Welding is one of the most interesting industries if you look closely. Without it, many of the things you use on a daily basis would be very different. Instead of neat joints, they would need different types of fastenings. One of the most dynamic products that owes a lot to welding is metal tubing. We appreciate this because we’re the top providers of ERW steel tubes in the West Midlands.
High frequency electric resistance welding is one of the most significant developments in terms of steel tubing. It allows faster production times and higher quality joints. The latter is crucial because traditional low frequency welding could lead to issues like weak joints and defects.
Interestingly, there are actually a number of different ERW welding techniques. We want to have a closer look at some of the main ones here.
Spot welding
A lot of people will be familiar with spot welding. It is one of the oldest techniques to rely on electrical resistance and pressure to create the bond rather than using filler material. It gets its name because it produces a spot or button shape joint. The technique is still popular today in many industries, including manual welding and robotic. However, you do need to ensure there is a precise alignment of the pieces you are joining.
Seam welding
The technique we know best is seam welding. It is a continuous process that can produce incredibly long joints. We rely on it to create the highest quality ERW steel tubes in the West Midlands. The key thing here is the machine slowly pulls the product through, whether it is a piece of tube or something else. As a result, the welding creates a seam. Crucially, the seams can be very tight, ensuring you can use tubing to transport gases and fluids.
Projection welding
This is an interesting take on spot welding. What happens is you have a protruding section on one or both workpieces. The protrusion allows a concentration of heat and pressure. It is an effective way to weld thicker pieces of material. You can also use it if you want to minimise the spacing.
Butt welding
Next, we have a technique that gets its name from the weld configuration. It is specifically for joining materials at the ends, whether it is tubes, sheets, rods, or wires. So, it is very popular for creating things like pipelines. Electric current heats a small section of the end of each product, then pressure forces them together to bond.
Flash welding
Finally, we have a technique that is popular for joining products with large cross sections. Once again you heat the edges with an electric current. However, then you join them using forging techniques, typically hammering. It is a popular option for products like rail tracks.
Want to order ERW steel tubes in the West Midlands?
Union Steel Tubes has a lot of experience with tubing. Crucially, we understanding ERW and how to get fantastic, consistent joints. It provides a number of benefits, including ensuring our tubing is useful for different applications. Plus, it can reduce the cost by allowing us to produce very long lengths of tube and then cut it to size to order.
So, if you want to order high quality ERW steel tubes in the West Midlands, get in touch with us today. We can provide advice if you need any, ensuring you get the right tubing.
