The experience of a trade show is quite difficult to put into words; regardless of whether you are an exhibitor or an attendee, the level of energy, engagement, and excitement associated with a show is indescribable. Here at Xiris Automation, we are quite familiar with the trade show process, but this doesn’t make the events any less exciting. The last couple of months have been no exception as we traveled the world to meet customers and faced the hustle and bustle of EuroBLECH and FABTECH.

EuroBLECH

EuroBLECH is the largest trade exhibition for the sheet metal working industry and it is valued by top industry professionals from all over the world.[i] This year, the show ran from October 23^rd to the 26^th in Hanover, Germany and highlighted the theme of Stepping into the Digital Reality. The show attracted over 56,000 visitors from all around the world[ii] and gave us the opportunity to connect with clients from new regions. We showcased our weld cameras and weld inspection systems and were very impressed with the level in interest in the XVC 1000e welding camera.

This show also doubled as our first opportunity to introduce Michael Staiger to our European market. As business in Europe continues to grow, Michael joined our team as the new European Service Technician in order to better meet the needs of our customers. Based out of the Xiris Automation GmbH office just outside of Duesseldorf, Germany, Michael will be responsible for installation, calibration, and training for all new Xiris customers, as well as servicing and repair work of Xiris equipment across Europe. Not only was EuroBLECH the perfect opportunity to introduce Michael to our connections worldwide, but it also conveniently demonstrated the scope of our business. 

FABTECH

About one week after coming back from Germany, we headed to Atlanta, Georgia for FABTECH 2018. FABTECH is North America’s largest metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing event[iii] and our team was very excited to get in touch with our North American market. The show took place at the Georgia World Congress Center and was open to the public from November 6^th to the 8^th.

This year, our booth was bigger and better than ever before as we showcased the capabilities of our HDR welding cameras through demo videos of numerous applications. We also had over 20 cameras on the floor with trusted industry partners including: Lincoln Electric, Hobart Brothers, Cloos Welding, Gullco, Abicor Binzel, Arcrite Automation and Bug-O, big thank you to those who participated! Seeing the cameras in action all around the show encouraged attendees to visit our team experts and ask their burning questions. If your company will be exhibiting at Fabtech 2019 or any other welding automation or fabrication show, and you feel you could benefit from displaying or operating a Xiris camera, please contact our sales team.

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, it has been a very successful trade show season for Xiris Automation. It was a pleasure meeting everyone who had the chance to stop by one of our booths and we are looking forward to connecting with you further. If you did not have the opportunity to visit us, or if you have any further questions about our equipment, please feel free to check out our website or contact us. A lot of work goes into one of these shows, so we would like to send out a big thank you to everyone who made them possible, it is so satisfying to see all that hard work pay off. The preparation for these shows begins many months, sometimes even years, in advance, so it is time to sign off and start planning for the future. Until next time!

Better Images. Better Decisions. Better Process Control.

Follow Xiris on social media for regular updates and welding videos!

Sources:

[i] https://www.euroblech.com/2018/english/event/exhibition-profile/

[ii] https://www.euroblech.com/2018/english/event/about-euroblech/

[iii] https://www.fabtechexpo.com/about

Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) is a common welding process used in a variety of applications pipe and pipeline fabrication.  In many applications, pipe is tack welded together to hold the pipe in shape, then submerged arc welded from the outside using a continuous process such as on a spiral welded pipe mill, or in butt joining pipe segments using an orbital welding process.  Many of these applications have a very confined or awkward working environment that makes it difficult, if not impossible, for a human to observe the weld process in a production environment.

An XVC-S Mounted to a Column and Boom Robot Performing Welding and
Cladding on Large Pipes

In any such welding work environment, whether it be the confined space of a pipe welding application or a high-height welding application such as in large pressure vessel construction, operator safety is always a priority. In the welding industry, workforce demands, government regulations, changing business practices, and increasing environmental awareness are driving the manufacturing environment to be safer, healthier, and friendlier for workers. As a result, the use of camera technology is becoming more prevalent in order to alleviate some of the dangers and liabilities.

While the welding environment is particularly harsh on electronics, the Xiris XVC-S cameras for Sub-Arc welding applications have proven to be very durable and reliable in some of the toughest environments. The XVC-S cameras have been used in hot, confined spaces to provide a clear view of the submerged arc weld torch and its alignment to the weld seam, or in a post-weld application to inspect the weld as the slag comes off the weld bead. The cameras allow the operator to remotely view and manage the welding process by providing the ability to adjust the weld process real-time, ultimately reducing potential subsequent rework.  For the fabricator, this means saving time and money with less machine stops and more on-arc time.

The View of the Sub Arc Welding Process Using an XVC-S Camera

But the benefits of the XVC-S are not just financial: since the XVC-S submerged arc weld camera allows the welding processes to be viewed remotely, operators can monitor the welding process from the comfort of a process control cabinet as the cameras are placed at the weld head.  As a result, welders are no longer required to work in cramped, uncomfortable places or dangerous heights, reducing fatigue and safety issues.

