Portable wire feeder in a rugged case, connected to a distant power source by a long lead, so flux-cored or MIG welding can be done hundreds of feet from the machine on structural steel, ships and construction sites. Many models sense voltage from the arc lead and need no separate control cable. The wire spool rides inside, protected from weather and knocks.
Send the suitcase up to the fourth floor on the hoist and drop the lead down to the machine.
Also heard as
- suitcase feeder
- portable feeder
Related terms
FCAW
Flux-cored arc welding: arc welding with a tubular wire filled with flux, with or without shielding gas.
GMAW
Gas metal arc welding: a continuously fed wire electrode shielded by gas, known in the shop as MIG.
Whip
The short, flexible lead between the main welding cable and the stinger, or a whipping rod motion.