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| I have been on a few pipeline projects, I don't, and never did weld downhill. Mechanized and automated equipment is available for pipeline welding, and for ultrasonic testing of pipeline welds. Pipeline welding is not that difficult to automate, because the line is the same diameter and wall thickness for large numbers of welds, unlike refinery and chemical plant welding. GMAW (solid wire), GTAW (heliarc), FCAW (flux cored electrode) SAW (submerged arc welding, solid wire 5/32" diameter electrode under a layer of flux welded in the flat or rolled position) are used. The problem is, there is some resistance to automation by pipeliners. For offshore pipeline work (pipelaying barges), there is more automated welding, day rates for the vessels are significant.
Manual (SMAW) welding is required for tie-in welds, road and river crossings, anchor spools, etc. For some pipeline welding, there may not be enough cost savings to justify using automated welding instead of using manual welding (pipeliners with a well tuned SA 200 machine).
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Any pipeline welders here?
