Technical Features and Business Prospects of Welding Column and Boom

Subject of This Blog on Automatic Column and Boom Welding Equipment:

1)       Background: Cross Slides Welding Manipulator is the basic Welding Equipment in the field of pipe fabrication, especially medium to large diameters from Φ1500mm up to Φ8000mm;

2)       Technical Aspect: This Automatic Pipe Welding Equipment has “Simple” and regular structure judging from its appearance. However, in practical application field, there are series of technical know how embedded in design/ manufacture/ put into use of the Welding Column and Boom, which should be paid special attention to, to guarantee the satisfactory performance of the Welding Manipulator;

3)       Correspondingly, topics of this blog on the Cross Slides Welding Column and Boom:

• Business Application of the Cross Slides Welding Column and Boom;

• Technical Issues from Perspective of Designing on the Cross Slides Welding Manipulator;

• Safety Issues when Putting into Use of the Cross Slides Automatic Pipe Welding Equipment;

• Summary on Wuxi JACK Cross Slides Welding Column and Boom

A.      Business Application of the Cross Slides Welding Column and Boom:

1.       When do Customers Considering on Purchasing Welding Manipulator?

1)       Nomination: Welding Manipulator, the other name is Welding Column and Boom, is for fulfilling pipe fabrication;

2)       Support on Process Steps of: Internal and external welding, painting, assembling, testing, etc.;

3)       The Type of Welding Seam: When applied as welding on pipes, which account for majority use of the Welding Manipulator, both the longitudinal and circumferential welding can be attained;

4)       Wuxi JACK LHZ3030 Automatic Column and Boom Welding Equipment fabricating on pipes laid on Welding Rotator: (Fig.1)

2.       Main Functions of the Automatic Column and Boom Welding Equipment:

One set of LHZ series Welding Column and Boom can fulfils the tasks of:

1)       Y Axis Position Change: Welding torch moves up and down along vertical direction, to cater for different diameters of working parts pipe;

2)       X Axis Position Change: Welding torch moves forward and backward along length direction of workpiece pipe, to finish welding and or other operation along longitudinal seam;

3)       A Axis Rotation: This is completed with the support from Welding Roller Bed: With revolving of the workpiece pipe, the circumferential welding can be done, either external or internal welding;

4)       A set of Wuxi JACK LHZ6050 Cross Slides Welding Manipulator works on 3m diameter large tanks: (Fig.2)

3.       Application Style of the Cross Slides Automatic Pipe Welding Equipment:

1)       Applicable Workpieces: The Automatic Column and Boom Welding Equipment is mainly used on cylindrical working parts production;

2)       Application Form: In practical using field, Welding Column and Boom is seldomly applied solitarily. Instead, it is usually cooperated with Welding Turning Roll, to be composed into a Welding Center;

3)       Applied Industries: Automatic Pipe Welding Equipment has the largest and extensive application in Petro-Chemical/ Oil and Gas/ Pharmaceutical / Pressure Vessel, etc.

B.       Technical Issues from Perspective of Designing on the Cross Slides Welding Manipulator:

1.       Structure Appearance and Main Units of Cross Slides Welding Column and Boom:

At first glance, any set of Welding Manipulator is like a piece of erected cross, which is composed of:

1)       One piece of upright column;

2)       One piece of horizontal boom;

3)       Both are installed and secured onto an either stationary base or moving trolley;

A set of Wuxi JACK LHZ3030 Cross Slides Welding Manipulator: (Fig.3)

2.       Pivot in Skeleton of the Cross Slides Welding Column and Boom:

1)      Cross Slides in the Welding Manipulator:

a)       During running of the Welding Manipulator, the connection and engaging between upright column and horizontal boom is by means of cross slides, which is the crucial part in any set of the Automatic Pipe Welding Equipment;

b)       In Wuxi JACK delivered LHZ series Cross Slides Welding Manipulator, the cross slides applied in light duty and medium to heavy duty Pipe Welding Equipment are different, considering loading capacity difference:

c)       Cross slides in Wuxi JACK light duty Cross Slides Welding Manipulator: (Fig.4)

d)       Cross slides in Wuxi JACK medium to heavy duty Cross Slides Welding Column and Boom: (Fig.5)

