January 2012 Tube Products International
45
products & developments
Purge dams
and weld gas
analysers
Sumner Manufacturing has launched
new inflatable weld purge dams for use
with stainless pipe from 50 to 350mm
(2" to 14") in diameter. Inflatable purge
dams can be used to quickly and
efficiently create a reduced oxygen weld
chamber where it is critical to avoid
oxidation in the weld, for example when
welding exotic metals such as stainless,
duplex or titanium.
“Inflatable purge dams provide welders
with an inexpensive, time-saving,
reusable device that not only performs
a critical application of increased weld
quality, but reduces argon consumption
and increases weld production rate,”
said Sumner president Rob Collins.
“Using an inflatable weld purge dam
system, purging a 6" pipe to less than
1% oxygen content takes less than 3
minutes. Other solutions such as paper
dams simply can’t match that kind of
production.”
The purge dams are constructed using
a primary and secondary inflatable dam
at either end that are covered with heat
and spark resistant double-stitched
Proban
®
cotton and connected with
a 12" to 14" armoured stainless steel
spinal hose. The spinal hose has a
reactive valve to vent argon to the weld
chamber. The primary dam is fitted with
a primary hose to inflate the dams, a
secondary hose that can be used to
bypass inflation and quickly flood the
weld chamber with argon, and a hose
outlet for venting excess argon. Both
the primary and secondary dams have
a reinforced eyelet pull loop for feeding
and retrieving the purge dam system
inside pipe.
The inflatable weld purge dam system
works by connecting the primary
inflation hose to the argon supply hose.
Once the purge dam system has
been positioned with the primary
and secondary dams on either
side of the weld the flow of argon
to the purge dams can begin.
Argon inflates the primary dam,
flows through the spinal hose and
inflates the secondary dam before
finally venting through the reactive valve
in the spinal hose to flood the weld
chamber. Once the weld chamber is
fully pressurised, argon will exhaust in
the vicinity of the weld and through the
argon vent hose. When the oxygen level
has reached acceptable levels welding
can begin.
Sumner Manufacturing has also
launched two new weld gas analysers
for monitoring oxygen levels in oxygen-
controlled weld gas chambers.
The Ar-Gone weld gas analyser quickly
measures oxygen levels and provides
a feedback display down to 0.01%.
The Argo-Naught weld gas analyser is
hermetically sealed, making it air and
water tight, and measures oxygen levels
down to 0.1%.
“Sumner weld gas analysers provide
precise monitoring of oxygen levels for
critical applications such as welding
stainless steel, stainless titanium or
other reactive metals,” commented
Mr Collins. “Use of a reliable weld gas
analyser such as Sumner’s Ar-Gone
and Argo-Naught models reduces argon
usage and weld defects, while allowing
users to increase weld production
rates.”
Both the Ar-Gone and Argo-Naught
models feature replaceable batteries
and oxygen sensors. The weld gas
analysers come with a 2m (6½ft) rubber
hose with stainless steel probe, a
rubber aspirator bulb, carrying strap
and operator’s manual in a sturdy nylon
case.
The Ar-Gone and Argo-Naught weld
gas analysers function similarly. After
switching the unit on, each can be
quickly calibrated with the turn of a
knob. The rubber hose and aspirator
bulb connect to a flow adapter on the
unit. When the weld chamber is ready,
the steel probe on the other end of
the rubber hose is inserted into the
weld chamber, and the aspirator bulb is
squeezed to feed gas into the weld gas
analyser to obtain an accurate oxygen
level reading.
Sumner Manufacturing Co, Inc
– USA
Ar-Gone weld gas analyser
Sumner’s inflatable purge dam
