By Keith White, Jr.
In 2002, AirPro began with a toolbox and three engineers who faced many challenges—including welding: welding fell outside of our founders’ expertise. Because of this, our initial fan orders required partnerships with local weld shops, often resulting in quality below our standards. To address this, we hired a welder (who happened to be my uncle) and tasked our sales department with ensuring a consistent workload for him. Recognizing that welding expertise would drive our future success, we prioritized developing the best welders in the industry.
In 2003 we transitioned to in-house welding and have not subcontracted any welders since those early days of the company. This decision enhanced our ability to tailor products according to specific orders while encouraging direct communication with builders, allowing for alterations on projects throughout production. By doing this, we streamlined custom project workflows, saving time and money.
As AirPro has grown, so has our welding proficiency and capabilities. We regularly evaluate our welding operations to implement necessary improvements—whether to accelerate production, improve weld quality, or ensure consistent fabrication across similar fan models. Quality welding combines artistry with skill and AirPro has committed its resources to hiring world-class welders adept at the most complex weld jobs.
To maintain lofty standards, we adopted AWS D14.6 as our welding guideline. This focus enables us to train all personnel under stringent guidelines designed for rotating components, where durability is crucial. Even structural components in fans have to withstand constant vibration, so the quality of each joint truly matters. Our two Certified Weld Inspectors—one in R&D and one supervising the rotating weldments department—ensure quality control. For new projects, we send sample materials to our lab to troubleshoot and develop a Procedure Qualification Record (PQR), which then becomes a Welding Procedure Specification (WPS) for our fabricators on the shop floor. This process defines joint types, metal preparation, weld direction, materials, wire, and gases, leaving no uncertainty about achieving true fusion. Furthermore, we encourage our welders to expand their skills, continually adding new WPS to give them versatility to work on a wide-range of fan projects.
Situated in a small community with two weld colleges located within 30 miles of our plants, AirPro has a seat on a weld advisory board where we offer practical suggestions for curriculum, propose ideas for projects, and donate metal and time. We do this to give back to our community and help improve the next generation of craftsmen who will shape our nation’s infrastructure. We believe in investing in Wisconsin’s and America’s future.
Because of AirPro’s focus on building custom fans, we have delayed the introduction of robotics to our shop floor. However, advancements in technology may soon change that, making one-off setups more feasible. Time will tell, but we hesitate to move in that direction until we have total confidence in the quality of robotic welds. When purchasing a fan from AirPro, rest assured that it receives hand-crafted attention from certified welders adhering to AWS D14.6 standards. Our commitment to excellence ensures that, regardless of future developments, every weld joint will originate at AirPro, representing the highest quality.
When considering an industrial fan purchase, choose a company dedicated to craftsmanship—one that prioritizes detail, strives for continual improvement in processes, and loves to weld.
Our application engineers have extensive experience with a wide range of industrial applications. Contact our team today to discuss your project. We can help you select the best fan for your application.