INDUSTRY NEWS
HONOUR FOR FOREST BRIDGE WAS ON THE CARDS
An innovative bridge designed to provide safe but enjoyable passage across a river for horses, walkers and cyclists alike has won honours for the Forestry Commission in the British Construction Industry Awards 2009.
The new Lewisburn Bridge in Northumberland's Kielder Forest, designed by the Forestry Commission's Forestry Civil Engineering business unit, was highly commended in the Small Civil Engineering Project category, as well as being shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Award and the Environmental Award. The judges' citation described the 50-metre bridge as "another imaginative project for the Forestry Commission, a lot of bridge for the money, and an attractive and appropriate solution to a proactive tourism initiative". From a technical point of view the height and slope of the circular, hollow-section steel masts were critical to ensure sufficient cantilever to hang the deck from, while keeping the mast slender enough for a balanced elevation, yet 'sturdy' enough to look safe.
The deck was made 1.5m wide as a minimum for a horse led by its rider.The loading chosen was 5kN/m2 because horses would be free to use the bridge. The deck had to be non-slip and durable enough for horse use. The main structure was galvanised mild steel with timber deck and rails. www.bciawards.org.uk/awards/winners.
CORUS UNVEILS NEW PRODUCT FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY SECTOR
Corus Special Profiles in Skinningrove, North East England has unveiled a new
high-quality steel product for use in the construction of wind towers following development work at its UK research labs. Corus engineers in Scunthorpe and Skinningrove (Teesside), as well as at the company's research labs in Rotherham worked together to identify the exact processes needed to create the high-quality steel at the Skinningrove mill. The steel is manufactured in Scunthorpe and transported to Skinningrove where it is reheated to 1,250°C before being rolled to the desired shape. The end product - a bar of steel that typically measures 15 metres in length and weighs 4 tonnes - undergoes rigorous inspection and testing, including ultrasonic scans, to ensure it is free from defects.
The steel is then shipped to flange manufacturers and used to join sections of tubular steel in the construction of towers for wind turbines. World demand for wind turbines is growing rapidly and the market for this specialist steel product is almost £100m a year. Peter Gate, Commercial Manager for Corus Special Profiles, said: “There are only a handful of companies around the world capable of making this product.” Skinningrove supplies high-quality steel products to global markets from earth- moving equipment to shipbuilding. www.corusgroup.com
Building of the UK's new Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers is now under way with BAE Systems starting construction at Portsmouth Naval Base - the future home of these ships. In February, Secretary of State for Defence, Bob Ainsworth, pushed the button on the BAE System's new state of the art plasma steel cutter, marking the start of full scale production. Lower Block 2 is being built at Portsmouth, one of the large structures, that forms part of the hull on the first ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth. Housing machinery spaces, stores, switchboards and some of the ship's accommodation, this block alone will weigh around 6,000 tonnes and will stand over 18 m. tall, 70 m. long and 40 m. wide.
The Minister said: "Here in Portsmouth work is just beginning but across the country in Devon, Tyneside, Glasgow and Rosyth work is already under way. In all, six shipyards across the UK will be involved in the construction of the ships' hulls. The progress already being made to deliver these carriers is a testament to UK industry."
Elsewhere across the UK, the Aircraft Carrier Alliance is making strong progress - the first of the flight deck extensions, known as the sponsons, have already been delivered to the final assembly yard in Rosyth, while the first blocks of the hull are due to leave Appledore in Devon for the Scottish shipyard in the spring. Over £1 billion of orders have been placed for equipment for the two ships and many of the ships' key components such as the diesel generators and turbines have already been manufactured. www.baesystems.com
06 06
Welding Welding
World World
If you have any news articles you’d like featured on the Welding World
NEW CARRIER CONSTRUCTION BEGINS AT PORTSMOUTH
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20