TPi July 2015

products & developments

Venturi valve scores top marks in technical tests Advanced Interactive Materials valve,

which

has exceeded all technical test results to date. It’s extremely

Science Ltd (AIMS) has successfully manufactured a Venturi valve using HIPed powder metallurgy and near-net shaping techniques. Used to measure the flow of oil and gas as it comes out of the ground, Venturi valves need to withstand extreme conditions and meet the stringent oil and gas subsea standards. Last year AIMS unveiled a patented Mud Motor Stator (featuring a telemetry hole) that can resist corrosive, erosive and abrasive conditions at high operating temperatures. AIMS technical director Geoff Archer said, “Replacing Venturi valves is a difficult and costly process, so producing components with high quality isotropic material structures that reduce manufacturing risk and maintenance costs is something the industry is keen to exploit. We believe we have accomplished this with the Venturi

near-net shaping techniques, minimise the need for second stage machining.”

exciting and initial feedback from the oil and gas industry has been positive.”

At the cutting edge of manufacturing technology, near-net shaping delivers savings in terms of energy, materials and labour, while allowing complex structures to be created, such as the Venturi valve and the Mud Motor Stator with telemetry hole.

There is growing demand for HIPed and near-net shaped products due to the efficiency of the process and the quality of the component. However, the mechanical properties of the end result have to meet specific international standards, and this has not always been achieved. TheAIMSproduct, when tested, revealed that it had zero argon ingress during the hot isostatic pressing process. “This is an outstanding result, as it has overcome one of the major problems for the industry,” explained Mr Archer. “It highlights the high quality standard of our powder containments and HIPing capabilities which, when coupled with

Advanced Interactive Materials Science Ltd – UK info@aimsltd.com www.aimsltd.com

Aluminium drawn tubes Siddhi Engineers is engaged in the processing of aluminium drawn tubes for a variety of applications. The firm was established in 1988 by two mechanical engineers with a mission to develop and export products globally.

India to gain aerospace certification for aluminium tubes.

Siddhi Engineers has engineered products for defence, aviation and space organisations in India, for applications such as telescopic masts for telecommunication, bomb disposal manipulators, aluminium tubes for amphibian tanks, wave guide tubes for satellites, special alloy tubes for cryogenic engine fuel supply lines, tubes for helicopter core coolers, and tubes for air frames for missiles (prototype). The company exports aluminium cold drawn tubes to 16 countries, including the USA, Germany, France, Netherlands, UK, Turkey and Israel.

The company has established the cold drawing process along with supporting operations, where various aluminium alloys are cold drawn to achieve close dimensional tolerances, desired mechanical properties and orientation towards end use. Certification includes ISO 9001: 2008, ISO 14001: 2004 (environment management system), and ISO/TS 16949 (quality management system for automobile products). The company is also in the final stage of certification for aerospace products (AS 9100 C), which would make it the first firm in

Siddhi Engineers – India simktg@siddhiindia.com www.siddhiindia.com

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July 2015 Tube Products International