Pipes, like the ones used in homes as well as in major constructions, do not necessarily come as one long unit. In most cases, workers would have to weld it in order to connect one unit to the other as well as to set it in place. Not many people may know it, however, but there are actually a number of things a welding and fabrication specialist has to keep in mind when it comes to welding pipes.

One of the most common mistakes done by those involved in customised fabrication is incorrectly cutting the metal sheet. Depending on the material used, cutting the sheets way before the heat is applied could cause distortion as soon as the fillers are set in place. With the application of a high temperature, the corners could become distorted which could result in an ill fit between materials. What welding and fabrication people can do is make use of such tool as the orbital pipe cutting equipment.

It is also a common mistake for amateurs on customised fabrication to make use of too much shielding gas. While most welders think that making use of more shielding gas gets the job done efficiently and faster, it actually does the opposite. With too much shielding gas, what actually happens is that the weld puddle becomes unnecessarily agitated which, in turn, could lead to, in most cases, lack of fusion between the metals.

While it is okay for experienced welders to mix the gas themselves, this is not something that is recommended for someone who has not had much experience doing so. Relying on a gas regulator would only do wonders if one has a thorough knowledge of how the gases should be mixed. For those who do not have that years of experience, the best thing to do would be to buy gases that have been premixed. That way, he or she would not longer have to do any guess work.

Depending on the MOG process involved, welders would have to make use of a specific size of nozzle. Making use of the wrong nozzle size could lead to wrong gas coverage. Of course, in order to determine the correct nozzle size, one does not only take into consideration the procedure that would be done but a number of other variables as well, including the amount of gas flow needed.

With more and more businesses putting more onus on having everything automated, it can be quite easy for service shops providing welding services to jump the gun and make use automated machineries without really understanding the machine's strengths and limitations as well as what the specific situation is all about. Without a proper look at what should be done, the service shop runs the risk of causing bottlenecks either in the upstream or the downstream processes, or both. In the same line, there are also some service shops that make the mistake of assuming that there is a one-size-fits-all welding machine that they can use regardless of the nature of the job that needs to get done.

In order to exist in the competitive market, steel industry and manufacturers will have to customize themselves as per the requirement of the market. Some of the expected future trends are - removing pre-heating and post-heating from the fabrication process, switching from manual metal arc welding to semi automatic welding, increased automation to enhance productivity, enhanced use of stainless steel and aluminium and improved productivity. Cost of machine, automation, fabrication, labour cost, energy cost and consumable cost should be reduced. Software will also have a crucial role in decreasing set-up time and calculating fabrication cost in real time.

In order to improve the communication, it is important that welding electrode machine manufacturers should posses uniformly globally accepted education and certification. The Indian Institute of welding is a member of International Institute of Welding and is a recognized national body offering the related education and training.

Welding electrode manufacturing plants will have to keep innovating new products having high performance and high quality. Also the product should be affordable. There is acute crunch of trained welding electrode machine manufacturers in the market. The Indian Institute of Welding is contributing a lot in this field by offering training to the welding electrode machine manufacturers helping them to hone their skills.

The welding industry comprises of 3 parts:

1) The welder or the direct labour who carries out the welding operation.
2) Welding electrode machine manufacturers India who offers facilities and services needed by the welder.
3) The client who relies on welding and joining process to get their final products manufactured.

The welding electrode manufacturing plant depends on welders and clients to achieve their goal of improved market and higher growth.

One of the big challenges faced by the local manufacturers in India is the considerable import of welding equipment. The increased imports has negatively impacted the market share of local participant in various industries such as shipbuilding, automative and transportation and white appliances. Another challenge faced by welding electrode plants is the unorganized sector that presently occupies nearly 50-55% of the market. Lack of standard specification and tedious approval process is resulting in the growth of unorganised sector. In order to remain competitive, Welding Electrodes Machine Manufacturers India need to produce high quality and unique goods. With increasing competition and lower profit margins, manufacturers need to improve their service, performance and delivery.

The welding technology used in the past was good, the present is encouraging and the future is excellent. The client expectation should be high and focus on price should be huge in future. The welding electrode manufacturing plant will have to be innovative to face the challenges.

