TPT May 2019

T UBE M I L L S & R OL L FORM I NG L I NE S

Bespoke cold welding solution streamlines tube production

weld process we used for a decade and works first time. It’s faster, easier to standardise, requires less operator input and training. Most advantageous of all, the new weld is stronger and capable of handling the tensions we place on the strip during tube production.” Before approaching PWM, VPT tried alternative methods of joining strip such as brazing, dovetail profiles, lap joints and laser welding. PWM successfully test welded VPT’s strip using a portable ST40 cold pressure welding machine, capable of joining copper strip as wide as 45mm and as thin as 0.2mm. Precision engineered to create reliable permanent welds stronger than the parent material, the ST40 enabled VPT to reduce scrap by about 1.5 per cent during production trials. PWM has now supplied VPT with three ST40

A CUSTOMISED cold welding system developed by PWM (Pressure Welding Machines) in partnership with US manufacturer Virtus Precision Tube (formerly Luvata) has streamlined and improved the process of copper tube production. The system has improved uptime, reduced costs and created a better working environment for operators, according to Joe Napier, VPT’s engineering programme manager. “We produce over 40 million pounds of roll-and-weld copper tube each year, in sizes from ¼" to ½",” he said. “The cold welding system we have developed with PWM is part of our continuous improvement programme. It supports our drive to develop high-performance tubing solutions for the HVAC and refrigeration heat exchanger markets. “The new cold welding process is more straightforward than the cross-

PWM’s ST40 air-hydraulic cold welder

welders that run full-time in production. Adaptations such as automatic flash trimming and annealing of the weld (to soften it and make it less brittle), and automation of the weld cycle and die opening system have been developed to streamline the process. VPT will field the new system across all tube mill production lines, and currently has four more ST40 units on order with more to follow. Pressure Welding Machines Ltd – UK Email: pwm@btinternet.com Website: www.coldpressurewelding.com

Virtus Precision Tube – USA Website: www.virtustube.com EDDYeyes – the key solution for rolling mills

analyse rolling mill defects. This means that defects of all types are detectable and can be reduced to virtually zero, according to ISEND, the result being that rolling mills can supply higher quality wire rod, for example.

detected. It then associates and stores the image with the signal for real-time or later analysis. Once the defect and its typology are known, the challenge is to characterise it and establish the relation to the cause that produces them, so that corrective actions can be implemented in the process to avoid future occurrences. EDDYeyes enables faster decisions with an accurate and intuitive way to

THE EDDYeyes’s solution from ISEND can be used with rolling mills to help ensure high quality production and reduce defects. EDDYeyes combines eddy current testing – given by the HOTdiscover system that detects defects online up to 120m/s at 1,200°C – and digital imaging with the EDDYeyes Vision system, which takes images in real time of the defects

ISEND, SA – Spain Email: contact@isend.es Website: www.isend.es

HBM RANGE Unbeatable speed – even with the toughest jobs To address the most stringent requirements. Ideal for high piece numbers and particularly hard steel qualities. Use the potential of innovative High- Performance Band- and Circular Saws of BEHRIN- GER and BEHRINGER EISELE. Experience machines and solutions for high precision and profitability. True to the motto „RED HOT EFFICIENCY“.

Behringer GmbH 74912 Kirchardt Phone (0 72 66) 207-0 info@behringer.net www.behringer.net

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MAY 2019