Pipe Welding Machine
Pipe welding machine comes in various shapes and sizes. They are an essential part of industry and a part of nearly every building that has been erected in the last eighty years. This makes pipe welding machines a valuable part of creating the world we live in. We find they come in various types that can weld vertically, horizontally or in other fashions.
The steel pipe welding machine that makes longitudinal welds
When a pipe needs welding horizontally along the axis there are automatic pipe welders that are up to the task. Depending on the size of the pipe to be welded, the stock may or may not enter the machine for the process. For pipes that are going to be around eight inches, (20 centimeters) in diameter, the material will likely be placed inside this specially-made machine. For larger pipes, longitudinal welding is done externally. The operator for larger pipes will sometimes just be there to oversee the preparation of the metal. This is because many pipe welding machines are computer-controlled. The operator can set up the welding head of the machine but not much more for automatic pipe welders.
Welding across the diameter of the pipe
Another facet of using this type of welder is to join the pipes at their ends. The pipes only need clean prepared end surfaces. Otherwise, the steps to welding them are practically the same as it is for longitudinal welding. Thicker pipes may need a submerged arc weld, but this is not a problem.
Automatic pipe joint welding machine for solar water heaters
This is another type of welder that joins the pipes of a metal solar water heater. This machine can be used for more than making solar water heaters since the materials are going to be the same. A solar heater with stainless steel tubes will have the joint welded after the ends of the tubes are beveled. Next, after setting the tubes into the machine, the welding head is set up to travel at the right speed and temperature. The operator can choose the amperage for each particular job. Tubes with lighter metal will require less amperage. The welding machine operator will be able to choose between TIG, MIG, MAG, or Plasma welding techniques. A touch screen makes it easy for the worker to select the proper parameters for the width of the pipe being welded. Continuous feed of filler wire is standard.
Welding machines that use pneumatics
For welding pipes with a machine, the welding head can be controlled by air. The buttons on the control panel control the direction. Both vertical and horizontal movement are managed, along with the angle of the head. Air pressure can be used to position and lock the pipe in place during the welding process. Programmable logic controllers, or PLCs, are used as the brains of the welding operation. If a problem happens during the welding process, the machine will emit an alarm to advise the shop of what has happened.
Using gears to control the welding head
A pipe welding machine with a gear-driven head is similar to a CNC machine. This is controlled numerically and accurately by a computer. A transmission drives the gears that move the head of the welder. This creates welds that are high quality and high precision. A wide range of stable speeds are obtainable to reproduce parts that are uniform. This means elevated levels of quality control and more profit.
The modern way of automating the welding process with a pipe welding machine under computer control is here to stay. Just as computers have taken over many of the manufacturing jobs in other industries, it is also this way for those using welders for manufacturing purposes. Human error is not entirely eliminated but is negated. The weld length, weld mode, arc lead time and more can be digitally controlled by the operator using a touch screen. Welding has come a long way since the early days of simply using a carbon arc to melt two pieces of metal together. These machines do nearly all the work, only needing someone to input a few instructions.
