Push-Pull MIG Gun optimizes aluminum welding.
Press Release Summary:
Rated for welding at 300 A/100% duty cycle, Model XR-Aluma-Pro(TM) gooseneck-style air-cooled MIG gun optimizes feeding performance for 4000 and 5000 series aluminum through 2-position tension control, while water-cooled unit is rated for welding at 400 A/100% duty cycle. Both feature 3¾ turn potentiometer for wire feed speed (WFS) control that can be adjusted while wearing welding gloves, self-seating head tube that allows access to tight spots, and replaceable feed cable liner.
Original Press Release:
Push-Pull MIG Gun's Unique Tension Control Optimizes Aluminum Welding
o Miller's XR(TM)-Aluma-Pro(TM) eliminates drive roll tension setting guesswork
o First air-cooled gun to achieve 300 amp/100 percent duty cycle rating
o Easy maintenance
APPLETON, Wis., August 21, 2007-Miller Electric Mfg. Co.'s new XR-Aluma-Pro(TM) gooseneck-style MIG gun optimizes feeding performance for 4000 and 5000 series aluminum through a two-position, series-specific tension control. Proper drive roll tension solves problems related to wire burn-back, erratic feeding and arc fluctuations, helping aluminum fabricators improve productivity.
The air-cooled XR-Aluma-Pro is the first push-pull gun rated for welding at 300 amps/100 percent duty cycle, 100 amps more than competitive guns. A higher duty cycle can eliminate the need for a water-cooled gun when welding aluminum up to 3/8-in. thick, thus reducing equipment acquisition costs by about $1,100.
"We increased duty cycle by developing a unique design that keep the head tube and gun body cooler. A cooler head tube and gun increases operator comfort while providing longer consumable life and lower maintenance," says Mike Vandenberg, product manager, Miller Electric Mfg. Co.
For welding thicker aluminum at higher amperages, Miller offers the water-cooled XR-Aluma-Pro, rated for welding at 400 amps/100 percent duty cycle. Features common to both guns include a 3-¾ turn potentiometer for wire feed speed (WFS) control that provides better resolution and is easy to adjust while wearing welding gloves. An easy-to-rotate, self-seating head tube allows better access to tight spots, while a replaceable feed cable liner reduces parts cost and service time.
A Different Kind of Tension
Miller factory tests and pre-sets the tension on every XR-Aluma-Pro gun for 4000 series aluminum (a softer wire requiring a lighter setting) and 5000 series aluminum (a harder, more abrasive wire requiring more tension). When switching wire types, operators change tension using a screwdriver to turn a control on the side of the gun to one series-specific tension setting or the other (no in between setting is possible).
Other MIG guns give operators free reign to fully adjust tension settings. Typically, operators think, "tighter is better." Unfortunately, too much tension deforms the wire and creates metal savings. Shavings create feeding problems by clogging the drive rolls and working their way into the head tube, which leads to erratic feeding, "micro arcing" within the contact tip and wire burn-back. These problems increase downtime, maintenance time and consumables cost.
"The XR-Aluma-Pro's pre-set tension settings eliminate the guesswork and guarantee optimum feeding to make the welder's life easier," notes Vandenberg.
Low Budget
To reduce costs associated with maintenance, Miller designed the XR-Aluma-Pro gun with quick connectors and replaceable liners. The XR-Aluma-Pro's quick connectors link the control cable and electrical components such as the trigger assembly, potentiometer and motor leads and eliminate the need for cutting and soldering wires and when replacing these components. When the liner wears out, some competitive guns require end-users to replace the entire feed cable conduit. The Aluma-Pro Gun uses independent replaceable liners; customers only need to replace the liner, not the entire assembly.
When combined with the Millermatic 350P or an XR Control cabinet and Miller XMT power source, the XR-Aluma-Pro provides a complete best-of-class aluminum welding system.
The XR-Aluma-Pro Gun is covered by Miller's True-Blue® one-year factory warranty. To download a product spec sheet, visit Miller's Web site at www.MillerWelds.com, call 1-800-4-A-MILLER (800-426-4553), fax 877-327-8132 or write to Miller Electric Mfg. Co., P.O. Box 100, Lithonia, GA 30058.
Miller Electric Mfg. Co. is a leading worldwide manufacturer of Miller brand arc welding equipment and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW).
