Produce Welded Tube And Pipe Training

Objectives:
• Understand the scope and outcomes of Unit Standard 119058.
• Identify different types of tubes and pipes used in industry.
• Describe the basic principles of tube and pipe manufacturing.
• Recognise safety protocols and personal protective equipment requirements.

Topics:
• Overview of the unit standard and course structure.
• Types of tubes and pipes: seamless vs. welded.
• Basic manufacturing processes: forming, welding, sizing.
• Industry applications: structural, fluid transport, automotive.
• Safety regulations and hazard identification.
• Introduction to quality standards (ISO, SANS).
• Roles and responsibilities in a production environment.
• Housekeeping and workplace organisation.

Objectives:
• Identify common raw materials used in tube and pipe production.
• Explain material properties affecting weldability and forming.
• Describe material handling and storage procedures.
• Perform basic material identification tests.

Topics:
• Steel grades: carbon, stainless, alloy.
• Mechanical properties: tensile strength, yield, elongation.
• Chemical composition and its effect on welding.
• Material certifications and traceability.
• Handling and storage to prevent damage and corrosion.
• Introduction to destructive and non-destructive testing.
• Practical: visual inspection and hardness testing.
• Material selection criteria for specific applications.

Objectives:
• Describe the forming process for welded tubes and pipes.
• Explain the role of forming rolls and tooling.
• Identify common forming defects and their causes.
• Set up basic forming parameters.

Topics:
• Cold forming vs. hot forming.
• Roll forming process: breakdown, edge preparation.
• Types of forming mills: cage, conventional.
• Tooling design and maintenance.
• Forming defects: edge wave, centre buckle, twist.
• Adjusting roll gaps and pressures.
• Practical: observing a forming line setup.
• Quality checks during forming.

Objectives:
• Explain the principles of electric resistance welding (ERW).
• Describe the components of an ERW system.
• Understand the influence of welding parameters on weld quality.
• Identify common welding defects.

Topics:
• Overview of welding processes: ERW, laser, TIG, plasma.
• ERW fundamentals: high-frequency induction and contact welding.
• Welding power sources and controls.
• Impeder and its role.
• Welding parameters: current, speed, pressure.
• Weld defects: cold welds, burn-through, inclusions.
• Practical: setting welding parameters on a simulator.
• Weld inspection basics.

Objectives:
• Compare different welding processes used in tube and pipe production.
• Explain the advantages and limitations of each process.
• Describe the welding procedure for laser and TIG welding.
• Identify appropriate applications for each process.

Topics:
• Laser welding: principles, beam delivery, focusing.
• TIG welding: gas shielding, tungsten electrodes.
• Plasma welding: keyhole mode, applications.
• Welding process selection criteria.
• Practical: observing laser and TIG welding setups.
• Weld quality attributes for each process.
• Cost and productivity considerations.
• Safety aspects specific to each welding method.

Objectives:
• Explain the metallurgical changes in the weld zone and HAZ.
• Describe factors affecting HAZ properties.
• Identify methods to control HAZ size and hardness.
• Interpret microstructure of welded joints.

Topics:
• Weld zone: fusion zone, partially melted zone.
• Heat affected zone: grain growth, phase transformations.
• Cooling rates and their effect on hardness.
• Preheat and post-weld heat treatment.
• Microstructural examination using micrographs.
• Practical: preparing and observing weld cross-sections.
• HAZ cracking and mitigation.
• Impact of material thickness on HAZ.

Objectives:
• Describe the purpose of sizing and straightening operations.
• Explain how sizing dies work to achieve final dimensions.
• Identify common defects after sizing.
• Set up sizing and straightening equipment.

Topics:
• Sizing process: reduction, calibration.
• Types of sizing mills: stretch reducing, conventional.
• Die design and wear.
• Straightening principles: roll straightening, press straightening.
• Dimensional tolerances and ovality control.
• Defects: over-sizing, under-sizing, bowing.
• Practical: measuring tube dimensions after sizing.
• Adjusting straightening rolls.

Objectives:
• Explain the principles of common NDT methods.
• Describe the application of eddy current and ultrasonic testing.
• Interpret basic NDT results.
• Understand the importance of NDT in quality assurance.

Topics:
• Overview of NDT: visual, eddy current, ultrasonic, magnetic particle.
• Eddy current testing: principles, probes, calibration.
• Ultrasonic testing: longitudinal waves, shear waves, flaw detection.
• Practical: operating eddy current and ultrasonic equipment.
• Defect sizing and location.
• Standards for NDT acceptance criteria.
• Limitations of each method.
• Reporting NDT results.

Objectives:
• Describe destructive testing methods for tubes and pipes.
• Perform a tensile test and interpret the results.
• Explain the importance of mechanical properties in product performance.
• Conduct a flattening and flaring test.

Topics:
• Tensile testing: specimen preparation, yield strength, elongation.
• Flattening test: procedure, acceptance criteria.
• Flaring test: ductility assessment.
• Hardness testing: Rockwell, Brinell, Vickers.
• Practical: conducting tensile, flattening, and flaring tests.
• Bend testing.
• Impact testing (Charpy).
• Correlation between mechanical properties and material specifications.

Objectives:
• Develop a quality control plan for tube and pipe production.
• Identify critical control points in the manufacturing process.
• Perform in-process inspections.
• Document and report non-conformances.

