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FEATURE SPONSOR


SPECIALIST WELDING


Using hydraulics, so called Crocodiles and ‘Fit up’ rotators, the company can accommodate any diameter and weight of vessel which allows thick walled steel shells to be hydraulically pressed together. They are then tack welded, then fully welded together as they grow in length (Growing Lines).


The new method was to have a 14m tall welders platform, with rear lifts to get the operator to the top, for the welders to sit in comfort and safety many meters up off the floor. These platforms are capable welding longitudinal seams as well as circumferentially and of supporting many tonnes and several 100 Kg drums of weld wire can be safely stored, so very few wire changes are required.


ADVANCES


There have further been advances in internal welding by the use of very long multi head booms, which can reach 26m down the inside of the vessel to perform Butt welds.


The increase in vessel diameters has further necessitated longer plates to roll into a circle. Therefore Bode has developed Flat Bed Butt welding rigs whereby sheets of 40m long and 3m wide can be firstly produced in the flat, then rolled to form a single shell and then welded via the Platform seam welding machine.


COMPETITIVE MARKETS


We also pay particular attention to operators’ safety, seeing that diameters are going up to 13m and wall thicknesses 150mm. A lot of time must be spent high off the ground and safety harnesses are used while at the top.


Increased welding speeds are needed in these very competitive markets. The twin welding wire method is slow due to low deposition.


UP Helfert have manufactured bespoke Pipe Mill Multi head Submerged Arc welding equipment for many years which was readily adaptable for the wind tower industry that demanded very fast welding speeds, with up to four and five welding heads.


Bode’s 4 wire welding heads can deposit up to 45 KG of wire per hour which is twice as fast as their competitors.


F. Bode & Sons Ltd Click to view more info


www.windenergynetwork.co.uk


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