I teach at a smaller technology center in oklahoma, and i have a mix of lincoln and miller machines. All of mine are transformer type though, I would definitely have a mix of both inverters are great and use less space for your booths, the transformers are bigger but are still good machines and there are still a lot of them out in industry, I say mix it up, just use whatever will fit into your space the best, I am leaning toward the inverters just because of the space though, hope this was some help.

Hey Trimix,

I'll trade my problem for your problem!

If money is no object and the goal is to simply provide two powersources per booth you have a great opportunity.

More important than sticking with brand (which has more pluses than drawbacks in my book), is to have a good representation of the different variaties of powersources out there today.

If you have deep pockets you could consider some CC/CV powersources like Millers XMT series or Lincolns Invertec or DC-400. They provide Stick, DC GTAW as well as Fluxcore and GMAW-P, Put a new 74 series duel wire feeder on that pup and you can do alot of teaching. The Miller setup (with suped up duel wire feeders) lists just under 9 grand but Both Miller and Lincoln offer generous discounts for Schools. One machine provides everything but AC GTAW ( but hey how often is everybody going to be doing aluminum Tig at the same time?). Not many folks in industry need everything that machine offers but in a training setting its pretty nice.

My dream shop has some old crank CV units because your program graduates are going to be using them out there in industry just like some pipeliners are going to be using scratch start tig. So its nice to have a range of new and not so new technology to teach with.

Deltaweld is much less expensive and can still do GMAW, Fluxcore and CAC (again the duel wire feeders are nice if you can get them). Match those up with some Dynastys and Synchrowaves and that booth will be able to do just about anything.

My shop has a range from high to low end, more from necessity and the feast or fammine budget realities that colleges face. We have all the old technology and nobody gets to play with the shiney new ones until they understand the fundamentals on the old ones. I'm about 80% blue but must add that My 455 Powerwave and Precision Tig 375 are problem free.

Your night/non credit classes are going to want to be taught how to use those 110 migs so get a couple, but DON'T consider them in your count for workstations. Chain em to a cart and wheel em in the back so you won't have to look at them unless somebody asks for a demo.

For workstations you will want every Mig powersource to be able to provide Spray Transfer so thankfully that keeps you in the intermedeate and upper ranges. For AC/DC Stick/Tig powersources I don't think you can buy anything without at least square wave tig these days.

Consider a couple of Cobramatic Push-Pull units for your CV units as well. They work good and last a long time. (Lincoln and Miller push-pull units have adopted the Cobramatic style over the last few years for a reason)



What a fun challenge your going to have!

Keep us posted

Thanks everyone for your input. You have been helpful, very helpful.
I knew I could count on my fellow AWS members for help.

Here is what I currently plan to do. Please give me your thoughts.

We already have 4 Miller Invision 354s and 3 Dynasty 300 tigrunners.

8 booths will have a mix of Lincoln Invertec V350s and Miller XMT 350s
for
GMAW, SMAW-DC, GTAW-DC, FCAW.

The other 8 booths will each have AC/DC tig units along with a mig mach.
and feeder.

Probably will use Lincoln Precision tig 185 and Miller Syncrowave for 4
booths and the Dynasty’s I already have.

4 will have the Invisions & Dynastys I already have and the balance will be 1 Miller Delta-fab, 1 Lincoln CV400, each with four roll feeders, and 1 Lincoln Powermig 300 with Python push-pull, and 1 Millermatic 300.

I still have to choose two or three machines for our fab shop.

My choices so far should give me multi process in all 16 booths, with the exception of having AC/DC tig in only 8 booths, but I still have DC tig in
the other 8.

I feel very fortunate to have an opportunity such as this, so I want to get it right. I only have one shot

We are also getting a 12” Baldor pedestal grinder
A mitering head band saw
90 ton Scotchman ironworker
Hypertherm 1650 plasma with hand and machine torch
Miller 2050 plasma with hand and machine torch
Belt and disk sander.

2 years ago we got a Victor optical shape cutting machine.

We are set pretty well and our new shop should be ready by thanksgiving.

The chancellor here is all about image and he didn’t want old equip in
His new building. That’s good for us because we are using 30-year-old
Delta-welds, 13-year-old Hobart tigwave 250’s and who-knows-how-old dialarc 250s and Dialarc 250 HF.

