Semi-automated TIG setup for welding tubing

[TheArmoury]

I am a C2 firearm manufacturer and part of our business is suppressors. Several of our high pressure models are sealed units because of the tremendous pressure they see on rifle caliber applications. They are all fusion TIG'd. While I'm an FAA-certified weldor and our cans look great, I would like a more controlled weld around the tube and would like to incorporate some rudimentary automation to perform this task.

My idea is to incorporate a extra rotary table and lathe chuck along with a mount for my Syncrowave 250 with a pencil torch. I would like to add some form of speed controlled motor (stepper?) to automatically turn the table for the circumferential welds. I'd like to have the motor activate off of the welder's remote (should be easily tripped through a relay). That way I can clamp a tube in the chuck with the torch a set distance and just activate the remote (the pedal would be fine) so the workpiece would turn at a preset speed and be fused. A "poor man's robotic weldor" if you will...

I've got the chuck, rotary table, TIG, and a full machineshop
to build what I need, and a good idea of how to do it. But I haven't gotten a motor or a drive system. I'm curious if anyone on here has done something similar and what they used. Any feedback would be helpful. Thanks!
J. Burnett
Armoury Guns/ARMTAC

[johnohara]

These guys may be able to help you.

Plasma Welding | Process Welding System Inc. | Laser Welding | Welding Lathe | Tig Welding | Laser Welding Systems | Plasma Welding Systems

Their videos show something similar to what you are describing.

I'm not affiliated with them.

~John

[underthetire]

I'll bet my dad would sell his setup. He had something like that making strain gauges in the garage. Still has it all, but the TIG is mine, you can't have it

[h0tr0d]

I have a pretty simple setup to do circular welds with my laser welder. Just a stepper, easy driver, and an arduino that uses a start stop button for the rotation.

The setup: http://i.imgur.com/gIOcT.jpg
Electronics: http://i.imgur.com/qDpyb.jpg

For my TIG welding, I've been using a 3 axis mill type setup with mach3 for control. I isolated the workpiece from the cnc gear because I blew 2 drivers when the TIG arcs. I also replaced all the wiring runs with shielded wiring.

Here's a bead I ran with the TIG shown with a dime for scale:
http://i.imgur.com/2m7d3.jpg

And here's a video of it in action:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-0vjwVWhfQ]CNC Tig Weld Test - YouTube

-Pat