TPT May 2012

I ndustry N ews

Zhejiang Kingland orders energy-efficient spiral pipe welding line

ZHEJIANG Kingland Pipe Industry, province of Zhejiang, China, awarded PWS, an SMS Meer company, both Germany, a contract for the supply of off-line spiral pipe welding equipment. PWS will supply an integrated system solution, consisting of a spiral pipe forming and tack-welding machine for forming and initial welding of the hot-rolled steel strip, and the three downstream off-line finish- welding stands. The new installation is to be commissioned in the second quarter of 2013. Zhejiang Kingland will have the option of adding a fourth finish-welding stand at a later

stage. This would increase annual capacity from above 180,000 tons to some 240,000 tons. Michael Stark, CEO of PWS, said: “Installation of an additional finish-welding stand was included in our engineering planning from the start, as it would permit a significant increase in production capacity, with no interruption to ongoing operation.” Another highlight is the energy-efficient high-productivity welding technology available from PWS. Energy savings are claimed to be more than 30 per cent compared to older welding methods. In the new PWS technology, the welding-current sources operate without transformers, while

process control is accomplished by means of a modern power electronics module. The welding machines thus attain an efficiency of over 90 per cent, and welding speed can be significantly raised with no loss of process stability. Zhejiang Kingland will be able to produce pipes with outer diameters from 508 to 1,626mm (20" to 64") and wall thicknesses ranging from 6.35 to 25.4mm (¼" to 1") on its new off-line spiral pipe welding machine. Pipe lengths range between 8 and 12.5m. PWS GmbH – Germany Website: www.pws-gmbh.info

Sandvik celebrates 150 year steel production anniversary

THIS year marks the 150 th anniversary of steel production by Sandvik, and this was celebrated on the company’s stand at Tube 2012 in Düsseldorf. A central feature of the stand was amodel of the Vasa, a 17 th Century Swedish maritime treasure and subject of an on-going research and development collaboration between the Vasa Museum and Sandvik. This collaboration is facilitating the essential replacement of 5,000 iron bolts with highly advanced stainless steel bolts in order to preserve the structural integrity of the vessel well into the future. Sandvik offers materials technology

solutions for demanding applications in some of the most arduous environments. Its research and development capability has resulted in the introduction of the latest hyper-duplex stainless steel for demanding sub-sea applications and zirconium tubing for the nuclear industry. In heat exchanger applications, hyper-duplex tubes significantly outlast alternatives, not only proving cost effective throughout their life cycle, but also increasing operational plant uptime. It is claimed that by replacing carbon steel tubes with Sandvik SAF 2707 HD ® tubes, the rate of corrosion is reduced to one tenth.

component manufacture as well as reduce overall component weight, Sandvik hollow bar products were also displayed at Tube 2012, including duplex material grades. The use of this material, especially in the Sanmac form, can increase component production capability as well as cut down on waste material. A converter tool is available, as an app for iPhone and iPad, that calculates the money saved when switching from bar to hollow bar. Sandvik’s powder metallurgy products are manufactured by the hot isostatic pressing process, which allows the production of complete geometrically intricate products that offer excellent resistance to corrosion and outstanding mechanical properties. The company maintains a stock of popular tube material grades and sizes throughout its strategically located distribution and manufacturing centres worldwide, ensuring reliable and efficient product supply via its global distribution network. Sandvik Materials Technology – Sweden Fax: +46 26 25 17 10 Website: www.smt.sandvik.com/tube

A plant using heat exchangers with the Sandvik tubes would be capable of operating for ten yearswithout maintenance shutdowns or tube replacements. Designed to help reduce machining requirements in

Stainless steel tube supply from Sandvik

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M ay 2012