African Fusion March 2018

AFRICAN MARCH 2018

Journal of the Southern African Institute of Welding

Torchmate: The compact cutting system that delivers big results

Contents

March 2018

FEATURES 4 QCTO apprenticeships and the dual system SAIW,throughtheSAIWFoundation,willcommitR1.5-million over two years to subsidise 20 welding apprentices on a QCTOpilot training programme. It is now seeking industrial partners willing to recruit and support apprentices. African Fusion talks to Etienne Nell. 10 NDT today: through my looking glass Delivering the keynote address at the NDT Conference hosted by the Southern African Institute of NDT (SAINT) on the occasion of its 50 th anniversary, Manfred Johannes highlights challenges facing the industry and suggests new directions. 14 A comparison of thick AHSS plate joined using HPAW and GMAW This paper, presented by XiaotengWang et al at the IIW2017 Conference in Shanghai, details a comparison between the GMAW and the hybrid plasma arc welding process when applied to the welding of advanced high strength steels. 18 Laser-sealed cored wire from Böhler Welding With the worldwide introduction of its innovative laser- sealed cored wires, filler metal specialist Böhler Welding marked a newmilestone in the evolution of themetal-cored arc welding process. 22 Towards acceptance for advanced pipe welding African Fusion talks to Afrox’s Arnold Meyer about his determined efforts to achieve acceptance in South Africa for advanced pipe welding processes using modern GMAW solutions. 24 Cosmo: doing business the South African way In response the transformational agenda in South Africa, Cosmo Industrial has introduced a range of consultancy, training and admin services to make it easier for its clients. African Fusion talks to Cosmo director, Pierre van Nieuwenhuizen. 26 Cold cracking, consumables and high yield strength steels Alain Laurent, business developer andweldingmetallurgist forLincolnElectric’sOerlikonbrandofweldingconsumables, talks to African Fusion about the company’s consumable range for welding high yield strength steel. 28 Purus: a wire that cleans up after itself ESAB has released a next-generation range of ultra-clean Purus 70S-6 GMAW welding wires that promise to keep welders welding and robots running. REGULARS 3 Sean’s comment 8 Front cover story: Light duty CNC cutting and the SMME opportunity 29 Welding and cutting forum 32 Today’s technology: Yaskawa remains among top 100 innovators

Published four times a year and mailed out together with MechChem Africa by: Crown Publications cc Crown House Cnr Theunis and Sovereign Streets Bedford Gardens 2007 PO Box 140

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Bedfordview 2008 Tel: (011) 622 4770 Fax: (011) 615 6108

Editor: Peter Middleton E-mail: peterm@crown.co.za Advertising: Helen Couvaras E-mail: helencou@crown.co.za Publisher: Karen Grant Deputy publisher: Wilhelm du Plessis Cover design: Afrox Production & layout: Darryl James Circulation: Karen Smith Printed by: Tandym Print, Cape

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Lincoln Electric, through Cosmo Automation Solutions, has officially launched its light duty Torchmate CNC air plasma cutting system into South Africa – with immediate suc- cess. African Fusion talks to Pierre Theunissen from newly launched Cosmo Automation Solutions, and Benoit Lamotte, MD of Lincoln Elec- tric Southern Africa.

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www.africanfusionmagazine.co.za

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SAIW: Sean's comment

SAIW and SAIW Certification

I n spite of the positive nature of recent political events, we are very concerned about the state of the fabrication industry in South Africa. Our state-owned enterprises are still having a negative impact on investor confidence and, while we are hopeful that under the leadership of Pravin Gordhan this will change, few new projects are on the horizon. Medupi and Kusile are rapidly coming to completion. While this is good news, it is also of concern, because what’s next? When construc- tion stops, it will leave a void in the welding industry. Following the power station newbuilds completed in the late 1980s, the industry was left in the lurch for several decades, leading to a serious erosion of skills and experience. If we again fail to progress to other infrastructure development projects, wewill be repeating the samemistake. It must surely be in the interests of South Africa to keep companies such as Steinmüller and DB Thermal active, employing people and developing their skills so that we can establish a sustain- able and long-term growth path that creates jobs, alleviates poverty, reduces inequality and stimulates the economy. On the power side, a thirdmodern coal-fired power station, Coal 3, makes a lot of sense to me, given that several of the current Eskom fleet are reaching or are beyond the end of their lives. Kriel has serious environmental problems and is at risk of being shut down, while the three return-to-service power stations, Komati, Grootvlei and Camden were originally built in the 1960s using old technologies that are now inefficient compared to new-build power stations. The problems that caused delays and overspendwithMedupi and Kusile have nowbeen resolved, as is evident fromgood progress being made completing the final units, so building Coal 3 to replace the older technologies would be quicker, easier and much more cost-effective. And while coal presents environmental problems, replacing several old, inefficient power stations with highly efficient units, with better emission controls, will result in a net positive environmental benefit. Do we want to lose all we have learned or do we wish to use the momentumwe have generated to date to secure our long-termpower future? Medupi and Kusile have supportedmany thousands of people for over a decade. We need this to continue! With respect to skills, we are very proud to be launching our QCTO welder-training programme this year. This is an apprenticeship programme that incorporates three components: welding theory, practical welder training, and authentic work experience in the fab- rication industry. We are therefore seeking industry partners that are prepared to take on new apprentices, send them for training at the SAIW Welding School before bringing them back into their working environment. Etienne Nell has done the sums and he can show how this training programme can save industry money for those willing to invest in high-quality skills development. We look forward to having enough candidates to start the programme by May. SAIW is celebrating its 70 th Anniversary this year. In that time we have made a difference to the lives of thousands of people and, even in lean times, many of our graduates are finding employment. It is going to be a special year, which we hope to celebrate properly at our 70 th Annual Dinner on the 7 th of September, so please diarise the date. This year’s IIWAnnual Assembly andConference is inBali, Indonesia in July 2018. I encourage those from industry, education and research organisations to come and represent South Africa. IIW is a valuable international organisation and increased participation by industry representatives and young people can only enhance our reputation and the work we do. Sean Blake

