What is a Diesel Engine Welder?
Diesel welders, Engine welders, Diesel engine welders, Engine welding machines.These are just some names that are used interchangeably to describe welding machines that are powered by a diesel engine. Engine welders play an important role when welding is required in the field and when there is no access to electricity. Engine welders are used extensively in various industries, including construction, pipeline, mining etc.
One of the most popular brands of diesel engine welder is the Miller® Big Blue®. The Big Blue® is synonymous with reliability, power, and quality. These engine welders are built to perform in harsh environmental conditions and are trusted by welding professionals and fleet managers alike. In this article, we will elaborate on the most popular Miller® Big Blue® engine welders used in Southeast Asia. We split them into two categories, constant current engine welders, and multiprocess engine welders.
Constant Current Miller® Big Blue® Engine Welders
There are three Miller® Big Blue® Engine Welders that produce only a constant current output.
- Big Blue® 500X CC
- Big Blue® 600X CC
- Big Blue® 450 Duo CST™
The legacy Big Blue® 500X CC and Big Blue® 600X CC are single-operator engine welders that can be used for Stick welding, TIG welding and Gouging. These engine welders are equipped with the heavy-duty low-speed Deutz D2011L03i engine and Deutz D2011L04i engine respectively. The Big Blue® 500X CC has a rated weld output of 500A/30V/40% duty cycle, while the Big Blue® 600X CC has a rated weld output of 600A/30V/40% duty cycle. Both engine welders have a rated generator output of 4kW/1-phase, sufficient to power another Miller® inverter welding machine for an extra welding arc.
The Big Blue® 450 Duo CST™ is a dual-operator engine welder that allows two welders to weld simultaneously. This machine is capable of Stick welding, TIG welding and Gouging. The Big Blue® 450 Duo CST™ is fitted with a Mitsubishi S4L2 engine and delivers a rated weld output of 350A/27V/100% duty cycle and a rated generator output of 10kW/1-phase. This compact welding machine is ideal for jobsites that have limited space and where two welders are Stick welding in close proximity.
Multiprocess Miller® Big Blue® Engine Welders
There are four Miller® Big Blue® engine welders that produce both constant current and constant voltage outputs and are hence classified as multiprocess welders.
- Big Blue® 400X Pro
- Big Blue® 500X Pro
- Big Blue® 700X Duo Pro
- Big Blue® 800X Duo Air Pak
These four engine welders have many things in common.
- Welding Processes. These Big Blue® engine welders can be used for Stick welding, TIG welding and Gouging. When paired with a suitcase wire feeder, such as the Miller® ArcReach® Suitcase 12, a welder can do MIG and Flux-cored welding. If a Miller® ArcReach® Smart Feeder is connected to the engine welder, a welder has access to advanced pipe welding processes such as the Miller® Regulated Metal Deposition (RMD®) and Pulsed MIG.
- Induction Heating Capabilities. Since these four Big Blue® engine welders are equipped with Miller® ArcReach® Technology, they can be paired with the ArcReach® Heater accessory. This means that welders can perform induction heating up to 315oC in the field, ideal for preheating and hydrogen bakeout applications.
- Dynamic DIG™ Technology. Dynamic DIG™ is designed primarily for EXX10 stick electrode applications, and with the downhill pipeline welder in mind. Dynamic DIG™ automatically adjusts the amount of current required to clear a short-circuit. This means that the welder will experience a smoother and more consistent arc.
- Auto-Idle Feature. All these Big Blue® engine welders are equipped with Auto-Idle. If the Auto-Idle function is selected, the engine will run at a lower engine speed (RPM) when no welding is taking place or if the auxiliary power is not in use. This helps the user to save fuel and lower operating costs.
- Industrial USB Port. This feature provides the convenience of effortlessly uploading the most up-to-date software and retrieving comprehensive machine log files. This gives the user access to detailed information about the engine welder, including diagnostics and statistics, thereby facilitating a deeper understanding of its performance in the field.
The Big Blue® 400X Pro is a single-operator diesel welder that can be powered by either the Kubota V1505 engine or the Caterpillar C1.5T engine. This welding machine has a rated weld output of 400A/24V/100% duty cycle and a rated generator output of 10kW/1-phase. An inverter welding machine can be plugged into the auxiliary power to provide an additional welding arc, if required.
The Big Blue® 500X Pro is a single-operator engine welder with a rated weld output of 500A/30V/40% duty cycle. It is equipped with a Deutz D2011L03i engine, similar to the engine inside a Big Blue® 500X CC. The Big Blue® 500X Pro can deliver both 15kW/3-phase and 12kW/1-phase generator power. This output is more than sufficient to power another inverter welding machine for an extra arc.
The Big Blue® 700X Duo Pro is a dual-operator engine welder that can be used by at least two welders simultaneously for welding. It is powered by the Deutz D2011L04i engine, the same engine that is used in a Big Blue® 600X CC machine. It has a rated weld output of 700A/24V/60% duty cycle and can produce both 20kW/3-phase and 12kW/1-phase generator power. This large auxiliary power can allow for two more Miller® inverters to be added so that up to four welders can perform welding concurrently.
The Big Blue® 800X Duo Air Pak™ is the largest diesel engine welder in the world and is nicknamed “The Blue Beast”. It is the only diesel welder that can be used for submerged arc welding and is commonly used in tank farm fabrication on the jobsite. The Big Blue® 800X Duo Air Pak™ has a Deutz TD2011L04w engine and a rated weld output of 800A/36V/100% duty cycle. A built-in Ingersoll Rand CE55G1 rotary screw air compressor can be used to gouge, to plasma cut and to power pneumatic tools on the jobsite. This gives the customer lots of flexibility. In addition, the Big Blue® 800X Duo Air Pak™ has a rated generator output of 20kW/3-phase and 12kW/1-phase, more than sufficient to power two Miller® inverters.
Choosing the Correct Miller® Big Blue® Engine Welders
Selecting the best diesel engine welder for your jobsite and application does not need to be difficult. If you need further clarifications or recommendations, do reach out to us at SGOffice@MillerWelds.com for a discussion.