Content on this page requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player.

International Metal Tube Volume 2 Issue 7

___Magazine Data___

NEWS ROUND UP • GLOBAL NEWS ROUND UP • GLOBAL NEWS ROUND UP • GLOBAL NEWS RO All Weldac solid-state welders now come with a 5-year warranty for their inverter modules, driver cards included. Since its launch the Weldac has become a proven solution; a welder that’s boosting productivity at companies worldwide. Weldac’s unrivalled reliability is based on a robust design and robust components. In fact, our IGBT transistor solution makes the Weldac virtually short-circuit proof. To learn more about Weldac, its proven reliability, and the warranty, just write to us at: sales@no.efdgroup.net The Weldac 1800 —for API pipes up to 26” OD. EFD Induction | www.efd-induction.com | Putting the smarter heat to smarter use. Comment As we head towards the end of what can only be seen as a challenging year, it was good to see at the recent Essen Welding show that innovation and new product development is alive and well. Companies with the foresight to maintain not only an effective research and development budget but also an active marketing presence are set to emerge from the global downturn in a far stronger position than their competitors which have abandoned these activities. Looking forward to next year, the key event for those who produce or process metal tube and pipe has to be Tube Düsseldorf (see page 32). Innovation and product development has always been a key area of Tube Düsseldorf – let’s hope this proves true for next April. Despite the challenges caused by the downturn IMT has noted a huge increase in the number of readers requesting the digital version of the magazine as their first choice. This increase in requests for the digital version clearly reflects the industry’s need for faster and more efficient delivery of news – and as this issue goes to press those of us in the UK are awaiting the results of negotiations to see if the Royal Mail workforce will go on strike. As we all attempt to reduce our environmental impact you, our readers, have shown that you are forward thinking by opting for the digital, interactive version of IMT. This is one way in which we can all do our bit to help reduce waste. With the digital version of IMT the option to only print what you want is yet another step in the right direction – and in the UK, at least, it also guarantees delivery on schedule. More immediately, there is the Fabtech/AWS show in Chicago to look forward to. To get the most up-to-date information on what can be seen there take a look at http://www.fmafabtech.com. In our next issue (IMT8 –December/January) we plan to include pre-Tube Düsseldorf 2010 news and updates, as well as taking a look coil and strip handling including specialist company profiles. So whether your IMT arrives down the line or through the post, you won’t want to miss it! 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 Dave Richmond editorial@internationalmetaltube.com TRANSPORT & LOGISTICS EDITOR David Young editorial@internationalmetaltube.com CIRCULATION June Bray Fax 01268 711567 PUBLISHER - PAUL BARRETT hartswoodmedia@aol.com REPRO BY Anton Print Solutions antonprint1@btconnect.com www.antonprintsolutions.co.uk DIGITAL CONVERSION BY Print to Digital PRINTED BY Holbrooks Printers Ltd, Norway Road, Hilsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO3 5HX. Tel: 02392 661485 PUBLISHED BY Hartswood Media Hallmark House 25 Downham Road Ramsden Heath Essex CM11 1PU United Kingdom T- + 44 (0) 1268 711560 F- + 44 (0)1268 711567 www.internationalmetaltube.com www.internationalmetaltube.com Industry News 2 - 11 2 - 3: Industry News: BLM bends it for exotic bike exhausts 8 - 9: Industry News: New name reflects expanded role for data M 2-3 8-9 Products & Services 12 - 14 22-26 IMT October/November 2009 1 Jon Keeling and Phil Atkinson readily admit to being obsessed with motorcycles, engineering and exotic materials, which explains why, in 2004, they set up Racefit to manufacture titanium exhausts for the motorcycle after-market. From the start the emphasis has been on innovative design and quality of manufacture. Phil Atkinson explains that the consistency and reliability provided by a new BLM CNC tube bender meant “it was not so much a case of whether we could afford to buy this machine, as a case of it being exactly what we need to guarantee 100% good parts that will fit precisely into our assembly jigs.” Jon Keeling adds: “BLM is a class act and the ELECT is an of our product involves tube that the same tube to take place in a we have to buy in 200 metres at a single set-up. Bends with very time. At around £50 per metre, short straights between them, rejecting subcontracted even compound bends, can also components because of be accommodated, along with ‘wrinkles’ on the bends was tight bends that can have a expensive and time-consuming. radius less than the tube We were also experiencing diameter. delivery problems as our work “Because the ELECT’s control was not always seen as a holds all the relevant programs it priority.” allows us to make to order,” says awesome machine that has the perspective. I didn’t know Sidecar Championship. capability to do exactly what we anything about manufacturing “We are passionate about want and more. In fact, we are exhaust systems, so I was what we do, and that is now equipped to offer quality looking at it from a different designing and manufacturing tube bending on a subcontract perspective anyway!” products that appeal to like- basis – and because we work The result is that five years minded people who simply want with tube all the time we know later the Matlock, Derbyshire­ the best,” Jon Keeling. “This is we can bend titanium, steel and based business has emerged as why we use titanium tube. It’s aluminium tube to a very a leading supplier of titanium light, strong and super- high standard.” exhaust systems bearing such corrosion resistant but it is also “We had to be different to be evocative names as Growler, ten times the price of stainless successful,” says Atkinson. Slash and Mega. In fact, this steel. That’s why we have “Other manufacturers faced with year’s FIM Sidecar World invested in a BLM CNC tube rising material prices were Championship-winning LCR bending machine – because we outsourcing production to China Suzuki outfit sports a Racefit can’t afford to waste material.” to cut their costs and there was exhaust. Despite finishing Apart from carbon fibre no way we wanted to do that.” To second in the final race of the sleeves and the laser cutting of which Keeling adds: “Having season, at Le Mans on 6 support brackets, everything is worked for pretty much all the September 2009, Ben and Tom processed in-house. “We were major exhaust manufacturers in Birchall made it into the record subcontracting our tube bending this country, Phil knew enough books, with Ben’s younger but we use big diameter (up to about manufacturing exhaust brother making history by 63mm) thin-wall titanium tube, systems to be able to look at it becoming the youngest-ever and that can be difficult to bend,” from a completely different passenger to win a World says Atkinson. “Virtually every bit The latest-generation all-Keeling. “Given that most orders electric BLM ELECT-63 CNC come in via the internet, this tube bender was installed in June 2009, with the inherent precision and control of all the axes positioning guaranteeing consistent, highly accurate, bends. However, the benefits for an end-user such as Racefit do not stop there. The machine’s multi-stack tool mounting capability allows multi-radius and variable-radius bending of ensures the shortest possible time between receipt of order and dispatch of the completed exhaust system.” All critical machine setting parameters are managed by the Siemens 840D SL CNC ‘Solution-Line’ control system, which interfaces with BLM’s VGP3D graphical programming and simulation software to provide fully automatic and truly interpolated simultaneous movement of all nine machine axes. This eliminates ‘dead time’ within the tube bending cycle and effectively de-skills the tube bending process which was previously so reliant on individual operator expertise. The new machine’s precise calibration cycle means that it is set right first time and guarantees that a first-off part, and all subsequent parts, will be to specification. More information on BLM Group at: tel: 01525 402 555 fax: 01525 402 312 sales@blmgroup.uk.com www.blmgroup.uk.com www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT October/November 2009 3 A comprehensive product range for minimising potential leak paths in process instrumentation has been launched at the Offshore Europe show by the instrumentation products division of Parker Hannifin, the global leader in motion and control technologies. Innovative solutions for all standard connectivity and functional requirements from the process line to the instrument are available in Parker's range, as a result of an intensive innovation-driven development programme. A foundation of the range is the elimination of leak-prone taper thread connections, and with it any need for PTFE tape or anaerobic sealant - another common cause of problems in the field. Parker's solutions in this area extends the scope of reliable compression tube fittings throughout the Parker has signed a worldwide representation agreement with the oil and gas systems integrator Proserv Group. Tube fittings, valves, manifolds and other components from the instrumentation products division of Parker Hannifin will become part of Proserv's preferred system building range. Since its foundation in 1974, instrumentation chain, by integrating compression tubing ends onto valves and manifolds. Combined with accessories such as threadless piping interfaces, that convert a standard flange to a compression tubing connection, plant engineers have the means to eliminate NPT threads in any standard instrumentation application. Parker has developed a comprehensive range of innovative solutions for instrument interfacing in the form of integrated and close-coupled manifolds. For standard double-block­and-bleed requirements Parker offers manifolds in monoflange and flange-ended forms, providing 'one-piece' solutions that eliminate any need for system building using discrete valves (and all the additional connections and Proserve picks Parker Proserv has developed a global engineering business that includes specialist system building expertise in a broad range of oil and gas applications such as wellhead control, chemical injection, umbilical termination, high pressure hydraulics and sampling and analysis instrumentation. The Norwegian-potential leak paths of that approach). These manifolds are also available in ultra-low­emission forms that meet ISO15848. The latest integrated manifold system is the highly innovative CCIMS close-coupled instrument mounting system. CCIMS provides a novel means of directly attaching a differential pressure flow measurement instrument to a process line. Parker is now releasing CCIMS variants for differential pressure level measurement applications, and for static pressure measurements. Parker Hannifin's Sheldon Banks says: "Process instrumentation based company has grown rapidly and now operates in almost every major oil and gas centre, from over 20 locations worldwide. To enhance the efficiency of its system services Proserv seeks relationships with suppliers are able to provide premium-quality building-block components worldwide. Parker's exceptional connections have evolved over a hundred years and inevitably tube connections and valve and manifold techniques are steeped in tradition. There's enormous scope for rethinking how things are done to provide more reliable leak-free systems, and this innovation-based approach underpins our instrumentation product range." range of instrumentation fittings, valves and manifolds, and its global logistics network, proved the perfect match. Proserv was particularly impressed with the responsive nature of Parker's manufacturing operation in Barnstaple, UK, which has become one of the leading suppliers into major oil and gas projects over the past decade. In addition to Proserv's broad activity profile, the system builder's worldwide footprint was a major attraction for Parker, as it extends local support to several regions, including West Africa, not currently covered by its own international office