SAIW Governing Board President: Morris Maroga – Eskom S Blake – SAIW L Breckenridge – CEA G Joubert – SAISI A Koursaris – Metforensics DJ Olivier – Olivier Survey Group A Paterson – University of the Witwatersrand T Rice – Personal member J Tarboton – SASSDA JR Williamson – Wilconsult J Zinyana – New Age Welding Solutions SAIW Certification Governing Board Chairperson: G Joubert – ArcelorMittal B Beetge – Sentinel Inspection Services P Bruwer – Sasol Synfuels F Buys – TUV S Blake – SAIW G Buitenbos – Steinmüller G Joubert – SAISI A Koursaris – Metforensics D Olivier – Olivier Survey Group H Potgieter – SAIW Certification P Pistorius – University of Pretoria R Williamson – Wilconsult J Zinyana – New Age Welding Solutions M Maroga – Eskom S Moodley – SAPREF

SAIW Foundation Board Chairperson: M Maroga - Eskom S Blake - SAIW P Pistorius - University of Pretoria P Venter – ArcelorMittal J Pieterse- Afrox

SAIW and SAIW Certification representatives

Executive director Sean Blake Tel: (011) 298 2101 sean.blake@saiw.co.za

Training services manager Shelton Zichawo Tel: (011) 298 2148 shelton.zichawo@saiw.co.za

SAIW Certification manager Herman Potgieter Tel: (011) 298 2149 herman.potgieter@saiw.co.za

NDT training manager Mark Digby Tel: (011) 298 2169 mark.digby@saiw.co.za

Executive secretary Dimitra Kreouzi

Technical services manager Riaan Loots Tel: (011) 298 2144 riaan.loots@saiw.co.za

Tel: (011) 298 2102 Fax: (011) 836 6014 dimitra.kreouzi@saiw.co.za Finance and administration manager Michelle Warmback Tel: (011) 298 2125 michelle.warmbank@saiw.co.za Cape Town branch manager Liz Berry Tel: (021) 555 2535 liz.berry@saiw.co.za SAIW regional representatives

KZN branch manager George Walker Tel: (087) 351 6568 george.walker@saiw.co.za

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SAIW: QCTO apprenticeship

QCTO apprenticeships and the SAIW, through the SAIW Foundation, will commit R1.5-million over two years to subsidise 20 welding apprentices on a QCTO pilot training programme. It is now seeking industrial partners willing to recruit apprentices and partner with SAIW on this groundbreaking scheme. African Fusion talks to Etienne Nell.

T he SAIW Foundation has decided to fund the new QCTO-based (Quality Council for Trades and Occupations) apprenticeship pro- gramme for 20 students and is looking for industry partners to co-invest in the scheme. This pilot programme will be run at the SAIW Welding School in City West, Johannesburg, starting in April or May this year. “This is no ordinary exercise,” says SAIW’s Etienne Nell. “It is neither a Unit Standards-based Learnership nor a tra- ditional welding school programme. It is a full-blownapprenticeshipbasedon the new dual system QCTO apprenticeship programme, which will combine techni- cal education and simulated practical training at the SAIWwith authenticwork experience in a fabricator’s workshop.” The key thing, according to Nell, is that industry needs to take charge by appointing its own apprentices. “Then the company signs a Memorandum of UnderstandingMOUswith an accredited training body such as the SAIW, which will then provide the theoretical as well as the practical components of the new registered QCTO Welder Qualification,” Nell adds. Describinghowthe systemworks, he says that at the starting point, industry needs to recruit apprentices. They then commission SAIW to do the theoretical and practical training involved, which

can ask us to schedule 4F Fillet Welder training in an early module. Under a PM module, we will then qualify the apprentice according the company’s procedure so that, when he goes back to the workplace after completing a four-weekmodule at the SAIW, he or she can be productive on the shop floor as a qualified 4F welder while being paid as an apprentice. That is what government wants today,” Nell tells African Fusion . “The programme therefore be- comes a single, integrated learning pro- gramme, presented through an iterative process, with employers in the driver’s seat!” Nell exclaims, adding, “The train- ing can be stacked and packed in any way employers choose.” Describing the current situation, he says that public providers and TVET col- leges offer welder training without any workplace or occupational competence components. Many of the curricula used are outdated and trade theory front- loaded, with long intervals between theory and practice. “Even students on N Courses do not get practical training or work experience and most are se- lected by collegeswithout any reference fromemployers. There are very few links between public colleges and industry,” Nell says. What is new? “QCTO artisan training is now an occupational competence and a national qualification with new and modern industry-designed cur- ricula that tightly interweave trade theory, simulated practice and work experience. All students will now get practical training and work experience, with employers selecting andmanaging their own apprentices. And we promise close interaction between the SAIWand employers,” he notes.

