Impressive

tube,
impressive
bending
April/May 2020
The official publication of The Tube & Pipe Association, Intl.

—Understanding welding codes

—Preventing arc flash
—Bend measurement strategies

AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 1 4/6/20 1:39 PM

 For Sports & Recreational Tube Producers

Sporting Goods manufacturers all over the world rely on T&H Lemont™
welded tube mills to manufacture reliable, high quality welded tubing for their products. Whether
carbon steel or stainless steel tubing, high frequency or Tig welded, sporting goods manufacturers
count on T&H Lemont for rugged, highly productive tube mill lines to supply welded rounds and
shapes for a variety of products. T&H Lemont is the leader in designing and building welded
tubing mills to meet your mechanical and structural tubing requirements.

Please contact us for a quotation at sales@thlemont.com

T&H Lemont • 5118 Dansher Road • Countryside, IL 60525 USA • 708-482-1800 • thlemont.com

AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 2 4/7/20 12:26 PM

TruLaserTube_Ad_TPJ.indd 1 6/28/19 12:12 PM
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 3 4/2/20 9:19 AM
 contents
april/may 2020
Cover story
16
Bending tube with an infinitely
versatile mandrel
Automobiles of all sorts rely heavily on bent
tube and pipe, and in the last two or three
decades, tubular components and assemblies
for automotive applications have relied more
and more on hydroforming. A recent project
involving bending heavy-duty tube revealed a
new role for a hydroforming press.
FEATURES
20
Agility boosts creativity and
efficiencies at Waterplay
When aquatic play systems builder Waterplay
Solutions Corp., Kelowna, B.C., found lead times
for bent tubular components too lengthy, it
took matters into its own hands and invested
in a tube bending machine and a robotic
welding cell.
36
4 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 4
16
26 Rewriting the rules for electrical
safety
Electrical safety is more than being wary
of a live circuit. The vast amounts of power
needed to run industrial machines can be
overwhelming—easily 125,000 W—and
when things go wrong, that power can get
converted into an arc flash, which amounts
to an explosion. Learning how to identify the
potential for an arc flash is the first step in
preventing one.
30
Using welding codes to develop
robust welding procedures
Welding codes, procedures, qualifications,
and certifications—what are they, and how
are they used? Editor Eric Lundin interviewed
Paul W. Cameron, a certified welding inspector,
and Walter Sperko, a professional engineer
and metallurgist with decades of experience
in the welding industry, for insights regarding
welding codes, procedures, and so on.
36 Getting a fix on check fixture
technology
Fulfilling an order for fabricated tubes or
tubular assemblies is one thing; agreeing
on how the order will be checked for quality
control purposes is something else altogether.
If a fabricator and his customer use two
different methods, they might disagree as
to whether the parts meet the dimensional
criteria spelled out in the contract. Using two
identical check fixtures can help to alleviate
such misunderstandings.
Vol. 30 No. 3
Departments
6 Editor’s Angle
8 Event Calendar
9 Product Highlights
10 Industry News
12 Product News
47 Nondestructive Testing Tools
and Systems Buyers’ Guide©
50 Advertisers Index
columns
40
Executive Perspectives
Thinking about joining an industry association?
Columnist Lisa Wertzbaugher details some
of the tangible and intangible benefits of
membership.
42
Business Brief
Certainly people in manufacturing are familiar
with the many steps that go into developing
or upgrading an industrial process, but this is
only one stage in a cycle. Tallying the time and
effort spent on such a project, and claiming a
tax credit for the research and development,
provides a financial incentive for more research
and another round of improvements.
44 Tube & Pipe Market Update
Containment efforts resulting from the spread
of COVID-19 are ravaging the entire economy,
while an oil price war is wreaking havoc in the
tube and pipe industry. Columnists Paul Vivian
and Rick Preckel share their insights.
4/7/20 7:18 AM
 Don’t settle for less cuts
than what you should be getting.
Don’t be fooled by cheap imitation cut-off blades
from other suppliers that underperform and
can ruin your production runs. For 75 years,
Steelcraft Tool Company has revolutionized cut-off
blades for the tube and pipe industry.
Count on Steelcraft Tool Company for the best products,
with the best service, at the best value.

We’ve been making cut-off blades better and

longer than any one else in the industry.

Proudly Made in USA

call 734.522.7130 fax 734.522.1134

email sales@steelcrafttool.com
visit www.steelcrafttool.com

AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 5 4/2/20 9:21 AM

 Editor’s Angle
Read more from Eric Lundin at
www.thefabricator.com/
author/eric-lundin
In past eras, it was customary for
professionals to join associations and
attend conferences on a regular basis.
6 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 6
MAKING THE MOST
OF A RETRO CAREER
U
se the word retro in the right context
and it’s sure to conjure up an image
of something timelessly cool, such
as a car, a guitar, a radio, or anything with
a vintage look. A 1959 Cadillac Eldorado,
a 1963 Gibson Firebird guitar, and a 1937
Sparton radio, model 557, certainly have
perennial appeal. Even many everyday
items can make an impression. In the
2015 movie “The Intern“, Robert De Niro
plays a 70-year-old widower who decides
to get back into the workforce, and his
classic leather briefcase is the envy of a
twentysomething coworker.
Would anyone say that a career could
be retro? Well, probably not, but indeed
careers have changed over the decades.
For most of us, gone are the days of
working for a single employer for an entire
career. These days, it’s not uncommon to
work for several employers in a couple of
different industries.
Another factor that sets the generations
apart is participation in industry
associations. In past eras, it was customary
for professionals to join associations and
attend conferences on a regular basis.
Opportunities to rub elbows with peers to
keep up with the latest in industry trends
can be invaluable.
This came up regarding one of the
articles in this issue, “Using welding codes
to developrobust welding procedures.”
Although many people probably think
that welding codes are generated
by industry associations such as the
American Welding Society (AWS), that’s
not true. AWS organizes the technology
committees and solicits participation, but
the folks who do the heavy lifting come
from industry.
One of the contributors to the article,
Walter Sperko, a metallurgist by education
and a welding engineer by experience,
discussed some of the many benefits of
participating on such a committee or
council. The main thing is that the people
who develop the codes know them more
thoroughly than anyone else. In Sperko’s
words, “They know what’s going on, they
know what’s coming, and they know why.”
Because the committees are made up of
manufacturers of products, users of those
products, and other technical experts,
they have insight into the challenges that
industries are facing.
This can lead to all sorts of benefits to a
committee member and his employer—
far too many to mention here—but
consider two. First, if a dispute over
interpretation of a code arises, a committee
member is much more likely to provide
an accurate perspective and suggest
the proper resolution than anyone else.
Second, because the committees meet
on a regular basis, committee members
have a good idea about what’s coming
next. They can get ahead and stay ahead
of regulators, auditors, and competitors.
Right now, in the midst of the COVID-19
outbreak, most of us are too busy to drop
everything and join an association and
ask about its technical committees. Still,
this might be a good time to give it some
thought. The main criteria are relevant
experience and an interest in making a
contribution.
A classic leather briefcase is optional.
4/7/20 10:40 AM
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AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 7 4/7/20 2:34 PM

 event calendar
Certified Welding Inspector GOLF4MFG® South
June 7-12—Las Vegas Aug. 3—Charlotte, N.C.
American Welding Society Fabricators & Manufacturers Assn.
800-443-9353 888-394-4362
FMA’s certified
www.aws.org www.fmanet.org
education centers
Ultrasonic Inspector Level I World-Class Roll Forming Workshop FMA Certified Education Centers (CEC) are
community and technical colleges, trade
June 15-19—Allentown, Pa. Sept. 1-2—Pittsburgh schools, and universities that specialize
Nondestructive Testing Institute Fabricators & Manufacturers Assn. in training adults for careers in the metal
610-820-4196 888-394-4362 forming, fabricating, processing, and
machining sectors. They offer coursework
ndtinstitute.com www.fmanet.org for local students year-round and serve
as host locations for many types of FMA
Hands-on Workshop: ALAW – Advanced professional development programs as
requested. A council of members convene
Metal Fabrication Fundamentals Laser Applications Workshop six times a year to plan and execute special
June 29-July 1—Long Beach, Calif. Sept. 29-Oct. 1—Ann Arbor, Mich. programs on worker training for educators
Fabricators & Manufacturers Assn. Fabricators & Manufacturers Assn. and human resource managers from
companies of all sizes.
888-394-4362 888-394-4362
www.fmanet.org www.fmanet.org To learn more about FMA’s CEC program and
view a list of the current member schools, visit
www.fmanet.org/membership/certified-
education-center.
To have an upcoming event considered for inclusion in The Tube & Pipe Journal’s
To discover how your local community or
Event Calendar, e-mail information four months in advance to
technical college can become a member,
Dan Davis, Editor-in-Chief at dand@thefabricator.com.
call 888-394-4362 or send an email to
info@fmanet.org.

Publication Staff Media Coordinator:

Rose Merlino
Amy Hudson
amyh@thefabricator.com
President & CEO, Director of Circulation: 815-227-8237
FMA Communications Inc.: Kim Bottomley
Edward Youdell Michael Scott
Published by: Circulation Manager: michaels@thefabricator.com
Group Publisher: Brenda Wilson
FMA Communications Inc. Dave Brambert 815-227-8271
2135 Point Blvd., Elgin, IL 60123 Data Processing Specialist:
815-399-8700 Editor-in-Chief: Kelly Palmer Classified Advertising
www.tubepipejournal.net Dan Davis, dand@thefabricator.com Jerry Gunderson
Data Verification Specialist:
Senior Editor: jerryg@thefabricator.com
Rhonda Fletcher
Tim Heston, timh@thefabricator.com
tube & pipe association The Tube & Pipe Journal Editor:
Senior Fulfillment Specialist: 815-227-8257

intl. advisory board Eric Lundin, ericl@thefabricator.com

Anna Peacock
Web Designer:
Chairman STAMPING Journal Editor:
Kate Bachman, Sherry Young Statement of Policy
Ron Bochat, Innovo Corp.
kateb@thefabricator.com Senior Web Developer: The Tube & Pipe Journal’s objective is to disseminate new and complete infor-
First Vice Chairman Mike Kunzelman mation relating to the producing and fabricating of metal tube and pipe. The
John Anton, The WELDER Editor: main editorial text consists of articles and news releases designed to assist
Independence Tube Corp. Amanda Carlson,
advertising sales
owners, managers, manufacturing engineers, supervisors, and foremen in the
amandac@thefabricator.com evaluation of new methods and techniques. The policy of the publisher is to be
Second Vice Chairman nonpartisan, favoring no one product or company. The representations of facts
Frank Joy, GE Global Nuclear Fuel Contributing Editor: Associate Publisher: and opinions expressed in the articles are those of the author and are not nec-
Amy Nickel, amyn@thefabricator.com Jim Gorzek essarily endorsed by the publisher and this journal. By including information on
Director jimg@thefabricator.com new products, new literature, and industry news, etc., this impartiality is strived
Rick Olson, Roll Machining Digital Editor: 815-227-8269 for and extends to the mention of trade names. Unless product identification
Technologies & Solutions Gareth Sleger, makes reference unavoidable, the generic name is used when feasible. We
gsleger@thefabricator.com Senior Account Representatives: acknowledge that on occasion there may be oversights or errors. The editors re-
Director Sean Smith gret such oversights and re-emphasize their policy to be impartial at all times.
Lisa Wertzbaugher, Senior Copy Editor: seans@thefabricator.com The publisher reserves the right to refuse advertising it deems inappropriate for

Superior Tube Products Teresa Chartos 815-227-8265 publication in The Tube & Pipe Journal’s, including ads for classes of products and
services not considered of significant interest to the readership.
President & CEO, Graphic Designers: Mike Lacny The Tube & Pipe Journal’s is a trademark of FMA Communications Inc. All rights
FMA Communications Inc.: Janell Drolsum, Mary Mincemoyer, mikel@thefabricator.com reserved. Standard Rate & Data Service lists our advertising rates in Section 88.
Edward Youdell Margaret Clark, Jennifer Paulson 815-227-8264 Consult SRDS or our current ratecard for full rates and data.

8 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020

AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 8 4/7/20 9:24 AM

 Product Highlights
Synchronous cold forming machine
forms both hollow tube ends simultaneously
Aachener Maschinenbau GmbH (AMBA) has developed the RH 08 synchronous cold forming machine, which forms both tube ends
simultaneously. With a cycle time of one second, this operation ensures that during forming, both ends stay aligned with each other. The
sections leave the machine ready to be installed,
requiring no additional machining.
The first machine of this type, developed for
an automotive component manufacturer, is
designed with upsetting force of up to 25 tons
at either end, enabling the machine to process
steel and stainless steel hollows with up to 20-
mm OD. The two forming stations arranged in
the axial direction of the workpiece feature fully
automatic, high-precision positioning systems,
which allow processing of hollows from 450 to
800 mm long.

Aachener Maschinenbau GmbH

www.amba.de

Tube inspection software platform updated

Hexagon’s Manufacturing Intelligence division
has announced an update to its TubeShaper tube
design, analysis, and production platform. This v2
version offers inspection of rectangle-section
tubes and new reporting functionality.
A new offline license allows production
supervisors, engineers, and designers to work
on projects separately from operators measuring
tubes on the shop floor so that more tasks can run
concurrently, saving time as well as minimizing
software investment.
In addition, the software now is compatible
with more bender brands, covering machines
from such manufacturers as Eaton Leonard, BLM,
Addition MT, and Numalliance.
The software also features springback management and in-bend measurements. The sketch function allows users to create a first tube
from a few digitized hard points, while automatic report creation helps ensure that results can be shared instantaneously to any location.

