Kemper America, our sister company, has introduced a highly effective air purifier that filters out all the harmful aerosols, viruses, and bacteria, from the air we breathe.
Quiet, safe, and eco-friendly, the AirCO2NTROL is ideal for use in a wide range of areas where people could be exposed to pathogens, including deadly viruses.
Kemper has 44 years of experience in the air purification industry. The company is a leading manufacturer of industrial welding exhaust systems and equipment. Their cutting-edge extraction technology keeps working environments safe from gases, fumes, and dust.
Their engineers designed the device to meet the exacting requirements of a 2020 scientific study that examined the best way to keep schools safe during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.
Besides schools and kindergartens, the new air purifier is ideal for:
Healthcare facilities including doctors’ surgeries and hospitals.
Customer service and retail trade and industry outlets.
Hospitality establishments including hotels and guest houses.
Sport and leisure facilities.
Food and beverage facilities including restaurants, bistros, bars, and cafés.
All public buildings.
How the AirCO2NTROL Air Purifier Works
A plug-and-play machine, the AirCO2NTROL air purifier operates continuously. Set it once and forget about it while it cleans the air permanently, 24/7.
The main high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter is 99.995% effective, filtering out bacteria and viruses, some of which are only 80 nanometers in size and invisible to the human eye.
Both the prefilter and main filter of the unit are certified for efficiency by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the German standards organization, DIN.
It ensures a reliable six-fold air volume exchange every hour in rooms up to 100 m2, and even more in smaller rooms. This is a critical factor specified in the scientific study mentioned above to significantly reduce the risk of infection from bacteria and viruses.
Features of the AirCO2NTROL Air Purifier
The new air purifier has many features that make it great for public spaces:
It is super-quiet with sound-pressure levels of 49 dB(A).
It incorporates an automatic motion sensor that means you don’t have to switch the unit on or off.
The six-fold air changes are thorough and get rid of the tiniest aerosols, even viruses that remain active in the air for as long as three hours.
The unit doesn’t use ozone or chemicals.
It offers the best filter technology available.
An optional UV-C filter inactivates viruses and bacteria and irradiates the main HEPA filter.
Get it, set it, forget it, and have peace of mind that your facility will remain safe and healthy. Contact Kemper America today to order.
There are various types of welding tables available for a wide range of jobs that utilize a variety of different metals. Important elements to consider are the material the top is made of, and the design of the table.
The most popular tops for welding tables in professional workshops are carbon steel and several aluminum alloys. Your choice will depend on the metal (or metals) you and your employees will be working with. If you are working with carbon steels (including mild steel that, by definition contains between 0,15 and 0,35 percent carbon) then a carbon steel top is ideal. But if you are working with stainless steel, a welding table with an aluminum-copper alloy top will be a much better option. If you work with both types of metal, it’s best to have designated tables with a suitable top for each.
There are different types of stainless steel, but one thing they have in common is a percentage of the metal element chromium, that gives the metal its shiny appearance and prevents it from rusting. To be classified as stainless steel, metal must contain at least 10 percent chromium, but it often contains more.
Even though you can use the same welding processes when working with carbon steel and stainless steel, the latter is a lot more difficult to work with than carbon steels and it is a lot more expensive, largely because of its chromium content.
Aluminum and copper are both soft, non-ferrous metals. An aluminum-copper alloy is non-ferritic (containing no iron), yet sufficiently hard to form a safe surface or base for the professional processing and welding of stainless steel.
Benefits of Using an Aluminum-Copper Welding Table for Stainless Steel
For quality stainless steel processing it is essential that all ferritic materials are avoided. If a ferritic material like carbon steel is used, any scratches on the surface of the welding table, or adhesion to the stainless steel work piece, can cause corrosion and pitting.
A suitable aluminum-copper alloy will have high tensile strength, with a low surface hardness that won’t cause any ferritic scratches or pitting. Additionally, the surface has high thermal conductivity that prevents spatter from attaching to the welding table surface, and potentially risking damage to the work piece.
A good quality aluminum-copper alloy welding table will incorporate the best possible design features, including a clamping system and rails that are also non-ferritic.
