1. Shop Solutions for Increasing Productivity on “Difficult” to Weld Alloys By Jeremy Wright General Manager of G. Wright’s Welding Ltd. and journeyman ‘B’ pressure welder. (A short history of G. Wright’s Welding)

2. Who we are…  Fab shop specializing in the welding of high pressure, critical service flow components  Certified B31.1 & B31.3  Family owned and operated  14,000 sq foot shop space with dedicated stainless shop  In operation for over 30 years

3. Boiled down to 2 items…  Automation  Modern Processes And no small amout of  (Galen Wright’s work ethic!) What provides us increased productivity?

4.  Consistency and control are key  To weld duplex successfully you need to follow the rules  Develop the procedure properly and stick to it in production  Is there a better solution than automation to eliminate weld(er) to weld(er) variance? Why automation for the duplex family?

5.  Automation gives us incredible consistency!  Travel speeds  Wire feed rates  Welding variables (voltage in GTAW)  A machine doesn’t have moods  The same mechanical and metallurgical results man to man, day to day, week to week Why automation for the duplex family?

6. Automation Explored  Used versions of GTAW semi automation since the mid 90’s  To increase productivity (and thusly increase revenue), how do we make the job easier for our welders and build in consistency?  First “system” was shop designed, and fabricated, multi station GTAW (to allow the welder to work on multiple components while the previous weld(s) cooled)  Utilized Gullco Kat Oscillator complete with manually adjusted arms to position the torch.  Good consistency weld to weld  Cold wire GTAW = low productivity  Set up for 1 welder to weld on up to 3 stations

7. Automation Explored

8. It worked great!  Once this system was utilized heavily, the hunt was on for a new solution Why change what works?  Because better solutions are built from things that already do work!  Increased productivity through limiting welder fatigue, less arc off time, lower repair rates Improve on improvements!

9. The next step  Enter AMET automation in 2004  Retro-fit of our existing 3 station skid package with a state of the art AMET XM Hot Wire GTAW system  Programmable weld sequences  Every variable under a welder’s control was now automated  1 weld program per procedure (per rotator) and it doesn’t change regardless of who is using it.  Hot wire GTAW increased deposition rates by 30- 50% and travel speeds ~25%

11.  We retired the Gullco in early 2006 and over a 5 year period adopted 3 standalone AVC systems (and one with an AMET oscillator) to marry to our additional gantry systems.  10 years later we still use the systems daily and added an Amet XM Bore Cladding system.  We couldn’t do what we do without them! Again! It worked so well we said LET’S BUY MORE!

12. Tight dimensional tolerance duplex block bodies Examples of the products we weld with automation

13. Super Duplex Multi Port Flow Diverter Examples of the products we weld with automation

14. Duplex to S. Duplex block body for sub sea chemical injection

15. Examples of the products we weld with automation 625 insert to 4130 carrier bonnet

16.  For us, Hot Wire GTAW is key  It’s not new, but it is under-utilized  Standard HW GTAW will give you ~30% increase in productivity  Tip Tig HW GTAW will give you ~80% increase at the same current levels  There are other processes we would like to explore for use on Duplex, S. Duplex and Nickel Alloys… Fronius’ CMT process in particular. Modern Processes

17.  HW GTAW provides added deposition through a secondary power source Modern Processes

18.  TIP TIG HW GTAW takes it one step further with agitation of the puddle. Modern Processes

20.  Hot Wire GTAW is a simple solution if you have a manufacturing process that can be automated.  No good reason why many spooling applications on all materials can’t be semi-automated with modern processes to some extent (not limiting to HW GTAW)  Long term productivity solutions being ignored because of up front cost and welder “buy in”  For manual hotwire, the choices are limited  The premise of added deposition is real, immediate and proven  Automation and new processes not a solve all solution, but more tools for the tool box Modern Processes & Automation

