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International Metal Tube Volume 3 Issue 15
Back to the newsstand
Magazine Data:
IMT International Metal Tube
API Standards: simply
achieved thanks to the
Smart EMMEDI Seam
Annealing
Tubes can be
demanding - Oto cuts
them down to size
The industry magazine for tube and
pipe producers and processors
FEBRUARY 2011/MARCH 2011
Volume 3 Number 15
Tube systems
produced chlorine-free
Oest - Industry News - p.14
IMT International Metal Tube
API Standards: simply
achieved thanks to the
Smart EMMEDI Seam
Annealing
Tubes can be
demanding - Oto cuts
them down to size
The industry magazine for tube and
pipe producers and processors
FEBRUARY 2011/MARCH 2011
Volume 3 Number 15
Tube systems
produced chlorine-free
Oest - Industry News - p.14
Reaching the Top!
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Media Consultants for Ernst Blissenbach GmbH
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Inside tube scarfing
Contents
Comment
In this issue of International Metal Tube magazine I am going to deviate
from the normal comment and ask you all to take a few moments to think
about the situation in Japan, this disaster has left a huge void both in terms
of loss of life and infrastructure but also industry. If the earthquake was not
bad enough the ensuing tsunami wreaked total devastation, many of us
around the world will have seen the television coverage and wondered just
how anyone could have survived – but some have. With the estimated death
toll at over 4,200 to date and countless missing or injured it is also
estimated that some 440,000 people have had to abandon their homes,
The British Red Cross have an appeal for the Japan Tsunami that can be
accessed via
www.redcross.org.uk/Donate-Now/Make-a-single-donation/Japan
Tsunami-Appeal;
the following information is from this site.
The Japanese Red Cross has 115 response teams working on the ground now,
as they have been since the disaster began, providing first aid and emergency
healthcare, as well as distributing relief items. The teams are made up of
more than 730 staff, including doctors and nurses.
The costs of the relief effort, and of rebuilding the homes and lives of those
affected, will be immense. Donations to the British Red Cross will be used
towards helping the Japanese people recover from this devastating natural
disaster over the coming months and years.
And finally, from the 1st June my new email address will be
imtmagazine@virginmedia.com however imtmagazine@btopenworld.com will
work until that date.
Vince Maynard
IMT Contact Information
PUBLICATION MANAGER
& EDITORIAL CONTROLLER
Vince Maynard
+44 (0) 1732 505724
Mobile +44 (0) 7747 002286
Fax +44 (0) 1732 860052
imtmagazine@btopenworld.com
EDITORIAL ADVISOR
Justin Witsed
hartswoodmedia@aol.com
TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS EDITOR
David Young
editorial@internationalmetaltube.com
CIRCULATION
June Bray
Fax 01268 711567
PUBLISHER - PAUL BARRETT
hartswoodmedia@aol.com
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Anton Print Solutions
01622 850063
antonprint1@btconnect.com
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www.internationalmetaltube.com
IMT International Metal Tube
www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT February/March 2011 1
2
Industry News
22
API Standards - simply acheived
24
Tubes can be demanding -
Oto Mills cuts them down to size
26
Safety
27
Welding
33
Exhibition News
Industry News
The ‘niche market’ as opposed to
the ‘horrors’ of mass production
R
R
esilience is a well
known definition in
psychology, and has
lately developed into
the catch all phrase - "resilience
management" and is currently
considered to be a "must" for
many companies in their
strategic thinking. Many
courses, workshops, seminars
and books on the subject are
devoted to help direct companies
to do the right thing, to radiate
an atmosphere of optimism and
resist all negative external
influences - high principles
indeed. Meanwhile in the real
world, TeZet interprets the ideas
of engineers within an innovative
industry, by offering a new
specialized module for
TeZetCAD.
TeZet is resisting the current
inclination toward “chinarisation”,
which is slowly, but
surely, creeping in to replace the
” americanisation” of modern
industrial thinking. These terms
often replace and confuse
genuine innovation with mass
scale production, leading to the
subsequent flood of cheap
exports which suffocate ‘local
ecomomies’. The turn of the
industrial era due to successful
research, positive work attitude
and specialised sales strategy
from the western hemisphere, is
confronted by the short lived
power of mass production, steel
discipline and the quick fix of
cheap manufacturing.
TeZet understands software
as a service. The uncomplicated
menu that guides the use of
clearly structured processes, is
the most important criteria to
address the huge diversity of
tube applications. When it
comes to the design,
manipulation, bending,
measurement, comparison,
correction, documentation and
much more, TeZetCAD offers one
hundred and sixty specialized
tube modules, in eight
languages, and more than one
hundred pages of illustrated and
detailed explanations in the help
file.
Tubes, wires, hoses and
power lines are part of a niche
market, which explains, why the
Swiss made software is ideal for
specialists. The software offers
complex features which are
amazingly easy to use. Why?,
because they are quick to learn,
and automatically deliver the
most difficult calculating
algorithms with a short click on
the icon - as most customers are
used to with today's quick-andeasy-
computing technology - all
this is the world TeZetCAD.
It runs under Windows 7 - 64
and 32 bit to which the industry
changed astonishing quickly. It
is possible to switch between
the eight languages "on the fly"
– as well as the help file, which
facilitates the understanding
because of the visual support of
the integrated screenshots of
the software. Or, expressed in
today’s language: simplified,
active interaction between
producer and user...
The variety of TeZetCAD
customers prove the versatility
status of the software: EADS-
Royal Air Force, EADS
Astrium-Ariane rocket, Rolls
Royce jet engines, TI-Automotive
(brake liners) in seven different
plants, car manufacturers such
as BMW and Mercedes, head
designers as Wilson, ProFab and
Fabspeed, and much more
worldwide. TeZetCAD is
innovative, reliable and user
friendly, and ultimately, unique
in the ‘state of the art’ digital
tube processing.
Seeing is believing
The pioneer of all-electric tube
bending machinery, Unison, has
announced a new series of tours
that will demonstrate how
manufacturers can reap
productivity benefits from the
precision and flexibility of
servomotor-controlled tube
bending technology. Three tours
are scheduled for April, July and
October 2011.
The highly informative tours
are aimed at manufacturers with
experience of traditional
hydraulically powered tube
bending equipment. Each event
will include visits to at least two
sites operating all-electric tube
bending machinery, plus a tube
bending workshop at Unison's
facility.
"All-electric, servomotor-
controlled bending offers a range and repeatable set-up that can
of advantages compared with virtually eliminate scrap, precise
traditional hydraulically-powered and flexible control over the
machinery, including very fast complete bending cycle, and
energy savings," says Unison's
Alan Pickering. "All-electric
machines can pay for
themselves in weeks, and these
tours are designed to
demonstrate their capability
first-hand - from the perspective
of clever users."
Previous attendees have
found the tours informative and a
useful networking opportunity.
One attendee comments: "The
ability to speak directly with
existing users in the
manufacturing context was of
real benefit".
More information on Unison Ltd
tel: +44( 0) 1723 582868;
shonal@unisonltd.com
enquiries@unisonltd.com
www.unisonltd.com
2 IMT February/March 2011 www.internationalmetaltube.com
A tale to warm the cockles
of any engineers’ heart
Industry News
A tale to warm the cockles
of any engineers’ heart
Industry News
W
W
hen a large,
bespoke-framed fan
motor failed at Rio
Tinto Alcan the
consequences could have been
significant. Instead, thanks to
quick intervention and significant
rework by Eriks, the motor was
back in action six days earlier
than anticipated. The failure of
vital equipment is an engineer's
worst nightmare, especially if it
plays a key role before
subsequent downstream
operations. Just such an issue
was faced by Rio Tinto Alcan
when the main 920kW 3.3kV
motor used for unloading
powdered alumina at the ship
unloading facility failed; leaving
the company temporarily unable
to re-stock its UK smelting sites.
The primary issue faced by Rio
Tinto Alcan was that it had no
spare motor due to its size and a
very long normal operating life
expectancy. The unit in question
was a special frame size and a
replacement was only available
from the USA... with an
unacceptable lead time attached.
Rio Tinto Alcan had to think of a
solution and it had to think fast.
Luckily Eriks was on hand and
through its timely intervention was
able to prevent an extremely costly
situation unfolding.
The first step was for Eriks,
Killingworth engineering facility to
collect the motor from the Rio
Tinto Alcan site and undertake a
strip down. Following the strip
down and subsequent inspection,
they implemented a plan to
remanufacture a full set of coils,
rewind and overhaul the motor on
emergency-service basis.
Fortunately, the Killingworth
workshop – one of many of their
centres of excellence across the
UK – has a copper mill, coil
manufacturing facility and repair
facility all on the same site
meaning that engineers were
able to start manufacturing a
new set of coils within 24 hours
of receiving the motor, using
materials from stock. Eriks
engineers then worked around
the clock – with the coil and
repair facilities working in
tandem to reduce downtime to a
minimum.
Throughout the entire rework
process, Rio Tinto Alcan was given
regular updates via e-mail, with
pictures of the current progress to
allow it to plan for the reinstallation
of the motor. Thanks
to some fantastic efforts and cooperation
from the engineers the
motor was returned to Rio Tinto
Alcan's site six days earlier that
the original agreed date. Phil
Wrigely, Rio Tinto Alcan's
Lynemouth Smelter Works
4 IMT February/March 2011 www.internationalmetaltube.com
Director, was effusive in his praise
for their' efforts, commenting:
"Your efforts helped us in
continuing our operations without
major interruption to our
customers." Sometimes it is just
not financially sensible to carry
spares for very large components
that have long operating lives.
Unfortunately, in these
instances, companies have to
shoulder an element of risk,
especially when it comes to
having so much reliance on a
single, vital component. Even
with proper servicing and
maintenance routines it is hard
for engineers to predict the
unpredictable, so contingency
plans are often put in place.
