How to bevel a pipe? How to Choose the Right Beveling Method?

There are several pipe end preparation methods for welding. In this article, the types and pros, and cons of pipe beveling machines will be discussed.

How to Bevel a Pipe?

There are various ways to bevel a pipe. Using portable or stationary beveling machines, doing it by a hand grinder, or by a plasma or torch cutter.

The hand grinding method of pipe beveling is the cheapest and the most dangerous method compared to using a pipe beveling machine. It is time-consuming, and a skilled operator is required to perform a bevel on a pipe by a hand grinder. Moreover, it is nearly impossible to keep the bevel quality the same for each pipe operation while creating a lot of mess.

Using a torch or plasma cutter is another type of pipe end preparation machine. It provides faster results compared to a hand grinder, however; it also has some drawbacks. The flat land at the end of the pipe needs to be prepared by hand, which is not a safe process. Yet again, the command produced will be inconsistent.

Also, this pipe beveling method cannot be used on all materials, which would affect your flexibility in production.

A portable beveling machine comes in different configurations and is notably safer than the previous two methods. The biggest advantage of these portable machines is that they are portable so it's time-efficient since the user can take the machine to the pipe. They are convenient to use for maintenance work, or on a construction site. However, they are inadequate to meet high production requirements.

Stationary beveling machines provide the most options and flexibility for pipe beveling. Almost all kinds of pipe bevel shapes can be created with different combinations of tools. They are designed to meet high production requirements in a safe working environment. Also, stationary pipe beveling machines are easy to integrate with automated production lines, so that the operator does not even have to be on the machine all the time. There are various benefits of stationary beveling machines such as; standard carbide cutting inserts are inexpensive to replace when needed, easy to set up and requires low maintenance, ensures the lowest cost and fastest cycle time per bevel, provides safe working environment without creating a mess, offers a broad range of machining options and can machine several pipe or tube materials, and does not require a skilled operator. Last but not least, stationary pipe beveling machines ensure constant pipe bevel quality that directly affects the quality of pipe welding.

Drawbacks of the Beveling Methods

Hand Grinding: Potential safety hazard, fire hazard, creates a lot of mess, time-consuming, inconsistent bevel quality, expensive grinding wheels, cannot process J-bevels or special shapes.

Toch or Plasma Cutter: Fire hazard, requires touch-ups, creates a lot of mess, cannot operate on all materials, requires oxygen or dry compressed air, cannot process J-bevels or special shapes.

Portable Beveling Machine: Potential electrical cord hazard, possible guarding issues, needs a chip container, expensive custom ground tooling, time-consuming.

Stationary Beveling Machine: Not suitable for on-site machining as it requires stability, relatively higher investment cost.

How to Choose the Right Beveling Method?

Multiple factors need to be considered before choosing the right method for pipe beveling. The following questions would make this decision easier for you:

Is it possible to bring the tube or pipe to the machinery?

Is the portability/mobility of the machine a must?

What are the specifications and required quality of the bevel?

How much time is obtainable per pipe or command?

What is the skill level required to operate the beveling machine?

However, safety always comes first. No matter what the requirements are, assessing all the potential safety hazards on-site is the prior step to deciding on the right method.

What we offer

Copier machinery is specialized in stationary pipe beveling machines and offers a variety of pipe end preparation machines with more than 20 years of experience within the industry. We are designing, engineering, and manufacturing three different types of stationary pipe beveling machines: Beaver S (with manual and automatic options), Beaver CB (for pipe beveling and cutting, CNC controlled), Beaver CNC, and RTL Series (the most accurate and flexible machining options).

Do you need the advice to select the best pipe beveling method for your business? Do not hesitate to contact us, we will be happy to share our knowledge, and find the best possible solution for you.