In this November 2007 article from Stainless Steel World, authors Barry Messer, Andrew Wright and Vasile Oprea from Fluor Canada Ltd., provide a detailed overview of best practices for duplex stainless steel welding.

Yet many fabricators serving the oil and gas industry lack the expertise required for welding duplex stainless.  Steelcraft’s Engineering Products Division for instance, has invested nearly a dozen years in ensuring adherence to the welding best practices outlined in the above article, and we ensure our teams consistently follows welding procedure specifications to achieve optimum (a -> g) balance.  

Engineering procurement and construction firms sourcing duplex stainless steel fabrications should incorporate an additional level of due diligence into their procurement process to ensure selected fabricators bring to the table best practices welding expertise and customer references attesting to their track record of delivery.

 If you are seeking a fabrication partner with expertise in providing duplex stainless steel to the oil and gas sector, consider Steelcraft. Contact us at mail1@steelcraftinc.com 

SteelCraft Inc. will be providing General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada with fenders, plates and other steel components for the Light Armoured Vehicle III Upgrade Project. This subcontract will have a significant economic impact in the Stratford region and reflects SteelCraft’s continued success in providing complex high quality steel components. 

Canadian soldiers need the best tools for the job and deserve the best vehicle we can give them,said Danny Deep, vice president of General Dynamics Land Systems-Canada.The LAV III Upgrade Project will enhance the LAV III fleet’s survivability, operational capability and long-term performance. With our Canadian design and manufacturing base and over 500 suppliers located in every province of Canada, we are proud to say that the best armoured vehicles in the world are made in Canada.

“We are very pleased to participate as a supplier to General Dynamics Land Systems – Canada for the LAV III Upgrade Project, and to play a role in ensuring the safety and well-being of our Canadian military,” says Keith Zehr, President and COO, Steelcraft. 

Read the Government of Canada’s press release for additional information and detail on the Light Armoured Vehicle III Upgrade Project. 

Read the Stratford Beacon Herald’s news story on the announcement. 

Read AM 920′s coverage 

See CJCS 1240′s coverage of the story

Stratford Gazette’s coverage of the announcement

See Metalworking Production & Purchasing Magazine’s story on the announcement

Ease of Replacement

Replacing a key piece of equipment such as a pressure vessel that is decades old is never a simple task. Beyond the decommissioning procedures of the old vessel, the new vessel must be designed and engineered to ensure safe, timely and effective replacement.

Working with the pressure vessel manufacturer it is important to communicate key information to the design process such as: 

-       End use application of the vessel and environment in which it will operate.

-       Location of intakes and vessel penetrations (keeping in mind that changes may have been undertaken over time to accommodate additional loads or equipment that were not part of the original design specification.) 

New Innovations

Replacement of a pressure vessel also opens a window of opportunity to take advantage of new innovations in design or new design and construction methods that may improve your production efficiency.  Or, you may simply wish to use this opportunity to modify the original design spec to accommodate for changes in your business, adjust for new applications or again, to achieve unrealized efficiencies.

Changes to ASME Specifications 

If your existing pressure vessel is decades old, it is certain that there have been changes in the related ASME specifications that must be accommodated within the new vessel’s design spec. For instance ASME now demands that design specifications take into consideration repetitive or “cyclic” loading, which can result in fatigue damage.  It is important that your supplier be conversant in the current ASME specifications and that the replacement vessel be designed in accordance with code.  Not only can material selection or thickness be impacted but also the extent of Non-Destructive Examinations, such as Liquid Penitrant or Radiography Testing.

Consideration of Lifecycle Costs

In an earlier blog post, we talked about the consideration of lifecycle costs when designing a pressure vessel.  Replacement offers a perfect opportunity to ensure the design process takes into account all of the variables that can ultimately positively or negatively impact a pressure vessel’s lifetime cost.  

If you are seeking to end of life your pressure vessel equipment and are seeking a design, engineering and manufacturing partner to guide you through the process, contact us today

As Western Regional Manager, Simon will be responsible for the Sales, Marketing, and Operations of the Edmonton and Innisfail Plants. 

“Simon’s promotion recognises not only  the importance of the Western Region as a growing entity of the Steelcraft Clemmer Division, but his strong performance as Edmonton Operations Manager  during  the past six months.  Simon’s 20+ years of sales and operational experience within Alberta will support the growth and profitable development  of the Western Region as a key part of Steelcraft’s overall business plan in 2013 and beyond,” says Graham Barraclough, Steelcraft CFO. 