Hexagon Manufacturing Intelligence

www.hexagonmi.com

9 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020

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 INDUSTRY NEWS
wire and Tube 2020
rescheduled for December
in Germany
Messe Düsseldorf has announced it has
rescheduled its wire and Tube tradeshows
for Dec. 7-11, 2020, at the Düsseldorf
Fairgrounds in Germany. The show
organizer previously postponed the event
to counteract the possible spread of the
coronavirus.
In 15 halls, 2,600 exhibitors are expected
to present machinery and equipment for
wire and tube production, processing, and
finishing, as well as products and services.
Existing contracts and prepurchased
visitor tickets remain valid. Current
information can be found at www.wire.de
and www.tube.de.
10 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 10
Sharpe Products adds tube machine. The equipment offers real-
inspection system time diagnostics and monitoring during
Sharpe Products, New Berlin, Wis., a inspection.
provider of pipe and tube bending, laser People News
cutting, and custom fabrication services,
T&H Lemont,
has purchased an additional Aicon
Countr yside,
TubeInspect system manufactured by
Ill., a custom
Hexagon Mfg. This 16-camera model
complements the company’s existing manufacturer
eight-camera system and allows it to of tube and
inspect larger parts. pipe mills and
The equipment visually measures the roll tooling for
geometry and sizing of a bent tube and the tube, pipe,
verifies angles and tolerances based and roll forming industries, has named
on the specifications in the digital file, Michael Strand as president.
generating a multidimensional image He joined the company in 2017, focusing
of the bent part. Adjustments, if needed, on sales of new and reconditioned
are transmitted to the CNC bending tooling, as well as machines.
4/2/20 11:05 AM
 INDUSTRY NEWS
- HGG America opens customer PypeServer completes series integration with the BIM management
service and support center in A funding round and productivity software used by its
Houston Seattle-based PypeServer has completed customers, and expand its marketing and
the initial close of a $1.5 million series A sales efforts.
round of financing. It will use the funds In addition, PypeServer will develop a
, business-to-business cloud service to link
to increase its range of compatible
pipe cutting platforms, tighten its customers directly to their suppliers.
m
r
HGG Profiling Equipment, Medina, Ohio,

d
has opened a new, 6,500-sq.-ft. center in
Houston to provide service and support I D FLASH REMOVAL
to customers and profile cutting machine
installations in North and South America. SYSTEMS FOR TUBE
& PIPE PRODUCERS
d
It employs a customer service manager,
administrative and inside sales personnel,
telephone service support engineers, field
d
service engineers and technicians, and a
warehouse and shipping clerk.
The facility houses spare machine
parts and plasma consumables, as well
as a training center for customers and
personnel, with profile-cutting demo
machinery on-site.

Schwarze-Robitec delivers tube

bending machine to ELB-Form

GUARANTEED
Schwarze-Robitec has delivered a fully
electric, multiradius CNC 80 E TB MR tube
bending machine to Vandans, Austria-
PERFORMANCE!
based ELB-Form for cold and hot tube Contact Us Today For
forming. The company forms to extremely
tight tolerances, even with complex tube
Complete Information
geometries for confined spaces, for the
production of exhaust tubes and systems.
The bending machine is equipped with NELSON TOOL CORPORATION
388 NORTH COUNTY LINE ROAD, SUNBURY, OH 43074
Schwarze-Robitec’s intelligent NxG control
system. For each bending sequence, the PH: 740-965-1894
system automatically checks the interaction
among all axes to help ensure the movement FAX: 740-965-5081
U.S. PAT NO. 5.055972 • Nelson Tool Corp
sequences are optimally coordinated.

The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020 11

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 product NEWS
Portable pipe beveler creates Alumina zirconia grinding use on stainless steel and ferrous metals
square beveled ends wheels designed for pipe such as structural steel and iron.
Esco Tool offers the
finishing Rex-Cut Abrasives
Wart MILLHOG portable Rex-Cut Abrasives www.rexcut.com
pipe beveler. It mounts has introduced All-electric end former set up
into the pipe ID using alumina zirconia for 10 stations
a self-centering draw grinding wheels
rod assembly with a for pipe welding
mandrel featuring expandable clamps. applications.
Designed to create square and beveled The Velocity Pipeliner smooths flame-
pipe ends with ± 0.001-in. accuracy, the cut edges on pipe and performs root
machine has a three-blade holder that pass grinding in oil and gas pipeline
can bevel, face, and bore any angle of applications. Its premium grain and hard
end-prep simultaneously, without using bond blend make it suitable for use on
cutting fluids. BLM GROUP USA’s E-Shape is a compact,
stainless steel and high-tensile alloys.
Suitable for use on highly alloyed all-electric CNC tube end forming
A ¼-in.-thick version, the Velocity
materials or carbon steel, the beveler runs machine with a punch table that works
Grinding wheel, is available for general
at 98 RPM for processing tube and pipe horizontally—eliminating interference
fabrication applications such as heavy
from 0.75 in. ID to 4.5 in. OD. from overhead structures. Set up for 10
weld grinding, beveling hard steels,
Esco Tool processing stations, the end former can
grinding casting parting lines, and
www.escotool.com be freely equipped with ram stations,
removing weld deposits. It is suitable for
rotary tools, and cutting tools, enabling
users to configure the machine for the
Bending & Finishing Solutions specific application.
Offering 10 tons of force, the machine
Knowledge & Experience Working for You
produces complex shapes and end forms
Surface Finishing Machines in thick-walled materials or stainless steel.
• Finish most any metal type
• Suitable for Straight and Bent workpieces
It can perform tapering, flaring, closing,
• Auto Loading & Unloading Systems facing, and cutting to produce repeatable
end forms, finish, and quality.
The unit also offers single-punch
advancement and variable-length strokes
that help to optimize cycle times. Fitting
an orbital cutting device on the machine
eliminates the need for a secondary cutoff
operation that typically would require
Angle Roll Benders
special fixturing to position a bent part
Horizontal Bending Presses for forming. It also offers an automatic,
consecutive, head-to-tail operation to
process both ends of the tube.
BLM GROUP USA
www.blmgroup.com

J&S Machine, Inc.

for more information, visit
www.thefabricator.com/publication/tpj

12 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020

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 WE KNOW
EVERY
DIMENSION
OF LASER
CUTTING

Years of experience and thousands of

applications allow BLM GROUP to offer
laser cutting solutions for every dimension.
Whether a 2D, 3D or 5D application, we have
the exact machine technology to advance
your operations. Tubes, open and special
shapes, flat sheet, and formed metal
components are processed with accuracy
and repeatability to meet the most demanding
tolerances. For automated production needs,
modular material handling and automation
solutions can be customized to your
unique requirements.

BLMelements™ integrated software suite

unites design, programming, simulation,
and multi-machine production management
in a single source. Our user-friendly 3D
programming software transforms designs
to production in one click, allowing you
to produce parts right, right from the
first part.

Find out more at BLMGROUP.com

LC5 Combo Sheet

WE ARE TUBE
AND MORE.
BLM GROUP USA
46850 Cartier Drive, Novi, Michigan 48377 | Tel: +1 (248) 560-0080 | www.blmgroup.com

LASERTUBE | BENDING | SAWING | ENDFORMING | SHEET

AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 13 4/7/20 12:25 PM

 product NEWS
Saw developed the saw head rides a semiautomatic hydraulic system with a D
for cutting superalloys on a vertical column rapid feed advance override button, flow h
Kalamazoo Industries has custom- instead of the control valve, TruArc oscillation, external m
conventional hinge vise controls, pump and tank system, left
fabricated the model K44E 44-in. enclosed
or pivot-style saw for and right through ports, and electrical and
wet abrasive metallurgical saw to meet
a stable cut. Features hydraulic quick disconnects.
a customer’s requirements for cutting
include a 75-HP Options include door safety interlocks,
superalloys.
motor, flood cooling, air-operated chain vise, and air-operated
Inside the saw’s 10-ft.-high enclosure,
jawed vise.
Kalamazoo Industries H
www.kalamazooind.com I
t
Portable wire feeder has IP44 i
protection class rating
a
e
i
a
O
a

ADVANCED o
a

LASER e
i
APPLICATIONS ESAB Welding & Cutting Products has s
i
WORKSHOP introduced the Robust Feed Pro portable
wire feed system. According to the
u
a
Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2020 manufacturer, it is the first product in its
H
category with an IP44 protection class
Weber’s Boutique rating, which means it is protected against
w

Hotel & Restaurant water splashes from all directions, as well L

Ann Arbor, Mich. as solid objects larger than 1 mm. s
The completely sealed unit has a double- J
wall design with impact zones made from B
a more flexible material to absorb more p
impact energy. All controls and power h
and gas connections are protected inside a
the case, with a dedicated service cover
providing access to the electronics. c
Members $595 | Nonmembers $795 The feeder is suitable for industrial r
fabrication operations such as marine and s
offshore, steel erection, structural steel r
fabrication, hardsurfacing and cladding, p
repair and maintenance, pressure vessels, s
and pipeline. s
For schedule and programming, visit fmanet.org/alaw ESAB Welding & Cutting Products J
www.esab.com w

14 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020

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 product NEWS
a Database-driven software Buffing wheels require Casters made for
w handles numerous quality minimal buffing compound heavy applications
management tasks Saint-Gobain Hamilton Caster & Mfg. has introduced
t Abrasives has Spinfinity XC casters for transporting
d introduced Norton heavy loads up to 10 MPH. They are
FAB (fixed abrasive designed for heavy industrial applications
, buff ) buffing wheels with load requirements from 1,500 to
that nearly eliminate 17,500 lbs.
the need to use The caster’s mounting plate and inner
High QA has released version 5.0 of its buffing compounds. The wheels feature a raceways are forged steel formed from
Inspection Manager software, featuring patent-pending design that incorporates one piece, then CNC machined. They have
the next level of Quality 4.0 standards and
abrasive grains into the buffing wheel for large axles and double-stacked precision
increased automation.
results with Ra values from 1 to 5. ball bearings to accommodate higher
The database-driven software is
The wheels are tear-resistant and speeds. The swivel raceway with V-Seal,
an integrated set of applications that
waterproof. Their silicon carbide abrasive combined with the sealed ball bearings,
encompass quality management modules
is dispersed uniformly and applied to both makes the casters maintenance-free, the
including One-Click GD&T extraction and
sides of the cloth for consistent buffing. company states.
automatic ballooning using AI-driven
OCR; inspection planning; data collection Saint-Gobain Abrasives Hamilton Caster & Mfg. Co
and organization; automated import www.nortonabrasives.com www.hamiltoncaster.com
of inspection results from CMM, VMM,
and other connected measurement

Bending & Finishing Solutions

equipment; in-process shop floor
inspection results collection; creation of
s standard and custom forms and reports; Knowledge & Experience Working for You
integrated SPC tracking and reporting;
user-access security management control;
and ERP integration.
High QA Inc. • ½” to 10” Capacity
www.highqa.com • All-Electric & Hybrid
t
• Draw + Push Roll Bending
l Lubricant loosens
seized fasteners Compatible with:
JTM Products Inc. has introduced • Robots
m Barracuda Triple Action Lubricant, a • CMM’s
e proprietary formulation that penetrates to • Office Networks
help loosen corroded bolts, nuts, screws, • Automated Cells
e and pipe joints.
The lubricant also serves as a metal
cleaner, removing grease, grime, and
rust from metal surfaces without harsh
solvents, and it protects metal by
removing water while leaving a thin film to
, prevent rust. In addition, it can be used on
, stamping blanks and dies for aluminum or
J&S Machine, Inc.
steel coil or sheet stock.
JTM Products Inc.
www.jtmproductsinc.net

