TPi March 2017

business & market news

Case study: weld purging of titanium alloy pipes in India

Weldwell Speciality Pvt Ltd in Mumbai, a major supplier to the Indian welding industry for more than two decades. The customer has a long tradition of specialist fabrication of titanium, tantalum, zirconium and nickel alloys and stainless steels.

A new facility for the production of 1.25mn tonnes of terephthalic acid (PTA) has been built at the port of Mangalore in the Indian state of Karnataka. The project involved factory fabrication of specialised equipment followed by integration on site. A range of stainless steels were used in manufacture, along with titanium and tantalum alloys. The bulk of the fabrication involved welding of tubes and pipes. A significant part of the project was awarded toaChennai-basedcustomer of

A selection of QuickPurge inflatable purging systems, with two doughnut-style dams connected by a volume-reducing sleeve

maintained for lengthy periods without any gas loss. Only when gas pressure is increased to 0.5 bar will purging begin. This results in a significant saving in expensive inert gas. All welds in stainless steel were made successfully using the standard QuickPurge I systems, but some surface discolouration was observed when welding titanium alloys. Contact was made with HFT and it was agreed that additional gas purging was required. This was accomplished by using QuickPurge II, since this incorporates additional gas purging and gas outlet ports. The change resulted in the production of clean and oxide-free welds, even in such sensitive materials as titanium alloys. Huntingdon Fusion Techniques – UK hft@huntingdonfusion.com www.huntingdonfusion.com Weldwell Speciality Pvt Ltd – India

To avoid internal contamination of the pipes during welding and to prevent oxidation of the weld root, purging systems from Huntingdon Fusion Techniques (HFT) in the UK were employed. The HFT QuickPurge ® concept was chosen, and purge systems to accommodate pipe sizes between 800 and 1,500mm were ordered. HFT also supplied its Purge Gate ancillaries to control and maintain the inflated state of the large diameter inflatable devices even when the purge gas flow was interrupted or stopped. This was particularly important when welding was not required but the effective gas sealing was maintained, for example during a shift change or when work was discontinued overnight. Using the Purge Gate feature, the dams inflate and effect good sealing when the inert gas pressure is set at 0.45 bar. After inflation, the gas flow from the supply stops and no further consumption takes place; this can be

Close up of a typical titanium root weld, free of discolouration from oxidation

sales@weldwell.com www.weldwell.com

Artel appoints UK sales manager UK-based Artel Rubber Holdings Ltd, manufacturer of tubing, hose and fittings, has announced that Ray Barratt has joined its team as UK sales manager. Mr Barratt brings with him professional experience from a selection of national and regional management roles gained in OEM and first replacement disciplines. Mr Barratt commented, “I am delighted to have joined Artel Rubber as their UK sales manager and look forward to utilising my extensive automotive experience in support of their ongoing commitment to delivering the best hose solutions for today’s and tomorrow’s applications.” Artel Rubber Company manufactures and fabricates silicone and rubber tubing and hose. The company offers a broad product line of tubing, hose and

fittings, and with the introduction of its automotive performance tubing, hose and fitting products, is suited to meet the demands of various applications. ISO 9001:2008 accreditation guarantees quality for rail, automotive, food, pharmaceutical and defence industries. Artel Rubber Company – UK

sales@artelrubber.co.uk www.artelrubber.co.uk

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TUBE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL March 2017

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