Heated Tool Welding of Thick-Walled Components

In the field of apparatus engineering and pipeline construction wall thicknesses of 100 mm are processed and joined with heated tool butt welding. The welding procedure is regarded as well-understood. However, there are no systematic experimental investigations into the wall thicknesses above 30 mm published. The welding parameters for high wall thicknesses of PE (polyethylene) and PP (polypropylene) are extrapolated as it is given in the guidelines of DVS (Deutscher Verband für Schweißen und verwandte Verfahren e.V.). However, cases of damage to welded pipelines show that not enough understanding of the process management and the weld properties is available for the welding of large pipe dimensions. The present study investigates the welding behaviour of semi- finished products (plates and pipes) with wall thicknesses up to 100 mm. The mechanical properties are tested in short-term tests and in long-term tensile creep tests. The results relating to the fusion behaviour basically show a curved melt profile which influences the mechanical behaviour of the welded components. The tensile creep tests establish a tendency towards the premature failure of the peripheral regions