2)      Cross Roll Bearing in the Automatic Column and Boom Welding Equipment:

a)       Another important unit during running of the Welding Column and Boom is cross roll bearing, which is mounting connection between upright column and fixed base bed or travelable trolley:

b)       The high precision cross roll bearing in Wuxi JACK Automatic Column and Boom Welding Equipment: (Fig.6)

3.       Main Specifications of the Automatic Pipe Welding Equipment:

When customers select a set of LHZ series Welding Column and Boom, below are critical factors for consideration:

1)       The max. extending stroke of boom, this is determined on the basis of the longest length of working parts pipes;

2)       The max. elevating stroke of boom, this is determined according to the largest diameter of workpiece parts;

3)       For example: LHZ3x4 model refers to the Cross Slides Welding Manipulator, with max. 3000mm elevating stroke, and 4000mm extending stroke;

4)      Whether the upright column is necessary to revolve or not in the Welding Manipulator?

a)       Majority conditions, the answer is yes. Because this can multiply working scope of the Automatic Pipe Welding Equipment;

b)       If yes, whether the revolve is manual or motor drive? The selection from customers is usually half and half;

5)      Whether the entire set of Welding Column and Boom capable of moving or not?

a)       Customers who choose on moving style is more than choosing on fixed style Welding Manipulator;

b)       When the Automatic Column and Boom Welding Equipment is movable, its movement is driven with A.C. motor, and on a parallel rails;

4.       Outsourcing Function Units for Automatic Column and Boom Welding Equipment:

Basically, a set of Welding Column and Boom is a mechanical trunk, with its functions realized by means of function units installed on the front end of its boom. The common seen equipped elements can be listed as:

1)       Welding torch, including SAW (Submerged arc welding)/ TIG/ MIG/ CO₂/ GMAW...;

2)       Welding wire feeding reel and tubes;

3)       Welding flux conveying and recovery system, when the Welding Manipulator is adopted with SAW mode;

4)       Welding control consoles, for managing welding operation in the Welding Column and Boom;

5)       Typical function units installed onto Wuxi JACK Cross Slides Welding Column and Boom: (Fig.7)

C.       Safety Issues when Putting into Use of the Cross Slides Automatic Pipe Welding Equipment:

1.       Importance of Safety during Running of the Welding Manipulator:

1)       Foremost Consideration: Of all the common seen Welding Equipment in the industries: Welding Manipulator, Welding Positioner, Welding Roller Bed, the Welding Manipulator should be paid primary attention on its security, which is because of its structure and working features:

2)       Hidden Trouble One: Because the entire set of Welding Column and Boom is a piece of erected cross slides, its stability should be guaranteed first, to avoid the serious phenomenon of tumbling down;

3)       Hidden Trouble Two: Besides, when the horizontal boom is raised to its higher level when the Welding Column and Boom is working on a piece of large diameter pipe, the sudden falling of the horizontal boom may cause serious outcome;

2.       Stability of Welding Column and Boom Erection:

So, how to prevent the above mentioned hidden trouble from happening?

1)       The gravity center of the entire set of Welding Manipulator base, its main body is solid and firm, to stabilize the Welding Column and Boom;

2)       So, the base needs a counter weight to avoid accidental overturning of the Automatic Column and Boom Welding Equipment;

3.       Prevent Horizontal Boom from Falling Down in the Automatic Column and Boom Welding Equipment:

This is realized by means of safe holes, cut into the upright column of the Welding Column and Boom: (Fig.8)

D.      Summary on Wuxi JACK Cross Slides Welding Column and Boom:

1.       Summing up, as professional supplier on all kinds of Welding Equipment with long term experience and outstanding technical capability, Wuxi JACK can deliver full line of LHZ series Cross Slides Welding Column and Boom,

With the top grade quality, the most reasonable price, and the best servic