Knowledge, training and craftsmanship are paramount at RIJKERS (SLB Group), and are assets that we will continue to invest in. Our latest endeavor is the certification of 10 welding specialists in super duplex pipe welding. Furthermore, one of the specialists has completed a theoretical course in visual welding inspection.
Super duplex welding
For customers working in the offshore industry, it is essential to know which materials can be used when building equipment for specific purposes. Super duplex 1.4410 is a material that offers up to twice as much strength as the widely used stainless steel 316. Ensuring you have a high corrosion resistance is important for the installations that are used in the challenging conditions offshore, as it can easily withstand the combination of seawater and heat.
All in all, this was a challenging certification. The first step was obtaining a welding method qualification, which determines the parameters that are used for a particular weld. Next, a welder still needs to demonstrate that he has mastered the welding method, resulting in the welding qualification.
The pieces of material used in the exam are first checked visually by means of X-ray equipment. These photographs enable you to check for internal cracks and weaknesses. It then undergoes a destructive test. An inspection is done to determine the quality of the material's structure, whether it is a homogeneous weld and at what forces the exam piece breaks.
Because the level of expertise is already very high at SLB Group, all 10 welding specialists passed the certification at the first attempt.
Visual welding inspector
One of the welding specialists, Ferdy Lossow, passed his exam for visual welding inspector. Because we now have a visual welding inspector in house, the product quality can be guaranteed to meet the customer's requirements. As a result, errors can be intercepted, solved and corrected sooner. Moreover, it is a fantastic opportunity to broaden the knowledge, perspective and working area. “You get a different, more professional view on all the welding work that is done," according to Ferdy.
Certification
It is important for companies like SLB Group to continuously invest and innovate in specialization and materials science. This certification was a requirement of a new client, a manufacturer of skids that clean the exhaust fumes of oil tankers. A new law was passed in 2020 that significantly reduces the permitted sulfur dioxide emissions for ships.
We have entered into an exclusive collaboration with this client, making SLB Group the sole supplier until the end of 2021. Thanks to this beautiful series of orders, we are also contributing in some way to environmental improvement.