Gases & Welding Distributor articles from July 2004

Gases & Welding Distributor archives from July 2004

Is U.S. manufacturing dying?(Viewpoint)
July 1, 2004... The movement of production work offshore has been politicized over the past several months as a terminal disease within Corporate America. And while it is uncertain if or how many of the millions of manufacturing jobs lost in the U.S. over the...

Are you "teaming" or "tangling" with your workforce?(GAWDA Commentary)
July 1, 2004... Mention the words "labor union" to a business owner and watch the blood drain from his face. To some, those two words conjure up images of antagonism, opposition, and confrontation. Management and unions tend to be like the Dallas Cowboys and...

Die-casting information.(Web Wise)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The North American Die Casting Association (NADCA) is the sole trade and technical association of the die-casting industry. The association's website, diecasting.org, includes information about NADCA's research programs, continuing training and...

EB-welding products and services.(Web Wise)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... PTR-Precision Technologies Inc., Enfield, Conn., has redesigned its website to include more information on its electron-beam welding systems, contract-welding services, customer support/training, and engineering-assistance services. The...

Safety site.(Web Wise)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Ergodyne, St. Paul, Minn., has launched a website that incorporates Flash animation and intuitive logic to deliver maximum content and usability. The site, ergodyne.com, includes information on ProFlex gloves, supports, and pads; Chill-Its...

Train welders on-line.(Web Wise)(Tooling University )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Cleveland-based Tooling University has expanded its online industrial training programs including welding classes developed in partnership with The Lincoln Electric Co., also of Cleveland. The welding classes now available include following...

Airgas Inc.(Snapshot)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Airgas Inc., Chicago, offered congratulations to its customer, Scaled Composites, Mojave, Calif., for its part in the world's first private manned space flight on June 21, 2004. Airgas provided nitrous oxide for the rocket's propulsion and...

Worthington Cylinders.(Snapshot)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Worthington Cylinders, Columbus, Ohio, a Worthington Industries company, formed a strategic alliance with the Quality Steel Corp. to offer a comprehensive selection of propane tanks, ranging from 100 lb to 1,000 gallon. "We are pleased to be...

Compressed Gas Association Inc.(Snapshot)(Research and Special Programs Administration)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Compressed Gas Association Inc., Chantilly, Va., announces that the Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) is delaying the effective date of CGA Regulatory Alert (RA-11) HM-223, "Applicability of the Hazardous Materials Regulations...

Holox Ltd.(Snapshot)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Holox Ltd., Cleveland, was presented with three 2003 safety awards by The Compressed Gas Association (CGA) at its annual meeting in Florida. Having also won three awards in 1996, Holoxis the first company to do so more than once in the past 20...

Prophet 21.(Snapshot)(Dynamic Data Systems Inc)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Prophet 21, Yardley, Pa., announces the acquisition of Dynamic Data Systems Inc., the provider of Turns, an enterprise software solution for medical-products distributors and other distributors. This is the fourth acquisition by Prophet 21...

The National Private Truck Council (NPTC).(Snapshot)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The National Private Truck Council (NPTC), Alexandria, Va., will hold its second annual National Safety Conference September 16-17, 2004 at the Hyatt Hotel at Dulles International Airport, near Washington. "Private fleets have worked hard to...

Weiler Corp.(Snapshot)(Industrial Supply Manufacturers Association)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Weiler Corp., Cresco, Pa., was awarded the esteemed American Eagle Award for Overall Excellence by the Industrial Supply Manufacturers Association (ISMA). ISMA represents 600 companies in the U.S. and Canada that manufacture maintenance,...

Gas vendors pass EPA accuracy audit.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The EPA recently audited source-level, tri-blend, EPA Protocol gases purchased from several vendors of specialty gases. Cylinders contained blends of S[O.sub.2], NO, and C[O.sub.2] in a [N.sub.2] balance. Two independent laboratories performed...

Machine & Welding Supply celebrates its 80th year.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Machine & Welding Supply Co., Dunn, N.C., celebrated its 80th anniversary at the Best Western Crystal Coast Resort in Atlantic Beach, N.C. The company rented the entire hotel for the weekend, with special events throughout. The celebration...

Harsco Control Group becomes Harsco GasServ.(Industry News)
July 1, 2004... Harsco Corp., Camp Hill, Pa., announces effective July 1, 2004, the company's Gas & Fluid Control Group will be identified as Harsco GasServ. Harsco GasServ offers new services, products, and selling techniques. New services include the...

Report service forecasts trends.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The Hydraulic Institute (HI) partnered with the Institute for Trend Research (ITR) to develop an economic-report service to provide trend data and insights on the markets served by the pump industry. Package options and prices for HI...

Class for robotics welding.(Industry News)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Weld specialist Ed Craig recently held a two-day class on weld-process control at the Wolf Robotics manufacturing facility in Fort Collins, Colo. Engineers and managers from across the U. S. and as far away as Australia attended to learn about...

Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc.(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Lincoln Electric Holdings Inc., Cleveland, elected John M. Stropki Jr. president and CEO, succeeding Anthony A. Massaro. Stropki is only the seventh CEO in Lincoln's 109-yr existence. Last year, Stropki became COO, responsible for North...

The Industrial Supply Association.(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The Industrial Supply Association, which will soon establish a headquarters in Long Island, N.Y., named John Buckley executive vice president. ISA was recently formed from the consolidation of the Industrial Distribution Association and the...

Independent Welding Distributors Cooperative (IWDC).(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Peter Gallagher joins the Independent Welding Distributors Cooperative (IWDC), Indianapolis, as sales and product manager. He replaces Roger Neu, who is now IWDC president.

Multiquip.(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... Bob Stevens, a former Multiquip and MQ Power sales and product manager, passed away June 16 in an automobile accident. Stevens spent 23 yr with the Carson, Calif.-based manufacturer of welding and finishing equipment before retiring in 2001.

The Lincoln Electric Co.(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... The American Welding Society awarded Joseph Kolasa Jr., welding instructor at The Lincoln Electric Co., Cleveland, with the Private Sector Instructor Membership Award. Kolasa is well-known in the world of racing, consulting with race teams to...

FKI Logistex.(People)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2004... FKI Logistex, a St. Louis supplier of integrated material-handling systems, promoted Stephen Causey to vice president, finance, and Stephen Legg to vice president, business development for the company's North American operations.

New distributorship quickly gains customers: startup's solutions-based approach and microbulk supply make for fast growth.(Distributor Profile)(Compressed Gas Solutions, Inc.)
July 1, 2004... Compressed Gas Solutions, Inc., Orlando, has only been in business since 2002, but it already boasts 400 accounts and is adding more every day. "Last year we saw a growth rate of 8% to 10% a month," comments Bob Leaman, president. To win such...

Remote robotic control boosts weld quality: distributors can help customers boost weld quality via remote robotic control.(Robotic Welding)
July 1, 2004... Customers count on distributors to stay on top of the latest technologies and recommend appropriate equipment to make fabrication shops, construction sites, and plants run more efficiently. For instance, they can use digital communications to...

Robots go Hollywood: today's welding robots take center stage the manufacturing floor.(Robotic Welding)
July 1, 2004... As welding robots have become more economical, productive, and reliable, their use has expanded from automobile assembly plants into small jobshops. But sometimes it takes an outsider to manufacturing to show just how far robotic-welding...

Customized welding cell exceeds expectations: distributors can aid manufacturers in optimizing robotic-welding operations.(Robotic Welding)
July 1, 2004... As more companies integrate robotic welding into manufacturing processes, they're seeking systems that let them produce good parts faster than ever before. They're searching for ways to maximize robotic systems, and distributors are in a...

Don't lose sight of eye safety: experts say following these steps nearly eliminates workplace eye injuries.(Eye Safety)
July 1, 2004... Despite the best efforts of eye protection manufacturers to provide stylish, effective eyewear and of safety professionals to ensure protection to employees, workplace eye injuries occur at an estimated rate of 2,000 per day. Ninety...

The eyes have it sensors "red" arc light: tests show that minimizing arc strikes and keeping the helmet in place longer result in improved welder productivity and weld quality.(Eye Protection)
July 1, 2004... Faster than a blink, a welder can injure his eyes without proper safety protection. Welders often require three light conditions to view a workpiece: normal light with a shield during grinding, a filter shade 4 or 5 for oxy-fuel cutting or...

Gas-buying criteria shapes sales strategies: distributors should understand their target industries and the purchasing behavior of their buyers before tackling sales strategies.(Sales/Marketing)
July 1, 2004... Most sales training concentrates on selling techniques, but this isn't the only approach. In his book Competitive Strategy, Michael Porter recommends defining an industry and its purchasing behavior before tackling marketing strategies. He...

Preparing sales forces for the future: distributors and their sales force must adapt to customers who increasingly rely on on-line self-service.(Marketing/Sales)
July 1, 2004... Distributors have good reason to re-evaluate their sales forces and company selling strategies. As customers increasingly use on-line self-service, they no longer value--and refuse to pay for--a company's outside sales force, whose traditional...

A stronger start yields a smoother finish.(Costumer Solutions)
July 1, 2004... Ferris Industries, a Munnsville, N. Y., producer of landscaping equipment, found that a return to welding basics, especially with respect to welder training and shielding gas, helped improved its mower products. Changing its shielding gas...

Pritchard receives industry safety achievement award.(CGA Comentary)
July 1, 2004... Representatives of the chemical, industrial, and fuel gases industries honored Edward W. Pritchard with the 2004 Industry Safety Achievement Award. Pritchard, who is director of the Office of Safety Assurance and Compliance, Federal Railroad...

