What is Orbital Welding?
Orbital welding or gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) is the automatic welding of tubes or pipe in-place with a rotating tungsten electrode. Orbital welding can be done with the addition of filler material or as a fusion welding process.
Orbital welding first began in the 1950s, replacing compression fittings and manual welds in the aerospace industry. Technological advancements have made the portable equipment’s programming and operation simple. Enclosed weld heads can operate on diameters up to 6 inches in pipe, and open weld heads driven with flex tracks can mount on pipe with complex curved surfaces at any diameter.
Closed Orbital Weld Head
Open Orbital Weld Head
An increase in requirements and regulations, as well as a lack of skilled workers, has left mechanical contractors, OEMs, processing plants, and fabricators searching for the solutions orbital welding provides.
MIT provides both AMI and Magnatech orbital welding equipment that offer numerous benefits.
Orbital Welding Benefits
Consistency and Repeatability
The orbital welding process is designed to produce welds that meet ASME BPE acceptance criteria. Consistent bead size and full penetration create smooth surfaces that prevent microbiological growth and possible contamination of the product.
Manual welding can be unreliable. With an orbital welding system, uniform welds can be created with a minimized risk of human error.
Cleanliness
An orbital fusion weld head creates a sterile, enclosed environment for a tube weld. With proper purging, gas, and tungsten electrode techniques, discoloration and metal impurities are prevented.
Versatility
Orbital welding is ideal for applications where the tube or pipe is unable to be rotated, has poor visibility, or is in a hard-to-reach place. The automated welding process can be used here to improve safety.
Productivity
Automated weld schedules and ease of use increase efficiency and cut labor costs.
Documentation
The orbital welding power supply can manage and print weld schedule history to keep accurate and complete documentation of welds.
Practical Applications for Orbital Welding
From power plants to vessel manufacturing, orbital welding serves a wide range of industries that involve tube and pipe. Orbital welding may be a great fit for your application if you work with:
Sanitary Tubing
- Tube to Tube
- Tube to Fitting
- Fitting to Fitting
Pipe
- Pipe to Pipe
- Pipe to Fitting
Exotic Alloy Applications
Tube to Tube sheet
Overlay Applications
If you don't see your specialty application, please call (417) 485-4575 to talk to a specialist about possible solutions.
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