Many fabricators of steel tubes have chosen TIG welding as their welding course of as a result of it’s a versatile, environment friendly course of capable of be part of most kinds of supplies in a high-quality weld with clear edges and minimal weld bead.
Like all welding processes, TIG welding depends on exact alignment of the welding torch to the welding seam to get a great weld and produce prime quality tubes. The seam location can change over time as the varied tensions within the tube may cause it to twist because it’s pulled by way of the weld head. The twisting tube can imply that the weld seam can rotate out and in of place with respect to the TIG welding torch.
See the figures under to see instance photos of the weld seam in, and out of, alignment with the weld head.
Determine 1: Seam in Alignment with TIG Torch |
Determine 2: Seam Out of Alignment with TIG Torch |
The normal answer to monitoring the seam is to try to find it utilizing a mechanical feeler/wheel or a non-contact laser triangulation system. The issue with these kind of gear is that they discover the weld seam solely and assume the measurement datum on which they’re primarily based is at all times in the identical place. If, for instance, the gear will get knocked or the torch itself strikes, the seam place measured by the machine won’t be an correct measurement relative to the torch tip. Such conventional measurement instruments face different challenges as properly: particles on or close to the seam could trigger a mechanical system that depends on bodily contact with the seam edges to learn incorrectly. Laser triangulation techniques are sometimes mounted farther upstream on a TIG tube mill, so they aren’t measuring the seam edge place at some extent shut sufficient the place it must be – simply earlier than the weld head. As well as, laser triangulation techniques search for the perimeters of the seam by measuring a single level on every edge. If that actual level on the sting isn’t persistently shaped due to a variable edge preparation, then the outcome reported again from the laser could also be not the place the true edge is.
As compared, a camera-based measurement software that may see the seam and the TIG torch tip in the identical picture is ready to measure the relative offset of the seam and its edges in a extra sturdy method. Ought to the digicam be someway knocked throughout manufacturing, it’ll nonetheless be capable of see the weld seam place relative to the TIG torch tip, so long as each stay seen within the picture. As well as, utilizing a 2D digicam method permits a number of measurement factors for use to search out the perimeters of a weld seam with a best-fit edge detection algorithm to take away any localized discrepancies. The ensuing measurement is extra exact and fewer vulnerable to localized variations than different measurement strategies.
One other situation frequent to most tube mills is the standard of the sting preparation of the coil. When the strip steel is rolled right into a tube, the 2 edges come collectively for welding. If the perimeters haven’t been ready correctly, they are often fairly tough. The ensuing weld seam hole (the area between the 2 sides of the shaped materials simply earlier than welding) can range considerably in width primarily based on the consistency of the perimeters. If the weld seam hole turns into too massive, the weld course of might produce a sunken weld or might even see the welder burn by way of the seam, leading to a poor weld. An answer will be discovered by measuring the seam width utilizing a digicam.
The Xiris SeamMonitor™ system has been particularly developed to measure the seam alignment and weld seam width on TIG welded tube mills. Combining a Excessive Dynamic Vary (HDR) weld digicam that may see a wide range of brightness to simply seize the TIG torch, weld arc and weld seam, with subtle machine imaginative and prescient measurement software program, SeamMonitor™ permits real-time monitoring of the weld seam dimension, the torch tip location, and the relative offset between the torch tip and its seam.
Determine 3: The Xiris SeamMonitor™ with a Seam in Alignment. Be aware the Seam Place of -0.26 mm within the SeamMonitor™ Outcomes tab to the suitable. |
As a result of it’s a camera-based answer, the SeamMonitor™ can be utilized both as a standalone visible answer to supply picture suggestions to the operator, or it may be built-in with the mill’s controller for closed loop suggestions management.
The SeamMonitor™ system will be added to any TIG welded tube mill. The digicam needs to be mounted off-axis to view the TIG torch tip whereas additionally having a transparent view of the weld seam earlier than the welding takes place. Threshold warning and alarm limits of all of the measured parameters will be set by the operator and the outcomes will be output to an exterior machine if required. All parameters and pictures will be recorded for high quality assurance of the tubes primarily based on the set-up parameters and outlined warning/failure limits.
Determine 4: The SeamMonitor™ software program detects the Out-of-Alignment Situation – word the Seam Place Studying of -1.06 mm within the SeamMonitor™ Outcomes tab to the suitable. |
SeamMonitor™ addresses one of the crucial urgent wants dealing with TIG tube fabricators: how to make sure that the seam being offered to the weld field is in the suitable place and ready correctly for a great weld? By having the ability to clearly see the TIG torch and weld seam, and detecting the alignment between the 2, the SeamMonitor™ can present mill operators goal data-based instruments that may exactly monitor the standard of the welding course of.
To be taught extra about SeamMonitor™, request a replica of the datasheet right here or contact considered one of our product consultants.
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