Welding Systems | Automated Welding Machines

Top 3 Ways Welding Automation Can Bridge the Skill Gap

August 31, 2021
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Back in 2015, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the American Welding Society (AWS) were already projecting a shortage of greater than 291,000 skilled welders for the year 2020-2022. Yet we find ourselves here in that future and it’s just as competitive as ever. Why? Because there will always be a demand for skilled welders. Today we’re going to discuss three ways welding automation can help your company meet that demand in creative and effective ways.

What is the Welding Skill Gap?

A skill gap can occur in any industry. It happens when the demand for a specialized skill set, and the supply of experienced professionals do not match up. In welding, it means that the younger, inexperienced welders who are new to the trade simply don’t have the quality of work that their retiring, veteran welder counterparts have [yet].

We are seeing this gap grow in the fabrication industry for several reasons:

Lack of experienced master welders because many are near (or at) retirement age
Emphasis on 4-year degrees versus trade school causing students to reconsider entering the trades
Skilled tradespeople retiring before mentoring less experienced welders
New welders lacking hands-on experience

The frustration is felt by both the employers and the welders. That’s where welding automation comes in. Robotic and semi-automated welding solutions offer a practical, smart solution to bridge the gap between what your fabrication quality demands and what your team needs without waiting for new welders to reach a specific skill level.

1. ) Welding Automation Improves Safety

In 2019, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 6,030 total cases of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work among welding, soldering, and brazing workers. Many of these injuries may have been avoided with more training and better equipment.

Welding automation provides an extra measure of safety to your team in several ways:

Machines have built-in safety equipment to protect humans such as guarding, fences and sensors.
The process of automating reduces the possibility of spontaneous injuries through simple, streamlined programming.
Just a simple welding positioner can offer lightweight, easy-to-handle solutions to meet even the most demanding, repetitive welding jobs.

With automated welding, even the most inexperienced member on your team will advance his/her skill level. Automation programming protects them from making simple mistakes that often result in injury.

automated welding machine — Custom Welding Machinery

2.) Welding Automation Increases Efficiency

Welding automation takes human error out of the equation, which helps improve safety as well as increase efficiency and quality. When programmed by a skilled welder, these machines can effectively multiply that skilled welder’s work. It’s essentially like cloning your best welder’s skill set and applying that ability to any team member. Imagine the effect this would have on your productivity!

3.) Welding Automation Ensures Quality

Part of the process of building high-quality welding systems includes rigorous testing at many phases of the design process. Bancroft’s full-service staff will provide installation, training, preventive maintenance, and production process improvements to make sure your robotic welding system solution is a success. This will ensure a high-quality weld no matter the welder’s skill level.

Automated Welding

Bancroft’s expertise & technology can help you bridge the welding skill gap and improve your operations. Our options range from simple, stand-alone machines to full robotic welding automation systems. We specialize in semi-automated welding machines for rotary welding, TIG/MIG welding, spot welding, resistance welding, laser welding and much more!

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Limiting Weld Cracks with Custom Welding Systems

July 25, 2021
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Welding cracks are one of the more severe defects. If you have a weld cracking problem, there are two questions to ask yourself to address the root of the problem:

Did the crack occur during the weld, after cooling or during a secondary/finishing operation?
Is the crack located within the weld or next to it?

Our custom automatic welding machines help limit weld cracks and achieve high-quality results. Let’s walk through a few common types of weld cracks and what you can do to limit them in the future!

Centerline Cracks

Commonly referred to as longitudinal cracks, centerline cracks typically extend the entire length of a weld. This happens when one or more of the following occur: there is an improper width-to-depth ratio, you’re using a base material with a low melting point or when the welding surface is concave in shape.

How to Limit Centerline Cracks

Run a lower current to decrease penetration
Decrease voltage
Slow down travel speeds
Aim for a width-depth ratio between 1:1 – 1:3:1

centerline weld crack — Example of a Centerline Crack

Crater Cracks

When the weld pool doesn’t have enough volume after the cooling process, crater cracks occur. This is most common when welding aluminum as it’s susceptible to both heat and stress cracking during the welding process. Stainless and carbon steels are much less susceptible to crater cracks, but caution must still be taken!