needs to be 100% aligned with the new curriculum. “Industries involvement fromthe start is the key here,”Nell notes. The new National Occupational Qualification is based on the Bratislavia Agreement, which means it is aligned with International best practices and the International Institute of Welding’s (IIW) training curriculum. So industry and apprentices can be assured of the quality of the programme. The programme aims to produce: • A skilled and capable welding work- force to support economic growth. • Increased availability of intermedi- ate welding skills. • Increased delivery of properly quali- fied artisans welders. “Because of the integratedmodular ap- proach, the school-based training canbe tailored to suit a company’s direct skills needs, and these ‘intermediate skills’ can be directly used by the company following short school-basedmodules,” Nell says. “Industry participation is es- sential in this process, because learning a trade is like learning to ride a bicycle, you only learn once you start doing it for real,” he explains. Putting hours onto the programme components, he says that 1 310 hours are allocated to technical knowledge modules (KMs), along with 1 960 hours of for practical modules (PMs), which will be done at the SAIWand its Welding

School. “But the biggest number of hours, 2 200, are reserved for workplace modules (WMs) that need to be done at the employ- ers site. The apprentice is, therefore, working for a sig- nificant percentage of this QCTO training programme. “If we can get industry buy-in to appoint and send apprentices to us, then we will tailor the training ac- cording to the immediate needs of the workplace. If, for example, a company needs fillet welders, they

Making a profit by training apprentices

What is in it for companies? Right from the start, according to Nell, companies that employ apprentices benefit via very cost-effective labour rates with ad- ditional benefits including: SETA training

The new QCTO-based apprenticeship programme for 20 students will be piloted at the SAIW’s state-of-the-art welding school in City West, Johannesburg, starting in April or May this year.

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SAIW: QCTO apprenticeship

dual system grants; SARS Tax incentives; B-BBEE score cards and social responsibility credentials. After the apprenticeship, however, the company will have skilled employ- ees, trained to industry standards and acculturated to the employing company, which enhances employee retention. “The system also offers low-risk and low-cost recruitment. A labour broker will typically charge one twelfth of a recruited welders wages per year of work,” he adds. “I amoften askedby CEOswhat hap- pens if they invest money for training and all the welders leave? My response is to ask them to imagine what would happen if they don’t invest in training of their welders and all of them stay!” Nell relates. Describing what industry needs to do to benefit from the programme, he says that the process starts with recruit- ment of apprentices and the signing of apprenticeship contracts, along with a commitment to the QCTO curriculum with its the dual system approach. It then becomes possible to register the apprentice contracts with the relevant SETA and to apply for training grants. “And working with the SAIW to sign MOUs for each apprentice will ensure the best possible outcome by helping to identify the workplace learning most relevant to the company’s offering. This process will help to build a much more relevantly skilled workforce,” he suggests. Why trust the SAIW? “SAIW already offers widely recognised and sought after international qualifications and the QCTO, through the International Comparability Bratislavia Agreement, is aligned to the IIW International Welder Qualifications, for which the SAIW has long been an Authorised National Body (ANB),” Nell responds. “Once an apprentice has completed a trade test following the new qualifica- tion route, he/she is eligible to apply to the IIW for his International Welder Qualification,” he adds. Signalling that the Institute is fully committed to the QCTO curriculum and dual system learning for apprenticeship programmes, SAIWFoundationhas com- mitted R1 500 000 to subsidise the train- ing of the first 20 apprentices. “We will also assist in maintaining the required

statements of results, a prerequisite for the external assessments required by NAMB,” Nell informs African Fusion . Further, SAIW is eager to engage the TVET Sector, to remain an active mem- ber of the National Artisan Moderation Body (NAMB) in developing the new trade test, and to remain active with the QCTO to provide quality assurance when TVET Colleges starts to deliver these programmes. Pointing to a table from Germany outlining the estimated cost benefits to companies, Nell says that, in the first year of training, an apprentice’s wage is typically 28% of the full artisan’s salary, but he/she will only be 35% productive. This represents a loss to the company, but in the second year, apprentices are paid 32% of the full salary but their productivity increases to 65%, so com- panies can start seeing a real financial benefit. In the third year, this increases dramatically with the company getting 85% productivity from an apprentice earning only 41% of his full salary. This is a significant incentive. “Over three years, it will cost around R510 000 to train an apprentice to arti- san level – and these are realistic costs. This is the financial commitment we are asking fromcompanies,” Nell notes. But if the income that accrues because of this decision is taken into account, then the real cost disappears and is replaced by a net profit. Demonstrating how, Nell says that, for the first 20 contracts, the SAIW will contribute R75 000 per student. Then, over the three years, SETAs will contrib- ute R165 000 and the SARS allowance for profitable companies amounts to R40 000 per apprentice, which takes away R280 000 off the real costs. This leaves a real cost to the company of only R230 000. But there is even more on the gain side! A further R1 800 is available from

The biggest number of hours of a QCTO Welder Apprenticeship are reserved for workplace modules (WMs) done at the employers site. The apprentice is, therefore, working for a significant percentage of this QCTO training programme.

SARS under the Employee Training Initiative (ETI), R1 000 per month for the first year of employment and R500/ month thereafter – this because of the increasing productivity available as an employee’s skill level rises. And it isproductivity that canchange the ‘loss’ incurred through training into a real and tangible profit. Based on the productivity incentives from appren- tices, Nell explains that: “If, for the last 18 months of the programme, we assume that anapprentice is 65%productivebut is being paid 32% of his full salary, the employer will be saving the equivalent of R327 000 compared to an artisan that is 100% productive. This means that companies that adopt this high-quality dual system ap- prenticeship training programmewill be R105 000 better off than theywould be if they employed trained artisans instead. The SAIW is currently seeking com- mitment from industry to recruit train- ees on formal apprentice contracts and to partner with the SAIW in this endeavour. “I am 100% sure this will be worthwhile, with respect to costs and future growth in the short- and the long- term,” Nell concludes.

