TEEING UP ORBITAL WELDING

摘要

TWO innovative techniques have come together to improve the quality and decrease the cost of fabricating high-purity systems, such as those used in the food and beverage, dairy, pharmaceutical, and semiconductor industries. These two techniques are mechanically formed T connections and orbital welding. Two common requirements in these industries concern distribution systems and the materials used to make them. They use manifold distribution systems for clean-in-place subsystems, gas and process fluid distribution, as well as filter and heat exchanger subsystems. These systems must be fabricated from polished austenitic stainless steel tube typically joined by an autogenous, or fusion, butt weld. When done correctly, this type of weld results in a joint that is strong with no crevices or porosity to trap process material that might later contaminate the product.