Welding Machinery

Nothing exists in complete isolation, especially in a workshop, where one form of effort flows naturally into another, the end of one process is often the beginning of a second. welding machines of various kinds – MIG or TIG arc welders, plasma welders, spot welders, and so on – are extremely useful in their own right, but even they need accessories to function properly. At a minimum, a welding table capable of supporting an electric circuit through the work and the welding machine is required as the substrate for the project. Many other pieces of welding machinery exist to make the welding process easier and more versatile.

There are literally hundreds of different tools, accessories, and machines that are useful in one or another in the welding workshop. A few of the more common pieces of welding machinery include :

• Welding positioners – these table-like devices use a wide range of attachments to hold welding projects at the correct angle for the weld that needs to be made. Not all welds are straightforward, and during the process of metal fabrication, it is often necessary to approach a piece from several different angles. Welding positioners hold the piece at nearly any angle, depending on their construction – some of the types include rotary tilt tables, gear-powered elevators, tilting turntables, and “sky hooks.”
• Welding lathes – welding lathes are useful for those who frequently make welds around the circumference of round metal objects. The lathe rotates the workpiece at a pace appropriate for welding, and a weld can be applied around the circumference of the item in a single motion, rather than needing to be turned manually. Many welding lathes include support for automatic welding, completing one join and then moving to the next preprogrammed position for the next join.
• Welding manipulators – a large, dramatic, upright piece of welding machinery, welding manipulators include a vertical tower and horizontal boom, and can be used to lift heavy workpieces into a position where a long seam can be welded. Many of these manipulators can be fitted out with additional equipment to move the workpiece for the welder’s convenience during the welding process.
• Floor turntables – these heavy-duty, rotating tables can accommodate extremely heavy workpieces of half a ton or more, and rotate either continuously or when a foot pedal is pressed for greater manual control of positioning. The rotation of these turntables moves different parts of the workpiece close to the welder in a regular cycle. The turntable can be used for either manual or automatic welding.
• Vacuum welding chamber – resembling either a large, industrial mushroom with a square stalk and a skylight, or some type of strange, domed UFO, the vacuum welding chamber is a work table that includes a completely enclosed, domed-over top that can be used to exclude the air to completely prevent all risk of welding contamination. No oxidation or rusting will occur in such a sealed welding chamber, while a typical model includes two sets of vacuum glove ports, a vacuum pump, and various instruments for monitoring and controlling conditions inside the chamber. The chamber can be used to produce welds of exceptional quality and purity.

These items represent only a few of the more flexible pieces of welding machinery currently offered to aid the welding efforts of the contemporary welder. Whatever the exact needs of a particular welding situation, there is likely to be a piece of welding machinery that will help to achieve the desired results in a way that is as smooth, convenient, and problem-free as possible.