Design Features to Look for When Buying Aluminum-Copper Alloy Welding Tables
All Forster welding tables feature T-slot tops that allow for 3D positioning and clamping of work pieces. This means that the table surface is only partially covered and parts of the work piece can be positioned so that they stick out of the otherwise vertical surface, enabling welders to access critical areas and every possible angle on the work piece. Not only does this make the working process easier and quicker, but fewer clamping elements are needed, and T-slot positions are further protected from welding spatter.
The best designs incorporate modular rails that are interchangeable and enable welders to work with absolute accuracy and produce the best quality work possible. Clamping plungers are made of bronze (which is also a copper alloy) and additional clamping elements and accessories, including copper rails, are available to extend and reinforce structures.
Contact us online or via email for more information about Forster welding tables for quality stainless steel welding.
Welding tables are an essential item in any welding workshop. But while a straightforward workbench-type table made of mild steel might work for a weekend handyman, modular welding tables are the answer for any professional workshop.
About Modular Welding Tables
Modular welding tables, like any modular units, are designed with standardized dimensions that make their use incredibly flexible, improving the welding operation. Some parts may be interchanged or combined with others, in different ways, adding to their versatility.
The best modular welding tables provide welders with unlimited options for custom welding – for any type of project.
Forster America modular welding tables incorporate cast iron (or an aluminum/copper alloy) in slatted table surfaces with 100 mm wide spaces between the rails. The surface of these tables can move and be adjusted to whatever position is best for precision welding of different parts of a work piece, however big or small. For total flexibility these modular welding tables support various combinations of vertical turntables, lift tables, and horizontal rotary tables. So with just a few basic components it is possible to achieve unlimited options for custom welding.
3D modular welding tables are designed specifically to hold 3D welding components and accessories, creating a flexible system that is infinite. They have a T-slot design so that the slats can be adjusted to accommodate the accessories and various components. The design also allows for the size of the table to be adjusted before or during the welding process.
One of the most popular components used with T-slot welding tables is the 3D clamping system. Both the table and try square used with it are manufactured to the most precise standards that comply with the so-called “fine” requirements of ISO 2768 T2 that prescribes general tolerances for both linear and angular dimensions. Individual table surface rails have a tolerance of about 0.05 mm which makes them interchangeable and reliable.
Additional modules for custom welding using a Forster America modular welding table include shelves and tool racks that may be attached to the table or to the wall alongside the modular table. Other modules include magnetic panels that may be positioned at a slope, socket strips, lighting, and various swivel arms with different supports.
Benefits of Modular Welding Tables
The highest cost in welding is the downtime that is associated with pre-production, particularly for projects where dimensions and angles must be absolutely precise. Where the welder doesn’t have the advantage of a versatile modular welding table, measuring, aligning, correcting, and often having to mechanically rework a piece can be incredibly time consuming – and by implication, time wasting.
Apart from the ability modular welding tables afford in terms of flexibility of position, grey cast iron Forster America modular welding tables have a low expansion point. This means that there is minimal effect when they are exposed to heat. As the surface ages, it becomes darker, and increasingly resistant to splatter (or flash) from welding material sticking to the surface. This further reduces cleaning time and improves productivity.
So if you are serious about completing welding products efficiently and quickly, contact us for more details and pricing.
How 3-D modular welding equipment improves working conditions and output
This article was originally published on and for TheFabricator.com by Michelle Howell of Forster America
Despite continued growth in the number of female welders, only 24 percent of today’s welders are women. Opportunities abound as employers struggle to find skilled welders. Advanced welding equipment, such as 3-D modular tables and clamping systems, can make welding a more attractive, feasible career option for females.
As long as females weld correctly and have the required certifications, they can achieve substantial success in the field. Nevertheless, according to the Precision Manufacturing Institute (PMI), which is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges, only about 24 percent of welders are women. While this is a significant increase from the less than 5 percent the PMI estimates were employed in 2016, it still leaves a lot of room for growth.
Only a small percentage of U.S. welders are females, largely because the industry is perceived to be suitable only for men. But the truth is, with innovative, cutting-edge equipment, the women welding alongside men are achieving the same high-tech standards as their male counterparts.
