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WELD REPAIR AND THE STRENGTHENING OF WELDED STRUCTURES

November 3, 2010
Atlanta, Ga.
Facility: Georgia Word Congress Center (FABTECH)
Chair: Robert Irving; Co-chair: Ralph Nugent

From the standpoint of knowledge, one of the most important aspects in welding is the repair of faulty welds or in the prevention of failures from occurring in the first place. This topic or topics will be one of the most important conferences at the Fabtech conference.

Appropriately, Duane K. Miller of Lincoln Electric will be the keynoter and he will discuss the new AWS D1.7 code. Other speakers will include Jim Worman of the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors who will describe what is needed to obtain an "R" certificate; David J. Barton of PCI/WEC will comment on weld repairs in the nuclear industry; and Brent M. Williams of Miller Electric will discuss the use of inverter technology for aircraft engine repair work.

REGISTER

Attendee Registration Rate
AWS/FMA/SME/NAM/CCAI members $345
Nonmembers $480

• Each nonmember attendee will receive a two-year complimentary membership in AWS.
• The registration fee does not include hotel accommodations. Hotel accommodations are subject to hotel regulations and are the responsibility of the attendee.
• You will receive a CD containing copies of all presentations.
• Each participant will also earn 7 Professional Development Hours (PDHs) for attending the conference. These PDH’s can be applied toward AWS recertifications and renewals.

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Program Schedule

WELCOME
9:00 AM - 9:05 AM

Robert R. Irving, Conference Chairman

9:05 AM - 9:40 AM
Duane K. Miller, Manager of Engineering Services, The Lincoln Electric Co., Cleveland, Ohio

AWS D1.1 Structural Welding Code-Steel is a world-recognized code governing the design, fabrication, erection and inspection of welded steel structures. Typically, the structures to which D1.1 is applied are new. When existing structures are repaired or strengthened, Clause 8 of D1.1 applies. However, this clause consists of a mere two pages, and provides only very general directions. The Engineer is obligated by clause 8.1 to "...prepare a comprehensive plan for the work. Such plans shall include, but are not limited to design, workmanship, inspection and documentation." AWS D1.1, however, provides only minimal assistance to the Engineer who was responsible for such plans. With the introduction of AWS D1.7 Guide for Repairing and Strengthening Existing Structures, both the Engineer and the Contractor responsible for such projects have specific guidance on weld repairs, weld strengthening, weldability of obsolete steels as well as alternate acceptance criteria. NDT methods used for evaluating existing structures are discussed. Detailed guidance is provided on flame straightening. This presentation will overview the new D1.7 Guide and show how it can be applied to projects involving repair and strengthening of old structures.   

Weld Repairs in the Nuclear Industry
9:40 AM - 10:15 AM
David J. Barton, Principal Welding Engineer, WEC Welding and Machining LLC, Rock Hill, S.C.

PCI, a subsidiary of Westinghouse Electric Company Welding & Machining (WEC W&M) group is an OEM of machining and specialized welding equipment used for special repair applications primarily in the nuclear industry. PCI also provides field welding services focused on being able to respond on the shortest possible notice to emergent welding problems. Our presentation will focus on some of the welding challenges associated with nickel filler materials and the installation of Structural Weld Overlays (SWOL). A SWOL is a repair and mitigation technique for primary water stress corrosion cracking (PWSCC) of susceptible dissimilar metal Alloy 82/182 welds. The full SWOL deposited on the outside diameter of the pipe, component, or associated weld is designed such that it is capable of supporting the system design loads, without consideration for the piping, component or associated weld below the overlay acting as if the pipe were not there. Our presentation will also include overlays deposited on Reactor Vessel Head Penetrations (RVHP). The embedded flaw repair process provides a non-structural barrier to the J-Weld area of the RVHP to stop the corrosion process also associated with PWSCC. Alloy 52M is applied over the Alloy 82/182 weld using remotely operated machine GTAW specifically developed for the application. The presentation will also include a summary of some of the largest repairs performed in the nuclear industry where the entire steam generator is removed and replaced in record times. During a steam generator replacement project the heavy wall reactor coolant pipes are severed, the several hundred ton generator is removed and a new steam generator is set in place and welded. Welding of the three to four inch thick piping utilizes the narrow groove machine GTAW welding process with welding operators brought in from all of the country. Other similar types of repairs and the use of the narrow groove welding process will also be discussed during this presentation.

MORNING BREAK - 10:15 AM - 10:30 AM

The Accreditation Process for Obtaining an R Certificate
10:30 AM - 11:05 AM
Jim Worman, The National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors, Columbus, Ohio

This presentation will outline the accreditation process for those  organization applying for an "R" Certificate of Authorization from the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors. Included will be how repair organizations are accredited, the prerequisites for issuing a Certificate of Authorization, procedures for obtaining or renewing a Certificate of Authorization, the Quality System that each certificate holder must have and maintain and the requirements for a written quality system manual. 

