A system and method provide gasless, mechanized, field welding of an exterior of a tubular structure such as a pipeline, without the need for an enclosure. An embodiment consolidates some of the welding equipment on a skid for ease of transport to and from a remote worksite. The gasless weld may be achieved despite the presence of wind, by precisely controlling an arc voltage as disclosed. The footprint and weight of the system may be minimized, along with the associated labor, expense, and environmental impact otherwise incurred by conventional welding techniques using enclosures.

A pipe clamp apparatus and method consists of a pressure block and a pipe wrap connected with the pressure block. A pressure applicator is connected with the pressure block and a pipe alignment guide is connected with the pressure applicator where the pipe alignment guide is configured to receive two separate pipes.

A pipe alignment tool for aligning a pair of pipes is disclosed. The tool includes an anchor member configured to abut the pair of pipes and a spindle coupled to the anchor member. The tool further includes a block in threaded engagement with the spindle and adapted to move axially along an axis of the spindle in response to a rotation of the spindle about the axis. The block includes a first retention structure and a second retention structure. Furthermore, the tool includes a flexible member for supporting the pair of pipes and adapted to be disposed around the pair of pipes and engaged with the first retention structure and the second retention structure. The flexible member is tightened about the pipes upon the rotation of the spindle in a first direction, wherein the tightening of the flexible member facilitates the alignment of the pair of pipes.

An orbital welder for welding together two pipes to be welded. The welder includes a fall brake for preventing a freefall of the welder. The welder includes a spatter shield for preventing dust from entering the outer housing and fowling sensitive machine components. The welder includes a torch assembly with manual adjustments. The welder includes an automatic lead/lag adjustment and control of that adjustment during a welding operation to automatically transition from a first weld zone to a second weld zone.

An apparatus for aligning sections of pipe includes a first clamp member and a second clamp member coupled with the first clamp member. The first and second clamp members each include a first clamp jaw and a second clamp jaw longitudinally spaced from the first clamp jaw. Each one of a first plurality of turnbuckle assemblies is coupled with each one of the first and second clamp jaws of the first clamp member, and each one of a second plurality of turnbuckle assemblies is coupled with each one of the first and second clamp jaws of the second clamp member. An assembly made from a kit of components is also disclosed. The kit includes an apparatus for aligning sections of pipe, and a plurality of shoe inserts. The assembly includes the apparatus and at least two of the shoe inserts coupled with the apparatus.

An alignment tool for positioning and aligning the adjacent ends of pipes in optimum desired relation for joining the tubular sections by welding. The alignment tool comprises a first and second annularly shaped clamping rings and a plurality of swivel assemblies connecting and circumferentially spaced about the first and second clamping rings, wherein the swivel assemblies adjust the distance between the first and second clamping rings and adjust the first and second clamping rings transversely and axially with respect to each other. Each swivel assembly comprises a first swivel portion connected to the first clamping ring, a second swivel portion connected to the second clamping ring, and a threaded bolt extending through the first swivel portion and the second swivel portion. The first swivel portion comprises an axel alignment swivel including a longitudinal shaft with a first partial spherical portion at its center, wherein the first partial spherical portion is retained within a bore extending through the first clamping ring. The second swivel portion comprises a second partial spherical portion that is retained within a bore extending through the second clamping ring.

A system for carrying out operations along an annular junction portion of a pipeline is provided with: a frame comprising a C-shaped structure, which is configured to be selectively clamped about a pipeline extending along a longitudinal axis and near an annular junction portion, and at least one driving device arranged along an arc of an annular path and coupled to the structure; a support arm configured to rest on the pipeline and connected to the structure for maintaining the laying plane of the driving device substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis; a carriage slideably coupled to the driving device; and at least one operating device configured to carry out operations along the annular junction portion and cantilever supported by said annular segment.

The assembly and welding mill for production of pipes includes a tubular billet feed device with a roller table having a longitudinal axis and passing through the assembly and welding stand with radial hold-down roller beams intended for reduction of a tubular billet that travels along the roller table and a longitudinally oriented guide knife, a carriage with rollers enabling rotation of the rollers on the inner surface of the tubular billet being moved through the assembly and welding stand. On the supporting elements of assembly and welding stand there is a laser welding head or a laser-arc hybrid welding head that can travel in transverse and vertical directions and around longitudinal axis. The carriage is rigidly connected with the supporting elements of the assembly and welding stand through a vertically oriented and longitudinally directed connecting knife. The guide knife is intended for tubular billet positioning through opening of edges at 12 o'clock position and is mounted on the supporting elements of the assembly and welding stand configured to enable vertical travel and fixation. On the carriage, there is a hold-down roller facing upwards that can travel in vertical direction to act on the edges of tubular billet from the inner side, while one of the roller beams is installed vertically that can act on the tubular billet edges from the outer side. Technical result: application of a root weld with laser technologies with guaranteed alignment of tubular billet edges regardless of size.

A method of manufacturing a cylindrical cargo container includes: providing a plurality of rigid panels together formable into a cylindrical shell; forming a first semi-cylindrical shell from a first set of the panels; forming a second semi-cylindrical shell from a second set of the panels; forming the cylindrical shell from the first semi-cylindrical shell and the second semi-cylindrical shell; forming a collar conformably encircling the cylindrical shell; constricting the collar to compress joints formed at abutting edges of pairs of adjacent panels; rolling the cylindrical shell and collar to bring respective joints of pairs of panels to a lower position, and welding an inside seam of the joint when at the lower position; removing the collar from the cylindrical shell; and rolling the cylindrical shell to bring respective joints of pairs of panels to an upper position, and welding an outside of the joint when at the upper position.

In one aspect, a pipe machining system is provided and includes a positioning apparatus, a pipe machining apparatus, and an adjustment member coupled to the positioning apparatus and a pipe machining apparatus. The adjustment member is configured to move the pipe machining apparatus relative to the positioning apparatus. In one aspect, the pipe machining system also includes a position tracking apparatus configured to identify a position of the pipe machining apparatus relative to a pipe on which the system is mounted.