Forging a large flange in China - video

[Frank S]

Tell him to cut a couple slices of a potato to place over his eyes then rub Vics under his eyes but don't get any in them be in bed when he does this it will hurt like the dickens any he may even prey for death, but the next morning unless he had a really bad case of arc eye they will almost be back to normal.
When I was really young I helped the blacksmiths son on 24 " pipe job William was running 3/16" P rod (6010) and I ran the bead grinder between rods I would watch from behind him and as soon as he began to pull away I brushed the weld by the end of the day my eyes felt like I had sand in them and by that night that had become gravel. William knew I was getting arc eye long before I knew it, he told me his cure He dropped me off at home and reminded me to treat my eyes or they would still be hurting a week from then. I showed up for work the next morning wearing shades but my eyes hardly hurt at all.

[NortonDommi]

Thanks Frank. I had my fair share of flash but fortunately never sever. Never heard of using potatoes but I'll pass it on, right now I think he is ready to try anything.
I take it the Vicks is to encourage watering.

[Metalmuncher]

I have yet to see the robot that can do a tight quarters 6G weld inside of a 30000 gallon tank with only a 16x 20 manhole for entry or exit
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I have a feeling that doing the job with robotic welders might mean re-designing the way the tank is assembled. One concept I stand strongly behind is that just because "that's the way it's always been done" is no reason for not attempting to find a better way. Many ways to skin a cat, to which concept this entire forum is a massive tribute!

Just like how in Vietnam they sent men blindly into "spider holes" to seek out the guerrillas. Now we use remote controlled robotics. Always room for improvement and better safety.

[Frank S]

The thing your friend should have done when he first became aware of a severe flash burn was to seek medical attention. But apparently he hasn't, so yes the mentholated vapors will put the tear ducts in overdrive the tears are the purest saline known the saline
When a persons eyes are flash burned that is exactly what they are burned just like a really bad sunburn the top layers of skin on the eyes have been literally cooked by the UV rays.only the eyes have very thin skin membrane and even more sensitive nerve endings.The eyes shed a layer of skin every 7 to 10 days just like the rest of our body does. The medicated vapors of the vics combines with the flow of tears to do a couple of things #1 this washes away the dead skin #2 it helps the tears promote healing. the Irish potato slices absorb some of the initial vapors which prolong their effectiveness throughout the night while blocking the harsh dry air from reaching the eyes helping to prevent further irritation.
Now for the clincher I am not a licensed ophthalmologist this is a home remedy handed down to me around 50 years ago that I have personally used on a few occasions. my eyes are super touch sensitive. I can't stand having a DR. hold them open and use one of those pressure probes on them even after he has applied a desensitizer solution to them. if your friend still experiences pain after 2 or 3 days he may have done more permanent damage to his eyes.

[Frank S]

I have a feeling that doing the job with robotic welders might mean re-designing the way the tank is assembled. One concept I stand strongly behind is that just because "that's the way it's always been done" is no reason for not attempting to find a better way. Many ways to skin a cat, to which concept this entire forum is a massive tribute!

Just like how in Vietnam they sent men blindly into "spider holes" to seek out the guerrillas. Now we use remote controlled robotics. Always room for improvement and better safety.

While I will freely admit the introduction and advancement of robotics has greatly reduced many hazardous environments us mere humans were never intended to work in by design. Plus as robotics advance into the realm of AI we have already been handed the 3 laws of robotics by acclaimed authors to use as a guide in their advancement. Their are at least a few things I hope never to see in the robotic world. For instance I wouldn't want one of my grand daughters to marry one, but who knows that could even be a possibility one day a few generations from now.
Had the invention of auto darkening welding helmets been around 40 years ago I would have been a poster child for them I bought my first one in 1994 I paid over $500.00 for itthe Brand was Speed glass made in Sweden it lasted nearly 10 years, probably would have lasted much longer had I not allowed trainees to use it. Now anyone with a spare $80.00 can get one that will work a few years. I now have a Chicago Electric that I have been using for 4 years and unlike my first one I don't have to change a battery in it but there are far better ones on the market

[Jon]

Couldn't resist - millennial robotic job replacement meme:



A nice example of the Roll Safe meme.

[Jon]

[Big Sexy]

I don’t know a lot about forging, but it sure looked like the steel was cooling down way too much at times to be beating on. Wouldn’t that cause serious cracks and failures?

[Frank S]

I don’t know a lot about forging, but it sure looked like the steel was cooling down way too much at times to be beating on. Wouldn’t that cause serious cracks and failures?

The short answer would be no. As the forging member becomes cooler during the process nearing the end of shaping the outer surfaces are not moving nearly as much this is true but with each successive hammer strike the inner core is being compacted even more making it tougher and less prone to cracking. This is of course as long as the outer surfaces do not fall below critical temps.
The trick is to move as much metal as possible with as few reheats as possible the more reheats the more carbon and other elements are lost it is possible to also get the steel too hot and change the properties altogether.
Knife makers who make those beautiful multilayered knives often called Damascus or birds eye know all too well about critical temps. especially the artisans who achieve those 500 to 1000 layers. There is a narrow heat range between too hot for the pieces to hammer weld together and too cool for a good bond. many of the metals they use they need to properties to be altered in the forging process though.
What I liked about this video though was while it looked like some of the guys just stood around most of the time the each had their job an preformed it at the right time every time.