New Welding System Reduces Welding Time by an Average of 30 Percent
Miller Electric Mfg. LLC and Hobart Brothers LLC have announced the launch of the new SubArc Hercules™ system, a combination of the XMT® 450 SubArc Hercules power source, SubArc Hercules torch, and SubCOR® metal-cored wire that is designed to increase deposition rates and reduce welding time by an average of thirty percent.
Along with increasing throughput, the SubArc Hercules system offers consistent weld beads with robust mechanical properties, making it ideal for applications in the pressure vessel, process pipe, structural steel, shipbuilding and wind tower industries. The system excels on long, multi-pass welds, as well as large groove welds, high-speed fillet welds and lap joints, and weldments sensitive to high heat input.
“The SubArc Hercules system is an excellent fit for operations looking to gain higher deposition rates and faster travel speeds without compromising weld quality,” said Louise Gasper, product manager at Miller. “The system consistently outperforms standard DCEP and AC solid wire submerged arc welding, allowing for improved efficiency.”
Game-changing components
The SubArc Hercules system is a cost-effective solution that is easily added to any existing Miller® SubArc DC or AC/DC digital power source or legacy 14-pin SubArc machine. The system includes the XMT 450 SubArc Hercules, a secondary 450-amp submerged arc power source that features modified software that generates lower voltage (1 to 10 volts) and provides an electrical current to condition the wire during the Hercules process. The SubArc Hercules switch kit allows operators to easily enable the process with the flip of a switch and quickly alternate to a standard submerged arc process.
Once the Hercules process is activated, the SubArc Hercules air-cooled torch provides resistive conditioning of the wire by way of two contact tips — an upper preheat contact tip (standard for Miller OBT 600 MIG guns) and a lower contact tip (standard for Miller OBT 1200 MIG guns). This contact tip combination and preheating results in high deposition rates, while also ensuring smooth wire feeding at higher temperatures.
The Hobart® SubCOR metal-cored wire was specifically formulated to achieve those high deposition rates while maintaining consistent arc stability — a unique characteristic compared to competitive wires that lose arc stability and seize up over time. The wire is available in five American Welding Society (AWS) classifications in 1/8- and 5/32-inch diameters with tensile strengths ranging from 70 to 110 ksi.
“In addition to its arc stability, SubCOR metal-cored wire brings the benefit of a better penetration profile compared to solid wire,” adds Ellis Blevins Jr., product manager, Critical Segment at Hobart. “It also reduces rework, adding to the efficiency of the entire SubArc Hercules system.”
About Miller Electric Mfg. LLC
Miller Electric Mfg. LLC, headquartered in Appleton, Wisconsin, is a leading worldwide manufacturer of Miller® brand arc welding products and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW).
About Hobart Brothers LLC
Hobart Brothers LLC, headquartered in Troy, Ohio, is a leading manufacturer of the innovative Hobart® brand of filler metals, and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works, Inc. The ITW Welding brand portfolio also includes Miller® branded welding and cutting equipment.