How to Limit Crater Cracks

Ensure your using enough filler material
Check that your parts have the proper fit up
At the end of your weld, weld back over the bead for 0.5-1 inch (overlay technique)

Root Cracks (Underbead or Toe Cracks)

This type of crack is located at the weld toe—or a heat affected zone. Underbead cracks occur at lower temperatures and sometimes are not discovered until 72 hours after the weld cools. This occurs when welding a sensitive material with excessive Hydrogen—which results in shrinkage, stresses, and cracks!

How to Limit Underbead Cracks

Reduce Hydrogen by rethinking your filler metal and check the storage environment of your filler metal
Apply thinner weld layers
Increase time between passes
Maintain proper pre-heat and post-heat protocol

Welding Root Cracks — Example of a Root Crack

Transverse Cracks

Similar to underbead cracks, transverse weld cracks also commonly are not noticed until after the weld cools. They share the same causes as underbead cracks—too much Hydrogen and shrinkage stress. Transverse cracks most often occur on high strength steels that don’t require pre-heat.

How to Limit Transverse Cracks

Reduce Hydrogen by rethinking your filler metal or check the storage of your filler metal
Maintain proper pre-heat and post-heat protocol
Use lower strength consumables

Custom Welding Systems that Prevent Cracks

Our biggest piece of advice is to make sure you have everything in order before welding, as it’s much easier than trying to fix problems later down the road. Always follow basic guidelines for cleaning and storing your base and filler material and carefully select the right welding equipment! Need more help? Reach out, we’re here for you!

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GMAW, MIG or Wire Welding Problems

April 14, 2021
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Whether you have been welding for years or just getting started in your career, addressing and solving GMAW, MIG or wire welding defects can be extremely frustrating. The team at Bancroft Engineering is here to empower you to take your GMAW / MIG / wire welding operation to the next level. Read on to learn about common wire welding problems and tips for achieving high-quality welds.

Basics of GMAW Welding

GMAW welding, commonly known as MIG welding or wire welding, utilizes a semi-automated welding system. The process uses a solid wire—or flux core wire vs a long “stick” electrode. During this process, an electric arc forms between the wire electrode and the metal—the emerging heat causes the metal to join and melt.

Common Wire Welding Defects

While many weld defects are usually easily spotted, some won’t show up until your part goes through the quality assurance process. It’s also worth noting that just because a weld doesn’t look “good” to the eye, doesn’t mean it’s bad! The following are the most common MIG welding problems:

Pinholes
Porosity issues
Too much weld deposit
Improper weld penetration
Lake of fusion
Cracking
Spatter
Lack of uniformity
Discoloration

pinholes-MiG welding — Example of Pinholes

porosity issue-MIG welding — Example of Porosity Issue

example of cracked weld-MIG welding — Example of Cracked Weld

example of welding spatter-MIG welding — Example of Welding Spatter

Check out our article dedicated to enhancing welding quality with more tips here.

Conditions Creating Poor MIG Welds?

Some of the most likely reasons your MIG process is resulting in poor quality welds is one or a combination of the following:

Impurities or improper cleaning
Skipping pre- or post-heat processes
Using the wrong filler metal
Using the wrong shielding gas
Running the wire at the wrong speed
Using too little (or too much) voltage
Skipping joint preparation steps
Improper welding techniques/setup

Other things to check are part fit up or damaged equipment (cables, clamps, etc.).

Tackling Quality Assurance / Quality Control

QA/QC plays a critical role in ensuring reliable welds are produced with minimal rework. The best way to catch defects is to incorporate quality testing throughout the welding process to confirm your weld meets the needed specifications. This will ensure that issues are caught early on, allowing for adjustments to be made and preventing further defective output.

Choosing the Right Equipment

Utilizing the right equipment will make or break your welding output! A high-quality welding equipment builder will help recommend parameters for your welding needs. They can also walk you through the proper wire feed speed, amperage, voltage and compatible shielding gas. The experienced team of semi-automated MIG welding system builders at Bancroft Engineering can help you get the proper welding equipment in place and running smoothly.

Automated MIG Welding System Builders

Like any skill, mastering MIG welding takes time and practice to gain the best results. We hope some of these simple tips will help you improve your process and achieve great results. Get in touch with our welding engineers today to learn how our automated and semi-automated equipment can help your business.

Why Skilled Welders Make the Best Automation Programmers

February 19, 2021
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Integrating welding automation into your manufacturing process has major benefits. Automated welders and robots are more efficient than humans and can improve overall productivity. BUT that doesn’t mean skilled welders are no longer useful—far from it.