The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020 15

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 bending

Bending tube
with an
infinitely
versatile
mandrel

Forming pipe in a press, using hydroforming

technology to support the wall with water

16 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020

AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 16 4/2/20 9:27 AM

 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020 17

AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 17 4/2/20 9:27 AM

 By jonathan ball
T
ube and pipe benders use a variety
of strategies to impart arcs onto
tubular workpieces, from a pressing
action for simple, one-plane bends; to a
somewhat more sophisticated twin rotary
process for paired symmetrical bends; to
rolling, which can bend in two dimensions.
For a complex series of bends on a single
workpiece, many in the industry rely
on a fully programmable CNC bending
machine. Depending on the forming
process, tube workpiece material, wall
thickness, and aesthetic requirements,
a mandrel may be necessary to provide
internal support during the bending
process.  water under high pressure causes the
Like benders, mandrels are available in
many styles. Sand can be used successfully,
as can low-melting-point metals, which are
heated and poured into the tube or pipe,
where they solidify. Probably the most
common mandrel type is a manufactured
tool, which usually comprises a straight
length of tool steel and a series of hinged
balls that flex as the tube bends. It’s part
of a tool set that captures and surrounds
the entire circumference of the tube and
supports the ID, completely capturing
the workpiece in the bending zone. In
some cases, defects still appear on the
tube’s surface. In such a case, a wiper die
runs across the tube’s OD, using a wiping
motion that turns wrinkles and other
imperfections into a smooth surface.  many of which incorporated bending
A recent bending project, one based on
hydroforming technology, has shown that
another mandrel option is available.
Forming and Hydroforming  Automotive Trends
It wouldn’t be an overstatement to say
that tube and pipe products—structural
elements and fluid-conveying vessels—
have been integral in vehicle design
and manufacturing since the earliest
days of the automotive era. From small-
diameter, easily bent pipe used for
conveying fuel or brake fluid to large-
18 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 18
diameter, robust square or rectangular
tubing used for frame members and
other structural elements, tube and pipe
in a variety of materials, diameters, and
wall thicknesses have been necessary for
vehicle production since the beginning.
Automobiles, heavy-duty trucks, and
specialty vehicles all have benefitted from
the versatility of tube and pipe.   embargo left the U.S. relatively high
Tubing components became im-
mensely more varied in automotive
applications when the industry borrowed
a technology that had long been used
for forming some plumbing components
and a few musical instruments:
hydroforming. Placing the tube into a
die and filling the tube’s interior with
tube to expand, forcing it to fill the die
cavity. The technology has practical limits,
bounded by the material’s ductility and
the hydroforming system’s maximum
pressure, but even so, it ushered in a new
era of design creativity. Conventional
assemblies made from stamped
components welded together soon were
replaced by lighter-weight assemblies
made from fewer, stronger hydroformed
components welded together. It wasn’t
long before hydroformed components
went beyond being mere replacements
for conventional parts and were
conceptualized at the design stage.  that automakers could decrease the
Decades of experience in developing
and fine-tuning hydroforming processes,
tube before hydroforming it, provide a
solid foundation for current and future
hydroforming applications.  help to reach fuel efficiency targets.
Traveling in the United States—a vast
nation laced with seemingly endless miles
of interstate highways—often means
traveling great distances and therefore
it requires a certain amount of comfort.
In the old days, comfortable more or less
meant large. From the 1930s to the early
1970s, auto manufacturers exploited
sheer size to optimize the ride. In those
days, a long wheelbase and a vast amount
of mass provided a smooth ride, and a
large interior granted each occupant
quite a bit of personal space. Gasoline was
so inexpensive that fuel efficiency wasn’t
much of an issue.
That changed in 1974 when the oil
and dry. Gasoline was available, but in
limited quantities and at prices that were
almost three times the average 1973
price. The Big Three knew it was time to
roll out smaller vehicles, and the federal
government imposed the corporate
average fuel economy standard, which
mandated an average fuel efficiency
across each company’s products. Large,
heavy, gas-guzzling luxury cars were still
allowed, but they had to be offset by an
offering of small, lightweight, fuel-sipping
vehicles.
It wasn’t long before steelmakers got
into the game. Rather than offering the
same old products, they introduced new
alloys to the marketplace. The various
generations and iterations brought
automakers several new classes of
materials to work with, including high-
strength, low-alloy materials; dual-phase
steels; and advanced, high-strength steels.
Improvements in material strength meant
amount of steel used in many components
while maintaining established strength
characteristics. In other words, cars made
with these materials are just as robust as
their forbears but weigh less and therefore
Heavy-wall Tube, Heavy-duty Bending
Although the last several years of
automotive trends have provided
hydroformers with plenty of experience in
working with lighter-gauge components
made from stronger materials, this doesn’t
mean that hydroforming isn’t versatile
enough to go in other directions. One
such case involves two heavy-duty
4/2/20 9:27 AM
e
t
a After a robot places the tube into the die, the pump fills the tube with water, and two plugs converge
t toward the tube ends and seal them with 350 tons of pressure.
components, applications in which
strength is a critical criteria and weight is
not a factor.  A common hydroforming process
n The project brought together all of
these trends—the versatility of tube in a
product’s design, high-strength material,
and several years of hydroforming savvy.
Although Schuler primarily is an
e equipment builder, in some cases the
h company uses its own equipment to
y develop processes and manufacture
, parts for customers that don’t have
l sufficient part volume to justify a press
investment.  The company also has a
g 6-in.-capacity CNC tube bender, which
it uses primarily to prepare tube for
hydroforming.
e The Press. The project involves two
components made from 5-in.-dia. tube.
s Similar in shape, both parts have three
t back-to-back bends. The finished items
comprise two parallel straights separated
by a triple bend (see Lead Photo).
The first tube has a 1/4-in. wall. Because
. this is within the capacity envelope of the
t company’s tube bender, manufacturing
e this component is a simple matter.
The second tube has a 5/8-in.-thick wall,
h which is well beyond the capacity of the
e bender. Although induction bending is
a possibility when bending components
e that have such heavy walls, the customer
wanted something less energy- and time-
intensive.
The development phase of this project
f revealed that a hydraulic press outfitted
d with a custom die provided sufficient
n forming force and the necessary shape,
but the dimensions weren’t quite to
s
tolerance and they weren’t as consistent
e as the customer wanted.
A hunch and a notion about an
y unconventional mandrel led to a hybrid
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 19
process, one that uses a hydraulic press
and a hydroforming concept.   the dimensional requirements stated
uses a press, a die set, a pump, and
controller. After the bent tube is placed
into the die, the pumping system begins
to fill the tube with water as the die set
closes (overlapping the two processes
reduces the cycle time). After the dies are
completely closed, the water pressure
increases and the tube expands to fill
the die cavity. In many cases, common
hydroformed components are tubes with
wall thickness from 1/16 to 1/8 in.
A hydraulic forming process uses
hydraulic pressure and a die to form the
workpiece. Thicknesses well beyond 1/8 in.
are within the capability of hydraulic press
technology.
Because the first wouldn’t develop
enough forming force, and the second
one did but didn’t provide sufficient
consistency, could both concepts
contribute to an acceptable process?
Indeed, they can.
The Process. In this case, after a robot
places the tube into the die, the pump
fills the tube with water, and two plugs
converge toward the tube ends and seal
them with 350 tons of pressure. The die
closes in and forms the tube, and as it does,
the tube’s length decreases. In a tightly
synchronized process, the plugs advance as
the tube ends retract, maintaining the seal.  ideal use of this type of forming process.
The process also takes into account the
change in the tube’s shape, the change
in the tube’s volume, and the resulting
change in the water pressure inside the
tube. Calculating these dynamics was
critical to ensure the water pressure
would provide the necessary support
throughout the entire forming process.
The process works as intended,
resulting in a component that meets
on the print. The support provided by
the mandrel is the key element for two
reasons. First, despite the vast amount of
force needed to form the tube, the surfaces
bear no wrinkles, creases, or other defects
where the tube wall compresses. Second,
the support the mandrel provides helps
ensure extremely consistent dimensional
characteristics.
Finally, the process is so predictable
that the feedstock is precisely the correct
length, and the finished parts don’t need
to be trimmed. In other words, it generates
zero engineered scrap.
Heavier Walls, More Shapes
Any task that was difficult the first time
around is easier the second time, but
eventually new issues crop up, so even
though this project is a success, challenges
await. A workpiece with a heavier wall or
made from a higher-strength material
won’t form as readily. If such a material has
too much resistance to forming, it might
need an intermediate anneal to offset the
effects of work-hardening, restoring some
of the original material’s ductility.
Another possibility, regarding a lighter-
wall workpiece, is a change of shape
along some portion or maybe the entire
length of the tube. This would be an
It could start with a round tube to allow
an optimal orientation of the weld seam
to prevent splitting and finish with a tube
of any reasonable shape imparted by the
die set.
Jonathan Ball is sales manager,
hydroforming, for Schuler Inc., 7145
Commerce Blvd., Canton, MI 48187, 734-
207-7243, www.schulergroup.com.
The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020 19
4/2/20 9:28 AM
 tube fabrication

Waterplay’s BLM GROUP Elect150 all-electric tube bender can bend pipe of up to 6 in.
dia. The company has worked hard to standardize the material it uses, so most of the
stainless steel pipe it bends is 3 in. dia., Sch. 10.

20 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020

AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 20 4/7/20 8:46 AM

 Agility boosts
creativity and
efficiencies at
Waterplay
Aquatic play feature company
benefits from tube bender
and weld cell additions
By robert colman

L
iving and working in a place like the Okanagan Valley in British
Columbia comes with positives and negatives. For anyone
who enjoys great wine and the outdoors, it can’t be beat. But
for a fabricator, it can mean challenges sourcing materials and staff.
Canada’s industrial heartland is 2,500 miles to the east.

The Cedric Archer Park in Rockhampton, Australia, provides good examples of the fanciful
features fabricated by Waterplay.

The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020 21

AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 21 4/2/20 9:37 AM


This great distance, and the associated
lead times for some fabricated parts, led
to some recent changes at a manufacturer
and fabricator in the Okanagan area.
Waterplay Solutions Corp., Kelowna,
B.C., made a few key investments in
time- and labor-saving equipment and
developed a cross-training program to
decrease lead times and to keep its staff
engaged and busy. Each investment is
making the company more agile, creating
opportunities for the Waterplay team to
be even more creative in their product
designs.
In-house Control
A designer and manufacturer of aquatic
play features, Waterplay has installations
of its products in about 85 countries.
The founders were inspired to start
the business after seeing the UFO H2O
fountain exhibit at the Expo ’86 World
Fair in Vancouver. The company’s very first
water park was installed in Whistler, B.C., in
1987 and remains in operation to this day.
Initially all manufacturing was
outsourced, but when Jill White purchased
the company 15 years ago, she gradually
22 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 22
started bringing the metal fabrication of
activity towers, urban features, and water
management systems in-house. This
allows the company to be more flexible in
terms of making design changes on-the-
fly. It also encourages discipline around
material choices.
Dennis Scott, director of operations
and engineering, joined the Waterplay
team with the change in management.
He now has a team of around 40 people
in the fabrication shop. The team includes
fabricating machine operators, welders,
machinists, and polishers.
“About 95 percent of the work we do
is stainless steel, but there is also a bit of
aluminum sheet work,” said Scott. “The
plastics and acrylics we use in our parks
are still outsourced. We’ve worked hard
to standardize the material we use, so
most of the stainless steel pipe we use is
3 in. dia., Sch. 10. This size allows us the
flexibility we need for some of our more
outlandish creations while still being
economical. Plate we use runs anywhere
from 1/8 in. to ½ in.”
The company has been growing steadily
for a number of years. Most recently it
The versatility in Waterplay’s tube
bender comes from several capabilities,
such as the choice of bending direction
for rotary draw bending and the ability
to perform variable-radius roll bending
on the same workpiece. The stacked
tooling allows bending a variety of
diameters without a tool change.
added 17,000 sq. ft. of manufacturing
space to its facility.
Creative Flexibility
One of the new additions to the expanded
facility is a BLM GROUP USA Elect150 all-
electric tube bender, which can bend
pipe of up to 6 in. dia.
Previously all tube bending was
outsourced to shops in either Calgary or
Vancouver, which presented challenges
for the Waterplay team.
“The quality we got was always good,
but for a simple design like a hoop, it
would be two weeks between me putting
in a PO and receiving the part,” said Scott.
“Now that’s down to two minutes. The
other thing is, we’re a high-mix/low-
volume shop, so the orders we were
sending our vendors weren’t really ideal
for them either. We just didn’t have the
sort of volume they needed.”
If you look at Waterplay’s designs, you’ll
see many tubular constructions spraying
water and/or supporting other design
elements, so it’s not a small part of what
the team does. Having the machine in-
house creates design flexibility that could
4/2/20 9:38 AM
e
,
y
g For many components, such as a common hoop, Waterplay’s
d lead time was about two weeks before it brought tube
bending capability in-house. It now takes about two minutes
to make such a hoop.
never be fully realized without having
a machine to make these shapes and
team members who fully understand its
capabilities.
d The machine can bend multiple radii
- in one setup using stacked tooling.
Operators can choose the tube bending
direction they use the most, set the
machine for right-hand or left-hand
bending, and change the configuration
s if required. Up to eight tools can be fitted
at the same time. Variable-radius tools can
be used in any position.
t “Bending pipe is still a bit of a black
art, but with this all-electric bender we’re
. finding that once we put the parameters
in, we get the consistency time and again,”
- said Scott. “If we ask for a 30-in. radius and
e we dial it in with the right parameters,
we’re going to get that every time. There’s
also the machine’s ability to learn, in a way.
There are a lot of factors that go into tube
l bending. For instance, heat treatment
g of your pipe can be a big factor in the
n amount of springback you experience.
We’re able to load up different categories
of heat treatment for the tube bending,
and it calculates the springback. We’ve had
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 23
all sorts of different batches of pipe come
through the shop, and we’ve tweaked it
just a little bit based on theoretical heat
treatment, and parts are coming out over
and over right on the mark.”
Scott pointed to shared values as one
of the reasons the team went with a BLM
GROUP machine. “Waterplay owner Jill
White really focuses on core values,” he
said. “We strive for quality, and we saw
similarities in our beliefs. It was a good
match in that sense.”
But quality and consistency are still
the major priorities. Scott compared the
all-electric tube bender with hydraulic
systems and considered the all-electric
system just that much more precise. He
and his team also found the software
intuitive to use.
Waterplay’s machine includes an
extension that allows the shop to work
20-ft. lengths of pipe with sufficient force
to maintain accuracy. The machine was
installed in October 2019.
“We are still learning more every time
we use the machine, but we were up
and running on it fairly promptly when it
arrived in the shop,” said Scott. “The VGP3D
software takes a lot of the guesswork out
of it for you.”
Although the machine was purchased
for Waterplay’s production work, Scott
noted that it automatically creates a
potential secondary market for anyone
requiring tube work in the Okanagan Valley.
Removing the Repetitive
While the tube bender allows Waterplay to
extend its creativity with forms, there also
has been a drive to standardize certain
stock products to streamline fabrication
and create opportunities for welding
automation. The company has invested
in a two-bay Miller PerformArc 1100 FW
robotic welding cell to do this work.
“There are certain big sellers like ground
sprays, which are essentially a short
piece of pipe on a base plate,” said Scott.
“We make thousands of those. We also
make a lot of water blasters or cannons,
which can be made in batches of 100.
We are working to move repetitive, less-
interesting jobs into the weld cell.”
The cell is equipped to weld up to
10-ft.-long columns. It includes a rotating
indexing table so that one side of the
The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020 23
4/2/20 9:38 AM
 While the tube bender allows Waterplay to extend its creativity with forms, the company also has been striving to standardize many
commonly used components. This has led Waterplay to introduce welding automation to its core processes, specifically through an
investment in a two-bay Miller PerformArc 1100 FW robotic welding cell.

cell can be loaded with parts as the other
completes parts.
“This cell is also newly installed in the
shop, and we’ve been told that it can
increase our productivity exponentially,”
said Scott. “We’re still working out some
of the kinks, but already we’re cutting
production time of certain parts by about
50%.
“Adding this automation helps us in a
couple of ways,” Scott continued. “It takes
away a lot of dull work from our employees,
freeing them up for more complex,
interesting welding work. But also it saves
us from carrying a lot of inventory. Our
business is still fairly seasonal because the
water park market is strongest in North
America (though it’s growing in Australia).
With automation we can turn orders around
more quickly when we need them rather
than carrying stock through our slower
seasons. It makes us more agile. We aren’t
working in a just-in-time environment, but
we’re closer to that ideal.”
Agility Training
Waterplay is preparing for the future by
creating agility among its team members
as well. Scott is in the process of cross-
training operators so that they can handle
the tube bender, the welding cell, and the
shop’s waterjet machine.
“We are also introducing bar coding to
get more accurate timing on our assemblies
through our ERP system,” said Scott. “And,
of course, we’re considering how else we
might improve production flow.”
What Scott is aiming for is production
that keeps the full team busy and steady
throughout the year—stability that can be
a challenge in a market that is defined by
specific peak production times.
“We’ve already realized tremendous
gains with our recent investments,”
said Scott. “Each step we make in the
automation and interconnection of our
manufacturing processes frees up more
time for strategic thinking around how to
expand future production.”
Editor Robert Colman can be reached at
rcolman@canadianfabweld.com.
Waterplay Group of Companies, www.
wmimfg.com

24 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020

AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 24 4/2/20 9:38 AM

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 machine maintenance and repair

Rewriting
the rules
for
electrical
safety
Beware of the voltage,
amperage, wattage, and the potential for arc flash

Just a glance at an electrical panel in an industrial setting is enough to see a few

hazards. The discoloration on the doors, which should be nearly white, indicates
the presence of oil and dust, both of which contribute to the likelihood of a fire or
an explosion. The proximity of high and low voltage means that working on low-
voltage circuits is risky. This cabinet has a high potential for an arc flash.

