Fast Precision Welding for Molding Press Repair During Plant Outage
Category: Forging & Metal Forming
Method(s) Used: Precision Welding + On-Site Machining
Location: Wisconsin
During the forging plant’s outage, multiple cracks were found on the bases of the molding press and the reinforcement plates. With the molding press being a prime asset, quick turnaround time and technical expertise were critical. Read the details below on how IPM solved the challenges and provided the right solutions.
Project Documentation
Project
The Right Welding Solutions + Fast Response
- Quick mobilization and expedited repair schedule
- Precision welding on-site to repair multiple cracks in the molding press – total of 39 cracks repaired
- Weld repair of reinforcement plates
- Post weld heat treatment (PWHT)
- Certified welding compliant with AWS D1.1 code
Challenges
- Multiple cracks in 3 out of 4 beams of the molding press were found
- Reinforcement plates were also cracked due to substandard welding by the previous vendor
- Quick turnaround time required to meet shutdown schedule
- Mounting surfaces on the hydraulic cylinders were out of tolerance
Solutions & Results
- Conducted on-site survey and non-destructive test to determine scope of repairs and extent of damage to the molding press.
- Quickly mobilized a team of high-quality welders to perform simultaneous welding on-site: 4 welders and 1 certified welding inspector per shift for a total of 10 welding professionals.
- Performed weld repairs on 3 out of 4 beams of the molding press using carbon arc gouging.
- Previous contractor’s fillet welds were removed and rewelded to AWS standards.
- Per OEM recommendation, additional stiffener plates (24) and gussets were custom-fitted and welded.
- Completed post weld heat treatment (PWHT) after welding.
- Performed precision optical alignment inspection of the 4 hydraulic cylinders and determined that the mounting surfaces were out of tolerance.
- IPM quickly deployed the right machine tool and a skilled team of machinists to restore the mounting surfaces to the required tolerance.
- Completed the project ahead of schedule and allowed the plant to start the reassembly 1 day earlier than planned.