network. Sheldon Banks says: "Proserv is one of the strongest brands in the industry and has an enviable global footprint. Our agreement gives us the means to better serve oil major, design house and EPC clients, bringing mutual opportunities for rapid and sustainable growth." Proserv Group CEO Arve Sem-Henriksen adds: "We have a very large requirement for instrumentation products and expertise, and Parker's range, responsive supply chain and innovative approach gives us what we need to satisfy the ever increasing demands of our clients. The product supply agreement we have with Parker will help us to build and deliver systems very rapidly and efficiently, and provide after-sales support with products from a globally recognised source." More information on Parker Hannifin at: tel: +44 (0)1271 313131 ipd@parker.com www.parker.com Company profile With annual sales exceeding $10bn, 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 some 52,000 people in 48 countries. It has increased its annual dividends to shareholders for 53 consecutive years; this is among the top five longest-running dividend-increase records in the S&P 500 index. Smooth handover at Flowserve Mark A Blinn has been appointed president and chief executive officer at Flowserve Corporation, one of the world's leading providers of fluid motion and control products and services. He assumes responsibility for the operations and management of Flowserve in 55 countries. Previously Flowserve’s chief financial officer, Mr Blinn has also been in charge of Latin America operations for the company since October 2007. He joined Flowserve in 2004 as CFO after serving in the same capacity at Kinko prior to its acquisition by FedEx. As well as a BSc degree from the school of engineering, Mr Blinn won a JD in law and an MBA from Southern Methodist University in Dallas. He says: "It is truly an honour to be selected by the board for this leadership role, and I am excited about the opportunity to lead Flowserve, which has an outstanding team of employees, proven products, financial strength and an excellent customer base throughout the world.” Lewis M Kling, the company's current president and CEO, who plans to retire on his 65th birthday next February, has been elected vice chairman. He says: "I have worked very closely with, and relied upon, Mark as our senior vice president, CFO and Latin American operations for over four years. He is an outstanding global executive and is ready to lead the company. The timing of this transition will enable Mark, with my support, to effectively drive the company's 2010 strategic and financial planning processes, which are now getting under way. “It will also allow five months for transition and my oversight before my planned retirement from Flowserve this coming February. As vice chairman, I will be able to be actively engaged at the board level, as well as supporting the management team as they begin the planning process for 2010." Non-executive chairman James O Rollins says: "Our board has been extremely pleased with Lew's effectiveness as Flowserve's president and CEO. Over his four-year tenure revenues have grown consistently, nearly doubling, while net profits have grown ten fold, and we now have a world-class operation and organisation. “In addition to the outstanding financial performance, Lew has also prepared Mark well as his successor. The board is confident that mark and the company's outstanding executive leadership team will drive Flowserve to even higher levels of value creation for our shareholders." More information on Flowserve at: www.flowserve.com Company profile Flowserve Corp is one of the world's leading providers of fluid motion and control products and services. Operating in more than 55 countries, it produces engineered and industrial pumps, seals and valves as well as a range of related flow management services. Recognition of supply chain excellence Company profile CEVA Logistics is a leading global supply chain management company which provides end-to-end design, implementation and operational solutions in contract logistics and freight management to large and medium-sized national and multinational companies. CEVA employs about 50,000 people and runs an extensive global network with facilities in over 100 countries. For the year ending 31 December 2008 the group reported revenues of €6.3bn. News website CEVA has revamped its website at www.cevalogistics.com with a dedicated news section offering information on latest company developments. The site provides an option to subscribe to specific CEVA news. There is also a webcast section where senior CEVA executives provide a viewpoint on industry issues. Rather than being directed to a generic email address, individual points of contact are also provided to ensure that specific enquires are handled as efficiently and quickly as possible. Rebecca Salt, group director of marketing and communications, says: "We are pleased to have launched our new, global website. The updated features mean customers, analysts and media are better informed on latest company developments and can access information about CEVA more efficiently." CEVA Logistics, a leading global supply chain management company, has been awarded the E.ON UK Changing Energy People & Culture Supplier Award at its supplier conference, held at Ricoh Arena, Coventry. The award recognises CEVA’s excellence in delivering a collaborative and strategic approach for E.ON’s Logistics operation. A key criterion of the award was CEVA’s contribution to “changing energy” as it developed an energy footprint tool which monitored carbon emissions and facilitated carbon reduction across the supply chain. The awards recognise outstanding operational excellence and celebrate E.ON’s best suppliers by identifying the individuals and teams which have contributed to the energy giant’s success. Malcolm Russell, E.ON’s networks logistics manager, says: "In CEVA, we have a strong partner which helps us provide our customers with a high quality service. As we continue to work together to introduce new strategies which benefit our customers, our 11-year relationship goes from strength­to-strength. CEVA has made excellent progress with its carbon footprint reduction initiatives and accident reduction programmes.” Andy Fitt, operations director at CEVA, says: “We are extremely pleased that E.ON has recognised CEVA in its supplier awards programme. We are proud of the work we do with E.ON and are delighted to be part of their continued success story.” The CEVA/E.ON partnership has also been a finalist and winner at Motor Transport and CILT awards and is a finalist in the 2009 European Supply Chain Excellence awards. As well as helping CEVA maintain award-winning standards of excellence its employees have found the time to raise £42,000 for the company’s three nominated charities: Macmillan Cancer Support, the British Heart Foundation and TransAid. Rachel Herrick, on behalf of Macmillan Cancer Support, says: “I wish to thank everyone at CEVA for their very generous donation of £14,000. CEVA is a long-standing supporter of Macmillan and we are very grateful that despite the current climate they continue to fundraise for Macmillan.” Chris Saunders, CEO of international development charity TransAid, says: “We really appreciate the efforts CEVA staff put into raising funds for us. Those of you who know of our work will understand the importance and impact of improving transport management across Africa. This vital work could not continue without the support of companies like CEVA which will provide a real boost to our programme. ” Donna Stokes of the British Heart Foundation says: “This is the third year that employees of CEVA Logistics have supported the British Heart Foundation and I am delighted with their continued support.” Steve Fellows, CEVA’s HR director for the UK and Ireland, presented the cheques to the charities. He says: “We are really proud of our employees for getting together and raising £42,000. We are confident that this will make a real difference and change the lives of many people in the UK and Africa.” More information on CEVA at: www.cevalogistics.com TeZet technology makes bending child’s play Freeform bending, a new philosophy in tube bending, demands visionary software for tube measurement, as well as tube editing and processing software. TeZet has solved this problem with a laser measuring module for freeform bent tubes as part of TeZetCAD, the tube-specific software which is clearly ‘state of the art’. It starts in the CAD design department. Tubes are generated out of planes, rather than the traditional centreline. These theoretical free forms have to be read into the software via a 3D IGES module where they are converted to bending data for processing by the tube bender to produce a freeform bent tube. Because this technology does not follow the traditional tube bending procedure, which was generated from straights and bends, it demands a new philosophy. It is well known that a desired value and the actual value are often poles apart; the software should not only trim traditional points – whole fields must be sorted to a repeatable correction computation formula. The freeform bent tube must fit in a reliably repeatable way after no more than two or three bending tests. Because a freeform bent tube has no reproducible fixed lengths and radii, it cannot be measured in traditional tactile way, nor with a non-contact infrared fork probe, but only with a 3D line laser. This is of crucial significance for the advancement and improvement of the data interpretation from the laser scanner. The well known numberless taken points, better known as ‘point clouds’, must be adapted to cope with a tube philosophy which needs to be as flexible and versatile as the merging and diverging bends of a freeform bent tube. On the face of it chaos and order are polar opposites, but they can be joined by a complex computing algorithm to produce a satisfying result. In parallel to the measuring Freeform bend-measured tube with complete data sets for correction against CAD and bender. procedure, the graphical image look like child play. As always, formation of the measured tube with enough effort behind the on the monitor is exceptionally scenes the final result looks easy. fast because of the real-time calculation of tube data. This More information on Tezet at: makes the 3DLaser-Modul in leistritz@tezet.com TeZetCAD for freeform bent tubes www.tezet.com www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT October/November 2009 7 New name reflects expanded role for data M data M Software has been renamed data M Sheet Metal Solutions, and with good reason: During more than two decades the company has changed a lot, and so has a great part of its business activities. The former company name no longer reflected what the company does and offers, so the management decided to rename the company. Data M Sheet Metal Solutions’ history began long before the actual launch of the company. From 1982 until 1987 founder Albert Sedlmaier worked as a research engineer at the Technical University of Munich in the field of mechanical design, CAD/CAM and rollforming. Co­founder Stefan Freitag graduated at the same university; the results and developments of those years inspired the young engineers to found data M Software in June 1987 with the objective of developing software. At that time everyone was convinced that as much of the production process as possible should be automated. This led to the evolution of the process simulation sector, but before long the founders of data M realised that design software alone was not sufficient because the customers requested additional technical services. Consequently in 1989 they offered extra services and started design work themselves. This sector very soon became a business in its own right. As a result the engineers had an excellent tool at hand, which enabled them to offer engineering solutions and controlling technology in addition to their proven software solutions. The data M team worked very 8 IMT October/November 2009 hard for years and eventually achieved sustained success. A prime example of this is the launch of COPRA FEA RF 2009, the latest version of its successful simulation software for roll forming processes. Working with finite element analysis (FEA) this is a major component of the COPRA RF design package. COPRA FEA RF 2009 automatically generates a model based on data produced by external