Everybody is a beginner at some point in their life and with persistent effort and experience one acquires the required level of expertise. If you’re a beginner in the welding industry, this guide will help you understand the welding process, the tools and machines used, the working principle and applications. Let’s get into each point in detail.
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Welding is the process of producing high intense and focused heat in a particular position to metal and fuse metals. The melted metal is often referred to as molten liquid. Even though it is temporary, it can cause problems. The major challenge that any beginner will face in welding is the position in which the welding process is done. A weld is termed standard when it’s flat and horizontal. To enable utmost easy access, the welding gun must be moved over metal that is carefully positioned.
If you are new to welding, you might be wondering what exactly a welding positioner is. Welding positioners are mainly used by manufacturing facilities, welders as well as welding workshops to position and move weldments.
By using the welding positioners to position the metal workpiece, it helps to enhance the welding productivity as well as the rate of welding deposition. It also helps to improve the quality of welding as well as considerably reduce any errors that may occur.
Welding positioners help reduce the movement of workpieces and help meet the welding specifications required. Once positioned with a welding positioner, the metal workpiece will stay intact, and it considerably reduces the effort of the operator to position and hold manually.
Using a welding positioner will reduce the floor space that could be occupied for the welding process otherwise, helps use of robots for welding operations as well as increase the safety while in operation.
Having a welding positioner will allow the welder to weld large parts without having to move towards access joints and generate welds by eliminating overheads.
Welding positioners are of different types depending on the functionalities they offer. Welding positioners are categorized into manual welding positioners, semi-automatic welding positioners and automatic welding positioners.
Manual welding positioners are usually operated by foot pedals in order to move forward the weldment in the correct direction at the correct speed.
In semi-automatic welding positioners, the positioner is combined with extra equipment to enhance productivity and generate more yield. Combining the welding positioner and torch stand, semi-automatic welding is performed with the positioner pushing the parts below a static torch. Static torches are fitted with the help of a device that keeps oscillating the weld head and fills huge weld fillets. This offers uniform speed and position to facilitate more repeatability.
For smooth working with automatic welding positioners, automatic welding stations are set up including the welding positioner and robot and thereby it helps to produce huge quantities of welding that are highly precise and accurate. This helps to create parts on a large scale with the support of robotics.
Welding positioners play a major role in simplifying many of the welding operations. The most important application of welding positioners is in rotating parts for welding operation and assembly. Welding positioners are utilized in industries like automobile manufacturing, trains, aerospace, construction, steel fabrication, pressure vessel fabrication, pipe fabrication, machinery manufacturing industries and much more.
Various options in welding positioners are available like customized colors, special coatings, customized width of frames, customized central guards, operation modes available in continuous, flexible, or oscillating options, customized index times, and reinforced cam followers that provide enhanced stationary force and customized servo bands.
Welding positioners are available in the market with the option to perform either on a single axis or on multiple axis. Single axis welding positioners come as a single unit for less overhang purposes. For huge overhang purposes, these units come with a head and tailstock. Tailstocks can be adjustable to work with parts of various lengths.
When you are looking to enhance the production capacity or you wish to fabricate more complicated parts, then multi-axis welding positioners are the right choice. In such cases, the dual trunnion arrangement is made to mount on a rotary table, which will enable the operator to load each part, rotate and make it into position to weld while the other part is being loaded.
Price is always a factor when trying to purchase a welding positioner. The brand you wish to associate should be able to provide you with extreme accuracy as well as low to zero backlash options. It’s always best to purchase a complete welding positioner solution that will include fixed and custom lengths, heavy duty frames as well as riser bases. A good head and tailstock welding positioner offers high accuracy and can be operated on a rotating table and being able to mount on a vertical position. When you are able to shift large quantities with the help of smaller units, your footprint gets reduced considerably. It will also save a lot of cost upfront. You need to make sure the machines are painted from getting corroded.
It’s also to be noted that the welding positioners should be equipped with holes to insert utilities, provide a quick access pipe and wiring components.
Certain welding positioners come with customized controls and programmed control panels that will create flexible automatic systems and can even be combined with robotics to enhance productivity.
The welding positioning equipment can be categorized based on their functionality:
As the name says, manual welding positioners are tools that require welders to adjust the workpiece manually. They are ideal for small parts and are commonly used in workshops where automation is unnecessary. Their simplicity leads to lower maintenance requirements.
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The motorized welding position equipment features motorized rotation and tilting mechanisms, making them suitable for precision welding tasks. They help reduce welder fatigue by automating repetitive movements, making them popular in industries such as aerospace and automotive.
Designed for long and heavy workpieces, these positioners consist of a headstock for rotational movement and a tailstock to stabilize the other end of the workpiece. This type of tool can be operated manually or motorized, depending on the job requirements.
These versatile positioners allow movement along multiple axes, including rotation, tilting, and height adjustments. This flexibility enables welders to access complex geometries easily, making them ideal for industries like shipbuilding and robotics.
Equipped with a rotating platform, turntable positioners are designed to hold circular components such as rings and flanges. They facilitate smooth, continuous movement for uniform welds.
A rotary table positioner is built to handle large applications. They provide better control over the rotation of workpieces and are commonly used in industries like oil and gas, where precise welding of long components is crucial.
As their name suggests, these positioners allow vertical adjustments of workpieces during welding. This feature enhances comfort during long sessions and is particularly useful in construction and fabrication settings.
The oil and gas industry deals with the construction and maintenance of pipelines, large storage tanks, and pressure vessels. Welding positioners provide sturdy support for heavy components, enabling continuous and precise welding, especially for cylindrical parts. This enhances weld quality and improves operator safety by reducing manual handling.
2. Automotive Industry
Welding positioners play a crucial role in automated and manual welding processes in the automotive sector. They ensure precise alignment of metal components, enabling seamless welding of chassis, frames, and exhaust systems while improving efficiency in mass production.
3. Aerospace Industry
Aerospace components are exposed to extreme temperatures and harsh environmental conditions, requiring precision welding for structural integrity. Welding positioners aid in fabricating aircraft frames, engine components, and landing gear, ensuring high-strength, defect-free welds.
4. Robotic Welding Systems
In automated welding systems, welding positioners firmly hold workpieces and optimize their positioning, reducing the need for manual adjustments. This enhances repeatability, accuracy, and production speed, making them ideal for high-volume manufacturing operations.
5. Heavy Equipment & Construction Sector
Construction and heavy equipment industries rely on rotating and tilting mechanisms for welding large workpieces. Welding positioners provide a stable base, allowing operators to access critical weld areas that are difficult to reach, improving both efficiency and safety in bridge construction, steel structures, and heavy machinery fabrication.
6. Defense and Military Applications
Precision welding is crucial in the defense industry, where components must withstand extreme conditions. Welding positioners are used to fabricate armored vehicles, assemble weapon components, and construct military-grade infrastructure, ensuring durability and structural integrity.
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