This case is a prime example of
how a specialist such as Eriks is
able to come to the rescue –
calling upon its significant
expertise and experience from
one of its many UK-based centres
of excellence – and help a
company address what turned out
to be a major issue.
Visit the DMA Europa website for
the full text in PDF format and
the associated high resolution
image and video files:
DMAEuropa
More information on ERIKS UK
t: +44 (0)121 508 6000
f: +44 (0)121 508 6255
www.eriks.co.uk
Richard.Ludlam@eriks.co.uk
About ERIKS UK
We offer over 90 years
technical knowledge and
experience from 76 nationwide
industrial service centres,
supplying over 500,000 unique
industrial products. We have
88 integrated on site stores
and procurement centres
reducing the costs of all
maintenance and repair
products and industrial
services. With 9 core
competence centres and 23
fully equipped repair
workshops maintaining
equipment from electric
motors, pumps, gearboxes,
generators, transformers
through to condition
monitoring based preventative
maintenance services, such as
thermography, air leak surveys
and vibration analysis.
Zumbach Electronics equips
POSCO Korea rod mills
Posco Pohang will soon be equiped with Zumbach Electronics new STEELMASTER
diameter/profile measuring systems
Z
Z
umbach Electronics of
Switzerland has
recently won a contract
from Posco Pohang
works in Korea for 10
STEELMASTER diameter/profile
measuring systems. These new
systems will partially replace
existing gauges and complete
new locations in the finishing
sections of their # 1, # 2 and # 3
rod mills.
All gauges are equipped with
6 ODAC high speed laser
scanners (in 6 axes) delivering
totally 6000 calibrated
measurements per second, as
well as with the latest hardware-
and software concept. The
systems will be fully networked
over ETHERNET with POSCO’s
material flow and Q.C. control
system.
The gauges are extremely
compact and require close-to
zero maintenance.
Delivery of the gauges is
scheduled for early 2011
POSCO is operating a number
of similar STEELMASTER
gauges in the intermediate
sections since 2008.
To view this publication online and view previous issues on line go to:
www.internationalmetaltube.com
www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT February/March 2011 5
Industry News
Tube and pipe end
preparation at its very best
As industrial requirements for the tube and pipe fabricating industry become ever more
complex. New fabricating technologies are continuously being developed. Discussed
here, are recent developments from Protems developing technology
T
T
he dismounting, or even
dismantling of existing
boilers or heat
exchangers are
continuously being change to
meet even more demanding
conditions and time sensitive
schedules.
The quality requirements are
ever more demanding, and new
developments in equipment such
as portable pipe bevelling, tube
cutting or surfacing machines are
a necessity which is a ‘sine qua
non’ condition to meet the
increasing requirements of
industry.
These machines will cut
and bevel heavy wall
pipes faster than any
other machine. They will
save the operator many
hours by avoiding
‘
grinding operations,
flame cutting, difficult
handling or positioning
of pipes on a lathe.
Nowadays, older conventional
methods of pipe weld edge
preparation consisting of flame
cutting are not convenient or
suitable, as they bring not the
required weld end preparation
required for the welding
operation which is also mostly
always performed automatically.
Also in the prefabrication field
new developments are constantly
necessary. For this reason,
Protem has designed a new range
of portable equipment.
The US transportable
bevelling machines are designed
for diameters ranging from
12mm up to 1300mm. These
machines are suited for on site
machining works and they can
be driven pneumatically or
electrically. Machines entering
the prefab range especially from
the US220-HSB for diameters
ranging from 273mm up to
610mm, are hydraulically driven.
They can be used either on site,
or in the workshop. These heavy
duty bevellers will bevel, face
and counterbore either
individually or simultaneously
heavy wall pipes. Also available,
US420-HSB, US620-HSB,
US820-HSB - other diameters on
request.
They will perform repeatable
high quality weld preps on most
metal pipes including stainless,
duplex or superduplex.
TNO severing and bevelling machine
automatic welding on-site.
These machines are
transportable, easy to install and
clamp on the inside diameters of
the pipe to be machined. They
are also suitable where a high
degree of productivity is
demanded, for example, in the
pipeline industry. These US
machines will be clamped within
3 seconds and the start of the
3.10 minutes!
For tubes or pipes which are
not round the solution consists in
adapting a tracking device on the
machine.
Where the tube are to be cut
and bevelled within very short
timescales, the TNO range of
machines will offer the best
solution. They have been
especially designed to fit the
The US machines are the rotation and of the feed is also piping or tubing prefabrication
’
’
perfect solution for on-site performed within 3 seconds. The application on site or in the
works in the pipeline industries total time needed for one bevel workshop.
i.e. the gas and oil industries. amounts to 3 minutes! The pipe These machines will cut and
Even if the tubes are delivered will be released within 3 bevel heavy wall pipes faster than
with prepared bevels, these seconds. This means the total any other machine. They will save
bevels are not convenient for cycle time amounts to less than the operator many hours by
6 IMT February/March 2011 www.internationalmetaltube.com
In conformity with the EC-Regulations
avoiding grinding operations,
flame cutting, difficult handling or
positioning of pipes on a lathe.
Transportability, rigidity, fast
installation and accurate weld end
preparation are the main quality
of these units.
The TNO range offers several
types of machines enabling to
cover diameters ranging from 4 to
48 inches.
The set up of the tube is
manual, the feed and the
clamping are performed
automatically - the total cycle
time being 2.6 minutes
For workshop applications
only, the CTA range offers the
most optimal way to cut and bevel
tubes or pipes, as they are
specially designed to fit the piping
or tubing prefabrication
applications on site.
These machines can be
integrated into the production line
with no specific changes. The
quality of machining achieved with
the CTA machines can be
compared with the one achieved
with a CNC machine.
By combining the cutting to the
right length and bevelling
simultaneously in only seconds,
these machines have become a
reference point within many
industries.
The series Protem CTA
machines are designed for
simultaneous tube cutting and
bevelling with carbide tool
inserts. These machines are
equipped with a pneumatic
mandrel and a four dual-
concentric clamping jaws system
that allows a perfect squareness
of the tube axis and the cutting
plan where the tube is fixed.
For current pipe end
preparation works, on tubes from
stainless steel with very thin wall
thickness in for example the food
industry, outside clamping
machines are used. The range of
SL machines offer large
capacities and very quick
preparation times.
Moreover, Protem has
Tubes and fittings
facing machine
SE 25
High Speed Beveller HSB Series
designed the new outside
clamping machines SE 25 for
diameters ranging from 2mm
through to 25,4mm and SE 65 for
diameters ranging from 12,7mm
through to 63,5mm
These machines are driven
with a cordless electric drive. They
are equipped with a special tool
holder shape which avoids the
chips to fall into the tubes while
being machined.
The SE 25 and SE 65 are
suitable for the machining of Tees,
fittings and mini fittings.
The portable machine SE 25 is
specially designed for facing in
position the diameters from 2mm
to 25,4mm OD.
The tool holder plate equipped
with 1 tool insert allows the
operator to cover the machining
range without any adjustment.
The set-up of the tube is speedily
achieved through a stainless steel
monobloc collet. It also features a
graduated vernier, which gives
both high quality and accurate
weld prep.
The hydraulic PROTEM HSB
Series machines can be used
either on site or in a workshop.
The machine is portable, easy
to install and will be clamped into
the inside diameter of the pipe.
The HSB Series are used for
bevelling, facing and counter
boring work. This work can be
processed individually or
simultaneously.
It will perform repeatable high
quality bevel with a V, J, X shape
or compounded bevels perfectly
suitable for the orbital or manual
welding process.
It can be operated for the
main pipe materials such as
stainless steel, carbon steel,
and all exotic alloys such as
incolloy, Hastelloy and incoloy
duplex etc.
More information
on Protem call:
tel: +49 (0) 7247 93 93 0
fax: +49 (0) 7247 93 93 33
n.reicher@protem-gmbh.de
www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT February/March 2011 7
Industry News
Roll-Kraft releases time and cost
savings data for central lube systems
R
R
oll-Kraft has released
calculations of cost
savings that can be
achieved by using the
central lube system for mill
lubrication. This system will save
dozens of hours of lost production
time and thousands of dollars in
operational costs each year
Every tube, pipe and roll
forming producer knows that
manual lubrication costs them a
great deal of time and money.
Data recently calculated by Roll-
Kraft shows just how costly it can
be to prolong a switch to a central
lubricating system.
• Mill lubrication should be part of
the regular maintenance
schedule and occur after every
100 hours of operation.
• A mill that is operational 40
hours a week requires
approximately 21 mill
lubrications a year for optimal
service.
• Each manual lubrication
averages 3-½ hours to
complete, for a total of 73-½
hours per year.
• Using a figure of $750 per hour
to operate a mill, manual
lubrication can cost up to
$55,125 per year.
To remove the burden of
manual mill lubrications, Roll-
Kraft has designed a central lube
system. Securely mounted along
side the mill, the system
dispenses small amounts of
lubricant, maintaining adequate
coverage at all times. Flow
sensors can give added protection
by monitoring the proper release
of the lubricant. Studies show
Central Lube System
that an automated lubrication
system is by far superior to the
antiquated inconsistency of
manual application. Increased
bearing life, ease of mind, and a
quick return on investment are all
important considerations.
Roll-Kraft also provides other
tube & pipe mill services and roll
forming services to aid in
training personnel to
consistently follow the steps of
maintaining the mill. On-site
seminars are often preferred as
the most convenient way to
educate the entire team. Proper
training can provide
considerable cost savings by
avoiding down time associated
with repairs and lost production.
Robert Sladky, V.P. Tube Mill
Engineering, is the chief
instructor of on-site seminars.
