Wavehub

Renewable

Wavehub is a wave power research project on the North coast of Cornwall in the United Kingdom. In simple terms she is a large fabricated socket for wave energy converters to plug into. A cable from the hub to the main land takes power from the devices to the electrical grid.

The Brief

SWEL was awarded the contract to build the wavehub socket from 316 st.st. The weld procedures where to be unique to the project and had to qualify 50mm plate to European standards. All welds had to be subject to 100% ultrasonic testing.

The Solution

All raw materials where purchased from a local supplier and water jet cut to fine tolerances. In the background the SWEL welding engineer wrote and qualified a 50mm 316 st.st full pen butt weld procedure. This procedure was witnessed by DNV and proved within 2 weeks so as not to slow progress. The carcass of wavehub was welded out and passed 100% ultrasonic inspection and ultimately within fabrication tolerances for final machining.

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Survey Skid ROV

Oil & Gas

One of SWELs numerous offshore customer tasked us with the manufacture and subsequent mechanical fit out of a large ROV survey skid. This skid needed to be in service offshore Norway whithin a 4 week timescale, a daunting task. Our customer sought to issue the bouyancy tanks and hydraulic equipment whilst SWELs remit was to manufacture and NDT the aluminium structure.

The Brief

Our task was to procure the aluminium sections and watercut profiles whithin 4 days, this was pivotal to achieving the 4 week deadline. SWEL used our approved supplier of aluminium sections and a local water jet cutting company for the profiles. Having the weld procedures and welder qualifications prior to comencement was the key to the successful completion. The customer was to free issue the mechanical components 1 week prior to delivery.

The Solution

SWEL calculated approximately 160 man hours to complete the project and taking a week of for procurement this left 160 hours to be achieved within 3 weeks. Working round the clock and utilising synergic welding techniques to speed up the welding process we had the general framework on time ready to accept the mechanical componants. After DPI weld inspection it was decided to operate split shifts for the final fit out. Final assembly went without hitch and the delivery was coupled up with the documentation to release the product and satisfy our customer and DNV authorisation.

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Aluminium pipe pig

Oil & Gas

As a regular manufacturer in aluminiums SWEL regular manufacture pipe pigs mostly in carbon steel. The difficulty in aluminium is slow production rates and distortion. After being awarded a concept pig in aluminium we as always accepted the challenge.

The Brief

5083 Aluminium a stronger grade than 6082 and more malleable was the chosen material for this pipe pig. 4 weeks was the maximum permissible lead time including developing weld procedures to American  standards.

The Solution

With the materials being predominantly 12mm plate we selected laser cutting which is significantly quicker and more cost effective than waterjet cutting. Weld procedures to ASME 1X where drafted and a representative test piece subsequently approved our welder to carry out all welding. All butts where welded in a double vee nature to minimise distortion and using preheat and synergic welding process deadlines where achieved.

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