TPT January 2012

T echnology U pdate

Pipe handling and clamping

KISTLER pipe rotators are used for clamping, rotating, and tilting of pipes in manual and automatic welding, mainly in the field of pipe construction, whether prefabrication or assembly on site. Many machines have been supplied for tube-to- tube butt-welding processes. There are three machines in the ‘U’ range, the U150 (20mm to 200mm diameter pipe), U500 (20mm to 400mm diameter pipe) and U1000 (25mm to 800mm diameter pipe). Kistler’s pipe rotators, with a patented clamping roller system, have advantages over traditional devices: • They can be used for pipes with elbows, tee-pieces, or other offset loads • A wide range of pipes can be clamped. The infinitely variable rotary speed is not affected by the size of a pipe because of its separate drive unit • Quick precise centring and clamping without a chuck or clamping shoe • Flexible pipe handling – pipe can be clamped at its centre of gravity

• Tilting moments and supports are irrelevant in most cases • Possible to centre two pipes with the same diameter • Various combinations are possible, including clamping and driving of a main spindle. Standard pipe rotators are designed to rotate work pieces 360° (forward/stop/ reverse) with variable speed control and forward and backward tilt from horizontal. Rotation and tilting may be performed independently or simultaneously. The tilting section consists of the drive and roller box, holding column, clamping arm, and pressure roller. Manual vertical height adjustment of the clamping roller system is included as standard on all units. All the machines have optional extras from directional foot pedals to Diablo pipe supports. Kistler ‘U’ range pipe manipulators are sold exclusively in the UK by YPH Ltd of Preston.

YPH Ltd – UK Website: www.yphltd.co.uk

Kistler’s U150 model pipe rotators

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J anuary 2012

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