Welding spherical structures is a complex process compared to welding straight metal pieces. When you are working on pipes or tanks, you should have a deep understanding of welding principles and specialised techniques, especially if you are a beginner.
In this blog, you will learn about cylinder welding - its challenges and essential practices you need to know to master the art of welding complex structures.
Meaning
When you join together two cylindrical pieces like pipes, pressure vessels, tanks and any other cylindrical components, using various kinds of welding processes, then it’s called welding cylinders. Industries ranging from manufacturing to aerospace make use of this welding to construct their products.
The primary goal here is to secure two pieces perfectly to create a leak-proof joint and still maintain the structural integrity of a cylinder. Welding cylindrical objects poses challenges like consistent penetration, controlling distortion, and maintaining uniformity. Hence, you should master the skills for which you need to learn specialised techniques.
Challenges that you face:
- Access and positioning: It’s a bit difficult to get access and positioning of cylindrical objects because of their shape. You should adapt to welding in different angles, and positions, and rotate the objects to reach difficult spots.
- Controlling heat during welding: If you are not able to control heat input, it could distort the welding piece. To maintain accuracy and prevent warping, you should control heat input by having a focused mind while welding.
- Consistency and uniformity: When welding a cylindrical object, you should maintain consistency so that the resultant shape is symmetrical. If they are inconsistent, it could give rise to weak spots and they could fail when they run under pressure.
Given the challenges, a beginner should carefully learn the techniques for welding cylindrical objects. To get employed to work on hydraulic cylinders in Melbourne, you must master the technique by thorough practising and having an alert eye.
Techniques you should know:
The first thing before welding the object is to prepare for it. You have to clean the surfaces, remove contaminants and make sure the surface is neat.
Next, you have to select a joint design (there are two types – lap joint and butt joint). Knowing what to choose will let you have the necessary tools and angles you need to work on.
The final thing is to choose a welding process. Common processes are Tungsten Inert gas, Metal Inert Gas, and Shielded Metal Arc Welding process. Each has its own set of advantages and you need to select the right one needed for your welding project.
After welding a cylindrical object, you need to inspect for any defects like cracks, porosity and incomplete fusion. It’s necessary to do it so that there won’t be any leaks when they run under pressure.
Final thoughts
Cylindrical welding requires a thorough understanding and mastering of the techniques to get perfectly uniform objects. It’s an important process in metal fabrication and you need to understand how a metal behaves under heat and stress to master the art of welding cylinders. Hope this blog enlightened you on the steps you need to before you weld cylindrical objects.
