Mechanical contractors weld everything from HVAC sheet metal to process piping and pressure vessels. Welding mechanical equipment and piping systems requires the utmost precision and quality to meet code requirements and client expectations. At the same time, contractors must be highly efficient and productive to stay competitive and improve their bottom line.
This article will help you choose the best welding and cutting equipment for your mechanical contracting projects. With the right gear, you can be more productive and achieve exceptional results for your clients.
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We are excited to announce that the SATFX-170 closed welding head from Axxair is now available in the Red-D-Arc orbital welding equipment fleet. In addition to the SATFX-170 closed head, we also offer the 170 Series SAW and 221BM Facer to complete the package. Combined, the set can perform fusion welding on up tubing up to 6″ in diameter.
SATFX welding heads are designed to meet the most demanding welding specifications. The protective atmosphere provided by the closed heads permits welding in an inerting chamber, resulting in welds with very minimal discoloration and perfectly clean weld beads. Although they are commonly used in industrial sectors sensitive to hygienic conditions such as aeronautics, semi-conductors, pharmaceuticals as well as food and beverage processing, the narrow width of the head also makes them ideal for use on construction sites where only a small amount of straight sections are in demand. They can also be used in workshops and clean rooms.
What you need to know about the SATFX-170
- Closed head with liquid cooling and 8-meter cable for SAXX welding power sources
- Operates without grease meeting clean room standards
- Direct gas supply with an optimized gas diffusion system
- Standard jaws in aluminum
- Two ergonomic handles to facilitate handling and positioning
- Two pivoting windows with welding glass (grade 10)
- Adjustable force clamping system ensures a consistent clamping
- Integrated electrode offset adjustment
At the moment, inventory of the SATFX-170 closed welding head is extremely limited. If you are interested in learning more, contact our orbital welding experts for more details.
In welding, like in many other manufacturing and fabrication processes, the process is not complete until the necessary post-processing has been carried out. Post-weld operations are usually performed for reasons such as improving mechanical properties, relieving stress, and improving aesthetics. The two most common Post-weld operations are Post-Weld Heat Treatment (PWHT) and Finishing.
Post-Weld Heat Treatment
During welding, the welded materials are exposed to very high temperatures that can cause micro-structural changes in them. Also, residual stresses build up in welded materials when they are allowed to cool naturally. If left unaddressed, these stresses and structural changes can severely compromise the mechanical properties of a material and can lead to failure during use. To prevent this, PWHT is required for welded parts. There are two major types of Post-weld heat treatment and they are as follows.
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Quality Assurance
Quality Assurance (QA) is a set of defined processes for systematic monitoring and evaluation to assure product quality.
Quality Control
Quality Control (QC) is the process of confirming that the product meets the specifications. It includes the checking and testing of manufacturing procedures as well as the final products. The results from these tests are compared with a set of defined acceptance criteria. By carrying out QC testing during manufacturing, defects can be identified in a timely manner, allowing for the product flaw to be rectified and if required, adjustments to be made in the manufacturing process to prevent further defective output.
In welding, QA/QC plays a vital role in ensuring sound and reliable welds are produced and in minimizing rework.
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19 Hours Faster Than the Competition
Texas – One of our customers was trying to heat 42” diameter pipe using pear burners so that welders could weld out the joints. Our team saw an opportunity to create a solution that would help our customer get the job done much more quickly. To make this in-the-field heating job go faster, we put together a package including a Miller ProHeat 35 induction heating system, a 60kVA generator and a DP25 power distribution panel.
Red-D-Arc provided a reliable RDA Induction heating solution to a pipeline construction and maintenance company in Houston who needed to maintain consistent temperatures for their welders to weld out joints from pipes. Our induction heating specialist supplied our customer with a portable induction heating package consisting of a 60 KVA generator, a Miller Pro-Heat 35 induction heating system, and a DP25 power distribution panel. As a cost-effective alternative to their existing propane burners, induction heaters allowed them a secure heating, consistent temperature control, increased weld time, and improved safety.
With this setup we were able to get the pipe up to 250 degrees in about 5 minutes. Our customer was able to beat the competition’s target time by over 19 hours and has been asked to quote on other pipeline work for their client. Needless to say they were pleased with the solution and the opportunity for extra work it created.
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Note: This article first appeared in BIC Magazine
In industry, a growing trend is the idea to use orbital welding as a solution to the mounting problem of welder shortages. It is a well-known fact there are just not enough pipeline welders to go around (no pun intended). By 2020, the American Welding Society expects the U.S. will face a shortage of 290,000 welders. Companies in other business sectors — from food service companies to banks — attempt to solve labor issues and increase efficiencies by utilizing automation to replace workers. Is automation, specifically orbital welding in this case, the way to improve operating factors and productivity?
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Welding small diameter tubing can be difficult. The tight radii often require expert welders to deliver precise torch manipulation with finesse. If the welder is not skilled enough, the out of position areas are at risk of poor quality due to gravity affecting the weld pool and ineffective torch angles. If out of position welds cannot be completed satisfactorily, the part must be rotated. However, some assemblies can’t be rotated because of size constraints or they might rotate off of center. If a mechanized welding solution is desired for small diameter components, look no further than our Axxair Orbital Fusion Closed Welding Head Systems.
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We are pleased to announce the launch of a new product in our weld automation category. Red-D-Arc now offers adjustable pipe stands with a carrying capacity of up to 4 tons, in both low and high profile versions. Combined with our turning rolls and positioners, these stands offer an effective solution for supporting pipes during the welding process for both manual and automated applications.
“Pipe stands with a carrying capacity up to 4 tons… low and high profile versions available.”
