1	What do these firms have in common?
2	Finding a Microwelding Service Provider Teaming with the right provider can make all the difference for a mold shop. The relationship between industry giant Nypro and Advanced Technical Welding (ATW) is one example of how a large molder can team successfully with a microwelding service provider. Nypro-Asheville provides injection molded products and services to customers in the healthcare, and consumer packaging industries. ATW provides microwelding services to the Injection molding industry, and microwelding is the sole focus of ATW’s business.
3	Advanced Technical Welding Facility in Etowah, NC
4	Key Attributes of Desirable Microwelding Service Provider QUALITY DELIVERY COST
5	Quality A few years ago many mold shops had a “no weld” policy because the preheating and welding techniques employed resulted in large, unsightly welds that had a tendency to fail. Advances in welding technology led to the technique known as microwelding. Now most large molders, like Nypro, outsource this work to microwelding service providers, such as ATW, primarily because of the assurance that the job will be done correctly the first time.
6	Delivery Items to be repaired by microwelding are essential to the injection molding process and must be returned to the mold shop quickly, often on the same day. Many times there are no spares available because such items are high cost and have a relatively short useful life before being made obsolete by newer designs. Making a new item is not an attractive option because it would require much more time than microwelding repair.
7	Cost The amount of the invoice from the microwelding service provider should be competitive with that charged by similar firms, but that cost may not be the most important element. The cost of having a production line shut down while waiting for the repair of a key part can easily run to thousands of dollars a day. The right microwelding service provider can make the difference between a one-day turnaround and a five-day turnaround!!
8	Selection of a Microwelding Service Provider ATW, for example: Has a committed team of skilled welders Performs accurate microwelding operations under laboratory-like conditions on customer-provided mold inserts in need of repair What does repair involve? Typical part is a high-cost or hard-to-replace item that has been worn or damaged. Repair of this item is inhibited until precisely the right amount (often measured in thousands of an inch) of the correct weld material is applied to the worn/damaged area. When microwelding is complete, the item is returned to the customer for the machining needed to complete the repair
9	Nypro Tool Room Manager Donnie Eliot (left) and ATW President Doug Salkewicz confer at ATW In the words of Donnie Elliot, “The one thing that we appreciate most about ATW is how dedicated they are. We’ve been working with them for 17 years now, and when needed, even on nights or weekends, they’ve never let us down.”
10	Key Elements For potential microwelding service providers, microwelding should be the core business. Networking with your counterparts could help to locate quality providers Providers need not be local since overnight delivery service is available nationwide. Personal visit to the facility is a must!
11	Why a Personal Visit? Element of risk in any new relationship. In this case the risks are: Excessive repair time Shortened part life due to poor workmanship Worst case – critical part damaged beyond repair
12	Management Qualities to Look For: Ability to communicate about where weld is needed and why Staff of experienced welders who are sufficiently skilled and numerous Capable of initiating multiple jobs upon arrival and providing same-or next-day turnaround Ability to analyze issues and recommend time-saving alternatives including the ability to apply microwelding techniques as an alternative to many machining processes Continuing education program on: Effects of heat on welds Common and problematic tool steels Non-ferrous metals and new materials Atmosphere of quality control, especially regarding weld sink and thermal distortion
13	Facility Qualities to Look for: Heat treatment area: End use of item sometimes requires heat treatment. Large furnace with accurate control of time and temperature required. Sufficient welding stock on hand to match the base metals used by moldmakers: Color Texture Hardness Other variables Machine shop capable of making jigs, fixtures, and components
14	Qualities to Look for in Individual Staff Members: Basic welding practices Surface preparation Clean Degreased Deoxidized Preheating Diminish brittleness Reduce weld hardness, residual stress, and sink
15	Staff Qualities - Continued Know appropriate filler material Minimize cracks Maximize mold life Evaluate demands on tool to be repaired In general, match chemical composition of base metal. Know when to use different filler materials, for example, when excessive wear suggests need for harder material.
16	Typical part to be welded Before
17	Staff Qualities - Continued Be able to place weld in complex shapes and sizes within tolerance Be able to prevent, control, and eliminate distortion caused by welding process Be able to work in hard-to-reach places on thin blades or in other adverse conditions Have seniority because: Many years required to attain skill level that gets results without compromising the integrity and longevity of welded component. Acquiring the moldmaking and metallurgy background to apply the most effective solution is also a lengthy process.
18	Summary Welding is no longer a crude, last-ditch effort to repair or modify a mold component. Microwelding is a proven process that provides a moldmaker with cost savings due to decreased downtime and increased tool life. Your mold shop might benefit from teaming with a quality microwelding service provider in much the same way that Nypro has teamed with ATW. ATW’s Doug Salkewicz can be reached at: 871-711-9595 (toll free) 828-891-3866 doug@atwnc.com