He is known throughout the
industry and has been awarded
the TPA Industry Education
Activities Award for his
experience and expertise.
More information on Roll Kraft
tel: +1 888 953 9400
fax: +1 440 205 3110
www.roll-kraft.com
About Roll-Kraft
Roll-Kraft is a well known
world leader in providing
tooling, equipment, and
services to the tube & pipe and
roll forming industries. Its
headquarters is in Mentor,
Ohio, and it maintains offices
in Frankfurt, Illinois (Roll-
Kraft Northern), and
Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada
(Roll-Kraft Ltd.).
Thermal profile increases welding yield
Invisual E. Inc announce the offer
of an in real time thermal
scanning system as a tool for
welding inspection and
monitoring for continuous or
batch processes.
Metal fabricators and tube
and pipe producers are
constantly managing material
costs, yield, efficiency and quality
in order to improve profitability,
to acquire and retain clients and
mitigate liability costs. Now
available, the thermal profile
system provides real time in
process, at the weld, weld
monitoring and welding
inspection detection of welding
defects. The system utilizes the
thermal distribution of the heat
affected zone.
Key benefits are real time
visibility of what is happening at
the weld. The early detection of
weld defects, irregularities and
process anomalies. A net
reduction in waste with a
About Invisual E. Inc
The company is dedicated to advancements of quality, efficiency
and capabilities for manufacturing. A technology firm that works
with OEM, intergrators and manufacturers to build brands,
expand markets and grow revenues.
measurable increase in quality. It
offers complete traceability and
production reports for audits and
is fully intergrated with mill or
production equipment. Plus I/O
signalling, alarm generation and
production tags.
The system is suitable for all
welding processes and has been
mechanically engineered
For the welding environment
and ingress protection. It
instantly picks up on off seam
welds, porosity, burn through
and lack of fusion.Identifies cold
spots (pasty weld), lack of
penetration, energy input
fluctuations, material
Variances, hot cracking and
asymmetric welding.
More information on Invisual
E.Inc
tel: +1 888 530 0712
fax: +1 416 530 4787
info@invisuale.ca
www.invisuale.com
8 IMT February/March 2011 www.internationalmetaltube.com
Industry News
Tool package for
small-bore tubing runs
A
A
comprehensive
selection of hand-
operated tools for
fabricating small bore
tubing runs, has been launched
by the Instrumentation Products
Division of Parker Hannifin.
Available for a broad spectrum of
instrumentation tubing sizes, the
tools include benders, cutters,
markers, reamers and inspection
gauges. They are likely to appeal
to maintenance and engineering
personnel in a wide variety of
industries using small bore
tubing, ranging from fluid
instrumentation systems in
processing plants, to laboratory
equipment applications. All tube
bending tools accommodate
copper, aluminium, brass and
stainless steel materials
The new Parker PTB heavy
duty tube bender is capable of
making accurate and tight-radius
bends – of up to 180 degrees, on
all standard industrial tubing
materials including stainless
steel. The range comprises three
Imperial models, for 1/4-, 3/8and
1/2-inch tubing, and four
metric models for 6, 8, 10 and 12
mm tubing. All seven models
feature a patented indexing
handle, with calibrated markings
for making accurate left hand,
right hand and offset bends. The
tool also incorporates a quick-
action trigger release to allow it to
be repositioned midway through a
bend, when the handles meet.
Parker’s complementary PTC
tube cutter is a particularly
compact one-size-fits-all
solution; it accommodates tubing
with outside diameters from 4 to
28 mm (1/8 to 1-1/8 inch) and has
a swing radius of just 10.8 cm (41/
4 inch). A fully enclosed
hardened steel thrust bearing
ensures a smooth cutting action,
and the cutter wheel itself is
fabricated from high quality
precision-ground chromium
steel. The tool also features a
built-in retractable rotary reamer.
Other products in Parker's
new range of tube fabrication
tools include deburrers and
reamers, a sawing vice with an
integral hacksaw guide, tube
markers for burnishing position
marks, and multi-purpose
inspection gauges.
According to Charles Harris,
Business Development Manager
for Parker Hannifin
Instrumentation Products
Division: "These products are a
significant addition to a growing
portfolio of equipment to
complement Parker's well-
known tubing and fittings
products - and provide users
with a complete solution suitable
for most smaller-scale
applications. To minimise lead
times, we will be carrying stocks
of all the new tube fabrication
tools at our UK facility.”
A new 26-page catalogue,
reference 4190-TFE, detailing the
entire range of Parker tube
fabrication equipment can be
downloaded in PDF format from
http://www.ipdeinnovations.
com/lp/tube_fabricati
ng_equipment/
More information on Parker
Hannifin,
tel: +44 (0)1271 313131
ipd@parker.com
Background
information
With annual sales of $10
billion in fiscal year 2010,
Parker Hannifin is the world's
leading diversified
manufacturer of motion and
control technologies and
systems, providing precision-
engineered solutions for a
wide variety of mobile,
industrial and aerospace
markets. The company
employs approximately 55,000
people in 46 countries around
the world. Parker has
increased its annual dividends
paid to shareholders for 54
consecutive fiscal years,
among the top five longest-
running dividend-increase
records in the S&P 500 index.
www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT February/March 2011 9
Industry News
It’s a blast from Rosler!
T
T
he challenge was to
improve the in-house
blast cleaning of welding
fabrications, in one of the
largest steel fabricators in Poland.
Their specialist area is the
production of steelwork and all
associated fabrications for
The company specializes in
manufacturing steel fabrications
for warehouses and industrial
buildings, all kinds of sporting
facilities and shopping centres as
well as power plants and the
petro-chemical industry. Apart
from traditional steel fabrications,
this company also produces
specially developed light-weight
steel systems, i.e. web beams,
and processes around 16,000 tons
of steel each year.
Steel and tube fabrications
generally require an optimum
surface finish prior to painting or
powder coating. Such a ‘pre-paint’
finish is best achieved by intensive
blast cleaning. For this reason,
the customer integrated the
RRBK 25/21 shot blast unit from
Rösler into their overall
manufacturing process. This
custom engineered system allows
the blast cleaning of large, three-
dimensional welding fabrications
with dimensions of up to 16,000 x
2,500 x 2,100 mm (LxWxH) and
weights of up to 24 metric tons.
The Rösler shot blast unit is
equipped with twelve
Hurricane®turbines, type H 42,
with a power of 15 kW each. The
turbines are placed around the
blast chamber in the shape of two
‘rings’. This arrangement ensures
that rust, scale and welding
residues are reliably and
completely removed from the
surface of the welding
fabrications. The main
parameters of the blast process –
such as travel speed through the
machine, intensity of the blast
process, number of turbines
actually blasting, etc. - can be
adapted to meet the different
demands by parts specific
programs stored in the plc. The
exit chamber with an integrated
media collection funnel is
equipped with a blow-off station,
which automatically adjusts to the
height of the parts. This blow-off
feature reliably removes blast
media from the steel fabrications
prior to the downstream
manufacturing stages.
The large dimensions of the
components, especially their
height, require substantial
openings in the inlet, blast, and
outlet chambers. Strategically
placed curtains made from
special wear and heat-resistant
rubber, are combined with a
system of sliding steel plates, in
order to prevent the spillage of
blast media from of the machine.
The customer also uses the
RRBK for the blast cleaning of
single steel sheets which may
have a thickness of only 3 mm. To
prevent warping and to ensure a
safe transport of these steel
sheets through the machine, the
distance between the rollers has
been significantly shortened.
Parts are loaded onto the roller
conveyor of the RRBK 25/21 via
the building bridge crane. The
blast machine was placed into a
foundation pit, allowing the
operators quick and safe release
of the crane hooks from the
components. This also allows
easy walking access to the inlet
and outlet roller conveyors and
the blast chamber. This, in
conjunction with the large
maintenance doors, typical of all
Rösler blast machines, allows
Apart from traditional
steel fabrications, this
company also produces
specially developed
light-weight steel
‘
systems and processes
around 16,000 tons of
steel each year
quick access to the critical
machine sections for maintenance
and repair work. The cooperation
of Rösler with the Polish service
provider Awexim Co. Ltd. allows
quick and reliable after-salesservice.
’
More information on Rosler
GmbH:
tel: +49 9533 9240
fax: +49 9533 924300
info@rosler.com
The shot blast system RRBK
25/21 was designed for the
blast cleaning of large, three-
dimensional welding fabrications
with dimensions of up to 16,000 x
2,500, 2,100 mm (LxWxH) and
weights of up to 24 metric tons as well
as steel sheets with a minimal
thickness of 3 mm.
10 IMT February/March 2011 www.internationalmetaltube.com
About Rosler
As an all-round supplier, Rösler GmbH is an international market
leader in the production of surface finishing, shot blasting
machines, painting systems and preservation lines as well as
process technology for the rational surface finishing
(deburring, descaling, sand removal, polishing,
grinding…) of metals and other components.
Besides the German plants in Untermerzbach and
Bad Staffelstein, the Rösler Group has branches in
Great Britain, France, Italy, The Netherlands,
Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Romania, Russia,
China, India, Brazil, South Africa and USA.
Industry News
New laser guidance system
gives speed and accuracy
M
M
eta Vision Systems the
world's leading
supplier of optical
seam tracking
systems for tube and pipe mills,
announces a new version of its
market-leading VistaWeld system,
and is aimed specifically at
increasing the speed and accuracy
of submerged arc welding (SAW) in
longitudinal pipe mills.
