McDermott Develops New Pipeline Welding System —Literature Available

J. Ray McDermott & Co., Inc.

of New Orleans, La., has completed tests on a new automatic marine pipeline welding system.

McDermott reports the system, under development since 1976, will increase the speed and quality with which large diameter pipe can be welded aboard marine lay barges. The company is offering a free, full-color brochure describing the new method.

This system utilizes the gas tungsten arc welding process with two carriages that operate on a forged aluminum track, hinged at its top to open and close like a clamshell. Each carriage positions two torches, and each torch welds 90° of the pipe circumference.

The carriages are mechanical mirror images of each other, and they contain all of the mechan- ical parts that convert electronic commands into the physical motion to perform the weld. Pipe ends are prepared for welding and aligned using conventional endfacing machines and internal lineup clamps.

At each of five weld stations, four solid-state 600-ampere direct- current power supplies with 100 percent duty cycle are used.

A sequence and control console manages the system at each station.

The modular design of the console permits quick removal and replacement of components.

Consumables required for the McDermott system include helium gas, argon gas, 0.045-inch-diameter welding wire on 12-pound spools, 0.156-inch-diameter tungsten electrodes, torch gas lenses, and torch collets.

McDermott estimates that, conservatively, the weld cycle time r e q u i r e d for 36-inch-diameter, 1-inch-thick pipe will be less than five minutes when five or more stations are used. This equals about 240 joints per day (9,600 feet) if no weld repairs are required.

Developmental welds have exceeded API STD 1104 requirements for both X-ray inspection and mechanical testing.

For more information on the system and a free brochure, write to William Finger, P.O. Box 60035, New Orleans, La. 70160.

Maritime Reporter Magazine, page 29, Feb 15, 1980

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