Our pipe stands feature polyurethane rollers and have been fully UL and CE tested. All of Red-D-Arc’s weld automation equipment has had its weight capacity UL verified to ensure safety and quality. This is a first in the weld automation industry.
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“You should give as much consideration to the preparation as you do to the actual welding”
Pipe welding is utilized all around the world in diverse industries. A variety of pipe sizes and material grades are joined to manufacture components of various shapes and lengths – from a few feet to many miles. Even though most pipe welding jobs have custom specifications – there are some fundamental aspects of pipe welding that form a common thread for welders and welding engineers alike in order to achieve high quality welds in pipes.
Selecting The Right Pipe Welding Equipment
Equipment selection is the top requirement for producing good quality pipe welds. The highest priorities when selecting welding equipment for pipeline welding are reliability, consistency, accuracy and process control. It is also critical that the equipment is easy to use and the controls are intuitive. In addition to equipment performance, the work environment also needs to be a key factor for equipment selection. There are pipe welding configurations designed for offshore welding, remote land based pipeline welding, general fabrication shop use and custom configured automated pipe welding systems. Selecting the right one can be a daunting task – it is always good practice to seek expert advice. Be sure to ask about the various options, capabilities and limitations of each system. When welding CRA (Corrosion Resistant Alloy) grades, it is necessary to use weld purging in order to guarantee the corrosion performance of the root run. The importance of this should not be underestimated.
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Red-D-Arc carries an extensive inventory of welding equipment designed specifically for pipe welding professionals. The latest pipe welding equipment can increase productivity and produce the highest quality welds. We have an extensive fleet of innovative solutions like the Miller PipeWorx Welding System, Red-D-Arc Oscillating Pipe Welder, Bug-O Systems, Orbital Welding Systems from Lincoln and Axxair, and pipe end prep equipment from H&M and E.H. Wachs.
Check out the new Pipe Welding section of the reddarc.com website to learn more.
More articles on orbital welding
Red-D-Arc has launched an exciting new product designed to increase the productivity and efficiency of pipe welding. The Red-D-Arc Process Pipe Cell with oscillating welding torch is a dual wire feeder, multi-process welding cell.
The system is easy to set up and operate and reduces weld operator errors, reduces welding time, and increases deposition rates, productivity and arc-on time.
A variety of welding power sources and wire feeders can be used with the system including Miller RMD PipeWorx 400 and Lincoln STT S350, S500 and S700 Power Wave systems, with all welding functions controlled via a remote interface.
Root passes can be performed manually with solid wire using either RMD or STT technology (instead of manual GTAW or SMAW) followed up by hot passes and cap passes either solid-wire or flux-cored) with the jammer-style weld oscillator.
Choose the welding positioner, welding chuck, turning roll set or headstock to suit your specific needs. All positioning functions including welding head manipulator, oscillator, welding positioner and turning rolls are managed via a single control.
Contact a Red-D-Arc Weld Automation Expert to learn more or request a demo: 1-866-733-3272 | Contact Sales
See more welding turntables, pipe welders and pipe welding positioners
Red-D-Arc will be attending the International Pipeline Conference & Expo in Calgary – September 27-29, 2016. If you’re planning on attending, drop by booth #2101 and talk to our equipment specialists to learn more about how we support pipeline operations around the globe.
Red-D-Arc carries a wide range of equipment for the pipeline industry including induction heating equipment, pipe end prep, multi-process pipe welders, orbital welders and generators.
Visit the Conference website
Visit the Expo website
Map: Hyatt Regency & Telus Convention Centre
“We were grateful to be able to see a product demonstration for the Red-D-Arc (Orbitalum) system. The machine lived up to its expectations and the technical team was invaluable”
—Rob B. (customer)
Update: Red-D-Arc now offers Orbital Welding Equipment from Axxair.
One of our clients, a machine shop based out of Opelika Alabama, needed a solution for welding stainless steel tubes and elbow sections efficiently that would be able to withstand hydrostatic testing of up to 300psi. After taking the time learn about their requirements, specialists from the Red-D-Arc branch in Austell Georgia, worked alongside experts from Airgas to demonstrate how the Orbitalum enclosed orbital welding system would help solve their challenges.
Red-D-Arc welding specialist Gregory Bellamy showed how the extremely narrow design of the Orbiweld 76S enclosed weld head was ideally suited for working in situations where space is limited. The Orbimat 76s was fitted with clamping shells (which are available for all dimensions of pipe) to ensure an exact match and strong hold. The pipe on this application was stainless steel tubing 1.500″ with a .035″ wall, diameter tubing (straight tube) and stainless steel elbow 180 degree 1.500″dia. with a .049″ wall. When the welds were complete, the welded pipes passed the hydrostatic testing at upwards of 300psi.
Thanks to Gregory Bellamy and Rob Storch from Red-D-Arc as well as Wayne Blamire and Bill Hatter from Airgas for their support on another successful orbital pipe welding customer demo.
Read more on orbital welding
Offered at a very competitive price, Red-D-Arc’s new RDA FHV220-M NA and RDA FHV440-M NA Manufacturers Series Positioners provide 360° rotation with 120° forward tilt to position weldments for better down-hand or automatic welding and safe, trouble-free operation. These small, portable positioners are driven by worm-gear reducers and controlled using a standard forward/stop/reverse, variable-speed control. RDA FHV440-M NA tilt is controlled using a hand crank and has a horizontal load capacity of 440 lb (200 kg). The RDA FHV220-M NA offers manual tilt and 220 lb (100 kg) horizontal load capacity.
The RDA FHV220-M NA and RDA FHV440-M NA are available for sale only and include Red-D-Arc’s industry leading 3 year warranty. We have an extensive inventory of units available for immediate delivery.
Contact sales to learn more. Welding chucks are also available to accommodate your requirements.
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