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SPECIALIST WELDING


FEATURE SPONSOR


TRAINING DELIVERED


IN OUR TRAVELS TO VARIOUS CONFERENCES AND EVENTS WE RECEIVE FEEDBACK FROM THE INDUSTRY ON MANY DIFFERENT TOPICS FEATURED. SPECIALIST WELDING IS JUST ONE OF THE MANY BUT A VERY IMPORTANT ONE.


Bode has been synonymous in the design and manufacturing of rotating and positioning equipment for the welding industry for more than 50 years and we are pleased to welcome them as our sponsors for the feature


RANGE OF SERVICES


The company's range of welding automation includes Positioners, Rotators, Turntables, Seam Welders, Head & Tailstocks and Column & Booms. Machinery can be supplied with a whole host of welding processes from TIG, to Strip Cladding Sub Merged Arc Welding (SAW).


BACKGROUND


F. Bode & Sons Ltd (Bode™) is an English/German consortium owned by, Kistler Maschinen und Anlagenbau GmbH, of Bad Saulgau, Germany & YPH Ltd, of Preston, Lancashire. The sales office is based in the UK, with manufacturing facilities at their brand new facility in Southern Germany. In 2008, the acquisition of UP Helfert, has finalised their portfolio of equipment and can now offer Sub Merged Arc Welding equipment, manufactured in house offering clients a complete service.


WIND INDUSTRY


With strong connections with Germany, the company has recently won orders with many of the leading wind tower manufacturers, following the German government decision that their future electrical energy needs will come from wind energy, both onshore and offshore.


KNOWHOW AND INNOVATION


In 1984 Vickers Shipbuilding in Barrow enquired if F. Bode and Son Ltd could design and manufacture a bespoke set of welding and fabrication positioning equipment for the then new submarine project.


Before this date vessels around 6 metre diameter were the norm and these submarines were nearly twice this size, so new techniques were required to manipulate 200 tonne parts and rotate them accurately for welding.


OLD PRACTICE


Prior to these designs the traditional way of welding was with a Column and Boom that had a ‘Lay Trough’ attached to the Boom to which the welder had to lay down on their stomach to watch the welding arc. Health and safety laws now prevent this dangerous practice.


The welding process was also slow. Single or double welding wires would be used, using only 25 kg weld wire spools meaning constantly stopping to change the wire. Welding deposition rates were also low, leading to longer welding times.


Another issue for welding large diameter vessels is aligning them to give a straight length. Special methods of carrying out this process were needed as personnel could not undertake this alone.


DESIGNING FOR THE FUTURE


Due to the immediate requirement in Germany for modern day wind tower manufacturing, Bode has taken their ‘know how’ from years of experience in providing fabrication equipment throughout Europe. The company have supplied many German companies and are associated with Ambau (all four works in Germany), SIAG (Germany, Czech Republic and France), EEW (Germany), Steelwind (Germany) and Weserwind (Germany).


Bode immediately used their experience and technology in improving the working designs. The use of welder platforms, Hydraulic Fit Up rotators, Crocodiles and long internal welding Booms, that would reach up inside the longest of vessels, were the answer for the new 60 metre Wind Tower Fabricators.


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www.windenergynetwork.co.uk


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