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Automation's role in orbital welding
25 January 2013
Today's orbital welding systems employ a variety of automated features to help welders complete accurate, high-quality welds, and increase their likelihood of passing in-process inspections. John Glessman, manager of weldi
Today's orbital welding systems employ a variety of
automated features to help welders complete accurate,
high-quality welds, and increase their likelihood of passing
in-process inspections. John Glessman, manager of welding
system product for Swagelok Company, explains
Passing in-process inspections for orbital welding projects is critical, as a failure can lead to costly rework, project delays, and system downtime.
Automation can provide efficiencies for welders and inspectors when conducting those inspections.
Automated Documentation Today's orbital welding power supplies automatically record the majority of required welding data for projects. Automated electronic data collection ensures that searchable quality assurance data is available to welders and inspectors so each party can conduct in-process inspections in an efficient manner.Welders are typically required to maintain comprehensive data about each weld in a project - a cumbersome process that can account for 30% of total construction labour hours when performed manually.
Automated data collection captures all of this data with minimal operator input, allowing welders to focus on the welds. To ensure complete data collection, some orbital welding power supplies highlight required data fields and do not permit welding to start until operators fill in all open fields. In addition, welders can provide documentation data electronically to quality control administrators. Proper data transfer yields a higher probability of passing inprocess inspections.
Electronic documentation data made available to third-party inspectors expedites in-process inspections. In an electronic format, this data is sortable and searchable, providing inspectors with valuable efficiency during their reviews.
In-Process Inspections Electronic documentation records also help inspectors locate data faster compared to leafing through hard copy weld logs. This is helpful given the varying documentation and in-process inspection requirements set forth by industries, applications, and owner companies. For example, the biopharmaceutical industry typically requires visual examination of every weld.
Welders must visually check the outside diameter (OD) of welds and record this information - sometimes along with a video or image file.With welds chosen randomly for examination, inspectors can quickly search electronic records to locate specific welds and their data. If a weld fails a test, the inspector may search the electronic database to find all welds performed during the same period and review their parameters. Next, he may perform additional testing on those welds and potentially recommend rebuilding that portion of a system.
In some cases, welding jobs require intermediate in-process inspections at specific milestones. Here, data automatically stored on the welding power supply may streamline the inspection. For example, a particular code case for a nuclear project requires inspectors to examine the welding process every four hours. An inspector will then verify that the welds meet the inspection criteria and code requirements before the welder can resume working.
Power supply data and alarm settings can assist with the isolation and troubleshooting of any weld in question.
In the semiconductor industry, inspectors may check documentation data to confirm the consistent operation of the orbital welding power supply. Before completing actual project welds, welders will 'coupon in' by performing a destructive test with a sample tubing section and examining it against specifications. This test becomes part of the searchable electronic weld log and serves as a baseline for subsequent welds.
Automated features Newer orbital welding power supplies provide complete, automated control of both purge and shield gas. Purge gas controls help maintain proper ID pressure at the weld joint, while shield gas controls protect the weld bead from atmospheric contamination on the OD of the weld. Using an integral mass flow controller, these systems adjust gas flow automatically based on the weld program to reduce the variability of manual control.
Some power supplies present detailed live weld progress data to help operators better evaluate welds. Graphics show progression, performance levels, and stop/start for each level of a weld in real-time. If the weld deviates from the selected schedule, the graphic will indicate points where those variations occurred so the operator can evaluate the weld after completion. This feature enables welders to make efficient adjustments to improve weld quality.
By leveraging automated orbital welding power supply features, welders can enhance their ability to create accurate, high-quality welds, while also improving their efficiency in collecting documentation data. Ultimately, these automated features can improve the likelihood of passing in-process inspections and creating leak tight final systems.
Passing in-process inspections for orbital welding projects is critical, as a failure can lead to costly rework, project delays, and system downtime.
Automation can provide efficiencies for welders and inspectors when conducting those inspections.
Automated Documentation Today's orbital welding power supplies automatically record the majority of required welding data for projects. Automated electronic data collection ensures that searchable quality assurance data is available to welders and inspectors so each party can conduct in-process inspections in an efficient manner.Welders are typically required to maintain comprehensive data about each weld in a project - a cumbersome process that can account for 30% of total construction labour hours when performed manually.
Automated data collection captures all of this data with minimal operator input, allowing welders to focus on the welds. To ensure complete data collection, some orbital welding power supplies highlight required data fields and do not permit welding to start until operators fill in all open fields. In addition, welders can provide documentation data electronically to quality control administrators. Proper data transfer yields a higher probability of passing inprocess inspections.
Electronic documentation data made available to third-party inspectors expedites in-process inspections. In an electronic format, this data is sortable and searchable, providing inspectors with valuable efficiency during their reviews.
In-Process Inspections Electronic documentation records also help inspectors locate data faster compared to leafing through hard copy weld logs. This is helpful given the varying documentation and in-process inspection requirements set forth by industries, applications, and owner companies. For example, the biopharmaceutical industry typically requires visual examination of every weld.
Welders must visually check the outside diameter (OD) of welds and record this information - sometimes along with a video or image file.With welds chosen randomly for examination, inspectors can quickly search electronic records to locate specific welds and their data. If a weld fails a test, the inspector may search the electronic database to find all welds performed during the same period and review their parameters. Next, he may perform additional testing on those welds and potentially recommend rebuilding that portion of a system.
In some cases, welding jobs require intermediate in-process inspections at specific milestones. Here, data automatically stored on the welding power supply may streamline the inspection. For example, a particular code case for a nuclear project requires inspectors to examine the welding process every four hours. An inspector will then verify that the welds meet the inspection criteria and code requirements before the welder can resume working.
Power supply data and alarm settings can assist with the isolation and troubleshooting of any weld in question.
In the semiconductor industry, inspectors may check documentation data to confirm the consistent operation of the orbital welding power supply. Before completing actual project welds, welders will 'coupon in' by performing a destructive test with a sample tubing section and examining it against specifications. This test becomes part of the searchable electronic weld log and serves as a baseline for subsequent welds.
Automated features Newer orbital welding power supplies provide complete, automated control of both purge and shield gas. Purge gas controls help maintain proper ID pressure at the weld joint, while shield gas controls protect the weld bead from atmospheric contamination on the OD of the weld. Using an integral mass flow controller, these systems adjust gas flow automatically based on the weld program to reduce the variability of manual control.
Some power supplies present detailed live weld progress data to help operators better evaluate welds. Graphics show progression, performance levels, and stop/start for each level of a weld in real-time. If the weld deviates from the selected schedule, the graphic will indicate points where those variations occurred so the operator can evaluate the weld after completion. This feature enables welders to make efficient adjustments to improve weld quality.
By leveraging automated orbital welding power supply features, welders can enhance their ability to create accurate, high-quality welds, while also improving their efficiency in collecting documentation data. Ultimately, these automated features can improve the likelihood of passing in-process inspections and creating leak tight final systems.
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