TPT March 2024

ARTICLE

Thermatool Corp

Data collection and implementation of IIoT enabled equipment for HF welding in the tube and pipe industry By Olexandra Tupalo, manager, Thermatool Labs

The importance of data collection Data has always been an important part of any welding process, but in the era of IIoT and Industry 4.0 process data has moved from paper process data sheets to digital records and has become an immensely powerful tool. With the ability to store and retrieve rich data sets, operations personnel can institutionalise knowledge, improve information sharing and accelerate process improvements. In the past, the pace of industry development was limited by tribal knowledge and related human experience, as well as long learning curves. Each company has its own level of process and data knowledge. Currently, most mills continue to rely on manual entry of weld process data on varying types of weld process datasheets (which are often company-specific). Manual data collection quickly becomes a very time-consuming task and, therefore, is often incomplete. Many companies heavily rely on their skilled operators’ expertise and have only partial data

Data collection and data analytics have become the new norm in most industries. Collecting and utilising data can improve efficiency, ensure quality control and increase overall productivity. Although the tube and pipe industry has undergone significant evolution and development from its initial manual processes phase, it has yet to fully embrace data-driven HF welding operations. This article covers the aspects of data-driven HF welding operations: setup, process control, condition-based monitoring and preventive maintenance and troubleshooting. The article discusses the importance of data collection during high frequency welding and how it can be related to the quality of the final product. It also explores how the use of data can reduce human error and increase overall product yield. Additionally, this paper offers suggestions for incorporating Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)-enabled equipment and preparing for upcoming advances in automation.

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MARCH 2024