Our orbital welding services are engineered to exceed the most stringent industry standards for precision, cleanliness, and reliability. Utilizing cutting-edge orbital welding machines and high-purity argon gas, we deliver welds of exceptional quality—ideal for critical applications in industries such as pharmaceuticals, food processing, and semiconductor manufacturing.

With a team of highly skilled welders and technicians, we provide tailored welding solutions based on your project’s unique specifications. At Mahadev Engineering we take pride in our consistent track record of precision, safety, and customer satisfaction.

Purpose

To define the standardized process for creating autogenous weld joints for tubular products using orbital welding, ensuring consistent quality and compliance with regulatory requirements.

Scope

This procedure applies to welders at Mahadev Engineering  involved in welding tubing that comes into contact with pharmaceutical products.

Equipment Required

• Orbital welding machine

• Welding head with compatible fixtures and dies

• High-purity Argon gas (99.99%)

• Gas filters

• TIG welding machine (for tack welding)

• Buffing pads for surface finishing

Procedure

1. Machine Setup

• Place the orbital welding machine on a flat, stable surface.

• Connect the welding head and printer (if external) to the main unit.

• Plug the machine into a power source with adequate capacity, as specified by the manufacturer.

• Select and install the appropriate die based on the tube size.

• Switch on the machine and input tube size and wall thickness. The machine will automatically configure:

  • Pre-purge and post-purge times with argon gas

  • Arc strike current

  • Peak and base current levels

  • Motor rotation speed (RPM)

2. Welding Preparation

• Cut the tubes to the required length.

• Ensure a right-angled, smooth face by grinding and polishing.

• Clean the internal and external surfaces near the tube ends.

• Plug both tube ends using welding dams to maintain purge gas.

• Align the tube faces and tack weld at three points, spaced 120° apart, using TIG welding without filler wire.

• Maintain an argon shielding gas flow of approx. 15 L/min during tack welding.

3. Orbital Welding Execution

• Clamp the tack-welded joint into the orbital welding head.

• Manually rotate the tungsten head around the joint to verify alignment. Maintain a gap of 1.6–2.0 mm between the tungsten and joint.

• Prepare a sample weld joint using a test piece of the same tubing.

• Start internal purging with argon gas at 10–12 L/min and machine shielding at 12–15 L/min.

• Begin the orbital weld cycle.

• After the post-purge and cooling period, remove and inspect the weld visually.

• If the sample joint does not meet quality expectations, adjust motor RPM or current settings and repeat.

4. Production Welding

• Once sample weld is approved, keep the parameters unchanged.

• Clean each weld externally using a buffing pad to achieve a smooth finish.

• Document quality checks in the Welding Joint Inspection Report (ME/SOP/OW/M1).

• Attach the corresponding welding coupon printout at the welding site.

• Repeat sample weld preparation daily at the start of operations.

• Ensure all joints are engraved/marked with unique ID numbers and tracked in documentation.

Required Documentation & Formats

• Welding Joint Inspection Report – ME/SOP/OW/M1

• Welding Coupon Printout – Auto-generated from the orbital welding system