How to Select Your Welding Rotator

Welding rotators is a reliable mechanical means to rotate cylindrical vessels. Across a variety of sectors, conventional and self-aligning turning rollers have been designed to suit various sizes of weldments. Particularly if a weldment is cylindrical, whether it's small diameter piping or even large industrial piping vessel, rotators is a necessity. It makes a huge difference to most welding process.

Paring Drivers and Idlers

Drivers and Idlers work together to deliver a high-quality welding as well as to minimise welder injury risk, that is why a turning roll driver(TDRA) must be paired with a turning roll idler(TIRA). Theoretically, one turning roll driver torque is capable of rotating work-pieces three times its static weight while a turning roll idler has to accommodate the remaining static weight.

The work-piece stiffness determines the spacing. While a spacing less than 20ft (6m) is generally recommended, thinned walled work-piece favours closely spaced turning rolls and thicker walled work-piece requires turning rolls to be spaced further apart. 

Customisation

In this regard users are required to think about Centre of Gravity (COG), size and Surface Area. That includes but not limited to:

Heavy duty chassis design

Number of Wheels

Wheel Sizing

The Control System

Fitting a Wheel

The right wheel is essential in preventing work-piece slippage and maintaining constant welding speeds. Three types of wheels are common: rubber wheels, steel wheels and PU wheels.

While selecting a wheel, always keep in mind the surface area one has to roll on, operating temperature and the wall thickness of the work-piece. PU Wheel is favoured over rubber and steel ones when desired temperature or work-piece engagement can’t be met.