So, why aren’t more females applying for and getting welding jobs?
Why More Women Aren’t Welders
Historically, blue-collar jobs that involve manual labor have been dominated by men. Women, on the other hand, traditionally were employed in white-collar jobs, often in administrative positions, or as teachers, nurses, or seamstresses for two main reasons:
Women generally stayed at home and looked after the household, while men were the breadwinners.
Manual jobs, in general, were considered risky, if not downright dangerous.
Welding does come with dangers, not only from the risks associated with fumes, dust, and other pollutants in the air, but also because it involves working with electricity and gas, often in small spaces, at heights, and sometimes in water. Back and muscle strain also are concerns as welders have to bend and twist themselves into strange positions to reach hard-to-access areas.
While different welding jobs entail working with different types of equipment, the initial safety precautions for all welders, male or female, include proper training, wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and using suitable ventilation systems.
Currently, the U.S. is facing a shortage of qualified people to fill welding jobs. In the 2017 IndustryWeek Salary Survey, welding was ranked as one of the jobs that is hardest to fill because so many industries require welders. This fact alone should help make welding a very attractive career option for anyone.
As is the case with male welders, the right skills and targeted experience increase the likelihood of females succeeding as welders. Providing them with appropriate training and high-tech, 3-D modular welding equipment can enhance the possibility for success and lead to higher salaries and increased career opportunities.
How 3-D Equipment Can Help Women Welders Succeed
For decades, designers have created ergonomic equipment for offices and homes, helping people avoid skeletal and muscular injuries by sitting correctly. High-tech welding equipment also enables those doing strenuous metalwork to maintain ergonomic positions and avoid injury.
Ergonomics combined with easy adjustments are key to top-quality welding equipment, particularly welding tables that can be modified to accommodate custom clamping and those that have lift and tilt or pivoting functions that operate with hydraulics.
Combined with various rotary tables, turntables, and lift tables, they simplify welding jobs, helping to make the process more efficient and, ultimately, faster.
If a welding table cannot be raised and lowered or adjusted to different positions, the welder might have to do the work manually on a static horizontal surface. To do this, she needs a certain degree of physical strength, as well as an ability to bend and literally contort her body to get to the exact points that need to be welded. But if welding equipment can be manipulated to make cutting, clamping, and joining the metal less likely to cause injury, the job can be done more quickly and downtime minimized.
With the right equipment, the welder doesn’t have to be strong, and there is absolutely no need to strain. This makes special welding tables and 3-D equipment particularly well-suited for use by females, but all welders benefit.
The optimal welding manipulator can be adjusted in height from about 2 ft. 7½ in. to 3 ft. 11¼ in., rotated by 360 degrees, and tilted to an angle up to 45 degrees. Both tilt and lift functions rely on hydraulics for movement, so the welder can change the table’s position without risking any strain.
Once the table is in the correct position, the workpiece can be clamped using a vacuum clamping system so that every bit of metal to be joined is easily accessible. Clamps also can be used with 3-D workpieces, which would otherwise be more challenging for anyone to weld.
So, whether you are a female welder or you employ them, there is a good case for using 3-D modular welding equipment. Not only is job setup easier and quicker, but the all-important bottom line is positively affected by improved efficiency.
In the days when welding was still a traditional craft, the welder’s most well-kept secret was his jigs. These were usually custom-made and then either welded to the worktable or attached using various welding fixtures, including regular clamps and vices of various types.
Jigs were (and still are) used to shape and bend metal, and for the assembly of specific designs. The primary purpose of a jig is to improve accuracy and enable the welder to replicate the manufacturing of a design repeatedly. But unlike a fixture that provides a secure mounting for the workpiece, and moves relative to it, a jig stays still and allows the workpiece to move.
Welding engineering demands quality that is consistently high coupled with maximum productivity and so the design of both jigs and high tech welding fixtures has improved dramatically over the past 25 years.
Traditionally jigs were used on a flat surface, so when complicated 3D designs were welded, there were additional challenges for the welder. Today, sophisticated modular welding tables, including those that lift and tilt, can be used with a range of innovative jigs and welding fixtures that ultimately improve quality and consistency of workmanship, and reduce production time, which in turn reduces costs.