Skilled welders have a wealth of experience and knowledge surrounding the welding process, making them some of the best automation programmers around. We’re diving into the 4 reasons why we think skilled welders make the best automation programmers—Read on!

#1. Welding Process Understanding

Producing high-quality welds requires process-specific knowledge. Manual or automated, the understanding of how the process works is vital! The most common variables include:

Part variability
Welding torch position
Heat input
Travel speed

Leveraging a skilled welder’s expertise can greatly reduce the time and effort it takes to setup or improve automated welding systems and programs.

#2. Application & Equipment Insight

It’s commonplace for the operator to be involved in selecting the automatic welding equipment setup and variables. To properly configure a welding cell, it’s important to have the knowledge of the best equipment for the specific welding application. Take the GMAW process for example, the following must be selected correctly:

Wire size
Power supply
Shielding gas
Operating mode
Voltage & current
Torch angles

Tapping the knowledge of a seasoned welder during this decision-making process often results in higher weld quality, lower scrap, improved production rates, higher ROI’s and a better-optimized overall-setup.

#3. Troubleshooting & Optimization Knowledge

Troubleshooting and problem-solving skills is a requirement for any kind of welder. Veteran welders are well-versed in overcoming challenges such as part inconsistencies, reducing rework and achieving cosmetic requirements. A skilled welder will also be well versed in the limitations of a process, peripherals and material types.

#4. Ongoing Growth & Innovation

Automation has become possible for more than just large corporations. Technology is becoming more flexible, making automation systems economically justifiable and productive for manufacturers of all sizes.

We’ve seen a number of small, repetitive welding jobs be transitioned to an automated process, freeing up skilled welders for more difficult projects. This not only keeps your skilled welders learning and growing but also encourages them to continue to be challenged in their day-to-day job and move your business forward!

Custom Welding System Builders

Automation is aimed at supplementing the welding workforce, not replacing it! Bancroft Engineering has the experience and equipment to help manage a transition to automated or semi-automated welding. Get in touch with our engineers today to discuss how we can help optimize your process with custom equipment.

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5 Trends in Automated Welding for 2021

January 15, 2021
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Automation in the welding industry has been a growing trend since the 70’s. There has been an increase in demand from end-user industries and market growth continues to be on the upswing. These demands have been supported by the continued advancements in technology and R&D surrounding both automation and welding.

As we move into the New Year, we thought it would be worthwhile to review 5 trends in automatic and semi-automatic welding from our perspective.

Trend #1: Welding Safety Enhancements

Safety should always be number 1! While this is not a new trend, fabricators will continue to take steps to keep workers safe. Without the proper safety precautions, automated welding can be dangerous. Here are just a few of the most common hazards:

Exposure to Gases & Fumes
Physical Hazards such as burns, eye damage, cuts, etc..
Electric Shock
Fire & Explosions

To improve the safety surrounding automated welding, we’ve seen more and more adoption of interlocking perimeter guards, safety light curtains, laser scanners, sensors, pressure-sensitive safety mats, high-quality gear, auto doors, better smoke extraction systems and more!

Trend #2: Labor Shortage Issues

There’s been a lot of discussion around the welder shortage in the United States—it’s estimated that there will be a deficiency of over 400,000 skilled welders by 2024. This is an extremely challenging hurdle for manufacturers looking to expand and fill demands. At Bancroft Engineering, we understand what an asset welders are to our economy and the importance of education for the younger generation.

Trend #3: Automation Technology Growth

New technology will continue to emerge as we move into 2021. New tools and technologies that will see growth include:

Power Sources
Digital Control Systems
Welding Management Software
Seam Tracking Systems
Gas Control Devices

The team at Bancroft Engineering has been hard at work implementing new technology for all of our customized and standard semi-automated welding equipment. Stay tuned for the release of a new automated welding positioner and seam tracking systems coming later this year!

Trend #4: Rise of Collaborative Welding Systems

The welding industry will continue to embrace collaborative systems to compensate for the increasing skilled labor shortage in 2021. Collaborative welding systems are designed to share a workspace with humans—creating a safe and seamless automation environment. This is one of the latest big trends in automated welding as it can be deployed easily, used for a variety of welding applications and are affordable compared to large robotic systems.

