Posted to News on 18th Oct 2013, 13:00
ESAB welding consumables cover all aspects of pipeline welding
ESAB is promoting its range of welding consumables for steel pipeline welding in the civil and industrial applications. These high-productivity consumables are designed for the widely used manual welding process, but also cater for semi-automatic and fully automatic welding applications that are being more widely adopted, particularly on long pipeline routes.
Manual welding using coated electrodes remains the most popular method of installing pipelines thanks to its ease of use and versatility. Semi or fully automatic welding process provide higher productivity and utilise both solid as well as flux-cored welding wires.
Other welding techniques include the use of welding "bugs' in response to the shortage of skilled welders and the requirement to achieve welds of the highest quality. These machines have substantially shortened pipeline construction times, and in many cases enable the welds to be deposited to a higher standard than when manual welding. ESAB has a full range of consumables products for this segment of the pipeline industry.
ESAB's Pipeweld range has been tested to meet all the requirements of the most stringent pipeline mechanical testing criteria. Pipeweld cellulosic and basic low hydrogen electrodes, self-shielded and gas shielded flux-cored wires as well as solid wires have been developed for specific grades of pipeline steel.
Typically, the ESAB low-hydrogen range of electrodes for uphill and downhill welding is suitable for modern pipeline steels with elevated steel strengths and provides the required combination of high weld metal strength, good low-temperature toughness and reduced risk of hydrogen-induced cracking. These basic electrodes are supplied in VacPac vacuum packaging to preserve their low moisture condition until the moment of opening, whilst their low moisture absorption properties will guarantee safe exposure for 12h when the foil is left in place.
Pipeweld flux cored wires include all positional, low hydrogen versions for applications covering the welding of pipe and pipe components with impact toughness requirements down to -40degC. Pipeweld Solid MAG welding wires include both copper coated and non-coated versions, whilst for high deposition submerged arc welding and double jointing applications there is a full range of consumables available, including OK Flux 10.62.
For full application details, ESAB's publication Pipeline Product catalogue is available, and more information is also available from www.esab.co.uk.