Item Note Recruitment, medicals and HR R15 000 Once off cost Tools and PPE R 15 000 Three sets of PPE Apprenticeship wage R165 000 Over three years SAIW training Cost

R265 000 408 days of knowledge (KM) and practical (PM) modules

SAIW quality audits

R20 000 Workplace audits

Material and consumables

R30 000 245 days of practical (PM) training

Total estimated cost to train R510 000 Over three years

An estimate of the total cost of training an artisan welder on a three-year dual system QCTO programme.

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SAIW bulletin board

Visual Testing: You see, but do you observe?

ing and dressing, profile and dimensions, weld root and surfaces as well as post weld heat-treatment – and Visual testing of repaired welds. Visual inspection, as performed by welding inspectors, is the observation of any operationperformedonmaterials and/ or components to determine its accept- ability in accordance with given criteria, the codes of construction and the assess- ment criteria in order to decide if a weld is acceptable. Depending on the code of construction and/or the client’s requirements, theweld- ing inspectionmay or may not require that the inspection is undertaken by a qualified and certified Visual Testing Technician who will generate the NDT report. To this extent inspectors should have sufficient knowledge regarding the process. On the other hand, visual examination or testing refers to the actual process of determining the condition of an area of interest by non- destructivemeans against established acceptance or rejection crite- ria, i.e. NDT personnel perform the visual test and provide the NDT report. To this ex- tent NDT personnel must be qualified and certified for the visual testing method, to theappropriatequalification level, as stipu- lated in the relevant certification scheme. NDT personnel must all be qualified and certified either via company certifica- tion, in accordancewith the company writ- ten practice as required by the American codes such as ASME, AWS, API etc. or via a personal certification body in accor- dance with ISO 9712 as required by ISO or EN codes. ISO 9712 also complies with ASME requirements. Furthermore, ISO 9712 excludes direct unaided visual tests and visual tests carried out during the applica- tion of another NDT method as part of the visual testing qualification. Each of the qualification and certifica- tion processes depend on suitable training as described in the relevant syllabi viz. ASNT CP 105 and ISO TR 25107 respec- tively. The documents clearly define the relevant theory and specific applications that should be included in the training programme. And in a latest development, the use of drones has been a significant develop- ment in the field of remote visual testing. Therefore a visual testing qualification and certification should be mandated for all personnel providing drone visual test- ing services, over and above the statutory requirements of operating drones. info@saiw.co.za

V isual testing is the most common and essential of all non-destructive testing (NDT) methods. Unlike other NDT methods, which require either special equipment or consumables to reveal an indication, visual testing, in its most common form, only requires one to look at a surface and interpret what one sees. However, to quote Sherlock Holmes: ‘You see, but you do not observe’. Herein lies the need for proper training, qualifica- tion and certification for visual testing personnel to ensure that they are and remain competent to perform this basic yet powerful non-destructive test. Visual testing can be described as the visual observation of a test surface to iden- tify any discontinuity, which include but are not limited to the following: Surface discontinuities related to in- spection during manufacture, processing, construction – including component align- ment – or operation to determine dimen- sional conformity and structural integrity. Basic visual testing methods can be separated into three techniques, which are: • Direct testing, which refers to the direct observation of the surface with lim- ited equipment used only to increase surface lighting or the viewing angle. According to ISO17637 the eye is placed within600mmof the inspection surface at an angle of not less than 30° to the surface – otherwise it may be regarded as aprofile inspection –withmagnifica- tion not exceeding 10×. • Indirect or remote testing, on the other hand, uses mirrors, borescopes, fiberscopes or remote cameras to test areas of interest, which are otherwise

not accessible. Digital images or videos can be recorded as permanent records. • Translucent testing places the source of light behind the material to be tested with detection based on the amount of light that passes through the material. This is very seldom used in general industry due to the opaque nature of most engineering materials. The basic theory of visual testing is based on the fact that human vision forms the basis of all visual testing methods and the principles, problems and processes associ- ated with the human eye must be clearly understood. Principles of light, sources of light, colour and visual perception relating to the observation and interpretationof the testing surface are important while a thor- ough understanding of optical principles and image processing is essential when using additional equipment to capture the surface image. There are no limits to the application of visual testing, which basically requires a clean surface accessible either directly or remotely. All product sectors such as welds, castings, forgings, tubes, pipes and wrought products can be tested using visual methods, during pre-and in-service testing for rail, power generation, petro- chemical, mining, civil, paper and pulp, transport and many other industries. As in the case of all NDTmethods, visual testing should also be included throughout themanufacturing, construction, operation andmaintenance phases. According to ISO 17637 for example, visual inspection of welds should include: Visual testing of joint preparation; Visual testing duringwelding; Visual testing of the finished weld – clean-

