Accurate weld preparation
January 1st 2004

When welding highly stressed load-bearing parts, the preparation for welding has a decisive influence on the quality and economic efficiency of welding. With the FasRapid belt-grinding system from Surface Technology Products, bevels are produced on straight edges of plates economically and with great precision. The repeatable, highly accurate welding edges make it possible to achieve a high degree of efficiency in the subsequent welding processes and production of assemblies. One company making use of such a system is Mannesmann Dematic AG. The first FasRapid belt grinding system was commissioned in 1995 and Mannesmann has been working with the FasRapid abrasive belt grinder ever since. With metal removal capacities of 50 to 100cm3/min, the high performance belt grinding system operates with abrasive belts in grit sizes from 24 to 36 for dry grinding. Swarf is collected in a container and disposed of with other scrap metal. Elmar Potdevin, works manager, comments It is impossible to imagine our modern production without the FasRapid. When building the new factory in Zweibrcken, we introduced fully automated welding by robots. Without accurate preparation for welding this would not have been possible.

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