Repair of Transmission Pipelines Using Welded Full-Encirclement Steel Sleeves
11:05 AM - 11:40 AM
William A. Bruce, Director, Welding & Materials Technology, DNV Columbus, Inc., Dublin, Ohio

External corrosion is a major concern for operators of high-pressure transmission pipelines. Corrosion is second only to mechanical damage as the primary cause of natural gas pipeline failures in the U.S. To prevent an area of corrosion damage from causing a pipeline to rupture, the area containing the damage must be reinforced to prevent the pipeline from bulging. While the use of nonmetallic composite materials to repair corrosion damage has increased in recent years, the most predominant method of reinforcing corrosion damage in cross-country pipelines is to install a welded full-encirclement steel sleeve. The basic principles of pipeline repair using steel sleeves, along with some advantages over the use of composite materials, will be presented.
   
LUNCH (PROVIDED) & EXHIBIT DISPLAY - 11:40 AM - 1:40 PM

Repair of Critical Rotating Equipment Utilizing Computer-Assisted TIG
1:40 PM - 2:15 PM
Ralph M. Nugent, Tulsa Branch Manager, Dresser-Rand, Tulsa, Okla.
 
Rotating equipment utilized by chemical plants and refineries are critical components with demanding material requirements. Repairs to these materials require precision welding techniques with closely controlled weld parameters to produce a repair that is fit for the service and operating conditions of the component. The final properties of a repair must meet the original equipment design criteria. Computer-Assisted Tungsten Inert Gas (CA-TIG) welding provides the control of the weld deposition sequence and minimizes the potential for production of weld flaws. The process produces repeatable weld deposit properties that are required for repair of rotating equipment. The discussion will cover general information on the CA-TIG process and controls with examples of applications on actual repair situations.

Underwater Weld Repair
2:15 PM - 2:40 PM
Uwe W. Aschemeier Senior Welding Engineer, H.C. Nutting, Cincinnati, Ohio; and Kevin Peters, President, Miami Diver, Inc., Miami, Fla.
 
Prior to transiting the Panama Canal, grounding caused considerable damage to a fully loaded bulk freighter, requiring immediate repair to the ruptures and tears to the bow section of the vessel. A unique repair procedure was developed and subsequently accepted by all certifying bodies and performed without delay. This presentation describes the underwater weld repair performed on the vessel while anchored in a lightly sheltered outer anchorage on the Atlantic side of the Panama Canal.

AFTERNOON BREAK - 2:40 PM - 2:55 PM

Predicting and Controlling Distortion and Residual Stress for Crack Repairs in Trunnion Used on Mining Equipment
2:55 PM - 3:30 PM
Alma Olsen, President, ARO Testing, Parma, Idaho
 
The speech will go into detail with real world examples on how to identify cracking in the trunnion using several methods, including bearing temperatures, oil contaminates, etc., then how NDT is used to map out the extent and locations of the cracks, and how the welding procedure is developed for the specific case to predict and control distortion and residual stresses during the repair to provide the best repair without reducing the life of the trunnion. Measures will also be discussed on what Preventative maintenance is recommended to prevent catastrophic failure.

Controlled Deposition Techniques for Weld Repair
3:30 PM - 4:05 PM
Jose E. Ramirez, Principal Engineer, Edison Welding Institute, Columbus, Ohio

During weld repair of pressure vessels and other welded structures, application of the normally required PWHT may sometimes be very difficult or impossible to carry out. Use of standard repair procedure may result in hard and brittle welded joints with high susceptibility to cracking during welding or during service. A number of controlled deposition techniques are available for weld repair which can achieve different degrees of micro structural control and softening of the HAZ. One of the ultimate goals in the application of such techniques is to eliminate the PWHT without affecting structural integrity. However, the selection of the appropriate controlled deposition technique depends on the reason for the need for PWHT. 

Inverter Technology Improves Aircraft Engine and Component Repair
4:05 PM - 4:40 PM
Brent M. Williams- Marketing Manager, Miller Electric Manufacturing Co., Appleton, Wis.

Advances in TIG power source technology provide new dimensions of arc control that offer significant benefit for the welding repair of aircraft engines and components. Weld quality and integrity is extremely critical and commonly repaired materials in the industry are anything but ordinary - often presenting welding challenges relating to alloy content and/or service conditions. The precision and control of the GTAW or TIG process are often utilized to produce the required high-quality welds. Inverter power source technology provides advanced controls that enhance arc control for improved weldability. These advanced controls and capabilities will be discussed as they pertain to specific alloy and component examples, providing an overview of benefits in key applications.

ADJOURNMENT