New Case Study -
Heat Treatment OptimisationPipe Manufacturer - NSW, Australia
The Challenge
A manufacturer of large diameter, high-pressure gas pipe was experiencing instability in the annealing process post welding.
This meant the appropriate mechanical properties of the welded area were not achieved.
EnterpriseIS were asked to help optimise and control the heating and cooling cycle of the annealing phase so that requirements for correct heat treatment were achieved, as mandated in the standards governing the manufacture of pipe.
The Solution
The heating system was an induction process and could not operate without steel present. Therefore, a robust heat measurement system was developed which incorporated the Lean Six Sigma Andon concept.
An integrated alarm and temperature spray system would trigger when the heat treatment temperature was incorrect, this would indicate and isolate the range of material that was not acceptable and to be rejected from the process.
The cooling process post annealing had no measurement systems whatsoever. A system that aligned with the Lean Six Sigma concept of Jidoka was implemented and prevented the welding process from operating if the water flow rate was not correct. This ensured that material, which had not been cooled appropriately, was not produced.
The Results
- Only material that was heat treated and cooled correctly was produced
- Ratio of potential weld zone toughness failures shifted from 1:20,000 to 1:100,000+
- Laboratory tests of weld zone (annealed) samples reflected consistent toughness and weld line deformation patterns
- Flattening test failures would occur at the body of the pipe and rarely along the weld line well inside the acceptable limits.