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SAIW bulletin board

Consumable testing and diffusible hydrogen

D espite it being a subject that has been intensely researched over the decades, hydrogen in steel weldments, particularly high tensile and high yield strength low-alloyed steels, continues to limit the performance of components due to the negative effect on the properties of the metal, which typically include em- brittlement, cracking and pore formation. Hydrogen-induced cracking, also known as cold cracking, is a well-known and dreaded phenomenon. Cold cracks in welded joints can be caused by hydrogen that enters the material during the fusion welding process. Sources of hydrogenmay arise from the filler materials’ humidity whenwelding at ambient atmosphere, ad- ditives in the filler wire or from condensed water near the welding zone. For the SMAW, FCAW and SAW welding processes, flux is used in the consumable to shield the weld pool from oxidation duringwelding. The flux consists of several ingredients including chemically bonded water. During welding the water (H 2 O) will dissociate to form hydrogen ions H + , which enter the weld pool. At high welding temperatures the solubility of hydrogen in

steel increases, allowing large amounts of hydrogen into the weld pool. However during cooling the solubility significantly decreases and faster cooling rates will result in hydrogen entrapment, causing very high local stresses that result in the weld and its heat-affected zone be- coming prone to cold cracking. In 2018, SAIWmaterials testing labora- tory (MTL) extended its testing scope to include diffusible hydrogen testing. Unlike the traditionalmercurymethod, SAIWMTL’s newly commissioned Bruker G4 PHOENIX diffusible analyser uses the carrier gas hot extraction method. The basic principle for the determination of diffusible hydrogen is made using the carrier gas (Nitrogen at 99,999% purity) with hot extraction in a tube furnace, followed by detection of the evolved hydrogen with a thermal conduc- tivity detector. Welding consumable testing has long been required by industry. Over the past few years, however, the demand for consumable testing has increased with industry also requiring EN 10204 type 3.2 inspection certification, where an impar- tial and independent body is appointed to

SAIW’s MTL assistant, Nicolene Kgoedi, testing for diffusible hydrogen in a weld metal sample using the laboratories new Bruker G4 PHOENIX analyser. verify thematerials’ chemical andmechani- cal properties. SAIW is at the front line of testing weld- ing consumables with a fully equipped material testing laboratory with all the re- quired equipment and skills. With qualified welders onsite, aheat treatment furnace, an NDTandmechanical testing laboratory and a newly commissioned diffusible hydrogen tester, SAIWoffers a one-stop-shop for con- sumable testing and verification. “Our material testing laboratory is ac- credited by SANAS as conforming to the re- quirements of ISO17025 inorder toprovide our customers with assurance of reliable consumable testing results,” says SAIW welding consultant, Confidence Lekoane. info@saiw.co.za

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Cover story: Lincoln Electric Southern Africa

Light duty CNC cutting and the SMME opportunity Lincoln Electric, through Cosmo Automation Solutions, has officially launched its light duty Torchmate CNC air plasma cutting system into South Africa – with immediate success. African Fusion talks to Pierre Theunissen, from newly launched Cosmo Automation Solutions, and Benoit Lamotte, MD of Lincoln Electric Southern Africa.

offering not only makes the Torchmate investment easier to justify, but it also leads to the lowering of costs for smaller outsourcing companies, stimulating the whole local fabrication industry,” he says. “The Lincoln Electric Torch- and are entry-level systems that are ideal for light indus- trial applications that do not need the ultra high cut qual- ity and accuracy associated with lasers or that of a high definition (HD) plasma cut- ting system,” Lamotte notes. Lincoln also offers its best-in- class two-year completewarranty on all components. This shows the level of confidence Lincoln has in the 4400 and 4800 system. Lamotte continues: “For signifi- cantly lessmoney, fabricators can often do all of their less-critical cutting, which is typically 80% of the workload, using the Lincoln 4400 and 4800 plasma sys- tems. Then they need only outsource the remaining 20% that requires HD or laser cut quality. This is a very effective way to quickly reduce operating costs.” Cosmo Automation Solutions has entered the market in South Africa by selling its first Torchmate system to a fabricator in Pretoria, PQJ Projects, and the owner is “over the moon”. The com- pany manufactures custom-designed canopies for small commercial ma- chines along with metal products such as cattle grids, steel plate storage racks and various other products. In addition, Theunissen and La- motte see Torchmate as an excellent start-up opportunity for SMMEs across Africa, which can begin by offering cutting services for those wishing to continue to outsource. “We see people mate 4400 and 4800 offers plate cutting sizes of 1.25×1.25 m and 1.25×2.5 m, respectively

“ T he release of the Lincoln Torchmate 4400 and 4800 CNC-driven air plasma cut- ting systems mark entry into a new era of fabrication in South Africa not yet developed,” Theunissen believes. “The quality of these air plasma units is very close to the high definition (HD) quality associated with the much more expen- sive multi-gas plasma HD units, but the capital and running costs are up to three times less,” he says. “For light to medium fabrication in the small and medium manufacturing enterprise (SMME) sector, these units offer an excellent opportunity,” he adds. Traditionally in South Africa (SMMEs) would outsource the cutting of their parts to bigger fabricators and specialist cutting shops with expensivemachines. Now, depending on the application of the cut parts and the quality required, we find that the Lincoln 4400 and 4800 are more than sufficient in most cases. Instead of outsourcing, its affordable for these fabricators to buy their own machine with various financing and rental options – ranging from less than R 20 000 per month,” Theunissen argues that light in- dustrial manufacturers that invest in Torchmate systems can also offer low-cost cutting services to other local industries. “This addition toa company’s

Cosmo Automation Solutions has sold its first Torchmate system to a fabricator in Pretoria, PQJ Projects. setting up small businesses starting with an entry level Torchmate system to offer low-cost cutting services. Fol- lowing growth, these businesses can then expand, by becoming fabricators in their own right, or by investing in HD plasma or laser cutting systems to en- able them to offer a higher cut quality when required,” Lamotte says. System components The Torchmate 4400 and the Torchmate 4800 include all the necessary compo- nents to operate the system, including: an integrated touchscreen HMI, indus- trial grade user console with adjustable mountingarm, andaproprietarymotion control system. “Our standard 125 amp power supply delivers 65% faster cut speeds and savings of up to 45% in consumable costs, while the Torchmate

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Lincoln Electric Torchmate 4400 and 4800 offer plate-cutting sizes of 1.25×1.25 m and 1.25×2.5 m, respectively and are entry-level systems that are ideal for light industrial applications.

