Lower Production and Service Costs – Better Quality and Reliable Documentation

ORBIMAT 180 SW welds stainless steel valve clusters for the beverage industry

Orbital welding technology in the food and beverage industry

STW is one of the few European manufacturers of state-of-the-art technology for the beverage industry. The medium-sized company is a world leader specifically in components for stainless steel piping. Thousands of welds per valve cluster are realized economically and reliably with orbital technology from Orbitalum. The new Industry 4.0-compatible 180 SW power source is now being used.

In the food and beverage industry, process technology is not only about the reliability and cost-effectiveness of systems, but also about compliance with high hygiene standards. A multitude of valves ensures the correct inflow and outflow of liquid media. Today, so-called valve clusters are increasingly dominant, which are individually assembled by the manufacturer into complete units from fittings, pipes, and valves.

“This is exactly what we have specialized in and we supply system builders around the world,” explains STW Managing Director Georg Slavik. His customers come from the food and beverage industry, but also from the pharmaceutical and cosmetics manufacturing sectors as well as the chemical industry. Since its founding year 2000, the certified welding specialist company has focused on the special requirements in stainless steel pipeline construction according to AD 2000 data sheet HP 0 / HP 100 R / DIN EN ISO 3834-2. “We manufacture such process systems, plan stainless steel pipelines according to the highest quality requirements, and realize customer-specific valve clusters, for example for breweries and beverage manufacturers.”

The approximately 60 STW employees build around 150 of these complex assemblies annually. “They can easily cost a high six-figure sum,” says Production Manager Andree Müller.

No welding without set parameters

While in the past the stainless steel pipes were welded to the valve housings and flanges by hand, STW has been using orbital welding technology from the Singen-based manufacturer Orbitalum for several years. Müller: “With this technology, we achieve consistently good quality of the welds because it has no problems with fatigue or concentration. We relieve our welders of routine work so they can focus entirely on production monitoring.” Now Orbitalum Regional Sales Manager Josef Heckl has convinced him of the new 180 SW power source. “It is Industry 4.0-compatible because for the first time digital networking of people and machines with comprehensive documentation is possible.”

This intelligent welding power source combines the orbital welding process with state-of-the-art information and communication technology and ensures the best welding results, high cost-effectiveness, sustainable quality management, and remarkable process reliability. Heckl: “The complete data recording and storage in the customer’s LAN provides a high level of transparency, as required by Industry 4.0. All data can be saved in the internal system memory and on an external USB storage device.” In addition to the welding-relevant basic parameters such as the gas used, pipe diameter, material, and wall thickness, the customer can define additional data, e.g., the operator, gas supplier, component manufacturer, etc. “Only when the required information is available does the ORBIMAT 180 SW start the welding process.”

Better planning: online access to projects and parameters

Via the integrated LAN and WLAN interface, the 180 SW can be integrated into the customer network: The entire welding process can be tracked immediately because operators, work planners, and quality assurance personnel have access to projects and data at any time via different user levels. All welding data and programs for each individual weld can be retrieved and documented without gaps, analyzed, and adopted or optimized for future welds.

Production processes can thus be better planned, are also safer, and save costs and time. The central data pool makes it possible to access all variables of the ORBIMAT power sources in the network. The 180 SW is thus an important building block in establishing more sustainable quality management. Four USB ports also provide future-oriented connectivity.

Better operation: Intuitive and multilingual menu interface

“Our employees now swear by the easy and safe operability of the Orbitalum system,” says STW Production Manager Andree Müller. The ORBIMAT 180 SW is operated via the large 12.4″ color touch display or alternatively with the multifunctional rotary control, as known from the automotive sector. The graphics-supported, multilingual menu interface enables simple and intuitive operation and parameterization of the welding power source. Important commands can be called up directly via soft keys. The new ORBIMAT operates with

an operating system that restarts cleanly without data loss even after abrupt system shutdowns and power failures, such as those that occur on construction sites. “This gives us the highest possible safety in production,” says Müller. “Thanks to the integrated auto-programming function with many stored welding programs, we typically have an optimization requirement of less than 10%. With just a few test welds, we quickly achieve the best welding results.”

Lower production and service costs

The ORBIMAT 180 SW increases process efficiency also due to the digital and precise welding gas control. This enables welds with the highest purity with low gas consumption, which reduces the cost per weld. The gas quantity values stored in the welding program thus lead to reproducibly good welding results.

The automatic rotor stop function provides greater safety: If the welding head rotor is prevented from rotating during automatic operation due to stiffness or an obstacle, the power source immediately stops the rotor movement of the welding head thanks to torque control. This results in a significantly longer service life of the welding head as well as significantly lower service costs. Expensive production losses due to scrap are avoided.

Shorter welding cycles and more productivity

To minimize gas pre- and post-flow times, Orbitalum has integrated a Flow-Force function that significantly shortens the welding process when using closed welding heads: Through digital gas control, shielding gas is directed with very high volume flow directly from the pressure reducer into the welding head – the unwanted residual oxygen is purged out abruptly. The resulting reduced pre- and post-flow times result in significantly shorter process times, consume less shielding gas, and thus increase productivity.

In addition, the service life of the welding electrode is extended. Through the optionally adjustable permanent gas function, the penetration of oxygen into the welding head is prevented even during idle times. As a result, the ORBIMAT system achieves virtually tarnish-free seams with simultaneously low process times.

“We use four different ORBIWELD welding heads for our different pipe diameters, with which we can process pipe diameters from 3 to 170 mm,” says Müller. As with all ORBIMAT power sources, the 180 SW also automatically recognizes the connected head, so that the operator only needs to call up his specified welding program and start the process before welding begins.

Elegant housing for easy handling

Suited to the modern production environment, the ORBIMAT 180 SW is housed in an aesthetically pleasing and practical housing with integrated carrying handles on the sides. Connections on the front and rear of the device are recessed and protected from mechanical damage. The hinged cover with its large color display protects the control elements, system printer, and rotary control when closed.

“While around 20 years ago, when we started using orbital welding technology, more than 70% of the tubes were welded by hand, today we speak of less than 5% manual work,” says Orbitalum Area Sales Manager Josef Heckl. Andree Müller confirms this: “We only do the few individual welds by hand. In contrast, there are over 100,000 orbital sutures a year. ”