Of course, the type of welding fixtures used will depend on what is being manufactured. So, for instance, if tanks are being constructed, the jigs and fixtures will need to have the ability to rotate components during the welding process. The equipment used should also be versatile so that it can be used to manufacture different sized tanks.
Workpiece positioners like turn-tilt modular welding tables are commonly used for both manual and robotic welding. There are many different designs that can accommodate different types of workpieces that might weigh anything from just a few pounds or kilos to several hundred tons. While the tilting axis of a turn-tilt table will also depend on its design, it could tilt about 135 degrees and turn by 365 degrees. Some can be adjusted hydraulically.
Forster America’s Ergonomic Welding Fixtures
Leaders in the manufacture of ergonomic welding fixtures, Forster’s specialist products include:
Frame railing fixtures
Railing welding fixtures
A unique vacuum clamping system
Additionally, they offer a range of special welding jigs.
Frame railing fixtures
These welding fixtures enable welders to adjust workpieces on all four sides of the frame. The frame fixture can be swiveled to between 225 and 360 degrees, depending on the components being welded, so that the top and bottom of the workpiece are also accessible.
Suitable for both manual and robotic welding, most of Forster’s frame railing fixtures feature pneumatic load balancing and locking brakes, except for the largest 4500 model, which is motoric.
Railing welding fixtures
Intended for the production of railings, these railing welding fixtures accommodate workpieces ranging in height from 450 mm to 1200 mm that can rotate 360 degrees. They feature pneumatic load balancing and can reduce production time by as much as 50 percent.
Special welding jigs
Forster America’s special welding jigs are intended for frame constructions and large 3D assemblies. They are set at ergonomic working height and can be operated hydraulically or electrically.
All these welding fixtures and jigs have been designed for use with the company’s unique modular welding tables, to provide the best possible solutions for all welding jobs, big and small.
How a Kansas-based aerospace company launched a welding department to better serve customers – By Katie Pacheco for AWS Welding Journal
Ultra-Tech Aerospace (UTA) didn’t always conduct its own in-house welding. A provider of manufacturing and distribution services to the commercial and defense aerospace industries, the Kansas-based company opened its doors in 1983 and originally catered to two businesses.
“I think they were successful being a niche supplier for two primary customers, and doing a very good job for those customers,” said Joseph Kane, UTA’s director of operations.
The family-owned business was purchased in 2013 by IBT Industrial Solutions, Merriam, Kans., but continued to operate as a separate division of IBT Aerospace. In 2015, the two corporate bodies joined forces under the name Ultra-Tech Aerospace. The merger has allowed UTA to expand its offerings and do more with greater efficiency and quality.
“Our parent company is modernizing processes and bringing in some more capital so we can upgrade, improve equipment, and continue to be a good supporter for our customers going forward,” explained Kane. “They also introduced a lot of new customers, so we became diversified to more than just the two primary customers we had in the old days.”
Today, the AS9100-certified company has 48 employees and serves more than 20 customers, the majority of which are associated with the aerospace industry. Aerospace military contracts for ground support equipment are UTA’s bread and butter. Some of its services include custom machine shop capabilities (e.g., milling, honing, grinding, assembly, etc.) as well as distribution of precision bearings and fittings for aerospace applications. According to Kane, what makes UTA stand out from other suppliers is its emphasis on engineering solutions and dedicated program management.
Ultra-Tech Aerospace, Kansas City, Kans., has built a 500-sq-ft welding department to conduct its own in-house welding instead of outsourcing jobs. The new endeavor is slated to improve lead times and reduce costs.
The company also separates itself from the crowd through its willingness to pursue different ventures. Most recently, after outsourcing its welding projects for decades, UTA decided to go out on a limb and try something new by adding in-house welding to its repertoire of services.
“There’s a certain skills set that we have in this building that’s hard to find, on the machine side. Ultra-Tech, even when it was a mom and pop shop, has always done a good job of retaining that skills set and making sure we have the best machinists in town. Now we’re trying to take our culture, our business model, and apply it to a new process, which is welding,” said Kane.
By creating a welding department, and getting it accredited, the company hopes to better serve the aerospace businesses that take advantage of its welding services.
