TPT November 2012

Technology News

Automated orbital welding systems streamline in-process inspections

ensures that searchable quality assurance data is available to welders and inspectors so each party can conduct in-process inspections in an efficient manner. Welders are typically required to maintain comprehensive data about each weld in a project – a cumbersome process that can account for 30 per cent of total construction labour hours when performed manually. Automated data collection captures all of this data with minimal operator input, allowing welders to focus on the welds. To ensure complete data collection,

by John Glessman, manager, welding system products, Swagelok Company PASSING in-process inspections for orbital welding projects is critical, as a failure can lead to costly rework, project delays and system downtime. Today’s orbital welding systems employ a variety of automated features that help welders complete more accurate, high-quality welds and increase their likelihood of passing in-process inspections. Even more importantly, automation also provides efficiencies for welders and inspectors when conducting those inspections. Today’s orbital welding power supplies automatically record the majority of required welding data for projects. Automated electronic data collection

Orbital welding power supplies employ a variety of automated features to help improve the quality of welds

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If a weld fails a test, the inspector may search the electronic database to find all welds performed during the same period and review their parameters. Next, the inspector may perform additional testing on those welds and potentially recommend rebuilding that portion of a system. Some power supplies present detailed live weld progress data to help operators better evaluate welds. Graphics show the progression, performance levels and stop/start for each level of a weld in real-time. If the weld deviates from the selected schedule, the graphic will indicate points where those variations occurred so the operator can evaluate the weld after completion. This feature enables welders to make efficient adjustments to improve weld quality. By leveraging automated orbital welding power supply features, welders enhance their ability to create accurate, high-quality welds, while also improving their efficiency in collecting documentation data. Ultimately, these automated features improve the likelihood of passing in-process inspections and creating leak tight final systems. Swagelok Company – USA Email: john.glessman@swagelok.com Website: www.swagelok.com

some orbital welding power supplies highlight required data fields and do not permit welding to start until operators fill in all open fields. In addition, welders can provide documentation data electronically to quality control administrators. Proper data transfer yields a higher probability of passing in- process inspections. Electronic documentation data made available to third-party inspectors expedites their in-process inspections. In an electronic format this data is sortable and searchable, providing inspectors with valuable efficiency during their reviews. Electronic documentation records also help inspectors locate data faster compared to leafing through hard copy weld logs. This efficiency is especially helpful given the varying documentation and in-process inspection requirements set forth by industries, applications and owner companies. For example, the biopharmaceutical industry typically requires visual examination of every weld. Welders must visually check the outside diameter of welds and record this information – sometimes along with a video or image file. With welds chosen randomly for examination, inspectors can quickly search electronic records to locate specific welds and their data.

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