Forging a large flange in China - video

[Jon]

Forging a large flange in China:

Previously:

Forging titanium - GIF and video
Forging crankshafts GIF
Freehand forging a corkscrew GIF
Forging a crown wheel - GIF and video

[Frank S]

Their teamwork was a well practiced choreograph

[Metalmuncher]

Very cool! But no ear protection?......yikes! I like their "drive-in" blast furnace.

[Frank S]

THey all have face shields so probably wearing ear plugs.
Over in Kuwait it took me a while to get the Indian guys to even wear helmets while welding as long as they were welding with 2 mm 6013 they would only wear dark sunglasses and sometimes not even those but when I introduced them to 4mm 7018 that put a stop to not wearing a helmet and when one of them tried my 650 amp Hobart with 3/32 duel shield wire he wanted a #14 shade. funny how quickly they grabbed helmets when that monster fired up.

[Metalmuncher]

Glad they came to their senses. I've never been the victim of "weld flash" to the eyes, but I've known a few who have, and they said it was very painful.

[Frank S]

Painful is not the word I was one of 16 welding inside of a huge stainless milk possessing tank that was being built in a Minnesota cheese factory even wearing sock helmets that covered you entire head didn't keep you from getting flashed from time to time. we all carried a bottle of butte a very dangerous eye medicine that completely deadened the eyes just about had to be lead around by hand anytime we were outside of the tank. not welding.

[Metalmuncher]

Ugh! I wouldn't want that job! That's what we have robots for today!

[Frank S]

Ugh! I wouldn't want that job! That's what we have robots for today!

I have yet to see the robot that can do a tight quarters 6G weld inside of a 30000 gallon tank with only a 16x 20 manhole for entry or exit

[Metalmuncher]

I have yet to see the robot that can do a tight quarters 6G weld inside of a 30000 gallon tank with only a 16x 20 manhole for entry or exit

I have a feeling that doing the job with robotic welders might mean re-designing the way the tank is assembled. One concept I stand strongly behind is that just because "that's the way it's always been done" is no reason for not attempting to find a better way. Many ways to skin a cat, to which concept this entire forum is a massive tribute!

Just like how in Vietnam they sent men blindly into "spider holes" to seek out the guerrillas. Now we use remote controlled robotics. Always room for improvement and better safety.

[Frank S]

I have a feeling that doing the job with robotic welders might mean re-designing the way the tank is assembled. One concept I stand strongly behind is that just because "that's the way it's always been done" is no reason for not attempting to find a better way. Many ways to skin a cat, to which concept this entire forum is a massive tribute!

Just like how in Vietnam they sent men blindly into "spider holes" to seek out the guerrillas. Now we use remote controlled robotics. Always room for improvement and better safety.

While I will freely admit the introduction and advancement of robotics has greatly reduced many hazardous environments us mere humans were never intended to work in by design. Plus as robotics advance into the realm of AI we have already been handed the 3 laws of robotics by acclaimed authors to use as a guide in their advancement. Their are at least a few things I hope never to see in the robotic world. For instance I wouldn't want one of my grand daughters to marry one, but who knows that could even be a possibility one day a few generations from now.
Had the invention of auto darkening welding helmets been around 40 years ago I would have been a poster child for them I bought my first one in 1994 I paid over $500.00 for itthe Brand was Speed glass made in Sweden it lasted nearly 10 years, probably would have lasted much longer had I not allowed trainees to use it. Now anyone with a spare $80.00 can get one that will work a few years. I now have a Chicago Electric that I have been using for 4 years and unlike my first one I don't have to change a battery in it but there are far better ones on the market