Trend #5: Adaptive Control Advancements

For those looking to improve their automated welding operation in 2021, adaptative controls are high on the list. Adaptative control are used to analyze welding data in order to make corrections and improvements based on the results. These corrections are made automatically to the weld current—in real-time. This data is critical for improved quality and process optimization.

The Future of Automated Welding

With the use of new and improved welding technology, there are many opportunities to increase productivity and uncover time and cost savings. Technology advancements can help you address critical welding challenges which will allow you to stay competitive! If you’re looking to adopt automated welding or make an upgrade, our team of trusted engineers are here to help you select the best equipment that will have the most impact on your business and bottom line.

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How to Solve Wire Feed Problems When Welding Aluminum

December 14, 2020
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Aluminum has gained popularity over the years for manufacturing parts both large and small. It’s lightweight, strong, highly corrosion resistant, has good electrical and thermal conductivity and is reflective to both heat and light. While aluminum is a common material used by fabricators, it can be rather frustrating to weld—mainly due to problems with wire feeding.

We have seen every type of wire feed challenge with both manual and automatic welding—from unstable arcs, birdsnesting, burnback and everything in between. Read on to learn more about how you can minimize issues associated with aluminum wire feeding, avoid downtime, and improve your welding output!

Why is Welding Aluminum Difficult?

Welding aluminum requires different techniques than steel. Different shielding gases, pre and post-welding processing, wire, and feed rolls. It is not only softer but has less column strength than steel which makes it more vulnerable to buckling and tangling.

Here are a few other properties of aluminum that make it difficult to weld:

High thermal conductivity
Low melting temperatures
Fast cooling rates
Oxidized surface coating

While it may seem that welding aluminum and dealing with welding wire problems is high maintenance, it’s easy to overcome with a few key steps!

How to Solve Poor Wire Feeding

In order to combat wire feed issues, it’s key to understand your welding equipment and components. It’s also essential to take a look at the way your equipment is configured.

1. The Welding Gun

The two best guns to use with aluminum are spool guns and push/pull guns.

A spool gun is best for small applications that doesn’t require much changeover. One way to minimize feed problems with spool guns is to shorten the feed distance.
A push/pull gun allows for longer wire feed distances (up to 50 feet). These guns are built with a motor that pulls the wire and a secondary motor that pushes the wire through the liner.

2. Drive Rolls & Correct Wire Tension

To avoid crushing or deforming aluminum welding wire, use a U-groove drive roll. These drive rolls keep a round shape while feeding the wire effortlessly.

Setting the drive roll tension can be tricky and often takes practice to get it right. To start, make sure your drive rolls are aligned. Use low pressure, but make sure it provides enough for consistent wire feeding. The point is to avoid stress on the wire while the system is feeding the wire to the contact tip. Stress on the wire will cause an unstable arc.

3. Type of Welding Wire

High-quality aluminum wire is a must to avoid feeding problems. Check that your wire has a smooth finish and a steady cast. If your using a poor-quality wire, it can result in a wavy motion leaving the contact tip which will cause an unstable arc.

4. Contact Tips & Other Consumables

Look for aluminum specific contact tips. These are designed with smooth bores that have larger diameters for feeding wire. Since aluminum expands when it’s heated, these tips allow for wire to flow and prevent burnback.

The two specific liners that should be used for welding aluminum are Nylon and Teflon. These prevent birdnests and increase the life of your contact tip.

Aluminum wire birdsnest — Aluminum Wire Birdsnest

5. Handling Approach

Following spool handling best practices is another way to limit wire feeding issues. Here are a few handling strategies to keep in mind:

Always lift the spool from either the center or the bottom.
Don’t lift the spool in a way that permits the flanges to angle away from the wire.
Don’t adjust or disturb the way the wire is wound on the spool.

Custom Welding Machine Builders

Bancroft Engineering has the experience and equipment to help manage your aluminum welding woes! Get in touch with our engineers today to discuss how we can help optimize your process with custom welding machines.

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Types of Welding Process and Power Supplies

November 13, 2020
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Photo Above: MIG Welding Process

The primary function of a welding power source is to convert electrical power into a current type that is suitable for the welding application being performed. There’s a lot to consider when selecting the best power source for your welding systems.

Whether you’re looking to invest in new manual welding machines or ready to upgrade an outdated welder to a more modern piece of automatic welding equipment, we’re here to simplify the process. Read on to learn more about welding power sources and what key factors to consider before making a purchase.