“A great deal of the products we’re making for our customers are outsourced to various approved welders. By launching this welding department, by having that capability added to our tool belt, we’ll be able to support those customers better because we can do all of it in-house and not send it out for someone else to do,” said Kane.
Although the endeavor has not come without obstacles, UTA is now letting sparks fly in-house at its fully operational aerospace welding department.
Breaking New Ground: Inside UTA’s Welding Department
Ultra-Tech Aerospace began the process of launching a welding department from scratch about a year ago. Although its location has changed several times, the 500-sq-ft welding space is now located inside UTA’s warehouse (see lead photo). It houses two watercooled Miller Dynasty® 280 gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) machines and three Millermatic® 350P gas metal arc welding (GMAW) machines.
Fig. 1 — Ultra-Tech Aerospace’s welding department is set up with two fixture tables as well as several GTAW and GMAW machines.Fig. 2 — Ultra-Tech Aerospace utilizes its rotating table (in blue) for handrail and large-frame builds.
It also contains two Förster 1108 fixture tables with copper-aluminum alloy tabletop bars (Fig. 1) as well as one Förster 4400 custom three-phase electric rotating table (Fig. 2).
“The capability these tables have is amazing,” said Liana Payne, UTA’s welding process supervisor. “I have been talking about adapting the rotating table to hold the same tabletop bars as the flat tables. The rotating table is primarily for handrail and larger-frame builds.”
The department is also looking into purchasing fume extraction and filtration devices, plus a Miller Dynasty® 800 GTAW machine.
This includes setting up the space to comply with the stringent standards required in the aerospace industry. For example, Payne keeps everything color coded and separated according to metal type and grouping, such as the tungsten holder, abrasives container, and filler metal container. This helps eliminate metal cross contamination, which can impact the finished product’s performance.
The welding shop also has a designated cleaning space for small metal parts, as well as a fire container for used cleaning rags. Payne asserts that the cleaning and prepping requirements for aerospace applications are stricter than those found throughout the welding industry. When she receives the parts from UTA’s machining shop, she makes sure to properly clean all base metals prior to welding using denatured alcohol, or Weld-O preweld cleaner when working with aluminum parts.
Fig. 3 — This 4130 normalized chromium-molybdenum aero adapter for the military was built by UTA in-house using pulsed GTAW at 1.5 pulses per second.
Another vital part of the new welding department is Payne herself, the company’s only welder. She has 20 years of experience in the welding industry, and has spent some time as a welding inspector under the tutelage of an American Welding Society Senior Certified Welding Inspector. In the year she has been with UTA, Payne has played an integral role, along with Kane, in helping the welding department get up and running.
After prepping the base materials, Payne then welds according to the welding procedure specification. Although UTA’s welding department sees a variety of metals, its most commonly welded metal is aluminum, and its most-utilized process is GTAW.
Fig. 4 — Pictured is a 6061-T6 aluminum steering bar that Ultra-Tech Aerospace GTA welded in-house for a military application.Fig. 5 — This 17-4PH® stainless steel forklift pocket for carrying spreader bars was built in-house by UTA with the GTAW process.Fig. 6 — Made of 0.051-in. 6061-T6 aluminum tube, this support arm was GTA welded for military use.
Some of the components welded inhouse include chromium-molybdenum aero adaptors, which are utilized for military applications — (Fig. 3). Before Payne took over the department, about 200 aero adaptors were shipped for outside welding. Since then, she has welded approximately ten aero adaptors, each consisting of three individual parts. The department has also welded aluminum steering bars for a military application (Fig. 4), stainless steel forklift pockets for lifting a spreader bar setup (Fig. 5), and aluminum support arms for military use (Fig. 6).
Approximately 20 welding contracts have been completed in-house since the inception of UTA’s aerospace welding department one year ago.
“We’re not doing a lot of welding, but we’re working toward that…The only materials we are working with right now are aluminum, carbon steel, and stainless steel, so we’re not pushing a lot of volume through here yet,” said Kane. “The way our customers work, each of them has to come by and approve our process before we can start working for them, so the launch of the program is a slow and tedious process, but we’re moving along.”
