TPT January 2008

C oating, J acketing & Galvanizing Technology

During the tube manufacturing process, the steel strip is rolled using state-of- the-art equipment to form a tube and inductive longitudinal welding is then carried out. Immediately afterwards, the inner and outer sides of the weld are continuously galvanized using a process that is patented by the US company IDOD. The result is a fully protected tube that is fully protected against corrosion. Once the zinc layer has been deposited, the continuous tubing is cut to the required length in an automatic cutting station.

This process consequently leads to improved corrosion protection. Says Mr Ralf Komor BEng, regional manager (central Europe) at Victaulic in Nazareth (Belgium), “As the zinc coating contains hardly any intermetallic phases compared to conventional batch galvanizing and is made up almost completely of metallic zinc, the corrosion protection effect lasts a lot longer.” Another essential factor is the improved adhesion of the zinc coating when subjected to mechanical strain. This is particularly significant from a cost perspective as time-

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flake off under mechanical stress, thus reducing the corrosion protection. The process also leads to even greater flexibility. It applies not only to the pipe diameter and the wall thickness but also to the thickness of the zinc coating and the steel alloy that is used. The pipe lengths are a very important aspect: due to the state-of- the-art cutting station, the pipes are cut to millimetre precision. This saves money as each adjustment on the construction site is an important cost driver. If required, these pipes can also be supplied with the groove already rolled. While batch galvanized piping material can normally only be supplied in 6m lengths, the Wgalweld pipes are available in any required length from 2.5m to 14m. This paves the way for significant savings in the areas of materials and working hours as fewer connections are required over the total length of the pipes. The superior zinc coating of the Wgalweld pipes is particularly suitable for dry sprinkler systems as the constant change between wet and dry phases inevitably results in greater exposure to corrosion. Other interesting application areas, apart from the construction industry and chemical plant construction, include the automotive industry and all other areas that have high corrosion resistance requirements. This article was supplied by Mr Klaus Vollrath (kvollrath@bluewin.ch), Schnitt-Stelle Redaktionsbüro, Switzerland. Wuppermann Stahl GmbH – Austria Fax : +43 50 910 285 Website : www.wuppermann.com › Weak point – the likelihood of the intermetallic phase layer flaking off when subjected to mechanical stress increases proportionately to the thickness of the layer. Corrosion protection no longer exists in exposed areas (photo: Wuppermann)

saving processes such as the fast coupling system from Victaulic are preferred when installing pipes. Here, the ends of the pipes are connected using a special coupling that sits exactly in the groove. The grooves are rolled into both pipes using a special device. This rolled groove is a potential weak point when using conventional batch galvanized piping as the intermetallic phases could

fi Strong bond – the zinc coating on WGalweld tubes also remains intact in spite of the mechanical strain the pipe is exposed to when rolling the groove (photo: Klaus Vollrath)

Hardening and tempering of oil country components Can-Eng Furnaces is a North American designer and manufacturer of industrial heat treating equipment. The company is due to supply a 30" x 36" 48" integral quench (IQ) furnace with companion charge car, post wash, two tempers, and Endo gas generator to the Serov Mechanical Plant (SMZ) in Serov, Russia. Load capacity of the system will be 5,000lb gross. The equipment will be containerised in the company’s Niagara Falls facility for overseas shipment to the Ural Mountain region. Once operational, in the first quarter of 2008, the line will be used for the hardening and tempering of oil country components. Line automation will include a Siemens S7 PLC, and the unit will incorporate the latest in fuel saving indirect fired burner technology, long life radiant tubes, and high velocity uniform oil quenching. Can-Eng’s product lines include continuous mesh belt furnace systems, batch integral quench furnace systems, continuous steel bar heat treatment systems, nonferrous T4, T5, T6, T7 heat treatment systems, basketless heat treatment systems, and modular aluminium heat treating systems. Other systems include precision air quench systems, primary aluminium processing furnace systems, a Scada system, process enhancement technology, and a wide array of custom furnaces solutions. The company also offers a comprehensive after-market support team, delivering system upgrades, technical support and spare parts. Can-Eng Furnaces – Canada/USA Fax : +1 905 356 1817 Email : furnaces@can-eng.com • Website : www.can-eng.com

Victaulic Europe BV – Belgium Fax : +32 9 3804438 Website : www.victaulic.be

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J anuary 2008

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