What is automatic welding for fixed pipeline joints?Why is it vital to master the technology of automatic welding for fixed pipeline joints?How can we better apply and popularize automatic welding for fixed pipeline joints?
It is a dedicated technology applied to the butt welding of pipelines. When the pipeline remains stationary, a welding carriage drives the welding torch to travel around the pipe wall along a track to realize automatic welding. Though similar to automatic welding for rotatable pipeline joints, automatic welding for fixed pipeline joints poses far greater technical challenges and imposes stricter requirements on welding equipment and processes.
Faced with fierce competition in both domestic and international markets, enterprises must upgrade construction equipment and technical capabilities to gain a firm foothold in the pipeline welding sector. Furthermore, the adoption of this technology and corresponding equipment can improve the welding quality of fixed pipeline joints, boost labor productivity, and ease the shortage of skilled welders.
In 2016, the company officially launched the development project for the automatic welding process of fixed pipeline joints. Relevant functional departments and the First Engineering Division took immediate action.After six months of intensive testing and research & development, the technology was put into trial welding during domestic pipeline prefabrication for Malaysia's RAPID Project in June 2017. The pipe material adopted was A106-B with a dimension of Φ273×28.26 mm, and the whole welding process took 3.5 hours.The welding process featured high efficiency, reliable quality and excellent weld appearance. All welds passed non-destructive testing at the first inspection, marking a complete success of the trial.After the successful test, the company purchased 4 sets of all-position automatic pipeline welding machines, which were officially put into use at the plant site of Malaysia's RAPID Project in July 2017 for welding fixed pipeline joints.
Automatic welding for fixed pipe joints has been applied in the RAPID Project in Malaysia. A total of 276 welded joints have been completed, amounting to 4,624 inches in diameter. This technology has been successfully used for welding fixed joints of carbon steel and stainless steel pipes, covering pipe nominal diameters ranging from DN200 to DN1200 and pipe wall thicknesses from 10 mm to 51 mm. The one-time welding pass rate calculated by weld joint batches stands at 98.92%.
This marks the first application of automatic welding on fixed joints of process piping in process units. It has boosted the company's reputation in the Southeast Asian market and strengthened the trust of PETRONAS in the company. The technology has also received commendation from SINOPEC SEI and gained recognition from the project owner as well as world-renowned international corporations including Spain's TR and Japan's Toyo Engineering Corporation. It has been continuously deployed on the Toyo P5 Project in Japan since July 2017, with a consistent welding pass rate of 100%.
