TPi March 2019

Pre-sales and after-sales service by TIG welding experts: unique, complete support for orbital welding By Orbitalservice GmbH, Germany, and Gesellschaft für Wolfram Industrie mbH, Germany

by the electrodes that are used. Only if the function of the tungsten electrode is also optimised can a satisfactory result be obtained for the frequently costly products.” That is why Orbitalservice has been working with the Gesellschaft für Wolfram Industrie mbH since the company was founded in 2008. Thanks to this collaboration, the operation and its customers obtain qualified know-how regarding the handling of one of the most important TIG welding components: the tungsten electrode.

Orbital welding is frequently used in the manufacturing trade, for applications ranging from installing cooling and heating pipes in dairies to welding fuel lines in the aerospace sector. Special emphasis is placed here on the high quality and reproducibility of the welding seams in the interest of occupational health and safety, and to avoid possible consequential costs due to deficient processes. However, only the workpieces or welding equipment have been considered so far, and not in particular the characteristics of the electrode itself. Its high quality is also decisive for the production of flawless welding seams. That is why the welding technology specialist Orbitalservice GmbH is cooperating with the Gesellschaft für Wolfram Industrie mbH to impart the influence of high-quality tungsten electrodes on the process and the welding result. The respective welding processes in each industry can be cost-effectively optimised through pre-sales and after-sales service provided by the TIG experts in Upper Bavaria. Thus the quality of the welding results is guaranteed. So far this comprehensive service is not offered by any other company. In orbital welding, the welding head using arc welding technology is moved on a circular path around the round workpiece. In this process the operating point is protected against external influences by inert protective gases. “We produce orbital welding equipment for various industries, including the automotive sector or aviation and aerospace,” reports Dirk Kunze, CEO of Orbitalservice GmbH. “Orbital welding is commonly one of the final process steps in the assembly or welding of components. The welding equipment and processes have been continuously improved in the past 50 years, yet there has been no further development of knowledge regarding the influence on the process caused

Process analysis identifies suitable electrodes in advance

While tungsten electrodes are frequently used in welding, their structure, sharpening and alloy have a previously underestimated influence on consistently good results in TIG welding. A reproducible welding seam is only possible if the electrode quality and geometry are outstanding. “That is why we cooperate with Wolfram Industrie. They offer uncomplicated all-round service for this sensitive and vital process component,” says Mr Kunze. “Our welding equipment combined with a high-quality tungsten electrode guarantees flawless results.” The company recommends utilising the services of Wolfram Industrie for the all-important welding electrode. The service portfolio includes the advance evaluation of all process steps and the material to be welded using sophisticated analysis methods. This is done, for example, through metallurgical investigations and process diagnoses using measuring equipment such as scanning electron microscopes and spectral analyses, allowing the TIG specialists to guarantee that a tungsten electrode suitable for the respective requirements is produced. Wolfram Industrie is also able to optimise steps that have only a secondary impact on the electrode, such as logistics and ergonomics for clean room applications or installation work on

56

TUBE PRODUCTS INTERNATIONAL March 2019

www.read-tpi.com