TPI January 2024

penetration would disrupt the flow of fluid and compromise the nozzle’s performance. Their previous attempts using off-the-shelf handheld tooling to remove the root penetration resulted in inconsistent surface finishes that hampered non-destructive tests on the weld further down in the process. They needed a specially designed tool that could go through the narrow nozzle throat and expand into the nozzle chamber to remove the weld root without damaging any of the surrounding area. To avoid having to redo the entire fabrication process, the company engineers needed a tool that could reach inside the nozzle and machine the weld root to be flush. Tri Tool was able to design and develop a custom precision micro boring system to remove the difficult-to-reach weld root penetration based on an existing ID weld profiling system. With the rapid expansion of private space companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin, the pace of development of next generation spacecraft and aircraft, along with critical support infrastructure, is only increasing. The need is no less great for aircraft manufacturers, for everything from commercial airlines to cargo aircraft and fighter jets. Fortunately, there are aerospace-specific pipe and tube squaring solutions that can cut, weld, square and bevel with exacting accuracy, time-saving speed and field-proven performance. By making the right choices, these tools help ensure the integrity of welds even under the demanding stresses and conditions of next generation air and space systems.

In a recent example, the company modified the 300STS to perform miter cuts up to 8 degrees based on a customer request. The ability to make miter cuts while maintaining the same flatness and surface finish requirements is ideal for adjusting the angles of tubes that do not precisely fit in preparation for orbital welding. “To accomplish a two-degree offset, for example, you might face each end with a one-degree angle so they meet up perfectly and the weld head can make the weld because the gap is extremely tight,” explained Mr Young. Prototypes of the product were introduced at the FABTECH show in September 2023, and Tri Tool Technologies expects to release the miter model as a standard product in 2024. A new proprietary Inconel cutting bit also originated from a request from a leading commercial space company building a new launch vehicle platform. To increase efficiency and accelerate project timelines, the company needed to optimise the squaring of difficult-to-machine Inconel tubing. The existing strategy and methods for cutting Inconel were not easily scalable and did not provide the extreme precision, reliability and consistency needed for the project. When the private space company contacted Tri Tool Technologies, the company’s aerospace fabrication experts immediately recognised the need to develop a proprietary cutting bit specific to the customer’s application. The result was a new cutting bit technology with a proprietary base material, coating and grind design. The cutting bit easily machined the Inconel components and created a smooth machined surface. Tri Tool engineers also ensured backward compatibility with the customer’s existing equipment, enabling the company to move forward without redoing other downstream and upstream production processes. With Tri Tool’s proprietary cutting bit, the leading commercial space company is accelerating production times of its launch vehicle platforms and delivering on-schedule. Weld root penetration in difficult-to-reach areas can also be a concern. When fabricating a two-part, small diffuser nozzle weldment at its California facility, one of the world’s leading private aerospace manufacturers noticed a small weld root penetration inside the nozzle chamber caused by the arc welding process. If not removed, the weld root

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TUBE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL January 2024

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