The Next Stage: Nadcap Accreditation
Even though the welding department is operational and taking on projects, UTA is still outsourcing 30 to 35 welding jobs per year, but this will change once it passes its National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program (Nadcap) audit, which is scheduled for Dec. 9.
In the meantime, UTA is still able to perform welding for some companies because it is conditionally approved for Nadcap Class B ground support.
“We are currently welding in-house when we are authorized to do so. We have customers who allow us to do welding for them, and we have customers waiting for us to get Nadcap approved first,” explained Kane.
The company recently conducted an internal audit to prepare for its Nadcap audit and discovered a few areas that need to be improved. Having never been through a Nadcap audit before, the rigorous process has been a learning experience for the team. However, they are proud of both the progress they have made and the highend welds that are being produced.
“We have the standards and we understand the expectations, but getting through an audit and making sure you’re meeting Nadcap expectations is challenging if you’ve never done it before,” said Kane. “We’re a little unsure of ourselves in certifying this process, but there’s no doubt about the work we’re putting out the door. The welds are extremely high quality and the machine shop is making good parts.”
After the December audit, UTA will have 30 days to implement any recommended changes, so the department is expected to be Nadcap accredited in January 2020.
Looking back at the long accreditation process, Kane wishes they didsome things differently to facilitate and expedite the process. His recommendation to others pursuing accreditation is to work with an experienced person or third-party consultant.
“My advice would be to find someone who has done this before. Liana and I have been figuring things out as we go along. Working with someone who’s been through the Nadcap process and understands the expectations would have been quicker and easier,” he said.
However, Payne is hopeful UTA’s experience will serve as a roadmap for other companies that want to become Nadcap accredited.
“I think it’s going to be a tremendous benefit for the aerospace community as we continue to build this and demonstrate how you take a company with no welding experience and get them Nadcap certified,” she said.
The hard work put into the welding department will be especially beneficial for UTA and is expected to herald many positive changes. For instance, it’s slated to help the company save money by reducing the amount of welding projects it outsources. It may also allow UTA to expand its offerings and churn out high-quality projects at a faster rate.
“This will make our relationship with customers stronger because we’ll be more of a one-stop shop. By welding in house, our lead times will drop as much as a month on any major project because we won’t have to ship it out and get into somebody else’s schedule,” explained Kane. “By being able to support our customer with shorter lead times and reduced costs, I have no doubt that it will bolster the company by bringing in quite a bit more work.”
To handle the increased work volume, Kane plans to hire a new welder sometime next year. He also predicts other departments within the company may need to hire as many as five new employees in the future to manage the additional workload.
Tackling Aerospace Hurdles
As UTA’s welding department continues to expand with increased demand, it has come upon several obstacles unique to the aerospace industry.
For instance, according to Payne, UTA may have to invest in an expensive welding machine for thick aluminum applications to avoid having to purchase helium, which is currently a high-cost shielding gas due to its shortage.
“Unfortunately, helium gas is extremely difficult to get ahold of and virtually impossible for a new company in our position that’s not on a contract with a gas provider, so that’s proven to be very challenging,” explained Payne. “I can’t get it, and it is so valuable in high-end welding. It is very challenging working around that.”
Another hurdle the company will likely encounter deals with the lack of skilled welders. This workforce shortage is particularly felt in the aerospace industry where welds are held to a higher standard. When the time comes to hire another welder for the new welding department, Payne predicts it may prove difficult to find someone with the appropriate knowledge and skills.
“Finding ‘the right’ people is a huge challenge for all high-end welding,” she affirmed.
Flying into the Future
Like the famous science-fiction writer Douglas Adams said, “Flying is learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.” Although UTA has experienced challenges on its yearlong journey toward launching a Nadcap-accredited aerospace welding department, the company is producing high-quality welds and is slated to reduce costs, improve lead times, and increase revenue once the department takes full flight after its Nadcap audit. Additional expansions are expected in the future as the welding department continues to grow to meet the new demands.
“It’s always going to be improving and getting better,” affirmed Kane.
