Process Monitoring of Weld Bead Removal in Heated Tool Welded Polyethylene Joints

The removal of the inner bead from welded PE pipes is a process step that has received little attention to date, yet is potentially critical. In applications such as sewer or cable protection pipes, complete removal is required. However, errors such as base material removal or notches may occur, which mechanically weaken the weld seam. In practice, peeling is usually carried out manually, meaning that the operator influences the quality. Automated peeling tests were carried out at Chemnitz University of Technology and the peeling force was recorded as a process parameter. The aim was to investigate the relationships between peeling force, peeling-induced irregularities and welding-related influences. The results show that the peeling force is suitable for evaluating the peeling process and offers potential for non-destructive quality control in the context of process automation.