Orbital Fabrications specialise in the welding and fabrication of high purity stainless steel and high nickel alloys. High nickel content alloys are used in a wide range of industries such as the aerospace and pharmaceutical manufacturing industry due to their unique properties, such as strength at low and high temperatures, resistance to corrosion and oxidisation.
We have a wide range of expertise in machining and welding of alloys with a high nickel content, such as Inconel, Hastelloy, Monel, Duplex, and Super Duplex. Our in-house machining and TIG welding departments are used to produce complex assemblies in stainless steel and high nickel content alloys. We also use automated orbital welding techniques alongside lathe and turntable TIG welding.
Inconel is known for being strong at very high temperatures. When put under high temperatures or pressure, Inconel is also resistant to deforming or creeping. Inconel is especially appropriate for the aerospace industry for use within jet engines. Inconel can also be utilised within exhaust systems and can be a more cost-effective solution than other high nickel content alloys.
Hastelloy as a high nickel content alloy has the property of being strongly resistant to corrosive chemicals and acids, for example sulphuric and hydrochloric acids. This means that Hastelloy can be used in situations where alloys, which are not as resistant, are not able to safely function. Additionally, Hastelloy is strong when subjected to high temperatures. As a result of these properties, Hastelloy is an appropriate high nickel content alloy to be utilised by the chemical processing and pharmaceutical industries.
Monel is a family of nickel-based alloys that are known for their excellent corrosion resistance and strength. The main advantages that Monel offers are high corrosion resistance to acids and alkalis, good ductility, ease of welding, brazing, and soldering, high mechanical strength, and availability in different forms like sheets, plates, rods, bars, pipes, and tubes.
Duplex gets its name due to its structure consisting of both austenite and ferrite phases in equal proportions. As an alloy, Duplex is extremely strong and highly resistant to corrosion, specifically to chloride stress fracturing. An advantage of a Duplex alloy is that it can be manufactured to be thinner while still maintaining its strength, meaning that it can be a cost-effective solution.
Super Duplex is similar to standard Duplex but with more nickel and chromium. They are both designed with around 25% chromium content in the alloy’s makeup. Super Duplex is more resistant to corrosive materials and acids than Duplex and both are ideal for applications such as valves and fasteners. When compared to other high-performance alloys like Hastelloy C-276 and Inconel 625, super duplex stainless steel tends to have a lower cost.
Welding and machining high nickel content alloys require specialised tools and skills. At Orbital Fabrications we can process and weld high nickel content alloys, such as Inconel, Hastelloy, Monel, Duplex, and Super Duplex.
First of all, we employ highly skilled and qualified staff to ensure machining and welding are at the highest quality standard. Our staff are well versed in the quality standards that we have at Orbital Fabrications.
Secondly, we use appropriate equipment to machine and manually or orbitally weld the alloys. We also run checks on our equipment to ensure they are running properly.
Thirdly, we ensure quality checks are conducted on all high nickel alloys by our Quality Control technicians along with Helium Leak testing, pressure testing etc. before shipping them out.
About Orbital Fabrications
Orbital Fabrications has over 35 years’ experience in orbital welding services and is an industry expert in stainless steel TIG welding, Hastelloy, Inconel & Monel welding and orbital tube welding. Our experienced team can weld tubing to fabricate components for the aerospace, pharmaceutical and oil and gas industries. We are committed to continuous investment in specialist equipment that enables us to manufacture high quality modules and complete system builds using stainless steel and high nickel alloys for one off fabrication, prototyping, and batch work through to continuous manufacturing volume production. Our engineering know-how and advanced manufacturing capabilities allow us to meet the ever-changing demands of the sectors we supply. Whether it’s a full turnkey project solution, or a one-off fabrication, Orbital can assist.
Our expert capabilities of performing on-site installations of high purity stainless steel pipework required for the semiconductor, pharmaceutical and chemical process industries make Orbital Fabrications your number one choice.
To see how we can help with your next project, whether that be in stainless steel or High nickel alloys, get in contact with our sales team via email – sales@orbitalfab.co.uk