The most common problem with production welding is the costly downtime associated with weld spatter build-up. Whether it’s scheduled downtime or emergency downtime, the fixtures must be removed from production and exposed to harsh cleaning methods such as dry-ice, a hammer and chisel or grinding wheel, then re-qualified before being released into production – Interrupting valuable production time while incurring expensive costs.

The X13 was developed to increase productivity by assisting in the cleaning and maintenance of production fixtures from weld spatter build-up. The X13 works by creating a non-permanent, protective barrier that significantly reduces the amount of heat between weld-spatter and any working surface. When the weld spatter has cooled, simply remove the excess spatter with compressed air, a brush or cloth, and reapply the X13 to the exposed surface.

To fully utilize the cost saving benefits of the X13 in a production environment, we recommend coating the entire working surface of production tooling fixtures, weld shields, weld clamps, proximity switches/sensors and cables. After a few thousand cycles of production, you will be able to identify certain “hot spots” of weld spatter build up; these “hot spots” can then be easily cleaned and maintained without removing the fixture from production - reducing cleaning time from hours to minutes, resulting in increased production and profitability.

Example: If a welding fixture must be removed from production every 20,000 cycles to clean weld spatter build up, we recommend cleaning at 10,000 without removing the fixture from production.

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Frequently asked questions:

 

Q. How many Cycles before reapplication is required?

A. Reapplication is entirely job specific and depends on the working environment – the greater the distance between the welding nozzle and work surface, the more durable the X13 has proven to be effective. We recommend reapplication of the X13 to the exposed surface once you have removed the weld-spatter build-up.

Q. Can the X13 be used on Proximity Switches/Sensors?

A. YES, the X13 has no metallic properties and can be applied over the entire surface including the threads. Note: Inductive Sensor only – The X13 should not be used on IR sensors.

Q. Will the X13 work on Aluminum?

A. Yes, the X13 works on ALL ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

Q. How much X13 will I need?

A. The X13 goes a long way – one gallon covers approximately 80 square feet and one pint covers approximately 10 square feet. We have found that most weld cells have less than one square foot of spatter build-up that creates downtime. By implementing a preventative maintenance schedule, one pint of the X13 can maintain a complete weld cell for over a year and with cost of $5 per square foot of X13, the cost to benefit ratio is the economical solution you are looking for.

Q.. How long does it take to dry?

A. Average drying time is approximately 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature, depending on thickness of coat. For best results we recommend two coats with an extended curing time of 6 to 12 hours.

Q. How easily is the X13 removed?

A. The X13 is not easily removable. We have found that sand-blasting or lightly grinding will remove the X13. However, you should have no need to remove the X13 once in production.

Q. Can I use an airless sprayer?

A. No, the X13 was designed to be applied via brush only. Any household or industrial paintbrush will work.

Q. Can I paint over the X13?

A. Yes, the X13 was designed to include base coat properties and can be used as a primer.

Q. What is the shelf life?

A. The X13 has a shelf life of approximately 24 months. The X13 is water-based and the solids will eventually separate and the water will evaporate.

WARNING - DO NOT FREEZE! The X13 is water based and should be kept at room temperature.