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Orbital welding

Orbital welding is an automated welding process used to produce high-precision pipe joints. In this process, the welding head is mechanically guided around the pipe, resulting in uniform and repeatable welds.

The process is particularly well-suited for applications with high requirements for process reliability, leak tightness, and repeatability. Thanks to automated process control, welding parameters are consistently maintained, ensuring a consistently high level of quality.

Advantages of Orbital Welding

• Stainless steel, Titanium, Inconel®, Steel, Aluminium
• Enclosed orbital welding heads and open orbital welding guns
• In-house pipe bending, hydroforming, lasercutting and welding
• Certified according to EN 9100, IATF 16949, DIN EN ISO 3834-2,... about our Certificates

How Orbital Welding Works

In orbital welding, the TIG torch mechanically rotates at a constant speed around the stationary pipe. The welding program controls the current, wire feed, and gas for each section of the circumference. The root and the interior of the pipe are protected from oxidation by shielding gas.

The result is a uniform, tight weld with a smooth inner contour. Because the parameters can be documented, the process supports the traceability required by the aviation industry and other regulated sectors.

Enclosed orbital welding heads for thin-walled tubes

The closed head completely encloses the weld joint and forms a chamber that is flooded with shielding gas throughout the entire welding process. This protects the weld surface and heat-affected zone from oxygen. This is crucial for titanium and Inconel®, which become brittle even with minimal oxidation. The tubes are welded in an I-joint configuration without filler material. The result is a flat, uniform weld with low surface roughness, both inside and out. Thanks to the compact design, we can also reach weld locations on tight pipe runs and pre-assembled components.

• Outer pipe diameters from 3.17 to 168.3 mm
• Wall thicknesses up to 3 mm
• Without filler material, T-joint

Open-end orbital welding clamps for larger pipes

For larger pipes and thicker walls, we use open orbital welding guns. They are adjusted continuously to fit the pipe diameter and can operate with or without filler wire. For thicker walls, the weld is built up in multiple passes, from the root to the cap.

• Pipe outer diameters from 8.8 to 273 mm
• Wall thicknesses up to approx. 6 mm
• With or without filler wire

Pulse technology and programmed sectors

Anyone welding a pipe all the way round is welding in every position: from the flat position through the vertical-up position to overhead. The molten pool behaves differently each time. That is why we divide the circumference into sectors and store separate values for current, pulse frequency and rotation speed for each sector.

Once programmes have been approved, they are saved. For repeat orders, we weld your pipe joint using exactly the same parameters as for the initial sample.

Weld preparation: the basis of every orbital weld
The pipe ends must be flat, at right angles and free of burrs, and must be aligned with one another without any gaps or misalignment. Before welding, the joint surfaces are cleaned and degreased, and the inside of the pipe is purged with forming gas. As we bend, cut to length and machine the pipes in-house, the pipe ends are precisely fitted for orbital welding.

Documentation and traceability
The orbital control system records the welding parameters for each weld. On request, you can receive a welding report, assigned to the specific component and batch. In this way, we meet the documentation requirements of the aerospace industry in accordance with EN 9100 and IATF 16949.

General Technical Specifications

Typical applications

• Media-carrying lines for fuel, hydraulics and air
• Piping systems for the aerospace industry
• Hygienic stainless steel lines with a smooth internal contour
• Piping assemblies with flanges and fittings
• Sectors: Aerospace, food and pharmaceutical technology, energy and environmental technology, watercraft, passenger cars &
  motorsport, mechanical and plant engineering

Orbital welding or manual TIG welding?

In practice, we often combine the two: we use orbital welding for the circumferential seams on the pipe, and TIG welding by hand for the brackets and attachments.