Chicago Industries That Rely on TIG Welding
Chicagoland is one of the largest food and manufacturing regions in the U.S. These industries need clean, precise stainless welds.
Food and Beverage
Chicago is one of the largest food processing centers in the country, from meat and candy to beverages and brewing.
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Pharmaceutical and Medical
Pharmaceutical and device makers in Lake County and the north and west suburbs.
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Refining and Chemicals
Refineries and chemical plants south and southwest of the city, including the Joliet area.
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Machinery and Equipment
Machine builders and equipment makers across one of the largest manufacturing bases in the Midwest.
View page →Food and Beverage Processing Welding for Chicago Plants
Chicago has been a food processing hub since the days of the Union Stock Yards. Today the metro area runs meat, dairy, bakery, candy, snack and beverage plants from the South Side to the western suburbs.
Those lines need welds that a CIP cycle can clean and an auditor can sign off. See our food and beverage processing page and our sanitary tube welding service.
3-A Sanitary Standards
3-A standards set design rules for dairy and food equipment. Product-contact surfaces are commonly finished to 32 Ra µin or smoother, with welds ground flush and free of pits and crevices. Read FDA and 3-A sanitary standards for TIG welding.
FDA Food Equipment Rules
The FDA does not certify welders. Its food safety rules require equipment that can be cleaned and does not corrode or contaminate food. Smooth, fully fused welds help plants meet that.
Back Purge to Prevent Sugaring
Without argon inside the tube, the root oxidizes into a rough, gray crust. That crust traps bacteria and rusts. See preventing sugaring in stainless tube welding.
Passivation and Polishing
After welding, stainless can be cleaned, polished and passivated to restore its chromium oxide layer.
The Chicago River runs through the heart of one of the country's largest manufacturing metro areas.
Sanitary Stainless Materials and Fittings
Most product-contact tube in food plants is 304L or 316L. Acid, brine and chloride cleaners push many lines to 316L.
ER316L Filler for 316L Tube
ER316L matches 316L and keeps its molybdenum for chloride resistance. Many thin-wall sanitary welds are fused with no filler at all. Compare fillers in ER308L vs. ER316L.
Orbital and Manual TIG
Orbital welding gives very repeatable tube welds on long runs.
Weld Inspection
Sanitary welds are checked inside and out.
Common Sanitary Welding Jobs in Chicago Plants
These are the stainless jobs Chicago food and beverage plants most often send out. See sanitary tube welding.
- Clean-in-place supply and return loops
- Product transfer lines and manifolds
- Tank nozzles, sprayball lines, and manway frames
- Hoppers, chutes, and conveyor frames
- Line changes for new products or new equipment
Chicago is the busiest rail hub in North America, which keeps freight moving to and from its plants.
Shipping Sanitary Tube Assemblies to Chicago
Sanitary spools can be built in a shop far from the plant if they are measured, packed, and timed right.
About 925 Miles by Road
Dallas to Chicago is roughly 925 miles, mostly on I-44 and I-55, so plan freight time into the schedule.
Protect Polished Surfaces
Tube ends are capped and assemblies bagged so polished product-contact surfaces arrive clean and unscratched.
Time It to the Shutdown
Spools should arrive before the outage starts, with time for receiving inspection.
Send Records First
Borescope images, weld logs, and material certs can be sent ahead so your QA team reviews them before the parts arrive.
How to Get a TIG Welding Quote From Chicago
Quoting works the same whether your plant is across town or across the country. Use the steps below, or go straight to the request a quote form.
- Send your drawings or models with the revision, material, and quantity
- Include tube sizes, grade, product-contact finish, and the standard, such as 3-A or ASME BPE
- Tell us the inspection, finish, and records you need, and your required date
- We review the drawing and ask any questions before we price it
- You get a written quote with price and lead time
Serving Chicago and Chicagoland
We serve plants across the city and suburbs, from the Kinzie Industrial Corridor and Fulton Market to Back of the Yards on the South Side. We also serve the Bedford Park and Clearing industrial areas near Midway, and the large Elk Grove Village business park near O'Hare.
Service areas include Elk Grove Village, Bedford Park, Franklin Park, Melrose Park, Cicero, Schaumburg, Bolingbrook, Naperville, Aurora and Joliet. They sit along I-90/94, I-55, I-290, I-294, I-88 and I-80.
Our shop is in Dallas, more than 900 miles away.
Service Area Around Chicago, IL
Nearby cities: Elk Grove Village, Bedford Park, Franklin Park, Melrose Park, Cicero, Schaumburg, Bolingbrook, Naperville, Aurora, Joliet.
Highways and industrial areas: I-90/94 (Dan Ryan and Kennedy Expressways), I-55 (Stevenson Expressway), I-290 (Eisenhower Expressway), I-294 (Tri-State Tollway), I-88, I-80, Kinzie Industrial Corridor, Fulton Market, Back of the Yards, Bedford Park and Clearing industrial areas, Elk Grove Village business park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you have a shop in Chicago?
Our main shop is in Dallas, Texas, and ships finished work to Chicago.
What surface finish can you deliver on food-contact welds?
Put the Ra value on your drawing so we can plan grinding and polishing.
Why does the inside of a sanitary weld matter so much?
The inside is what touches the food. A rough or oxidized root can trap bacteria and resist cleaning. That is why we purge the tube with argon and check the root.
Can you weld at our Chicago plant during a shutdown?
Send your dates, scope and plant rules early.
Do you passivate after welding?
Passivation removes free iron and helps the stainless rebuild its protective oxide layer.
Can sanitary spools for a Chicago plant be built out of state?
Yes. Spools are built from field measurements, capped and bagged, and shipped by freight. Only the final tie-in welds are left to make at the plant.
What is clean-in-place (CIP)?
Clean-in-place is a system that cleans tanks and process lines without taking them apart, by circulating rinse water, caustic, acid, and sanitizer through them. It only works if the welds inside the lines are smooth and crevice-free.
What tube sizes are common in food plants?
Sanitary tube is sized by outside diameter. Sizes from 1.5 to 3 inches with a 0.065 inch wall, made to ASTM A270, are among the most common in food and beverage lines.