Welding Electrodes uses an arc that conducts the current through two pieces of work piece which are fused together. In shielded metal arc welding electrode is consumable and in gas tungsten arc welding the electrode is non consumable. The welding stick or rod in a filling type weld is a cathode and for other welding methods it is an anode for a current system which is direct. For systems using alternating currents the welder arc is not considered as cathode or an anode.

Particular kind of power supply is used for it which produces an electric spark between the base product and the electrode at the welding point to soften the metals. The arc welding can use alternating or direct current and non consumable or consumable electrodes. Slag, vapour or shielding gas is used to protect the welding region. These processes can be fully automated, semi automatic or manual.

Types

Consumable Electrode Methods

Shielded metal arc welding is the most common and simple type of welding arc. It is also called stick welding or manual metal arc welding. The arc is stricken by electric current between the consumable stick or rod and the base material. The material used for making electrode rod is compatible with the material used for base which is being welded and it is covered with a flux that provide shielding gas and gives off vapors by offering a layer of slag and both of these protect from atmospheric contamination of the welding area. The separate filler material is unnecessary as the electrode core is providing as the filler material. The ferrous materials are generally welded in this process but it is also possible with copper, aluminium, nickel, cast iron and other metals.

The other types of consumable electrode methods include gas metal, submerged and flux cored arc welding.

Non Consumable Electrode Methods

Inert or tungsten gas welding is a process of welding which is done manually. Tungsten is a non consumable electrode which is used in this process and separate filler material or inert gas mixtures are also used. Thin materials are welded using this method and it is featured by high quality welds and stable arcs, but it also requires skills of an operator which is achieved at comparatively low speeds. Light metals and stainless steel are mainly used to weld in this process.

All types of Welding Electrodes are available online. Organizations interested in purchasing these can browse the official sites of the manufacturers and buy directly from them at a comparatively lower rate.

Beckwood Press Company has announced their own Scott Pryer will deliver an education session on the use of additive-manufactured tools (3D Printed) within the sheet hydroforming process, during the Additive Manufacturing Users Group (AMUG) Education & Training Conference in Tucson, Arizona from April 6-10, 2014. The presentation will aim to educate visitors to the significant capability gains acquired when combining the two already-capable processes.

Attendees will be given an overview of the benefits additive-manufactured tools provide sheet hydroformers, including tooling cost reduction and rapid part development. The itinerary will also cover supplemental technologies which further aid the sheet hydroforming process, including advanced forming simulation software which expedites new part quoting & development. Mr. Pryer has over 40 years of metal forming experience, with an extensive background in both Fluid Cell and Deep Draw Sheet Hydroforming.

“This type of collaboration, between additive manufacturing & sheet hydroforming, reflects the future of manufacturing,” said Beckwood/Triform Sales Manager, Ryan Pendleton. “Sheet metal and composite forming operations are quickly learning that leveraging these, and other, technologies can have an exponential impact on their ability to form parts better and faster. We’re excited for the opportunity to share this educational information with AMUG attendees.”

The AMUG conference is being held April 6-10, 2014 in Tucson, Arizona. Learn more about AMUG and the event at http://www.additivemanufacturingusersgroup.com/events.htm.

The Beckwood Press Company is a leading hydraulic press and automation systems supplier, located in St. Louis, MO. They offer a variety of custom hydraulic presses for a variety of industries & applications. New heated platen technology, on-board PM features and integrated barcode scanning capability will help you work smarter & more efficiently. Beckwood also manufactures the Triform line of Sheet Hydroforming Presses at their St. Louis, MO manufacturing facility. Get the latest news from Beckwood Press Company at http://www.beckwoodpress.com/news.

Created by architect and designer Sophia Slingerland, Atelier Phi’s new designs feature innovative combinations of steel and aluminium conceived with a vision of quality, craftsmanship and environmental sustainability. The aim was to break free from common constructions of living room furniture and explore new ideas of form and functionality.

“The furniture of Atelier Phi is convinced and built in a different way,” explains Sophia Slingerland, founder of Atelier Phi. “My goal as an artist is to create beautifully designed minimalist pieces which are also very practical, while causing minimal impact to the environment.”

Atelier Phi’s boutique showroom features an exclusive series of creations designed by Slingerland and built using only locally sourced materials from Switzerland-based vendors to ensure high quality and low carbon footprint. Slingerland’s vision to create inspirational contemporary furniture is realised in the five standout pieces of the new aluminium and steel range.

