Parallel Shindaiwa units give KDM extra power

12 April 2022

A versatile package of equipment supplied by Shindaiwa Ltd will enable KDM Hire to offer a flexible solution to customers with higher-power welding requirements.

KDM, which has its headquarters in Cookstown with additional depots in Belfast, Castlereagh and Dublin, has bought two Shindaiwa Eco 300 welder generators, each of which provides up to 300A of DC welding current. 

However, the machines have been supplied with one of Shindaiwa’s parallel boxes which are designed and built in-house. These incorporate a dual gang potentiometer remote function to ensure that output of both welders is kept synchronised during parallel operation. This also ensures that neither machine is stressed unduly, particularly on start-up.  

In parallel, the Eco 300s can deliver up to 600A of welding current, which makes the combination suitable for heavy-duty applications such as arc air gouging with carbon electrodes of up to 10mm. 

Ryan McIvor, KDM's divisional manager for small tools and equipment, tells me that this arrangement enables the company to offer a suitable solution on the occasions when a customer needs higher welding capacity, without having to invest in an additional model that might be used less frequently for specialist applications. 

“The parallel box will enable us to get the best out of both worlds from the 300A machines,” he says. 

Andy Munford, managing director of Shindaiwa Ltd, also tells me: “Another advantage is that a larger machine would have a bigger engine with a diesel particulate filter (DPFs) and other exhaust treatments to maintain, whereas smaller units do not. This arrangement also enables a hirer to maximise their fleet utilisation.” 

The Eco 300 model also allows for simultaneous use of welding power and the provision 110V/415V auxiliary capacity, if needed.