What Is Orbital Welding?

What Is Welding Speed? Is It Faster Than Manual Welding?

Orbital welding is a much faster method than manual welding. In practice, it has been observed that the amount of weld produced by orbital welding is approximately three times greater than that of manual welding. Depending on the material, the average welding speed is around 100 mm/minute. The speed limit depends on the properties of the material; however, there is generally no significant speed limitation in orbital welding systems. This speed is quite high compared to manual welding.

Although manual stick electrode or MIG (gas-shielded) welding processes may appear fast, the rest periods for the welder in these methods are significantly longer. For example, a certified welder can weld 40 inches (approximately 1,016 mm) in a single workday. This equates to 40 × π × 25.4 = 3,190 mm of weld, a distance that can be covered in 3,190/100 = 32 minutes using orbital welding. With orbital machines, the operator has no need for rest periods. In addition, thick materials that cannot be welded in a single pass using manual welding methods (for example, 5 mm in carbon steel) can be processed in a single pass with orbital welding. This results in significant time savings compared to the time required for additional passes.

Are Orbital Welding Systems Expensive?

Many companies quickly recoup the initial investment cost of an orbital welding system. If welded pipe manufacturing is one of the company’s core businesses, the savings from reduced electrode or filler material consumption, the efficiency gains from welders’ working hours, and the reduction in time spent repairing defective welds all help offset the system’s cost. However, companies that perform pipe welding jobs only occasionally are advised to conduct a feasibility study before purchasing this system. The system is advantageous for those who perform 2,000 or more welds per year on pipes of specific diameters, particularly stainless steel pipe joining jobs. Additionally, some companies that already own an orbital welding system are significantly increasing their customer base thanks to the quality advantage this system provides.

What Types of Materials Can Be Welded?

Materials that can be welded can be defined as all conductive metals. In particular, with a standard Orbitec orbital welding system, various stainless steels (304, 316L, etc.), carbon steels (ST 37, ST 52, etc.), chromium-molybdenum, titanium, copper, CuNiFe, Inconel, and Duplex can be welded without changing equipment. Additionally, those wishing to weld aluminum pipes will need to purchase an AC/DC orbital system.

What Is the Basic Welding Method Used?

Orbital welding systems can also be defined as automated TIG (Tungsten Inert Gas) welding systems. In orbital welding, the fundamental principle is to complete a full rotation around the pipe and perform the weld in a single pass. In other welding methods (stick electrode, MIG), completing a full rotation in a single pass is nearly impossible. However, mechanized MIG welding is also available, particularly for welding pipe lines.

Can Pipe Ends and Flanges Be Welded?

Properly preparing a branch joint is a difficult process even for manual welding. However, a branch joint prepared with the proper fixtures can be welded using an orbital system. The tungsten electrode, by allowing for angled positioning, makes it possible to weld flat parts such as flat flanges. It is preferable for both sides of the workpiece to have a straight neck, but the orbital welding head can also be held from just one side for welding.

Can Welding Be Performed in Tight Spaces?

Welding heads are designed to fit into the tightest spaces, depending on their diameter. In most cases, manual work is not possible in areas where orbital welding machines can operate.

Can Parts That Are Not Perfectly Round Be Welded?

Open welding heads can follow surface irregularities thanks to their mechanical trackers. This makes it possible to weld elliptical parts as well. Research is ongoing to develop the necessary accessories for welding profiles such as squares and rectangles.

Is Radiographic Inspection Successful? (Does It Produce a Film?)

Since the welding method used is TIG and the system performs the welding process flawlessly, it becomes difficult to detect defects on the X-ray film. It is even difficult to identify the weld line.

How Is Orbital Machine Welding Performed?

The welding head is clamped to the pipe so that it aligns with the joint line. The tungsten electrode, which performs the welding, rotates around the weld line and completes the welding process.