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GSM Industrial Adds State-of-the-Art Submerged Arc Welding (SAW) Capabilities

Submerged Arc Welder (SAW)

GSM Industrial specializes in complex projects of all sizes and we believe in continuous improvement. We regularly invest in our Team and equipment to expand our fabrication abilities. Recently we added a state-of-the-art Submerged Arc Welding system to our fabrication division, including a three-axis positioner to hold and articulate structures up to 7.7 tons. This system will enable GSM Industrial to weld heavier structures more efficiently and at a competitive rate.

Value and Benefits to Our Partners and Customers

DEPOSITION: Our SAW system operates at an extremely high deposition rate with capability of over 33 lbs. per hour when compared to conventional GMAW and FCAW. Deposition rate, or the amount of welding material deposited, can increase by ratios of one, two, and three electrodes depending on joint design and material thicknesses. With SAW, we can achieve in one pass what might take several passes in other welding processes. This means a shorter lead time and potentially quicker turn on projects. Quicker work means cost savings for our customers and partners.

QUALITY: The SAW system produces welds with superior metallurgical properties and bead geometry while significantly reducing total weld time. The automatically controlled travel-speed, voltage, and constant amperage yields very good depth of penetration, bead profile and consistent placement. Because the arc is submerged in flux, the weld is not exposed to the atmosphere, which means less chance for impurities and contaminants known to cause common weld defects.  The result of SAW is a uniform weld deposit with virtually no spatter, minimal weld fume emission, and ultraviolet radiation exposure.

CAPABILITY: Adding this SAW system increases our ability to fabricate larger, thicker metal components. While our skilled welders have always been able to weld thick plated vessels and structural steel components, we have increased our capabilities in terms of thickness, efficiency, consistency, precision, and cost.

Best Applications for Submerged Arc Welding

The SAW process is capable of joining a variety of structural shapes and is ideal for longitudinal seams or circumferential seams on tanks, large pipe, cylinders, stacks, turbines, and heavy ASME vessels. SAW increases our ability to efficiently add value to our customers in heavy industrial applications, such as power generation, steel mills, and chemical refineries.

GSM Industrial invests in the next level of technology to continuously expand our capabilities for our customers and to create opportunities for our team to expand their skills. We have invested more than 240 hours in training six members of our team on the SAW system to ensure flexibility and on-time delivery of our customers’ projects. Contact us today to learn more about using SAW for your fabrication projects.