TECH TIP - Working With Microfittings

Most welded high purity tubing systems utilize electro polished micro fittings.

TECH TIP - Micrometer Feed

For squaring and severing operations where control of the depth of cut is an important fact

TECH TIP - Tool Bit Resharpening Limits

There are practical limits to when and how many times a tool can be resharpened. The number of times a tool bit can be resharpened is dependent on the type of tool bit and the application.

TECH TIP - Tool Bit Selection

Obtaining the best results starts with selecting or determining which tool bit to use with the material being cut. Tri Tool has three basic cutting edge geometry's which function well on most of the common tubing materials.

TECH TIP - Recommended Cutting Speed for Tube Squaring and Severing Equipment

To obtain minimum burr tube ends it is essential that heat buildup be avoided. When either tube or the tool bit gets hot, the tube material starts to flow or push away from the tool edge as a burr, instead of being cut cleanly with a minimum burr.

TECH TIP - Potential For Carbon Contamination from High Speed Steel Tool Bits

The potential for carbon contamination of high purity and ultra-pure stainless steel piping/tubing systems for the use of High Speed Steel (HSS) tool bit has been discussed and debated for many years. In most cases the question comes up on systems using electropolished stainless steel tubing which has to be squared for autogenous welding. There is no acceptable alternative cutting material for achieving a burr-free tube end that does not contain carbon. A stainless steel tool bit that is carbon free does not exist.

TECH TIP - Remove B.U.E. For Smoother Finishes

Tool bits life can be extended and more consistent finishes produced through frequent removal of B.U.E. (Built Up Edge)

Portable Pipe Cutting Equipment for High-Purity Weld Preps

by Bill Atkinson

Portable pipe cutting equipment is playing an ever-increasing role in the construction and maintenance of today's piping systems. As the specifications, materials, and design of these systems have increased in complexity, the need for rapid, accurate, and repeatable on-site cutting performance can be instrumental in reducing costs associated with system creation and management.

TECH TIP - Changing Cutting Bit Position for Best Results

Optimize the burr conditions on the tube squaring operations. How the tool bit is mounted can shift the .005" burr from the ID to the OD (or the OD to the ID). The balance between the ID and the OD burr conditions (even though they are small) can be shifted by changing the shear cutting angle of the tool bit. 

TECH TIP - End Preparation Squareness

Tri Tool Inc. designs all standard ID mounting weld end preparation products to machine the end square to the mounting surface within .002" per diameter inch and flat within .005". Tri Tool does not test and certify each tool to meet the criteria, but the initial production lot is verified to meet the criteria and random samples are tested thereafter. A squareness factor of .002" per diameter inch is equivalent to about 1/8" of one degree. If a customer requires a certification of squareness and flatness then Tri Tool will test a machine at time of sale and provide the certification at a nominal fee.

Preparing Tube Ends for High-Purity Welding

by William Sandford

Autogenous welding (fusion welding without the use of filler metal) joins the tubing used for most high-purity and sanitary tubing systems.

These systems require very high-quality weld joints, with emphasis placed on obtaining a smooth inside surface to avoid contaminant traps and on all the normal structural requirements for welded joints.

Automatic Tube Welding for High Purity Systems

by Bill Atkinson

 

Background

Over the years, the equipment used for welding, testing, and certifying welds has become more complex. This is evident in the use of computers by welders for the study, design, and control of welding processes. Technology has provided us with an intimate understanding of the metallurgical processes of metal joining. In many industries, one way to help obtain repeatable and reliable high-integrity welds is to use machinery specifically designed to generate accurately machined tube and pipe ends.