A Comparison Between HFW and Contact Welding for API Steel Pipe Production

There is a history over 50 years of using high frequency welding API steel pipe technology(HFW) and contact welding API carbon steel pipe technology for API steel pipe production, both of the two methods have their advantages and disadvantages. When it comes into a production of an API steel pipe larger than 460mm, it is important to balance the two methods. With the continuous increase in the wall thickness and diameter of an API steel pipe, welding process selection will be more difficult.

Some people think that high frequency welding API steel pipe technology has better quality than contact welding API steel pipe technology. In fact, the welding is difficult to distinguish between these two methods in API steel pipe production. Compared with contact welding API steel pipe technology, the main advantage of HFW is the use of induction coil does not produce the "arc burns on the mild steel pipe". For the oil and gas industry pipe "arc burn" must go through a separate operation to remove, in order to meet the requirements of the specification of API steel pipe. When it comes to reel-to-reel welding procedure, the arc burn is more obvious. The contact welding can also produce no arc burn in cautious setup and operation process. For API steel pipe production drawing very high performance materials, contact welding API steel pipe technology has the advantage in the short welding area, while high frequency welding API steel pipe technology has a longer area. If the strip is formed not under control in the longer welding area, the welding quality of API steel pipe will be seriously affected.

High frequency welding API steel pipe technology is very suitable for reel-to-reel welding procedure, large diameter for the loopers are almost applied installed in the technology. The reason is set to wear material, contact easily lifted away from the strip. With the application of high frequency welding API steel pipe technology, steel from the end part can be carried out in several inches, each roll strip almost completely is made and strip length tube, so that the quantity of waste will be a minimum. The length of API steel pipe directly affected by the strip length, which makes the high frequency welding API steel pipe technology feasible, and can obtain the maximum production capacity of pipe production unit.

On the one hand, when the unit is continuous production, contact welding API steel pipe technology has a high work efficiency. But if the edge and the work coil to wear material in the collision, the work coil is likely to be damaged. On the other hand, most induction welding production requires induction of coil matching with the contact welding API steel pipe technology in a more expensive price. In API steel pipe market which is the most important factor in determining the success of a production line. To conclude, when producing API steel pipe in high frequency welding API structural steel pipe technology, it is more effective than contact welding API steel pipe technology, especially when it comes to reel-to-reel welding procedure.

More information,pls visit:Hunan great steel pipe co.,ltd