EFD Induction supplies weldac and sinac seam normalizing system

EFD Induction has been awarded a large order for tube welding and seam annealing equipment by Zekelman Industries, for what will become the world’s largest ERW tube mill. Zekelman Industries, North America’s largest independent manufacturer of hollow structural sections (HSS) and steel pipe, has chosen EFD Induction to supply induction heating equipment at their new Atlas Tube operating facility in Blythville, Arkansas USA. The equipment for producing hollow steel section pipe for the construction industry is to be installed at the new $150 million Atlas Tube factory, which when completed in September 2021 will be the largest continuous ERW tube mill in the world.

The order consists of one 2.000 kW Weldac for longitudinal seam welding, along with ve weld seam annealer stations powered by two 1.000 kW and two 800 kW Sinac heat generators, as well as one 800 kW Sinac with a traversing gantry solution to help minimize scrap. At the customer’s request, EFD Induction assisted in the development of the seam normalizing process by recommending equipment and process parameters for seam normalizing.

The induction equipment will be used to produce 28 inch (711 mm) diameter pipe with up to one inch (25 mm) wall thickness, which will be the world’s largest diameter high- frequency welded pipe. Some of the round products will be formed to structural beams. While the customer have supplied large HHS for many years already, the new mill will allow the full range of these products to be made in the USA for the  rst time—and with a larger maximum wall thickness than previously.

Atlas Tube has used equipment from EFD Induction since 1996, and the Zekelman Group operates a total of 15 Weldacs. They chose to invest in yet another Weldac for their new tube 3mill based on their own experience with the reliability of these high-output solid-state welders, as well as EFD Induction’s brand of customer service.