Miller Trainers and Lincoln Welders

By chris.stowe Date 06-19-2019 13:46

I am planning to demo the Miller Live Arc Trainer to some of our CWIs. Our company uses a mix of miller, Lincoln and a few other welders (primary Lincoln and Miller). In my particular plant we use Lincoln welders. Will it make much of a difference to use Miller Live Arc Trainers and then weld on Lincoln equipment. My CWIs have told me that it shouldn't make much of a difference, and I trust them. The plant manager is having a hard time with training on Miller Trainers and then using Lincoln welders. What is the opinion here?

By Lawrence (*****)

Date 06-19-2019 17:10

It really depends on what exactly is the scope of your training with the Millers and also how you are using your Lincolns both in production and quality control

The Live Arc system is quite good and if you are looking at technique, (gun angle) and parameter control than you can probably program the Millers to perform in the parameter ranges (nearly) that your Lincolns are doing in production.

If you are using PowerWave platform Lincolns than Live Arc could training data could be compared to Lincoln Checkpoint cloud based data (if you are using it) and really get some bang.

If all this debate is simply over a demo? Just do it. It will be fun and open your eyes to some process control possibilities that can be gotten with either Lincoln or Miler data monitoring in production.

By chris.stowe Date 06-19-2019 20:17

It is for a demo. Great reply. I appreciate the feedback.

By TimGary (****)

Date 06-19-2019 17:14

The only confusing differences will be if you're using GMAW-P, as the transfer mode type names and pulse control setting names/numbers will be different.
For example, Miller Axcess machines have Pulse waveforms called Accu-Pulse, Accu-Curve, RMD, etc.
Lincoln has Rapid Arc, Rapid X, STT, etc.

For pulse controls Miller Axcess has Arc Adjust in range from 0-99, and Arc Control in range from 0-50.
Lincoln Power Wave has Trim in range from .50 to 1.50 and Wave Control in range from -10 to +10.

Option names on different power sources can change as well.
The point is that simple instruction to the Welders will be needed to clarify options and setting numbers.

By chris.stowe Date 06-19-2019 20:18

Great info. Those issues are something that I will have to take in to consideration.

By Jarhead1 (**)

Date 06-19-2019 20:45

Not sure why you would want to use Lincoln welder with a Miller configured system. Miller/Miller - Lincoln/Lincoln... Usually makes life less complicated.

-Good Luck

By chris.stowe Date 06-25-2019 12:47

I asked the same thing to our CWIs. Some of them agreed with that statement and some of them felt that brand name was immaterial when training work angel, travel speed, etc... the only difference would be machine set up between the two systems.