To learn more about Ultra-Tech Aerospace, visit utaero.com
This article and images are property of Ultra-Tech and AWS Magazine
Forster 3D Welding Systems has a long, successfully history that includes a number of prestigious awards for their innovative, world-class products.
Forster America caters for a wide range of industries, from aviation, and automotive and transportation industries, to construction-orientated industries that manufacture frames, doors, and windows, as well as railings, fences, and gates.
Top achievements of the company in terms of awards include:
VR Förderpreis Handwerk, a promotional award made annually by the Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken Cooperative Financial Group
The Bavarian State Prize in 1997 (gold medal)
The Bavarian State Prize in 2002 (gold medal)
The Bavarian Federal Prize in 2011
The prestigious Bavarian State Prizes are awarded by the Bavarian State Government’s Ministry of Economic Affairs in Germany for highly creative and technologically advanced performance in “craft trades.”
Historically, craft trades were professions that required specific knowledge and skills to undertake and achieve. Recipients nowadays are leading companies that have achieved innovative cutting-edge solutions.
The awards are presented at the annual International Industry and Craft Fair in Munich (IHM) in recognition of outstandingly innovative achievements in various categories including trade, industry, commerce, and services. Generally, recognition is an acknowledgment that the companies that receive the awards are very likely to have long-term economic success.
This is certainly true for Forster America.
The Federal Prize
The most recent award received by Forster 3D Welding Systems was the Federal Prize awarded in 2011 for the company’s railing welding gauge designed for double-sided welding with a bar division.
The award, which includes a cash prize of 5,000 euros was first presented in 1989.
The Bavarian State Prize
Forster 3D Welding Systems was first awarded the Bavarian State Prize Gold Medal in 1997 for the “Forster Welding Table as a construction kit and clamping system for T-slot system.”
Forster’s innovative 3D modular welding tables feature a hugely versatile T-slot tabletop that allows welders to work with the equally innovative 3D clamping system.
The T-slots on the table surface can be adjusted so that components can be used to prepare for under undertake precision welding. The clamping system incorporates a wide range of elements including angles and supports, clamping arms and columns, as well as stops.
Forster won the Bavarian State Prize Gold Medal a second time in 2002. This time it was awarded for the innovative ErgoFix Manipulator, which is an ergonomic rotating, lifting, and tilting welding fixture.
Essentially a very sophisticated welding table, the ErgoFix can be rotated 360 degrees, tilted to 45 degrees, and it is infinitely adjustable in terms of height. Apart from the fact that it enables welders to access every part of the workpiece being welded, it ensures that users maintain an ergonomic posture while they work. Not only is this the best option for good health, but it also encourages optimal welding results.
The VR Prize
This prize is awarded by Volksbanken Raiffeisenbanken Cooperative Financial Group to companies that “do an excellent job as an employer to strengthen their region.” The award is in the form of a loan that is intended to promote the business.
It was also awarded for the “Forster Welding Table as a construction kit and clamping system for T-slot system.”
Forster America’s Award-Winning Products Are Available for Your Welding Business
If you want to improve the equipment in your welding workshop, Forster America’s 3D modular welding tables, 3D clamping system, and ErgoFix Manipulator are a good place to start.
If you’re searching for the very best welding tables available in the US, you’ll need to consider the materials used to build them, the finish of the table, as well as design elements.
Generic advantages that indicate superior quality include:
Good surface hardness
Anti-corrosiveness
Spatter resistance
Overall durability
Substantial load capability
In addition to these essential qualities, versatility and an ability to accommodate fixtures and accessories are vital. The ideal will provide a precise method of creating an assembly together with the best stops and clamping fixtures.
Forster’s welding tables are tough, anti-corrosive, and exceptionally durable with good surface hardness. Made from gray cast iron or an aluminum-copper alloy, they can support loads of up to 1.5 tons and 1 ton respectively.
Gray cast iron is an excellent material for welding surfaces because it is highly resistant to spatter, minimizing cleanup time. As the cast iron ages, it becomes even more resistant. The high thermal conductivity of the aluminum-copper alloy also ensures a surface that resists spatter. Additionally, while surface hardness is low, the tensile strength of the metal is high and it doesn’t result in ferritic scratches in stainless steel welding – which is where the alloy tables are so useful.
