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SE IL | No, not a pipeliner, but at my day job I work at a mill producing large diameter steel pipe.
The "robotic wire feed thingy" would be a Sub-Arc (SAW). Basically you have a 1/8" or 5/32" wire (looks like gigantic mig wire), with a dry powdered flux that is placed around the wire (automatically) as it welds. With this process, you do not see the arc because it's submerged under the flux - hence Submerged Arc Welding. It is MUCH faster than stick welding. It is more conducive to production welding in a shop, but more and more companies are setting them up for field work. You can even have multiple wires running at the same time - I've seen up to 4. I'll get you some pictures tomorrow at work. | |
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Any pipeline welders here?
