TPi July 2018

Products & developments

Titanium welding with flexible welding enclosures

service panel incorporates access ports for welding torches, electrical leads and water-cooling supplies. A purge gas entry port and exhaust valve are also manufactured as standard, to vent displaced gas into the atmosphere. One company that uses the enclosures, Shapes Aerospace, commented: “We use our Argweld Flexible Welding Enclosure along with the PurgEye ® weld purge monitor every day for our titanium welding. They are built to last.” Compared to the conditions found with a rigid plastic or metal chamber, the flexible enclosures provide operator comfort and ease of use. HFT has been developing enclosures for many years, and has exploited the opportunities offered by advanced engineering polymers. Huntingdon Fusion Techniques – UK

It is often necessary to weld tita- nium or nickel alloy parts in an oxygen-free environment, espe- cially within the aerospace and additive manufacturing industries. In order to achieve oxide-free welds, it is important that the welding zone is purged of oxygen to a level as low as ten parts per million (ppm). Flexible Welding Enclosures ® manufactured by Huntingdon Fusion Techniques (HFT) are one solution. Luke Keane, technical support for HFT, said, “Our standard and specially made enclosures are available for a fraction of the cost of a rigid welding chamber, providing a technically viable option to the very expensive metal chambers and purge boxes. Special Flexible Welding Enclosures can be designed and manufactured to suit any purpose. We’ve recently manufactured systems for complete robot manufacturing cells and for GTAW (TIG) as well as laser additive manufacturing applications.” Asahi/America, Inc has released a new version of its Thermoplastic Valves, Actuation & Controls catalogue. The 232-page catalogue contains comprehensive technical information and drawings of the company’s complete line of thermoplastic valves and actuators, including the new Type- 57P butterfly valve, Series 17 electric actuator, and Omni ® Type-27 ball valve. As a resource for engineers, plant man- agers and distributors, the full-colour catalogue provides product specifica- tions, dimensional information, Cv val- ues, and pressure versus temperature ratings. Additional information high- lighted in the new catalogue includes detailed parts lists, features and benefits, and troubleshooting tips.

Flexible enclosure with welded SS parts

A vacuum system is not necessary to obtain a fast purging time down to a few ppm of oxygen. The Welding Enclosures are suitable for small production quantities of items that need total gas coverage, as well as single large items with critical joints. A combination of translucent material and optically clear sheet is used, depending on the viewing requirements. Large access zips are fitted to each enclosure, and additional entry points can be provided for operators’ gloves. A

hft@huntingdonfusion.com www.huntingdonfusion.com

Asahi/America releases new valve and actuation catalogue

Asahi/America’s product catalogues are available for download from the company’s website. Printed copies of the new Thermoplastic Valves, Actuation & Controls catalogue can also be requested by email or via the company’s website (see contact details below). Asahi/America specialises in solutions for fluid handling systems, individualised to meet customer requirements. It manufactures corrosion-resistant thermoplastic fluid handling products, including valves, actuators, pipe and fittings.

Asahi/America, Inc – USA asahi@asahi-america.com www.asahi-america.com

Asahi/America’s new catalogue

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TUBE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL July 2018

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