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.
The popularity of portable pipe cutting equipment is attributable to our reliance on X-ray and/or ultrasonic testing, and the widespread utilization of automatic welding equipment. As the technology of the welding field has advanced and use of automatic orbital welding equipment has become more prevalent, the need for more precise and dedicated end preparation of tube and pipe has increased accordingly. Previous methods of pipe preparation are no longer acceptable.
Today's offerings range from small machinery designed to cut and square tubing and microfittings, to that capable of severing and single-point machining large-diameter piping in order to generate compound-weld bevels on heavy-wall pipe. Portable equipment is also available for flange facing, sealing surface finishing, boring, grooving, and turning. Plus, there are thousands of tool bits designed specifically for any cutting result required. Unique applications often warrant special engineering and modification of standard tools for a specific purpose.
With so many options offered, it is beneficial to work closely with an equipment manufacturer to acquire the tools exactly suited to the tube- and pipe-cutting work at hand. Following are descriptions of several fundamental categories of portable pipe cutting equipment and the particular usages of each.
The popularity of portable pipe cutting equipment is attributable to our reliance on X-ray and/or ultrasonic testing, and the widespread utilization of automatic welding equipment. As the technology of the welding field has advanced and use of automatic orbital welding equipment has become more prevalent, the need for more precise and dedicated end preparation of tube and pipe has increased accordingly. Previous methods of pipe preparation are no longer acceptable.
Today's offerings range from small machinery designed to cut and square tubing and microfittings, to that capable of severing and single-point machining large-diameter piping in order to generate compound-weld bevels on heavy-wall pipe. Portable equipment is also available for flange facing, sealing surface finishing, boring, grooving, and turning. Plus, there are thousands of tool bits designed specifically for any cutting result required. Unique applications often warrant special engineering and modification of standard tools for a specific purpose.
With so many options offered, it is beneficial to work closely with an equipment manufacturer to acquire the tools exactly suited to the tube- and pipe-cutting work at hand. Following are descriptions of several fundamental categories of portable pipe cutting equipment and the particular usages of each.
Tubing Machines
Tubing machines clamp the tube's OD by means of collets. These machines
provide cutoff and/or squaring, while generating perfect, burr-free
ends. As an accessory, special collet sets are available to prevent
deformation or damage to thin-wall tubing from clamping force. Tools can
be either handheld for portability, or bench-mounted for increased
stability when used in a production role.
The importance of the tubing cutter/squarer has grown significantly due to the introduction of autogenous welding heads for standard and exotic grades of tubing. Equipment of this type is especially helpful when working with microfittings; machinery can be perfectly matched to your fittings, tubing you are working with, and welding equipment.
Typical end users of this equipment are ideally clean room tubing system construction contractors, as well as piping system design and maintenance personnel in industries such as pharmaceutical, biomedical, chemical, research, and other technological fields requiring consistent high purity and precision in the piping system.
The importance of the tubing cutter/squarer has grown significantly due to the introduction of autogenous welding heads for standard and exotic grades of tubing. Equipment of this type is especially helpful when working with microfittings; machinery can be perfectly matched to your fittings, tubing you are working with, and welding equipment.
Typical end users of this equipment are ideally clean room tubing system construction contractors, as well as piping system design and maintenance personnel in industries such as pharmaceutical, biomedical, chemical, research, and other technological fields requiring consistent high purity and precision in the piping system.
End Preparation Machines
End preparation machines clamp to the pipe ID and bevel the end in
preparation for welding. This type of equipment is offered in a wide
variety of sizes and clamping ranges. As with the tubing machinery,
accessory full-support mandrels are designed to uniformly clamp
thin-wall pipe, maintaining the shape and preventing deformation while
the cut is executed.
The significance of these machines is the ease and speed by which pipe can be squared or "prepped" for welding. Reliable welds are facilitated with repeatable accuracy, with the added advantage of tremendous timesavings when compared to hand grinding and finishing methods.
Accessories for some ID clamping pipe bevelers include single-point modules that produce complex, compound bevels and counterbores, and tracking modules which provide uniform land thickness on out-of-round pipe. A variety of cutting bits are available for these machines, producing many different bevels, depending on the welding process being performed.
The significance of these machines is the ease and speed by which pipe can be squared or "prepped" for welding. Reliable welds are facilitated with repeatable accuracy, with the added advantage of tremendous timesavings when compared to hand grinding and finishing methods.
Accessories for some ID clamping pipe bevelers include single-point modules that produce complex, compound bevels and counterbores, and tracking modules which provide uniform land thickness on out-of-round pipe. A variety of cutting bits are available for these machines, producing many different bevels, depending on the welding process being performed.
Clamshell Machines
The split frame pipe lathe or "clamshell" machine employs a split rotary
bearing design which can be divided into two or more sections
(depending on size). The sections are placed around the outside of an
in-line pipe and bolted together. Then rotating cutting heads cut either
straight or bevel cuts from the OD inward. Capable of operating in
especially tight- or low-clearance situations, these machines are often
the only way possible to accurately remove a section of pipe with the
area ready for rewelding. Whether in a confined area, or close to a
wall, elbow, or tee, these machines clamp onto in-line pipe and produce
precision rotary severs and bevels, making them the ideal choice for
maintenance on existing piping systems.
Because this type of equipment clamps completely around the OD of the pipe with clamp pads and jackscrews, the split-frame lathe provides a very stable and secure clamp-up when a cut demands the highest level of accuracy. Complex bevels and counterbores can be machined on small to very large, heavy-wall pipe; and where avoidance of contamination is important, these machines produce minimal chips in the pipe.
