There are many reasons for using orbital welding equipment. The ability to make high quality, consistent welds repeatedly at a speed close to the maximum weld speed offer many benefits to the user:
1. Productivity
An orbital welding system outperform manual welders many times over, self-paying for the cost of the orbital equipment in a single job. Orbital welding productivity has been known to increase weld time (arc time) by 30% compared to manual welding by a skilled welder. Furthermore, the sophisticated liquid cooling system allows for welding work to carry out 24×7 for three shifts rotation when project schedule is tight.
2. Skill level
Modern orbital welding system comes with advanced Weld Procedure Auto-Programming function, which utilize sophisticated algorithm to generate both simple and complex weld programs. This takes away the need for an experienced, skilled or certified welder which is increasingly hard to find. All it takes is a technician to be trained with machine operation and some weld training.
3. Quality
The quality of a weld created by an orbital welding system with the auto-generation weld program and precise weld-head operation will be much superior to that of manual welding. In applications such as semiconductor or pharmaceutical tube welding, orbital welding is the only means to reach the weld quality requirements.
4. Consistency
Once a weld program has been established, an orbital welding system can repeatedly perform the same weld hundreds of times, eliminating the normal variability, inconsistencies, errors and defects of manual welding.
5. Reduces Argon Gas Consumption
Advance Orbital welding system comes with shield-gas management function, which allows users to control argon gas flow rate and flow duration for more efficient usage of argon gas during the different welding cycles, pre-purge, welding, post-weld and during standby.
6. Reduces Cost for Welds Inspection
Orbital welding is an excellent choice where inspection of the internal weld is not practical for each weld created. By making a sample weld coupon that passes certification, the logic holds that if the sample weld is acceptable, that successive welds created by an automatic machine with the same input parameters should also be sound.
7. Weld Data Management
Modern orbital welding system comes with seamless & integrated data management system, utilizing Industry 4.0 (IoT) communication & information technology for efficient, safer and reliable data input, transfer and storage. Welding information such as tube & fittings material heat no, jobs no, drawing no, argon gas lot number and other information could be captured into the system faster and easier using a QR scanner. Welds data are now automatically saved in machine internal memory and can be easily transferred to an external PC via USB or LAN interface for project weld log management. Long gone are the day where weld data (weld log) need to be printed after each weld cycle by an onboard printer, and problems like printer failure and printing papers run-out.
8. Difficult Weld Position
Orbital welding may be used in applications where a tube or pipe to be welded cannot be rotated or where rotation of the part is not practical, especially in 5G & 6G positions.
9. Constraint Work Space
Orbital welding may be used in applications where access space restrictions would be difficult for a manual welder to use a welding torch or view the weld joint. In orbital welding, weld technician only needs to mount the weld-head onto the joint and he may then proceed the weld with a remote control.
10. The Differences: Orbital Welding Vs. Manual Welding
Orbital Welding | Manual Welding |
Weld quality is always 100% | Subject to welder skill, experience and emotion |
Weld quality is consistent throughout the day | Lack of consistency |
Able to weld 24 x 7 | Manual Welder needs rest in between |
| Requires electrical power supply | Requires pay check and constant motivation |
| Automatically generates weld procedures and weld log reports | Reports done manually and lack accuracy in procedure and weld log |
| Completes the weld faster, perform more welds per hour, zero re-work | Takes longer time to complete the weld and may need more re-work |
Thanks for explaining how orbital welding can be very versatile in its positioning. I’d like to look for orbital welding equipment soon because I want to be able to start buying more advanced equipment for my workshop. I think that will make it easier for me to take up more complicated projects in the long run.