Underwater welding

Did you know that welding can be of different types? As per classification, it can be wet welding, dry welding, cold welding, friction welding, ultrasonic welding, seam welding, and orbital welding. Wet and dry welding methods are parts of underwater welding techniques. 

However, sometimes people use underwater welding and wet welding to mean the same thing. In underwater welding, a diver has to do a welding job in deep water, where the atmospheric pressure tends to remain unusually higher. Since this method happens underwater, everyone refers to it as underwater welding. It is quite a low-price solution, though.

Some of the areas where it witnesses wide application include:
  • Ship hulls
  • Bridge and piers
  • Dams
  • Anode change
  • Power stations
  • Hydro stations
  • Water storage reservoirs
  • Pipelines
  • And, several other underwater constructions

Understanding wet welding

As hinted above, this process happens in the deep water. You can compare this method with metal arc welding. It differs from the other in the areas of the use of equipment and materials. In wet welding, you usually need an insulated electrode, a fully insulated stinger, and a welding machine. 

A control team manages the device above water. There has to be proper communication between the teams working topside and underwater. The welders do the joining work inside, while the other side takes care of the supply of the electrical current outside the water. There are many advantages to this process. Let's have a quick look through them.
  • This process is well-known for its cost-effectiveness and speedy outcomes
  • It doesn’t need any chamber construction for the task
  • The joints tend to be incredibly tensile
  • A diver can reach even the most inaccessible portions with ease due to advanced technologies
However, you must know that underwater welding isn’t immune to certain occupational risks or accidents. There can be the risk of electric shock to diver because of the exposure to water and certain elements. Or, at the time of dealing with the force of the water, the diver can lose his balance, or the equipment can get tangled. 

Then, there can be other challenges, too, such as decompression sickness, poor visibility, and poor-quality weld due to the issue of bubbling and so on.

Hence, you need to make sure that you give this job to a certified and licensed underwater welding company only. The one which has proper training is well aware of all the risks and challenges. It also understands the nature of the job accurately. That's why it will take up a responsibility only after assessing all the factors, such as cost and duration of the project, the level of skill required for a particular task, safety risks, and place and depth of the project site where the work has to be done.

Underwater welding is one of the quickest and affordable welding solutions that you might want for your project. So, if you need any help with this, don't hesitate to reach out to the right professionals.