The American Welding Society Updates the D1.1 Structural Welding Code

Posted on September 15, 2015 by ismuser

The American Welding Society (AWS) has released its new version of the structural welding code for steel. Titled Structural Welding Code – Steel. AWS D1.1/D1.1m:2015, it supersedes the previous edition published in 2010.

AWS Logo | Forster America The revision represents a collaboration between the AWS D1 committee on structural welding and its sub-committee on steel, and it details all requirements for steel structures made from tube and plate. These include design and procedural requirements as well as those that relate to qualification as well as inspection and the repair of any structures manufactured using steel. It also covers structural steel shapes that will be subject to cyclic or static loading.

Apart from substantial changes to the text, additional commentary has been added to improve clarity in general, and to make provisions of the code easier for welders to understand.

Available from the AWS online store, the 646-page code costs $411 for members and $548 for those who are not members, and is available immediately as a PDF. Printed hardcopy versions will be ready for shipment from the end of September 2015.

The AWS lists the changes that have been made to D1.1 structural welding code in some detail.

General Changes

Parts of the revised structural welding code have been reorganized. For instance all tubular provisions, together with tables and figures, have been moved to a new section, Tubular Structures. A new section of commentary is also added here.

The AWS A5.36 code, Steel Flux Cored Electrodes for Flux Cored Arc Welding and Metal Cored Electrodes for Gas Metal Arc Welding has been incorporated as part of the structural welding code.

The section covering postweld heat treatment (PWHT), that is often used after welding to improve the weld, now has two additions: the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) A709 Grade HPS (for high-performance steel) 100W [HPS 690W]. ASTM A709 100 (690) and 100W (690W) have been deleted.

Changes That Relate to Design

There are three major changes to the section relating to design:

Calculation of the throat of a combination fillet weld and partial joint preparation (PJP) flare bevel groove weld has been clarified.
Additional provisions have been incorporated for wrapping welds on opposite sides of a common plane so that seal welding may be permitted.
Figures of fatigue curve cases have been revised so that they are in line with the American Institute of Steel Construction’s AISC 360.

Changes That Relate to Prequalification and Qualification

Conditions for backing metals other than steel in prequalified welding procedure specifications (WPSs) have been clarified. Requirements for “sub-sized specimens” in Charpy V-notch (CVN) tests have also been clarified.

Tables for prequalified filler metals and base metals have been updated and reorganized, and ultimately aligned with the table for prequalified preheat and interpass temperature.

There are also new figures for prequalified fillet weld joint details and complete joint penetration (CJP) groove, T-, and corner joints.

Fabrication Changes

A number of issues have been clarified in the section on fabrication, including baking requirements for the low-hydrogen electrodes that are used for ASTM A514 and A517 steels.

Preheat and interpass temperature requirements for welding with a combination of base metals have also been clarified, as have the provisions for oxygen gouging. Weld profile requirements have been clarified, and so have locations of the depth of the web from tension flanges of beams or girders. These are considered outside the tension zone for construction aid welds and for tack welds.

The requirements for backing and for cleanliness of substrates have been updated too. And revisions have been made to the location and sequence of members and element splices.

Inspection Changes

Several changes have been made in the section on inspection and there is a new table for the qualification and calibrations requirements of ultrasonic testing (U/T) equipment. Issues regarding retesting based on the quality of welding work have been clarified, and so have issues that relate to calibration for the sensitivity and horizontal sweep of U/T equipment.

Additionally, new figures have been added to the code to show more simply and clearly how to achieve effective throat for a variety of types of joint and joint combinations. Definitions and terms used in the code are now normative, and the sample welding forms provided have been revised extensively.

Lastly, the section on safe practices has been deleted and, instead, Clause 1 now includes safety references.

You can purchase the new structural code here at the AWS book store.

From The Fabricator: A Welding Ventilation Overview

Posted on September 10, 2015 by ismuser

By Benjamin Howell of Kemper America

Welding emission reduction is something that interests all metal fabricators, and today’s welding technology does a good job of removing welding smoke that can contribute to health risks. This can be misleading, however.

At the nanolevel, invisible to the human eye, the concentration of particulate matter can pose a great risk to welders. Studies show that welding fume particles are mostly smaller than 0.1 micrometer, which makes nearly all welding fume particles respirable. They can penetrate deep into the alveolate region of the lungs during inhalation and remain firmly fixed there.

Welders exposed to welding fumes on an ongoing basis run a significant risk of health-related problems. The most common symptoms include fatigue, breathing difficulties, shortness of breath, bronchial diseases, manganese poisonings, lead and cadmium oxides, episodes of metalworkers’ fever when welding galvanized materials, and even damage to the central nervous system. The harmful particulate matter generated during welding of nickel, chromium, and cadmium compounds can be considered carcinogenic.

