Welding in a vacuum

[jordan1]

Just looking through some old motorcycle mags I have and see a guy tig welding a racing motorcycle frame in a vacuum chamber [similar to a blast cabinet], this to eliminate any weakness??.

 

[Wendelspanswick]

Was it a vacuum chamber or a chamber purged with argon?

 

[hotrodder]

Would you be able to strike* an arc in a vacuum? It will be a chamber filled with argon, pulling a vacuum/evacuating it first reduces the amount of argon needed to purge the volume. If it's got an airlock in it you can get parts in and out without wasting as much argon and time
Presumably it was a Ti frame? Bit of overkill if it wasn't

* even different flavours of shielding gas effect arc strikes due to their ionisation potential... helium is 'hotter' than argon because it's got a higher ionisation potential and arc voltage increases for example

 

[Appyasme1]

We use a vacuum chamber when we weld ELI Grade of Titanium.No problems

 

[Richard.]

A lot of titanium parts are welded in a chamber filled with argon.

 

[voipio]

An arc in vacuum is possible, basically a metal vapour discharge; think of the mercury vapour lamp as an example. I'm intrigued how the electrode is manipulated around the workpiece in a vacuum chamber.

 

[backpurge]

Electron beam welding is carried out in a vacuum, but think the above is most likely to be a standard glove box type chamber, very common for titanium and other exotic alloys

 

[mark williams]

We have a argon chamber in work for welding Ti. Not the easiest thing to weld in but gets the jobs through x ray
These days with the big gas shielding cups you can get and a trailing purge I'm not sure a chamber is necessary?

 

[Richard.]

We have a argon chamber in work for welding Ti. Not the easiest thing to weld in but gets the jobs through x ray
These days with the big gas shielding cups you can get and a trailing purge I'm not sure a chamber is necessary?

Really depends on what is been welded. Those large cups and trailing feed are not great for getting in everywhere.

 

[SHogan]

I'm intrigued how the electrode is manipulated around the workpiece in a vacuum chamber.

Perhaps next time an application is made to work in this type of environment the applicant might like to include a comment as to how long they can hold their breath for!

 

[Shox Dr]

The makers of The Ariel Atom have one (if not) the largest Agron Tents for TIGing up the frame.

(Picture courtesy of Pistonheads)

 

[Paul G]

"I'm intrigued how the electrode is manipulated around the workpiece"


OK for the bends I would imagine.

 

[Paul G]

So if you go to the Atom's website you get…….




Mmmmm ?

 

[Richard.]

So if you go to the Atom's website you get…….


View attachment 76038

Mmmmm ?

Afterthought perhaps

 

[hotrodder]

I doubt many people can afford/justify Aerials Ti chassis (assuming it made it past development / wasn't a one off?) and their bread and butter is still the bronze welded steel frame with mass production based Honda engines rather than a Hartley V8 & sequential box?

 

[Shox Dr]

So if you go to the Atom's website you get…….


View attachment 76038

Mmmmm ?

That's advertising for you, Imagine doing the welding in that thing, it would have been a total pig.

 

[Paul G]

In my opinion a tent that size would take a week to purge….

So with just a little hesitation I'm going to say, rather that photographic evidence it's more like photoshop evidence.



Go on then. I'm ready for it.

Paul G

 

[voipio]

It would probably take a whole full cylinder's worth of argon to fill that Ariel Atom welding tent, P1 x V1 = P2 x V2.

 

[hotrodder]

https://www.facebook.com/Caged-Laser-Engineering-147414068707402/ are the company that built the Ti Ariel chassis. They ain't gonna be pratting about with cylinders, even MCP (manifold cylinder pallets), far more likely to have a cryotank outside or at least use dewars... far more economical, better purity etc

 

[KemppiFrog]

A client had a Co. that made electron beam welding equipement, operated in a vacuum. He sent me some literature about it later. VERY hi tech and a bit above my paygrade. one of the uses were for diesel injecter nozzles.