Lincoln Electric IM946 CRUISER Digital Tractor - Manual (Page 11)

Cruiser™ Tractor
PRODUCT OVERVIEW
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Product Summary
General Physical Description
The Cruiser™ tractor is a self-propelled carriage for performing subarc welds, specifi-
cally designed to improve productivity.
The Cruiser™ tractor features a patent pending mast and arm structure for fast setup.
Heat-treated aluminum alloy tubing is used for the mast and arm resulting in a rigid frame
that keeps the wire drive in a steady position. The main components are: wire drive,
spool spindle and flux hopper. Grooves in the tubing align with a key in the clamp to let
the clamp slide along the length of the tubing without rotating. Other clamps do not have
the key and rotate as well as slide on the tubing.
Wire is fed to the arc with a wire drive based on the proven PF-10S. All of the drive rolls,
nozzles and contact tips from the PF-10S may be assembled to the Cruiser™ tractor. A
new low-friction wire straightener reliably straightens the wire. The wire drive rotates
about two axes for setting torch drag/pull angle and torch tilt angle.
The wire drive is mounted to two heavy-duty X-Y slides. The cross slides allow easy ad-
justment of the electrode stickout and position of the wire in the joint.
The entire mast and arm structure separates from the base for portability and mobility
purposes.
Driving the Cruiser™ tractor is a permanent magnet direct current (DC) motor with all
metal gears. The motor transfers power to the axle through a worm drive for smooth
transmission. A tachometer keeps the Cruiser™ tractor speed consistent. The wheels
are made from reinforced aluminum oxide and withstand high heat, abrasive flux and im-
pact. A gear and wheels are mounted on the axle for operating on K396 track sections.
The front wheels of the Cruiser™ tractor may be configured for three- or four-wheel op-
eration. The flexible wheel configuration lets the Cruiser™ tractor be assembled in a
manner for the best balance while aligning the wheels for the best tracking of the joint.
All of the controls are housed in a light-weight pendant that connects with a cable to the
Cruiser™ tractor. The pendant housing is fabricated from aluminum to resist impacts and
high temperatures.