, Fla. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher.

RWMA MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the RWMA Committee of AWS is to advance resistance

welding technology, broaden its use, and promote its economic benefits.

message from the chairman - american welding society

Documents