Pipes are an essential element in most residential, commercial, and industrial applications in the transportation of liquids and gases. Their breakdown often causes considerable damage from the leakage of the material they are transporting as well as a pressure drop that usually significantly affects most industrial processes. To this end, minimizing the risks of holes to pipes is essential irrespective of where they will be used.
The most common section that pipe will leak from is their connections. Welding with the right equipment like a purge pipe, aligner, gauge, fitting tool, and wrap, among others, is essential. The tools guarantee a high-quality weld. Welding, unlike screwing, can be used at any point in a straight pipe run. Moreover, welded pipes can withstand a considerable amount of vibrations, are easy to insulate, and have smooth interiors that will not affect the flow of gas and liquid. Welding might just be the best way for you to attach pipes in most applications. Here are tidbits on the equipment you should invest in for the creation of a weld:
Flange Aligners
These are designed to align the joints in your pipes before you weld them together. A misaligned weld will affect the flow of different materials through the pipes and necessitate costly repairs to correct them. Flange aligners are attached to the welding point. They have vertical and horizontal markers that you will adjust as needed to get the properly aligned measurements before welding. Though most of these aligners are screwed into place, a few have strong magnets that hold them in place.
Purge Systems
Weld purging denotes the removal of oxygen, water vapor, and debris that might harm the quality of weld you get from the welding field. It is a recommended step for every welder aiming for a durable and quality welded joint. This is because most of the elements eliminated in purging often mix with metals during welding. The ideal purge system is one that you will easily pull through your pipe and purge in the shortest possible time.
Fitter Grips
These are used to hold the pipe you are welding in place during the process. They can be used for pipe-to-pipe welds and pipe-to-joint welds. Standard fitter grips might suffice for holding pipes with no holes that should be aligned. Two-hole pin fitter grips are nonetheless the ideal ones when welding pipes whose holes should align. These have pins that align the holes in place before welding.
Pipe Wraps
These will mark your pipe before you cut and weld it. The wrap is positioned around the pipe to ascertain that all its edges are in perfect alignment at the point where it overlaps. You then draw a line using soapstone around the wrap. This line guides your cut of the pipe before welding it.
Quality pipe welds are undoubtedly a breeze with the above tools for your business. Even so, you also should ensure you have the right protective gear for your tasks. These include welding helmets, gloves, aprons, eyeglasses, and pants. A few stores dealing with welding tools will also stock protective equipment to ease their matching to your welding task.