Adapters provide boost.(Products)
July 1, 2004... Superior's vacuum adapters for its needle sealers automatically remove welding-scale debris. They fit any portable or industrial vacuum system. Superior Pneumatic & Mfg. Co. Circle 51 superiorpneumatic.com [ILLUSTRATION...

Automatic manifolds.(Products)
July 1, 2004... Precise Equipment's manifolds permit the use of the same manifold for mixing or matching liquid and/or high pressure cylinders. Units include features such as leak-detectors, LCD-information centers, and battery backups. Models for hazardous...

Borescopes feature removable storage.(Products)
July 1, 2004... The VideoProbe XL Pro Plus video borescope has CompactFlash (CF) removable storage, the ability to record and playback over two hours of DVD-format MPEG2 video and a USB port. XL ProPlus is useful in aircraft engines, power plant heat...

Aluminum pipe system.(Products)
July 1, 2004... Praxair's aluminum pipe system delivers argon, nitrogen and argon/C[O.sub.2] mixtures to the point-of-use. The system is well-suited for use in existing net works, or as a new installation direct from inert gas sources such as cylinder manifold...

Analyzer test-drive.(Products)
July 1, 2004... Ametek's three-month "test-drive" lets power and process boiler operators compare the Thermox WDG-IVC combined oxygen/combustibles analyzers with conventional oxygen-only in-situ probes. The company reports the WDG-IVC is an alternative to...

Grinding wheels.(Products)
July 1, 2004... Made from a formula than includes zirconia blended with aluminum-oxide, the ZA24R SG-Plus grinding wheels fit right-angle grinders. Reportedly, the formula produces a sorer wheel with less chatter and vibration. According to the manufacturer,...

Gas delivery system.(Products)
July 1, 2004... Concoa's 622 Series Delivery System is for start up and point-of-use installations in laser assist gas and other high-pressure applications. Its single-body design is suitable for start up of 12-packs or liquid cylinders. A dome-loaded seat...

Bar cradle.(Products)
July 1, 2004... Jarke's bar cradle truck is ideal for moving long and hard-to-handle materials such as steel pipe, tubing, and bar stock. Made from heavy-duty structural steel and welded construction, the cradle handles up to 10,000 lb. Jarke Corp. ...

Safety screens.(Products)
July 1, 2004... Stur-D-Screens are protective screens of one, two, or three panels that also assemble into cubicles. Square steel tubing prevents wobbling or swaying and compression comer-clamps ensure a secure fit between panels. They can be configured for...

Recondition cylinders.(Products)
July 1, 2004... The E-50 blast and pass through wash system cleans cylinders and reconditions their surfaces. It handles about 145 "E" type cylinders per shift, and also washes small M6 cylinders. Options include cylinder load and unload-tables. Viking...

Aluminum grinding discs.(Products)
July 1, 2004... Weiler's brochure profiles AL-tra Cut discs for grinding aluminum. The 4.5 and 7-in. diameter discs fit right-angle grinders and 2 and 3-in. discs work with high-speed, right-angle die grinders. Discs come in grit sizes 36 to 120. Weiler...

Mitt protects plasma torch.(Products)
July 1, 2004... Plasmit is an electrically-insulating mitt for the plasma torch body, protecting it from heat and breakage. It is suitable for high-power plasma gouging but also can be used on small and medium torches in normal cutting and on plasma...

Flap discs.(Products)
July 1, 2004... The backing plates of CMT Quick-Change flap discs attach to angle grinders with a standard locking nut. Discs are then twisted onto the backing plates. Klingspor Abrasives Inc. Circle 63 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Cordless power tools.(Products)
July 1, 2004... Bosch's 93618HDCRF-J 18-v 5-Piece, cordless combo kit includes a Brute Tough hammer/drill driver; circular, reciprocating, and jig saws; flashlight; batteries, and a charger. The tools are backed by Pro-Vantage, a free three-year service and...

Infrared thermometer.(Products)
July 1, 2004... The M670S non-contact infrared thermometer accurately measures temperatures from 662[degrees] F to 5,432[degrees] F in stationary and moving parts. Applications include induction heating of small parts, vacuum melting of metals, heat treating...

Nitrogen tire-filling systems.(Products)
July 1, 2004... Ingersoll-Rand's nitrogen tire-filling systems use membrane technology to inflate tires. The machines have no moving parts and easily connect to existing compressed air supplies. There are three for vehicle service shops, high-volume tire...

Portable batch mixers.(Products)
July 1, 2004... Portable Mixer Caddys replace dedicated mixers at tanks or totes. They meet most container specifications and handle portable mixers 1/4 to 5 hp. Made from welded steel tube, the mixer's hand-crank winches lift up to 500 lb. Caddies feature...

Truck-routing software.(Products)
July 1, 2004... TruckStops Version 3.0 routing and scheduling software features enhanced itinerary-generating capabilities and uses open database connectivity (ODBC). It interfaces with Microsoft's MapPoint for turn-by-turn driving directions and...