Global Weld Purging Experts Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT® have unveiled their updated PurgEye® 100, with new features that place this monitor at the forefront of Weld Purge Monitoring.
Weld Purging requires the removal of oxygen and it is important that welders know exactly when it is safe to start welding to ensure welds remain free from oxidation. This state-of-the-art Weld Purge Monitor® accurately reads down to 100ppm, suitable for welding stainless steel.
Technical Sales Manager Luke Keane said: “We are very excited to be launching our new PurgEye® 100. Guesswork is eliminated with the monitor and welders can know exactly what the oxygen content is before, during and after welding.”
The hand held PurgEye® 100 now features a metal housing, which has been upgraded from a plastic one. Readings are from atmospheric oxygen level (20.94%), right down to 100 ppm (0.01%) of oxygen.
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Transmission of fluids in pipework play a crucial role throughout the manufacturing industry, meaning any interruptions can be expensive. They can lead to lost production if sections of pipe need to be restored or if control gear such as valves and monitoring equipment have to be replaced. Often these requirements involve closing the entire pipe system and draining off and safely disposing of fluids.
The concept of freezing the fluid either side of a section of pipe for repairs or replacement of control gear is in widespread use in domestic and commercial plumbing but this is limited to 50 mm (2”) diameter tubes.
More recently techniques involving the use of liquid carbon dioxide or nitrogen have now extended the potential to pipes up to 300 mm (12”) diameter and beyond.
Fig 1. Liquid carbon dioxide (CO2) being used to freeze pipe contents either side of a valve prior to valve removal and replacement.
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Indutrade UK have recently announced the acquisition of Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT®.
HFT® will become part of the ALH Systems Group and will continue to operate from our facilities in Burry Port, Carmarthenshire.
There will be no change to our day to day operation and will continue to sell our products through our Worldwide Exclusive Network of Distributors.
ALH Systems Group Manging Director, David Lyes said, “We are delighted to welcome HFT to our Group and we look forward to working with Luke Keane and the wider HFT teams as they expand their product range and international sales footprint”.
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It is becoming ever more important to act sustainably to achieve efficient manufacturing during the welding process. There are many factors that have an impact on sustainability where the welding process is concerned.
Reliable welding equipment
Weld Purge Monitors® are an essential instrument to help obtain non-oxidised, zero colour welds by monitoring the oxygen levels when welding sensitive materials such as titanium, zirconium, nickel, stainless steels and low alloy steels containing chromium. Oxidation can lead to loss of corrosion resistance and a decrease in mechanical strength.
Many decades of design and expertise has gone into developing the PurgEye® range of Weld Purge Monitors®. These extremely reliable monitors can measure residual oxygen content as low as 1ppm (0.0001%).
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Weld Purging smaller tubes and pipes of different diameters can be challenging, especially when budgets are tight. Often, Welders are left to create their own homemade purging dams out of unsuitable materials such as foam, paper or cardboard.
Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT® have designed and developed clinically clean, white Nylon Weld Purge Plugs™, providing a great barrier for weld purging at a very low cost.
Luke Keane, Technical Sales Manager for HFT® said: “For welding nickel and titanium alloys and stainless steel tubes and pipe joints as well as stubs, elbows and tees, Weld Purge Plugs™ are a perfect product to seal all holes and orifices for quality internal weld purging. They can also be used for weld purging small or odd diameter pipes where conventional inline pipe purging systems may not be practical.”
The low cost, lightweight Weld Purge Plugs™ are also available in ready-made Weld Purging and Orbital Welding Kits containing the most common sizes of Purge Plugs™ used. Each kit has a strong robust ABS plastic case, with custom foam inlays for storage and quick location of the plugs where needed.
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Large Inflatable Rubber Plugs have been in use in large-scale infrastructure projects since at least the early 1920’s, when they were used in large cities to isolate and empty sewer sections to enable repairs avoiding excavation. Storm drainage pipelines, sanitary sewer lines and low-pressure underground pipelines do not have valves or spectacle flanges to block fluid flow in the line. Blocking these lines and permitting access to them without the need for expensive, maintenance-intensive valves and flanges so that the pipeline becomes accessible for inspection, maintenance, or modification proved somewhat difficult.
Now, one century later, such systems, i.e. collapsible bladders or plugs inserted into sewer or industrial pipelines and inflated to create a dam or a block, are used in nearly all infrastructure sectors, from deep sea platforms to hydroelectric facilities, to overflow and miscellaneous sewers, as well as the whole land based petrochemical sector.
One company providing plugging systems is the Pipestoppers® Division of Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT®. As well as their Mechanical and Freeze Range of plugging systems, HFT® are providing a wide range of Inflatable Plugs and Bladders, which are no longer regarded as expensive as they were traditionally in the past.
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The Pipestoppers® Steel Plugs Range is specifically designed for heavier duty applications, such as immersion in water, for use at a higher temperature or for contact with acidic or alkaline environments.
Pipestoppers®, a division of Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT®, manufacture Steel Plugs, which have been the favoured heavy-duty plug for applications such as leak testing, pipe stopping and blocking for their sealing effectiveness and durability.