Getting Started

There are a variety of power sources to choose from. To make the best choice, you need to pair your material type with the welding process and the best method of supplying power to the arc.

Choose your Welding Process

Both the welding process and material type play a big role when selecting a power source because they are not always compatible with each other.

Gas Metal Arc Welding (GMAW) or Flux-Core Arc Welding (FCAW)

Most commonly referred to as MIG or Flux-Core Welding; this process can be used on all of the major commercial metals, a wide range of thicknesses, and requires less operator skill than TIG or stick welding. Welding speeds are higher because of the continuously fed electrode, absence of slag, and higher metal deposition rates. Whenever possible, GMAW and FCAW are the chosen welding processes utilized in production shops.

Shielded Metal Arc Welding or Stick Welding (SMAW)

This is the most common form or ARC Welding. A stick or electrode is placed at the end of a holder and an arc is struck between the tip of the electrode and the metal welding surface. SMAW power supplies are generally the least expensive but are only capable of being used in manual operations.

Gas Tungsten Arc Welding (GTAW)

In GTAW—or TIG welding—an arc is established between a non-consumable tungsten electrode and the base metal. A shielding gas protects the tungsten and molten metal from oxidation. GTAW produces high-quality welds on almost all metals and alloys. It can be controlled down to very low amperages making it ideal for thinner materials. GTAW can be done with or without filler material, it also has very little spatter and no slag. Its biggest disadvantage is speed—GTAW is by far the slowest welding process.

TIG welding process — Tig Welding Process

Plasma Arc Welding (PAW)

Plasma Arc Welding is essentially an extension of GTAW. Both GTAW and PAW use constant-current power sources and a high-frequency source for arc starting. The primary difference is that the electrode is recessed in a nozzle to constrict the arc. PAW is generally more expensive than GTAW but it is more tolerant of joint misalignment and can give better penetration.

welding power sources — PAW Welding Process

Submerged Arc Welding (SAW)

In a SAW welding process, the wire is fed continuously with a granular flux material to cover the weld area. The flux plays a key role in achieving high speed and a quality weld. Very little weld fume is produced— eliminating the need for fume extraction. Utilizing granular flux limits welding positions and requires special handling and recovery solutions.

Select the Proper Power Supply

Welding power source types are defined by how they modulate electrical currents and what arc welding process is best supported by this modulation:

Direct Current (DC)

A DC power source is a flow of electrons in a single direction through a circuit. In welding, it creates a steadier arc and smoother output. It can be used to weld with a negative ground, or the flow of electrons can be reversed to flow toward a positive ground in reverse polarity.

Alternating Current (AC)

The AC power source is the bidirectional flow of electrons in which the polarity shifts a hundred or more times per second from a negative to a positive ground. Arcs tend to be less stable and welding is harder to control. However, AC welding can break apart oxide formation and allow for purer welding in some processes.

Pulsed Current

This is a form of DC welding in which the current goes from a high peak current to a lower background current at a frequency determined by the operator. This narrows the arc, allowing greater penetration while reducing the effect on surrounding materials. As a result, pulsed current welding is an excellent choice for welding thin metal or performing deep welds on thicker materials.

Pulsed Voltage and Heat

Pulsing GMAW power supplies focus on controlling pulsed voltage and heat applied to the consumable electrode. Controlling the pulsed voltage (heat) and wire feed speed allows greater control over how the wire melts and the rate of deposition. Adaptive pulse GMAW carefully monitors feedback and automatically compensates to keep the arc consistent despite variation by the welder and differences in height and joint location.

Additional Items to Consider

Once you have your welding process and the type of power source selected you should consider a few more key items to determine the size including:

What is your Input Power?

Your power source needs to match the type of input power available. The amount of electricity your welding system needs will ultimately depend on the type of power supply you select.

Single-phase: 115, 200 or 230 VAC
Three-phase: 230, 460 or 575 VAC

Material Thickness

Simply put, the thicker the material the more power required.

Duty Cycle

Duty cycle is the percentage of arc on-time a welding power source can operate in a given period. One of the most common mistakes welders make is under-sizing their power source. It’s important to understand how much amperage your power source can generate at any given duty cycle and ensure it’s MORE than enough to meet your demands.

Understanding the types of welding processes and power supply types is a large undertaking and can be overwhelming but a reliable power source will serve you for many years.

