Submerged Arc Welding Technology
Sascha Cuntz
Your AWS-specialist
Submerged arc welding (SAW) refers to an arc welding process using a continuous melting wire or strip electrode with high deposition rate. The process, which is particularly suited to automation, is used primarily for welding long seams to an extremely high quality standard.
Depending on the particular application SAW systems from AWS Schäfer are available as longitudinal and circumferential seam welding systems, as plate welding systems or as automatic welding machine supports.
Our systems can be configured to use up to seven welding heads. To increase efficiency, the systems are supplied with the most up to date energy-saving inverter welding power source technology. The power source manufacturers can be selected according to individual preferences. We integrate all leading manufacturers via common interfaces into our own process control system AWS ONE Master Control . The software provides a user-friendly interface that simplifies control of the entire process. All welding heads are set up and controlled via a touch panel. The tracking welding data monitoring system complies with all traceability requirements and can be integrated into the quality management system.
We guarantee sustainability in the field of filler materials with the latest welding powder supply systems. Heated powder systems with powder recovery and powder preparation ensure powder quality and increased efficiency.
Depending on the particular application SAW systems from AWS Schäfer are available as longitudinal and circumferential seam welding systems, as plate welding systems or as automatic welding machine supports.
Our systems can be configured to use up to seven welding heads. To increase efficiency, the systems are supplied with the most up to date energy-saving inverter welding power source technology. The power source manufacturers can be selected according to individual preferences. We integrate all leading manufacturers via common interfaces into our own process control system AWS ONE Master Control . The software provides a user-friendly interface that simplifies control of the entire process. All welding heads are set up and controlled via a touch panel. The tracking welding data monitoring system complies with all traceability requirements and can be integrated into the quality management system.
We guarantee sustainability in the field of filler materials with the latest welding powder supply systems. Heated powder systems with powder recovery and powder preparation ensure powder quality and increased efficiency.
Advantages
- Customer-specific solutions with innovative technology
- System control via a master control panel
- Low-maintenance and maintenance-friendly system technology
- Integration of all leading welding power source manufacturers
- High melting performance through the use of up to seven wires
- User-friendly and field-proven user interface
- Welding data monitoring system
- Remote maintenance module for rapid support
- Heated welding powder supply system with powder recovery and powder preparation
- Experience as exclusive supplier of submerged arc welding technology in numerous pipe mills worldwide
SAW Longitudinal and Circumferential Welding Machines
(inside/outside)
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Advantages
- Stationary or mobile version
- Optional 1 to 7 wire submerged arc welding
- Welding head with linear supports, wire feed unit with servo drive Camera system, contactless or tactile height and side scanning
- Innovative wire guiding and wire straightening unit
- Power-saving inverter technology
- Process control using AWS ONE Master Control based on Siemens S7 with a master control panel for all system functions including workpiece manipulation control
- Welding data monitoring system
- Remote maintenance module for straightforward, rapid problem solving
- Heated welding powder supply system with powder recovery
Technical data
| External diameter: | 406.4 – 12,000 mm | 16″ – 472.4″ |
| Wall thickness: | 6 – 150 mm | |
| Lengths: | 1,500 – 28,000 mm | |
| Welding speeds: | 300 – 2,400 mm/min. | |
| Materials: | All carbon and stainless steels suitable for welding |
Submerged Arc Plate Welding System
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The submerged arc plate welding systems developed by AWS Schäfer can be used to produce steel plate sizes that are difficult to manufacture for technological or logistical reasons. One example of the use of welded plates is in the production of development lengths of large diameter pipe sections for offshore foundations or in the production of composite panels in shipbuilding.
Advantages
- Available versions include a stationary unit that can rotate through +/- 180° and a mobile unit.
- Sheet support tables with integrated sheet manipulation device
- Optional 1 to 7-wire submerged arc welding
- Welding head with linear supports, wire feed unit with servo drive
- Camera system, contactless or tactile height and side scanning
- Innovative wire guiding and wire straightening unit
- Power-saving inverter technology
- Process control using AWS ONE Master Control based on Siemens S7 with a master control panel for all system functions including workpiece manipulation control
- Welding data monitoring system
- Remote maintenance module for straightforward, rapid problem solving
- Heated welding powder supply system with powder recovery
Column & Boom Submerged Arc Welding Machine
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Column & Boom Submerged Arc Welding Machines are always used when longitudinal and circumferential welds of a pipe or vessel are to be welded with a single welding machine from the inside as well as from the outside.
Our latest generation of Column & Boom Submerged Arc Welding Machine guarantee extremely stable, low-judder and low-vibration operation when performing 1-wire, tandem or 3-wire submerged arc welding.
The modular system enables the configuration of individual special solutions, such as an additional GMAW welding torch in front of the submerged arc welding head. The unique roller guide system means that the system movements are wear-free while time-consuming and expensive replacement of worn-out racks or spindles is now a thing of the past. This sturdy and solid construction guarantees a continuously stable production process and long service life: under the most difficult operating conditions in three-shift operation.
Advantages
- Design to the customer’s specific requirements
- Optional 1 to 3 wire submerged arc welding
- Servo drive in wear-free design
- Camera system, contactless or tactile height and side scanning
- Innovative wire guiding and wire straightening unit
- Power-saving inverter technology
- Process control using AWS ONE Master Control based on Siemens S7 with a master control panel for all system functions including workpiece manipulation control
- Welding data monitoring system
- Remote maintenance module for straightforward, rapid problem solving
- Heated welding powder supply system with powder recovery
- Sturdy reduced judder and vibration construction
AWS ONE Master Control – Welding and System Control
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The central element of our submerged arc welding systems is the AWS ONE Master Control welding and system control. Precisely coordinated hardware and software elements integrate all of the system functions and peripherals for control into one single operating unit. All common interfaces such as Profibus, Profinet, CanOpen or DeviceNet are available for communication with the welding power sources. The control system enables up to seven welding wires to be integrated with simultaneous process visualisation and adaptation of all welding parameters. Our “Welding Data Analyzer” welding data recording system running in the background records the weld quality. The recordings are graphically analysed and used as documented process verification.
The control system can be configured according to customer specifications and can be adapted to individual requirements irrespective of whether the system is a new one or an existing submerged arc welding system.
The control system can be configured according to customer specifications and can be adapted to individual requirements irrespective of whether the system is a new one or an existing submerged arc welding system.
Advantages
- Digital process control with auto-tuning functions ranging from ignition to the reduction of welding current at the end of the weld seam
- Control and monitoring of all system functions and peripherals (auxiliary equipment such as power sources, welding powder supply system, welding head positioning or automatic scanning systems and manipulation devices)
- User-friendly man-machine interface and visualisation
- Welding data acquisition system capable of local storage of the data on a USB storage medium or network drive and direct printout on site
- Capable of connection to a production data acquisition system (PDA) for the transfer of the specified production data as well as reading in the welding procedure sheet (WPS) with automatic transfer of the welding parameters
- Live welding data monitoring for the comparing target/actual welding parameters with pop-up messages in case of deviations and creation of a quality report stating the position and time of the deviation
- Job memory function with parameter set management and archiving function to create an individual database with reference to the respective welding task or commission
- Alarm system for abnormalities for all main and secondary system functions
- Operator management via the RFID system with logging of log-on and log-off time