UNEXPLODED ORDNANCE - Wind Energy Network

SPONSORS OF STEEL FOUNDATIONS
• JCO
The use of JCO bending machines have
been more popular to meet legs and
braces demand with structure volume
enhancements as well as the material
thickness increases arising from larger
turbines. Like three roll bending, this
manufacturing process is flexible with
quick changeovers between differing tube
sizes, allowing small quantities to be made
economically. Plate is passed through the
rollers, achieving a J shape, subsequently C
and finally O prior to welding. This process
has high forming power and thus becomes
competitive for thick wall tubes, notable for
legs and especially lower portions.
• UOE
The third and most cost effective tube
manufacturing process, UOE, refers to
the shapes determined during the phase
production, with flat plate initially bent into
a U, followed by an O as the plate forced
round in dies. The E then results from the
use of an expander to enable the tube to
be delivered to specific tolerances. With
the initial high capital and set up costs for
each tube size, this process combined
with single pass submerged arc welding
becomes a cost effective route for large
quantities of tubes.
Supply
Supply of assemblies in an agreed
specific build sequence minimises storage
requirements while reducing the potential
for tube damage. Minimising the stock
within the supply chain is extremely
beneficial for reducing cost and aiding
cash flow.
Local suppliers have the capability to
more readily react to the almost inevitable
changes in build programmes without
the need to have large quantities of stock
and capital sitting idle. The speed of local
supplier reactivity with enhanced service
level capabilities and reduced delivery
lead times will assist to enhance fabricator
production efficiency and mitigate the
potential for late deliveries. Additionally,
moving high-density materials is
expensive, so local supply offers economic
benefits.
Dedication to offshore wind
Components will be manufactured from
tubulars at Tata Steel’s new offshore
processing centre at Hartlepool and
prepared for welding into the finished
structures, shortening throughput
times and improving cost efficiency for
customers, who will be able to source all
steel components from a single supplier.
Preparation work will include cutting-tolength,
welding, shot blasting, coating and
end-profiling. Materials will then be stored
for shipment in kit form to fabricators in
the UK and mainland Europe using local
deepwater ports and the UK rail network.
In addition to tubulars for jacket foundation
structures, Tata Steel is also able to
supply smaller sized tubes and sections
suitable for all primary and secondary steel
work within wind turbine fabrications.
Dedicated processing centre
The company has another dedicated
processing centre that is based next to
the plate mill in Scunthorpe, which allows
Tata Steel to supply plate to wind turbine
and tower manufacturers at exactly the
right time in their production process. It
also allows Tata Steel to carry out further
processing of its plate, reducing overall
lead times within the supply chain and
reducing processing and stocking costs
downstream.
The cutting machines cut the plates into
shapes in preparation for fabricating into
conical towers. The edges of the plates
can also be prepared ready for welding
together to produce the
towers.
Ian Davies
Tata Steel
www.tatasteel.com
Closer
collaboration
Tata Steel is confident that
if the industry forms closer
collaboration throughout
the supply chain between
owner/operator, designer,
fabricator and steel
manufacturer, it can enable
cost effective design and
minimise manufacture
assembly and installation
costs.
In addition, the use of
local suppliers to minimise
finance tied up in stock
and transportation costs
is one of the key factors to
support economical serial
jacket production.
Click to view more info
www.windenergynetwork.co.uk
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