26 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020

AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 26 4/2/20 9:43 AM

 By Eric Lundin
A
nyone who has worked around
machinery for very long can spot a
machine’s hazards a mile away. Hot
surfaces, belts and pulleys, sharp blades,
clamps or jaws that open and close,
electrical power—it would be difficult to
find an industrial machine that doesn’t
have at least a couple of hazards lurking
somewhere in the works.
Thankfully, the many advances in safety
technology have made today’s workplace
much safer than in the past. Whether the
hazards are eliminated at the design stage,
mitigated with guarding, or alleviated with
interlocks, workers today tend to suffer
far fewer injuries, and in far less severity,
than workers did in the past. National
Safety Council data indicates that the
total number of recordable incidents per
100 workers in private industry decreased
from 5.3 to 2.8 from 2002 to 2018.
However, this doesn’t mean that every
hazard has been eliminated. In tube
fabrication, a rotary tube bender usually
presents two obvious hazards: crushing
and entrapment. When the clamp dies
close in on the tube, the action produces
tremendous force, creating a crushing
hazard. A moment later, the rotating
motion of the bend die and other tools
creates a force that draws the tube into
the die set, which has the potential to
create an entrapment hazard. Despite the
risks, such a machine can be operated
thousands of hours without a mishap, a
credit to safe work habits.
Regrettably, in some fabrication shops,
the safety culture isn’t very modern.
“One of my biggest concerns often
comes up when I visit old-school bending
shops,” said Jay Robinson, owner and
president of RbSA Industrial. “An operator
loads the tube, the clamp die advances,
and often the operator grabs the tube
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 27
and gives it a tug to make sure it really
is clamped securely. During bending the
operator may put his finger on the tube
and against the clamp to make sure the
tube does not slip during bending.” At this
point, the machine is already forming the
tube, and if the tube does slip, the clamp
pushes open, or the operator’s sleeve gets
caught, the operator could get pulled into
the machine. The term rotary draw bender
couldn’t be more clear: The bending die
rotates and draws the tube in to bend it.
Anything snagged by the tube likewise
can get pulled into the machine, and the
outcome could very well be a few broken
bones or an amputation. Operators must
be completely cognizant of every moving
part on the bender—their locations, their
statuses, and whether they are staged to
activate.
Hydraulic System Risks
Hydraulic benders present additional risks
in that hydraulic fluid under pressure can
present a danger. Robinson mentioned
that a somewhat common hazard in
industry concerns fluid leaks. Hydraulic
fluid pressurized to 2,000 pounds per
square inch (PSI), leaking out through
a pinhole in the hydraulic circuit, can
exit with a tremendous capability to do
damage. Such a situation has been known
to penetrate the sole of a safety boot and
enter the tissue, resulting in an accident
known as hydraulic penetration injury.
“I read about a case in which a hydraulic
unit sprung a leak, and a worker nearby
responded instinctively, covering the leak
with his hand to prevent the fluid from
squirting all over the place,” Robinson
said. If the hydraulic pressure is very low,
the outcome can be little more than
skin irritation. However, at 2,000 PSI, the
outcome can be much more severe, and
in some cases it is fatal.
A related problem concerns routine
maintenance or repairs on hydraulic
equipment. A review of several incidents
from the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration’s database illustrates a
lack of understanding of hydraulic system
principles:
• 1365522.015
An employee repairing a hydraulic leak
on an end loader was working under
the raised bucket of the loader when he
drained the hydraulic fluid, causing the
bucket to fall and fatally crush him.
• 1297381.015
An employee was replacing a hydraulic
valve on a reach stacker. When loosening
a hydraulic line at the valve, the line blew
off and forced hydraulic fluid into the base
of the employee’s thumb. The employee
was taken to the hospital where he was
kept overnight for treatment.
• 1273087.015
An employee checking or adjusting
a light or hydraulic line connection on a
loading machine, while standing between
the loader boom and the inside of the
driver’s front wheel, was caught between
the fallen loader machine boom and the
inside of the driver’s side front wheel. He
was sprayed with oil from a burst hydraulic
line and the boom fell. The employee was
hospitalized with a fractured left collar bone,
several broken ribs, and a collapsed lung.
Although a hydraulic repair on a tube
or pipe bender isn’t likely to result in a
fatality, a crushed hand is a possibility if
the worker has only a passing familiarity
with hydraulic systems.
A lack of a thorough understanding of
hydraulics is the salient problem. While the
unemployment rate is at record lows and
skilled labor becoming harder than ever to
find, equipment builders are dealing with
the same skills shortage that fabricators
are dealing with. If one of your machines
needs maintenance, the machine builder
might not be able to dispatch a service
The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020 27
4/2/20 9:43 AM
 technician anytime soon, and you might
need to rely on your staff or hire a service
technician who is low in experience and
hasn’t been trained to maintain or repair
your specific machines.
If such a technician is needed to
do maintenance or troubleshooting
regarding the machine’s electrical system,
he’s going to face other hazards.
Electricity Under Control
Electrical systems and subsystems used in
industry likewise pose substantial hazards.
They are similar to those in a residential
electrical system, but greater in scope.
In a residential electrical system, most
circuits carry 120 V, and most circuits are
protected by 15-amp or 20-amp breakers.
When powering three incandescent bulbs
(60 W each), an old cathode-ray tube
television (100 W), and a coffee maker
(1,500 W) on a single 15-amp circuit at
the same time, the breaker isn’t likely to
trip. The circuit can handle 1,800 W (120
V multiplied by 15 amps), and the power
consumption is 1,780 W.
In an industrial setting, it’s a completely
different ballgame. Many of the electrical
circuits for industry supply multiples of
the voltages of home wiring levels, such
as 240 or 480 V. At 480 V, an all-electric
tube bender capable of bending 31/2-in.-
OD tubing can draw up to 150 amps,
Robinson said. Because such circuits
often supply voltage in three phases, the
effective current is greater, equivalent to
about 1.75 times the current in a single-
phase circuit, so the power—the result of
multiplying the voltage by the current—
is greater by an order of magnitude than
any amount in a residence:
480 V x 150 amps x 1.75 = 126,000 W
In both cases, at home and in an
industrial setting, as long as everything
works as it should, all is well. If a problem
occurs—say, a short circuit—and the
current increases to the capacity of the
circuit breaker, the circuit breaker opens
and current stops flowing. This prevents
28 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 28
A plasma arc generates such intense
amounts of light—infrared, visible,
and ultraviolet—that it scorches and
often vaporizes nearly anything in its
vicinity.
a circuit from overheating and causing
a fire; it also is intended to prevent an
electric shock.
Note that, although an industrial
circuit has much more voltage, current,
and power than a residential circuit, a
common residential circuit is still a force to
be reckoned with. First, it has the potential
to melt metal; a mere 24 V is enough for
welding. Second, 15 amps is more than
enough to electrocute a person, by a long
shot. Just 40 milliamps, or 40 thousandths
of an amp (0.040 amps), can stop a heart.
Electricity Out of Control
The industrial circuit is hazardous in a way
that a residential circuit is not. The amount
of power is so vast that when something
goes wrong, an arc can develop—that is,
rather than flowing through conductors
only, the current travels through the air
that separates the two conductors.
“The result can be grim,” Robinson said.
Grim, as in catastrophic.
Under normal circumstances, the air
gap between the conductors is large
enough, and the electrical resistance
is high enough, that no current flows
between them. However, if a screwdriver
or some other conductor gets too close
and reduces the air gap substantially, the
resistance drops. If the electromagnetic
fields that surround the conductors
ionize the air, the air begins to act like
a conductor, making a pathway from
the hot side (voltage supply side) to the
neutral conductor (the return side) or a
ground conductor (a secondary return
side). This is similar to a short circuit, but
the current travels through the air rather b
than through a solid. Plasma develops, t
imparting a tremendous amount of light p
and heat to everything in the immediate d
area. Note that the first phenomenon, i
ionization, is the same natural process h
that precedes lightning strikes, and that v
plasma is a state of matter found in the l
sun. Plasma is so hot that it strips electrons 6
off of atoms. a
A plasma arc generates such intense t
amounts of light—infrared, visible, and p
ultraviolet—that it scorches and often h
vaporizes nearly anything in its vicinity. The h
temperature can exceed 30,000 degrees F,
generating enough heat to cause metals
to vaporize. Before they vaporize, they p
expand; copper’s volume increases by e
a factor of more than 60,000 to 1 when 4
it vaporizes. Metals expand so quickly m
that they explode, sending fragments of a
shrapnel and vaporized metal in every c
direction. w
Note that the culprit that causes the
arc flash isn’t necessarily a tool that
doesn’t belong near the conductors. It
can be something as innocuous as dust,
or something beyond a worker’s control,
such as condensation or corrosion. Finally,
it can be a tool that doesn’t seem out of
place in an electrical cabinet, such as a
voltmeter. A few more incidents from
OHSA’s database illustrate the severity
of this problem, even when the workers
involved are engineers and electricians:
• 310603600
An employee working for a company
that installed temporary power for
construction sites was installing a meter
on an energized electrical panel (480 V).
As he was installing the meter, he shorted
out a phase conductor to the ground with
the metal part of the meter. This caused
an arc flash, and he received flash burns
on his face and both hands and arms. He
was hospitalized for two weeks.
• 202087821
A maintenance electrician at a
manufacturing company was called
4/2/20 9:43 AM
 r by production staff about a mill motor
that was “single-phasing.” The mill was
powered by a three-phase, 480-V power
distribution panel that stepped down the
, incoming 4,160 V. To troubleshoot the fault,
s he disconnected the power and placed a
t voltage tester onto a 4,160-V energized
e lead, which was greatly in excess of the
600 V for which the meter was rated. An
arc blast occurred, hurling him away from
e the disconnect and causing full- and
partial-thickness electrothermal burns to
n his hands, abdomen, and legs, and he was
e hospitalized.
• 316574011
A team of three working in a steel
plant—an electrical engineer and two
electricians—were troubleshooting a
n 4,160-V circuit with a meter rated for a
y maximum of 1,000 V and inadvertently
f attempted to measure resistance on a live
y circuit. The ensuing arc flash set one of the
workers’ clothing on fire and he sustained
e
t
burns over 55 percent of his body.
Mitigation
Dealing with the risks associated with vast
amounts of electrical power is challenging,
but it isn’t difficult to get started on a
comprehensive mitigation program.
“This can include having maintenance
and other appropriate personnel trained in
arc flash safety and providing and enforcing
the use of correct personal protective
equipment (PPE) if they are required to
troubleshoot inside a live panel,” Robinson
said, listing the protections for workers
who deal with electrical power, but the
safety perimeter doesn’t end there. “It’s also
necessary to create and enforce a policy
of minimum safe distance with temporary
physical barriers,” he said. “This prevents
any personnel without arc flash PPE
from passing through the area while the
panel is open and has the potential to be
made live.”
A few other resources can provide an
orientation to preventing the hazards
associated with arc flash:
• “Help Protect Yourself and Your
Personnel from the Dangers of Arc Flash,”
posted at electrification.us.abb.com/sites/
geis/files/ultimatearcflashguide.pdf.
• “Reduce Arc Flash Incidents in 6 Ways”
by David G. Loucks, P.E., originally published
in Plant Engineering and posted at www.
grainger.com/know-how/safety/electrical-
hazard-safety/arc-flash-safety/kh-6-ways-
reduce-arc-flash-incidents.
• “Five Important Things to Know
About Arc Flash PPE Programs” by Scott
Francis, posted at ohsonline.com/
articles/2019/10/01/five-important-things-
to-know-about-arc-flash-ppe-programs.
aspx.
Editor Eric Lundin can be reached at ericl@
thefabricator.com.
RbSA Industrial, www.rbsaindustrial.com

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f
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The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020 29

AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 29 4/2/20 9:44 AM

 code compliance

Using welding codes to develop

robust welding procedures
Get the code, learn the code, comply
with the code, document everything
30 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020

AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 30 4/2/20 9:47 AM

 By Eric Lundin
Y
ou run a fabrication shop, your
shop’s work involves a lot of
weldments, and your customers
are depending on your welders to get
the job done right. Your welders have a
lot of knowledge, the experience pool
in your shop is deep and wide, and you
have certified welders, so what could go
wrong?
Well, quite a bit. Understanding the
roles of welding codes, procedures,
qualifications, and certifications is
the foundation. Purchasing the code,
designating someone to become
thoroughly familiar with it, and using
it to develop the necessary welding
procedures for every weldment your shop
are three steps on the path to making sure
the welds are done properly. At the same
time, three separate people, or groups of
people—those who helped develop the
welding procedure, the welding staff, and
the quality control department—have
roles to play and contributions to make.
In addition to providing the foundation
for the welding processes, adhering to
the code is a critical step in mitigating
risks. Your staff might be the most
knowledgeable welders anywhere, and
their welds might exceed all expectations,
but proper documentation is necessary. If
something goes wrong with a weldment
your company made, you might need
to explain how the welding procedure
was developed, how it was tested, and
how your staff was trained. If you haven’t
documented these steps, you’ll be in
a tough spot, but if your company has
sufficient documentation to show that it
makes welds to code, you’ll be in a good
position to defend the integrity of your
products.
Codes, Procedures, and Certifications
In many cases, an item that isn’t likely to
support much weight or undergo much
stress—say, a bracket for a small bookshelf
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 31
or a gusset for a rack to hold some tools—
doesn’t need a thoroughly engineered
weld joint or a highly trained welding
staff to make it. When the weld joint’s
reliability is critical, however, you need to
follow several steps to develop a reliable
weldment. These include engineering
the joint; developing a written procedure
for making the joint; verifying that the
weldment can withstand the expected
stresses, including a safety factor; and
testing the welders charged with making
the joint.
This multifaceted task starts with
engineering the weldment, which is the
responsibility of the manufacturer. This
can be a lengthy step that encompasses
several stages:
• Determine the joint’s function—
withstanding forces such as compression,
tension, torsion, and shear.
• Calculate the needed strength.
• Design the joint’s configuration and
dimensions.
• Research the strength and behavior
of the materials to be welded.
• Determine preheating or postweld
heat-treating requirements.
• Research related factors that contrib-
ute to the joint’s suitability for service.
The next step is to determine whether a
welding code applies and, if so, to ensure
that the design elements of the joint
comply with that code.
Simply stated, a welding code is
a written standard for industry that
describes a large number of welding
scenarios and specifies the factors that
go into making an acceptable weld for
each one. For example, if you need to
make a structural element from steel
for a cab for a bulldozer, the American
Welding Society (AWS) publishes code
D14.3/D14.3M:2010 AMD1, Specification
for Welding Earthmoving, Construction
and Agricultural Equipment, which covers
welding that cab frame. If your weldment
is a fillet weld made horizontally on 5/16-in.-
thick steel using gas metal arc welding
(GMAW), you can find the requirements
for the procedure for making that weld—
acceptable filler metal type and diameter
range, proper welding current, and so
on—in that standard.
This sounds straightforward, but it’s
not quite that simple. Dozens of codes
are available from a handful of standards-
setting groups, so finding the right code is
critical. Regarding structural applications
alone, AWS publishes several codes,
such as D1.1/D1.1M:2015, which covers
welding of structural steel. It publishes
individual D1-series codes for several
other materials, such as aluminum,
sheet steel, stainless steel, and titanium.
Regarding industrial machines and other
equipment, it publishes:
• D14.1/D14.1M:2005-AMD1, Specifi-
cation for Welding of Mill Cranes and Other
Material Handling Equipment.
• D14.5/D14.5M:2009, Specification for
Welding of Presses and Press Components.
• D14.6/D14.6M:2012, Specification
for Welding of Rotating Elements of
Equipment.
• D14.7/D14.7M:2005, Recommended
Practices for Surfacing and Reconditioning
of Industrial Mill Rolls.
• D14.9/D14.9M:2013, Specification for
the Welding of Hydraulic Cylinders.
• D15.1/D15.1M:2019, Welding Specifi-
cation for Railroad Cars and Locomotives.
After refining the specific steps
for making your weldment with the
information derived from the welding
code, you have a welding procedure
specification (WPS). Nobody would expect
a welder to drag a $500 welding code
out to the shop floor and page through
it, looking for guidance in making each
weld, so codes require that you develop
your own WPS, which is a detailed set of
instructions for the welders to follow.
This also sounds straightforward, but
the devil is in the details. Welding codes
are lengthy, so the challenge in writing a
solid WPS is identifying what to include
and what to exclude. Furthermore, writing
a WPS isn’t enough. You have to qualify
the WPS by following its steps to make a
The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020 31
4/2/20 9:47 AM
 test weld, and then subject that test weld
coupon to bend tests and tension tests
to determine the weld’s ductility and
strength. Other tests, such as a Charpy
impact test, also may be warranted to
determine the material’s toughness after
welding. Once you have demonstrated
that the WPS is successful, you document
it in a procedure qualification record (PQR).
The fourth component is welder
certification. Small companies often rely
on third parties (certifying agencies or
technical schools) for this, whereas an
employer with more means can certify its
own welders. In any case, certification is
the responsibility of the welder’s employer.
“In many cases, companies that should be using the code aren’t doing so. Often a
company doesn’t own a copy of the code and doesn’t know that having one is a
requirement.”
— Paul Cameron, CWI
A welder who is to weld in compliance
with AWS D1.1 makes a test weld or
welds that comply with AWS D1.1, and if
successful, he can be certified as qualified
to AWS D1.1. To maintain certification,
the welder must make welds using each
process at least once every six months,
and a supervisor must document that he
or she did so. The certification usually is
indefinite.
Maintaining and updating the
documentation, paperwork that shows
every t has been crossed and every
i has been dotted, is the fourth step.
Codes, WPSs, PQRs, and certifications
all contribute to making good welds
and therefore good products; you must
document them.
To summarize, the code is for the entire
industry; a WPS is specific to a weldment
that a manufacturer uses to make a
specific assembly; a PQR documents that
the WPS is satisfactory; and certification
shows that a welder has passed a test
32 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 32
regarding a code.
Note that AWS sells a couple of dozen
standard WPSs for welding common
materials such as carbon and 300 series
stainless steel, so developing a WPS from
scratch isn’t always necessary.
Code or No Code? In some cases,
welding in accordance with a code is
mandated by law; in others, it can be
stipulated by contract; otherwise, it is
voluntary. Because some welds require
code compliance and others don’t,
fabrication shop owners often simply
aren’t aware that they need to purchase a
welding code or two.
“In many cases, companies that should
be using the code aren’t doing so,”
said Paul Cameron, a certified welding
inspector (CWI). “Often a company doesn’t
own a copy of the code and doesn’t know
that having one is a requirement.”
If they’re not using a welding code,
what are they using? Company executives
and shop supervisors have a million
things to do, so if they have skilled welders
on staff, and the welders have a couple of
decades of welding experience, the entire
burden for compliance might rest on
those welders’ shoulders, Cameron said.
Walter Sperko, a professional engineer
and welding specialist, concurred. “Many
manufacturers rely on shop practices,” he
said. These aren’t necessarily best practices
or even modern practices. “In some
cases, they get passed down from one
generation to another.”
Regardless of the welders’ knowledge
base, if they make good welds and the
customers have no complaints, it’s not
clear that a problem exists. Problems that
don’t seem to exist don’t seem to need
solutions, or in common parlance, “If it
ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
Indeed, it’s not broken until something
breaks. When a fire truck can’t respond
to a call or trailer falls apart at highway
speed, and the failure is due to a bad weld
that can be traced back to your shop, it’s
too late to order a code, develop a WPS,
establish a PQR, and qualify your staff.
Beware of the Limitations. Non-
welders on the management staff need
to be aware that while buying a code is a
necessary first step, getting the right code
for the application is critical. For example,
the American Society of Mechanical
Engineers Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code
covers all aspects of designing, building,
and repairing boilers, pressure vessels and
nuclear components, and it comes in 12
sections. A shop that does repairs doesn’t
need to buy every section.
For many other welding applications,
care is necessary in getting the right
code. Making a weldment for a structural
application is a good example. A code
that seems to have an extremely broad
purpose, AWS D1.1/D1.1M:2020 Structural
Welding Code – Steel, doesn’t cover every
structural steel application.
“It applies only to steel greater than 1/8
in. thick and less than 100,000 pounds per
square inch minimum yield strength,” said
Cameron. “Also, it applies only to carbon
steel.” AWS publishes a separate code
for stainless steel structural applications
(not to mention codes for other metals,
such as aluminum and titanium), codes
for two specific products for structural
applications (sheet and reinforcing bars),
and even a code that describes specific
considerations for seismic activity.
Likewise, passing a test to achieve a
certification is limited. A certification
doesn’t mean a welder is proficient using
any welding process in the corresponding
code; it means he passed a test on one
welding process relevant to the code.
“Certification is based on a very specific
4/2/20 9:47 AM
 test,” Cameron said. “It calls for a specific
t material, electrode, electrode diameter,
and process,” he said. “Passing a test to use
flux-cored arc welding in the horizontal
d position doesn’t qualify that welder to
y use GMAW overhead, even if the other
d parameters are the same,” he said.
s In some cases, a certification does allow
, some latitude. For example, a welder who
needs to perform a specific weld process
on several thicknesses of material doesn’t
necessarily have to pass a test on every
thickness.
“In many cases, a standards developer
, like AWS uses the 2T guideline,” Sperko
said. “A welder who makes a test weld
e using a specific process on some thickness,
, T, is qualified to weld up to twice that
d thickness, or 2T,” he said. “Furthermore, if
2 a welder is certified to weld on 1-in.-thick
t material with a process, often the range
he’s allowed to weld is unlimited.”
Similarly, two codes often have
t enough latitude that both can apply to
l one application. When making a cab for
e an earth-moving machine, AWS D14.3/
d D14.3M:2010 AMD1, Specification for
Welding Earthmoving, Construction and
Agricultural Equipment, is the obvious
choice, but the more general AWS D1.1/
8 D1.1M:2020, Structural Welding Code –
r Steel, is also acceptable. It’s a matter of the
d OEM’s preference, but the OEM needs to
n pick a code then follow it.
e Who’s Involved? As in the case of a
certified welder, a CWI has met specific
, requirements that may be required by
a code. The educational requirements
run the gamut, from less than an 8th
, grade education to a bachelor’s degree
c in welding engineering or welding
technology. The corresponding minimum
amount of welding experience needed
n also is broad, varying from 12 years to one
g year, respectively. The requirements for
g certified associate welding inspector are
not as stringent; those for senior certified
welding inspector are higher and include
six years’ tenure as a CWI during the
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 33
previous eight years.
Depending on the size of your company
and its goals relative to its welding
capabilities, you might be interested in
seeking out some specialists for your staff
or a consultant, such as a certified welding
educator, welding engineer, certified
welding supervisor, certified radiographic
interpreter, and certified robotic arc
welding operator and technician. It might
be beneficial to get some assistance
from a consultant with a background in
metallurgy, mechanical engineering, or
civil engineering.
Certainly each has something to offer.
A welder who spends eight hours a day
reading weld pools—and who spends an
hour a day grumbling because he doesn’t
have enough clearance for some of the
weldments—can provide great feedback
for putting a new weld procedure through
a few practical trials. Folks who know the
codes forward and backward can help
with compliance, and a metallurgist or
an engineer can help you determine
strength and durability—evaluating the
heat-affected zone and identifying the
necessary destructive tests and hardness
tests to evaluate welds made to the WPS.
A key duty that doesn’t correspond
to a certification is writing a WPS. It
requires no specific background or
welding experience. This means anyone
can develop a WPS, whether drawing on
education, hours spent reading welding
codes and perhaps other welding-
related literature, or welding experience.
Some might see this is a drawback, but
regardless of that person’s credentials,
the proof is in welding a test coupon
and documenting it and the test results
on a PQR.
In other words, either the weld is found
to be adequate or it’s not, and either the
WPS is accepted or it’s not, and either the
WPS is accompanied by a PQR or it’s not.
That said, it’s certain that a wide-ranging
accumulation of welding knowledge and
experience contributes to writing a more
thorough and robust WPS.
Putting the Codes to Use
Employers must provide their welders
the necessary knowledge to get the job
done, which often means much more
than buying the product-relevant code,
Cameron said.
First, you probably need three codes—
the welding code specific to your
application, plus two more:
• AWS A2.4, Standard Symbols for
Welding, Brazing, and NonDestructive
Examination
• AWS A3.0, Standard Welding Terms
and Definitions
Second, every welder in the shop needs
to become proficient in the welding
symbols and terms used by their shop.
Nearly everyone in every industry uses
some level of shop-speak, so it’s necessary
to get everyone onto the same page
regarding standard terminology.
Third, someone—ideally, someone
knowledgeable in welding engineering
and metallurgy—needs to become
familiar enough with the code to establish
WPSs or help establish them. This person or
small team must go through the selected
code thoroughly enough to understand
the content, determine how the content
applies to the welds made in your shop,
and identify a WPS for every weldment.
Two key points here are attention to detail
and strict adherence to the code.
“It’s necessary take the code literally,”
Cameron said. “Every and, every or, and
every shall are there for a reason.”
Finally, it’s the employer’s responsibility
to go beyond English, if necessary. A
2015 report from the U.S. Census Bureau
identified 350 unique languages spoken
in the U.S. (at least 192 in New York City
alone). It’s up to the workers to do the
job, but the employer must give them
the tools to do so. As a practical matter,
this might mean designating the shop
folks who are proficient in two languages
to assist those who aren’t. A thorough
The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020 33
4/7/20 8:53 AM
 resolution would be to have the WPS yourself answering a lot of questions about
translated by a technical writer proficient your shop’s practices and weld integrity.
in both languages. However, written Proper documentation is necessary when
documentation in languages other than questions of culpability arise.
English isn’t a requirement; it is perfectly For cases in which a welding code
acceptable for a shop supervisor to provide isn’t required by a legal jurisdiction or by
verbal instructions based on the WPS contract, following a code and performing
requirements. weld inspections contribute to due
diligence. Sperko cited the 2012 court
Making a Case for Due Diligence case of James Lomma and his company,
and Managing Risks New York Crane and Equipment Corp., as
If a weldment on a piece of machinery a cautionary tale concerning a weld failure.
fails, an investigation is bound to ensue to One of the company’s cranes was taken out
determine just how the weld failed. The of service for a repair; on the day the crane
weld may have been perfectly sound when was put back into service, it collapsed,
it was made, and some other cause for the killing two people.
failure may have been at fault. Perhaps In a criminal suit, the prosecution alleged
improper protection allowed corrosion to set that Lomma and New York Crane focused
in, weakening the weld. Maybe the system on the cost and speed, rather than the
or machine was misused or even abused, integrity, of the repair. Regarding the entire
putting much more stress on the weld than it responsibility—repair and inspection—it’s
was designed to handle. Other scenarios are possible that the waters were muddied
possible, but nevertheless, you might find in that New York City’s Department of
Buildings is responsible any post-repair
inspections. In 2010 the city’s chief crane
inspector, James Delayo, was convicted
of taking bribes and falsifying crane
inspections, which may have contributed
to Lomma’s acquittal.
Although tube or pipe fabricators
aren’t likely to get involved in anything
as significant as repairing a construction
crane, the lesson is clear: Due diligence and
thorough recordkeeping are essential.
Sperko’s advice is to take charge of the
subassemblies and assemblies that leave
your company’s premises, relying on your
own processes rather than those of your
customer. If you’re making critical welds,
due diligence, starting with the relevant
welding code, might prevent a weld failure,
avert an injury, save a life, and keep your
company’s reputation intact.
Editor Eric Lundin can be reached at ericl@
thefabricator.com.

