Oxford Sensors announces a new integrated head and controls for Submerged Arc Welding

Oxford   Sensors   Ltd   (OSL),   Bicester,   UK   announces   the   release   of   a   new fully integrated system for tandem or triple submerged arc welding. The new system incorporates several innovations: 1.      A   completely   new   weld   head   design   which   is   easy   to   set   up   and   adjust, and   which   integrates   up   to   three   torches   together   with   flux   delivery   and recovery, laser seam tracking and video camera. 2.   Modular   design   for   ease   of   using   the   key   components   in   several   mill locations.      The   new   head   has   already   been   installed   on   several   pipe   mill applications.      For   spiral   pipe   offline   ID   welding,   it   can   be   mounted   on   a   new OSL    boom-end    frame    incorporating    horizontal    and    vertical    slides    with space   for   up   to   three   wire   feeders.      For   spiral   pipe   OD   welding   or   other similar    applications,    the    new    head    can    be    mounted    on    an    OSL    slide assembly   together   with   up   to   three   wire   feeders   for   single,   tandem   or triple arc operation. 3.      A   new   integrated   control   system   allows   all   parts   of   the   system   operation to   be   controlled   from   a   single   station.      The   new   control   station   can   be   used for   simultaneous   control   of   ID   and   OD   weld   heads   for   spiral   pipe   offline welding from a single station. 4.   The   new   system   is   based   on   a   network   architecture   allowing   it   to   be easily used with welding power sources from leading manufacturers.

According   to   Bob   Beattie,   of   OSL,   “Over   the   last   twenty-five   years,   we   have   developed   a   lot   of   experience   in   pipe   mill   welding   and   other   similar applications.      So   when   we   had   the   opportunity   to   put   that   experience   to   work   in   designing   this   new   system   we   were   very   excited   by   the possibilities.  After a lot of intensive effort in design and on proving trials, we are very pleased with the results.” The photo shows the design superimposed over one of the heads mounted for spiral offline ID welding.