Lincoln Electric’s plasma torch with its patented consumables set is designed to last up to three times longer than previous technology torch consumables, while costing 45% less. machine that can cut and profile pipes and tubes ranging in size from 25 to 200 mm in diameter. • Lincoln Electric’s PythonX: The leading Robotic Structural Fabrica- tion System in the world, PythonX is a versatile and complete plasma solution that automates process- ing operations for structural steel sections in fabrication shops. This 7-axis CNC robotic plasma-cutting machine replaces the beam drill, beam coping machine, band saws, angle and plate cutting systems, and marking machines. The sys- tem offers increased productivity, unmatched cut quality, predictable and consistent throughput as well as Lincolns’ signature simplicity of operation. “We believe the introduction of the Torchmate and Lincoln Electric’s other plasma solutions into South Africa is a win-win for fabricators, the manufac- turing industry and the South African economy,” Theunissen concludes. CosmoAutomationSolutions, which is now operating out of premises in Jet Park, Johannesburg, will be the dis- tributor of Torchmate and other Lincoln Electric cutting systems in South Africa, as well as the point of contact for ongo- ing service support. The company also has openaccess to the LincolnWeldTech Centre in Midrand for demonstrations and application trials.

depth training and technical instruction. Torchmate University covers three different topics: CAD Training, CNC Training, and Build Projects. “We start our customers off with the CAD training before they even take delivery of their machine. By the end of the video play­ list, our customers should be familiar with every single tool in the software program. It only takes practice from there to reallybecomeaTorchmateCAD/ CAM master,” Theunissen advises. “From the fabricator’s side, this really is a plug-and-play solution,” he assures . “All that we require to do an installation is a flat surface on a factory floor, a suitable air compressor and an electricity supply. Following delivery, we can have the systemset-up, commis- sioned and cutting well within one day. On the second day, we will do training, which has never been quicker or easier. We can train a novice to master the operation of a Torchmate cutting sys- tem well within that one day,” he tells African Fusion . As well as the Torchmate 4400/4800, Lincoln Electric are excited to be enter- ing the South African Plasma market with a range of other cutting machines, which include: • The Torchmate 5100 series: An in- dustrial plasma table that is rugged, fast, and built for all day production – and high definition plasma and a bevel head option are available. • The Lincoln Electric MasterPipe Compact: A plasma profiler that consists of a CNC pipe-cutting

4400 and 4800 produce cycle times that are 2.5 times faster than our previous system,” says Lamotte. Whether cutting fine artwork or fabricating steel parts in a pro- duction setting, customers want a plasma solution that will give them the cleanest and fastest cuts possible. With 125 A at 100% duty cycle, the FlexCut 125 adds power to the speed and precision equation. Built on an inverter platform, the FlexCut 125 is a constant-current plasma cutting power source that delivers su- perior cut quality with minimal dross – whichminimises the need for secondary cleaning operations. “Add to that our patent-pending consumable designs that provide up to three times longer consumable life than competitors – and the FlexCut 125 has the potential to significantly reduce operating costs,” adds Theunissen. The FlexCut 125 initiates the plasma arcwith a simple yet reliable touch-start mechanism that eliminatesmany of the failure problems associated with high- frequency start systems. The control system includes Parts-in-Place TM , a fea- ture that ensures that the consumables are in place before starting a cutting or gouging process. Making access to training easy is Torchmate University, the first virtual CNCplasma cutting trainingprogramme in the industry. This is a revolutionary method of training that takes the cus- tomers through a series of knowledge- able and concise videos to give them in-

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SAIW: SAINT 50 th anniversary conference

NDT today: through my looking glass

Delivering the keynote address at the NDT Conference hosted by the Southern African Institute of NDT (SAINT) on the occa- sion of its 50 th anniversary, Manfred Johannes highlights chal- lenges facing the industry and suggests some new directions for a more modern and successful NDT industry.

N DT is definitely a mature technology, but despite this, there are definitively problems, begins Johannes. “It is increasingly necessary for NDE to become part of the product development cycle so that engineers are less likely to incorporate impossible requirements into their end- products. 90%of the NDT problems we experience in the field are related to poor design. If an inspector can’t get there, or can’t reach the inspection point, then no procedure ormodern method will help. And these issues reoccur on a continuous basis,” he begins. Outlining his talk he says that he will be discussing degra- dation mechanisms and the need for precursors to help track equipment health; the need for improved probability of detec- tion (POD); structural healthmonitoring and prognostics; and the technical challenges and how these might be overcome in the future. “Since the 1970s, all major construction codes have specified NDT requirements and defect acceptance criteria pertinent to the particular construction code. But the defects in the codes are totally different to those that we see in ser- vice. So we are performing NDT to construction codes tomeet code requirements, but we quite often miss service induced discontinuities as the morphology of these is totally different to construction defects – and designers are not aware of this fact,” Johannes points out. In addition, although the NDT acceptance criteria are well defined and the testingmethodologies arewell developed and published, these can often not be applied in practice. “Anyma- ture technology has got toadopt a reviewand changeprocess,” he suggests. “Following someR&D todevelop technologies and equipment – generally with less R and lot more D – calibration and procedure development needs to be done, followed by personnel training and NDT system capability assessment. “We need to be much more cognisant of human factors, though: safety issues, people near reactors or in hot areas near steamgenerators. And following its implementation, the