Based on a review of typical
longitudinal saw mill operations
involving tack and OD (outside
diameter) welding, the new system
addresses some well-known
issues. In particular, the latest
VistaWeld includes accurate, non-
contact tracking of the true root
position and built-in look-ahead
compensation as standard
features. The system harnesses
the power of Meta’s recently
introduced Smart Laser Sensor
(SLS) technology. It integrates a
high resolution, high performance
SLS sensor head within an updated
VistaWeld architecture based on an
Ethernet backbone and Meta’s
new, flexible Ethernet IO board. The
combination has made it feasible to
include the desired features while
reducing system complexity and
improving ease of use.
TruRoot tracking finds the
actual root of the joint for OD SAW,
even though the root may be
covered by the tack weld. The
software uses the higher resolution
and quality of the SLS sensor,
together with image analysis
algorithms from Meta’s well known
multipass welding system, to
detect the edges of the tack weld in
the bottom of the joint. From this
and the overall joint profile, the true
root position can be computed.
Tracking the actual root derived in
this way improves penetration for
the OD weld itself while also
improving ID/OD weld
interpenetration.
OD SAW on longitudinal pipe
complete length of the pipe,
improving weld quality and
eliminating weld defects. The
improvement in horizontal axis
mills typically uses a multi torch
configuration with as many as five
or six individual wires welding in
one pool. The weld head is
therefore large, taking into account
the number of torches and need for
flux delivery and recovery. As a
result, the laser sensor has to be
positioned a relatively large
distance in front of the weld area.
This so-called look-ahead distance
can be 250 mm or more.
Depending on the shape of the pipe,
tracking inaccuracies can result if
simple algorithms are used.
The standard tracking feature
within the new VistaWeld uses the
look-ahead distance, welding
speed and other information to
determine the correct position for
the welding head at all points along
the pipe. It is particularly beneficial
if the pipe forming method has
given rise to geometric distortion,
as is often the case. Tests on one
series of longitudinal pipes showed
that, in some cases, look-ahead
tracking was four times more
accurate than conventional
tracking, significantly enhancing
production by improving weld
quality and minimising defects. For
example, the superior vertical
tracking accuracy maintains the
correct stickout (distance from
contact tip to work) over the
tracking precision combines well
with the TruRoot feature to give a
double accuracy benefit.
According to Bob Beattie, Meta’s
managing director, “We have fifteen
years of experience in longitudinal
pipe mills, so we were able to
identify precisely how to improve
our system to give their welding
engineers exactly what they
wanted. "We believe that, with the
new features, the new VistaWeld
system is the best available on the
market.”
More information on
Meta Vision Systems Ltd:
tel: +44 1865 887900
fax: +441865 887901
sales@meta-mvs.com
www.meta-mvs.com
www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT February/March 2011 11
Industry News
Scarfing system improves strip
edge presentation
C
C
ommercially slit coils
can have often have as
much as 35% of their
edges that are not cut
cleanly. This can be due to many
factors such as bad practices,
poor quality material and badly
worn tooling. The result of this
is that edge presentation at the
welding point will be poor and
welding heat has to be increased
to ‘melt’ more material.
Excessive ‘squeeze pressure’
also has to be applied to avoid
defects. These issues will
increase material and energy
costs as well as creating an
excessively large inside/outside
welding flash which then has to
be removed - in short a very bad
situation!
STE’s Duratrim is a unique
edge scarfing system for welded
tube mills, it enables the
manufacturer to trim and clean
the steel coil edges as it enters
the tube mill prior to the forming
station. It is particularly effective
for aluminized material for
automotive exhaust systems.
This process helps you realise
significant benefits:
.
Reduced Welding Energy
.
Consistent homogenous
weld integrity
.
Reduced strip width/costs
.
Ability to weld more
challenging materials
.
Reduced rejects
.
Less OD/ID welding flash (bead)
.
Less ‘splatter’ from weld zone .
Consistent strip width leading to
fewer rejects
.
Unit runs ‘dry’ without emulsion
.
Increase life of Impedors and
OD/ID scarfing tools
.
Increase Yield -
.
Correct all slitting problems
It is a simple but effective design
with one of the most unique
methods of shaving the strip
edges. This is due to the
‘floating’ design of the scarfing
assemblies which allow the unit
to follow the path of the steel
strip whilst maintain positive
contact pressure on the scarfing
inserts. The system utilises 4 x
sets of special scarfing inserts
which remove material from the
strip edges, top and bottom. The
inserts are supported and kept
in position by pneumatic
cylinders (8 in total), the
pressure of which is adjustable
enabling different amounts of
material to be removed. All sets
of inserts are mounted on a
floating mechanism ensuring
constant material removal even
with movements in the strip. The
Duratrim is capable of running
up to 100 M/min without cooling
of the cutting tools, speeds
above this may require emulsion
cooling. Duratrim is simple to
install and set, requires only
compressed air to operate and is
a low cost investment. It offers
considerable benefits over other
more expensive edge
preparation systems and will
ensure that you get a rapid
payback on your investment. It
can be mounted onto the mill
forming bed or ‘freestanding’
between accumulator and
forming station. It is easily able
to withstand cross welds (coil
join sections) and will even cope
with damaged strip at the
beginning or end of a coil.
More information on STE
(Superior Technologies Europe):
www.st-europe.co.uk
tel: +44 1256 472229
sales@st-europe.co.uk
Pump, valve and pipe suppliers to
showcase products at PVPA 2011
A little known fact is that pumps
are the second most widely
used pieces of equipment in the
world after electric motors. It
follows that pipe and valve
components form an integral
part of any pump system.
Pumps, Valves and Pipes Africa
(PVPA), the seventh
international trade show, will
showcase thousands of these
products from hundreds of
suppliers from 7-9 June at
Gallagher Convention Centre in
Midrand, Gauteng.
John Thomson, managing
director of Exhibition
Management Services,
organisers of the show, says:
“PVPA attracts thousands of
visitors from the agricultural,
water, mining, gas and
petroleum sectors. They bring
with them countless
opportunities for business. With
over 68 pipeline projects planned
in Africa, covering a total length
of 28 213kms, the continent
offers unprecedented business
opportunities.”
“One example is PetroSA’s
Mthombo crude oil refinery
project at the Coega Industrial
Development Zone near Port
Elizabeth,” continues Thomson.
“It’s scheduled to begin
construction in 2012 and is
worth over $11-billion. Another
lucrative project is Transnet's
550km fuel pipeline between
Durban and Gauteng, which is
expected to cost R23-billion.
Other projects in Africa
include a 680km, $600-million
gas pipeline to deliver gas from
Nigeria to Ghana, Togo and
Benin. Kenya and Uganda are
planning to build an oil refinery
and pipeline from the new oil
fields at the Lake Albert Basin
in Uganda. The pipeline can
reverse flow to allow exports of
Ugandan oil through Mombasa.
Rand Water, one of South
Africa’s largest water utilities
and an exhibitor at PVPA 2011, is
involved in multiple water
infrastructure development
projects in Ghana and
Mozambique. Ghana is also in
the process of implementing a
200 000ha irrigation project.
Egypt (which uses almost
90% of its water for farm
irrigation) and several other
African countries are
considering building
desalination plants to bolster
water supplies.
“PVPA is the continent’s
leading event, offering a unique
platform and unrivalled access
to the pumps, valves and pipes
industry,” concludes Thomson.
More information on the
PVPA event:
tel: +11 789 7327
fel: +11 787 7865
Catherine@cvlc.co.za
12 IMT February/March 2011 www.internationalmetaltube.com
Industry News
EasyWay sets new standards for
WAFIOS & MEWAG tube benders
Fig. 1: Guided input of parts
T
T
he newly developed
screen design supports
the operator by an
intuitive user guidance,
and features high operator
convenience. Decades of
programming experience
helped the in-house software
experts at WAFIOS to produce
a high quality standard.
EasyWay is the logical and
consistent further development
of the successful WAFIOS
programming system WPS 3.
EasyWay has all functions of
the predecessor system WPS 3
and is fully compatible with
WPS 3. Open interfaces allow a
smooth integration into
existing production solutions.
The simplified and newly
designed input of parts and
tools reduces tooling times and
programming errors. A high
availability and optimum use of
the production machine has
been reached by adding three
more user levels. The first user
level allows only the production
of parts, the second one the
selection and correction of
parts and the third user level
the set-up of new parts.
Moreover, a simulation of
collisions has been integrated
which visualizes the bending
process, shows process errors
in advance and calculates
the possible production output
per minute or hour. New parts
Fig. 2: Input of geometry of parts
Fig. 3: Catalog of parts
can be set up during other computers can be
production. Programs made on transferred easily.
More information on Wafios AG tel: +49 7121 146309 a.hoster@wafios.de www.wafios.com
International Metal Tube
www.internationalmetaltube.com
Industry News
Tube systems
produced chlorine-free
The production of tube systems and their components require reliable, efficient processes combined
with high volume throughput – specifically, when it comes to the mass production requirements for
major customers in the automotive and other high tech industries.
A
A
s a result, customised
forming lubricants are
becoming constantly
more important as a
vital element within the value
creation chain.
This was recently the case for
lubricant manufacturer Georg
Oest Mineralölwerk GmbH, when
a specialist supply manufacturer
to the automotive industries had
come to them for an innovative
product development solution.
Metal forming processes are
critical to modern tube
manufacturing. The various
criteria, e.g. economic materials
usage, optimal fibre flow in the
work-piece, high fatigue strength
and the cost-efficient production
of long runs of metal forming
processes, are particularly
attractive for specialised
suppliers in the area of tube
technology.
Even the most exacting work-
pieces are produced by tube
bending, as well as the
expansion or reduction of tube
ends. There is a natural, and
continuous call for new
components, as well as an
increasing demand for complex-
shaped configurations. Combine
this with the trend towards
higher-strength materials, and
you have constantly evolving
demands on the lubricants’
properties to ensure maximum
process stability during tube
forming operations.
