“Green” is the old “green” but bringing more green than ever before. What am I saying? The issue of making more environmentally friendly technology has been around for the longest, but it’s only now becoming a hot issue to entice consumers with. From welding technology to kid toys, making environmentally friendly products has become the new fad for companies looking to turn a profit in this now recession-weary, environmentally conscious economy. What’s so good about welding technology going green, and in what ways are these companies becoming environmentally friendly?
Good Green
Creating technology that helps the environment is also (almost always) beneficial to those using the technology. Take, for example, Lincoln Electric’s Green Initiative Awareness Program. The Green Initiative Awareness Program is Lincoln’s way of broadcasting the many steps they’re taking to create more environmentally sound technology. The label on the right is the official sign Lincoln uses to identify products with “green” advantages.
Green Products
Since 2000, every four years the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) mandates suppliers of diesel engine to cut down on exhaust emissions for new engines. This requirement is meant for those engines manufactured for US use and in off-road products. The standard is EPA category, or Tier, 3 or 4i. Engines in the 4i Tier have lower emission levels than those in the Tier 3 classification. All but one of Lincoln’s engines are in the Tier 4i category, and those engines will not need to be updated for another five years. The below screen-capture shows some of the engines that Lincoln changed to meet the Tier 4i classification.
Other products that have “gone green” range in diversity from solar powered items – such as helmets – to eco-friendly industrial welding processes.
Green Programs
Not satisfied with providing only green welding products, Lincoln recently introduced their VRTEX™ 360 virtual reality arc welding training system. How is this “green?”
VR Welding Technology:
- Reduces material waste
- Saves energy
- Tracks material and cost savings using the Weldometer™
Potential Cost Savings in:
- Base Material
- Electrodes
- Shielding Gas
- Consumable Parts
- Energy Consumption
What green initiatives have you taken in your welding career to help the environment and – by extension – yourself?