Komatsu, one of Steelcraft QCI’s most strategic customers, began operations in 1921 in Komatsu City Japan.  Today, the company employs 34,500 with overseas sales reaching 70% of total sales.  The Komatsu Way incorporates what the company wants to sustain on a global scale and the company’s desire to continue these efforts through generation to generation to remain successful in the heavy equipment industry.   Read more about Steelcraft QCI’s work with Komatsu here.

When we engage with a customer, we typically begin by understanding what we call the total lifecycle cost of a component.  By digging deeper into the details into a customer’s performance requirements, how the component will be used and where, and the specific demands placed on the equipment, we can then design an appropriate solution for situation at hand.  This collaborative approach also allows us to better understand our customer’s business, and partner with that customer to construct a long-term relationship that is built around value, quality of service and quality of component.  

Let’s take a situation where we learn that a customer is seeking a heat exchanger for a project that has a short and finite lifespan.  We take those requirements into consideration to design a heat exchanger that is built to perform, but not necessarily to last.  Another customer may be in the market for a reactor that will play an ongoing instrumental role in a key industrial process. This reactor will be required to run 24/7 with 99.9 percent performance, and is expected to last 30 years. That is a very different set of design requirements, and the final product will be engineered and built accordingly.  Other factors we take into consideration when designing a specific component include, total lifespan of the component; maintenance/outage tolerances, pressure, temperature and duration requirements, frequency of use, new ASME requirements for calculations on fatigue and so on. 

So when you are next in the market for a autoclave, heat exchanger, reactor of pressure vessel, consider the total lifecycle costs when making your decision.  Be assured, it will result in a better supplier relationship, a higher quality component, and a better outcome.

If you are in the market for a pressure vessel, heat exchanger, autoclave or reactor for your industrial process.  Consider Steelcraft and our total lifecycle approach.   

Contact us at mail1@steelcraft.com

Since 1995, we have helped nearly 50 people receive certification through apprenticeships and other training programs. Over that time, we have also provided additional learning opportunities for young people in the public and separate school boards through the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP) and co-op education programs. 

Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities Glenn Murray congratulated Steelcraft in a letter recognizing its dedication to training and employing apprentices in Ontario. “I encourage Steelcraft to continue the good work that you do in providing skills training and employment opportunities. Businesses such as yours are the backbone of the Ontario economy.” 

Steelcraft COO Keith Zehr noted that by providing apprenticeship opportunities, Steelcraft’s efforts have far-reaching impact.  “It impacts the community, people’s lives and supports our organization.  I receive a great deal of personal satisfaction in seeing young people get a career, develop their future and grow.  We are particularly thankful of the trades that are helping us with schooling and the Ministry for their assistance. Their support in getting skilled people into our organization makes it easier to run and grow our business

Steelcraft is a proud and long time supporter for the Canadian Council of Aboriginal Business (CCAB), an organization dedicated to helping Canadian Aboriginal people build positive, sustainable relationships with Canadian businesses.  CCAB was founded in 1984 by Murray Koffler, founder of Shoppers Drug Mart, and co-founder of Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts to answer the question: “Is there a role for Canadian business to play in the economic development of Canada’s Native Peoples?” 

Koffler’s vision for CCAB and his commitment to finding an answer to this question has generated impressive results in Aboriginal employment, business development and in positive community relations.  

 Steelcraft CEO Paul Summers has served on the CCAB Board of Directors since the organization’s inception, and today, the Steelcraft organization is a proud sponsor of CCAB, lending its support to such events as the organization’s Toronto Gala, and CCAB’s Aboriginal Business Luncheons featuring Canadian CEOs from across the country.   We are honoured to be a part of CCAB’s success and a supporter of the terrific work they do in connecting Canada’s Aboriginal and business communities.

Steelcraft Engineered Products initiated conformance to PED around five years ago, initially at the request of our customers who sought to serve a global market.  The learning and expertise we have developed over that time period has proved invaluable to the business, allowing us to leverage that knowledge to support similar design and fabrication standards in such regions as Australia and South America.  We also produce heat exchangers that are dual (ASME, PED) certified for customers, allowing these technologies to be safely deployed to anywhere in the world.

Our PED conformance is one more illustration of Steelcraft’s continued commitment to serving as a true partner to our customers in their supply chain, and to removing any barriers or obstacles our customer’s business success.