Topics:
• Quality management systems: ISO 9001, ISO 3834.
• Control plans and inspection checklists.
• In-process inspection: visual, dimensional, NDT.
• Statistical process control (SPC) basics.
• Practical: measuring and recording data.
• Non-conformance reporting and corrective actions.
• Traceability and record keeping.
• Calibration of measuring instruments.

Objectives:
• Describe cutting methods for tubes and pipes.
• Explain end finishing processes: beveling, threading.
• Identify surface treatment options.
• Perform basic cutting and end finishing operations.

Topics:
• Cutting methods: sawing, abrasive cutting, plasma cutting.
• End finishing: beveling, chamfering, threading.
• Surface treatment: pickling, galvanising, coating.
• Practical: operating a saw and beveling machine.
• Threading: dies and tolerances.
• Inspection of cut ends and surface quality.
• Safety during cutting and finishing.
• Environmental considerations for surface treatment.

Objectives:
• Explain the purpose of a Welding Procedure Specification.
• Describe the components of a WPS.
• Understand the welding procedure qualification process.
• Interpret a WPS for tube and pipe welding.

Topics:
• WPS content: parameters, materials, joint design.
• Welding Procedure Qualification Record (WPQR).
• Variables: essential, non-essential, supplementary.
• Practical: reviewing sample WPS and WPQR.
• Qualification testing: tensile, bend, macro.
• Welder performance qualification.
• Importance of WPS in production.
• Compliance with standards (ASME, AWS, SANS).

Objectives:
• Identify common defects in welded tube and pipe.
• Analyse root causes of defects.
• Implement corrective actions.
• Prevent recurrence through process adjustments.

Topics:
• Defect classification: surface, dimensional, weld.
• Root cause analysis tools: fishbone, 5 whys.
• Case studies: weld line defects, ovality, surface scratches.
• Practical: troubleshooting simulated defects.
• Adjusting welding parameters to correct defects.
• Roll alignment and tooling wear.
• Material-related issues: inclusions, laminations.
• Documentation of troubleshooting steps.

Objectives:
• Describe automation systems in tube and pipe mills.
• Explain the role of sensors and feedback control.
• Understand programmable logic controllers (PLCs) basics.
• Monitor and adjust process parameters using automation.

Topics:
• Automation levels: manual, semi-automatic, fully automatic.
• Sensors: temperature, speed, position, dimension.
• PLC programming basics: ladder logic.
• Human-machine interface (HMI).
• Practical: interacting with a mill control system.
• Closed-loop control for welding and sizing.
• Data acquisition and logging.
• Maintenance of automation components.

Objectives:
• Develop a preventive maintenance schedule.
• Identify common tooling wear patterns.
• Explain tooling maintenance procedures.
• Manage tooling inventory and life cycle.

Topics:
• Preventive maintenance: daily, weekly, monthly tasks.
• Tooling inspection: rolls, dies, welding contacts.
• Tooling materials and coatings.
• Practical: inspecting and measuring tooling.
• Tooling storage and handling.
• Tooling life cycle: monitoring usage, refurbishment, replacement.
• Maintenance records and planning.
• Safety during maintenance activities.

Objectives:
• Identify environmental regulations affecting tube and pipe production.
• Implement waste management practices.
• Conduct a safety risk assessment.
• Develop a safety checklist for daily operations.

Topics:
• Environmental legislation: NEMA, air quality, water use.
• Waste management: scrap metal, cutting fluids, coatings.
• Spill response and containment.
• Practical: conducting a risk assessment.
• Safety checklists for specific tasks.
• Lockout/tagout procedures.
• Personal protective equipment (PPE) review.
• Emergency response plans.

Objectives:
• Develop a production schedule based on orders and capacity.
• Calculate material requirements.
• Monitor production throughput and efficiency.
• Adjust schedules to meet deadlines.

Topics:
• Production planning: order processing, lead times.
• Material requirements planning (MRP).
• Practical: creating a production schedule.
• Capacity planning: machine and labour.
• Production monitoring: downtime, speed, yield.
• Efficiency metrics: OEE, scrap rate.
• Corrective actions for delays.
• Communication with other departments.

Objectives:
• Interpret customer specifications and standards.
• Perform product testing to meet specifications.
• Document test results and certifications.
• Handle customer complaints and non-conformances.

Topics:
• Common customer specifications: ASTM, API, EN.
• Reading and interpreting specification requirements.
• Practical: testing a product against a specification.
• Mill test certificates and traceability.
• Handling customer complaints: root cause, corrective action.
• Continuous improvement from feedback.
• Communication with customers.
• Regulatory compliance for export.

Objectives:
• Apply all knowledge and skills to produce a tube or pipe.
• Work in teams to set up and run the production line.
• Monitor quality throughout the process.
• Produce a final product meeting specifications.

Topics:
• Project briefing: material, dimensions, specifications.
• Team roles and responsibilities.
• Setting up the forming, welding, and sizing line.
• Running production: monitoring parameters.
• In-process inspections and adjustments.
• Final product testing: dimensional, NDT, mechanical.
• Troubleshooting any issues.
• Project debrief and lessons learned.

Objectives:
• Complete the summative assessment for Unit Standard 119058.
• Demonstrate competence in all learning outcomes.
• Review key concepts and address gaps.
• Receive feedback and certification information.

Topics:
• Written assessment covering theory.
• Practical assessment: set up, weld, inspect.
• Oral questioning on process understanding.
• Portfolio of evidence review.
• Course evaluation and feedback.
• Certification process and next steps.
• Career pathways in tube and pipe manufacturing.
• Closing remarks and distribution of certificates.