Tregaskiss and Bernard

Tregaskiss and Bernard

Amperage Blog

Learn more about welding automation, robotic MIG guns, welding consumables and more from our informative technical articles and case studies. To have new articles delivered to your inbox, please sign up for our Amperage e-newsletter.

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  • Upfront Cost vs. Total Cost of Ownership of MIG Guns and Consumables
    Upfront Cost vs. Total Cost of Ownership of MIG Guns and Consumables While it may be tempting for companies to purchase MIG welding guns and welding consumables based on price, lower upfront costs don’t always add up to savings. Less expensive products often lack in quality and bring risk to the profitability of the welding […]
  • Making a MIG Gun Last in Harsh Manufacturing Environments
    Making a MIG Gun Last in Harsh Manufacturing Environments Whether it’s a high amperage application, high or low ambient temperatures, or humidity, harsh manufacturing environments can be tough on welding equipment — including MIG guns and consumables. Confined, cluttered or dirty weld cells can also negatively affect this equipment.  Cleaning and organizing the weld cell, […]
  • Using Root Cause Analysis to Address Welding Consumable Issues
    Using Root Cause Analysis to Address Welding Consumable Issues Troubleshooting problems with welding consumables can be time-consuming and expensive. From the associated downtime to the cost of replacing contact tips, diffusers, nozzles and liners, companies stand to lose productivity and potentially miss production goals.  Applying root cause tools can help expedite the process. These are […]
  • Welder Training Tips to Help Improve Productivity
    Welder Training Tips To Help Improve Productivity Improving productivity in semi-automatic operations isn’t simply about welding faster and working harder. Instead, there are ways to create consistency in the process and support quality so that companies can avoid downtime that adversely affects throughput.  When training new welders, it’s important to provide a solid foundation of […]
  • At a Glance: Cobots and the BA1 Cobot MIG Gun
    At a Glance: Cobots and the BA1 Cobot MIG Gun Companies today continue to face a shortage of qualified welders, but the demand for product has stayed the same — or in many cases, increased. Turning to new solutions to keep up with production can help keep the welding operation running smoothly and quickly.  For […]
  • 5 Tips for Improving Weld Quality
    5 Tips for Improving Weld Quality Establishing consistent levels of weld quality is important for attaining production goals and a better bottom line in semi-automatic welding operations. However, there are many factors that can negatively impact those efforts, including a lack of skilled labor, inadequate or aging equipment or using the wrong welding consumables.  To […]
  • Is a Water-Cooled Robotic Welding Gun Necessary?
    Is a Water-Cooled Robotic Welding Gun Necessary? Robotic welding operations can be tough on equipment. The heat from the welding arc, along with reflective heat from the base material and resistive heat from the electrical components, can wear on consumables and the robotic welding gun. In some cases, implementing a water-cooled robotic MIG gun is […]
  • From Consumables to Communication: Reducing Human Error in Welding
    From Consumables to Communication: Reducing Human Error in Welding Human error can take its toll on welding operations, leading to downtime and lost productivity, poor quality and increased costs. It can result from a variety of factors.  An operator may know how to manage a process, but periodically misses a step or forgets to complete […]
  • Choosing Between Fixed Automatic, Cobot and Robotic Welding
    Choosing Between Fixed Automatic, Cobot and Robotic Welding No doubt manual, or semi-automatic, welding has its place across the industries — general fabrication and manufacturing, shipbuilding and more — and it will continue to be an important process for many applications. There are times, however, when companies need to turn to welding automation to augment […]
  • MIG Welding Basics
    MIG Welding Basics When it comes to MIG welding, it’s important for new welders to start with the basics to set a solid foundation for success. The process is generally forgiving, making it simpler to learn than TIG welding, for example. It can weld most metals and, as a continuously fed process, offers greater speed […]
  • MIG Welding Glossary: Terms To Know
    MIG Welding Glossary: Terms To Know Welders use MIG welding in many industries — fabrication, manufacturing, shipbuilding and rail to name a few. While it is a common process, it requires attention to detail, and it is helpful to know some key terms associated with it. As with any process, the better the understanding, the […]