systems. This allows the user to create a versatile and now much more realistic simulation of roll forming and tube manufacture, and further optimise the manufacturing process. A significant advantage in version 2009 is the way in which an FEA model with rotating rolls can be automatically generated, and allowing for the friction that occurs. In this way it is possible to consider extra criteria like the enlargement of driving diameter, elongation or hole deflection. So the user obtains results representing an even closer simulation of actual practice. The basis of all simulation processes in COPRA FEA RF 2009 is the entry of machine settings. This is kept as simple as possible for maximum user-friendliness, comprising only those entries most needed such as driven/nondriven axles, the rotating speed of driven axles, speed ratio and frictional behaviour. Using its powerful, integrated simulation algorithms, the system then determines forming speed as a function of rotation and friction data, the rotating speed of non-driven axles and the torque of driving axles. This important data can go straight into a practical implementation: the expected elongation of tubes during forming and calibration, differences in the response of driven top and bottom rolls compared with cases where only the bottom rolls are driven. It is also possible to show the pulling and braking behaviour of driven rolls to detect risk of a form getting hung up. COPRA FEA RF 2009 can reliably detect deficiencies caused by different positions of the driving diameter, for example; now a reliable check can be made on the braking behaviour of non-driven rolls. COPRA RF 3D Punch-Hole Editor More and more profiles are also being rolled with pre-punched material, where the quality of the holes in the final section, in terms of correct position and shape, is also an important issue. There is little chance for trial and error in the roll-forming industry. So the only way to avoid expensive and time consuming experiments is to virtually simulate the process with FEA. This is why data M Sheet Metal Solutions has focused on making the roll design faster, while simultaneously eliminating the time wasting modification of the FEA mesh when using pre-punched material with COPRA FEA RF. The idea is to significantly reduce the time required for preparing an FEA simulation. Before the meshing of pre-punched material can be carried out automatically it is necessary to define the punched hole shape and its position in the COPRA RF design software. With previous versions this was not possible, as it was based on a 2D system. Data M’s target was to allow any punched hole shape in any combination. For this reason the engineers combined the COPRA RF software with their COPRA MetalBender 3D solution. In MetalBender 3D it is Going global very easy to define 3D sheet metal parts with any punched hole shape. Another target was to make the handling as easy as possible – the punched holes can be defined either in the flat strip, or in the final section. Beneath the integrated library of standard holes, the user can also define punch tool shapes and add them, creating a personal punch tool library. The program also allows the individual stations to be made visible, including the punch holes. With all the information about shape and position of punched holes created with the punch hole editor, the mesh can now be created automatically. This means it is no longer necessary to transfer the information about the punch holes into the MSC.Mentat program, delete the elements in the position of the holes and drag the nodes into the correct position. To make life even easier a mesh preview is now available, illustrating the automatically calculated mesh with or without holes, and any change in the meshing parameters will update the mesh preview automatically. The preview also shows the number of elements, making it easier to find the optimum constellation. More information on data M at: tel: +49 8024 6400 www.datam.de As a global specialist in developing engineering software for rollforming processes and welded tube manufacture data M takes on a lot of R&D work, which has become daily routine for the team. The company has established an enviable reputation as a problem solver for roll formers; companies from all over the world rely on the Bavarians’ expertise. data M’s management was well aware of the great potential which derives from the international demand for the company’s services. As a result it began to look for distribution and engineering partners in Europe and overseas with whom it could market not only data M’s software products but also its services. The goal of this expansion policy was to establish a network of ‘data M competence centres’ in which the parent company will hold a majority share. So far data M has delivered the feasibility studies and tooling as well as the roll forming concept to its customers. In future these services will be added by a machine, which can produce prototypes of rolled sections. And not only on the basis of ‘flexible roll forming’ or so-called ‘3D roll forming’, on which data M has been working for many years. The company will be offering its customers a complete concept comprising theory and practical experience – from feasibility studies and the tooling concept as well as the rollforming concept to the prototype of the section. Sawing machine and storage system specialist Kasto has moved its UK HQ, showroom, technical centre and warehouse from Southampton to Milton Keynes. MD Ernst Wagner says the new building is similar in size to the old premises in Southampton but is much closer to the company’s main customer base, most of which is north of the M4 motorway. Many of its aerospace customers, as well as Kasto users in the offshore, automotive and construction sectors, are also dotted around from south to north so a more central location is a clear advantage. “In December 2002 our German parent company took over its former UK agent, Rivers Machinery, and contractually inherited the Southampton premises”, says Mr Wagner. “Southampton was never an ideal location for our headquarters, whereas Milton Keynes is central and offers many advantages including a direct M1/A5 link from junction 14. Some of our customers will furthermore benefit from the shorter travel distances of our service engineers, who are based around Milton Keynes in particular.” To mark the relocation Kasto will hold an open house exhibition on 11 and 12 November. Three high-performance sawing machines will be on display under power, from top-end carbide band saws and circular saws to workshop models for moderate to occasional use. Circular saws from Italian principal FOM Industrie will also be featured. Representative of the company’s vast range of CNC vertical storage systems for raw material, both long stock and sheet, will be a 6m-high Unitower C3.0 sheet format storage tower which is being used to manage the spares and consumables for the company. The tower has its own integral crane picking from the storage locations, each of which is has a three-tonne capacity. It is intended for efficient storage on a small footprint of raw material, remnants, semi-finished products and other items such as locally held spares and consumables. Kasto’s SAP link to the parent company allows the storage facility to fully support the UK subsidiary’s own in-house spare parts activities, giving best-practice support to the UK customer base. • The new site is at Unit 5, Garamonde Drive, Wymbush, Milton Keynes MK8 8DA and the new phone number is 01908 571590. Anyone interested in attending the Open House should e-mail Ernst Wagner, ernst.wagner@kasto.uk.com, or phone 01908 571590. More information on Kasto at: sales@kasto.uk.com www.kasto.uk.com An appetite for risk The economic downturn latest research commissioned by most senior levels of their similar proportion see no change has prompted nearly leading insurance broker and risk organisation. However, Marsh's in risk appetite and 14% believe three-quarters of advisor Marsh. In addition, almost research reveals that this does not their organisations' risk appetite Europe's leading four-fifths of respondents now translate into a reduction in risk has actually increased. transportation firms to review believe that because of the appetite. Only 40% of participants their approach to risk downturn, risk management has believe that their board has More information on Marsh at: management, according to the become more important at the become more risk averse, while a www.marsh.com Tubotron has high-tech bending on tap Tracto-Technik, a world leading manufacturer of high quality tube and pipe bending and fabricating machinery has supplied a German manufacturer of on-load tap changers (OLTC) with a Tubotron 20 RL fully automatic right-and-left-hand CNC bending machine. It is used for bending the conducting copper rods which are installed on the OLTCs. Tap changers are important components within the field of high-voltage technology; their main function is to regulate transformers by compensating voltage jitters. At first sight bending copper rods seems to be comparatively easy but there were some issues to be considered in this case. For example, the copper rods with a bigger outside diameter are insulated (paper-covered). To prevent damage to this insulating layer during the bending process the bending machine is equipped with special pressure dies, comprising several counter rolls. Furthermore some of the rods are provided with connecting plates even before the bending process. Therefore the corresponding collet chucks have special gaps which hold the plates and allow for a defined and precise rotational alignment of the plate prior to the first bend. The Tubotron 20 RL has an exposed and extremely compact bending head that ensures maximum bending space for producing even complicated tube figures with an outside diameter up to 20mm. Programming of all axes is facilitated by the Simatic touch-panel PC control with menu-driven user guidance. The bending machine has a servo-electric bending drive which allows for precise bending with highest repeat accuracy. Maximum bending speed is 450°/s. The Tracto-Technik product range includes CNC tube bending machines up to 170mm OD, semi-automatic and one-axis­controlled tube bending machines, tube end forming machines and tube measuring systems as well as piping software. More information on Tracto-Technik at: tel: +49 (0) 2725 95400 fax: +49 (0) 2725 954033 tubomat@tracto-technik.de www.tracto-technik.de . Right hand pictures: The exposed and compact bending head of the Tubotron 20 RL allows for bending of complicated tube figures. . Below: Bare and insulated copper rods for on-load tap chargers. systems for pipe cutting and processing, featuring a gantry design for large pipe diameters. The machine can deal with pipes and vessels with diameters up to 3,000mm – even larger diameters can be accommodated with a special design. The patented 3D abrasive cutting head allows cutting of complex contours and machines can be supplied with a perfect 3D (five­axis) cutting table. multifunctional solution. Its large working area permits optimal and efficient use of the machine – simultaneous preparation and cutting is possible for optimum economy. The 4020/3D offers a choice of working areas, measuring 3,000x2,000, 4,000 or 6,000mm to handle pipes with a diameter up to 3,000mm and up to 8000mm in length. There is also a compact 2D They can be cut from the outside with an integrated turn facility. An internal ‘catcher’ prevents damage to the internal wall surface. Optional flushing systems effectively remove the cutting sludge and this model’s versatility make it a particularly useful tool. The pipe/vessel cutting assembly is available as a separate unit without the working table Also in the range is a cutting to customers’ requirement – large diameters pose no more problem. For special requirement where the internal surface of the pipe must not be damaged a specialist cutting system has been designed. The cutting head can be positioned internally into the pipe and the jet cuts from inside to outside, ensuring that the water jet will not affect any internal or external surface. As an added benefit there will be almost no pollution within the working area. This range of three pipe and vessel cutting machines, all fitted with high quality Perndorfer technology, can be set up with 2D (three-axis) and 3D (five-axis) cutting heads with