With clearly demonstrated financial benefits from cost savings and improved health and safety considerations, the business case for implementing an XVC-S camera is straightforward.  Don’t you think it’s worth looking into a camera for your sub arc business? Learn more about the XVC-S camera and download the FREE Datasheet for more details. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Just a couple of weeks ago, Xiris had the opportunity to showcase our Weld Inspection Systems at Tube China in Shanghai. This was a four-day trade show which ran from September 26^th to the 29^th. Tube China has grown into Asia’s most influential tube and pipe industry event and attracts tens of thousands of visitors to thousands of leading brands. As the show has grown over the years, it has been fascinating to see the visitor interest grow as well. Participants were significantly more informed about the various technologies and were asking insightful questions as a result.

The live demonstration of our laser-based 3D inspection system, the WI2000, resonated with many visitors as they could see it detect various quality issues on smaller diameter tubes. In collaboration with our Chinese distributor, Belwin Intelligent Technology Co, we are able to better accommodate our customers overseas.

If you have any questions about Xiris’ Weld Inspection Systems, or are trying to choose the right system for your process, please visit our website or contact us directly.

Lighter wall mild steel pipe production requires bead height monitoring for bead ripple. Bead ripple is a condition sometimes associated with a weld process that is too hot and may result in longitudinal weld cracks.  Bead ripples appear along the length of the weld bead as undulations with measurable differences in height by as much as 1/8” (3 mm).  Often the height of the bead ripple on a welded pipe is a function of the heat that has gone into the weld process:  the higher the heat, the greater the height of the bead ripple. In most applications, a weld bead should have a smooth, consistent height as an indicator of a stable weld process.

An image of a weld bead with bead ripple

In some applications, a weld bead ripple can be desired, such as in certain coated steel products. This ensures that all contaminants from the area of the weld have been squeezed out, preventing potential inclusions from occurring in the weld bead, which would result in compromised weld quality.

By measuring the bead height on a weld bead over a period of time using a laser based triangulation system , an indication of the smoothness of the weld bead can be made.  By calculating ongoing historical statistics of the head height (e.g. min/max, average, standard deviation), an indication of smoothness of the weld bead or bead ripple can be made.  Tolerances of the amount of smoothness or ripple can be set to match the process and when exceeded, an alarm can be set.

 Measuring the weld bead height over successive images can detect bead ripple over time

Our weld camera and tube & pipe inspection systems are only part of the solution we provide to our customers. 

Xiris Automation also had an exceptional service team which supports the integration of our products into several different processes and applications around the world. 

Not only is our service team available to answer questions about product functionality, system operation and integration, but they have also proven to be crucial when helping in situations when cameras or equipment are damaged during the manufacturing process and require a quick repair. One customer recently recounted an incident "when a series of events on-and off-shift led to improper re-assembly of a damaged camera cable", and:

"Xiris' service team proved to be as exceptional in their response as their equipment has been in its welding process role."

                   - Brian Dobben, Flowserve Corporation

You can read Brian's blog on valuable new technologies in arc vision for welding here.

As Brian says, Xiris' technical support team travels worldwide to help customers onsite with installation and training issues after they have purchased a product from Xiris directly, in order to help make the application of our products smooth and painless. Our technical support team often deals with cases that are unique to the customers' particular welding environment, answering any inquiries often the same day of the inquiry, when received during regular working hours. When a service request comes in, Xiris employees simulate the customer's issue on in-house equipment, answering questions about how to set up the equipment to get the best view of the welding process. 

A Xiris tech support employee working on an industrial computer.

In short, Xiris Automation not only provides innovative products for the fabricating and steel production industries, it also backs up those products with a team of experienced service professionals who are determined to make every customer satisfied with their user experience!

Monitoring the welding process during coil joining at the front end of a tube mill is crucial to the integrity of the weld as it moves through the tube mill.  Coil joint failure can be costly in terms of both time and efficiency of production on the mill. Operator safety must also be maintained by removing them from the direct welding area as much as possible while enabling them to monitor the coil joining process.

Continuous welding processes used in coil joining require real time operator monitoring to ensure that the process continues smoothly and efficiently. The Xiris XVC-1100e50 camera provides a way to do just that.

A recent Xiris customer manufactures thick walled steel pipe in a continuous high frequency welding process at 70 feet (20 m) per minute.  The customer had implemented a semi-automatic coil end joining system on the infeed buffer of the pipe mill, giving the operator about 10 minutes to end sheer, mate and weld a new coil. This is sometimes referred to as end joining.

The welding process used a MIG welding torch mounted onto a linear track with dual axis torch position adjustment via a remote control pendant. With the Xiris XVC-1100e50 camera mounted to the traveling torch assembly, the operator was able to close the curtain, providing greater weld arc shielding while maintaining a clear view of the weld torch-to-seam alignment on a display screen.

The camera provided the operator with a clear, close up view of the weld process, which allowed the operator be remote from the direct welding area.  By providing a clearer image of the weld process, the operator was able to make more consistent welds, reducing the potential for a joint failure as the strip is driven through the pipe making process.

For a video of the coil joining process taken by the XVC-1100e50 camera, please view the video below. 

This is just one example of how Xiris products can enhance your manufacturing process. Contact Xiris sales to see how our products can enhance your unique process.