System, method and apparatus for manufacturing boiler tubes

A method for manufacturing boiler tubes, comprising the steps of:

• removing end caps from a plurality of tubes, the plurality of tubes including at least a first tube and a second tube;
• cleaning an outer surface of the first tube and the second tube;
• forming a weld preparation on an upstream end of the first tube;
• forming a weld preparation on a downstream end of the second tube;
• welding the upstream end of the first tube to the downstream end of the second tube to form a butt weld, to produce a long tube;
• after welding the first tube to the second tube, inspecting the butt weld for defects;
• if a defect is detected, reversing a first conveyor to move the first tube and the second tube to a repair station, cutting through the butt weld at the repair station, machining new weld preparations on the first tube and the second tube, reversing a second conveyor to move the first tube and the second tube back to a welding station and, at the welding station, butt welding the first tube to the second tube;
• and
• with an automated device, measuring a parameter of at least the first tube and the second tube;
• wherein the steps of removing the end caps, cleaning the outer surface of the tubes, forming the weld preparations, welding the first tube to the second tube and measuring the at least one parameter are performed autonomously and without storing offline between the steps.

A method for manufacturing boiler tubes, comprising the steps of:

• removing end caps from a plurality of tubes, the plurality of tubes including at least a first tube and a second tube, wherein removing the end caps includes, for each end cap, bringing a centering device into engagement with the end cap, extending a bisected blade from the centering device such that the bisected blade pierces the end cap and opposed blade portions of the blade bias away from one another, and retracting the blade into the centering device to pull the end cap from the tube;
• cleaning an outer surface of the first tube and the second tube;
• forming a weld preparation on an upstream end of the first tube;
• forming a weld preparation on a downstream end of the second tube;
• welding the upstream end of the first tube to the downstream end of the second tube to form a butt weld, to produce a long tube;
• with an automated device, measuring a parameter of at least the first tube and the second tube;
• wherein the steps of removing the end caps, cleaning the outer surface of the tubes, forming the weld preparations, welding the first tube to the second tube and measuring the at least one parameter are performed autonomously and without storing offline between the steps.