TPT March 2016

T E CHNOLOG Y

Precision laser tube forming and welding THE Machines of Yvonand, Switzerland, is not only known for its decades of experience in the manufacture of extrusion lines for drip irrigation pipe and tube systems, but also for its know-how and expertise in the field of transverse and longitudinal laser welding of flat sheet and tubular formed metals, as well as multi-layer metal polymer combinations. full production speed and securely. The actual seam can subsequently be left in the final product or cut out. This optimisation potential has as yet remained untapped, since no suitable welding method for joining the ends of thin metal strips was available on the market to meet these requirements.

machine types 40, 63 and 110 for composite tube diameters up to 40mm, 63mm and 110mm, and a very compact 12mm version for high precision and performance formed and welded tubular metal structures. Especially micro precision tubes below 2mm OD and with wall thicknesses down to 0.05mm can be produced in-line in one single production step. These are used in medical applications (needles) and as heat exchangers in the aeronautic and aerospace industry. Other applications range from capillary tubes to tubes for industrial and automotive industries, as well as tubes containing optical fibres such as used in OPGW, FIST and other fibre optic applications. Speciality LSL lines can be custom adapted for tube forming and laser welding of products with a complex ratio of wall thickness to weld diameter. The equipment is supplied with a disc-laser source, which is low in maintenance requirements. High process speeds up to 50m/min are guaranteed with an integrated optical seam tracking system. The quality of the entire seam integrity and full weld depth and volume are checked using the latest multi-channel remote field eddy current testing. The system uses a non-destructive testing and in-line inspection of the weld seams with a very high sensitivity to detect small and even hidden defects.

experts, each unit offers a real-time solution to overcome challenging pipeline fit-up and welding requirements. From pipe ovality, end squareness and pipe straightness, to girth weld integrity and bevel alignment, the next- generation portfolio provides a solution for on-site pipe measurement. Videos highlighting the tools’ capabilities in detail, as well as a brief introduction to their application, are available to watch at www.youtube.com/omsmeasure Commenting on the launch, Hugh THE Machines, familiar for years with laser technology and protection- gas-free laser welding and the welding of thin-walled metal sheets, offers solutions for cross-welding with the SLT range of machines. The series covers a bandwidth as standard from 80 to 750mm (higher bandwidths available on request). Laser welding is particularly suitable for processing thin sheets where other methods would fail. The welding is conducted in fully automated process steps. Depending on the materials and thicknesses, pre-programmed welding parameters guarantee high, repeatable quality. The tensile strength and elongation at the seam are generally ≥85 per cent of the base material. In combination with tape accumulators of the ABH series each non-continuous process could be changed into a continuous process to raise the productivity of existing lines. Applications for cross welding and butt joining of alloys ranging from 0.05mm (50 micron) are found in steel and alloy producers, precision metal strip suppliers, stamping operations, plating operations and continuous tube forming and welding operations. A number of novel and custom-made solutions are available to meet market demands. The LSL range of longitudinal laser welding equipment is available in the

The traditional processing of metal tape in the thickness range of 0.05 to 1mm in metal forming and stamping plants is still discontinuous, or for thicknesses above 0.15mm is covered with other technologies requiring high energy consumption and forming or shielding gas, which is often a concern to the industry. THE Machines has continued to drive forward both technologies of laser cross welding and continuous laser longitudinal welding in the field of protection-gas-free laser welding of any aluminium alloy, and the high performance welding of a wide range of alloys including stainless steel, Cr and Ni alloys, copper, titanium and composites of these and plated products. A discontinuous process means that a coil change mandates not only a machine stop, but also a time- consuming setup procedure each time when re-threading the new tape. This interruption of production could be drastically reduced by combining the end of the tape with the incoming strip of the new coil in such a way that the weld and seam fully meets the rigorous requirements of the subsequent process steps, eg line tensions, repeated bending, forming or heat treatment, at

THE Machines Yvonand SA – Switzerland Email: info@the-machines.ch Website: www.the-machines.ch

Suite of digital hand tools PRECISION measurement specialist Optical Metrology Services has launched a comprehensive portfolio of compact digital hand tools. Developed to improve project efficiencies in the field, the range ensures fast, accurate and repeatable electronic assessment of pipeline geometry.

Davies, director of client solutions at OMS, said, “With precision measurement key to the success of any pipeline project, we wanted to introduce a comprehensive solution to help quality control managers, welders, pipe mills and coating yards to ensure that the various pipe features are all within specified project tolerances.” Optical Metrology Services – UK Email: info@omsmeasure.com Website: www.omsmeasure.com

Durable, portable and designed with the user in mind, the suite comprises eight individual quality assurance tools. Developed in-house by OMS’s team of precision measurement technology

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M ARCH 2016