TPT September 2020

AR T I C L E

Xiris Automation

Lastly, a tube producer’s corporate brand can be enhanced with the adoption of advanced quality and process control tools on the factory floor, raising their prestige among customers and employees alike. Summary An ROI calculation is a key factor in the justification for the purchase of any new piece of equipment. The calculation shows how returns compare to costs if the action or investment brings the expected results. This document has identified a number of potential tangible and intangible savings that can be realised when a weld inspection system is implemented on a tube mill. These savings can contribute to a significant ROI and result of a payback period of as little as a few months. You can perform your own equipment justification with your actual production values using the Xiris ROI Tools worksheet at: www.info.xiris.com/wi2000-roi-worksheet-request

Prior to implementing a weld inspection, the mill’s scrap rate profiled below was 2.3 per cent of total production. By implementing a weld inspection system, the mill experienced a drop in the scrap rate to 1.53 per cent, or a savings of $34,178 per year based on scrap rate alone.

Number of production days per year Number of production hours per day Average production line speed Total linear tube/pipe produced per year

230

days/year

16

hours/day

12

m/min

2,649,600 m/year

By doing a similar analysis for each of the sources of tangible savings, the total savings that can be realised with the addition of the weld inspection system can be calculated and the ROI generated. Intangible savings Some savings do not normally make their way into an ROI calculation but are important to the ongoing health of the business. These intangible savings are unquantifiable costs relating to identifiable sources. For example, detection of intermittent defects such as mismatch, undercut, freeze line and sunken welds can be repeating defects that may appear then disappear from production. While difficult to detect using traditional NDT equipment, a weld inspection system can provide real-time feedback to the operator, reducing the risk of producing large quantities of suspect material. Also, a weld inspection system provides instant feedback of mill adjustments related to welding and forming, allowing the operator to fine-tune the process quickly and minimise scrap. Experienced mill operators are well aware of process variations in their tube mills and are good at what they do. However, a visual-based weld inspection system provides a more objective and consistent measurement than manual monitoring. It also produces easy-to-understand feedback for less experienced operators to better assess process variations. New operator training time can be reduced.

Xiris Automation Inc – Canada Fax: +1 905 331 6661 Email: sales@xiris.com Website: www.xiris.com

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