Rolling Stacking Welding Method
Rolling stacking welding is a multi-layer welding technique in engineering joining and repair. It is particularly suitable for thicker materials and offers many advantages over other welding techniques. This technique has been successfully used for welding thin sheet and plate components in industries such as aerospace, automotive, and electronics.
Rolling stacking welding utilizes a simple process in which a pair of rollers are positioned at a nose- to- tail with the material to be welded on the rollers. Each roller is then used to rotate the material over a stationary anvil in a systematic movement to establish a stack of sheets. This stack is then force compressed against the stationary anvil and the rollers are again used to make the stack consistent. The material is then welded using either a continuous wire feed (CMT) or a flux core arc welder (FCAW).
One of the primary advantages of rolling stacking welding is that it eliminates the need for a backing layer. By using stacked sheets, the distance between the welding plates is reduced and it eliminates the need for an additional backing layer. This eliminates costs associated with an additional layer of material and saves time when welding thick materials. Another major advantage is that it reduces the risk of distortion as the heating cycle is more uniform with the use of rollers. By reducing distortion, it improves the overall quality of the welded part, making it more attractive and durable.
In addition to using stacked sheets, another version of rolling stacking welding involves welding beads into a stack of sheets. This process involves pre-setting the stack size and then manually welding a multi-layer stack of sheets to create a consistent bead pattern. This process is used to produce a strong weld which is uniform and easy to finish.
Rolling stacking welding also offers additional advantages over other welding techniques. First, it is considered to be a clean and fast welding process as it requires less consumables than other welding techniques. It also produces mechanically superior welds than traditional methods due to the uniform shape and size of the final stack. Furthermore, it is less likely to cause porosity when welding than other techniques such as gas metal arc welding (GMAW) and flux-cored arc welding (FCAW). This makes it a great choice for applications where the need for a strong and reliable weld is essential.
Despite its advantages, rolling stacking welding also has several drawbacks. First, it requires a high level of accuracy when setting up the rollers, stacks and anvils which can lead to inconsistently welded parts. Furthermore, due to the thickness of material being welded, the welding speed can be considerably slower than other welding techniques. Finally, the pre-setting of the stacks can require additional setup time which can further reduce the efficiency of the welding process.
Overall, rolling stacking welding is a great choice for welding thicker materials. It can be used to produce strong and reliable welds that are uniform and easy to finish. It is also less likely to cause porosity which makes it a great choice for applications where strength and reliability is essential. Despite its drawbacks it is still a viable option for a wide range of applications and can greatly reduce welding costs when compared to other welding techniques.
