Ajax Tocco Magnethermic has completed the installation of a twin bead weld preheat system for SAW (submerged arc weld) process at a manufacturer of high capacity heavy-duty forklift trucks. This is the second installation at this facility for Ajax Tocco. The first install was single bead preheat system.
The new twin-bead floating inductor weld preheat system simultaneously heats two corners of a 30-foot long, 5-ton weldment at a rate of 28 inches per minute to 250 degrees F. The sections of the weldment that are joined are 1-inch thick.
Preheat time has been reduced from two hours down to 10 seconds. More than 700,000 BTUs worth of natural gas-fired infrared heaters have been replaced with a single Ajax Tocco 35 kW TOCCOtron AC induction heating power source.
Total fabrication time was reduced by more than 60 percent, allowing the manufacturer to produce one weldment per shift versus one weldment every 2.5 shifts.
Each of the two inductors is positioned approximately 24 inches in front of two 1,000-amp sub arc weld torches. The inductors and torches move in tandem. The weldment is simultaneously heated and welded as gantry traverses the length of the fillet.
Real-time, active temperature feedback and control are provided by an Ajax TOCCO-supplied, non-contact infrared sensor. The output of the induction heater is constantly varied by the PID controller to maintain a constant user-defined preheat temperature.
Ajax Tocco air-cooled induction weld preheat systems offer many advantages including:
- Controlled cooling rates
- Increased penetration
- Increased feed rates
- Improved quality
- Reduced consumables
- Improved operator comfort
- Decreased energy use
- Improved safety
Ajax Tocco Magnethermic®, a subsidiary of ParkOhio Holdings Corp.®, designs and manufactures world-class induction heating and melting equipment for various industries and applications throughout the world. In addition, the company provides a range of services including laboratory process development, preventive maintenance, equipment repair, and parts, coil repair facilities, and installation services in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.
For more information: www.ajaxtocco.com
