Automatic Seam Welding Machines Gain Traction, Driving Tank Manufacturers Toward Automation, Intelligence, and Mass Production

With the development of the times, the global demand for small and medium-sized storage tanks in industries such as chemical, food, pharmaceutical, and energy is continuously increasing. Now, more and more manufacturers are starting to use a combination of longitudinal/circular automatic seam welding machines and welding rotators/positioners to replace manual welding.

According to the latest analysis by"Welding & Cutting Today" magazine, in the first half of 2026, the procurement volume of automatic seam welding machines suitable for pressure vessels with a length of less than 8 meters and a diameter of less than 5 meters increased by more than 35% year-on-year. This is due to several reasons, including a shortage of skilled welders, stricter weld quality requirements, and the need to further reduce production costs.

Now, longitudinal/circular seam welding machines or column&boom welding manipulators can be perfectly matched with welding rotators to efficiently process cylinders with a dia of less than 5m. Various welding processes such as GTAW/TIG, PAW, SAW, and MIG/MAG can be used. Such automatic welding systems can achieve high weld consistency, ultra-small deformation, and faster welding speed. Compared with manual welding, this can shorten production time and cost by more than 60%.

Among these, one particularly noteworthy technical feature is single-sided welding with double-sided forming, which is commonly seen in PAW or GTAW/TIG processes. This technology allows for one-shot penetration, eliminating the hassle of double-sided welding and the need for root cleaning on the back of the weld. This not only increases production capacity but also reduces grinding and post-weld processing.

For tank manufacturers that rely on manual welding, the entry cost of an automated welding system has now dropped significantly. PholarWeld customizes exclusive technical solutions based on the specific circumstances of each manufacturer, providing a one-stop solution for the needs of rapid mass production, and offers highly competitive export pricing, enabling factories with limited funds to achieve automation.

Welding industry experts predict that by 2028, more than 60% of new storage tank manufacturers will use some form of automated seam welding machine to produce storage tanks. For companies that want to remain competitive, the sooner they achieve automation, the sooner they will have faster delivery times, higher weld quality, and lower production costs.