BMT carries out welding research

Shipbuilders, owners and operators will benefit from new research into advanced welding techniques as the result of a contract awarded to BMT Fleet Technology Ltd, a subsidiary of British Maritime Technology Ltd (BMT). The contract has been awarded by the US National Shipbuilding Research Programme (NSRP) in support of the US Navy?s aircraft carrier programme.

Over recent years the structural integrity of vessels has become a major concern to builders, owners and operators. Structural failures have been associated with a variety of environmental and human safety risks. They can result in the release of hazardous materials which can contaminate the marine environment and lead to a loss of human life, particularly in heavy seas.

BMT will investigate the combination of advanced submerged arc welding technologies, involving welding processes which require a continuously fed consumable solid or tubular (metal cored) electrode. The combination of technologies promises to improve the quality of welding by increasing the deposition rate of welding, lowering the heat transfer to improve heat affected zone impact toughness, lowering angular distortion and susceptibility to arc blow at high arc energies resulting in lower defect incidence rates

This could improve the mechanical properties of welding zones, enhance vessels? structural integrity and help builders, owners and operators to construct vessels more efficiently and effectively while maintaining high quality standards with due consideration to wider asset and risk management.

BMT Fleet Technology?s President Aaron Dinovitzer comments: “This contract will draw on BMT?s extensive expertise in materials and welding technologies and provide a stage to demonstrate this to the US shipbuilding industry at large.” BMT?s work is due to be completed by next February and will be undertaken in its Canadian-based material testing and welding laboratories.

Other partners in the US NSRP include Defence Research and Development of Canada, Atlantic, Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, Naval Surface Warfare Center (Carderock Division), Miller Electric and Hobart Brothers. The programme is administered by ATI Corporation, in South Carolina, US.