Innovative Clamp Reduces Distortion During Welding Process
In Booth B37070, Meridian Stainless, Inc. (Port Townsend, WA) will debut their Angle-Rite® Clamping System that will give welders a new tool to help reduce shrinkage distortion commonly caused during the welding process of tube or pipe. This system will also help save time in a project through its unique design that allows complete set-up, cutting, and welding to take place with the clamp attached so that the angle and rotation of tube or pipe are maintained throughout the entire process. Patented in the U.S. with foreign patents pending, the Angle-Rite Clamping System is the only one of its kind. Created out of necessity, founder and company president Tim Uecker designed the system to allow an entire project to be completed in an easily repeatable process without the need for a second set of hands.
“The time and materials lost due to the naturally occurring shrinkage distortion of metal after welding was frustrating,” noted Uecker, who has over 20 years of experience in stainless steel fabrication. “There was no standard repeatable solution available, so I created one.” The system consists of a primary clamp that pre-bends the intersected tube prior to welding. A secondary clamp holds the intersecting tube or pipe in a precise angle to be miter cut using the reciprocating saw attachment, or notched using the abrasive or hole saw notcher. Once cut, the secondary clamp holding its tube or pipe is rejoined with the primary clamp and its attached tube or pipe. The angle and rotational alignment of the tubes or pipes are retained throughout the entire process. By clamping the primary and intersecting tube or pipe in place, the welder can weld the joint without the need of a third hand. The primary clamps bending force compensates for weld stress distortion during the welding process.
During the show, Uecker will provide Q&A and demonstrate the ease of use for the clamping system. The clamp and clamping system will also be available for purchase-by-order at the show. When purchased, the Angle-Rite Clamping System consists of a primary and secondary clamp with die set. The accompanying die sets for the initial model are available for 7/8 in, 1 in, 1.25 in, and 1.5 in tube diameters and ¾ pipe and 1 in pipe sizes. Other clamp models will be available for larger and smaller tube and pipe sizes. Additional die sets, the miter notcher, and the abrasive notcher will be sold separately.
Meridian Stainless, Inc.,1924 Cape George Road, Port Townsend, WA 98368-9623, 360-379-0115, www.anglerite.com.