Because this type of equipment clamps completely around the OD of the pipe with clamp pads and jackscrews, the split-frame lathe provides a very stable and secure clamp-up when a cut demands the highest level of accuracy. Complex bevels and counterbores can be machined on small to very large, heavy-wall pipe; and where avoidance of contamination is important, these machines produce minimal chips in the pipe.
Specialty Machinery
In addition to the tools already mentioned, several types of specialty
pipe-cutting equipment are currently manufactured. Orbital torch-based
units cut pipe with flat or beveled flame-cut-end roller cutters
(essentially large, powered versions of the customary hand-tubing cutter
found in a plumber's tool kit). Various pipe saws can be either
bench-mounted for production purposes, or mobile devices that "crawl"
around the pipe guided by their own clamping chain.
Specialty machinery can be standard tools with modifications such as alternative power supplies (pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric), or special mounting brackets or baseplates. Or they can be completely custom-built machines for a unique operation. Often, special maintenance procedures on oversized or one-of-a-kind components require the manufacture of one-of-a-kind machinery.
Cuts that require unique machinery include operations which must be accomplished remotely due to hazardous environments, or those performed at high speed for high-volume productions purposes. In other instances, radioactive piping needing maintenance or removal require that pipe be cut without the production of chips, necessitating a specially-designed tool. Underwater operations or automated operations can also necessitate specialty machinery. Though specialized, some machinery still require secondary operations to produce finished bevels suitable for use with automatic welding.
Specialty machinery can be standard tools with modifications such as alternative power supplies (pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric), or special mounting brackets or baseplates. Or they can be completely custom-built machines for a unique operation. Often, special maintenance procedures on oversized or one-of-a-kind components require the manufacture of one-of-a-kind machinery.
Cuts that require unique machinery include operations which must be accomplished remotely due to hazardous environments, or those performed at high speed for high-volume productions purposes. In other instances, radioactive piping needing maintenance or removal require that pipe be cut without the production of chips, necessitating a specially-designed tool. Underwater operations or automated operations can also necessitate specialty machinery. Though specialized, some machinery still require secondary operations to produce finished bevels suitable for use with automatic welding.
Tool Bits
One of the most important aspects of portable pipe cutting and beveling
equipment involves the accompanying tool bits. It is critical that bits
be expertly matched to the machinery being used, material being cut, and
the cut specifications, in order to deliver the maximum cutting power
to the pipe and achieve desired results. Today, thousands of tool bits
are available for virtually any cutting possibility. Advancements in
tool bit design, material, finish, and grinding techniques provide bits
that are much more durable, which means they will cut longer, with
better cut surfaces and increased accuracy.
Remember that the best machine in the world is still merely a carrier for the tool bit doing the work. Inferior cutting bits will undermine every strength built into the machine. Like a high performance race car on worn or inappropriate tires, it simply won't perform.
Remember that the best machine in the world is still merely a carrier for the tool bit doing the work. Inferior cutting bits will undermine every strength built into the machine. Like a high performance race car on worn or inappropriate tires, it simply won't perform.
Accessories
Optional accessories to the aforementioned equipment perform a wide
variety of specialized operations, and extend the functionality of
standard equipment considerably. Special cuts such as socket weld
removal, boring, hole cutting, or trepanning can be accomplished
accurately and efficiently with the proper tools and complementary
accessories.
Conditions encountered while working on piping systems determine when and what accessories are needed as well as the type of equipment and the cutting method used. For example: When pipes are found to be out-of-round, wheeled OD or ID tracker accessories can direct the path of the cutting bit, accurately cutting the pipe while simultaneously following the out-of-round shape. Or, in instances where compensation for out-of-round is not enough, pipe clamps can be used in conjunction with cutting tools to correct and reform the pipe while the cut is being performed.
Conditions encountered while working on piping systems determine when and what accessories are needed as well as the type of equipment and the cutting method used. For example: When pipes are found to be out-of-round, wheeled OD or ID tracker accessories can direct the path of the cutting bit, accurately cutting the pipe while simultaneously following the out-of-round shape. Or, in instances where compensation for out-of-round is not enough, pipe clamps can be used in conjunction with cutting tools to correct and reform the pipe while the cut is being performed.
Selecting the Proper Equipment and Service
A wide selection of cutting equipment offers economical solutions to any
pipe cutting and beveling requirements regardless of the industry or
particular piping system. Most of the portable pipe cutting equipment
available on the market today has been designed either to provide
time-saving and dependable results, or to perform previously
unattainable machining procedures with optimum results. Besides offering
new machinery for sale, some equipment manufacturers maintain an
inventory of equipment available on a lease or rental basis. In
circumstances without long-term or ongoing justification for the
purchase of specialized pipe cutting equipment, equipment benefits can
still be applied on an as-needed basis. In addition, some equipment
manufacturers maintain a staff of field machinists who can perform
reliable on-site machining operations as well as hands-on equipment
training for your personnel. The advantage of on-site machining services
is that the responding field technicians are equipped with machinery
determined to be optimal for the project at hand.
Anyone who designs, constructs, and maintains today's complex and sophisticated fluid management systems can benefit from the many years of development and experience that goes into contemporary pipe cutting equipment design. Portable pipe cutting equipment can significantly improve the costs, reliability, and maintenance efficiency of piping systems, regardless of complexity, application, or the industry involved.
Anyone who designs, constructs, and maintains today's complex and sophisticated fluid management systems can benefit from the many years of development and experience that goes into contemporary pipe cutting equipment design. Portable pipe cutting equipment can significantly improve the costs, reliability, and maintenance efficiency of piping systems, regardless of complexity, application, or the industry involved.