TPT May 2007

Technology Update

Onsite orbital welding advantages for stainless steel plants

Rather than compromise the quality of its work with a bad weld in the field, the company began taking its orbital welding equipment on installation trips to customer locations. While orbital welding systems were proven products at the time, it was companies like Idroinox that provided vendors with the feedback to make reliable, efficient portable power supplies that would withstand the varying environments in the field. Not only did Idroinox make many suggestions, but the company field force tested many ideas and prototypical equipment. This led to valuable feedback regarding factors such as the position of the head in enclosed areas, and the chilling system. In its field installation activity in various countries, Idroinox encounters many different welding standards. For example, its welders must be certified by the Italian Institute of Welding in accordance with its ASME 9 code. With the European Union’s attempts at standardisation, this issue will grow less complicated, but Idroinox also undertakes work in non-EU countries, such as

Idroinox Impianti Srl, Italy, constructs, assembles, and installs stainless steel processing plants. The company was one of the first in Europe to take its orbital welding equipment out of the plant and into customer locations in order to complete the installation of its specialised equipment. This played an important part in enabling manufacturers to develop the portable commodity products used in modern automatic welding.

‹ Well-prepared

tubes are vital to guarantee the weld result

It also helped speed the development and use of closed chamber weld head technology in orbital welding.

In the mid-1980s Idroinox welders, who were installing some of the company’s processing equipment in the United States, saw for the first time a closed chamber welding torch made by Astro Arc, a small Californian company that supplied the official welding torch used at NASA and in the aerospace industry. Idroinox was already in talks with Polysoude, France, to purchase its first orbital welding equipment, when Polysoude purchased Astro Arc. Idroinox was soon convinced of the benefits of welding stainless steel tube and pipe using orbital welding, to fabricate and assemble its complete preparation rooms.

fi Orbital welding on-site

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M ay /J une 2007