Sponsored by PRO Engineering / Manufacturing Inc. 

Think beer, bratwurst, and cheese, and Milwaukee, WI, might come to mind. In 1977, Ed Michalski had a hunger to start his own business. So, he set his sights on the industries that made Milwaukee famous and founded PRO Engineering and Manufacturing, Inc. 

Today, Michalski’s company is considered a leader in custom fabrication, manufacturing, and engineering for the food and beverage industries. In fact, to support its growth, PRO’s current facility is a 33,000-square-foot manufacturing facility—complete with 30-foot-high ceilings, 16-foot by 20-foot dock doors, 5- and 10-ton overhead cranes, and state-of-the-art welding equipment. 

According to the company, whether at their headquarters or on off-site projects, PRO’s fabrication team relies on the flexibility of the XMT® 350 CC/CV multi-process inverter with Auto-Line™ from Miller Electric Mfg. to deliver high-quality custom fabrication to customers. A situation at the 150-year-old, Milwaukee-based Miller Brewing Company is a good example. 

Brew Kettle Maintenance and Repair

Industrial welding services for breweries by PRO Engineering

When Miller Brewing needed assistance with an extensive brew kettle repair project, it turned to PRO Engineering experts for help. This difficult welding project involved repairing damaged copper and stainless-steel joints within six massive brew kettles.  

Over time, mechanical, chemical, and electrolytic corrosion degraded the copper and stainless steel interface where the brew kettles’ sidewalls and domes meet. In certain areas, the original copper weld used to bond the stainless steel dome to the copper kettle had begun to show serious signs of wear. 

To repair the damaged interface, PRO engineers designed and fabricated a 6-foot-wide copper band to bridge the original stainless steel–to–copper weld seam. Taking advantage of the Miller Electric XMT 350’s multi-process capabilities, PRO fabricators used a combination of MIG and TIG welding to bond the copper band to each of the base metals. 

Using the XMT 350, the Miller Electric S-22A wire feeder operated at 325 amps and 25 volts. The fabricators MIG welded the bottom portion of the copper ring to the 1/8-inch-thick brew kettle copper sidewall using a .035-inch-diameter copper solid wire. They also used Smith Equipment gas regulators to deliver 100% helium shielding gas. 

To weld the upper portion of the copper band to the 1/4-inch stainless steel dome, fabricators first TIG welded a root pass using a Weldcraft torch with a 1/2-inch diameter tungsten and .035-inch-diameter silicon bronze (AWS-A5.7/ER CuSi) filler rod. Because TIG welding produces lower decomposition rates, MIG was then used to complete the remaining fillet welds with silicon bronze solid wire, operating at 275 amps and 25 volts. 

Due to copper’s excellent heat transfer, the fabricators used a second heat source to achieve and maintain the weld pool. “We finally used MAP gas torches to heat the area either directly below or on the opposite side of the workpiece,” explains Michalski. 

Power Flexibility for On- and Off-Site Projects 

Although PRO Engineering fabricators rely on the XMT 350’s multi-process capabilities, they also value the machine’s primary power flexibility—especially when working at off-site projects. The XMT 350’s Auto-Line power management technology, exclusive to Miller Electric, gives operators the ultimate power flexibility. Auto-Line allows the XMT 350 to produce a rock-steady arc even through primary power fluctuations within a 190–630 volt range, and it accepts any type of primary power supply: 190–630 volt, single- or three-phase, 50–60 Hz. 

The XMT 350’s Auto-Line circuit internally boosts primary power to a high voltage. Once regulated, this power feeds the inverter section of the XMT. Auto-Line ensures the inverter has sufficient power as long as the primary voltage remains within +37%/-59% of the nominal 460-volt power. 

This technology proved particularly useful during the brew kettle maintenance and repair project, where the brewhouse was running on 230-volt service. “In the past, we’ve lost machines because of voltage problems,” said Michalski. “I like my XMT 350’s flexibility because I can move it from place to place without having to worry about the primary power supply.” 

Ease of Use Leads to Better Quality Control 

According to Michalski, the XMT 350 is also quite easy to use. 

“It allows us to control the quality of our products,” he notes, “which should be important to any company.” 

In the case of an industry leader like PRO Engineering, though, it is essential. That’s because crafting meticulous custom products is how PRO earns the business and confidence of the industry, meeting the needs of clients such as Miller Brewing Company.  

Let’s Work Together 

Need custom fabrication or weld repair for your brewing, food, or beverage facility? 
Want to partner with a trusted team that understands both tradition and innovation? 

👉 Explore our capabilities: www.prowm.com 
📧 Message us directly or Request a quote: [email protected] 
📞 Talk to a project specialist: (414) 362-1500 

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ABOUT PRO ENGINEERING / MANUFACTURING INC.

Trusted | Knowledge | Quality

We have been involved in pasteurizers since 1977.

PRO Engineering / Manufacturing Inc. has developed a range of small, medium, and large-sized tunnel & batch pasteurizers to fit the needs of BrewMasters and Beverage Makers. When our customers asked for more compact as well as full-size tunnel pasteurizers, PRO developed models to fit our customers’ needs. Then our customers needed a batch pasteurizer. We now provide batch pasteurizers; PRO is a business that continually innovates to meet customer needs.

For more than 40 years, we have been delivering solutions for beverage product shelf stability and consumption safety.

Edward A. Michalski CEO

Ed Michalski started his career in the beverage industry by designing stainless steel, higher flow, spray headers for Pabst Brewing. Along with the header design he also developed a process to produce the new headers.

Ed, along with his brother David, formed PRO Engineering / Manufacturing Inc. Based on what they learned by re-designing and refurbishing other manufacturers’ pasteurizers, Ed and PRO started to offer the pasteurizer marketplace superior new pasteurizers. PRO Engineering / Manufacturing Inc. has been designing and manufacturing great pasteurizers for over four decades.

For more information on tunnel and batch pasteurization contact PRO Engineering / Manufacturing, Inc. at [email protected] or call (414) 362-1500 and ask for Ed Michalski, CEO.

Partner with a PRO!… PRO Engineering / Manufacturing Inc.

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