Orbital welding is an automatic welding technique in which the weld joint is produced by, or with the assistance of, a robot. Due to the consistency and quality of the process outcome, orbital welding has been widely used for applications in aerospace industries as well as in automotive industries, food and beverage industries and power generation industries. But, the issue is to know the problems that one faced during the process and try to find how to overcome them. There are several common problems associated with orbital welding and it is important that we take a look at some of them here including; misalignment and heat control among others.
Misalignment
It is considered that the basic difficulty in the process of orbital welding is associated with the problem of correct positioning of the work pieces. They note that misalignment will lead to weld defects, lower quality weld and even an overall compromised strength of the formation of the whole system. To avoid misalignment, several precautions can be taken:
1. Precise fixture design: The fixture or clamp used should be accurately designed to position the workpiece in the right position as required. This will aid in keeping check, and thus ensure that there are very slim chances of getting off track.
2. High-precision centering: For the required centering of the workpieces, manufacturers can use lasers or other high-precision methods for that purpose. This keeps the orbital welding process on the correct position from the beginning.
3. Software calibration: Current orbital welding machines have inbuilt software that allows programming for the robot arm to glide up and down the length of the workpieces accurately. This way there will be less chances of misalignment and hence the operations will be more precise after the regular calibration.
Heat Control
One most thermally-induced residual problem related with orbital welding is distortion, warping and burn-through. Reducing heat input is needed when aiming to produce a quality weld with hides defects on the surface. Here are some ways to control heat input during the welding process:
1. Use of low heat input processes: Substituting hot processes with cool processes like GTAW or LBW will do less harm to the items by reducing the temperature of heat input hence decreasing chances of warping.
2. Optimizing welding parameters: Parameters such as current, voltage and travel speed influence heat input that can be regulated to achieve set amounts. For example, to reduce the amount of current flowing through the track, and to increase the speed at which the train travels, can go a long way in decreasing the amount of heat produced.
3. Using heat sinks: External methods which also help in controlling heat inputs include usage of heat sinks or cooling the work piece during welding. This will help make sure that the heat is uniform in order to prevent it from causing distortion and warping of the designed glass.
4. Using an interlayer material: Some manufacturers apply an intermediate layering material such as copper or an aluminum filler wire that will help in the dissipation of heat to lower the chances of warping.
Porosity
Another problem can be noted pinned to orbital welding, known as porosity, that results from the formation of gas pockets in the weld. This defect can also compromise the weld’s strength and may result in serious structure problems. The following steps can help minimize porosity:
1. Using the right shielding gas: Using and choosing the correct shielding gas – material pair can prevent porosity from occurring. For instance, Argon or Argon and Helium are usually associated with welding of stainless steels.
2. Proper gas flow: Keeping the flow rate of the gaseous mixture to the weld zone at the optimal rate will enable getting rid of contaminants and reducing formation of gas pockets.
3. Cleaning the workpieces: Reducing porosity, therefore involves making sure that the work pieces are completely free from contaminants that could be found on their surfaces prior to the welding.
To achieve this, one must get the vessel or structure into a position where the welds can be easily viewed and examined As mentioned previously examining welds can be straightforward if the vessel or structure can be moved to a position that allows the welds to be easily viewed.
Intensive inspection and testing of the welds is important in order to determine the presence and nature of weld defects and thus quality of the welds to be made. Some of the methods used for inspecting and testing the welds include:
1. Visual Inspection: The initial method of Quality Control is usually the visible examination. It assists in determining any outward manifestation of defects and also is useful to check if the welds have met the stipulated measurement.
2. Non-Destructive Testing (NDT): Methods such as Radiography, in which a radioactive source is used to detect flaws in parts without having to cut them or Ultrasonic Testing, a method that uses the transmission of sound waves to penetrate through the work piece surface and expose sub-surface flaws Dye Penetrant Inspection is also used and does not harm the weld or workpiece.
3. Dimensional Measurement: Measurement of lengths of the welds can assist in checking that the welds conform to their required length and permissible variations.
4. Performance Testing: It is necessary to carry out performance testing on final assembly to check the mechanical properties of the welds to meet the service conditions to be exposed.
Conclusion
Welding in an orbital manner has the following benefits; high quality, precision and efficiency. However, there are several factors that needs to be considered to achieve the desired outcome of the welding. Orbital welding variables include misalignment, heat control and porosity and by practicing necessary measures, these challenges can be overcome. Other important process that comprises inspection and testing of the welds include; In addition, frequent examination and evaluation of the welds are also vital to check if the welds conform to the required standards and quality.
Analyzing these challenges provides manufacturers with accurate insights that can help maximize the use of orbital welding technology to deliver quality and reliability in welded parts. With welding in high demand in today’s market, it is essential to adopt advanced welding technologies and enhance welding processes to meet current industry needs. For cutting-edge solutions in orbital welding, visit UPM Technology and discover how their innovations can support your manufacturing goals.