What is a TIG Pipe Cladding System?
Materials that have excellent wear resistance or corrosion resistance are often expensive. Furthermore, they sometimes lack other desired mechanical properties. Weld cladding is a technique that is used to improve the corrosion resistance or wear resistance on the surface of a more affordable underlying material. One way to perform the cladding process is through the use of a cladding system. Cladding systems do several tasks simultaneously. One, they mechanize the travel of the torch or the workpiece, allowing a uniform rate of cladding. Second, precise wire feed speeds and heat inputs can be entered into the cladding system that further reduce the amount of variability in the clad layer when compared to a manual cladding process.
Vertical Pipe Cladding (TIG)
Vertical pipe cladding using the tungsten inert gas (TIG), also known as the gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process, in conjunction with a mechanized system is a common way to improve the corrosion resistance or wear resistance of a pipe joint. To accomplish this, GTAW vertical pipe cladding systems have a workpiece holder that rotates the pipe at a given speed. Then, a GTAW torch is placed either inside or outside the pipe (depending on where the clad layer is desired) and used with a wire feed system to fuse the clad material to the pipe. The GTAW torch is lowered into or outside of an upright pipe when using a vertical pipe cladding system.
Horizontal Pipe Cladding (TIG)
Horizontal pipe cladding machines using the tungsten inert gas (TIG), also known as the gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) process, in conjunction with a mechanized system is a common way to improve the corrosion resistance or wear resistance of a pipe joint. To accomplish this, GTAW horizontal pipe cladding machines have a workpiece holder that rotates the pipe at a given speed. Then, a GTAW torch is placed either inside or outside the pipe (depending on where the clad layer is desired) and used with a wire feed system to fuse the clad material to the pipe. The GTAW torch is pushed into or outside of an horizontal pipe when using a horizontal TIG pipe cladding systems.
- Hot-wire TIG:
- A TIG (GTAW) welding process were the welding wire receives a mechanically applied vibratory effect and electrical current before entering the weld pool.