Heat Exchanger Manufacturer Triples Tube-to-Tubesheet Welding Efficiency

The Challenge

A Middle Eastern pressure-vessel fabricator struggled with tube-to-tubesheet welds on large shell-and-tube heat exchangers. Manual fillet welding was slow, physically demanding, and quality fluctuated toward the end of each shift. Hydrostatic test leaks on three consecutive units caused costly re-tubing and damaged the company's reputation with its clients.

The Solution

HYZONT installed its automatic tube-to-tubesheet welding system featuring orbital rotation, automatic wire feed and pre-programmed weld profiles for seal welds and strength welds in all positions. Changeover between tube sizes takes minutes, and the unit welds complete passes without operator intervention, delivering a uniform fillet on every tube.

Results

Daily weld output tripled, and the next five heat exchangers passed hydrostatic testing on the first attempt — a 100% record that had never been achieved with manual welding. Uniform, repeatable fillets eliminated porosity and lack-of-fusion rework, cutting defect-related costs by 70%.