or without a bevel-reduction system to provide the optimum solution for any customer requirement. • To boost efficiency and enhance an operator’s green credentials Perndorfer has developed the WRA600 water- recycling installation. This www.perndorfer.at Company profile Perndorfer Maschinenbau, based in Kallham, Austria was established in 1985 and has earned a reputation as a leading manufacturer of 2D and 3D water-jet cutting, special purpose machinery and jet cutting plant. Its extensive product range also includes machining centres, presses, marking machines, handling systems, ultrasonic inspection plants , electronic welding plants, transport devices, test plants, assembling devices, grinding and polishing devices, laser welding plants, complete production lines and sawing machines. Franz Perndorfer, founder and owner of the company, employs about 70 personnel, from master craftsmen to apprentices. The company successfully competes on the international market. Customer service extends to customised water-jet cutting systems, comprehensive training courses, on-site expert advice, pump servicing and round-the-clock support. Rotary valve promises rugged reliability Emerson Process Management has launched the Fisher 8580 rotary valve with enhanced reliability and a high cycle life to increase plant availability. Extensive laboratory verification was performed on the Fisher 8580 to ensure reliability. Mechanical tests were conducted to determine cycle life, fatigue life, vibration resistance, temperature limits and pressure limits. In addition, tests were performed on materials for the Fisher 8580 valve body, disk, seals, shaft and bearings to assure resistance to conditions that could lead to a deterioration in performance. The new rotary valve can easily be installed in either a horizontal or vertical orientation with no detriment to performance or cycle life. This also enables left-or right-hand mounting of the valve actuator, allowing access for any installation. The Fisher 8580’s disc design gives it a linear flow characteristic to provide precise throttling control. The valve is offered with either a soft or metal seal to provide enhanced shutoff. The interchangeable seal capability minimises parts inventory requirements. To facilitate its use throughout the world the Fisher 8580 meets API, ASME, and EN standards. The valve body meets PN10-PN40, CL150, and CL300 ratings. Face-to- face and raised-face dimensions meet EN 593, API 609, and MSS-SP68 standards. More information on Emerson Process Management at: www.EmersonProcess.com For details of the Fisher valve: www.EmersonProcess.com/Fisher or contact an Emerson Process Management sales office and request product bulletin 51.6:8580. Company profile Emerson Process Management, an Emerson business, is a leader in helping businesses automate their production, processing and distribution in the chemical, oil and gas, refining, pulp and paper, power, water and wastewater treatment, metals and mining, food and beverage, pharmaceutical and other industries. A division of Emerson, Fisher Controls International LLC (www.EmersonProcess.com/Fisher) is a global leader in the design, manufacture and application of final control systems. Emerson brands include Plant Web, Fisher, Micro Motion, Rosemount, Daniel, DeltaVTM, Ovation and AMS Suite. Emerson, based in St Louis, Missouri, USA, is a global leader in bringing technology and engineering together to create innovative solutions for customers through its network power, process management, industrial automation, climate technologies, and appliance and tools businesses. Sales in the 2008 financial year were $24.8bn. KASTO cuts with care A new range of circular saws has been launched by KASTO, of Milton Keynes, UK, specifically for avoiding damage while cutting delicate materials such as aluminium. The KASTOalu range comprises manual and semi­automatic downstroking models (M10 and U10); semi-automatic upstroking models (U12, U14 and U20); and a fully automatic upstroking saw (A13). Except for the A13 all the saws are capable of double-ended mitring as well as straight cutting. Complementing the Mastoids machine series for relatively light duty cutting of steels and most common metals, the KASTOalu machines fall within the German manufacturer’s workshop range of saws. Rectangular stock up to 300x100mm can be processed on the U 0 while the U12 can handle stock up to 110x70mm. Capacity of the automatic A13 is 200x90mm. Complex mitre cuts are possible on the M10 and U10 as the 400mm-diameter saw blade can be positioned up to 45º left or right and inclined by up to 45º from vertical. This allows compound mitre cuts, which are increasingly required in complicated building structures. All automated models in the KASTOalu series feature an infinitely variable hydro-pneumatic saw feed. Minimum lubrication of the carbide-tipped saw blade is common throughout the range, as is the provision of a compressed air gun and a port for connecting chip extraction equipment. Mitre angle is up to ±90º on the larger semi­automatic machines. The KASTOalu A 13 is a numerically controlled automatic circular saw with an additional capability for semi-automatic operation, designed for 90º cutting not only of aluminium profiles but also of solid materials. Features include a precision ball screw for material feed and infinitely variable cutting height adjustment. More information on KASTO at: tel: 01908 571590 fax: 01908 566106 sales@kasto.uk.com www.kasto.uk.com Preparing metal tubes for orbital welding There are many methods of end preparation, from basic hand tools to high-tech specialist equipment. Protem’s portable bevellers proved to be the most efficient way to prepare duplex pipes in an arduous off-shore operation. High-quality end preparation is essential before orbital welding of tubes. But what types of equipment and methods are suitable in what circumstances? Using cheaper, low-tech methods is sometimes acceptable, but often it is counter-productive. When Dragados Offshore used portable bevellers from Protem to prepare duplex pipes in an offshore oil and gas project, it brought clear advantages in productivity and quality. No matter which method is used for joining tubular components, from welding to threaded joints or pressure­energised couplings, accurate end preparation is essential. Preparation, which often constitutes the final stage of the manufacturing process, not only serves a cosmetic purpose; it also produces a finished product which will be more acceptable to the buyer. Accurate end preparation ensures that when lengths of tube are to be joined to each other or to other components, the squareness of the tube end will guarantee proper fit-up and correct alignment on long runs. The optimum types of preparation vary according to the size of the component, wall thickness and the joining method to be employed. Most welding specifications call for a predetermined end form which will vary according to the subsequent welding method. Methods of end preparation vary from the simplest – a hacksaw and file – to high-tech, high-volume CNC production machinery which can turn out hundreds of finished tubes or pipes per hour. Hacksaw and file Although inexpensive in terms of equipment, this process is too slow and inaccurate to be considered as a practical method of preparing weld joints. The high cost of labour also makes the benefits of this method dubious. Grinding Grinding is the most common low-tech method in tube and pipe fabrication shops. It is relatively inexpensive, as the initial investment in equipment is considerably less than many of the alternative types of machinery currently available. It can be used on a wide selection of materials and it will, given sufficient time and a good operator, create most of the common weld preps in use at present. However, grinding is of no value where there is risk of fire or explosion. It is also dirty and can be dangerous because of the risk of inhaling airborne particles (though precautions can be taken against this). Grinding is also noisy and can contribute to industrial deafness. Hidden costs can include the grinding discs, especially if they are designed for use on exotic materials, and maintenance. The accuracy of grinding is not optimal under any circumstances, and the more complicated the profile, the harder it is to achieve. Particles of the grinding disc can be deposited on the pipe material, which can result in weld defects in the subsequent joining process. Flame or plasma cutting Several methods exist for creating end preparations on tube and pipe using flame or plasma cutting. Many of them provide acceptable surfaces for welding under certain circumstances, depending on the skill of the operator. The cost of manual flame/plasma cutting equipment is not prohibitive, and these methods can be employed in a number of on-site situations, both indoors and out. Mechanised methods of flame and plasma cutting are more accurate than hand-held torches, although there are still limitations to be taken into account. Plasma cutting, unlike flame, can be used with more exotic materials such as stainless steel. On the other hand it can be extremely messy and, on heavy materials, the cut tends to dissipate as it advances through the wall, leaving an inaccurate finish. Both flame and plasma cutting induce a certain amount of heat into the material. Lathe or boring machines Employing a lathe or boring machine is an accurate and sometimes fast method compared with the alternatives. It can also produce complex profiles with a high level of repeatability. In a lathe, with the workpiece rotating, there are limitations as to the size and shape of the pieces to be prepared: a 12m length of tube spinning at high speed can be hard to control. A boring machine has fewer limitations, but there are disadvantages common to both machines. Using them for end preparation ties up the machines and prevents them from being used for the many more complex operations of which they are capable. Handling large or complicated pipes, possibly with bends or fittings welded into them, can be difficult and slow. Hand-held milling and nibbling machines Hand-held milling and nibbling machines vary in size and capacity from a small electric drill for lightweight plates about 3mm thick to free-standing machines that have the workpiece fed through by hand. Some of these machines carry a milling cutter that will remove large amounts of material very quickly, leaving a surface finish that is generally acceptable for most methods of welding. Other machines use a system similar to a miniaturised guillotine that nibbles the material away to a predetermined shape. Purpose-built end preparation machines Dedicated end preparation machinery can prove invaluable in certain areas. The first is at the end of a tube or pipe production line. A customised end preparation system, matched to the speed of the line, will give the manufacturer a product which will look well finished and will be more acceptable to a customer than a saw-cut end. It also allows the producer to send out a product end-finished to meet the customer’s exact requirements with no need for further processing. Preparation, which often constitutes the final stage of the manufacturing process, not only serves a cosmetic purpose; it also ‘produces a finished product which will be more acceptable to the buyer The producer can offer the client a choice of end profiles applicable to the joining process to be used in assembly. Similar facilities are available to the manufacturer of plate products, with largely the same benefits as for tube and pipe. In some ’ instances, for example where plate is being rolled into a tubular section, accurate machining to width is imperative as this will govern the diameter of the finished tube. Machines of this nature are usually built into production lines, together with rolling and welding equipment. For workshop activities a vast range of fixed and portable systems is available. The choice largely depends on the volume of ends to be prepared and the speed at which it is to take place. If there is a large number of similar sized items to be prepared in a common profile, a fixed system should be preferred. This can be installed on a production line to work in harness with any other process that the components have to pass through. Portable machines have the advantage that if the prepared pipes are to be assembled on site the machinery can be taken to the job