PRODUCT REVIEWS
Weld purge monitoring
Below left : The fully purged system . Below : PurgEye ® 100 and pipe .
Global weld purging specialist , Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT ®, has unveiled its updated PurgEye ® 100 , with new features for the weld purge monitor .
Weld purging is the act of removing ( from the vicinity of the joint ) oxygen , water vapour and any other gases or vapours that might be harmful to a welding joint . Such gases may combine with the metal to form undesirable compounds that may reduce corrosion resistance or be instrumental in creating cracks or other structural defects in metals . “ Weld purging requires the removal of oxygen and it is important that welders know exactly when it is safe to start welding to ensure that welds remain free from oxidation . This latest Weld Purge Monitor ® accurately reads down to 100ppm , suitable for welding stainless steel ,” explained the company .
HFT technical sales manager , Luke Keane , added : “ Guesswork is eliminated with the monitor and welders can now know the exact oxygen content before , during and after welding .”
The hand-held PurgEye ® 100 now features a metal housing , upgraded from a plastic one . Readings are from atmospheric oxygen level ( 20.94 %) down to 100ppm ( 0.01 %) of oxygen . The PurgEye ® - 100 is IP65-rated and comes with leak-tight push buttons , autocalibration features , vacuum-sealed leaktight probe assembly and wrist / neck strap .
The PurgEye ® 100 ’ s display features a low battery icon as well as the low sensor icon . When the monitor is not in use , automatic sleep mode activates to conserve battery life .
The Weld Purge Monitor ® was invented by HFT ® in the 1970s . The company ’ s Argweld ® product line offers a complete family of PurgEye ® Weld Purge Monitors ® to measure oxygen levels from atmospheric content ( 20.94 %) down to 1ppm ( accurate to 10ppm ) for all applications and budgets . n
Hydraulic press refurbishment
Rhodes Interform , part of Group Rhodes , has secured a major hydraulic press refurbishment project win in the aerospace industry .
“ The contract will involve the replacement of the electrical controls and hydraulic system of a 1966 1250 Ton ‘ John Shaw ’ Powder press , originally owned by Meggitt Aerospace in Coventry ( UK ), a business recently bought by Parker Hannifin ,” it told ISMR .
“ The press is used to manufacture sintered brake pads for aircraft and is probably the only one of its kind in Europe ,” it continued .
Rhodes Interform ’ s technical director , Peter Anderton , added : “ This is a specialist upgrade and renovation of a vitally important piece of equipment . We won the contract based on our expertise in the manufacture , design and upgrade of presses in the aerospace sector . The project is expected to take eight weeks to complete , minimising downtime of this important line for Parker Hannifin .”
This latest contract is one in a list of new aerospace contract wins for Rhodes Interform , which recently secured an order to carry out a refit of a 1989 3000 Ton ‘ Chester Hydraulics ’ SPF press , at BAE Systems Samlesbury in the north-west of the UK .
Rhodes Interform ’ s machine refurbishments offer users the opportunity to dramatically
Meggitt ’ s press refurbishment project .
improve equipment life and increase productivity . The company provides a complete one-stop refurbishment service , from arranging where necessary for the machine to be transported to the company ’ s maintenance facility in Wakefield , UK , through to retrofitting new components and re-commissioning onsite .
Rhodes Interform ’ s parent company Group Rhodes , based in West Yorkshire ( UK ), boasts a 200-year old metalforming history . The company has won Queen ’ s Awards for both Innovation and International Trade in recent years , particularly for its work in the aerospace sector . n
Taking new measures
RPI has launched a new metrology-grade rotary axis table for portable coordinatemeasuring machines ( CMMs ) which , it says , “ improves productivity by up to 40 %.” OctoScan is designed to enhance the capability of portable measurement arms . It has a radial and axial runout of 1 micrometre and coning of axis +/ - 0.5 arcseconds .
“ It enables objects that are larger than the standard reach of the portable arm to be easily and accurately recorded . It also provides additional flexibility to the measurement process , minimising errors and increasing accuracy for otherwise difficult-to-reach areas with an overall increase in measurement volume ,” it told ISMR .
OctoScan offers wireless functionality and is portable around a production line . It can be integrated with any measurement arm or portable CMM . It has been designed so that parts can be fixed into place in different ways . Built-in magnets and multiple threaded fixing holes allow for an element of bespoke fixing . n
www . ismr . net | ISMR July / August 2022 | 59