Orbital welding is an automated process with varied applications in different industries. You can utilize orbital welding in welding aerospace parts, semiconductors, boiler tubes, food, dairy, and beverage manufacturing components, and nuclear piping.
What is Orbital Welding?
Orbital welding is an automated technique that involves rotating a welding tool at a 360° angle around a stationary workpiece. This process has minimal intervention by a welding operator since the entire process is computer-controlled to create high-quality welds. Orbital welding is commonly used for joining metallic tubes, pipes, and cylindrical objects.
What does orbital welding equipment entail?
Efficiently functioning orbital welding equipment should primarily comprise of:
1. Power supply
A programmable power supply is an essential part of orbital welding equipment. It has a different range of parameters you can set to meet your welding requirements. These parameters consist of wire feed options, current intensity, travel speed of the welding head, pulse flow, and shielding gas flow. The power supply should be portable, compact, and capable of sufficiently supplying power to a minimum of four axes.
2. Weld head
Weld heads are available in various sizes, depending on the application of the equipment. You may need to purchase different weld heads to suit your different welding needs. The major role of the weld head is to hold the electrode in place, handle the flow of the welding current, maintain the ideal temperature, and put adequate pressure on the pieces being welded.
3. Cooling system
Cooling systems may contain air or water as the coolant. The coolant's purpose is to prevent overheating of the welding equipment. It also protects the equipment operator from exposure to excessive heat, which may cause injuries like burns during the welding process.
Why use orbital welding?
Orbital welding comes with its fair share of advantages, including:
1. High productivity
Since orbital welding is an automated process, most of the work is controlled by programmable computers that work faster and are more efficient, thus boosting work productivity.
2. Reduced errors
Using orbital welding significantly decreases since the entire process is programmed and accurate. The system's automation allows it to repeat welds accurately, thus reducing errors that may arise due to fatigue if welding personnel take up the task.
3. Higher weld quality
An orbital weld with the proper equipment coupled with the appropriate program creates high-quality welds guaranteed to last long. The welding process is automated, ensuring consistent results, hence high-quality output, as the process is carefully monitored.
4. Practicality
Orbital welding comes in handy when the welding involves difficult positions that are challenging for you to maneuver manually. Orbital welding is also beneficial in confined spaces, spaces with poor visibility, and high-risk environments. The ability to reach inaccessible places and deliver quality welds makes orbital welding ideal for joining pipelines and cylinders.
