Building a gas cabinet for transporting or storing different types of gasses requires a detailed roadmap and precision planning. From deciding the number of valves and leaks to designing the tubes and the bends, everything has to be done properly and with accurate physical measurements. Usually, different machinery units are used in constructing the chassis of the gas cabinets and other larger components, like straight stainless steel pipes, exhaust valves, and so on.

However, when it comes to making joins or creating intricate bend patterns in a tube, relying on a machine for the same is futile. Not only will you be risking the raw materials in the process but also lowering the efficiency and quality of the finished products. This is where welding and bending activities come into the picture. When combined together, they can certainly do wonders in gas cabinetry projects, from bending tubes with accuracy to welding the seams of two structures, leaving no gap or leak. 

What is welding and what are the types of welding used in gas cabinets?

Welding is a fabrication process through which two or more parts are joined together under the action of heat or pressure. Usually, in welding, a high heat or pressure is applied at the seams of the two materials to be joined together, which further results in melting. The molten materials together with the welding filler or consumable are allowed to fuse and cool under room temperature. Once the structures harden, they form a join as per the expected design. 

Since gas cabinetry requires a high level of precision and accuracy, it is eminent for manufacturers to implement a combination of welding techniques, as in:

• Manual welding: As the name suggests, it is a form of welding where the welders use an electric arc or flame to produce a huge quantity of heat that melts the welding electrode and allows fusion with the materials to be joined together. Even though it is administered manually, the results are far more accurate and precise, with clean welds at the seams. One of the disadvantages of manual welding arises when welders need to make the same weld pattern repetitively.
• Orbital welding: This process is usually implemented when repetitive welds need to be created within a shorter time window. In this, a welding machine is used having an automated robot arm. It holds the welding arc which rotates 360-degree around the static workpiece and generates the high amount of heat or pressure needed to form the joins. The action is more precise as the robot arm is controlled by an advanced, state-of-the-art software.

What is tube bending in gas cabinet fabrication?

A gas cabinet will automatically have numerous tubes or pipes to channel the flow of the gas in, around, and out of the enclosure. Most often, these tubes need to be bent multiple times to form an intricate pattern and reduce the size for an optimal fit. Furthermore, bends also increase the surface area for controlling various hydraulic parameters of the flowing gas. 

Tube bending is a process by which the stainless steel straight tubes are bent using pressure dyes at a desired angle as per the requirements. Large, thick tubes are usually bent using empty bending technique whereas thinner, delicate tubes to be used in the gas cabinets are bent through mandrel bending approach. It is noted here that most gas cabinet manufacturers use CNC tube bending machines to obtain the desired level of production efficiency, bending speed, and design accuracy and precision. 

Factors to keep in mind for welding or bending in gas cabinetry

While welding different gas cabinet components or bending the pipes, there are certain factors which every manufacturer must consider. Below we have explained these few factors that will ensure higher productivity, uncompromised quality, and an impeccable operational speed. 

1. Material composition and physical properties: No matter whether it’s about welding the parts together or bending a tube, having a clear understanding of the material’s physical and chemical properties is essential. If you are aware of the physical properties, like material strength, elastic coefficient, and so on, you won’t be able to decide the right bending approach, pressure to be applied, and the right mandrel. Similarly, without knowing the chemistry, you might end up using too much heat for welding that the filler wont fuse cleanly with the materials. 
2. Software operations: Another area where you ought to have appropriate knowledge is in software operations. As already discussed, both CNC-powered welding and tube bending machine units are equipped with advanced software that can control the robotic arm motions, maintain design and dimensional accuracy at optimal levels, and allow manufacturers to automate manual routines. So, knowing the full technical and functional scopes of the software will help in utilizing the concerned machine in the best possible manner. 

Conclusion 

Here, we have discussed how tube bending, manual, and orbital welding techniques can help solve the challenges of the gas cabinet manufacturing process where regular machines cannot work properly. However, before you use these techniques, make a proper roadmap, deciding the bending or welding approach, mandrel material, welding filler, and so on.