  • MIG Welding Techniques: What To Know
    MIG Welding Techniques: What To Know Understanding some proper techniques for MIG welding can help welders gain good weld quality and avoid the frustration and cost of rework. Everything from proper positioning of the MIG welding gun to travel angle and travel speed can make an impact.  Consider these four recommended techniques:  While welding, hold […]
  • Solving Common Causes of Welding Porosity
    Solving Common Causes of Welding Porosity Porosity, cavity-type discontinuities formed by gas entrapment during solidification, is a common but cumbersome defect in MIG welding and one with several causes. It can appear in semi-automatic or robotic applications and requires removal and rework in both cases — leading to downtime and increased costs.  The major cause […]
  • Employee Retention: Best Practices for Keeping Welders Engaged
    Employee Retention: Best Practices for Keeping Welders Engaged The welding industry, like many others, is challenged by a labor shortage — and one that is growing. By 2023, the American Welding Society (AWS) anticipates the welder shortage to reach approximately 375,000, as an increasing number of experienced welders reach retirement age and leave the field.[1] […]
  • Closeup of through-arm robotic MIG gun with sparks
    Pulsed Welding and Through-Arm Robots: What to Know
    Pulsed Welding and Through-Arm Robots: What to Know After early adoption by the automotive industry, the combination of pulsed gas metal arc welding (GMAW) and through-arm robots has become a more common part of automated welding operations in general manufacturing and fabrication. In fact, through-arm robots have largely replaced conventional ones in the last decade […]
  • The Value of Welding Consumables Trials
    The Value of Welding Consumables Trials In both semi-automatic and automated welding cells, the upfront cost of welding consumables is low compared to the overall expense for equipment, materials and labor. Yet when companies accrue downtime for excessive welding contact tip changeover or troubleshooting poor wire feeding associated with liner issues, costs can quickly compound.  […]
  • Understanding the Impact of Time Sinks in Robotic Welding
    Understanding the Impact of Time Sinks in Robotic Welding No robotic welding cell operates at 100% capacity. Parts handling, fixturing, periodic rework and even employee breaks all affect a robot’s ability to be completely efficient. However, there are common time sinks that can further hinder productivity — and they can easily lead to increased costs […]
  • How to Reduce Welding Gun Wear and Extend Gun Life
    How to Reduce Welding Gun Wear and Extend Gun Life Knowing the common causes of MIG gun wear — and how to eliminate them — is a good step toward minimizing downtime and costs for addressing issues.  Like any equipment in a welding operation, MIG guns are subject to routine wear and tear. The environment […]
  • 8 Manufacturing Cost-Reduction Strategies for Welding Operations
    8 Manufacturing Cost Reduction Strategies for Welding Operations Cost overruns in a manufacturing welding operation can come from many places. Whether it’s a semi-automatic or robotic weld cell, some common culprits of unnecessary costs are unplanned downtime and lost labor, consumable waste, repairs and rework, and lack of operator training.  Many of these factors are […]
  • Cobots and Cobot MIG Guns: What To Know for Manufacturing Welding Operations
    Cobots and Cobot MIG Guns: What To Know for Manufacturing Welding Operations   Traditional robotic welding systems can deliver many benefits, but they aren’t always the right solution for every manufacturer. In applications where implementing a robotic weld cell isn’t the answer, some companies are turning to collaborative robots, or cobots. While not new to […]

Articles by Category

    As manufacturers of semi-automatic, fixed automatic and robotic MIG guns and consumables, Tregaskiss and Bernard have earned a reputation as an experienced, dependable partner to its customers in the automotive, construction and fabrication, heavy equipment, ship, rail, general manufacturing, commercial truck and trailer, and oil and gas industries. Tregaskiss and Bernard offer air-cooled semi-automatic, fixed automatic and robotic MIG guns, water-cooled semi-automatic, fixed automatic and robotic MIG guns, reamers, nozzle cleaning stations, anti-spatter liquid, wire cutters, anti-spatter sprayers, clutches, welding consumables, nozzles, MIG welding tips, and MIG welding torches.