29/09/2025

Letech ER308LSi – Optimizing Robotic Stainless Steel Welding in the Automotive Industry

Company: Hoa Thinh Production and Trading JSC
Brand: Letech Welding Materials
Product: Stainless Steel MIG Wire ER308LSi, Ø0.9 mm
Classification: AWS/SFA 5.9: ER308LSi | EN ISO 12072-G ER308LSi 

 

Background 

A prominent manufacturer in the automotive sector, specializing in exhaust mufflers and precision components for motorcycles and automobiles, required a stainless steel welding solution capable of delivering consistent quality, high productivity, and measurable cost savings in a fully automated welding environment. 

Their production process involved press stamping, tube bending, robotic welding, and painting. The challenge was to improve welding efficiency and reduce material costs while maintaining both the mechanical integrity and aesthetic quality of the welds. 

 

The Challenge 

  • Maintain excellent weld bead appearance and dimensional accuracy for visible automotive components 
  • Increase welding throughput on robotic systems without sacrificing quality 
  • Reduce overall welding material consumption 
  • Ensure compatibility with various robotic welding platforms 

The Letech Solution

 

Hoa Thinh’s engineering team recommended the Letech ER308LSi Stainless Steel MIG Wire, specifically formulated for automatic welding applications. 

Key technical features included: 

  • High silicon content provides strong deoxidizing action, preventing defects such as porosity, while improving strength and ductility, increasing weld hardness, and enhancing corrosion resistance 
  • Improves metal fluidity, producing uniform welds with excellent fill and minimal spatter 
  • High deposition efficiency, enabling faster travel speeds and shorter welding cycles 
  • Universal compatibility, enabling seamless integration with Panasonic, OTC, and other leading robotic welding systems 

Hoa Thinh provided on-site technical guidance during the transition, ensuring optimal robot parameter adjustments for the new wire. This included fine-tuning voltage, wire feed speed, and travel speed to fully leverage the wire’s higher silicon formulation. 

 

Results

The adoption of Letech ER308LSi delivered measurable improvements: 

  • 15–17% reduction in welding material costs 
  • Consistent weld quality, reducing rework and inspection time 
  • Stable arc performance with straight weld toes and a uniform bead profile; a thick, light-gray slag layer formed after welding that self-released, simplifying post-weld cleaning 
  • Laboratory testing confirmed welds with a smooth, glossy surface and zero porosity 
  • In-plant observation showed the customer reported that weld quality on a full 15 kg spool was consistent with the results from sample testing using a 5 kg spool 
  • Operational flexibility across multiple robotic platforms 

 

Conclusion 

This project demonstrates how Letech ER308LSi is more than just a stainless steel MIG wire—it is a performance-driven welding solution. By combining advanced metallurgy with technical expertise, Hoa Thinh enabled its client to achieve higher productivity, lower costs, and superior weld quality in a demanding automotive manufacturing environment. 

If your production line demands faster welding speeds, superior weld quality, and measurable cost savings, it’s time to put Letech ER308LSi to the test. 

Contact Hoa Thinh today to speak with our technical specialists and discover how we can help you optimize your welding process.