“What we need is much more
than a lubricant supplier. We out solutions for the specific
want a partner who understands challenges in our production.
our entire value creation chain, With its broad range of products
and thus is capable of pointing and services offered, the Oest
14 IMT February/March 2011 www.internationalmetaltube.com
Group meets our expectations
perfectly” was the challenge
from our supplier.
Oest’s client is a qualified
supplier of tube systems and
components focusing on the car
industry. Perforated tubes, as
well as specifically processed
tubes, are made at their factory
premises in South Western
Germany and are used
worldwide, e.g. with airbag
modules, car exhaust systems,
exhaust heat exchangers, EGR
conduits, gearbox and fuel lines.
In addition to tube diameters
ranging from 4mm to 80mm,
thin-walled tubes down to a
minimum thickness of 0.4mm
can also be processed. Radii of
less than 0.8 x D can be
manipulated. The materials used
are mainly high-strength, alloyed
stainless steels starting from
quality level VA 1.4301. The
complete portfolio of services
includes the manufacturing of
tube assemblies and entirely
welded structures, as well as
connection pipes with flanges.
An in-house tool shop including
jig department and gauge
workshop are also on site. Other
departments of the medium-
sized company are the research,
development and production of
tube processing machines for
applications in bending and end
forming technology. These range
from single-station bending
machines to robot cells, and also
incorporate the area of metal
What we need is much
more than a lubricant
supplier. We want a
partner who
understands our entire
value creation chain, and
thus is capable of
‘
pointing out solutions for
the specific challenges
in our production
construction, with its focus on
the processing of aluminium
profiles as well as high-grade
’
Industry News
Tube systems and tube components, mainly for the car industry,
are manufactured.
16 IMT February/March 2011 www.internationalmetaltube.com
‘
For many applications,
our chlorine-free
products allow complete
substitution of
chlorinated forming
lubricants whilst
retaining a consistently
high level of process
quality
finished goods.
Companies engaged in the
forming operations of acid,
corrosion and heat resistant
stainless steels have to decide on
the continued use of
’
controversial chlorinated paraffin
containing lubricants. The same
is true in the case of Oest’s
client. The decision has to be
taken against the background
that these chlorinated paraffins
used as lubricant additives, are
considered to be the best
available technical option for
such applications. This is
principally due to their high
process reliability, plus their
price-to-performance ratio.
However, the harmful effects of
this substance, both on
personnel and the environment,
signal an urgent need for
adequate alternatives.
Investigative findings show
that long-term exposure to high
concentrations of short-chain
(C10-C13) chlorinated paraffins
will increase the risk of various
tumour pathogenesis for
mammals significantly. Further
studies have shown that such
short-chain chlorinated paraffins
are toxic to aquatic organisms.
For these reasons, short-chain
chlorinated paraffins had been
banned years ago as lubricants
Manfred Walke, Oest area sales
manager, having an expert talk
with a machine operator.
additives. As a temporary
solution, only medium-chain
(C14-C17) chlorinated paraffins
are allowed at present, and the
days of this substance are also
numbered.
“With the formulations of the
Oest Robinol product family we
have successfully launched a
future-oriented innovation. These
products have proved
themselves as environmentally
compatible and cost-efficient
alternatives to lubricants
containing chlorinated paraffins“,
Dr. Martin Wünsch, Oest’s
business development manager
for forming lubricants, explains,
he adds, “for many applications,
our chlorine-free products allow
complete substitution of
chlorinated forming lubricants
whilst retaining a consistently
high level of process quality.“
This also applies for the
Oest’s client’s tube forming
processes. For more than three
years, Oest’s chlorine-free,
mineral oil based forming
lubricants are used now for
inside and outside lubrication in
the tube bending and expansion
processes. These lubricants are
available in varying kinematic
viscosities, thus they are
individually tailored to meet the
client’s changing demands.
Moreover, the Robinol product
family also addresses the fact
that chlorine-free, pasty forming
lubricants can be used for
manual application, as well as
chlorine-free tube bending oils
for minimum quantity
lubrication, optional ester-based
or synthetic-based. The client’s
production manager
emphasizes, “Reliability and
repeatability of the forming
processes are most important
for us. For example, as a result
of a detailed process
optimisation for the expanding of
tube ends for an exhaust
manifold, we have achieved a
sustainable increase of the tool
service life, and Oest’s experts
supported us in conducting this
optimisation programme”. The
first step to success has been a
status analysis. This formulated
the basis for trials with special
Bended tubes are expanded
or reduced on demand.
additives at Oest’s R&D
laboratory, prior to several test
runs were at the customer’s site
in order to precisely adjust the
lubricant’s properties to the
specific production situation.
Products of the Oest
Robinol family are used
for the expanding of
tube ends
Manfred Walke, Oest area sales
manager, recalls, “When
formulating the lubricant, we of
course had to consider the
subsequent parts cleaning
process. In doing so, we adjusted
the lubricant’s additives to
ideally match to the used agent
for aqueous parts cleaning.“
Users strongly benefit from
Oest’s overall view on the
production process: As a full-
range provider, they not only
offer a broad range of lubricants
for metalworking and a wide
variety of industrial applications,
but also self-developed
detergent additives if the removal
of lubricants is required for
subsequent process stages.
“It is the perfect combination
of product quality, know-how and
expertise in application
technology, as well as long-term
research and development
activities qualifying Oest as a
strategic partner for us”, the
client’s production manager
concludes.
More information on Georg Oest
Mineralolwerk GmbH:
tel: +49.7441.539 - 203
fel: +49.7441.539 - 219
info@oestgroup.com
www.oestgroup.com
www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT February/March 2011 17
Industry News
Pendulum cutting
machine with 1,000-
mm-diameter disc in
operation at a
European steelmaker
Complete solutions in
rolling mill technology
T
T
he management team of
FLSmidth Wadgassen
Walzwerktechnik has
acquired the business
area “Rolling Mill Technology” of
the Danish company FLSmidth
within the framework of a
management buy-out and
established “H&K Industrieanlagen
GmbH” with new headquarters in
Rehlingen, Germany.
By taking advantage of their
employees’ longstanding
professional experience, the
managers of the business area
“Rolling Mill Technology” of
FLSmidth grabbed the chance to
establish a company of their
own. They plan to put the
business of the new company on
a broad international footing.
The management team
around the Executive Partners
Wolfgang Gerhard and Gerhart
Hölzl took over the complete
staff of 43 employees of the
business area “Rolling Mill
Technology”.
According to Wolfgang
Gerhard, this has distinct
advantages for his customers:
“With this well-established team
of engineers and technicians, we
safeguard a wealth of expertise
accumulated over many
decades. The transition we have
gone through during the last few
weeks since we established the
new company has been
extremely smooth. For our
customers and suppliers this
means that we will execute all
our orders as agreed in terms of
both deadlines and scope. As a
matter of course, service for all
existing plants is guaranteed.”
H&K Industrieanlagen GmbH
(H&K) will focus on the design,
automation and construction of
About H&K Industrieanlagen GmbH
H&K Industrieanlagen GmbH (H&K) was established in 2010 by the
company’s current Executive Partners who had acquired the
assets in a management buy-out of the business area “Rolling Mill
Technology” of the Danish company FLSmidth. The company has
its roots in the two companies Koch Transporttechnik GmbH and
Hoestemberghe & Klütsch GmbH, which were both founded more
than 60 years ago. Through this background, H&K bundles more
than six decades of steel industry experience.
rolling mill technology,
specifically for rolling, machining
and conveying steel long
products (predominantly
standard and special sections
and steel bars). The company’s
strengths are the provision of
customized, individual solutions
and the promptness and
flexibility of a medium-sized
enterprise.
Gerhart Hölzl pursues the
goal of international expansion:
“There is worldwide demand for
engineering and quality made in
Germany. We see great potential
not only in Europe but above all
in Russia, China and India.
Shortly after setting up the
company, we received a major
order from China for a
straightening and sawing line
worth several million Euros.”
As the new company took
over all customer orders of the
18 IMT February/March 2011 www.internationalmetaltube.com
former business area “Rolling
Mill Technology”, it started out
with an order book worth more
than €50 million. During the
short period since its foundation,
H&K has been able to book new
orders, with a total value of more
than €12 million.
H&K goes for growth: the
company has already created
eleven new jobs in plant
engineering, electrics,
automation and in
administration, bringing the
total number of employees at
H&K to 54. Additional positions
in the fields of mechanical
engineering, hydraulics and
pneumatics, electrical
engineering and automation are
to be filled shortly.
In January, the company
moved into its new and bigger
headquarters in Rehlingen–
Siersburg near Dillingen.
The company develops and
provides complete solutions for
rolling mills solutions from
continuous casting through to
the finish-rolled section or
sheet. It specializes in
individual solutions for both new
plants and plant
modernizations, which are
supplied complete with
automation, control and network
systems and all ancillary
equipment.
The range of products comprises
• rolling equipment: hot rolling
stands for long products such
as sections, special sections
and steel bars
• conveying equipment: roller
tables, skids, cooling beds,
turnover and shifting devices,
• equipment for cutting, sawing,
cooling and straightening.
H&K plans, designs,
manufactures and supplies its
plants on a turnkey basis,
including erection and
commissioning, operator
training and service. The
company currently has a
Wolfgang Gerhard (right), Executive Partner, and Roman Quirin, Di-
rector Operations, in front of the new headquarters in Rehlingen–
Siersburg in the German Federal State of Saarland
workforce of 54. Many of them
are engineers and technicians
specialized in mechanical or
electrical engineering,
automation and civil
engineering.