technology needs to be subjected to routine surveil- lance on an ongo- ing basis, via au- dits and surveys. And if any one of these links break, then the integrity of the whole technology is compromised,” he warns. Johannes suggests that surveillance should not be the responsibility of the NDT company. The end user of the equip- ment, who should knowexactlywhat is required fromthe NDT process, shouldbe doing ongoing surveillance. “But howmany NDT specialists work for our power utility. In general, surveil- lance by plant and equipment operators in South Africa is very poor,” Johannes believes. He says that NDT problems mainly concern in-service inspections. “Construction defects are mostly volumetric – porosity, inclusions, lack of fusion – while service-induced defects are planar. So we need to ask the question: can the NDT that we perform find the discontinuities likely to lead to chaotic failure? “And I think all owners of operating plant should be ask- ing this. It is their duty to ask why they are doing an in-service inspection, what they expect to find and how theywill respond to an indication,” he says. Yet in spite of this need, there is only one in-service inspec- tion (ISI) code – ASME XI for Nuclear plant. “As early as 1992, a general ISI code was being developed, but this has yet to emerge. Why? The developers realised that a code would re- move the ultimate responsibility fromplant owners and place it onto NDT service providers.” Johannes believes that plant owners need tomake it very clear to NDT specialists what they expect: what the critical failuremodes are, exactlywhere these aremost likely to occur, the acceptance criteria and their repair intentions. Describing a typical plant experience, he says he once received a phone call to come and ‘do some crack testing’. What is the material? What equipment? Where are the cracks, the casing or somewhere else? What kind of cracks? “I was told I was asking too many questions and asked if I knew what I was doing,” he recalls. “We need to educate operators in what is pos- sible and what is not. What are the failure mecha- nisms? Where are the previous inspection results and failure reports? We need to know the answers to these issues if we are to do anythingmeaningful,” he argues. And meaningful NDT is essential if catastrophic failure is to be avoided, he continues, pointing to-

A 3.5 m by 6.0 m fracture surface of a turbine rotor that ‘exploded’ at a power station in Germany the 1988.

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SAIW: SAINT 50 th anniversary conference

wards a 3.5 m by 6.0 m fracture surface of a turbine rotor that ‘exploded’ at a power station in Germany the 1988. What went wrong? In spite of five days of code-compliant testing using good technology, a large planar off-centre defect was completely missed. The crack grew steadily until, only three seconds before failure, a heavy vibration was detected followed by the complete destruction of the turbine. One fracture piece was found 3.0 km away. Needless to say, the inspection procedure for all rotors was immediately modified from one scan to many from all angles over the entire body of the component. “Accidents and chaotic failures do tend to cause changes to codes and invoke more scans, but shouldn’t we bemore proactive in our overall approach?” he asks. NDT system capability assessments “The NDT system has got three legs, equipment; procedures/ work instructions; and personnel,” says Johannes, and each of these legs must be assessed to determine system capability. At the core of such assessments is themanufacture of sam- ples containing defect reflectors, which are used to perform open trials to assess equipment and procedure performance. The same samples can be used in blind trials to assess the ability of NDT personnel to detect flaws using the equipment and inspection procedures that have been developed. “At the EPRI NDT Centre in Charlotte, USA, they spentmore than US$10-millon manufacturing samples to qualify stress- corrosion cracking testing procedures for nuclear pipework. When qualifying personnel, they first give the candidate a known sample to prove that the procedure and the equipment work. Then they issue a new blind sample to see if the NDT practitioner has the skills to find unknown defects using the same procedure and equipment,” Johannes says. “In South Africa, we haven’t got anything like this facility andNDT companies have tomanufacture their samples on the bench. We have been talking about a scale-down version of the EPRI at the CSIR, but we have not yet secured the money we need to make this happen,” he adds. Johannes describes the results of capability assessments in several round-robin tests: from PISC (Programme for the Inspection of Steel Components); PANI (Programme for the as- sessment of NDT in industry) andDDT – Defect Detection Trials in the UK. “In the DDT, trial 90% probability of detection was required to get the go ahead to run the plant, but the actual POD was down at 65%. “Overall, the results fromthese trials all indicated that NDT technologies and the application thereof was not as reliable as previously believed!” Johannes exclaims, adding that this emphasises the need for a system that significantly increases the real POD. The weaknesses identified in PANI included: • Inaccurate technical instructions: When I get there I do not know what to do. • No consistent policy or enforcement: A new quality man- ager changes the game. • Productionpressures: Productionhurry theNDTpeopleup, indication are found but the manager is on a turnaround bonus, so he ignores them and tells you to go home. • Poor quality control: TheNDT inspector feels sounsafe and uncomfortable that it is difficult to concentrate. • Poor organisational support: Site, road, plant and inspec- tion point access are sometimes all very difficult.

A diagram from Ensminger and Bond illustrating how NDE and materials science interact with one another. Ensminger and Bond, 2011.

By incorporating materials characterisation aspects, microstructural parameters and structural performance into evaluations, it becomes possible to identify a process signature that can be used to track damage and, along with NDE, to determine remaining service life.