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+351 252 330 900 sales@amob.pt

AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 35 4/2/20 9:57 AM

 quality control

Getting a fix on check

fixture technology

Although many check fixtures verify the dimensions of a single tube just a couple feet long, this
versatile concept can be used to verify long assemblies. This fixture provides a quality control
check for an assembly of fuel lines and brake lines for an automotive application.

By calvin tenbrink accurate than those used decades ago.

Micrometers and assorted gauges
with various sliding features to verify
brackets and end-locations. Contrast that

Q
uality control always has been an
integral part of manufacturing,
but certainly the earliest
standards for quality would pale by today’s
standards. Whether using a profilometer
to measure a polished component’s
surface roughness, a laser-based system
to measure a round part’s eccentricity, or
a coordinate measuring machine (CMM)
to take a series of dimensional readings,
modern quality control measurements
tend to be an order of magnitude more
were once at the cutting edge for making
dimensional checks, but these have given
way to all manner of specialized tools
and processes, providing measurement
speeds, levels of precision, and
convenience of use unimaginable a few
decades ago. As with all tools, they have
evolved through stages of sophistication.
A modern check fixture—a jig that
replicates an installed location for a metal
component such as a formed tube—is
made from a tough composite material
with the first check fixtures, made from
lengths of two-by-four lumber nailed
to ½-inch-thick plywood, or cobbled
together from lengths of angle iron, and
you can see how far this industry has
come.
Meanwhile, other tools and systems,
such as CMMs, articulating measuring
arms, and optical systems have forced the
quality verification process to become
ever more formalized. Taking a multitude
of measurements with a micrometer and

36 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020

AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 36 4/2/20 9:59 AM


y annotating the readings with pencil and
t paper led to sophisticated systems that
m take far more measurements in far less
d time and can create a digital record for
traceability.
d Increasingly sophisticated manufact-
s uring systems also are driving the industry
forward. For example, CNC machine and
, software have made tube fabrication more
g precise than ever. As cut lengths become
e more exact and control systems provide
greater accuracy in bent and formed
e parts, manufacturers increasingly adopt
robotic welding technology. Because
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 37
Using a quality control tool
to verify a tube’s dimensions
prevents misunderstandings
between fabricators and OEMs
robotic welding systems aren’t very
tolerant of fit-up variances, manufacturing
systems that employ robotic welding
technologies have to fortify their
upstream operations to provide stricter
dimensional consistency, creating a cycle
of increasingly tight tolerances at each
stage of manufacturing.
Understanding the Specifications
Dealing with specifications and tolerances
sounds simple. A cut is to be made
at a precise location so the resulting
component has specified length, and the
tolerance indicates the absolute shortest
and longest lengths that are acceptable.
However, while a straightforward
specification is easy to understand, in
many cases manufactured products are
far too complex to be described by just
a number or two. When manufactured
items incorporate complex shapes,
unusual features, and intricate contours,
the numbers that describe them become
more than mere numbers—they become
designations that represent dimensions
and feature locations on complex
surfaces, giving meaning to points, lines,
The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020 37
4/2/20 9:59 AM

A full-cavity-style check fixture captures the
tube on three sides, leaving essentially no room
for human error. After placing the tube into the
fixture, the operator slides the pins into place and
closes the clamps. If the tube fits without force,
it meets the dimensional criteria and therefore is
ready to go to the production line.
In some cases, an L-cavity-style check fixture is
a suitable alternative to a full-cavity style. This
type of fixture captures the tube on two sides,
leaving some room for operator discretion,
so training for proper use of the fixture and
understanding the result is more critical than
for a full-cavity fixture.
Metal stanchions with saddles are the key
components in this check fixture, which works
well with large-diameter tubing, but captures
only the straights.
38 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 38
planes, angles, and curves.
An additional complication is that no
single, all-encompassing, universal system
is used in industry to define specifications.
Is the intersection of two lines a cube or
a sphere? Certainly most people don’t
realize that it could be one or the other,
and it’s likely that most laymen don’t
care, but to someone who is measuring
or checking a tube assembly, it makes a
difference. The program behind a CMM
or articulating arm is written from the
perspective of the programmer. If a
fabricator’s CMM’s software conceives
every point in space as a sphere, and if an
OEM’s system interprets them as cubes,
they generate different measurement
results.
As manufacturing tolerances become
tighter and industry relies more heavily on
geometric dimensioning and tolerancing
(GD&T) callouts, disagreements ensue.
It’s out of the ordinary, but not out of the
question, that a shipment of parts passes
a dimensional check before it leaves the
supplier’s loading dock and then fails at
the customer’s receiving dock. Needless to
say, this can become extremely expensive
for both parties. One can’t build and sell
its products, the other can’t get paid for
the work that it did, and neither is in the
wrong.
Fulfilling a contract is a matter of
fulfilling expectations, so both parties
must understand what’s expected.
Qualifying a manufactured part doesn’t
have to be hopelessly complicated; it’s
a matter of understanding that several
systems and strategies for qualifying a part
exist and that it’s necessary to find one
that is mutually agreeable. This agreement
must include the type of qualifying
instrument and how the instrument itself
is to be qualified. Otherwise, conflicts and
needless expenses are sure to arise.
Choosing the Right Tool or Process
Few would assume that what works for
tube verification is going to work for a
4/2/20 9:59 AM
 machined engine block. The geometry is
o different, and the issues are different. Some
in the tube bending industry believe their
work to be best described as a black art.
r This is an overstatement, but nonetheless,
some aspects and dimensions of bent
tube can be difficult to quantify.
t In checking tubular components, some
fabricators and OEMs rely on CMMs;
a others use check fixtures. A CMM can be
M used to check many geometries, while a
e check fixture is a custom-made fixturing
device suitable for checking just one
s part. The operator places the bent tube
or assembly into the fixture, and if it fits
, into the fixture without force, the part is
t good. No special training is necessary, and
the results don’t vary from operator to
operator. When using a CMM and a touch
n probe, each operator has to take identical
g measurements from identical locations,
. which can take a lot of time. Also, if the
part isn’t fully clamped or supported, the
s act of pressing the touch probe against
e the tube can cause a small amount of
t deflection, resulting in an inaccurate
o measurement.
e In many cases, fabricators and OEMs
use a variety of verification technologies.
This makes sense in matters of capability,
r
speed, budget, and operator skill. For
example, an OEM might use vision systems
at one stage of production and a check
fixture at another stage on the same part.
It might be a matter of verifying simple
.
subcomponents on the vision system
t
before assembling the subcomponents
s
and checking them on a check fixture.
Disregarding the most appropriate use for
t
each technology can result in a perfectly
e
good part passing an inspection by
t
one method and failing an inspection
g
performed by a different method.
f
d
Capturing All the Right
Points on the Print
Two industries have a predilection for
check fixtures: aerospace and automotive.
r 354-1541, ctenbrink@clarkfixtures.com,
In both cases, accuracy is paramount.
Automotive applications have a second
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 39
motivation, and that’s speed. Using a
check fixture usually just takes a few
moments, and the operator doesn’t have
to annotate anything specific regarding
features or dimensions that are out of
specification. It’s either go or no go.
What does a check fixture provide? A
well-designed check fixture incorporates
the requirements as required by the
customer in regard to the print, datum
scheme, and GD&T. In the automotive
and aerospace industries, it’s common
practice to indicate that the tube must fit
within a toleranced tunnel. Beyond that,
various other features on the assembly
have GD&T callouts. One end is likely to be
the reference datum because it is going
to be threaded into some component
that is already established in the product’s
design. The other end normally has some
allowable tolerance at the other end. The
check fixture needs to mirror this same
approach.
A simplified view, one that usually is
inadequate, is to capture the straights and
consider this to be sufficient. The check
fixture needs to capture the location of
every pertinent feature, and often this
means a full-capture approach of the
complete tube, end to end. This provides
the necessary confidence that the part
meets the customer’s requirements.
Some fixtures capture the part on two
sides only, thereby requiring the operator
to verify the tube’s location on a scribe
line on the third side. This is acceptable in
some situations, but in most cases it’s best
to capture the tube on three sides, leaving
only the top open to interpretation.
The risk in a two-side capture, leaving more
to the discretion of the quality control
technician, is misunderstanding how
to use the check fixture and discarding
good parts.
Bear in mind that fabricators and OEMs
also must agree as to how their tools are
to be calibrated or certified. Just as the
most sophisticated digital instruments
need periodic calibration, a check fixture
must be certified for accuracy before it is
put into use. Progress in this area has been
substantial. Twenty-five years ago a signed
letter from the company that provided the
check fixture might have been considered
sufficient. It wasn’t really sufficient then,
and it certainly isn’t now. It is critical to use
established measurement practices and
equipment qualified to a NIST standard.
This assures both the fabricator and OEM
that the check fixture is an accurate judge
of a component’s dimensional integrity.
Moving Forward
In today’s environment, we are facing
an exciting time. New discoveries are
being made, new technologies are being
developed, and established techniques
are being combined in new ways. A
case in point is the use of QR codes,
inexpensive hand-held scanners, modern
enterprise resource planning software,
and Wi-Fi, which contribute to Industry
4.0. The resulting organization on the shop
floor means that parts can move through
a shop faster than ever before, and if
the system has enough sophistication,
customers can check on their orders.
Technology and customer expectations
reduce the time from order to shipment.
At the same time, many OEMs rely on
just-in-time deliveries, so they don’t have
time to inspect incoming shipments of
parts. In some cases, they don’t even
unpack the parts—the shipping crate
goes straight to the production line.
Therefore, it is imperative that the
connection point between the customer
and the supplier, which is the delivery, be
as uneventful as possible. In a worst-case
scenario, that nexus point results in a lost
business relationship. In a next-to-worst-
case scenario, parts are rejected and
profits are erased.
Calvin TenBrink is the vice president of
sales and marketing for Clark Fixture
Technologies Inc., 410 North Dunbridge
Road, Bowling Green, OH 43402, 419-
clarkfixtures.com.
The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020 39
4/2/20 9:59 AM
 executive perspectives

Joining an industry
association can help
you tackle the most
Read more from Lisa Wertzbaugher at
difficult challenges
www.thefabricator.com/
lisa-wertzbaugher. Membership provides much more than
by Lisa Wertzbaugher the benefits listed on the brochure

B
usiness owners and managers rarely
have a second to spare in their day.
In fact, most of you probably won’t
even read through this entire column
before you’re interrupted by a task. And
yet most of what I write about involves
taking time out of your hectic schedule
for planning and strategy development.
It involves discipline. It involves holding
yourself accountable. It involves a strategy
to stay focused.
If your focus starts to waver, what can
you do? It would be nice to have a partner
to help you stay focused on long-term
planning, like having a buddy who meets
you at the gym for workouts. For many
business owners and executives, this
partner is in the form of a professional
association. An organization that hosts
meetings and events requires leaders
to take a break from the daily grind to
do some forward thinking. While these
associations typically charge annual
membership fees, the returns are far
greater than the investment.
Training Opportunities  managers don’t have time to read all the
We all know employees need ongoing
training to keep certifications current,
further their professional development,
and stay up-to-date on new technologies.
Finding training classes can be time-
consuming and challenging, especially in
a niche industry like metal fabrication.
The Fabricators and Manufacturers
Association Intl. (FMA), the organization
affiliated with the Tube & Pipe Association
Intl. and The Tube and Pipe Journal, hosts
classes year-round, from technical,
hands-on skill development to executive
leadership training. Scheduling is versatile,
with some of the sessions provided in
person and some online. Depending on
the topic, FMA can arrange training at your
site if that would be more convenient.
Market Insights  benefit and the benefit of America’s
Professional associations often work
with well-known economists and
government organizations to provide
market updates to members. Business
material available every day, so receiving
reports that summarize the most relevant
topics is a big benefit.
A key point is that information-sharing
goes both ways. Sometimes the reporting
comes to the business, and sometimes
the association polls members to provide
industry insight back to partner agencies.
It’s a way for you to have your voice heard.
Lori Tapani, owner and co-president of
Wyoming Machine Inc., Stacy, Minn., is a
longtime FMA member and a member
of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. A key
benefit to both memberships is that her
perspectives as a small business owner
help to shape domestic policy.
“We meet twice a year and actively
engage with one another for our mutual
free enterprise system,” she said. “The
Chamber sets policy priorities each year,

40 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020

AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 40 4/6/20 11:09 AM

 and although the Small Business Council and accountability. A superstar player— Association membership offers that
members represent diverse industries, we he holds the Dallas Cowboys’ record for same networking and support to help
come together to advocate for all small most career tackles at 813—he stated that fabricating and manufacturing businesses
businesses.”  he uses an accountability partner for early succeed .
morning workouts and to fortify his post-
Networking NFL professional career. He understands Lisa Wertzbaugher, founder of
You are running a business, and there the value of relying on support from his Wertzbaugher Consulting, can be reached
is only one person at the top. You don’t at wertzbaugherconsult@gmail.com.
peers to maintain a position at the top.
have a manager, so who do you go to
for insight, coaching, and mentoring?
Top executives use association meetings
and tradeshows, like FMA’s recent Annual
Up to 6-inch O.D. | Short Lead Times
Meeting and upcoming FABTECH® show,
to network with peers, learn new ideas,
and continue self-development.