Thanks again

Tri-mix

We purchased all Miller only becasue they are the best support it seems when you need warranty work and they show up right away!I have Miller Synchrowave 250s and Millermatic 251`s and dial arc 250`s in 15 booths and have another shop in Belle Glade ,Fl

Welding Technology (5460)

This program prepares the student for entry-level employment in a variety of occupations in the welding industry. The content includes, but is not limited to, communication skills, human relations, employability skills, safe and efficient work practices, reading blueprints, identifying metals and basic shop skills. Shop activities are an integral part of this program and provide instruction in the various processes and fabrication skills, including torch cutting, arc welding, MIG welding, Flux Core welding, TIG welding, pipe welding, certification test preparation, use of current industry standards, practices, and techniques.
Program Contact
Mike Calloway Phone
(561) 868-3547
Program Length
1170 hours or approximately one year

Admission Requirements
Students must:
Complete a College Application and
Take the Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) level D. Students who hold an AA degree or higher from an accredited institution need not take the TABE test. The TABE must be completed prior to registration. Remediation may be required prior to registration.

Registration
Students must register for each course in the Registrar's office by completing a Course Request Form. Course fees must be paid to the Cashier's office. Registration is on a space-available basis, so please register early. No registration confirmation is mailed. Report to class unless notified by the College of a change or cancellation. Please check each course description for prerequisite information prior to registering.

No high school diploma or GED required.
Completion Requirements
Successfully complete all of the courses in the program.

A Certificate of Program Completion will be awarded to all students who satisfy program requirements, including the state-required Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE) at the 9th level for math and 9th level for language and reading.

Approximate Cost of Program
$2,489 for Florida residents (includes books)

Salary Range
$20,000 - 30,000 annually
Program Offered
Off-site at West Tech Education Center, 2625 State Rd 715, Belle Glade - Night Program
Lake Worth Campus - Day Program
Lake Worth Campus - Night Program


Program Courses

PMT0108 Introduction to Welding 120 hours $ 204.00
PMT0109 Introduction to Welding II 120 hours $ 204.00
PMT0126 Shielded Metal Arc Welding 120 hours $ 204.00
PMT0127 Shielded Metal Arc Welding - Advanced 120 hours $ 204.00
PMT0147 Gas Metal Arc Welding 120 hours $ 204.00
PMT0143 Flux Core Arc Welding 120 hours $ 204.00
PMT0150 Gas Tungsten Arc Welding 120 hours $ 204.00
PMT0151 Gas Tungsten Arc Welding - Advanced 120 hours $ 204.00
PMT0167 Pipe Welding 120 hours $ 204.00
PMT0168 Pipe Welding - Advanced 90 hours $ 153.00

As the other fellas just stated in most of their posts you are definitely lucky. One thing that wasn't mentioned was ventilation, make sure that you have the best that can be had, remember, it's not only for your students, although they may not be so lucky as to have good ventilation when they actually go to work, it's more so for you because you may need to work in that environment for many years to come. In the facility that I teach at we utilize 2 Miller 8Packs for a number of the welding booths, 8 Miller XMT's for the rest of the arc welding booths, 4 Miller Syncrowave Pulse Tigs with Coolrunner pkgs. in dedicated gtaw booths, a mix of Deltaweld and CP302 Miller setups in another 6 wire booths. Nice thing is that you can use the 8Packs to work on scratch start tig if desired and also the XMT's for scratch start, lift arc, and variable output welding with the addition of thumb or slider controls. The XMT's also can be used directly with spoolguns and also equipped with Optima pendants if you desire to do pulse wire operations. By having a couple or more of the LN25 voltage sensing feeders or something comperable you can utilize any of your booths that are equipped with cc power sources or inverters to run innershield wires or any other type of wire other than aluminum on them. There is certainly a lot to be said for having some of the older stuff and a variety of different brands around when you are trying to train new welders, the main drawback that I have experienced with having multiple brands is that it requires a considerable amount of additional inventory when looking at things such as drive rolls, tips, nozzles and other types of periferals. One thing that I feel really helps when you are trying to deal with different controls on different machines is to stress to the students to look for arc and puddle charisteristics and not so much for specific number or symbol values on the various machines. Congratulations and good luck on your endeavor. Allan

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