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What are the Various Orbital Welding Applications?

Orbital welding applications is growing more and more as we realize the benefits of this welding kind. Learn more about orbital welding equipment, application and materials.

Orbital welding gives high quality welds

Orbital welding is a special area of welding where the arc is mechanicallyOrbital welding application rotated 360 degrees around a static work piece in a continuous process. This process was developed to address the issues on operator error in gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) processes. In orbital welding, computer-controlled process runs with only very little intervention from the operator. This process is specifically used for high quality, repeatable welding. The orbital welding process was invented more than 50 years ago as a way to solve the issue of operator error in GTAW. Read on as we learn more about orbital welding applications, equipment, process and materials.

The main components of each orbital welding machine as the controller and power source, the welding head and a wire food mechanism. Welding materials of certain types and sizes also requires the use of a water or coolant system. There are several orbital welding equipment factors that can have an influence on the welding result. These aspects include the magnitude, arc length and pulse frequency of the welding current, thermal conductivity, welding speed, weld preparation, inert shielding gas, filler material and parent material. Ultimately, a quality weld is achieved via detailed knowledge of how to precisely adjust these parameters for individual welding task.

It’s hard to achieve the highest standards of safety and quality in manual welding

This is because of certain welding positions, that often lead to faulty welds because of restricted access in these positions. To have complete control over the weld pool, a perfect balance should be maintained between gravitational force and surface tension at each torch position. By using mechanized variants of the technique, certain parts of the welding process are handled by mechanical components. Take note that a welder will always control and monitor the process. Ideally, all welding parameters is programmed before welding starts. However, in practice, the presence of variable constraints means it’s mostly necessary for the welder to make corrective interventions.

Orbital welding has almost always been exclusively done by the tungsten inert gas technique using non-consumable electrodes, with extra cold-wire feed where necessary. The easy control of heat input makes TIG welding the best welding method for fully orbital welding of tubes with specialist orbital welding heads that incorporate a clamping device, TIG electrode and shielding gas chamber. Various kinds of metal can be welded: steels, nickel alloys, copper, aluminum, titanium and associated alloys. Carried out in an inert atmosphere, this technique gives results that are very clean, free from unwanted spatter and have low particle counts. This allows the highest depands to be met when it comes to the optical and mechanical properties of a weld seam.

Because of its ability to realize high purity results, orbital welding found its place in making clean-room components for the semiconductor industry. This application has now expanded to the construction of equipment and pipework for diverse industries like aerospace, shipbuilding, biotechnology, food processing, automotive engineering, pharmaceuticals and chemical engineering. Automated orbital TIG welding is also used in making power stations. The construction of materials used should be able to withstand the huge mechanical loads made by the high temperatures and pressures made by the media in the tubes.

Pores, notches and inclusions in the weld seams should be avoided at all costs because these make weak points that can lead to subsequent formation of cracks.In turn, these can have serious consequences when it comes to component failure. This means that tubes are mostly made from nickel-based materials that have walls of up to 200 millimeter thick. A manufacturer was able to come up with an orbital narrow gap welding system with hot-wire feed especially for this purpose that uses running gear that moves on a guide ring fixed around the tube. This new variant gave way to a lot of interest in the sector, following the worldwide boom in power station construction that field the continued search for increasingly productive manufacturing methods using new high temperature steels.

Along with the current methods of using hot wire and TIG orbital welding, there’s also a steady process in the development of FCAW/MAG/MIG welding that allows for a new range of new applications. Orbital welding can give reliable welding of reproducible quality with a range of techniques. This can be done to a high standard even when using unusual materials, small tube diameters, thick walls and in difficult working environments. Although more expensive than conventional welding equipment, productivity is also significantly higher than conventional TIG. Contact a certified welding company for more information about orbital welding application.

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A Complete Guide To Buying Orbital Welding Equipment

Orbital welding is an economical and viable method for connecting stainless steel tubing, particularly in applications in which high performance, maximum leak integrity, ultra cleanliness, and vibration resistance is of utmost importance. It is not a surprise, then, that more and more companies are opting for this system to get their jobs done. If you are considering orbital welding, it is important to remember that not all systems are alike. You can take steps to make sure that the selection of equipment that will meet your specific needs while maximizing efficiency and productivity.

Choose The Right Orbital Welding System

Remember that price is not the primary determinant of whether an orbital weldingwelding system is right for your application. There is not much difference in price among orbital welding systems, but the capabilities of every system can be very different. An orbital welding system is a capital investment. Determine if the system is designed in a manner that allows for modifications, like the acceptance of new software. It is important that you study what every system can offer; you would not want to invest on something that renders itself obsolete after just a few years. For one, you need to make sure that that you get systems with the best features, or those that suit your needs best. Below are some capabilities to consider when getting orbital welding equipment sale:

Factors To Consider When Buying Orbital Welding Equipment

• Mobility: There are some systems that are compact and lightweight, while others are bulkier. If you need to move into tight spaces or travel, go for the lighter weight model, so you can quickly and easily move from one job to another.

• Power: Consider input and output capacities: Some systems output 100 amps from a 110 V/20 amp line. Others require a 110 V/30 amp line to create the same 100 amp output. If you use traditional power sources and want to avoid upgrades, get systems that can be powered by 110 V/20 amp lines.

• Weld head and fixturing flexibility: In orbital welding tubes to fittings or tube to valves or similar combinations, you want a system in which the weld heads and fixtures can easily be adapted for a quick setup change. There are some fixtures that can be taken apart and reconfigured to accommodate a range of weld setups. Detachable fixtures and remote controls allow joints to be pre-positioned and allow orbital welding to be done in tight places.

• Programming: There is a program or procedure that should be developed for every weld type. These programs need to be adjusted and stored to accommodate variations in material heats. If your application at any time requires extensive weld programs, get a system with technology that makes the programming process simpler. A system that is user-friendly can allow programs to be built in an accurate and consistent manner via auto-generation capabilities. These reduce human error and shave up to 90 minutes off the time devoted to building programs.

• Documentation: The process of documentation can be time consuming and expensive. Detailed weld logs should be kept, and the information usually is entered in databases. Get a system that automatically logs and stores data for easy transfer and retrieval to databases. This reduces the cost and time of documentation.

• Data management: Data management features enhance greatly the ability to track trends, calculate costs per weld and review production rates. This can go a long way to improving bid accuracy, lowering costs and improving efficiency.

Maintenance and serving programs are just as important as the equipment itself. If something should go wrong, you would be want to be forced into huge downtime because of the responsiveness issues of the manufacturer. See if a supplier has a local network of service providers, giving easy access to replacement equipment and maintenance. See if the manufacturer gives backup equipment for free. Training, which improve orbital welding protocol and play a role in getting weld consistency, is another important consideration. Training programs from equipment supplies can vary. Some focus on how to give genuine orbital welding courses, while others on learning the usage of the controls of a particular type of equipment.

Go For Orbital Welding

In conclusion, make sure that you do your homework before and during the selection process. If you focus your sights on these areas, you can maximize performance and achieve high quality, repeatable welds on a consistent basis. Choosing pro fusion welding equipment can have a direct effect on whether compliance is achieved in the most efficient, productive and cost-efficient manner. Most importantly, ensure that you choose a reputable company or manufacturer from where you will buy your equipment.

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