Pipe and
“One of the best ways I avoid ’leadership
isolation’ is to participate in professional
organizations,” Tapani said. “FMA is the

Tube.
premier organization advocating for the
growth and sustainability of the North
American metal processing, forming, and
fabricating industries. Participating allows
me to stay current on best practices, Bending.
technological advances, and to network
with other industry leaders. Leading the
Laser Cutting.
s
charge in developing the manufacturing End Forming.
workforce of the future by supporting
e
FMA’s Nuts, Bolts & Thingamajigs
Foundation is especially rewarding.”
t
Jim Campbell, vice president and
general manager of Prince Industries, QUANTITIES FROM PROTOTYPE TO PRODUCTION.
g
agreed, citing the association’s broad We specialize in custom tube and pipe bending, laser cutting and fabrication up to 6-inch
g
geographical reach. O.D. for prototypes up to full production. Because we have the latest machine technology and
s
“Membership in the FMA has opened a large selection of tooling, we are known for short lead times and quality results. Whatever
e doors to meet our peers from around your bending or laser cutting needs, we’d value the opportunity to work with you.
. the country,” he said. “It allowed us the
Please send inquiries to: estimating@sharpeproducts.com
platform to share best practices, educate
f and train our people, and supplied the
tools to help us grow our business.”
r
Become a Superstar
The full description of the benefits far
r exceeds the space available for this
column, but I’ve highlighted three
y important ones.
l Retired National Football League
s safety Darren Woodson delivered a
sharpeproducts.com ISO 9001:2015 | Celebrating 30 Years
keynote speech at FMA’s Annual Meeting,
discussing his perspectives on leadership

The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020 41

AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 41 4/6/20 11:09 AM

 Business Brief
Visit www.alliantgroup.com for more
information.
by Tracy Lustyan
and jacob wood
W Cost-effective Solutions,
hen taking a sip of a cold
drink during a big game, most
fans probably don’t give any
thought to all the steps involved with
getting the product from tank to can.
Part of that magic is in the hands of those
who develop the product’s recipe, but the
individuals who develop the pathway to
product creation are just as necessary.
Those are the process engineers and
fabricators who create the actual system
and infrastructure, complete with tanks,
piping, and pumps, that allow the
products we know and love to come to
fruition.
While these innovators certainly end
up creating a seamless process for their
clients, the pathway to developing that
process isn’t always an easy road. Therein
lies the difficulty—which often means
doing more with less. That’s the chal-
lenge that process engineers and indus-
trial fabricators face on a daily basis.
42 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 42
How planning a
processing system
qualifies for
a tax credit
Every development and improvement
qualifies as research and development
Confined Spaces
Building a customized solution that fits
into limited space is an ongoing challenge.
How can engineers create a pathway from
point A to point B that is energy-efficient,
complies with pertinent regulations, and
delivers a quality product that meets
client expectations?
Whether that product is condiments,
toothpaste, beer, chemicals, or fuel, pro-
cess engineers are consistently working
during each stage of the manufacturing
process to design innovative processes
and equipment to get a satisfactory result.
Revolutionary technologies that help
to advance fields like process engineer-
ing, such as Industry 4.0, have helped
process engineers and fabricators de-
velop these intricate systems for their
clients. Although these technologies
have certainly helped to make the devel-
opment and maintenance process more
streamlined, there is still a large amount
of design iteration, testing, and reconfig-
uration involved in developing a client
solution.
This process of testing and system it-
eration is exactly the type of innovative
process that Congress was trying to in-
centivize when in 1981 it enacted the
Economic Recovery Act—and with it, the
Research and Development Tax Credit
(R&D Credit).
The R&D Credit, which is a dol-
lar-for-dollar tax incentive, was created
to help incentivize U.S. businesses to
innovate and compete so our nation
would remain a worldwide economic
powerhouse. In short, the R&D Credit
rewards companies of all sizes for keep-
ing technical labor in the U.S., and it’s a
wage-based incentive that gives back to
companies that are working to improve
their product or processes and resolve
technical uncertainties.
4/6/20 11:09 AM
 One of the best things about the R&D
Credit is its applicability across essentially
every industry. From agriculture to man-
ufacturing, this tax incentive has helped
thousands of U.S. businesses bring capital
back into their company to invest in their
employees, infrastructure, and innovative
practices in order to remain competitive
in their field.
In 2013 alone, the IRS reported that
U.S. businesses claimed $11.3 billion in
R&D Credits. That capital flows back into
thousands of businesses, adding to our
country’s economic prosperity.
What Qualifies as R&D?
Developing new processes. Improving
existing processes. Relieving technical
uncertainty. Sound familiar?
This is what makes companies that
employ process engineers and fabrica-
tors such uniquely qualified candidates to
claim the R&D Credit. The very nature of
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 43
the work done by these professionals on
a daily basis is what qualifies businesses
year after year for the incentive. To provide
some examples, here are a few business
activities that may qualify process engi-
neering and fabrication firms for the R&D
Credit:
• Specification review and concept
development
• Custom fabrication to meet a code, a
client’s specifications, or both
• On-site fabrication and installation of
equipment or structures
• System or product design, including
dimension and structural determinations,
cladding types, and materials science analysis
Process engineers and fabricators un-
derstand business challenges because
it’s their job to alleviate those challeng-
es for their clients. They constantly need
to balance the demanding needs of the
business and production requirements
with limitations of space, regulation, and
process capacity as well.
Navigating through these limitations
doesn’t just help the client. It can and
should also help the firm that paved the
road for the client to use in the first place.
That’s why for those firms that employ
process engineers or fabricators, claim-
ing the R&D Credit is a must. And those
already claiming need to ensure their
business is claiming the right amount of
credits for optimal growth.
It’s easy to appreciate the end product,
but it’s important to recognize the inno-
vators who combine the pumps, valves,
tanks, and fittings to create the system
needed to create that product—and even
more important for them to claim the in-
centives that lead to further innovations.
Tracy Lustyan is managing director and
Jacob Wood is an associate director for
alliantgroup lp, 844-898-3280, www.
alliantgroup.com.
The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020 43
4/6/20 11:09 AM
 Tube & Pipe Market Update
Visit prestonpipe.com for more
information.
by paul vivian, phd,
and rick preckel
C
ontainment efforts resulting from
the spread of COVID-19 are ravaging
the economy. While the effect on the
U.S. is still developing, we can look at China
for reference. Containment efforts in China
were in place by late January, and industrial
output declined 13.5% in the January-
February period compared with the same
timeframe from a year earlier, according
to China’s National Bureau of Statistics. It
had increased 6.9% in December. Fixed-
asset investment, a gauge of construction
activity, fell by 24.5% during the period,
reversing growth of 5.4% in 2019. And
finally, retail sales declined by 20.5% in the
first two months of the year compared with
growth of 8.0% in December.
In the U.S., new jobless claims posted
on March 21 were 2.9 million. The weekly
average in 2020 until then had been about
246,000, according to data published by
the St. Louis Federal Reserve.
Oil demand is declining rapidly because
of COVID-19 containment efforts. A proposal
by Saudi Arabia in early March to deepen
production cuts met with resistance by
Russia. The result was the start of an oil price
war that could increase global oil supplies
by about 4 million barrels per day, while
demand is on track to decline by double-
44 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020
AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 44
COVID-19 response and
oil price war throw
industry into disarray
Tube, pipe, and a double whammy
digit amounts depending upon who you
believe and what day you read it. Oil prices
have fallen to around $20 per barrel and
drilling budgets, already down 10% from
2019 levels, fell further in recent weeks by
35% to 40%. Subscribers to the Preston Pipe
& Tube Report have access to more extensive
analysis and periodic crisis updates.
Manufacturing Performance
A historic view, which may be the most
pleasant news you see for a while, reveals
that durable goods shipments fell by
0.2% in January, making it the seventh
consecutive month of declines, according
to the U.S. Census Bureau. The January
decrease was driven by a 1.4% drop in
shipments of transportation equipment.
New orders for durable goods in January
decreased by 0.2% following a 2.8% gain
in December. The new orders decline in
January again was led by a decrease in
orders for transportation equipment, a
2.1% decrease.
While positive overall, the February
Manufacturing Report On Business, as
published by the Institute for Supply
Management noted that transportation
equipment and machinery manufacturing,
two sectors that consume pipe and
tube, remained negative. The report noted
that the Purchasing Managers’ Index
indicated expansion for the second time
in five months, at 50.1 (in January it was
50.9%).
Domestic pipe, tube and steel mill news
Tenaris announced that it would idle
operations by March 31 at its newly acquired
Pennsylvania and Ohio facilities and is cutting
staff elsewhere, affecting 900 workers.
On March 23, U. S. Steel notified the state
of Ohio and city of Lorain that it plans to idle
indefinitely all operations at its seamless
tubular operations plant in Lorain, affecting
250 workers. U. S. Steel also has notified
employees that Lone Star Tubular in Lone
Star, Texas, will idle operations indefinitely
based on challenging market conditions
and high import levels.
U. S. Steel and ArcelorMittal also are
reducing steel production. ArcelorMittal is
reducing operations in East Chicago, Ind.,
and in Hamilton, Ont. U. S. Steel will begin a
scheduled 48-day outage of a blast furnace
in Gary, Ind., which follows the previously
announced indefinite idling of the Great
Lake Works outside of Detroit.
Import performance
Overall pipe and tube import market share
in January was flat with the December
level, but down 18 percentage points
from January 2019. In mechanical tubing
products, import share for January was up
by 0.5 percentage points from December
and by 2.3 percentage points from January
2019. Hollow structural sections product
import share in January was down by 0.5
percentage points from December and by
about 3.6 percentage points from January
2019 levels.
4/6/20 11:10 AM
 Hot-rolled Band & Mechanical Tube Price Indices from 9.99% to 8.48% for a number of
July 2004=1 producers.
Source: SteelBenchmarker, Preston Publishing Co. The ITA published preliminary results
in a countervailing duty administrative
review of certain cold drawn mechanical
tubing of carbon or alloy steel from India.
Rates for Goodluck India Ltd. and Tube
Investments of India Ltd. will decrease if
the subsidy rates are upheld in the final
ruling.
In the monthly Preston Pipe & Tube Report,
we maintain a Trade Case Scoreboard with
HRB Price Index all the company-specific rate details.
Mechanical Tube Price Index, Carbon, ERW, 0.065 - 0.156 in.
Mechanical Tube Price Index, Carbon, Seamless, Up to 4½ in.
Overall shipping performance
Overall pipe and tube shipments for
Mechanical Tube Volume Index
July 2004=1 the sectors of the market that we cover
Source: Preston Publishing Co. increased in January by about 10% but
were about 29% below the same period
a year ago. Imports increased in January
from December by about 13% while
domestic shipments increased by about
9.4%. Compared to January 2019, imports
and domestic shipments were down by
about 56% and 3% respectively. Imports
continue to be affected by the Section
232 legislation and did not have the
typical January spike.

Hot-rolled steel
According to data from the
HSS Volume Index SteelBenchmarker, and as we predicted
January 2010=1 in the previous column, the index for base
Source: Preston Publishing Co. hot-rolled band prices moved up to 0.78 in
January from December’s level of 0.73. An
additional price increase announcement
by several producers in late February
brought the total announced change to
about $230/ton since late October. Prices
have stalled near the current level, and
demand now is under severe pressure.
Supplies are being cut as well, but we
believe prices are still likely to fall. Prices
remain in favor of foreign pipe producers
as the foreign-domestic differential
exceeds average ocean freight and
insurance.

Trade Activity antidumping administrative review of Paul Vivian can be reached at pvivian@
The U.S. International Trade Administration circular welded carbon steel standard prestonpipe.com; Rick Preckel can be
pipes and tubes from Turkey. Rates fell reached at rpreckel@prestonpipe.com.
(ITA) issued amended final results in the

The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020 45

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AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 46 4/3/20 1:22 PM
 2020 Nondestructive Testing Tools and Systems Buyers’ Guide©

Flaw Process
Model Location Workpiece or Description
or Type Tool

ACCUREX DIMENSIONAL MEASUREMENT, Swarthmore, PA

Dimensions, bend
TubeInspect P8
angles, features
Dimensions, bend
TubeInspect 16
angles, features
Scan Arm with Dimensions, bend
BendingStudio angles, features
Assembly evaluation:
Present or missing
parts, proper or
improper mounting,
LYNX
correct or incorrect
part orientation,
colorimetry, hole count,
installation damage
Dimensions, bend
GapGun Pro
angles, features
Fully automated system for high-volume production tube measurement. Links directly
Bent tubes,
to bending machines for feedback and adjustment of bend parameters. Intended for
pipes, wires Optical
shop floor use by production personnel with minimal training. Uses 8 cameras to
and hoses
capture complete tube shape. Tube diameters .04 to 5 in. (1 to 125 mm).
Fully automated system for high-volume production tube measurement. Links directly
Bent tubes,
to bending machines for feedback and adjustment of bend parameters. Intended for
pipes, wires Optical
shop floor use by production personnel with minimal training. Uses 16 cameras to
and hoses
capture complete tube shape. Tube diameters .1 to 8 in. (3 to 200 mm).
A 7-axis measurement arm with high end scanner uses BendingStudio software to
Bent tubes,
analyze the complete shape of tubes including through the bend area. Able to
pipes, wires Noncontact laser
measure bend-in-bend tube shapes. AccuLink interfaces provide direct feedback to
and hoses
bending machines.
LYNX is an automated vision system that removes the human error from visual inspec-
tion. It reduces manual inspection time checking thousands of features per hour and
offers complete traceability with robust reporting. The LYNX AR hardware version
Large-scale offers an additional function of augmented reality. It enables assembly assistance,
Automated vision
assembly projecting information or image directly onto the part without a CAD model.
A noncontact laser profile measurement tool for quality inspection, featuring measure-
Unlimited Noncontact laser ment speed, ease of use, portability, and ruggedness. Measures features such as
gap and flush, radius, edge break, burr, countersink, scratch, weld, seal, and angles.