Additional health risks are associated with filler materials. Ninety-five percent of harmful substances that make up welding particulate originate from the filler metal, and only the remaining 5 percent comes from the parent metal.

What safety measures should be employed to protect metal processing workers from such risks?

Click here to see the full article on The Fabricator

Aluminum Copper Welding Tables are Best for Stainless Steel Welding

Posted on April 9, 2015 by ismuser

At Forster Welding, we offer a variety of table tops to cater to the diverse needs of our clients. The most popular tops we sell are generally the Carbon Steel and Aluminum Alloy models but there are times when only an Aluminum Copper Alloy top will do.

Aluminum Copper Welding tables are usually a necessity when you plan on welding Stainless Steel, because of their many benefits:

If you need a safe basis for professional grade stainless steel processing then an Aluminum Copper Alloy top is a must. This process requires a strict separation of ferritic material because even a small scratch or cut on the surface of the welding table can cause pitting and corrosion. An Aluminum Copper Alloy top will provide you with the necessary separation.

The clamping system does not contain ferritic material so as to avoid the problem listed above.

Aluminum Copper Alloy tops help to avoid needless damage to the projects being built on them. They utilize a T-Slot system made of a special Aluminum/Copper alloy that has been proven to be beneficial because it cannot cause any ferritic scratches. This 3D clamping provides the security and positioning you need for detailed work due to its high tensile strength and low surface hardness.

Open table design allows larger pieces to stick through and allow easier access to critical welding areas.

Low splatter adhesion. Since these tables retain a high level of thermal conductivity, spatters have a hard time adhering to your work surface.

High quality results. Our Aluminum Copper Alloy tables produce parts of the highest quality because the modular interchangeable rail system enables permanent accuracy on the table surface.

Contact Forster America today for pricing and detailed information on our selection of high quality welding tables and accessories.

Forster’s Vacuum Clamping System Allows for Multiple Capabilities

Posted on January 26, 2015 by ismuser

One of the most difficult parts of welding is keeping all the pieces where they need to be while you work. If something shifts at the wrong time then you can ruin your weld and possibly the whole project. There are a multitude of different methods that welders use to secure materials but none that match Forster’s new vacuum clamping system.

Forster offers their Vakufix system in two different configurations:

A set that includes the pump, air chamber and clamping table.
A set that has been customized to the working piece and includes all of the accessories.

The Vakufix system is the first to utilize high temperature vacuum clamping plates. They allow a user to quickly and securely clamp parts directly in the line of heat on a 3D level. This is a crucial feature if you are trying to manufacture sheet metal. Other systems can hold the material in place but the Vakufix system will hold the material in place while giving the welder complete access to the seams. In a normal system, the clamping arm causes problems because they always seem to be in the way.

Since the sheet metal parts are held in place with a very small vacuum surface, it is easy to move them around and correct their position. If traction related forces become active the vacuum area will automatically increase to compensate. Each vacuum plate can generate anywhere from 40 to 45 kg. This will cut down on the thermal distortion which causes so many problems when processing stainless steel. For component pick-up with integrated voltage on the interior side, vacuum plates with compressed air are used. The high-temperature-vacuum plate is equipped with an elastic stainless steel shim as sealing surface, which can easily be replaced.

If you need to secure your sheet metal parts while still having full access to the welds, you should look into the revolutionary Vakufix system. Call Forster today if you have any questions about the specifications or pricing.

Forster America is bringing 3D Welding Tables to the States

Posted on December 20, 2013 by ismuser

Forster America will now be supplying the United States with Forster’s (Germany) 3D welding tables, and accessories. These welding tables are truly innovative and truly unique. Forster (Germany) has over 25 years of experience in welding tables and the welding industry. They are more than aware of what welders and businesses need, and they deliver.

Forster America provides all of the Forster Welding System’s products, such as:

Welding Tables
3D Welding Tables
Welding Tables for Jigs
Custom Accessories
Table Tops for all Types of Metal

The Forster design is truly unique because of the t-slot system. The table top is composed of beams that can be rearranged, moved and adjusted at any time during the welding process to accommodate the needs of the welder. This reduces strain on the work piece, it’s more ergonomic for the welder and because it can be changed throughout the welding process there’s a huge decrease in downtime.

To find out more about Forster America’s 3D welding tables don’t hesitate to give us a call today!

We’ve Launched a New Company, and a New Website

Posted on December 20, 2013 by ismuser

Forster America is the newest supplier of Forester Welding Systems’ tables and accessories. Previously you could only purchase these 3D welding tables from the German manufacturer itself.

The launch of our new website allows us to showcase all of the revolutionary welding products that Forster America has to offer.

These welding tables and accessories will greatly increase efficiency in your welding production, over time saving you time and money.

Give us a call at Forster America today to discuss your welding table needs, we’re almost certain we have something to accommodate your welding projects.