Advance Tank and Construction Vertical Welding Buggy

Advance Tank and Construction (ATC) is an industrial construction company based out of Wellington, CO. They specialize in the design, fabrication, and erection of above ground storage, welded steel tanks, and other plate structures. ATC desired to improve their productivity by creating a reliable and robust method for welding vertical seams on their large industrial storage tanks. The company approached our senior design group with a project to design a new vertical seam welding buggy. A buggy is a cage structure that hangs off the side of the tank allowing a welder or laborer to perform a task. The previous buggy had difficulty accommodating the oscillating machine, track, and associated welding equipment necessary to weld a vertical seam. Previously, vertical seams were welded by hand, which is time consuming and can be unreliable. ATC provided us with a list of design parameters they wished to see in the new buggy design. Utilizing these design requirements, our team was able to design a new buggy that is reliable, safe, and easy to use. The buggy is large enough to incorporate all of the welding equipment required for the oscillating machine to complete a vertical seam weld and allow a proper amount of work room for the operator. Safety was considered heavily in the design and the structure contains many convenient safety features and abides by all OSHA and ATC safety regulations. The design of this new buggy drastically increases the efficiency and productivity of tank construction by ATC.