The goal is to proactively address potential future degradation in operating plants as far to the left as possible in order to avoid failures and to maintain integrity, operability and safety. Hess, DARPA. • Having a bad day: Does the inspector feel OK? In one ex- ample, anNDT technicianwho had a fight with hiswifewas so stressed that he closed the valves in the wrong order, causing expensive damage. • Under-skilled inspectors: While not under qualified, people often lack specific practical skills because they have been trained too generically. They have never been trained to do the actual job properly. • Under-motivated inspectors: People getting bored looking at the same screen everyday. • Worker turnover. People don’t want to do hands on

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Website: www.esab.co.za I Telephone: +27 11 490 0400 I E-mail: salesjhb@esab.co.za

SAIW: SAINT 50 th anniversary conference

work anymore. They strive to move up into office jobs or management as soon as possible. • Aging workforce: which is a worldwide problem. Globally, inspectors of nuclear plant are nowat an average age of 55. “In some of these capability assessment tasks, people were made to lie on the floor to do a test, then lie in the same posi- tion in a puddle of water to make it as difficult as possible to find defects. This simulates the effect of the real environment and it obviously changes the POD,” Johannes notes. Citing identified strategies for improvement, he says that the skills of inspection personnel; training quality; work in- structions; the real testing environment; keeping equipment as simple as possible; improvingmanagement and better vigi- lance were all found to contribute to better detection results. “These challenges and solutions are an international phe- nomenon,” Johannes says, before urging delegates to down- load and read an ICNDT report entitled ‘A Landscape for the Future of NDT in the UK Economy’ as well as the 'PANI 3' report. Where is NDT going Johannes shows a diagram by Ensminger and Bond illustrat- ing howNDE andmaterials science interact with one another. Traditional NDE involves detecting degradation and flaws that are likely to affect the material properties, performance and structure of a construction. WhileNDE involvesmostlymeasurement, by incorporating materials science aspects such asmicrostructural parameters, the material’s mechanical, thermal and electrical properties, and its structural performance into evaluations, it becomes possible to identify a process signature that can be used along with NDE to determine remaining service life. “The idea is to combine monitoring with diagnostics and prognostics for holistic structural health monitoring. (SHM),” he says. “Past experienceneeds toguide areaswithhighprobability of failure, to help us to model and predict where defects will initiate, for example. Wewant to be able to assess the progres- sion of damage before cracks form, quantify the initial state and, where possible, check the evolution of damage. Thenwe need to make validation of prognostics calls, using advanced sensors and detection techniques to ‘see’ incipient failure very early,” Johannes explains. By looking at grain boundary echoes, for example, state changes can be detected right down to single grain crystals andpotential future degradation canbe proactively addressed in operating plants to avoid failures and tomaintain integrity, operability and safety. At the heart of this newapproach ismaterials characterisa- tion, which is really about characterising themicrostructure in termof stress, strain, grain size, local moduli, fatigue, fracture toughness and such like. In the context of NDE and SHM, the goal is to evaluate and determine thematerial properties prior to and after the formation of flaws. Why is this important? “In some cases the first crack can be catastrophic, due to zero tensile modulus, for example. Materials characterisation can help guide focused NDT to regions with high propensity to fail. “The approach can give early warnings of structural integrity problems, even before the formation of a flaw. Not only can this reduce catastrophic failure risks, it can also be used to more accurately predict remaining life,” Johannes tells delegates. The increasing use of models of material state and me-

The prognosis vision of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the USA. chanical properties, with full characterisation, is already en- ablingmaterials science anddesign tomerge. Such techniques will help NDT to grow in its application with improved quality, safety, sustainability and cost of ownership being key drivers. This will all lead to better and more effective deployment of both traditional and advanced NDT. Big data, permanent records, better equipment, automa- tion and robotics, with better integration intomanufacturing, is likely to become more prominent, along with continuous process monitoring, measurement and control. In terms of size, Johannes points to a table published by BCC research entitled: Global Market for Non-destructive Testing Equipment and Services by Srinivasa Rajaram, which predicts that the total market is set to grow by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9% between 2017 and 2022. “NDT is increasingly seen as part of condition-based maintenance (CBM), prognostics and quality manufacturing processes. But it needs to be more quantitative and sensi- tive. New sensors will enable integration into manufacturing metrology and better tools for early damage characterisation will be developed,” he says. “With full Integration of NDE into engineering and product life-cycle management – with design for inspectability and monitoring built in – NDT can be much more effectively used to minimise total ownership costs and for the quantification of uncertainty and the minimisation of risk. In order to achieve this, however, international co-opera- tion between universities will be needed. “Until we are used to these new ideas, we will need to encourage our students to study overseas. But at the CSIR over the past four years, we have been involved with 140 MSc Engineers who currently know something about modern NDT. Johannes reiterates his belief that companiesmust realise their responsibilities to assure plant safety. “Outsourcing has gone too far!” he exclaims. “We all need toput our heads on the block, take responsibility for our work and its findings and do something to change things for the better. NDT Level III Inspec- tors have to start doing engineering work, use reports to raise issues, point out deficiencies in scope and technology, suggest process enhancements and initiate design changes and R&D. “I hope we can avoid a future where we use our advanced NDT equipment inappropriately: instead of flying the aero- plane, we run with it , or we use a rifle as a bow and arrow. I have spent nearly a lifetime trying to prevent NDT tech- nology from being misapplied. And unless we succeed, we will never take our rightful place as a professional engineering discipline in our own right,” he concludes.

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