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Tube Mill Welding Section

The welding section of a stainless steel tube mill is a critical process in the production of stainless steel welded tubes. It is responsible for closing the open tube blank from the forming section into a seamless welded tube using advanced welding techniques. The high strength, corrosion resistance, and surface quality requirements of stainless steel make precise control in the welding section essential, directly impacting the mechanical properties, durability, and appearance of the welded tube. The following description focuses on TIG welding, plasma welding, and laser welding, along with welding auxiliary equipment and welding roll material options.


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Hangao

Welding Method Selection

Welding Auxiliary Equipment

Welding Roll Material Selection

Production Process

Technical Features

Welding Method Selection

TIG Welding (Tungsten Inert Gas Welding):

T Type (Single TIG): Uses a single tungsten electrode arc, suitable for small to medium diameter and thin-walled stainless steel tubes, providing high-quality welds for general industrial applications.
TT Type (Dual TIG): Employs dual tungsten electrodes simultaneously, increasing weld depth and stability, ideal for thicker-walled or high-demand stainless steel tubes.
TTT Type (Multi-TIG with Copper Shoe): Utilizes multiple tungsten electrodes combined with copper shoe technology, particularly suited for small-diameter stainless steel tubes (e.g., micro or precision tubes). The copper shoe ensures stable arc guidance and heat distribution, enhancing weld consistency.
Advantages: Produces aesthetically pleasing welds with excellent corrosion resistance, ideal for food-grade, medical-grade, or decorative stainless steel tubes, with TTT excelling in high-precision small tube production.

Plasma Welding (Plasma Arc Welding):

PT Type (Single Plasma): Uses a single plasma arc with concentrated heat, suitable for high-precision or medium-walled stainless steel tubes.
TPT Type (Combined Plasma): Employs multiple plasma arcs or a combination with TIG, ideal for special alloys or thick-walled stainless steel tubes, producing deep and narrow welds.
Advantages: Offers a small heat-affected zone and deep weld penetration, suitable for high-strength or high-corrosion-resistance tubes.

Laser Welding:

Principle: Utilizes a high-energy-density laser beam to melt the tube blank edges, forming precise welds.
Applicability: Suitable for high-precision, thin-walled, or ultra-thin-walled stainless steel tubes, widely used in high-end medical, aerospace, or electronics industries.
Advantages: Provides fast welding speeds, narrow and aesthetically pleasing welds, and a minimal heat-affected zone, ideal for high surface quality requirements.

Welding Auxiliary Equipment

Servo Manipulator:

Function: Driven by servo motors, it precisely controls the positioning and movement of the tube blank, ensuring accurate edge alignment during welding.
Features: Offers fast response and high positioning accuracy, suitable for high-speed or complex tube production, reducing manual intervention.

Electromagnetic Control System:

Function: Uses electromagnetic fields to stabilize the welding arc, optimizing weld formation and reducing spatter or deviation.
Features: Enhances weld consistency, particularly for TIG and plasma welding, ideal for high-precision stainless steel tube production.

Weld Tracking System:

Function: Employs laser or optical sensors to monitor the tube blank edge position in real-time, automatically adjusting the welding head to ensure consistent weld alignment.
Features: Improves weld quality and reduces reject rates, suitable for high-volume or continuous production.

Welding Roll Material Selection

Cr12MoV:

Features: High hardness and wear resistance, suitable for medium-walled stainless steel tube welding rolls, offering cost-effective performance.
Applicability: Versatile for various tube diameters and wall thicknesses, with low maintenance costs.

AMPCO (Copper-Based Alloy):

Features: High thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance with excellent surface finish, ideal for stainless steel tubes requiring superior surface quality (e.g., decorative tubes).
Applicability: Particularly effective for thin-walled tubes or TTT-type welding, complementing copper shoe technology.

D2 (High-Carbon High-Chromium Steel):

Features: Exceptional hardness and wear resistance with strong deformation resistance, suitable for heavy-duty welding of thick-walled or high-strength stainless steel tubes.
Applicability: Ideal for demanding conditions, offering long roll life but at a higher cost.

Production Process

Tube Blank Input: The stainless steel tube blank from the forming section enters the welding section, with edges precisely aligned to ensure welding consistency.
Edge Preheating: Depending on the welding method (TIG, plasma, or laser), the tube blank edges are preheated to the appropriate temperature.
Weld Closure: Squeeze rolls press the tube blank edges together, forming a continuous weld using TIG (T/TT/TTT), plasma (PT/TPT), or laser welding techniques.
Weld Cooling: A water or inert gas cooling system rapidly cools the weld, minimizing the heat-affected zone and preventing intergranular corrosion in stainless steel.
Weld Trimming: An online trimming device removes external weld burrs, ensuring a smooth tube surface.
Welded Tube Output: The welded tube proceeds to subsequent sizing or cutting processes.

Technical Features

High-Precision Alignment System: Combines laser or optical alignment with servo manipulators and weld tracking systems to ensure precise tube blank edge alignment, minimizing weld deviations.
Inert Gas Protection: TIG and plasma welding use argon or helium shielding to prevent weld oxidation, ensuring stainless steel corrosion resistance.
Efficient Cooling System: Equipped with water or gas cooling to control welding zone temperatures, preserving stainless steel metallurgical properties.