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 Comparing the practical application of three welding systems and their
effects on the jewelry maker’s enterprise I had a Kobayashi Maru experience writing this article. Star Trek aficionados, or Trekkies (which I don’t claim to be, really), will remember this as the conundrum offered to Starfleet Academy matriculate potentials—a double-bind situation with no clear or correct solution. Captain James T. Kirk managed to be the only cadet to outmaneuver the test by hacking into the test console and changing the rules…and I followed his example in my comparison of the practical application of three different welding tools for findings attachment, general assembly, and repair. Please allow me to beam up my results. MJSA Journal Magazine asked me to perform a comparative analysis of three welding systems’ performance in several different precious metal welding applications. I was to analyze the PUK 2 spot welder, which was developed by Lampert Tools USA Inc. and supplied to me by SEP Jewelry Tools of Chicago; the Mini Pulse III from Aelectronic Bonding Inc. (ABI) in Cranston, Rhode Island; and a laser welder. (I used my Starweld by Rofin-Baasel, which I purchased from Manufacturing Technologies in San Diego, but the results presented in this article are accurate for most laser welders used in the jewelry industry.) MJSA Journal challenged me to decide which machine was best for various applications. But like our hero Kirk, I had to change the original rules of the assignment to accomplish my goal. My initial attempt to determine which tool might be more useful for specific welding applications led me to the conclusion that, in many cases, one machine was not distinctly “the best” for performing an application. In fact, there are so many crossovers in the valuable use of these machines that it would be difficult to actually approach the topic just that way. In addition, deciding which system is best for your shop depends on economic factors such as your overall cash flow, margin per unit, cost of labor versus that of the technology, time management, and training expenses. Therefore, I decided to explain the advantages and disadvantages of how each machine performs in specific applications, as well as provide the technical specifications available for each. It is my hope that this data will enable you to better weigh the pros and cons of each system and decide which is best for your needs.
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