More information on H & K
Industrienalagen GmbH:
tel: +49 6835 959750
Gerhard@koch-hk.com
www.koch-hk.com
TRACTO-TECHNIK GmbH & Co. KG · Plant 2 · D-57368 Lennestadt
Tel: +49 (0)2725 / 95 40-47 · Mail: tubomat@tracto-technik.de · www.tracto-technik.com
45 Years of
Experience
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LennD-57368D-57368 Lennestadt
om Experien
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Industry News
Critical pipelines and process
systems can breathe more easily
M
M
idland-ACS launches
a high-integrity
pressure regulator for
the pneumatic control
systems that are widely used for
valve actuation in the oil, gas and
other processing industries. Called
the OPD Stemsaver, the device
guards against any failure of the
filter-regulator that controls
compressed air system pressure,
by providing dual-redundant overpressure
protection. It ensures,
that any downstream actuators for
controlling process valves, cannot
be accidentally exposed to
dangerous over-pressures that
could be high enough to shear a
valve stem or cause other damage.
The device is an industry first, and
provides plant and automation
engineers with a high integrity
safeguard against a failure
mechanism that could lead to a
costly process shutdown or injury.
Pneumatic actuation is very
widely used in process automation
systems, for controlling and
sequencing valves. Automated
control valves are particularly
the device guards against
any failure of the filter-
regulator that controls
compressed air system
pressure, by providing
dual-redundant over
‘
pressure protection
common in hazardous areas, such
as offshore platforms and
refineries. There may be as many
as a 1000 actuated valves on an
offshore platform for example,
one of main markets served by
Midland-ACS - part of the ITT
Flow Control business.
In hazardous areas, actuated
valves are often elements of a
plant's emergency procedures,
such as the safety instrumented
system (SIS) that controls
emergency shut down (ESD).
Depending on the emergency and
type of process, valves may be
automatically closed - to stop
media feeding a fire for example parts
of the plant may be isolated,
or media might be vented to
atmosphere, via an emergency
system vent (ESV).
Although considerable safety
design effort goes into ensuring
that the actuators that control
these valves can be relied on in
the event of an emergency,
times the norm. This can be
enough to cause significant
damage, even providing an
actuator with enough torque to
shear a valve stem.
The company developed the
OPD Stemsaver following a
request from an engineering,
procurement and construction
(EPC) firm working for a North Sea
oil producer. A failed filter-
regulator had led to the cover of a
pneumatic actuator being blown
off, leading to costly downtime of
operations. The company's OPD
Stemsaver design avoids this
possibility by providing a dual-
redundant pressure regulation
facility with one diaphragm
regulator, coupled to a spring-
tensioned poppet valve. The use of
these two different regulation
mechanisms provides additional
reliability.
As standard, OPD Stemsaver
can be set to regulate pressure in
the 4-8 bar (58-116 PSI) range. The
handling harsh media. In use, the
secondary regulator is set to
operate at a slightly higher
pressure than the primary
regulator. If the secondary regulator
is activated, a reset button also
automatically pops up. This can be
linked to a proximity switch, to
provide feedback to the plant's
distributed control system (DCS).
The design has now been tried
and tested, as Midland-ACS have
produced around 100 of the new
high-integrity over-pressure
protectors for its first offshore
platform client. These have been
installed over a period of several
months to improve the integrity of
the platform's network of remote
control valves.
"If a valve actuator fails, it can
easily lead to downtime or even a
plant shutdown, and for continuous
processes such events can be
extremely costly," says Derek Clure
of Midland-ACS. "OPD Stemsaver
provides a practical and economic
solution to safeguard against
failure of the pneumatic regulator one
that we believe could benefit
thousands of plants worldwide."
OPD Stemsaver is available from
Midland-ACS as an individual
component. It is also compatible
with the company's innovative
modular pneumatic control
manifold - IMpact. This is a
universally compatible interface
block that mounts directly onto
valve actuators, and accepts a
range of field-proven pneumatic
components. IMpact saves space
and costs and is used by many of
the world's foremost control valve
manufacturers - with tens of
thousands of installations
worldwide.
’
’
pneumatic actuation systems device is supplied as a single
typically use a single filter-compact unit, fabricated in 316 More information on ITT Flow
regulator component, and the stainless steel to meet the anti-Control Ltd:
failure of this component can corrosion requirements of tel. +44 1902 305678
expose downstream devices to environments such as offshore fax: +44 1902 305676
pressures as high as two or more platforms, and process plants midland-acs@itt.com
20 IMT February/March 2011 www.internationalmetaltube.com
Industry News
Steelmaster SMO/SMS 550
In-line Gauges for Diameter, Ovality and Shape. For tube and pipe up to 500 mm (20 in.) diameter, hot or cold.
T
T
hanks to new
developments in high-
tech laser optics,
Zumbach Electronics
introduces at the TUBE 2010 the
new ODAC 550 laser scanner with
HLF (High-accuracy Large Field)
technology. This technology
allows for the first time to
generate a highly collimated and
accurate measuring field of 550
mm (22 inch) without any dead
zone. It also means that the tube
position in the field has no effect
to the readings.
There are single axis or
multiple axis systems available,
both in static or in oscillating
configuration, applicable for hot
or cold processes.
Applications cover solutions
for Quality Control (NDT) in cold
status to hot processes like MPM
sizing mills, SRM mills,
conveyors, pilger mills, piercing
mills, radial forges, extrusion
presses and others.
The sophisticated
protection/cooling system
guarantees reliable operation and
minimal maintenance.
Highlights
• 550 mm (22 in.) measuring field
• High-tech optics (HLF)
• CSS (Calibrated Single Scan)
technology
• 1000 true measurements/s
• Mach 3 scan speed means no
dynamic errors
• Accuracies within a few
0.01mm
• EPM method/ software for
polygonal deviations
European Commission
President visits Trumph
José Manuel Barroso, President
of the European Commission,
visited Trumph in Ditzingen on
January 20, 2011. With this event
he paid tribute to the significance
of Germany’s small and medium-
sized companies as an important
motor for Europe’s economy.
Together with the German EU
Commissioner Günther Oettinger
and the Minister for European
Affairs of Baden-Wuerttemberg,
Wolfgang Reinhart, the
Commission President visited the
Trumph showroom, hosted by Dr.
Nicola Leibinger-Kammüller and
Dr. Mathias Kammüller.
The Trumph machines’
performance very much
delighted the guest. Barroso
expressed that companies such
as Trumph had decisively
ensured that the economic crisis
in Germany could be overcome.
Moreover, he underlined the
significance of the European
market in a globalized world
economy.
Trumph President Leibinger-
Kammüller concluded with “even
though Asia and in particular
China are growing rapidly – we
generate two thirds of our sales
in Europe“. She emphasized that
especially in view of the size of
the individual European markets,
growth-oriented economic
policies were of special
significance. “Some markets are
traditionally important for Trumph
and many German capital goods
manufacturers, too, still lag
behind the economic
development. We wish that
national governments and
Brussels, too, continue to do all
they can to strengthen the
growth forces in these markets“.
For more information see the
internet at European
Commission - Audiovisual
Services.
www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT February/March 2011 21
SAET Group
API Standards: simply achieved
thanks to the Smart EMMEDI
Seam Annealing
E
E
mmedi Seam Annealing
equipment is based on
the well experienced
IGBTs technology and it
normalises the welding zone
(which has a modified metallurgic
structure, like grain coarsening)
generated during the induction
welding process in order to
comply with the American
Petroleum Institute - API
standards and American Society
for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
requirements.
The metallurgical modified
area named Heat Affected Zone
(HAZ) can generate failures in
flattening and flaring tests, if it is
not treated correctly. Therefore,
the HAZ needs to be normalised
in order to remove the unwanted
martensite and thus to regenerate
the metallurgic structure of that
area.
Emmedi has designed the new
Seam Annealing Equipment
(based on the robust and very
efficient IGBTs technology) which
is furnished with Inductors with a
40mm width including the new
flux-concentrators that guarantee
great performance (process
temperature 950 to 980 °C at 1 to
3 kHz as typical working
frequency). In addition, the
manual or automatic seam
tracking system keeps on track
the inductor on the HAZ in tilted
conditions (+/- 15° respect the
vertical axis) of the bonding line
and thanks to the great smart
process control system it is
possible to control both
equipment and process.
The smart control desk is
equipped with a touch screen
industrial PC from where
operators can download
production data, store recipes and
guarantee great production
results. The seam annealing
equipment is also furnished of
pyrometers at each seam head
which are the process
temperature/power guards of the
Medium Frequency IGBT
converters. The pyrometers are
connected to converters thanks to
the Proportional-Integral-
Derivative Controller (P.I.D.C.)
feature and thus the process is
always guaranteed.
The analogic signal coming
from the pyrometer (which reads
the temperature of the pipe) is
compared to the previous value
read-and-stored by the specific
software of the PLC which
determines if there is an
incremental or decremental
tendency of the temperature of
the pipe. The PLC determinates,
through the PIDC analysis, an
incremental or decremental of the
discrete predeterminate values of
the MF voltage/power of the
converter and it takes a
voltage/power correction of the
MF in order to guarantee the
process temperature. If for some
reason, the HAZ of the pipe can
not reach the process
temperature within the set range,
the PIDC stops the production
only after several attempts of
correcting the MF voltage/power.
Therefore, the new EMMEDI seam
annealing equipment is the real
competitive answer to satisfy API
tubes and pipes standard. Do not
hesitated to visit our new website:
www.saetgroup.com.
22 IMT February/March 2011 www.internationalmetaltube.com
Products & Equipment
Schneider Electric launches
HVAC dedicated drive
S
S
chneider Electric, the
global specialists in
energy management, is
expanding its range of
Altivar Variable Speed Drives
(VSDs) with the introduction of
the ATV212 specifically
engineered for building HVAC
(heating, ventilation and air
conditioning) applications.