location and the same standards of accuracy can be achieved as in the workshop. Machines designed for in situ use are usually lightweight in relation to the dimensions they are made to work on. They can be supplied with a variety of drive systems. There is a wide choice of methods for attaching the machine to the work, and several different cutting methods can be employed. Equipment for tube and pipe end preparation can range from a machine as simple as a grinder mounted in a jig which clamps the pipe to faster and more accurate CNC machines. On occasions end preparations have to be created in an environment that precludes normal methods. This may be under water or in an irradiated area, or possibly in a situation where a human operator cannot be employed due to inaccessibility or danger to life. For these applications remote-control machines are needed. In situations where it is not permitted to touch the inside of the tube, for example with an electrochemically polished tube, machines employ clamping collets to grip the workpiece, while others use a system of jaws similar to a chuck. For smaller sizes the collet system is the optimal solution. Another subcategory of the collet method is the chain fixing, the biggest advantage of which is that it there is practically no limit to its diameter. The principal disadvantage of the • www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT October/November 2009 17 .chain method is that it is difficult to set up and, if care is not taken, the cutter may wander, resulting in a spiral instead of a prepped end. Nearly all users of such chains use a mandrel to facilitate self-centring and self-alignment. Most operators also use form tools to create the desired shape on the pipe end. Many will perform more than one cutting operation simultaneously, such as a compound bevel, counter-bore and root face. For thicker wall applications some machines use single-point tooling with articulated tool holders. These types of machines can also be adapted to reinstate a damaged gasket seat on flanges and vessels. Welding (super) duplex pipes The advantages of using high-tech portable tools were made evident when Dragados Offshore was asked to build an LNG processing plant on Melkøya Island as part of Statoil’s Snøhvit project. In the past the company had prepared large-diameter hard-alloy pipes, such as stainless steel, duplex, super duplex or P91, using several a range of methods, including cutting by flame or band saw, manual bevelling with abrasive discs or, when high quality was important, using a lathe. But these methods proved unproductive, polluting, low quality and inconvenient. So Dragados Offshore asked Kalmia and its partner Protem to propose a method of machining pipes that avoided all these problems. Most of the conduction of this plant had to be constructed in duplex and super duplex pipes to handle high pressures in corrosive weather conditions. The weld preps were to be made in different configurations (30°, 37°30” and J-shape) and in different sizes, schedules and materials. After studying the problem Kalmia and Protem decided to offer portable tools for working pipes ranging from 1-42in. The toolkit The Serco range Serco units are positioned and locked by means of a column/arm system clamped to the outer part of the surface to be machined, allowing internal machining. Machine set-up is fast and easy. Following preliminary visual positioning the operator can quickly achieve parallelism and concentricity within 0.01mm. A powerful air motor rotates the tool (hydraulic motors are an option); it features a two-speed radial automatic feed system. Serco manufactures a comprehensive range of portable machining units for valves, valve seats, diesel engines etc. They can all be driven pneumatically or hydraulically. The company was set up in 1984, since when the reliability, versatility and high quality of its tools have earned them an excellent reputation. They are used wherever preparation, maintenance and repair work is needed in many industries including power plants (nuclear, thermal and water), chemical and petrochemical (oil refineries), ship repair, food production and steel industry. Serco machines are used for the preventive maintenance and repair of valves, boilers, heat exchangers, pumps, diesel engines and much more. Machining accuracy is 0.001mm, usually with a finish roughness of RA1.6 depending on the technical specification. As Serco customers around the world are working on-site, they need machines which are light and compact. The Serco range meets that need, from facing and refacing operations to (counter) boring, with manual comprised low-speed bevellers using high-speed steel tool bits for the smaller sizes, and high-speed bevellers using carbide inserts for the bigger sizes. Most of the tools were offered with hydraulic drives, because the working torque was more stable compared with other types of motive power. Dragados Offshore accepted the offer and worked all weld preps in hard alloy tubes with Protem portable bevellers. The most important advantage of this method was a noticeable increase in productivity. José Ramón Camborne, Kalmia general sales manager, says: “Due to the high quality of the weld preps we were able to and/or automatic feed with machines to handle diameters up to 2,200mm. For the conical machining of parts such as RTJ (with a 23° groove and ventricular 23° joint working surface) Serco machines can be equipped with the right tooling to achieve the required angle. The AC device is designed for conical machining, at all angles from 0-180°. And in a new development Serco machines can combine radial and axial feed. The advantage of this system is that it is part of the chosen machine rather than an accessory. .carry out a lot of the welding using newly acquired orbital welding equipment.” Capital investment Portable machine tools and sophisticated production systems require a large initial capital investment. This can be a daunting prospect, particularly for small businesses. However, the enhanced accuracy and repeatability of these machines can lead to a reduction in the number of components needing to be scrapped and a reduction in the number of weld defects. Accurate end profiles also mean that more advanced welding processes can be employed. Many automated welding systems need very accurate fit-up, and are very unforgiving if there are inaccuracies in the weld preparation. If an estimator can accurately judge the time taken to complete end profiles, the total time allowed for the operation can be more easily quantified. This www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT October/November 2009 19 sealing, which controls the hydrogen absorption of welded products to dramatically improve their consistency and quality. The laser technology has revolutionised the manufacturing process by combining the distinct strengths of various production processes. As a result Böhler Welding Group’s laser sealed flux cored wires provide unbeatable product features with a superior weld finish. Key advantages of laser sealed technology include: As the demand for larger and lighter constructions continues to grow technological advances will lead to steel that is stronger and lighter. That means ways must be found to join these materials effectively and safely. To meet this challenge, Böhler Welding Group has formed an innovation team to develop the next generation of welding fillers and solutions for the highest strength steels. The mission was simple: increase the weld quality, minimise the risk of hydrogen-induced cracking and eliminate the danger and potential damages. The voestalpine network provided unique access to the world’s leading steel experts and metallurgists. With their support, and input from customers, R&D departments and leading universities, the innovation team has been developing the next generation of welding technology. A good example of this is laser • Reduced risk of moisture pickup which might cause porosity or hydrogen-influenced cracking; • Increased arc stability; • Exact spark ignition for robot applications due to higher twisting stiffness; • Exactly positioned laser with pinpoint heat input to guarantee optimised metallurgical processes in the weld pool; • Utilisation of hydrogen­minimised flux (non-agglomerated powders and metal powders); • High flexibility of filling ratios; • Continuous quality inspections during the production process, guaranteeing a consistently high quality; • No need for copper-coated wire, saving resources and boosting its green credentials; • Optimised powder filling process to guarantee optimum homogeneity. Laser sealed flux cored wires are currently being applied in a wide range of materials, from unalloyed up to 13% Cr steels. The advantages of this technology have been successfully tested and documented for various products. With the flexibility provided by its new technology the Böhler Welding Group plans to develop effective customer-oriented solutions. More information on Böhler Welding Group at: tel: +49(0)211 580 6600 www.bohlerweldinggroup.com Cleanflo and Comet on show Among the new products spotted by IMT during a visit to the Schweissen & Schneiden welding show in Germany were two useful innovations being promoted by Spa Welding Systems of Munich. The Cleanflo purging system from Linde Gas Division features a unique gas flow design which prevents the discolouration that can appear on the inside of welds even with correct purging. This will be welcome in industries such as food and drink, pharmaceutical and Nuclear as it produces clean welds, without the need for further processing. Cleanflo’s efficient gas flow also produces the required purity levels quickly, saving time and therefore money. The big news from Spa was the launch of the Comet Mark V automated orbital welding system.. This a versatile automated all-positional welding system features an on-board programmable system for all essential welding parameters. The Comet is supplied in left and right hand versions to allow simultaneous pipe welding by two units from one guide track. The consumable and welding techniques used with the Comet will achieve a wide variety of mechanical properties to satisfy requirements for x52-x80 as well as hy-80 hy-100 and similar plates. All mechanical parts of the Comet meet the highest quality standards, from heavy duty motors and gears to military-spec sealed electrical connectors, bearings and cable assemblies that are designed to handle the tough conditions encountered in the pipeline industry. Exact welding parameters in the software ensure a consistent weld seam quality with a Boost production with flexible welding robots KUKA has developed two more specialised arc welding robots: the KR16 arc HW and the KR16 L8 arc HW. They feature a hollow-wrist design with a 50mm opening which allows protected, internal routing of all common hollow-wrist dress packages, with easy access for quick changing when needed. This simplifies offline programming and greatly extends the service life of the dress package. It also prevents undesirable whiplash motion during reorientation of the robot. These robots are also built to last, with an IP54 protection rating for harsh service conditions and a long service life. During rigorous component tests they achieved 40,000 hours of guaranteed production and maintenance intervals of over 20,000 hours. This technology promises to increase the output of welding systems – the infinitely rotating six-axis design means that time-consuming back-rotation of the wrist between work cycles is not necessary. What’s more the combination of powerful AC motors with a weight of only 245/238kg gives both new models a particularly high dynamic performance, leading to significantly greater production capacity. Extreme precision ensures maximum process quality for arc welding; the optimised arm design with double-sided mounting of the robot wrist results in increased stiffness and reduced vibrations. The design is also resilient in the event of minor collisions. In combination with high-precision gear units, these units achieve a repeatability of less than ±0.05mm. The electromechanical drive system features brushless AC servomotors made to ISO 9283. Between them the two welders can handle a wide range of jobs. With large work pieces, such as thick plate applications, the KR16 arc HW is ideal for payloads of up to 16kg. If reach is important, the KR16 L8 arc HW, with a reach of up to 