High Speed Welding of Stainless Steel Tubes
The SAF division of
Air
Liquide has developed a Tricathode TIG and Plasma welding system specifically for the
welded-seam stainless steel tube industry. Traditional single-torch welding systems
are limited in weld speed by the simple fact that only so much power can be transmitted to
the tube through a single cathode or torch. When approximately 300 Amps is reached,
the effective weld speed ceases to increase.
With the SAF system, three (3) cathodes are used to deliver more power to the tube and, therefore, increase weld speeds. Furthermore, the SAF torch is the only design that uses a dual gas flux circuit. This dual flow (pictured below) uses a low volume/high flow central gas to protect the electrode and stiffen the arc. The result is longer electrode life and deeper weld penetration.
In addition to the central gas, the torch also has a high volume/low flow annular gas circuit to provide sufficient gas to shield the weld pool. The result is cleaner, less contaminated welds.
As the North American sales, service, and spare parts representative for SAF, Yoder can answer your questions about the systems. We have a trained service department as well as an inventory of SAF parts available to meet your needs.