With 50 per cent of all energy
used for HVAC operation in a
typical building, the new ATV212
helps organisations to address
the energy consumption of
dedicated pumps, pipes and
fans, improving the performance
of the system. The new device
features energy adaptation
technology which optimises
energy usage within the process
by monitoring the flux in the
motor and adjusting its output to
meet precise needs for
maximum energy efficiency. It
also generates 30 per cent less
harmonics compared to most
VSDs due to its C-less power
technology, reducing power
inefficiencies.
The ATV212 is available from
0.75kW up to 75 kW for 380 –
480V three phase systems and
0.75kW to 30kW for 200 – 240V
three phase systems. The drive
is IP21or IP55 rated, helping to
provide protection against dust
and moisture ingress and
features a motor noise
reduction function making it
suitable for use with pumps and
fans located in occupied rooms
or public areas.
Offering open
communications, the ATV212 is
embedded with Modbus,
BacNET, Apogee and Metasys
allowing easy connection to
most Building Management
System (BMS) without the need
for additional hardware.
Schneider Electric has
developed the ATV212 with safety
in mind featuring a fire mode
function for motors used for
smoke extraction applications. In
addition a damper control
function ensures the motor does
not start when dampers are not
in the correct position.
The new ATV212 is also more
user-friendly with a universal
graphic keypad option which
offers a plain English text
display making set-up and
fault diagnosis easier with its
simple-to-use structured menu.
This also makes the device
fully compatible with other
solutions in Schneider Electric’s
VSD offer.
Management benefits include
Bluetooth mobile phone
connectivity through Schneider
Electric’s SoMove software suite,
enabling remote configuration
and control.
Paul Pryor, Schneider
Electric’s drives product
manager, says: “In the
development of the ATV212 we
have looked to integrate more
functions dedicated to HVAC
applications, which will offer
flexibility, safety, openness and
user-friendly features. Working
on the principle of variable
torque within pumps and fans,
our latest variable speed drive
helps commercial users to
address their energy
consumption needs for motors
used in fluid applications,
helping them to maximise
energy and cost savings.”
For mor information on
Schneider Electric:
tel: 0870 608 8 608
www.schneider-electric.co.uk
International
Metal Tube
The leading independent magazine for
Metal tube & pipe producers and processors
Magazine and Digital Versions published 6 times a year
To subscribe visit our website:
www.internationalmetaltube.com
www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT February/March 2011 23
Oto Mills
Tubes can be demanding -
Oto Mills cuts them down to
Oto Mills response to varying welded tube market is the development of a new cut-off model. This will
meet the demand of a market who’s trend is towards much larger and thick tubes.
T
T
he welded tube market
continues to move
towards the production
of very large and thick
tubes. To meet this demand, Oto
Mills has developed the new cutoff
model TOAC40616, designed
specifically for tube lines that
require cuts without burr over a
wide production range. For
example: if just the thickness of
the tube is to be cut, a small
diameter blade can be used,
giving greater rigidity, a lower
level of vibrations, plus improved
finishing and longer blade life.
The carriage consists of a
steel structure supporting the
parts making up the cut-off. It is
driven by a pair of electric motors
oscillations in the line speed.
The bed also houses the
mobile tube supports. Their
stroke is based on the stroke of
the carriage and in particular, the
type of connection of the cables
to the carriage. The support
moves at half the speed of the
carriage, guaranteeing suitable
support of the tube throughout
the cycle.
4 Cutting heads
The cut-off houses the rotating
part where the 4 cutting heads
and relevant oil-hydraulic
clearance reduction cylinders are
fitted, this effectively stops the
vibrations that could possibly
arise during the cutting phase.
more, the part of the clamps that
come into contact with the tube,
are lined with a plastic insert to
eliminate vibrations that could
happen during the cutting phases,
and also compensate for any
alignment anomalies of the tube
between the infeed and outfeed
vices.
The vice is the quick
changeover type, so when you
need to change profile, for
example, from round to square, or
rectangular, the whole vice is
removed and replaced with
another vice offline, on which the
clamps suitable for the new
profile to be cut are fitted.
To summarise, the main
features of the cut-off are the
without re-tooling
.
New clamp lining: the plastic
material guarantees reduced
vibrations during cutting and
compensates any tube alignment
errors.
.
Four cutting heads - the use of 4
cutting heads means you can
considerably reduce cutting times
and consequently increase the
line speed. The machine is
however designed to be able to
work with just two cutting heads
as well.
.
Outstanding carriage stroke the
long stroke available means
that you can reach high line
speeds for long cutting times. The
tube is supported correctly
throughout the whole stroke by
with reduction gearing that
operate just as many toothed
pinions engaged in turn with the
rack on the bed. The outfeed vice
and tube guide are fitted on a
mobile assembly, which moves
the tube away from the blades as
soon as the cut is completed,
with blades still inside the tube.
In this way, they are protected
against feasible
scraping/breakages if the tube
should move, due to internal
tensions, or to the imperfect
alignment of the tube itself, or
even due to synchronisation
errors caused by excessive
The drives are installed at the
back end of the rotating part, and
are protected from chips and the
emulsion water, which rotate the
blades, as well as the relevant
blade traversing mechanisms by
means of linear actuators, and the
cable carrying chain.
The vices are designed to
handle specific shapes, be they
round, square or rectangular. They
are able to cover the whole
dimensional range of the machine
without having to re-tool. What’s
following:
.New vice system - once a
certain type of profile is
identified, the same vice
can be used on the whole
range of tubes of the cut-off
mobile supports.
.Cut-off manager
and oscilloscope -
the machine is
complete with
software (cutting
parameter
management) and
an acquisition
system of the
main
24 IMT February/March 2011
o size
parameters (speed and current of
motors) in order to constantly
monitor operational efficiency and
prevent possible problems.
.
Cut finish - thanks to the
ruggedness of the machine and to
the clearance recovery systems
installed, the finish of the surface
of the cut tube is excellent.
.
Safety - the machine is equipped
with platforms and railings to
guarantee access to all parts of
the machine pursuant to current
safety standards.
.
Maintenance - the machine is
equipped with automatic greasing
and lubrication systems for the
main moving components. There
are also inspection hatches on the
cut-off to access rotating parts
normally protected against chips
and emulsion water.
.
Cut-off manager – management
of the cut parameters. To ensure
lasting life of the blades, the
cutting parameters used must be
suitable for the type of tube being
produced (size, thickness and
material of the tube).
Software
To help the operator in this choice
and to make it easier to enter
these parameters, the cut-off is
equipped with dedicated Cut Off
software
When you enter the data of the
tube and the type of blade (HSS or
TCT), the program suggests the
best tooth range. This range is
based on calculations that take
into consideration the shape of
the contact range, and the filling
of the compartment of the teeth.
Once the best blade has been
identified, you select the type of
entrance in the tube and the
relevant safety positions. In other
words, the quick approach and
slow approach distances and the
penetration inside the tube.
At this stage, the dynamic data
is entered, i.e. the PS (peripheral
speed in m/min) and the material
removal parameter. The program
suggests some default
parameters that ensure cutting in
safe conditions, but that however,
does not optimize the cutting
time and therefore the speed of
the line. Starting with these, the
operator can select various types
of preset parameters and
subsequently modify the values,
using the limit curves calculated
as reference. The program also
provides – an indication of the
minimum blade diameter to
complete the cut with the
parameters selected with two or
four blades.
The oscilloscope function is
also available (optional) that
allows you to monitor the current
and speed references,
throughout all the cutting
phases, of the motors, and
namely: - carriage launch
motors - rotation motor of
rotating part - blade rotation and
traversing motors.
More information on Oto Mills
S.p.A
t: +39 0522 481211
f: +39 0522 964188
otoinfo@otomills.com
www.otomills.com
International
Metal Tube
The leading independent
magazine for metal tube & pipe
producers and processors
IMTInternational Metal Tube
Magazine and Digital Versions
published 6 times a year
To subscribe visit our website:
www.internationalmetaltube.com
www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT February/March 2011 25
Oto Mills/Safety
The true meaning of
Directive 2006/42/CE by Oto Mills S.p.A
The issue of safety is taken very seriously by Oto, through training of staff to the design and
manfacture of products and components. Here, Oto seeks to clarify aspects of the updated
Machinery Directive 2006/42/CE and identify certain practical consequences.
T
T
he well known Machinery
Directive 2006/42/CE has
recently updated the
definition of ‘machinery’
to a introduced a new
classification - that of ‘partly
completed machinery’. The revised
directive, which seeks to clarify,
and better identify the product
categories that might be subject to
declaration of incorporation (refer.
Directive 2006/42/CE, Annex II,
part 1, letter B).
These new definitions are not
just mere formalities, they have
practical, substantial
consequences, with relative costs
from Essential Health and Safety
Requirements to be applied. It
now becomes both the
manufacturer’s, and/or, the final
user’s legal responsibilities to
prepare new documentation. (EC
declaration of conformity and
instructions for machinery users,
declaration of incorporation and
assembly instructions for partly
completed machinery).
Although on the one hand, the
principal thrust of the Directive is
very clear, that is to say, it clearly
seeks to ensure the maximum
safety of machinery operating in
the market, thereby wiping out
bad practices in the past. Yet on
the other hand, it is less clear
when it comes to the actual
definitions concerning the
machinery and partly completed
machinery definitions themselves.
OTO MILLS S.p.A. has always
opted for safety as a critical, and
essential role in the
manufacturing and design of their
products, components and
systems. This commitment starts
at the very earliest design phase,
is promoted during the training of
technical staff and is carried
through all of their manufacturing
processes. They are convinced,
that the correct interpretation of
such definitions, when applied to
welded tubes and/or profiles
manufacturing plants, should be
clearly and accurately
represented.
