Orbital welding utilizes an electric arc that is rotated around a workpiece in an uninterrupted flow. This welding method is widely regarded as the best welding method for connecting joints, flanges, tubes, and other components, regardless of industry or application. Its combined efficiency and ability to create some of the smoothest weld bead surfaces available make it the industry standard welding method for producing high quality, consistent results.
As an expert in orbital welding, Highland Equipment is proud to offer a range of services and capabilities to meet the demands of any application.
What Makes a Weld Sanitary?
The American Welding Society D18 Committee on Welding in Sanitary Applications was formed to create and revise the welding standards in the fabrication and construction of processing facilities for the food and dairy industries.
The AWS D18.1/D18 Specification for Welding of Austenitic Stainless Steel Tube and Pipe Systems in Sanitary (Hygienic) Applications states that to prevent the formation of crevices, which could trap product and lead to contamination, all welds must penetrate to the inside diameter (ID) of the tube.
The American Society of Mechanical Engineers had worked in parallel on two fronts about requirements for sanitary and pharmaceutical grade applications. In 1997 they produced ASME BPE standard, for bioprocessing applications, and in 2010 they followed it up with the addition of Chapter X, High Purity Piping, in ASME B31.3 Code for Process Piping.
Orbital Welding Capabilities
At Highland Equipment, we are capable of performing different types of orbital welding techniques within different tolerances to suit the needs of diverse industries.
Types of Orbital Welding
Based on your application’s specific needs regarding automatic or semi-automatic processes, we can perform two different types of orbital welding:
- Fusion Orbital Welding (Automatic GTAW). Fusion type orbital welding, also known as automatic GTAW (Gas Tungsten Arc Welding), is a type of orbital welding that entails a pre-set program and welding process. After the operator pushes a start button to initiate the process, weld settings remain fixed for the duration of the weld.
- Wire Feed Orbital (Semi-automatic GTAW). For some applications, wire feed mechanisms are attached to orbital welding heads. Unlike fusion orbital welding, wire feed orbital welding systems operate using a semi-automatic process. Semi-automatic welding may be better suited for applications with thick wall pipes, materials that aren’t processed for welding, and materials that require filler material.
UHP Orbital Welding Tolerances
We can handle the following UHP orbital welding tolerances:
- Tube size. We can work with tube sizes from 1/8″ to 4″.
- Pipe size. We handle pipe sizes from 1″ to 6″.
Industries Served
We provide dependable orbital welding services across a wide range of industries. The industries we serve include:
Materials
Our capabilities include expertise with stainless steel parts, such as tanks, processors, and blenders, along with custom fabrications to meet your application’s needs. In addition to stainless steel, our orbital weld capabilities include using other high-performance metals, including titanium, nickel, cupro nickel, copper, brass, cold-rolled steel, HY-MU 80, and others.
High Equipment for Your Orbital Welding Needs
Orbital welding offers increased precision and reliability compared to traditional welding methods, making it the preferred welding technique for several industries and applications. At Highland Equipment, we are an industry leader in the design, fabrication, and installation of stainless steel process equipment and turnkey process systems. Our orbital welding expertise delivers reliable, consistent, and long-lasting products, while saving you time and money.
Highland Equipment’s commitment to customer satisfaction and stringent quality control protocol makes us the ideal partner for your orbital welding needs. To learn more about our capabilities, or to get started on your next project, contact us or request a quote today.