2,015mm, is the obvious first choice. Both robot types are also highly flexible thanks to a wide range of mounting options – on the floor, on the ceiling or on a linear unit. KUKA also offers an impressive range of welding software: KUKA.ArcTech for fast start-up; KUKA.SeamTech for automatic seam tracking; and KUKA.TouchSense for tactile seam searching. The monitoring of safety zones is provided for by Safe Robot technology – and if the co-ordinated teamwork of several robots is required, KUKA offers the RoboTeam application package. KUKA makes a promise to prospective clients: “Whatever you want to do, and however unusual your idea may be, with us you can implement anything – irrespective of the specific branch of industry and irrespective of whether or not a similar application has existed before. You can rely on us to stand by you in every phase of a project: from planning and commissioning to maintenance and conversion – 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.” More information on KUKA Roboter at: tel: +49 821 45330 Fax: +49 821 4533 1616 info@kuka-roboter.de www.kuka-robotics.com Specification: KR16 arc HW and KR16 L8 arc HW Maximum reach: KR16, 1,636mm; KR16 L8, 2,015mm. Rated payload: KR16, 16kg; KR16 L8, 8kg. Suppl. load, arm/link arm/rotating col: 12-20kg Suppl. load, arm + link arm, max: 12kg Maximum total load: KR16, 48kg; KR16 L8, 40kg. Number of axes: 6. Mounting position: Floor, ceiling. Positioning repeatability: ±0.05mm. Controller: KR C2 edition 2005. Weight (excluding controller): KR16, 245kg; KR16 L8, 238kg. Temperature during operation: 10-55°C. Protection classification: IP54. Robot footprint: 500x500mm. Connection: 7.3kVA. Noise level: <75dB. minimum of corrective action from the operator. The Comet V is said to offer a number of significant advantages: • Up to three time faster than cellulose electrode welding, or five times faster than basic electrode welding in out-of­position welding; • In addition to increased deposition rates operator efficiency increases by up to 75%; • A 5kg on-board welding wire spool is fitted, or the 15kg wire feeder from the power source can be used; • Simply programmable welding parameters with memory storage for programs; • Optimum visibility and welding tip stability; • User friendly hand-held programming unit and remote control; • Adjustable inclination angle of the welding torch for 2G and 6G positions; • Modular construction design; • Robust construction for onshore and offshore welding applications and weather conditions; • Light weight (18kg). More information on Spa Welding Systems at: tel: +49-8142-44459912 fax: +49-8142-4445999 r.sebald@spa-welding.com www.spa-welding.com More information on Linde Gas Division at: tel: +49 89 74460 fax: +49 89 74461230 cleanflo@linde.com www.linde-gas.com www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT October/November 2009 21 The right design of straight tube welders can pay dividends Prefabricating pipes for boilers in power plants involves a lot of specialist welding. Polysoude experts review the types of weld lathes that feature at the beginning of the assembly line. D uring energy production in fossil fuel-fired power plants, various types of fuel are burned inside a combustion chamber. The released heat is conducted to the tube bundle inside the surrounding boiler shell; steam produced inside the tube bundle is used to power steam turbine generators for electricity production. The boiler erection operations can be divided into three main parts: • Making available the appropriate pipes with matching dimensions, made of the requested material, corresponding to the specified With the increase in efficiency of power plants, higher service temperatures became necessary and new heat-resistant materials had to be developed, making welding operations more and more delicate ‘ quality level and shipped at the desired date; • Prefabrication work such as cutting, joining and bending of the pipes in the workshop; • The final boiler assembly with the prefabricated parts on site. Pipes available on the market are generally of fixed lengths; during prefabrication the pipes are welded together to get appropriate lengths for the pre-assembled units. These are shipped to the site where they are used to construct the boiler. The prefabrication can be organised in two ways, which require different types of equipment. The first of these involves welding several pipes together; the final shape of the pre-assembled unit is arrived at by joining them with bends. This technique requires a welding machine for the joining of the tubes at the beginning of the production line. At this stage the workpieces are still rotationally symmetrical so the welds are usually carried out on rotating tubes with the torch at a fixed position. On the commonly used welding lathe the tubes are clamped, centred and rotated at the desired travel speed to carry out the weld – the welding torch remains in a fixed position. manually or by means of orbital welding. Production time of these pre-assembled units is influenced by the number of welding machines and staff bending operations are then carried out to transform the pre-assembled unit to its final shape. This type of prefabrication requires virtually all welds to be straight tube welders their design has been continuously improved and adapted to the specific needs of production. With the increase in efficiency of power plants, higher service temperatures became necessary and new heat-resistant materials had to be developed, making welding operations more and more delicate. ’ The welded tubes are taken out of the welding lathe and, after testing of the welds for assembly with bends and form pieces using heat treatment when necessary. available to execute this work. In the second method of prefabrication many pipes are welded together. The final length corresponds to the total length of carried out by the welding lathe or tube welder at the beginning of the assembly line. The production time of each pre-assembled unit is influenced strongly by the A significant number of welds the pre-assembled unit, which capacity of this machine. have to be made, either can be up to 100 meters. Several Due to the importance of these The suitability of materials under high mechanical stress and elevated temperatures can be evaluated by means of a creep rupture strength diagram. Since 1950 X20 high-temperature steel with 12% chromium has been used successfully in Germany and many other countries for fossil fuel fired power plants. However, manufacturing and welding of this material demands great care and it has not been added to the ASME code (American Society of Mechanical Engineers). In 1980 P91 Martens tic steel with 9% chromium was introduced in the USA. Due to its increased creep rupture properties it allowed a rise in service temperature from 540 to 600°C. The development of E911 and P92 Martens tic chromium steels allowed a further rise in service temperatures and efficiency. These materials can also be used for repair and replacement of older boiler components; the lower service temperature leading to considerably decreased wall thicknesses. Further increases in service temperatures will only be possible if austenitic steels or nickel-based alloys are used. The increased creep rupture strength of these high-temperature steel is based on specifically conditioned micro­structure properties, which if possible, should not be altered by the welding process. Changes to the micro-structure and brittleness caused by too rapid cooling can be avoided by preheating. Overheating and modifications of the micro structure due to overheating during welding is avoided by limited interpass temperatures; and internal stress caused by welding can be removed by an adequate post-weld heat treatment. Preheating and heat treatments must be carried out by resistance or inductive heating – operating with naked flames does not provide the necessary precise control of the process. Tube welders must be designed to clamp tubes with diameters from 22mm to approximately 76mm. If finned pipes with baffle-plates and diameters of more than 100mm need to be welded, special clamping units become necessary. Straight tube welders are commonly equipped for MIG/MAG or TIG-welding. Despite its lower performance, TIG-welding is preferred in Europe because of its increased weld quality. Due to careful construction of the machine it has been possible to drastically reduce the arc time of the TIG welding process. Pipes with a wall thickness of 5mm and in some cases even 7mm can be butt-welded in a single pass. • Preheating and heat treatments must be carried out by resistance or inductive heating – operating with naked ‘ flames does not provide the necessary precise control of the process ’ www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT October/November 2009 23 .On some straight tube welders the pipes were even joined by friction welding. This method did not gain wide acceptance for a long time but the excellent concentricity precision offered by these machines was later used to position the tubes, even though they were joined by orbital TIG-welding. The design of straight tube welders had been adapted to the harsh operating conditions of the workshop, featuring rigid frame construction and heavy-duty mechanical components. As a result it can be economical to overhaul such machines and add modern welding equipment. The microprocessor-based control of the weld cycle is then integrated in the power source; the necessary commands are stored as a program in its memory. To obtain a perfect synchronisation between the movement and the welding operation, the rotation of the pipes is controlled by the power source as well. The welding is started via the remote control pendant; the cycle is Modern welding lathe – a straight tube welder. The MIG/MAG welding equipment, shown here in working position, and the TIG-welding equipment in parking position in the background, are both mounted on mobile carriages. carried out automatically without any further intervention from the operator. If necessary, however, weld parameters can be corrected during welding. Unlike MIG/MAG-welding, where current intensity, arc length and wire feeding speed are interdependent, TIG welding allows adjustment of the wire feeding independently from the arc length and current. The ignition of the arc, the pre-melting at the beginning of the weld and a perfect downslope at the end are carried out without filler wire, so defects in the weld can be excluded in these zones. A production line using the second prefabrication method, where a very long pipe is welded together at the beginning, requires significant investment. A workshop of sufficient size must be available, as well as adequate bending machines and heat treatment equipment. Cost-effective production can only be achieved with efficient use of the production line, including a quick adaptation to various work orders. The most recent types of straight tube welders are designed to offer great flexibility, relying on improved automation and integration into the production process to guarantee reliable and reproducible welding results. These machines generally offer a choice between MIG/MAG and TIG cold wire or hot wire welding. The TIG hot-wire process allows a reduction in the welding time to match the time required for MIG/MAG-welding. The pipe end preparation, (V-preparation) is also the same for both processes. However, problems at the beginning and the end of the weld can be solved more successfully with TIG-welding. The welding equipment for MIG/MAG and for TIG-welding is mounted on a mobile carriage; one carriage always occupies one of the parking positions while the second one is fixed in the working position. The carriages are moved manually; collisions are avoided by pneumatic locking. To change between MIG/MAG and TIG welding, the required carriage must be moved into the working position. No mechanical modifications or changes in the electrical or pneumatic connections are required. Once the welding process has been selected, MIG/MAG for Test welds by MIG/MAG (left) and TIG hot wire (right) show welding for the acceptance procedure of a modern straight tube welder. example, the required carriage is fixed in its working position. This welding process then offers the choice between two types of wire. Two complete welding units including two separate wire spools, two wire feeding devices and two torches are installed