TPT September 2023

ARTICLE

Thermatool Corp

greatly affects process quality and efficiency. Upon entering a tube OD, the program automatically recommends an induction welding coil with a Thermatool part number. After entering all the data, click ‘Save’ and select a product from the list. Click ‘Load’ to run the HAZ Control with the new product. Since the welding process has not yet been saved to the product recipe, the product will be labelled as “Not Stored” on the product list. When the welding process is saved during welder Heat On, the weld parameters will be saved to the product recipe. To view the saved weld parameters of the product, open it in the “product recipe set up” screen and click on the stored information button. Before saving a recipe, it is crucial to ensure that the produced sample meets the required quality standards. Various non-destructive and destructive testing methods are used for weld quality verification, including the microstructural evaluation and mechanical testing like hardness, tensile testing and Charpy V-notch. Simple flare and flattening tests are also common validation methods. The specific testing required to qualify the weld depends on the end application and the applicable standards, which are described in the standard itself. The HCT software now has a new “process control methods” feature that helps pipe manufacturers control their HF welding process. This software tool displays the HF welding process within pre-determined limits and allows users to save the recipe once the desired outcome is achieved. Users can also set and adjust upper and lower process limits. Thermatool has taken steps to enhance mill operators’ understanding of the HF welding process by introducing visual indicators for power (kW) and frequency (kHz). Additionally, a new external LED stack light has been added as a useful tool. The LED stack illuminates green when the process is within the control limits, yellow when the process is approaching variation limits and red when the process is outside of the process specification limits. The software screen will also change the background colour to match the LED stack’s status, alerting the operator. Maximise uptime Diagnostics and real-time monitoring are other parts of process automation. ThermaView is a diagnostics software that provides a real-time graphical display of weld process parameters, such as welder kW output, weld frequency and impedance matching. This is useful for mill operators and engineers for diagnosing welding issues and performing preventative maintenance. ThermaView displays real-time operational and historical trending for HF weld parameters, which can identify potential problems which can be resolved quickly, minimising downtime. If a fault occurs, ThermaView displays its location on the welder diagnostic screen, showing PLC analog input and digital input/output status and values. Help screens also describe the fault’s nature, possible causes and recommended corrective actions.

Figure 2: HAZControl™ Technology software screen

When the operator enters setup parameters such as tube OD and wall thickness, mill speed, vee length and material information into the software, the predictive algorithm determines the initial frequency and power settings required to weld the tube. The most important, but often overlooked feature of the software is a recipe setup record. A user can input, store and retrieve a “recipe” for a given tube geometry and mill speed and the welder will operate at the stored power and frequency settings. This feature of the HCT software not only helps to reduce the operator’s workload, but also adds a very high level of repeatability. To create a new “recipe”, users will be prompted to enter parameters such as tube geometry, tube material, vee length, coil length and ID diameter, impeder length and diameter, ID scarfing and weld roll diameter (Figure 3) . The HAZControl™ Technology HF welder includes a position sensor for the welder vee axis. The HF welder induction coil leading edge position is reported in the current vee length field. Vee length is one of the critical welding process parameters and ensuring the use of the correct vee length

Figure 3: Product recipe setup screen

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SEPTEMBER 2023