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Germany firm launches new additive technology

BERLIN, August 7, 2016

Germany-based OR Lasertechnologie has launched an additive manufacturing technique called DMD (direct metal deposition), which enables reliable protection of sensor elements by means of a hard alloy.

The new technique makes it possible to significantly extend sensor elements’ lifetimes, for example in pipelines of the oil and gas industry, said a statement from the company.

Industrial sensors are very sensitive components. They are deployed to precisely and reliably monitor temperatures, flow rates, and pressure over long periods of time, it said.

They are subjected to extreme stresses while doing so. Each day, about a million barrels of crude oil, or 160,000 cu m, pass through a pipeline with a diameter of one meter. That is equivalent to 1850 litres per second, it added.

Onshore gas pipelines have an extremely high internal pressure of 100 bars, which can even reach 200 bars or more in offshore pipelines. Sensor elements used to monitor the flow suffer considerable wear as a result of corrosion and abrasion. This shortens their lifetimes and necessitates costly repairs, said a statement.

The company’s innovative powder nozzle, a powder-based laser cladding technology, can be used to greatly prolong the life expectancy of these sensors, it stated.

The compact EVO Mobile laser welding system is excellently suited for applying wear-resistant coatings and carrying out repairs or modifications. The system uses relatively low laser output levels starting at 200 watts, but its high deposition rate of up to 5000 mm³/h makes it ideal for a vast range of applications. It boasts both high efficiency and great value for money due to its low price, it said.

The research and development (R&D) department from the company spent a year collaborating with the Fraunhofer Institute to develop a highly efficient, easy-to-install powder nozzle that works with high repeatability and is suitable for automated processes, it added.

Markus Wolf, head of the R&D department, said: “We’re proud of having found a way to increase the durability of these sensors with our additive laser technique and thus improve the reliability of gas and oil pipelines.” – TradeArabia News Service




Tags: | Germany | OR Lasertechnologie | direct metal deposition |

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