on the carriage. The desired torch can be indicated in the weld program and is positioned automatically. The TIG process can be carried out with three types of filler wire. Also controlled by the program, the nozzle which is guiding the selected wire is moved to its position in front of the TIG-torch. The general adjustments of all torches are carried out manually, tilted positions allow welding with the torch directed towards the finished part of the weld or towards the part of the weld still to be made; to reach an additional offset position the torches can be displaced on a slide. It is the client's responsibility to specify the mode of acceptance of the welds based on the relevant technical regulations such as the ASME-standard IX, the ASTM-code or the DIN standards. Depending on the regulations, visual inspections as well as destructive and non-destructive test methods have to be applied. The Chinese Steam Boiler Safety Technology Supervisory Regulations JB/T 2636-94 include a destructive test of the welds. In this case the surface of the weld is ground to the level of the tube OD and a notch is machined in the middle of the weld seam. The joint is then broken at the notch so any weld defects are made visible and can be classified. In general a straight tube welder is equipped for three kinds of operation. The tube handling – the supply and removal of the workpieces and their positioning – is carried out via a control panel. An installed console allows the operator to adjust parameters for MIG/MAG welding and control the process. A remote control pendant is used for TIG-welding and, for example, to modify the torch position or welding speed during a welding operation. For the handling of the pipes to be welded, a control panel is installed. The end of the first pipe is moved through the hollow shaft of one chuck to rest against a retractable stop and then clamped in position. The second pipe is also clamped in a specified position against the retractable stop, and once the stop has been retracted it is shifted towards • .the end of the first tube. The torch is moved automatically until its distance to the workpiece corresponds to the programmed value. In the case of TIG-welding a program-controlled centring of the tungsten electrode in the middle of the weld gap can be carried out. The microprocessor-based sequencer controls the entire straight tube welder and is integrated into the power source of the TIG-welding equipment. All safety-relevant parameters are monitored; for example all welding operations are blocked if the carriages or torches are not fixed in their appropriate positions or if the welding gas supply is interrupted. A continuous data exchange is maintained with subsequent machines; during a weld cycle no tubes can be loaded or unloaded and if an X-ray test is carried out, all pipe movements remain blocked. An X-ray test can be carried out after each weld. If a serious defect is detected the weld can be completely cut off and replaced by a new one. The weld cycles for the different workpieces are programmed on a PC with the easy-to­understand Windows-based welding software POW and transferred to the memory of the power source. All essential weld parameters such as current intensity, arc length, travel speed and wire feed speed as well as up and downslope can be precisely reproduced in each weld cycle. The commands to set up the equipment can be given via the remote control pendant; necessary parameter corrections can be carried out online during welding. Conclusion During the construction of boilers for fossil fuel-fired power plants a Retractable stop for the positioning of the pipe ends. significant quantity of these pipes are welded at the prefabrication stage in the workshop. The production time of the pre-assembled pipes is strongly influenced by the weld lathe installed at the beginning of the production line. Various designs of these straight tube welders have been developed. Increased flexibility can be achieved if a modern type is used, while MIG/MAG as well as TIG cold-wire and hot-wire welding can be selected without manual conversion of the machine. With the TIG hot wire process the arc time remains the same but weld defects can be eliminated. The machine allows selection between three types of filler wire; with a MIG/MAG welding process two wire types can be chosen. The change between the different wires is controlled by the program and carried out without any intervention by the operator. With this type of straight tube welder work orders with dissimilar tubes and materials can be handled without mechanical modifications to the machine. Co-Sponsors Industry Partners Polysoude leads the way in TIG welding of thick-wall pipes Narrow-gap welding of heavy-wall materials is an essential process in industries including nuclear and fossil-fuel power generation. Polysoude’s Jean-Pierre Barthoux reviews the advantages and limitations of various methods. TIG welding of thick-wall materials in an orbital configuration, or when prefabricated on rotating work pieces, has become ever more common despite the many alternative technologies. This process has proven that once all the constraints have been taken into account TIG welding remains the best process for dealing with the many inconsistencies that have to be incorporated to make automation successful. Polysoude has paid close attention to the various manufacturing conditions which, due to their complexity, require a specific solution almost every time. Careful choice of the technical procedure and welding equipment is essential to reach the most suitable compromise. The determining variables The approach to setting up a narrow gap welding procedure specification requires precise analysis of the following factors to determine if it is possible to carry out narrow gap welding within the financial or technical constraints of the project environment, especially in the nuclear industry. Dimensional characteristics of the workpieces Consideration must be given to the fact that the narrow gap technique is trickier to develop and will only be of benefit and cost-effective when the thickness is consistent. As a general rule, narrow gap welding will not be cost-effective or technically efficient for thicknesses of less than 25mm. For thicknesses of 60mm and above, optimisation of welding time may achieve a factor of 5-10 in relation to conventional TIG welding. This takes into account the combined effect of the reduction in the quantity of metal deposited and of the rate of deposition in the process. Preparation and alignment conditions The machining and alignment tolerances are used as the first significant criteria to confirm that a narrow gap TIG technique can be used. In the most critical cases, with full penetration root pass, the alignment precision and clearance values between the two root faces associated with machining tolerances will allow the welding specialist to evaluate the compatibility between the welding conditions and the automatic TIG process. The lack of accessibility for manual welding due to the width of the weld groove only allows a small amount of flexibility. This generally excludes situations in which machine tools or alignment tooling cannot correct a poor alignment over less than 75% of the thickness of the root face to be achieved with a gap which does not exceed 0.5-0.8mm. These decision-making criteria are, of course, relaxed for welding without full penetration (such as with a backing or sealing run). Grades and operating constraints The grade(s) to be welded are critical when considering narrow gap welding. The ensuing weldability will determine the level of constraint to be considered for the equipment, including thermal insulation, thermal screen, additional cooling system and specific saddles. The mechanical characteristics of the materials and their behaviour in terms of welding shrinkage will be used to determine the profile of the weld groove. The angle of the weld groove will be chosen according to the grade and thickness to be welded. It is advisable to ensure that the material is not susceptible to cracking, which could be a problem due to the stresses caused by solidification or the level of energy needed to avoid compactness defects (mainly from a lack of fusion). Finally, the ability to weld without filler wire will be important to evaluate the ‘adaptability’ to narrow gap welding (such as management of starts and stops and re­melting passes). Welding position The welding position is also fundamental in selecting the operating process. The need to weld in position will substantially reduce the level of productivity of the process, which is characterised by different weld pass thicknesses. It should be noted that, depending on the materials and chemical analysis involved, there are applications where welding in an upward or downward direction cannot be performed. Manufacturing context Some related factors could be influential when deciding on the operating process or could simply disqualify the narrow gap approach. These include: • Backing accessibility or lack of it. This raises the question of wither to strike the root off level or to weld inside with X preparation. • Control and traceability of supplies, management of base materials and filler wire products; ideally the materials should come from the same processing or the same melt for filler wire products. • With regard to non-routine maintenance or maintenance related to a large number of welds to be made, the development time and means are important when carrying out tests to establish the parameter limits. • Whether the company has a team of welding technicians and resources compatible with the required technical skills. Selection of operating procedure Analysis of the initial variables will help to determine the appropriate operating procedure and equipment adapted for various applications. Every technique varies significantly for each different field of use. Mastering this set of variables guarantees the best compromise while minimising risks. Narrow Gap TIG welding, straight single pass layer by layer This technique offers the best productivity gains while remaining simple for operators to carry out. On the other hand, developing the welding process specification can be most tedious since every aspect must be taken into account, including weld shrinkage and operating weldability. This system would be relatively simple as it consists of making a single pass layer by layer and then including the weld shrinkage by adjusting the angle of the weld groove profile so the width to be welded remains constant at 8­10mm. Thicknesses of less than 40mm do not need a specific torch The adjustment of electrode stick-out is sufficient to ensure an effective level of gas protection for a majority of materials. Polysoude has developed a motorised, programmable device to make automation management easier, with fully automatic control of the length of the electrode, the diameter to be welded and the welding parameters without intervention by the operator. The most common use of this would be continuous rotating tube welding to avoid stopping between passes, or orbital welding in harsh environments to control the electrode stick-out by remote control. For the heaviest wall thicknesses engineering design involves finding the best compromise to design sturdy torches with the minimum width of weld grooves (such as a thickness of 7mm for the torch body) while also developing mechanical seam tracking to• .avoid collisions between torches and weld groove sides The purpose of this device will be to centre the torch in the axis of the joint to be welded or to guide the torch with respect to one reference side. The self-centring sensor system is used mainly in orbital welding. It enables corrections to be made in three dimensions (lateral position, orientation in the axis of the weld groove and trim correction). The lateral sensor device is more suitable for continuous welding applications on machines where the workpieces are rotating. This system is very simple to use, but requires manual intervention to fine tune the position of the electrode in the centre of the weld groove being filled. Unlike the self-centring system, offsets are possible and a gap is permitted if materials are dissimilar or of a thermal non-equilibrium. Narrow gap TIG welding, dual-pass weld layer by layer This technique is an alternative to the single-pass weld-by-layer technique. It is used when the