About Bancroft Engineering

Our engineers can help you select the best power source for your welding needs! Bancroft offers custom welding systems and a variety of standardized semi-automatic welding equipment in stock such as positioners, Welda-Round rotary welders, seam welders, weld-lathes and much more!

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How to Choose Shielding Gas Types for GMAW

October 6, 2020
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Welding Enhancements

If you’ve ever experienced a low-quality weld due to your shielding gas selection, this article was made for you. Shielding gas protects the hot weld pool from outside contamination, which is the main reason why it’s so important to make the right selection for your application.

Here at Bancroft Engineering, we’ve seen how much the wrong shielding gas can drop quality, increase costs and negatively affect production rates. We are going to dive into choosing the gas that’s best paired for your gas metal arc welding (GMAW) job so you can enhance your process once and for all. Whether you’re using a manual process, semi-automatic welder or fully-automated equipment, we’ve got you covered—read on!

About Shielding Gas Options for GMAW

Use one—or combine—these most common shielding gas options for GMAW:

Pure Gases

Argon is most commonly used for GMAW on nonferrous metals. This single-atom gas has a low thermal conductivity and ionization potential which results in a low transfer of heat to the exterior of the arc. Because of this, Argon delivers a deep yet narrow weld penetration.

Helium has lower density than Argon which requires higher flow rates. Helium is also a single-atom gas, that’s commonly used on thicker materials. It’s also a good choice for welding aluminum. Because if its limited high price though, Helium is seldom seen in the industry anymore.

Carbon Dioxide (CO₂) is rarely used on its own because it yields a wide weld bead and often ends up producing a lot of spatter. CO₂ is more commonly combined with Argon to produce the best end result. CO₂ is also a reactive gas, meaning it has high ionization potential.

Gases Used in Mixtures

Oxygen is a two-atom molecule commonly added in GTAW gas mixes at a rate of 10% or less. It may be seen as an addition to Argon for GMAW as it can help create a deep and narrow weld penetration in specialized applications.

Hydrogen is an active shielding gas also commonly used in GMAW mixes at a rate of 10% or less. This diatomic molecule tends to result in hot and wide surface beads. Hydrogen is mostly used for stainless steel materials to improve fluidity and increase travel speeds.

How to Select a Shielding Gas

There are three main components to consider when selecting shielding gas for GMAW: material type, filler type and transfer mode.

Material Type: The most important factor of all is matching your gas to the material type. For instance, steel is much denser than aluminum which requires different shielding gas to achieve a desirable welding outcome. It’s also important to consider the materials thickness as thicker materials will require higher heat inputs.

Filler Metal Type: Double check that your filler metal matches the base material. This will give you reassurance when it comes to selecting the best shielding gas.

Welding Transfer Mode: Determine whether you’re using short-circuit, spray-arc, pulsed-arc or a global transfer. Each transfer mode will play better with certain shielding gases than others.

There’s a lot more to cover when it comes to shielding gas for GMAW. Stay tuned for future articles where we’ll walk through proper shielding gas flow and we’ll dive into detail about the GMAW process with each material type!

GMAW Welding Equipment Builders

Selecting the right shielding gas is an important step towards welding success. When optimized correctly, it will not only improve your weld quality, but also save you money and time. The team at Bancroft Engineering can help you decide on the proper shielding gas and ensure your automated or semi-automated welding system is producing the very best results. Get in touch with our welding engineers today!

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Using Section 179 Tax Deductions for a Welding Machine in 2020

September 8, 2020
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Whether you’re buying a new machine for the first time or are ready to upgrade existing equipment, the Section 179 tax deduction is something you’ll want to look into. When you purchase automated welding equipment from Bancroft Engineering, you will not only be improving your manufacturing process but also saving your business money on your 2020 taxes with Section 179 expensing.

How Does Section 179 Expensing Work for Welding Equipment Purchases?

The Section 179 Tax deduction is for all businesses that purchase (or finance) new and used business equipment during the 2020 tax year.

Section 179 of the United States Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. § 179) is now available which allows you to write-off up to $1,040,000 of a qualifying equipment purchase for 2020. This annual deduction amount is up from $1,000,000 in 2019.

In past years, when manufacturers purchased welding equipment, they would write it off little by little through depreciation. For example, if your business spent $80,000 on a piece of machinery, you might write off $20,000 per year for five years.

