Welding Summit Program 2019

Time

Room

Function

Time

Room

Function

Presenter: Mike Lang, Fluor

In 2017 we presented on Survival and Success the Today`s Welding Market showing the volatile market trends now in 2019 many have come to fruition. In 2018 we presented on Fundamental Project Success. A grass roots look at the project anatomy and where each welding piece or activity would best fit in the project lifecycle and why proper chronological order is vital to success.

Now comes 2019 and we are going to take a deep dive into the welding piece itself with Welding Economy. This presentation will explain why we need to greater emphasis on welding with labor shortages and escalating costs. Welding is broken into steps to consider in execution, allied processes and nondestructive examination which all need proper coordination to run safely and economically. Key steps for execution planning will be discussed to provoke thought to better welding cost & schedule performance in welded construction and fabrication.

Presenter: Fred Schweighardt, National Project Manager and International Expert, Air Gas an Air Liquide Company

This presentation will cover the true cost of industrial gas supply modes and some of the ways to reduce that cost. Methods covered include compressed cylinders (both single and packs), liquid cylinders, and bulk liquid supply. We will focus on the cost of handling, rental, as well as molecule costs, with a strong emphasis on safety. We will show methods to calculate the TCO (total cost of ownership) of the various supply systems.

Presenter: Darrin Vander Toorn, President, Dutch Resources, Inc.

This presentation will include the following:

• It’s a Welder’s Job Market: Understanding the target market for the work you have

• Attracting the Skills, You Need to Keep Schedule and Budget

• Identifying What Skilled Crafts You Need and How to Get Them on Your Job

• Recruiting the Right Welders and Achieving Industry Leading Pass Rates in the Test Booths

• Assessing Your Process and Your Recruiters’ Strengths and Weaknesses

• Continuity: Establishing a Program to Keep Your Welders Certified and Ready

Presenter: Mike Rice

Modular projects are like puzzles. There are many pieces of different sizes and shapes that need to come together in a timely manner and fit into place to make a perfect picture. Planning and execution of the plan are pieces essential to gather together for a perfect picture, a successful project. Even while the plan is executed there is required an awareness that not everything will go according to plan; some pieces will be out of order or not the correct size. Flexibility is a needed piece.

Nooter Construction undertook a project to oversee and install an extension on a multilayer 6-inch thick shell urea reactor. This required coordination of puzzle parts including foreign companies, international and customer regulations, and application development of a new ultrasonic phased array technique on a multilayer vessel. Ultrasonic volumetric examination was utilized due to schedule constraints.
The site of the puzzle was in Canada, so it required the involvement of the Canadian Welding Bureau. Welding procedures in accordance with ASME Section IX were submitted for approval. Welder qualifications were witnessed by the Canadian Welding Bureau. The nondestructive procedures had to be submitted for approval. The Canadian Welding Bureau required the new phased array procedure to be demonstrated showing its capability.
The vessel extension fabricator was in Austria. One of the major puzzle pieces was making sure the existing vessel ID matched the ID of the new vessel. The plant did not want to shut down for vessel measurements.

The installation had to be performed during a maintenance shutdown. The goal was for the installation not to become critical path.
Welders used to install the shell extension were from the United States and had to demonstrate a high degree of skill to meet the quality and schedule of welding a 6-inch-thick shell seam.

The head removal had to be quick. Waterjet cutting was chosen for its precision, cut cleanliness, and ability to not have an impact on the reactor liner. This piece fit nicely into the picture.

Not all the puzzle pieces fit perfectly. Some pieces had to be trimmed. Others replaced. In the end the customer appreciated the picture.

Presenter: Bill Newell, Vice President -Engineering, Euroweld

Historically, piping, plate, fittings, valves and long lead equipment (LLE) are specified and orders placed well in advance of site or plant mobilization. This is not always done for emergency shutdowns or scheduled turn-arounds. Weld metal, on the other hand, is typically not ordered until mobilization has taken place and materials and LLE items are delivered. Items once stocked in ample quantities by manufacturers, distributors and end users permitted near term deliveries. Due to changing market conditions, tariffs, and general reductions in inventory, weld metal availability and supply of both commodity and specialty alloys is changing rapidly.

Manufacturing, supply chain and minimum order requirements are affecting both availability and deliveries. Waiting for weld metal procurement to be conducted by site or plant purchasing personnel may indeed be too late and artificially introduce risk and critical schedule dilemmas. Weld metal procurement should be explored as soon as possible upon job award. This applies to all entities including subcontractors and fabricators. This presentation offers an update on the status of weld metal procurement and is intended to inform to avoid the risk associated with not having the right weld metal at the job when you need it.

Time

Room

Function

Presenter: Chris Paschall, Industrial Info

Presenter: John R. Corrado, Corr-Met, Inc.

Cor-Met located in Brighton, MI manufactures coated and cored TIG wires for root pass pipe welding. These QWP coated and cored wires eliminate the need for backing, paste, or gas purging on the ID of the joint and prevent oxidation or sugaring on the root pass. The pipes to be joined are fixtured with a gap, tack welded together, then welded with standard TIG equipment. The coated and cored wire grades available in the Cor-Met QWP series include Stainless, Nickel, and Low Alloy grades. The one step process saves time and money while delivering X-Ray quality weld root pass.