If one of your small excavating machines breaks during a big project, you may want to replace the equipment as soon as possible. However, you don't want to replace your excavator just yet. If you weld the broken parts on your excavator, you may be able to save it. Learn why welding fabrication repair may be a better solution for your equipment.

How Does Welding Repair Broken Machines?

Excavators and other heavy equipment come with different features or parts that help them perform well on the job, including arms, booms, and buckets. The parts generally rely on articulating joints to help them move or swing in different directions. Stress and other work-related issues can weaken the machines' joints over time. Welding is one of the things you can do to strengthen and rebuild the damaged joints in your machine.

Welding relies on the intense heat of an arc device, laser, torch, or other type of machine to bond, fuse, or repair broken pieces of metal. The machine's heat melts down the metal until it's soft and malleable. A welder, or professional who welds, will place the heated pieces together and wait for them to cool. 

It may be necessary to fabricate, or make new joints, during the welding process. Some types of metal can corrode until they're no longer useful. If the joints in your excavator are severely damaged by corrosion, a welder can use their machine to completely rebuild the piece.

If you'd like to repair your excavator with welding, go ahead and contact a welder or restoration technician for services.

How Do You Prepare Your Excavator for Welding?

A welder will need to do a few things to your machine before they repair it, including clean it. The surfaces of metal should be clean, dry, and free of anything that can cause fire hazards, such as oil and grease. Oil and grease can ignite under hot conditions. If you're pressed for time, you can clean the machine yourself.

A welder will also examine the excavator for excessive corrosion before they repair it. If the joints in your machine require fabrication, a welder will go ahead and do it. If the joints are in good condition, a professional will simply weld them. 

After the repairs, you want to monitor your excavator's joints regularly. If the joints show signs of deterioration, contact a welder right away. 

For more details about welding your heavy equipment, call or email a welding company or professional today.