21. What are the Incentives?  From an engineering point of view…  On the duplex family  In production every welder consistently hitting ferrite numbers in the 40-55% range  Routinely passing the G-48 test in PQR testing on Duplex and “Super” Duplex  Little risk of metallurgical defects, like grain boundary precipitates, because of consistent heat inputs  On Nickel  Incredible impacts at low temperatures with Hot Wire GTAW (Tip Tig or traditional)  Increased weld-ability because of puddle fluidity (Tip Tig)  Increased weld-ability because of reduce oxide build-up (again, Tip Tig)

22.  We’ve welded many procedures with our automation and modern processes  Most are classified as manual/semi-automated  Manual potion is usually root and “hot” passes  Fill and cap are semi-automated  Here are some results on duplex and super duplex for comparison and evidence Incentives Explored

24. GW700 Avg 4.75 ipm Avg 35 ipm (.045) Min 7 passes (plus root) 150 A 24.0 KJ/inch Part Dia 33.75” 236” to complete ~49 min arc on time Duplex butt weld Avg 6.75 ipm Avg 120 ipm (.035) (72”.045”) 4 passes (plus root) 185 A 33.4 KJ/inch Part Dia 33.75” 135” to complete ~20 min arc on time The volume of 1” of.035” wire is ~60% the volume of 1” of.045”  Productivity comparison of fill passes between manual GTAW duplex PQR and Tip Tig duplex PQR  Wall thickness ~.375 for each and based off of 10” std pipe  Root for both would take ~ 30 min to 1 hour depending on who is welding it and the fit up for both tip tig and manual GTAW  Interpass temperatures of 300F are/were adhered to. From experience, cooling time between weld passes is less for Tip Tig, compared to traditional GTAW Incentives Explored

25. Tip Tig Productivity comparison on ASTM A516-70 -46C test temperature for impacts GTAW and Tip Tig welds done with 1/8” or.035” ER70S-6 Wire, SMAW with 3/16” (5.0 mm) E7018-1 electrode (Root with GTAW) Productivity done only for fill and cap passes. (Root welded the same for each coupon) CVN Ft-Lbs  Weld Sample 1 Weld Sample 2 Weld Sample 3 HAZ 1HAZ 2HAZ 3 TT01 - Tip Tig552898756378 TT03 - Tip Tig868482178 21 114 TT04 - GTAW 114 168.51218.516 TT05 - SMAW33.869.7 CurrentVoltsTravelWFS (ipm)KG/HourPasses TT01 – Tip Tig225/24013.8 – 16.97.5 – 9.5114, 162-185 ~1.311 TT03 – Tip Tig28015.8 – 17.88.5 – 11.75100, 205 ~1.58 TT04 - GTAW24012.8 – 16.15.6 – 8.25--- ~0.713 TT05 – SMAW25523 - 289.1 – 15.0--- ~2.47 Data supplied courtesy of Kim Meszaros - AITF Incentives Explored

26. What are the Incentives?  Incentive for employees  Welding with automation can be uber-boring, but it is a hell of a lot easier on the body than manual welding  You can qualify apprentices and journeymen as operators during the fill passes and free up your ‘B’ welders for more challenging applications and apprentices gain valuable knowledge  The consistency provided by automation married with modern processes can’t be beat  Lower repair rates  More volume of weld deposited per pass… in less time.  Reduced consumable waste  Learning curve is reduced for training welders/operators  Better weld to weld consistency And because of consistency…  Improved mechanicals  Improved metallurgical results

27. What are the Incentives? Welding with GTAW is a lot safer for welders than welding with other processes  Very little fume particulate when compared to SMAW/GMAW/FCAW  Less grinding limiting exposure to hazards associated with grinding

28. Incentives The benefits add up quickly! There will be up front cost Results are immediate It works! What more incentive than that does one need?

29. Incentives Increased Productivity = Increased cost:profit ratio $$$

30. In Closing... Automation and modern processes work very well for our applications  As mentioned earlier, they are not a fix all.  We will never completely get away from manual welding  But the applications are there…  The industry just needs a few more companies to lead the way

31. In Closing... Thank you to Euroweld, the CWA and the WRC for allowing me the opportunity to speak. If you are interested in further info or a tour, please call: 780-435-5755