A balance must be maintained

The best thing about tubing is that it possesses nearly limitless amounts of potential for modification. Using a cluster of specialist techniques, including the likes of tube expansion, our team aims to create products that are able to fulfil their appointed tasks and produce outstanding results. Suitable for the industrial and domestic sectors, our services are the ones you can rely on.

Due to scant preparation, there are a number of tubing welds that are doomed to fail right from the start. Porosity for instance, which originates from base metal and atmospheric contamination, and a sparse level of gas coverage, is a typical discontinuity that can lead to cracks. Should you notice any cracks or porosity, then grinding out and re-welding your material isn’t suggested; you would be running the risk of heightening the heat-affected zone if you do that. The more time you spend heating steel, the more its temper alters.

A visual assessment would be a great start to finding tube weld defects. What you should see is a decent tie-in and wet-out at your weld’s toes, and your bead will ideally be consistent in appearance. If you come across any sections that have an asymmetrical bead profile or a crown that is especially high, then there could be a flaw. Your welds need to be flat to convex, but shouldn’t be concave.

Welds also have to appear balanced on either side of the joint’s root. Misalignments happen when someone welds more to one side than they do the other. This generates asymmetry through the joints. With any joint, both of the weld bead’s legs must be as long as the base substance’s wall thickness at the very least. For 0.120-in-wall tubing, every weld bead leg has to be 0.120 in. Deviating from this symmetry can give rise to a defective weld, one that’s weak at a certain point and over-welded at another.

At Multiform Tubes, the tube expansion techniques that we use are designed to open up the tube’s end section, allowing sections to connect to others without having to worry about leaks. This method provides one with a versatile approach to obtaining a joint that fits tightly, so it’s something that’s well worth considering.

If there’s anything we can do to assist you, please let us know.