Forster America’s T-Slot System
Forster America’s 3D welding tables feature a T-slot system that allows welders to open up portions of the surface to accommodate parts of a 3D work piece, clamps, and other pieces of equipment. The rails themselves are positioned 100 mm apart. They are also modular and interchangeable, which enables welders to work with critical accuracy.
Traditional welding tables are flat and solid, and they don’t open up in any way. Some feature surfaces with regular chamfered holes that form a grid pattern, sometimes with regular slots between the plates. While these are invaluable for fixing clamps and other equipment accessories, they have limited adjustability. Forster’s T-slot system, on the other hand, is highly versatile and adaptable. It also minimizes downtime, because the system negates the need for constant measuring, re-measuring, correcting, aligning and re-aligning, even the need to mechanically rework components because of mistakes. It simply makes the welding process a lot easier.
The T-slot system is undoubtedly the best solution when welding containers and casings because the metal being welded can be freely positioned right through the table. What this means is that it is possible to access each and every inch of the work piece without using as many clamping elements as would be required with other grid-type welding table systems.
Forster America welding equipment also includes a range of cutting-edge lift tables, vertical turntables, and horizontal rotary tables, all of which can be used with the T-slot system to create custom solutions for even the most challenging welding jobs.
If you want to know more about Forster America’s superior T-slot system, including pricing, contact us now.
Forster America manufactures the very best frame welding tables that minimize downtime by providing a versatile system that can be adjusted quickly and accurately.
The company’s frame welding tables are manufactured in a range of sizes that are maximized for different uses. For instance:
The lightest table available for frame welding has a maximum frame size of 2.5 m x 3 m and will take a maximum load of 100 kg.
The largest, heaviest table has a maximum frame size of 3 m x 4 m and will take double the load of the lightest table.
A 3 m x 4 m frame size that is ideal for overleaf welding of large pieces. While it also accepts a maximum load of 200 kg it provides a pivot that will enable the frame to turn up to 225 degrees. It also incorporates two movable racks that are parallel to one another.
While the larger tables feature electric motorized drives, the lighter one doesn’t. Similarly, while the larger tables have highly defined clamping corners that are acutely adjustable, the smaller table relies on a roll-guided profile-guidance system. Only the two bigger frame welding tables are suitable for robotic use.
The leading features of Forster frame welding tables enable welders to adjust the length and width of the frames to be welded. Because of the ergonomic design, they can be moved in various ways, it is possible to weld the workpiece on all sides without the welder having to bend or stretch into uncomfortable positions.
How Forster Frame Welding Tables Work
In a nutshell, Forster frame welding tables can be quickly adjusted and moved to the exact position required for any welding job. The corners can be clamped in different ways, and other elements can be shifted in relation to a fixed axis. Rails are positioned at right-angles to one another and they can be moved using a double-gear motorized drive that can be adjusted accurately using digital counters.
Movable carriages that carry (or move) other parts into the required position are permanently set on the rails and connected via a belt drive. This ensures total accuracy as the rails are guaranteed to stay in a perpendicular position while they move, and remain in this position throughout the welding process.
The tables that utilize an electric motor drive can be adjusted with program control. However, the frame welding gauge enables the tables to pivot utilizing pneumatic load balancing so that the table can be flipped without an electric motor drive.
The unique suspension of Forster frame welding tables allows frames with a width of up to 2.5 m to be turned. Any imbalance that might result is compensated for by a functional pneumatic cylinder and pedestal.
The support base of these versatile tables offers perfect support for frame welding, and the clamps at the corners can be adapted for a wide variety of designs. Also, the corner clamps can be moved so that they remain parallel and are guided in both axes by rollers. Measurements are stamped on the frame of the table so that the clamps and rails can be positioned exactly where required.
If you would like to know more about the top features offered by Forster frame welding tables, or you’d like to order one or more for your welding business, contact us now.
carbon steel and several aluminum alloys. Your choice will depend on the metal (or metals) you and your employees will be working with. If you are working with carbon steels (including mild steel that, by definition contains between 0,15 and 0,35 percent carbon) then a carbon steel top is ideal. But if you are working with stainless steel, a welding table with an 