HFT Pipestoppers® Steel Plugs can be used for low pressure testing and plugging all pipes, pipelines and pipe work between 2 to 48” (50 to 1,200 mm) diameter.
Luke Keane, Technical Sales Manager for HFT® said: “Plugging challenges are a thing of the past with our Steel Plugs range. They provide a strong, leak-free seal with each plug having a long life span.”
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With the ever increasing list of challenges posed by welding on-site, Weld Purging Experts Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT®’s innovative PurgEye® Site means quality doesn’t have to be affected when welding in difficult conditions.
CEO for HFT® Georgia Gascoyne said: “Welding on-site does not eliminate the need to measure oxygen levels when welding metals such as stainless steel, zirconium and titanium. Often, welders are left to guess at purge levels, due to some Weld Purge Monitors® not being able to handle various on site conditions.”
“Now with our networking device PurgeNet™, the PurgEye® Site is our on-site monitor, that has been specifically designed for extreme conditions. By using the PurgEye® Site, welders can ensure non-oxidised, zero colour welds are achieved regardless of conditions.”
The PurgEye® Site has a fast response, long life sensor and it is equipped with PurgeNet™, allowing the monitor to connect to a variety of accessories. One of the accessories, an automatic welding machine interface, allows controls to be based upon the oxygen level, to prevent welding if that level is too high. Other accessories include a traffic light visual indication system and a temperature gauge.
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World Leading Designers and Manufacturers of Weld Purging Equipment, Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT® manufacture their very popular Tungsten Electrode Grinder at their UK HQ.
With over 45 years of successful business and with their UK HQ located in Burry Port, Carmarthenshire, HFT® are proud to continue to contribute to the British Manufacturing Industry.
Ron Sewell, Chairman for HFT® said: “All of our Weld Purge Monitors® and Inflatable Pipe Purging Systems are manufactured right here in the UK and we are proud to have our TEG-1000 Tungsten Electrode Grinder on that list too.”
“Using a Grinder that has been designed and manufactured specifically for tungsten metal is not only a much safer option, they provide more accurate results leading to as many as ten times greater number of arc strikes and giving very directional arcs without flicker or wander.”
The use of the TEG-1000 Grinder will give repeatable Tungsten Electrode points every time, enabling consistent arc performance and welding results. Sizes 1.0 to 3.2 mm can be ground as standard, with other sizes catered for on request.
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Inert gas welding requires the removal of oxygen from the welding zone before, during and after welding. This is known as weld purging as is crucial during the welding of stainless steel.
The low cost, hand held PurgEye® 100, designed and developed by Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT® is perfect for welding stainless steel, reading accurately from atmospheric oxygen level (20.94%), right down to 100 ppm (0.01%) of oxygen.
Ron Sewell, Chairman for HFT® said: “The PurgEye® 100 Weld Purge Monitor® delivers an extremely accurate measurement of 0.01% or 100 ppm, which is the right amount to ensure welds remain free from oxidation.”
“It is important that welders know exactly when it is safe to start welding. The PurgEye® 100 reduces waiting times and saves money on inert gas costs. Available at a competitive price, the PurgEye® 100 will pay for itself in just a few welds.”
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Many companies may have pipework systems such as sprinkler systems for example, that are full of water or other fluid that need to be completely drained for the smallest of repair.
Companies facing system downtime can drastically reduce pipe and valve repair and maintenance costs with Accu-Freeze™ available from the Pipestoppers® Division of Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT®.
Luke Keane, Technical Support at HFT® said: “We carried out an installation of an Accu-Freeze™ System for a client who was contracted to repair pipework in large blocks of apartments. Working in the plant room, access was pretty tight as the pipes were only 6 – 8” from the ground. At one end of the pipe there was a pressure gauge and at the other, a 1,000 litre hot water cylinder. Ambient temperature in the pipe was approximately 38ºC.”
“We used a copper coil on the 2” carbon steel pipe and had to wrap it about 10 inches along the pipe length, wound tight. We then performed a freeze using the Accu-Freeze™ System connected to a dewar of liquid nitrogen (LN2).
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The Pipestoppers® Division at Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT® manufacture a range of Inflatable Stoppers for fast, reliable and safe stopping, blocking and testing of pipes, joints, channels, inlets and a number of other uses.
Customer application: An export customer required a large stopper for blocking hot fumes from a chimney stack measuring 114” (2,896 mm) diameter to carry out vital maintenance and repair work. HFT® manufactured two Inflatable Stoppers, their largest size to date.
A Heat Resistant Cover was also required to protect and prevent the Inflatable Stopper from being damaged. The recommended maximum temperature for this type of stopper is 90°C (194°F) but with a Heat Cover fitted this increases to 300°C (572°F).
All Inflatable Stoppers are manufactured with an internal latex inflatable bladder covered in waterproof polyurethane coated nylon fabric. The standard range of Inflatable Stoppers available for immediate delivery are in sizes ranging from 1” to 96” (25 to 2,438 mm).
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