Consorcio Metalúrgico Nacional SAS (Tubos Colmena), Colombia’s leader in the manufacture of structural and mechanical tube and pipe products since 1957, wanted to meet the growing demand from the local market and to increase productivity. Colmena invested in two Thermatool Solid State High Frequency (HF) Welders to improve operational performance, and as a bonus reduced operating costs because of improved electrical efficiency. Thermatool’s advanced HAZControlTM Technology (HCT) 300 kW HF Welder with selectable variable frequency was commissioned on July 1, 2021, and a Thermatool single cabinet Compact 150 kW HF Welder on November 27, 2021.
The HCT welder will enable Tubos Colmena to get precise weld heat input control and also store and recall tube welding recipes. This feature offers consistently optimized process parameters such as Power (Heat), Frequency (Heat Affected Zone Width), Vee Length, and Mill Speed, to deliver uniform and repeatable weld characteristics. HAZControlTM Technology allows tube and pipe producers to tailor their products to the exact specifications required by their customers. Precise weld heat input is the new global standard for HF Welding. The Thermatool Compact 150 kW HF Welder equipped with Electronic Load Matching was perfect for retrofitting and upgrading the second mill where the Thermatool vacuum tube welder had been in operation for over 40 years. The Compact welder is one of the most cost-effective upgrades available with a small footprint, fast installation, and commissioning.
Nicholas Gomez, Lines Production Manager at Colmena, noted that “the increase in mill productivity was immediate. Not only did this installation increase mill speed and reduce weld power, but also electrical efficiency has improved by over 20%. We are running faster and more reliably than ever before, with consistent and repeatable, precision welds. We were able to increase our speed from 45 MPM (meters per minute) at 5 MTPH (metric tons per hour) to 75 MPM at 8 MTPH.”
“Thermatool and Colmena have been working together for over 50 years transitioning from the old vacuum tube HF welding technology to our current solid-state HF induction welding technology”, said Victor Monreale, Latin American Sales Manager for Thermatool. “Thermatool maintains a strong Latin American presence as we continue to support all of our local customers in Central and South America.”
Alongside 70 years of experience in the tube and pipe industry, Thermatool offers an unmatched level of service. We have a global network of more than 50 service technicians who are on call 24/7/365 which makes it an easy decision for Thermatool customers, like Colmena, to continue partnering with Thermatool. Expanded remote and digital service tools are now proven and widely available using the Thermatool SuperVizorTM Headset. Additionally, Thermatool now offers online training to help operators run their equipment at continued peak performance with enhanced remote support tools.