At Union Steel Tubes we naturally have a lot of experience with welding. After all, it is an essential part of our business. Without it we would not be able to offer the highest quality ERW steel tubes West Midlands companies and clients further afield can ask for.
While we know a lot about welding and how to get it right, our expertise does not stop there. We also had to learn how to undo welds if necessary. This can be tricky but it is possible. Below you can find a little more info on how to do it.
Welds are strong
One thing you need to keep in mind before you look at removing welds is that they will be very strong. In fact, the weld section will generally have more strength than the material on either side. This is because it has fused together and hardened. So, it will be harder to take it apart.
The strength of the weld will mean you probably won’t be able to remove it with heavy force alone. Instead, it is more likely you will need to use either thermal or mechanical methods.
Using heat
There are two common ways to remove welds with heat. The first is plasma cutting. Here the cutting temperature can reach as high as 20,000 degrees Celsius. This is hot enough to cut through lots of different materials, even thick metal sheets. A plasma cutter can even cut through deep welds.
The second option is torch cutting. While an acetylene torch cannot reach the kind of temperature that a plasma cutter can, at around 3,500 degrees Celsius it can still be hot enough to cut through many welds.
Mechanical options
Sometimes the high heat from a cutter or torch may not be suitable for a project. If so, there are several ways to manually cut through a weld. For example you could use a grinder, a band saw, or even drill out the weld.
Choose the right method for you
When you need to undo a weld you should look at all the elements to decide which method is right for you. Firstly, you need to consider what type of base metal you are dealing with. Then, you need to think about whether you can risk damaging one of the pieces. Plus, you need to think about how you can prepare the edge if you need to weld again.
Ordering ERW steel tubes in West Midlands
Union Steel Tubes is a business that can offer high quality tubing for a huge array of projects. We deliver high standards with every single product, ensuring each tube is strong and has the perfect finish. We can even provide cutting in-house to satisfy different lengths.
So, if you need ERW steel tubes, West Midlands has no better supplier than us. Our prices are excellent and we can often provide next day delivery. Get in touch today to learn more.
