At Harald Noack Behälter-/Apparatebau & Schweißfachbetrieb in Horgenzell near Ravensburg, the new inverter generation from JESS Welding was put through its paces during a field test. The new “ProTIG²” TIG system from Jäckle & Ess System GmbH combines the familiar and robust JESS industrial design of the unit and the control system with the latest inverter technology. Company owner Harald Noack reports below on his experiences with the welding power source.
The company works with welding equipment from a wide range of manufacturers and was therefore selected as an independent tester for the field test from May to the beginning of July. The company welded high-alloyed chrome-nickel steels 1.4301 to 1.4571 (2 to 4 mm). Stainless steel tanks, flanges, nozzles and equipment parts were manufactured. The first impression? At first they were sceptical whether the small TIG unit could keep up with the performance of a larger single-phase unit: “I’m curious to see what the little thing can do,” says Noack.
“Innovation meets Tradition”
At 7.8 kg, the new “ProTIG²” is indeed a real lightweight among the single-phase TIG units. Noack finds the size and weight particularly advantageous. “The machine is perfect for mobile use,” Noack told us. The welding machine combines the tried-and-tested robust design with a stable aluminium housing with a new, service-friendly design of the power source. The machine components are fixed in place by means of new foam templates whose geometries exactly match the shape of the individual components. This protects them against impacts as well as dust and moisture. Another advantage is that the foam integrates the cable guides and the cooling system has defined air ducts, which lead to optimum guidance of the cooling air system. The advantages for the user are obvious: the unit is not only light and easily transportable, but also defies the often harsh working conditions, for example on an outdoor construction site. “Not only the housing of the ‘ProTIG²’ is robust, but also the internal construction,” Harald Noack marvelled.
The autodidactic control concept also speaks for itself, as setting up the welding parameters is intuitive and the clearly arranged pictograms and LEDs make the set parameters easy to follow and self-explanatory. “I am of the opinion ‘never touch a running system’ – it is not always absolutely necessary to revolutionise a well-functioning control concept,” Noack told us. Especially the training of new employees requires only a few minutes with the power source and is even self-explanatory for experienced TIG welders.
New ignition technology – stable arc
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But the new generation of inverters also scored well in other applications under several aspects. “The arc stability was extremely good and the ignition quality was also convincing. The machine ignited very accurately and reliably under all circumstances. Welding 2 to 3 m long welds worked without any problems, and that requires not only skill and concentration on the part of the welder, but also enduring equipment,” Noack told us. In his experience, air-cooled units of this size often fail in his applications due to overheating. Contrary to expectations, no overstressing of the machine could be detected with the “ProTIG²” during continuous welding of stainless steel containers. “Despite this punishing continuous load, the high-performance fans were able to reduce the high temperature. My expectations were definitely exceeded there,” Noack told us with conviction. The reason for the reliable and precise ignition is the newly developed ignition unit, because here it is now possible to specifically address the arc start and output the necessary energy in a dosed manner. Precise ignition is ensured by this method, especially with minimum currents of less than 10 A. When pulsing with the “ProTIG²”, the arc is particularly stable and point-directed thanks to the 35 kHz technology, and the arc is focussed even at 3 A and above. This results in narrow visible seams and significantly reduced component distortion due to less heat input.
Flexible use in any position
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Due to its size and weight, the “ProTIG²” is the ideal solution for numerous application areas such as the food and chemical industries, locksmith’s shops, maintenance, the construction industry as well as plant and pipeline construction. Especially on the assembly line – for small repairs or the production of larger constructions – the small TIG unit is perfectly suited. This is because the PFC module ensures insensitivity to mains fluctuations. Even with an extension cable of up to 100 m and operation on a power generator, the power source has its full performance. Since the system can work with all single-phase voltages available worldwide, it is also well equipped for international installation jobs. “The ‘ProTIG²’ is a faithful everyday companion in all situations of a TIG welder’s life,” Noack reported.
With it, JESS is launching a completely new machine concept developed at the Bad Waldsee site. The “ProTIG²” is a universal single-phase TIG welder with a mains voltage input of 90 to 280 V AC and also sets new standards from a manufacturing perspective by using previously unused manufacturing technologies. “The ‘ProTIG²’ is the perfect all-rounder for workshop and site alike, eight hours a day – full working day. And there is a market for that,” Harald Noack is convinced.
Harald Noack Behälter-/Apparatebau & Schweißfachbetrieb
Harald Noack Behälter-/Apparatebau & Schweißfachbetrieb The product portfolio ranges from small plants to complex plants such as heat exchangers, pressure vessels, production and process engineering plants and plant components as well as various vessels for the food industry. Due to the approval as manufacturer of pressure equipment according to AD 2000-Merkblatt HP0 and DIN EN ISO
3834-2, which is a prerequisite for the manufacture of pressure equipment in accordance with the Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU, the company offers a wide range of services.
offers a wide range of services. The seven qualified employees process different metals such as steel,
chrome-nickel steel and aluminium. Especially in the pressure vessel sector, the small business not only works for the German market,
but also manufactures for international companies. Noack and his team process over 20 t of raw material annually.