When you use Section 179 in 2020, a business can write-off the entire purchase price of qualified equipment for the current tax year. As in our previous example, if your business spends $80,000 on a piece of automated welding machinery, you can write off all $80,000 in the same tax year using Section 179. This is an attractive tax deduction for small and mid-sized businesses to take advantage of!

More About Section 179

How to Qualify for Section 179 in 2020

If you’re considering whether or not to purchase new equipment this year, section 179 is an attractive tax deduction to take into consideration. It’s also easy to understand and apply. Most new and used tangible business equipment qualifies as long as it meets the following criteria:

Equipment must be installed and ready for service in the same tax year
More than 50% of the use of the equipment must be used for business

Real Example of Section 179 Expensing in 2020

Cost of equipment after Bancroft Engineering discounts: $200,000.00
Section 179 Deduction: $200,000.00
Total First Year Deduction: $200,000.00
35% Saving on Equipment Purchase: $70,000.00
Lowered Cost of Equipment After Tax Savings: $130,000.00

automated welding systems tax savings 2020 — Image by: aws.org

NEW Automated Welding Machines + Tax Savings

Buying equipment or upgrading your existing welding machines can provide many benefits from improved quality, increased production to better staff morale. Thankfully, these tax breaks allow you to afford the equipment you need!

Bancroft Engineering designs and builds welding equipment such as standardized and custom welding machines and much more out of Waukesha, WI—specializing in stand-alone equipment to fully robotic automated systems. Need help automated your welding process or have a special welding application? Give us a call at 262-786-1880, or email: sales@bancrofteng.com to get started.

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A Guide to Optimal Robotic & Automated Welding

August 6, 2020
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Getting Started with Automated Welding Systems

Automated welding is the way many manufacturers are fabricating these days. With that, there are a lot of misconceptions about how easy automated systems are to use and if the benefits outweigh the struggles.

Automatic welding has a host of clear perks such as improved weld quality, faster cycle times, and a better working environment for welders. A common restriction is that robots require a certain skillset to program and run the equipment smoothly. Don’t worry, the technology has advanced greatly, leading to simple ways to accomplish quality automated welding without the hassle.

We’ve unpacked the most optimal process for getting started with automated welding systems so you can benefit from high-quality welding with less stress!

1. Define Welding Type & Tasks

With any welding project, you’ll need to first define and understand the task at hand. What type of welding will be needed? Which steps will the robot or automated welding machine need to perform? There are a variety of different welding types—below are some of the most common:

Circumferential (Rotary) welding
Linear (Seam) welding
Resistance (Spot) welding

The technical specialists at Bancroft Engineering can help you confidently define the scope of your welding project and automated system requirements so your job will be successful—get in touch with us.

2. Secure the Needed Equipment

Now that you’ve clearly defined the task and welding type needed, it’s time to pick the right automated welding system—whether that be a robot or semi-automated welding machine. Most welding systems require the following pieces of hardware/software:

The robot or the welding machine itself
The welding tools & fixtures
A user-friendly programming interface
Welding power supply and consumables
Safety measures such as barriers or sensors

3. Determine Proper Weld Settings

There are basic guidelines for picking weld settings, but they can vary from model to model and certainly from brand to brand. To get to the best weld setting, a number of considerations must be made including:

Type of metal you are welding
Cleanliness of the joint
Joint design
Material thickness
Proper wire size
Voltage
Wire feed speed
Travel speed
Torch position
Shielding gas

This can seemingly be a daunting task, but any good welding equipment manufacturer will have engineers on staff to assist with this process.

semi automated welding postioner — TT500 Welding Positioner

4. Program, Test, & Debug

Programming an automated welding machine requires a trained specialist for the initial start-up. This only needs to be done upon setting up your system for the first time. General maintenance programs and welding schedules can be created and modified with little training throughout the lifestyle of the system.

Once your system is in place and programmed correctly, it’s time to sit back and watch the system make magic happen!

5. Team Up with the Right Automated Welding Provider

Lastly, team up with a reputable welding automation provider who can walk with you every step of the way. From concept to installation and run-off, the team at Bancroft Engineering is here to ensure your new welding system is successful!

Bancroft offers both customized welding machines and a variety of standardized semi-automatic welding equipment in stock such as positioners, Welda-Round rotary welders, seam welders, weld-lathes and much more!

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