PurgEye® API1000 Remote (photo: HFT®)

Monitoring the oxygen level before, during and after welding is essential. Welding in an environment of less then 100 ppm for stainless steel and less than 20 ppm for titanium ensures that welds are free from oxidation.

Allowing joints to oxidise when welding then involves mechanical or chemical oxide removal to prevent to loss of corrosion resistance at best and metallurgical imperfections at worst. Oxidation can be prevented by using a Weld Purge Monitor® to verify purge quality prior to the commencement of welding.

Now, Weld Purge Monitors® are available with PurgeNet™, a networking device which is manufactured as standard to five of the PurgEye® Monitors manufactured by Weld Purging Experts Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT®.

PurgeNet™ is used for communicating the current oxygen reading from a PurgEye® Weld Purge Monitor® to another piece of equipment, such as the visual warning accessory PurgeAlarm™ or a Dew Point Monitor with additional inter-pass temperature monitoring.

Ron Sewell, Chairman for HFT® says, “PurgeNet™ adds a new dimension to weld purge monitoring by allowing a range of accessories to simply plug into the PurgEye® Weld Purge Monitors® for automatic control functions based upon oxygen level, dew point and weld substrate temperature.”

“For control of Automatic Welding Equipment by a Weld Purge Monitor®, the relevant cable accessory will be used. The Monitor will switch off an automatic welding system in the event that oxygen level should rise above a pre-set limit, thereby preventing the risks of weld oxidation and metallurgical imperfections,” continues Sewell.

Sewell adds, “The Monitor will switch the welding system back on once the excess oxygen has been purged away. PurgeNet™ also works with PurgeLog™ to easily transfer weld purge data for Quality Control purposes.”

PurgeNet™ controls HFT®’s new PurgeAlarm™. This IP66 Rated (Environmental Protection) Visual Alarm connected to PurgeNet™ displays a red indicator when the oxygen level is reading a greater value than the alarm threshold set by the user.

An optional green indicator can be fitted above the standard red indicator and will illuminate only if the alarm is active and reading a value lower than the alarm threshold set by the user. A sounder is available as an option to provide an audible alarm instead of a light.

Tags: Huntingdon Fusion Techniques HFT®