According to this philosophy,
Oto Mills defines machinery
as follows:
• ‘a tube manufacturing plant’ - is
a whole assembly capable of
delivery from its entry line to the
run-out and pullout unit, since
according to Article n. 2 of
Directive it shall be considered
machinery “assemblies of
machinery referred to in the first,
second and third indents or partly
completed machinery referred to
in point (g) which, in order to
achieve the same end, are
arranged and controlled so that
they function as an integral
whole”;
• ‘a complete machine’ with all of
its parts, delivered separately
from other machineries
constituting a complete tube
manufacturing plant, which
requires only downstream or
upstream connections to it,
since, according to Article n. 2 of
Directive it shall be considered
machinery “an assembly, fitted
with or intended to be fitted with a
drive system other than directly
applied human or animal effort,
consisting of linked parts or
components, at least one of which
moves, and which are joined
together for a specific
application”. As typical examples
we can have decoilers, strip
joiners and strip accumulators
at the entry area
of the line, and
forming and
sizing system,
the cutoff unit
and runout table
that constitutes
the central and
final part of the
mentioned line.
• Having checked the line
compliance, both at single
component part level and as a
whole, to the Essential Health
and Safety Requirements of
Annex 1 to Directive, OTO
MILLS S.p.A affixes the CE
marking and delivers the EC
declaration of conformity and
instructions.
* ‘partly completed machinery,
according to Article 2 of the
Directive shall be considered; "an
assembly which is almost
machinery but which cannot in
itself perform a specific
application. A drive system is
partly completed machinery.
Partly completed machinery is
only intended to be incorporated
into or assembled with other
machinery or other partly
completed machinery or
equipment, thereby forming
machinery to which this Directive
applies”.
For Oto Mills S.p.A. our
interpretation of partly completed
machinery are:
• a coil peeler: to be incorporated
in a decoiler and specially
designed to enable the strip
header introduction into pinch
roll unit;
• an unwinder with snubber roll:
to be incorporated on a decoiler
and designed to exert pressure
on the coil during the strip
introduction phase;
• a driving unit: to be incorporated
in a forming and sizing system
and designed to operate the
motorized shafts;
• an outside scarfing section: to
be incorporated in a forming and
sizing system and designed to
remove the welding seam.
The above units are delivered
with the declaration of
incorporation, as indicated by the
Essential Health and Safety
Requirements, applied and
fulfilled both at design and
manufacture levels, and
assembly instructions; the
application and fulfilment of
remaining Essential Health and
Safety Requirements will be
necessary and mandatory during
the partly completed machinery
incorporation into the mill line,
prior to start up, at buyer’s or his
representatives facilities, who
will have the responsibility of
final certification of the entire
assembly.
More information on Oto Mills
S.p.A.
T: +39 0522 481211
F: +39 0522 964188
otoinfo@otomills.com
www.otomills.com
26 IMT February/March 2011 www.internationalmetaltube.com
Welding
The coolest tickets in town!!
P
P
olysoude kick of their
World Tour at two major
TWI venues in April this
year – TWI Cambridge
and TWI Rotherham.
Dedicated to boosting your
productivity threefold, Polysoude
will be demonstrating the
advantages and many new,
exciting applications in the field of welding demonstrations at the TWI Technology Centre, Wallis
TIG Hot Wire Welding. Among the TWI sites in both Cambridge and Way, Catliffe, Rotherham, S60 5TZ
line-up will be the hot wire power Rotherham.
source P6 HW and PLC welding More information on
head. Plus, the open type welding Dates
Polysoude/TWI timetables
head MU1V 195 HW for TIG hot 4th and 5th April 2011 tel: +33 24068 1100
wire welding. Polysoude, Granta Park, Great fax: +33 24068 1188
TWI and Polsoude invite you for Abington, Cambridge CB21 6AL info@polysoude.com
a number of presentations and 6th and 7th April www.polysoude.com
Intelligent digital welding
camera system
Invisual E are pleased to
announce the introduction of
the ICAM-WD digital weld
viewing and monitoring system
as a tool for improving welding
automation and quality
control.The ICAM system
extends the operator’s view of
the weld zone by providing real
time display and capture of the
weld arc. Setup, remote
guidance, inspection,
process control and operator
health and safety are prime
reasons for the Icam in welding
automation.
Apart from weld viewing, the
system has capabilities such as
I/O and an onboard
programmable area for
advanced functionality such as
weld inspection or closed loop
welding process control. Some
of the feature set include,
compliance with protection
standards DIN 3-7 gas welding
Din 9-13 electro welding, and
has a dynamic range to 140dB.
It features auto brightness,
exposure adjustment and no
blooming effects or image
artefacts in scene. A stand alone
with direct VGA connect, I/O
connect and Ethernet connect to
network or PC.
As a setup tool a few
examples include viewing the
weld torch for pre-start weld
position and measuring wire
stick out length. As a run time
and training tool, examples
include viewing the arc, puddle,
degree of weld spatter and
position. Post welding examples
include go/no goconditions for
weld inspection. For customers
requiring quality assurance, the
ICAM records images and video
to disc.
More information on
Invisual E. Inc
tel: +1 888 530 0712
fax: +1 416 530 4787
info@invisuale.ca
www.invisuale.com
To view this publication online and view previous issues on line go to:
www.internationalmetaltube.com
www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT February/March 2011 27
Exhibition News
wire Southeast ASIA / Tube
Southeast ASIA 2011
A key forum for a region with major industrial and infrastructure opportunities, plus regional
medium- and long-term fundamentals highlight importance of a presence for all serious
industry participants
wire Southeast Asia / Tube
Southeast Asia 2011 returns to
Bangkok, Thailand in September
this year at a time when strong
economic growth of 5.8% has
been forecast for the country.
Neighbouring nations such as
Vietnam (6.4%), Indonesia (6.4%)
and Malaysia (5.3%) also
anticipate strong growth. 2011
looks set to herald a new era of
sustained growth in the ASEAN
economies driven by exports and
domestic consumption.
In addition, the World Steel
Association has indicated that
ASEAN’s steel consumption was
45 million tones last year, and is
expected to expand further in
2011 to reach 49 million tones.
Hence, the timing of wire
Southeast Asia / Tube Southeast
Asia 2011 could not be more
favourable. Not only will there be
an increase in overall exports and
domestic consumption, the region
is also a magnet for foreign
investments as the various
ASEAN economies continue to
embark on their development and
expansion plans for
manufacturing and various
infrastructure requirements.
Thailand: Long-term
prospects highly rated
With host country Thailand’s
growing economy, wire Southeast
Asia / Tube Southeast Asia 2011
is set to be a must attend trade
fair for the wire and tube
industries. Investments in
Thailand remain highly positive.
Record applications for new
investment were received by the
Board of Investment (BOI) in
2009, valued at approximately
US$22.4bn. Among the
wire
beneficiaries were high-tech
businesses engaged in the
manufacture of automotive,
appliances and electronics,
including automotive electronics.
The BOI (Board of Investment)
has prioritized the local
manufacture of iron and steel
piping (>1200 mm), and plastic
piping or plastic coated piping (>
1200 mm) for use in mega-
projects and as such, they are now
eligible for incentives.
Free trade agreements with
countries such as Japan, China,
South Korea, Australia, New
Zealand and India, and the
prospect of rising exports to
ASEAN member nations are also
boosting industry confidence
along with export opportunities.
Thailand’s petrochemical
industry expects capacity to grow
by 70% between 2009 and 2014.
New facilities and expansions of
existing ones will generate
demand for wire & tube products.
The Thai government is currently
in the midst of the third wave of its
2004-2018 development plan for
the petrochemical sector.
Automobile production in
Thailand is projected to grow from
around 908,000 vehicles in 2009 to
more than 2.5 million in 2014.
Local parts manufacturers supply
nearly all the requirement used in
the assembly of motorcycles,
about 85% of parts used in pickup
truck assembly, and as much as
70% of those for passenger cars,
representing considerable
consumption of wire and tube
product.
Thailand is also working
actively to modernize its
infrastructure, with mass transit
systems and rail networks high on
the agenda. Significant investment
is also going into cogeneration as
well as conventional power
generation.
Rapid growth in Southeast
Asia brings urgent infrastructure
requirements
Like many developing Asian
economies, countries in the
ASEAN region require massive
investment in infrastructure
spanning roads, ports and
airports, railways, and energy and
this is particularly the case for a
country like Vietnam. Its economy
is becoming increasingly
intermeshed with the global one,
and it will require extensive inputs
of pipe, tubing and wire products
to fulfill its ambitions of becoming
a true player in the global
economy.
Previous show a resounding
success story
The international nature of the
trade fairs were also reflected
with the presence of close to 5,000
trade visitors and buyers from 57
countries, with approximately 30%
of the visitors coming from
outside Thailand. Both trade fairs
were well supported by many
industry associations spanning
the globe and this further solidify
wire Southeast ASIA / Tube
Southeast ASIA as the most
authoritative platforms for the
wire, cable, tube and pipe
industries in Southeast Asia and
beyond.
Accolades from exhibitors were
a common theme. “The strategic
location of Thailand in Asia has
attracted the best in the industry.
Our participation in Tube Southeast
ASIA brought us new leads in pipe
mills / welders business as well as
an increase in awareness of the
Vega brand in the region,” said P
Rama Dasu, Director of Revat
Metforms Pvt Ltd.
“I am impressed with the high
caliber, knowledgeable and
specialized visitors at this year’s
trade fair. I noticed that many
exhibitors make use of the
exhibition as a platform for
interaction, not just with the
visitors, but also with their peers
and competitors,” noted Dr.
Gerhard Bartz, President,
Association of German Wire and
Cable Machinery Manufacturers
(VDKM).
28 IMT February/March 2011 www.internationalmetaltube.com
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