TPT May 2023

ARTICLE

Thermatool Corp

AutoMatch TM ensures that full power to the load is always available, which means tube and pipe can be run at competitive speeds. Thermatool’s proven power supply technology provides the highest HF weld process efficiency, beyond just the most efficient use of electricity. Operators benefit from a repeatable process that assures the same weld every shift, every day, all year.

The narrowest HAZ requires the highest stabilised welding frequency. By precisely controlling HF Weld heat input, the highest process efficiency is achieved. Now made obvious, process efficiency is a critical parameter that must be monitored to assess not only the efficiency of a tube mill, but also the repeatability of the process. Thermatool has integrated this measure into the latest human machine interface (HMI) by providing a readout of this energy measure for each ton of material produced on the mill. This allows customers to directly quantify the efficiency of their process with our calibrated calorimetric measurement of output power. We call this HF weld process efficiency – the blending of precise heat input power as a process parameter with the amount of material produced. Often manufacturers of HF welding equipment discuss small differences in energy efficiency. This is of secondary importance. It is much less important whether the welder achieves 85% or 90% power supply efficiency because it is more important that the width of the HAZ varies if there is no frequency control. Going from 400kHz to 150kHz heats more material, dissipating as much as 30% more energy, and resulting in up to 30% more energy cost for the HF weld process. Load matching is also a critical parameter when discussing energy efficiency. Thermatool’s CFI and HCT welders use patented AutoMatch TM power and frequency matching and stabilisation, which ensures full power output over the full range of product sizes.

References

1. M. Nallen “A path to a better high frequency weld”.

2. O. Tupalo, M. Nallen “A path to a better HF weld – Part 2. Toward a method for high frequency weld heat input control”.

(Request the articles at www.thermatool.com)

Figure 3: HCT software displays AutoMatch TM status along with current and voltage meters

The AutoMatch TM also ensures a stable welding frequency, even with changes in weld area setup, tube OD and wall thickness and impeder function. If there is no load matching or only “electronic load matching” the efficiency advertised is only true for one optimised product setting. This means that if a voltage or current limit is reached, full power output will not be possible.

Thermatool Corp – USA info@thermatool.com www.thermatool.com

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MAY 2023