Tool support and guide system for repair of boiler tube panels and process for carrying out repair using same

A process for preparing the ends of a panel of tubes connected by membranes and cut along a straight line for welding thereto of a mating assembly of a panel of tubes and connecting membranes comprising:

• mounting a first guide rail on the panel of cut tubes adjacent the tube ends and extending parallel to the cut lines;
• mounting a first tool support carriage on the first rail using guide rollers engaging a guide roller profile on the first rail so that the first carriage can freely roll along the first rail parallel to the cut tube ends;
• mounting a second guide rail on the first carriage so that the second rail extends perpendicular to the first rail and perpendicular to the tube panel, the second rail being provided with a guide roller receiving profile corresponding to the guide roller receiving profile of the first rail;
• mounting a saw supporting carriage including guide rollers on the second rail for movement therealong, with the guide rollers engaging the guide roller receiving profile of the second rail in cooperative relationship;
• mounting a saw assembly including a saw tool on the saw support carriage in a manner such that the saw tool is movable towards and away from a membrane connecting a pair of panel tubes after the saw tool is aligned with such membrance;
• cutting and manipulating the membranes between panel tubes sequentially to expose the tube ends to receive an end preparation tool;
• removing the saw assembly support carriage and the saw assembly from the second rail;
• mounting an end preparation tool support carriage including guide rollers on the second rail for movement therealong with the respective guide rollers engaging the guide roller receiving profile of the second rail cooperating relationship;
• mounting an end preparation tool including an end preparing cutter tool on the end preparation tool support carriage in such a manner that the end preparation cutting tool is movable towards and away from a tube end to be prepared for welding after the end preparation tool is aligned with such tube end;
• machining the cut tube ends sequential to prepare them for welding to mating tube ends by sequentially aligning the end preparation tool with each tube end by manipulating the first tool support carriage along the first guide rail and the end preparation tool support carriage along the second guide rail until each desired alignment is achieved.