Morale is Key in Orbital Welding Shops

Bringing in a robot to perform orbital welding tasks in a manufacturing shop can throw a wrench into the works, as far as morale goes.

That is not a concern at Axenics, because almost every weld performed is different, so there is no need for a robot that performs the same weld, day in day out for eight hours per day. Robot welding is performed and controlled by robotic equipment with no involvement of the welding operator in performing the weld. While automated equipment is used at Axenics for welding, the orbital welding machine are operated by humans, not robots.

The morale at Axenics remains very positive—but not just because of the lack of robots. Everyone in the company, from management to the newest person hired, is cross-trained on almost every job in the company. We have team members that typically polish parts, but they can also cut tubes. We have team members that weld, but they can also do assembly, perform leak testing and mark parts. Retention is strong at Axenics.

The cross training at Axenics ensures top-quality with orbital welding and TIG welding services. We can perform orbital welding services on a range of pipe and tube sizes, from 4 inches to as small as 1/8-inches in diameter. Combined with Axenics’ cleanroom capabilities, manufacturers can obtain superior welding for their components and assemblies that meet quality requirements and always meet deadlines.

Orbital welding can save a significant amount of time in many aspects of the operation. The result is lower overhead costs, higher quality welds and shorter lead times. There are several reasons to use orbital welding production:

• Axenics operates in a Class 100 Cleanroom environment where tubes and fittings can be welded in a high-purity, contaminant-free environment.
• Computerized orbital welding can make the process even more efficient, as the whole process can be scheduled ahead of time and documented. This decreases production time and overall costs.
• An orbital weld performed using the right equipment and settings will always result in a better quality weld. This is crucial in applications within the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industries, where there are strict requirements to meet.

Orbital welding is also great for unique manufacturing situations, such as in cases where it is not feasible or practical to rotate a piece of tubing or pipe to be welded. It may also be used in cases where welding must be performed in a tight space that wouldn’t be possible with manual welding.

When multiple identical welds are being performed via a machine, you can test a sample weld, rather than test every single weld. Since the machine is repeating the weld automatically, the integrity of the sample weld should hold true for all of the welds thereafter.

TIG welding is a high-quality process where an arc is formed between a non-consumable tungsten electrode and the metal part. TIG welding is used when precision is of the utmost importance. Orbital TIG welding is an easily repeatable process, allowing for automated orbital welding techniques when needed. It is also a clean process, which produces a higher quality weld than when most other types of welding are performed.

Orbital TIG welding services are desired by manufacturers based on the productivity of the process as well as the continual high-quality output. The specifications for every weld are placed into the computerized machine, minimizing spec errors and allowing us to set the welding schedule so the work can be performed to meet the project deadline.

In addition, the orbital technology can make automated adjustments when we specify the type of material that is used to ensure safer and more secure connections.

Fun and sense of comfort is important for morale at Axenics, so we have a free snack machine, free coffee, we do giveaways and we have get-togethers for the team. Employees on the floor can also take advantage of a work boot allowance. (Sorry, robots, we don’t offer those perks for you.)

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