COVER STORY
The Future of Welding
OGI sits down with welding specialist Fronius International GmbH to talk about the exciting developments in automated welding and what this could mean for the industry . Fronius describes how high performance cladding processes enables faster welding speeds which equals customers saving substantial amounts on labor and shielding gas costs . We ’ ll also touch on the increasing digitization of processes , and how remote maintenance and systems analysis can be achieved through the Internet . Real time process visualization is now possible and Fronius continues to impress the welding world with its component editor and the 3D display . All this along with Fronius ’ robotic welding developments makes for an exciting future for the industry .
OGI : What are the different areas of the oil and gas industry that Fronius Welding Automation operates in ?
Fronius : The line of business Welding Automation mainly operates in the upstream field . Typical components welded with automated cladding systems are components like wet trees , jumpers , manifolds , or risers . However , generally speaking , the fully digital Fronius welding machines find use in all sectors of the oil- and gas industry .
OGI : What are the challenges associated with cladding ( overlay welding )?
Fronius : The parts mentioned above , like valves and pipelines , have to be protected against abrasion and corrosion . Overlay welding has become an established practice in this industry . The technological development for achieving high-quality overlay welds is impressive , whereby the open arc cladding processes have gained considerable importance . Economic efficiency , universality in handling , accurate and straightforward adjustment of welding parameters , and suitability both in the workshop and on-site – those are the reasons for the use of sophisticated open arc overlay welding processes . GTAW * hot wire cladding is one of the most reliable and approved methods . Its main principle is based on the combination of
a high-quality welding process and an efficiency increase by using an inductively heated filler wire . For economical production and high clad layer quality , intelligent welding systems such as our Compact Cladding Cell or Endless Torch Rotation System must offer optimized welding processes and advanced process control .
OGI : What possibilities does highperformance cladding offer ?
Fronius : GTAW hot wire cladding offers , besides high quality , relatively low welding speed , which often causes capacity problems in production . With SpeedClad Twin and High-Performance Pipe Cladding , Fronius established two high-performance cladding processes , which raise the welding speed significantly without losing any quality compared to the standard GTAW cladding process . Using two tungsten cathodes combined with two preheated welding wires to create one molten pool , causes less penetration while enabling faster welding speeds and a much higher deposition rate . Maximum productivity is guaranteed ,
Left : Fronius SpeedClad Twin torch for high-performance cladding .
Sophisticated ETR Ultimate “ Endless Torch Rotation ” cladding system .
especially when welding larger components . Fronius high-performance cladding offers a low dilution rate and , in this way , excellent cladding results . Customers save substantially on labor and shielding gas costs . The welding speeds depend on the application but can reach up to 170 cm / min .
OGI : What solutions do you offer for joint welding ?
Fronius : For pipeline welding in workshops , Fronius Welding Automation offers the welding carriage FlexTrack 45 Pro . It is a compact welding carriage that provides highquality weld seams on different rail shapes . In combination with flexible rails , operators can join curved parts such as piping components . It is also possible to use ready-made ring systems that cover defined radii from 254 to 1,778 millimeters . Magnetic or vacuum bridges , or feet , form the connection between pipe and rail . The innovative remote control operates the FlexTrack 45 Pro . In addition to the welding and oscillation mode , the user can load , change , and save parameters such as travel speed and direction or oscillation speed and travel via a numerical touch display . Besides , in conjunction with the TPS / i power source , remote maintenance and system analysis is possible via the Internet .
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