AIRMO INC. PRESSURE TECHNOLOGIES, Minneapolis, MN

Hydrostatic test tools for nondestructive testing of tubes and pipes during manufac-
turing or tube assembly process. Tools are suitable for hydrostatic pressure testing,
TestMaster Exterior or Visual
Tube/pipe air underwater testing, and cleaning applications with working pressures from 5,000
Series interior surface inspection
psi to 40,000 psi (345 bar to 2,758 bar). A variety of test media can be used to hy-
draulically push liquids or gases through the length of tube or pipe to determine flaws.

ARTEMIS VISION, Denver, CO

3D Pipe Thread Variations or defects Automated 3D laser-based inspection system measures variations in pipe thread
Vision inspection
Inspection in exterior or interior Pipe, tube dimensions.
system
System threads

DCM TECH INC., Winona, MN

Magnetic particle A basic horizontal magnetic particle inspection machine, model MPI 2400 has a
MPI 2400 Weld zone Any
inspection swivel coil and external prods, providing economical flaw detection.
Magnetic particle The MPI 3062 series offers enhanced features with head and coil shot, pneumatic
MPI 3062 Weld seam Any
inspection tailstock, and increased capacity. Length options from 62 to 100 in.
MPI 3624B, Magnetic particle Specialized vertical-format units developed for production testing of blocks and other
Weld seam Any
4830B inspection bulky workpieces. Rotary tables and powered coil traverse for ease of inspection.
The MPI 4562 has AC/DC current capabilities for testing aircraft components,
Magnetic particle
MPI 4562 Weld seam Any performance crankshafts, and critical parts that require subsurface flaw detection.
inspection
Suited to applications in which DC inspection is mandated.

DÜRR NDT GMBH & CO. KG, Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany

HD-CR 35 NDT Similar to X-ray, but doesn’t use film. An image plate (IP) is exposed with X-ray or
Imaging Plate gamma radiation, which causes the IP phosphor layer in the plate to store the image.
Scanner During the reading process, a focused laser beam triggers the release of the stored
Corrosion measurement
HD-CR 43 NDT Any Radiography image data in the form of visible light. The emitted light is detected, captured, and
Weld seam inspection
Automatic converted into electrical signals which are digitized and displayed as a digital image
Imaging on the PC monitor. The internal eraser purges the residual data from the IP, which is
Plate Scanner then ready for the next exposure.

EDDYTECH SYSTEMS INC., Cleveland, OH

For all applications with one or two channels; comes in five variants to cover common
testing requirements. Standard sensor systems for all conceivable applications and
Eddychek 5 Tube, pipe,
Weld seam Eddy current sizes (round-profile and segment coils, scanning probes, rotating systems). Numer-
Series and bar
ous setting options for precise signal analysis. Provides complete test results and
statistics documentation. Can be integrated into a network.

This information is provided by the manufacturers. For more information, use the corresponding advertising code at www.ffid.net or the links in the online buyers’ guide at www.thefabricator.com.
©Copyright 2020 by FMA Communications Inc. Reproduction in full or in part without written permission of the publisher is prohibited. Buyers’ guides are a part of the Forming & Fabricating Industry
Directory. Go to www.thefabricator.com/directory to add your free company listing.

The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020 47

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 2020 Nondestructive Testing Tools and Systems Buyers’ Guide©

Model Measurement Workpiece Tool or System Description

Highly sensitive inspection of black and bright metal bars and seamless tubes. Finds
longitudinal defects of a depth greater than 0.1 mm at speeds up to 10 ft. per
Tube, pipe, second. A detailed report of the test results permits further processing of defective,
NOVAFLUX Weld seam Flux leakage
and bar yet repairable, bars, thus increasing the yield. Three flux leakage sensor sizes
are available. Alternatively, the unit can be operated in combination with flux leakage
sensor systems of other vendors.

HKS PROZESSTECHNIK GMBH, Halle (Saale), Germany

For tube and pipe mills. Reads the temperature field of the weld zone immediately
Thermo after the weld occurs to detect irregularities in penetration and offset, the presence of
Weld zone Tube, pipe Thermal sensing
ProfilScanner holes, and other issues. Records 400 times per second; accurate on line speeds up
to 590 ft. per min. (180 meters per min.).

IMS MESSSYSTEME GMBH, Heiligenhaus, Germany

A gray-value camera, combined with a line laser, distinguishes defects from the irregu-
lar surface textures. The process, surcon, can detect cracks, impressions, and casting
Slab, heavy
Gray-value camera marks; the system supplies 3-D information on the height or depth of the defect.
X-3Dvision Surface defects plate, tube, pipe,
plus laser This technique, when applied to both the top and bottom surfaces, can measure the
and long product
complete thickness profile of the slabs. When combined with edge contour mea-
surements, the system can measure the volume and therefore determine the weight.
Camera systems C-frame and O-frame systems use one to six cameras and a laser system todetermine
Tube Wall (1, 2, 4, 6), backlit the eccentricity and shape of the workpiece. The system determines wall thickness
Wall thickness variation
Thickness or infrared distribution around the circumference, thickened ends, average wall thickness, and
and eccentric Tube, pipe
Measurement Laser triangulation ocal wall thickness.The system can feed data back to the mill to make roll adjustments
distribution
Systems available on automatically to reduce dimensional variation.
most models

INSPECTECH ANALYGAS GROUP, Toronto, ON Canada

12-22 Flux For tube and pipe manufacturers, online, making carbon steel products including gal-
Leakage vanized and aluminized. Flux leakage provides full body inspection of the tube or pipe;
Weld zone Tube, pipe Flux leakage
Weld-Line can be calibrated to 10 percent of the OD and ID notches and holes to 0.0315 in.
Test Systems (0.8 mm); can inspect ID flash-in material up to 0.625 in. wall thickness.
12-41 UT Intended for compliance with codes such as ISO, API, and CSA. Can be supplied
Weld-Line with two, four, six, or more transducers to test various material thickness ranges and
Full body, weld zone Tube, pipe Ultrasonic
Inspection to test the HAZ (heat-affected zone) and monitor material gauge.
System, Online
For tube and pipe mills, online. Scans the weld zone and monitors the quality of the
12-43 I.B.I.S. scarf-removal process. Provides real-time w.t. data at weld area; triggers audible and
UT Scarf ID scarf monitor Tube, pipe Ultrasonic visual alarms when process exceeds high or low limit. Also detects broken, worn, or
Monitor System chipped flash cutting tools and mismatched weld edges. Intended for scrap reduc-
tion. Optional features include weight calculation and cut-to-weight output.
For tube and pipe manufacturers, offline. Intended to verify compliance with interna-
12-43 UT
tional standards such as API-5L, API-5CT, and ISO. Available in two setups: moving
Weld-Line
Weld seam Tube, pipe Ultrasonic test carriage/stationary pipe or moving pipe/stationary test carriage. Can be designed
Inspection
with a single test head or several test heads for improved productivity. Stores all test
System, Offline
parameters.
For tube and pipe mills, this system inspects thin-wall tubing at high mill speeds.
12-6 EC Compact enough to fit on most mill beds; can be floor mounted. Rotary stands are
Weld-Line Weld zone, full body Tube, pipe Eddy current available to handle extremely large weld line skews. The small unit tests from 0.500
Test Systems in. (12mm) to 3.500 in. (90 mm) OD; the large unit tests up to 6.625 in. (170 mm)
OD.

MAGNETIC ANALYSIS CORP., Elmsford, NY

For tube and pipe manufacturers, testing online or offline. Eddy current tester can be
Short surface and some configured with encircling or sector test coils, or rotating test probes. Configure up
Multimac Tube, pipe Eddy current
sub-surface flaws to eight test channels in frequencies from 1 kHz to 5 MHz. Works on magnetic and
nonmagnetic materials.
For tube and pipe mills. Has 32 channels for flaw detection, dimensional measure-
ment, wall thickness, and ovality. Configure with Echomac® rotary or spinning tube
Echomac Series Internal Tube, pipe Ultrasonic
systems. Detect eccentricity with fixed probe system. Model 6-A qualified for P3TF31
Class A and B and P29TF82 Class A and B.
Heavy-wall, For tube and pipe manufacturers, online or offline. Detects longitudinal and transverse
Surface and internal
Rotoflux Series magnetic Flux leakage defects on OD, ID, and in the wall, including seams, laps, and weld seam flaws.
flaws
tube or pipe Intended to meet API 5CT, API 5L, ASTM E570, and ISO requirements.
For welded tube. Detects weld zone defects, lamination, OD/ID defects, longitudinal
Echomac Tube and pipe, Phased array
Internal notches, drilled through-holes, and drilled half-wall holes. Requires minimal adjust-
Phased Array –ERW tube ultrasonic
ments during size changes.

48 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020

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 2020 Nondestructive Testing Tools and Systems Buyers’ Guide©

Flaw Process
Model Location Workpiece or Description
or Type Tool

RIGAKU ANALYTICAL DEVICES, Wilmington, MA

Performs on-the-spot identification of many difficult alloy grades, both light and base
KT-100S Any Alloy analyzer metals, in seconds. Utilizes LIBS laser-based technology, which reduces the regula-
tory requirements. Certified to MIL STD 810G.

SPECTRO ANALYTICAL/AMETEK MATERIAL ANALYSIS DIVISION, Irvine, CA

A hand-held XRF analyzer equipped with an Si-PIN or SDD detector that provides
low detection limits to PPM range for heavy metals and light elements. It returns
analysis results for grade identification or PMI in seconds and includes a variety of
Alloy analyzer,
xSort Alloy Any standard features: A lens gasket prevents backscatter radiation and enables built-in
XRF type
calibration and instrument protection. Connectivity by wireless LAN, USB, and Blue-
tooth. Operator can define hot keys to speed repeated tasks. Touchscreen has just
two menu levels to keep operation simple.

SCAN SYSTEMS CORP., Houston, TX

Processes: Four-function evaluation system provides longitudinal and transverse
Magnetic flux
inspections, magnetic wall thickness monitoring, and grade difference comparison.
DT-2100M Full body OCTG Pipe leakage
Diameter range: 2.375 to 8 in.
Eddy current
End type: Plain.
Processes: Four-function evaluation system provides longitudinal and transverse
Magnetic flux
inspections, magnetic wall thickness monitoring, and grade difference comparison.
DT-3100M Full body OCTG Pipe leakage
Diameter range: 4.5 to 14 in.
Eddy current
End type: Plain.

ZETEC INC., Snoqualmie, WA

Tube, pipe, Eddy current with Handheld instrument with surface array capabilities. Ergonomic design, 10-hour bat-
Surface and
MIZ-21C welds (heat- surface array tery life, and intuitive touchscreen enable fast eddy current inspections with minimal
subsurface defects
affected zone) capabilities fatigue.
Tube, pipe, Eddy current with Flexible eddy current array (ECA) probes for Zetec MIZ-21C and MIZ-200 instru-
Surf-X ECA Surface and
welds (heat- surface array ments. Featuring unique multiple coil sets, Surf-X array probes are flexible and con-
Probes subsurface defects
affected zone) capabilities form to a variety of materials and surface geometries.
Surface and subsurface A family of fully integrated, portable ultrasound instruments for conventional UT,
Tube, pipe,
TOPAZ Portable defects; also performs phased array, and time of flight diffraction (TOFD) applications.
welds (heat- Ultrasound
UT Instruments thickness measurement
affected zone)
and corrosion detection
Wall thickness reduc- An agile handheld ultrasonic scanner for mapping flat and curved surfaces and mea-
NDT PaintBrush
tions due to abrasion, Pipe Ultrasound suring wall thickness reductions. Ideal for pipes with a diameter as small as 6 inches.
Scanner
corrosion, or erosion

Interested in other tube- and pipe-related

machines and services?

Log on to: www.thefabricator.com/guide/list

The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020 49

AprMay 2020 TPJ 1.08.21 PM.indd 49 4/2/20 10:59 AM

 ADVERTISERS INDEX
Amob Maquinas E Ferramentas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35 New - Form Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
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Sharpe Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Carell Corporation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 www.sharpeproducts.com
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Solar Atmospheres . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
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Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, Intl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
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Innovative Tube Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
www.tube-equipment.com T & H Lemont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
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50 The Tube & Pipe Journal_APRIL/MAY 2020

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 Tube and Bar Mill Technology
+ Drawing Machines
+ Continuous Drawing Machines
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Tube and Roll Forming Mill Technology
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Material Handling
+ Galvanizing Plants
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+ Material Handling Systems

YOUR PARTNER ASMAG USA, Inc.

10 N Martingale Road,

FOR MACHINERY AND

Suite 400, PMB 4202,
Schaumburg IL 60173
Tel 847 558 4423

COMPLETE LINES info@asmagusa.com

www.asmagusa.com

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