TPT November 2012

Technology News

Bending of hose fittings SPECIAL solutions are required for special requirements – or just one efficient, customisable solution. For one-part hose fittings, transfluid Maschinenbau GmbH has developed a ‘twin’ solution and will equip its systems with different modules depending on the application, varying mostly in the loading system. pieces are mostly manufactured for small sizes. And what counts here is the speed.”

ruled out. Components with dimensions up to a diameter of 75mm are transported by using a robust loading system. As the weight of these fittings is so high, the loading system prevents the components from uncontrolled falling. The work pieces are provided on a special pallet, taken from the handling system and supplied to the bending machine. These sizes are generally bent by machines with an internal mandrel. A maximum ovalisation of 3 per cent is given. transfluid Maschinenbau GmbH – Germany Email: info@transfluid.de Website: www.tube-processing-machines.com

The fittings bending machine for sizes up to 1" is fitted with a bulk material hopper with a capacity of 600 litres. The advantage of this is that fittings of any size can be loaded. A powerful drive is ensured by servo-electrical or hydraulic equipment. Bending can be therefore done in short cycles from 6 to 7 seconds, including the entire handling. Special supporting elements ensure that the sealing cone and hose connections remain undamaged. Fittings starting with inner diameter of 8mm are bent by the transfluid system using an internal mandrel, so that bend ovalisation can be

Fittings are mostly mechanically processed, extremely short, relatively thick-walled and their sealing elements (sealing head or hose part) must not be damaged under any circumstances. “Cost-efficient processing options are an aspect on which we place great emphasis,” commented Gerd Nöker, CEO of transfluid. “Large amounts of

Steel surface improvement OLIMPIA Surface produces dry and economical systems for the constant finishing of the tubes for all applications. The company has achieved several projects in cooperation with its customers for stainless steel surface improvement (constant roughness); stainless steel finishing (satin finishing and mirror polishing); carbon steel surface improvement; and removal of rust from carbon steel tubes in order to perform a better and smoother ND test. Duplex and Super Duplex constant finishing on long products is especially useful for nuclear applications where high precision and constant finishing are mandatory. Stainless, Duplex and Super Duplex seamless tubes

constant finishing and material removal do not require frequent tool changes; and special steel grades (where high precision and constant quality are mandatory), especially for nuclear application tubes.

Olimpia 80 Srl – Italy Website: www.olimpia80.com

Laser-ultrasonic wall thickness gauges

UT detection lasers as well as the implementation of numerous reliability features resulting from extensive in-situ experience, including remote system monitoring and maintenance, Tecnar has managed to achieve reliability levels well within the industry’s very demanding standards. The company has installed LUT gauges at the output of various mills such as mandrel mills, reelers, rotary sizers, stretch-reducing mills and even hot pilger mills. The data has proven invaluable to operators who can immediately detect and correct process problems, such as piercing eccentricity, heavy centre wall and heavy ends.

MONTREAL–based Tecnar, a supplier of sensors for advanced process control, has successfully implemented more than a dozen laser-ultrasonic wall thickness (LUT) gauges in various seamless steel tube mills around the world. The capacity to deliver precise wall thickness data directly comparable to handheld, cold, UT measurements even over a mandrel and without any hazardous radiation has fuelled the industry’s interest for this technology over the past 15 years.  However, operating advanced optics and lasers in the close environment of 1,200°C steel tubes circulating at over 5m per second and bouncing around by several centimetres has proven to be quite a challenge to the technology’s reliability. Through the development of specialised high power

LUT in operation at the output of a hot Pilger mill

Tecnar – Canada Email: mchoquet@tecnar.com

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N ovember 2012