Essential Purging Equipment To Ensure Excellent Welds

According to data gathered by the American Welding Society, more than 500,000 welders are employed in the United States today. While that sounds like a high number, it’s actually much lower than the demand for these important jobs. Such a career is critical to the smooth functioning of countless industries. Plumbing, oil pipes, urban infrastructure, and the entire transportation industry are just a small sample of societal institutions that rely on welders like you. In order to guarantee successful, quality welds, you must have proper pipe purging equipment.

For anyone interested in a career in this important industry, here’s what you need to know about purging equipment for welding.

Why is purging important?

The presence of unwanted gasses that are trapped in a prospective joint space is potentially harmful to the quality of the weld. If such gasses get stuck during the weld, they could cause premature corrosion or even cracks in the weld.

How does it work?

There are generally two methods of purging. The first is through the use of an inert gas to flush out all other gasses that could harm the weld through oxidization. This is the most common. Another approach is through the use of a vacuum. This will suck all the harmful gasses out of the immediate vicinity, allowing you to then slowly pump inert gas into the joint area.

What pipe purging equipment do you need?

There are several components that come together to produce a proper weld. The following are important and highly relevant for the purging process.

• A purge monitor is used for sensing impurities at the weld location, and for inspecting your inert purge gas for impurities as well.
• An inert gas, such as Argon or Helium, will be used in the purging process. Argon is most common due to price and availability.
• A pipe alignment clamp will precisely position two sections of piping that need to be joined together.
• Purge kits are used to pump the inert gas, putting into action the purging process.

The importance of proper welding technique cannot be understated. The production of impure joints might lead to problems in the product or structure ranging from premature corrosion to catastrophic failure from cracks in the weld. So many different industries that contribute positively to the world rely on the quality of your weld. Luckily, the procedure is made easier when you know what pipe purging equipment you need to use.