CHATTANOOGA, TN AND SOUTH BEND, IN - Lock Joint Tube, a privately-owned member of the Lerman Enterprise network of related industry companies, manufactures mechanical and structural grade steel tubing in two South Bend, Indiana plants as well as in their Chattanooga, Tennessee plant. Lock Joint Tube services fabricators as well as original equipment manufacturers with different sized and shaped steel tubing used in such diverse industries as automotive, office furniture, health care, exercise and display fixtures, to name a few.
For many years, LJT has been using Saar-Hartmetall ID- and OD-scarfing equipment at all of their plants.
In an effort to minimize labor costs related to removing the ID-scarf from the inside of the tube, LJT implemented recently ID-notching mandrels for all tube sizes. The specially designed carbide roll notches the weld seam. When the ID-cutting ring tool removes the weld seam the scarf breaks it into small chips allowing an effortless removal of the scarf at the tube blow-out washing station. Michael Donnelly, VP Engineering & Facilities, estimates that the implementation of the new equipment will "significantly"