The fittingly titled ‘Sitting Cow’ chair features a luxurious cow’s hide draped across a raw steel frame. The leather seat is only fastened at the top and bottom with no stitching or screws in between, for maximum contour and comfort.

‘Sit at Ease’ is a minimalist chair with practical appeal, allowing for storage of a cushion or blanket in the back of the seat. It is constructed from steel sheeting bent into clean, elegant angles to form the seat and armrests.

The playfully designed ‘Das Haus vom Nikolaus’ chair appears to have been born from a single continuous pen stroke, materialised in the 3rd dimension. A folded aluminium sheet constructs the backrest and continues onwards to form the seat, which swings once the person is seated.

‘Die Eiserne Tafel’ extending table dining table combines sleek minimalist form with rugged oxidised steel. Despite the thickness of its crude metal foundation, it appears light and elegant. Ideal for families or dinner parties, the transformable Eiserene Tafel can easily change shape to accommodate additional guests.

The ‘Origamic’ table takes inspiration from its namesake, the Japanese art of paper folding. This unique glass-top coffee table looks as if it was fashioned from a single piece of aluminium, expertly folded to create a series of evocative geometric shapes.

Slingerland’s new designs will be exhibited for the first time at the Atelier Phi showroom in Nyon, Switzerland on 6th March. All visitors are welcome to attend and Slingerland will be on-hand to answer questions about the design process, materials used in her work and inspiration for future creations.

About Atelier Phi

Atelier Phi is a Switzerland-based furniture boutique showcasing the work of architect and designer, Sophia Slingerland. All pieces are either unique or made in very small series to ensure the highest quality and craftsmanship. Slingerland believes in bringing design principles of architecture into interior spaces to create furniture which is eco-friendly, beautiful, flexible and defies the ordinary. For more information or to enquire about bespoke furniture creations, visit the Atelier Phi website or contact Sophia Slingerland directly at s(dot)slingerland(at)ateliers-phi(dot)com.

Accurate Perforating & Metal Fabricating announced that its metal perforating and precision metal fabrication facilities in Chicago, Ill., received certifications of conformity to ISO 9001:2008 from American Systems Registrar, LLC (ASR) of Wyoming, Mich. Accurate is a leading metal perforator and precision sheet metal fabricator servicing diverse industries ranging from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and fabricators to architects and point-of-purchase display design houses.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO)’s recognized management standard confirms that Accurate’s perforating and metal fabricating facilities have established a quality management system that is in conformance with the International Quality System Standard for the processing of perforated metal and precision fabricated sheet metal.

ISO 9001:2008 is a quality management system standard developed in 1987 by the International Organization for Standardization, the world’s largest developer of voluntary International Standards. The world-recognized ISO 9001:2008 standard is used to develop quality management systems focused on customer satisfaction, proactive continuous improvement, and cooperation between customers, suppliers and employees. Certification under ISO 9001:2008 implies customers will benefit from production processes that are effective and efficient resulting in safe, reliable, high-quality products.

“The ISO 9001:2008 certification for our quality management system demonstrates Accurate Perforating’s and Accurate Metal Fabricating’s commitment to uphold the highest quality standards,” said Aaron Kamins, president of the Accurate Companies. “The ISO 9001:2008 certification of our Chicago facilities further strengthens our position as an international leader in metal perforating and precision sheet metal fabricating. We’ve always endeavored to provide the best products and service for our customers, and this achievement reflects and recognizes our employees’ commitment and hard work to manufacture only to the highest quality and performance.”

About Accurate Perforating & Metal Fabricating:
Founded in 1942, Accurate Perforating & Metal Fabricating is a leader in the design, manufacturing and fulfillment of perforated and fabricated metal material, parts and components for industrial, commercial and residential markets. Their products are used in a wide variety of applications from building facades, filtration, and noise control to electronic enclosures, lighting fixtures, and retail merchandising. Accurate directly and indirectly services some of the largest brands in the world through original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), fabricators and point-of-purchase display design houses. The company’s capabilities include design/engineering support, perforating, punching, forming, laser cutting, welding, assembly, finishing, packaging and fulfillment.

For more information on Accurate’s capabilities, services and equipment, visit: http://www.accurateperforating.com and http://www.accuratemetalfab.com.