thickness is consistent and the financial or technical savings of the TIG process continue to be substantial despite welding times two or three times greater than the method used in the single-pass layer-by-layer process. The key factors for selecting this alternative are primarily related to: • Problems of preparation or alignment where the precision is incompatible with the single pass process; • Sensitive materials which need either limited constraints or limited welding heat input. Depending on the materials and problems with weldability, mainly dependent on chemical analysis of the base metals and wire feed products, the dual-pass technique is frequently limited to ½ pass advance (generally downward for filling). This technical constraint becomes very significant in terms of the design of the welding equipment, which must include two wire feed units and make provision for the welding torches to be symmetrical. However, the relative increase in the width of the weld groove in dual-pass welding does not affect the definition of the angle of the weld groove, which does not permit the inclination of the torch any more than in single-pass. Nevertheless, since the lack of heavy arc pressure does not make it possible to ensure good side wall fusion, dual-pass welding requires other methods of ensuring that the fillet welds are fused. Two techniques are commonly used; either replace the traditional straight electrode by a bevelled electrode, or use a bent electrode. Concerning the seam tracking, dual-pass welding only requires a reference on one of the two fusion faces, together with the possible requirement to make more or less pronounced offsets to modify the stacking of the passes. Narrow gap TIG welding, single-pass with oscillated electrode This is an interesting variant for very heavy wall thicknesses in the order of 150-200mm, where use of the technique in one pass per layer imposes technological constraints which may be at the limit of what is reasonable, such as accuracy of the weld groove controlling shrinkage, proportion and technological limitation for design of the torch. For this reason, and mainly for non-orbital applications, the oscillated-pass technique can make it possible to combine the benefit of a single-pass weld layer by layer, while still having more flexibility with regards to width tolerance, (the oscillation amplitude of the electrode can still be adjusted) with transverse shrinkage constraints which are much more moderate than in pulled passes (single-pass weld layer-by-layer type). The equipment will be more complex – motorised, controlled and programmable oscillation of the wire and the electrode – more bulky and usually mounted on substantial foundations. Additional features are provided to make automatic centring of the torches easier before and/or during welding. The principle of seam tracking by measuring the arc voltage may be used in this case instead of the mechanical sensing systems required by fixed-electrode torches. Increasing the width of the weld groove (from 13 to 18mm as required) allows further constraints to be taken into account when adapting the torch to very hostile environments, such as insertion in pre-heated environments with temperature limitations which can reach 400°C. Different variants Based on the techniques and associated equipment described above, there are several possible variations: • Hot-wire TIG or cold-wire TIG welding; • Multi-pass layer-by-layer narrow-gap welding. This is where the weld groove widths are more or less well-controlled or where the well grooves exist but cannot be modified; • Oscillated multi-pass layer-by­layer narrow-gap welding. The situation is the same as with the fixed-electrode technique. The selection of a variant • TIG hot-wire safe end narrow-gap welding for nuclear steam generator and reactor. Different types of Narrow Gap Welding Welding with tungsten oscillation Easy torch access Highly adaptable Lower productivity Needs high-tech torch Less sidewall penetration Wide/weave Welding with two passes per layer Easy torch access Highly adaptable Lower productivity Problem for AVC Awkward for orbital configuration Split pass Variations on the narrow-gap welding theme Narrow-gap TIG hote-wire welding. Torch with oscillating electrode and wire for wall thicknesses from 80-160mm. Base material is P91 low-allow steel. .often corresponds to intermediate situations which need compromises between the environment, human resources and available equipment. Conclusion Many options can be used for narrow-gap TIG welding of material thicknesses from 45­250mm. In this range of thickness the choice of technique will influence how the welding equipment is defined. Single-pass layer-by-layer welding represents the best compromise between performance and the ease with which it can be used by operators. Polysoude has focused its efforts on mastering the various narrow-gap welding techniques to make the process more accessible. The other side of the coin can be seen during development when all the constraints have to be included, such as operative weldability, approaching tolerances, machining tolerances and shrinkage variation. All the constraints referred to mean that a high level of manufacturing control of the environment is required, together with the compatibility and sensitivity of the materials, which must be carefully evaluated. The alternative technique of dual-pass layer by layer can suit the use of the narrow-gap technique in cases where the welding of metals or control of workpieces is not compatible with single-pass welding. This solution is to some extent a fall-back option in which productivity is increased by a ratio of two to three, but which remains competitive for orbital applications with heavy wall thicknesses. In the case of rotating workpieces, use of the oscillated passes technique often proves to be the best compromise for heavy wall thicknesses in terms of the equipment and preparation of the workpieces. Many variants are possible; the final choice remains with manufacturers who must ensure they have a firm grasp of all relevant factors. • Jean-Pierre Barthoux has specialised in orbital welding since 1987. He joined Polysoude in 1992 and has been director of the company’s technology department since 2001, following many years developing thick-wall applications. More information on Polysoude at: tel: +33 (0) 240 681174 fax: +33 (0) 240 681188 info@polysoude.com www.polysoude.com www.internationalmetaltube.com IMT October/November 2009 31 Innovative technologies for your success Enormously versatile: With new materials and characteristic traits, innovative manufacturing methods and astounding applications, tubes are setting the trends for the future. At the leading international tube trade fair, Tube 2010, you will find new innovative technologies for your success. Especially noteworthy: Plastic tubes. They are appearing in a growing number of areas of application and are thus increasingly replacing tube systems made of traditional materials. Get the com­plete overview at Tube 2010. Whether tubes, tube systems or tube machines, whether pipeline construction or infrastructure pro­jects – nowhere else will you find so much innovation and know-how concentrated in one place. Industry Partner: Hundreds of bookings for 2010 valve show Even at this early stage, more than a year before the Düsseldorf premiere of the Valve World Expo (30 November-2 December 2010), exhibitors are showing great interest. As many as 328 companies from 33 countries have already registered to exhibit at the 7th Biennial Valve World Conference & Exhibition, which will be held in Halls 3 and 4 of the Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre. Nearly 11,000m2 of exhibition space have been reserved. Besides German firms exhibitors will be heading to Düsseldorf from Italy, the UK, the Netherlands, USA, Taiwan, South Korea, India and China. Held concurrently with the trade fair, the Valve World Conference will take place at the Congress Center Süd (CCD South) next to Hall 3. At least 400 exhibitors from 35 countries are expected in Düsseldorf. The organisers expect some 7,000 trade visitors who will gather information on valves, valve-related products and valve–related piping products, seals, sealing materials, engineering and supporting services. LDAR (Leak Detection and Repair) software, SIS, associations and publishers will also be exhibiting. Given the diversity of ranges exhibitors routinely become visitors for their fellow exhibitors: component and finished product manufacturers find their suppliers among the exhibitor community while major plant and machinery manufacturers find their components at the stands of other exhibitors. A one-day ticket costs €25 or €40 for a three-day pass with catalogues priced at €10. More information on Valve Word Expo at: www.valveworldexpo.com Tube 2010 bucks the trend Eight months before the start of Tube Dusseldorf, which will run from 12-16 April 2010, exhibitors have defied the global economic situation by booking more space than was the case two years ago – as IMT went to press tube and pipe specialists had booked 40,000m2. The Tube halls are already full; only the machine section still has some vacant space. Halls 1, 2 and 3 at the Dusseldorf Exhibition Centre will focus on pipe and tube accessories, production and trade. Hall 4 will link with the machinery park with testing machines, pipe and tube production plant and machinery, the tube trade and several large joint stands. Fastener technology for tubes www.internationalmetaltube.com will be presented in Hall 5, with welding, cutting and surface technology (surface finishing) in Hall 6. Pipe and tube-processing plant and machinery will be shown in Hall 7a. More information on Tube Dusseldorf 2010 at: www.Tube.de International Metal Tube To start receiving your FREE copy of IMT magazine please complete in full the registration form below, for individuals outside of Europe we will be providing the magazine in a digital (cover to cover) version to ensure the fastest delivery. The printed version is however available outside of Europe via a subscription. To receive your free copy simply return this form either by fax on +44 (0)1268 711567 or post it to: Hartswood Media, Hallmark House, 25 Downham Road, Ramsden Heath, Essex, CM11 1PU, United Kingdom. I reside outside of Europe and would like to receive a printed version of the magazine and would like to subscribe at the discounted rate of £100.00 per year (Outside UK a sterling draft is required, or add £10 to cover charges). I do not want to receive a printed version of the magazine but I do want to access the online version of International Metal Tube. Section 1 Type of Business: . D Non-Ferrous pipe producer . H Pipe End User . A Ferrous tube producer . E Tube/Pipe Supplier . I Machinery/equipment . B Non-ferrous tube producer . F Tube/Pipe Buyer & lubricant supplier* . C Ferrous pipe producer . G Tube End User . I Other *Please note, we will not include machinery/equipment & lubricant suppliers in our circulation list. A separate database for free copies will be maintained and used on a rotational basis. Section 2 Job Title/function: . D Engineering Management . H Maintenance Management . A Corporate Executive . E Mill Director/Manager . I Sales/marketing: . B Management . F Purchasing . J Other: . C Production Management . G Product R&D Management Section 3 Purchasing Responsibilities: . A Ferrous tube . E Tube/pipe manufacturing machinery . I Plant engineering & maintenance . B Non-ferrous tube . F Process technology tools/equipment . J Other . C Ferrous pipe . G Measuring/control technology . D Non ferrous pipe . H Testing Section 4 Do you influence/authorise purchasing decisions? Yes . No . Please tick Section 5 what is your company’s main area of activity/application? Please tick a maximum three boxes: . A Automotive . F Chemical & pharmaceutical . K Utilities . B Non-automotive transport . G Petrochemical . L Agriculture . C Aerospace . H Mining . M Nuclear . D Defence . I Construction . N Other . E Oil and gas . J Food & drink Section 6 Number of Company Employees: . A 1-49 . D 250-349 . G 1000+ . B 50-99 . E 350-499 . C 100-249 . F 500-999 If you wish to receive further promotions from us or other carefully selected companies, please tick the boxes: . post . fax . email Important: To process your registration this form must be completed, signed and dated I would like to receive International Metal Tube