Solar is Europe’s Most-Installed Power Source (Bloomberg)
Impressive report on the success of solar power in European countries this past year and a look at what they might be capable of producing if the trend continue.

Pacific Island Nations Pledge to Wind, Sun and Coconut Power (The Raw Story)
Inspiring insight on how tiny Pacific nations plan to become completely self-sufficient in energy this year… using coconut biofuel and solar panels!

Wrinkled Solar Panels Catch More Rays (AOL Energy)
Great story about a team at Princeton University that’s mimicking the texture of leaves to create a new kind of solar cell.

What Sunday’s Euro Elections Mean for Energy (Forbes)
Analysis of several major political shifts happening in Europe right now and the implications that those have on the future of Europe’s energy industries.

ASCEville Kid’s Website
ASCE is providing an awesome opportunity for kids to broaden their understanding of civil engineering with this fun and explorable website. Really nice idea.

OTC Tackles Floating Wind Turbine Technology (FuleFix)
An update from this week’s excellent Offshore Technology Conference focusing on the stability and structural integrity of turbines floating in open water.

Is Origami the Future of Tech? (Bloomberg)
Compelling look at how folding (as a manufacturing and design process) could revolutionize everything from microelectronics to toy manufacturing. It’s a long read, but it’s fantastic.

Wind a Winner in Developing Nations (AOL Energy)
Interesting research that demonstrates how wind might actually be cheaper than the present electricity mix in countries like Kenya and Nicaragua.

Expanding Possibilities in MSI’s Fab Lab (Chicago Tribune)
This is pretty neat. The Museum of Science and Industry’s Family Fab Lab lets visitors learn about manufacturing design, technology and engineering, using state of the art software and equipment — and lets the public literally create anything they can dream up.

Top 5 Figures Influencing Renewable Energy in the U.S. (Stock Markets Review)
Some of the most talented and innovative minds currently playing a part in the innovation and development of renewable energy in the United States.

Manufacturing and Exports Show Signs of Strength (Fox Business)
A positive report on improvements in the manufacturing sector and some things to keep an eye on in the future.

That is precisely the reason that we joined forces with Bortech. Never before has there been an opportunity to combine welding and portable machining technologies in maintenance and repair projects. We see this as a tremendous opportunity to help machinists and welders be more productive and expand the types of projects they can do on site with the right combination of tools and techniques.

However, these changes have signaled a need for us to reconsider how we present ourselves to the world. As innovators of portable machines with more robust capabilities, we are taking on challenges that have never before been tackled.

So today, we launch a new name, new website and a new logo. It’s a change that reflects who we are; honest, hardworking, tenacious inventors looking to reignite the status quo.

As Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems, we look forward to serving your business better than ever before.

Here’s to the future.

Climax is also changing its name to Climax Portable Machining and Welding Systems to better reflect its full product and service offerings, and has redesigned its website to streamline navigation and provide a richer content experience to its users. The name change and the expanded welding product offerings are all part of the company’s ongoing strategic plan to grow its business worldwide by offering its customers not only the most advanced and powerful portable machine tools, but also the best automated welding products on the market used for in-situ repair and maintenance of heavy equipment. Portable machining tools and automated welding and cladding systems are used extensively by industry-leading organizations throughout the mining and heavy construction, field service, power-generation, shipbuilding and ship repair industries.

“Recognizing that customers regularly use both welding and portable machine technologies in their repair and maintenance projects as well as in their manufacturing and fabrication processes, we have a significant opportunity to help them be more productive and greatly expand the kinds of projects they can do in situ with the right combination of technologies and techniques,” said Geoff Gilmore. “By joining forces with Bortech, we are poised to help customers re-imagine how these tools can be used separately and in combination to save time and costs on the job and to grow their business.”

The automated welding systems are designed to attach directly to several of Climax’ boring machine mounting fixtures, allowing a single setup for both welding and machining operations. These automated welders offer high-quality performance for bore, flange and valve repair, and dramatically decrease weld time while producing precise, uniform, high-quality welds as compared to hand welding techniques. Climax’s line of cladding systems apply the highest quality clad overlay alloy such as Inconel™, Hastelloy™, Monel™, or stainless steel to equipment including pipes, pressure vessels, mud pumps and other systems that require protection against corrosion.

The company’s full line of portable boring machines, flange facers, valve repair, milling machines and welding systems are available for sale or rent worldwide. In the past two years Climax opened several new sales and rental depots not only in North America, but also in England, Poland, and Australia to respond more quickly to growing demand for its product and in preparation for anticipated need for these tools in emerging markets in Asia and Europe.

About Climax Portable Machining and Welding Systems

Climax Portable Machining and Welding Systems is a global engineering services and machine tool manufacturer, specializing in the invention, design and development of portable tools used for on-site machining and welding. Through 32 offices and licensed representatives worldwide, Climax offers custom and standard machine manufacturing, rental tool programs, and equipment training. Industry applications include power generation, shipbuilding, petrochemical, heavy construction and mining, as well as service and engineering sectors. Climax holds 33 issued patents with five pending. More information about the company is available at www.climaxportable.com or by calling 1-800-333-8311 or +1-503-538-2185.

#  #  #

Organization Contact:                                                                  Media Contact:
Andy Becker, VP Business Development and Marketing                 Marion Margiotta
Climax Portable Machining and Welding Systems                          Grady Britton
+1-503-538-2185                                                                         +1-503-228-4118
abecker@cpmt.com                                                                    marionm@gradybritton.com

Visitors can also get a demonstration of two of the many innovative portable machines proven to increase machinist and welder productivity, the Climax FF6200 portable flange facer and the AutoBoreWelder 3000 System designed by Bortech, a company recently acquired by Climax. The FF6200 portable flange facer is a heavy-duty precision machine that delivers high-torque performance and has both facing and milling capabilities. The AutoBoreWelder 3000 system is an automated welder that produces more precise, uniform, high-quality welds as compared to hand welding techniques to dramatically decrease weld time.

Used by master machinists and welders worldwide, Climax’s heavy-duty machines are modularly designed for easy transport and storage whether in the field, on a rig or in the plant. The machines can be assembled and attached to the workpiece usually within 30 minutes to quickly repair leaky flanges on pipelines, worn hinge points on buckets and loaders, defective seals on pumps, or corroded pressure vessels and heat exchangers.

Visitors are encouraged to speak with Climax executives about their most challenging repair and maintenance problems, and also to learn about rentals programs, consulting services, and training courses available.

WHEN:          April 30 through May 3, 2012

WHERE:        Climax Booth 7608 at The Offshore Technology Conference, Reliant Park, Houston, TX

The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) showcases state-of-the-art technology for offshore drilling, exploration, production and environmental protection. OTC is the world’s foremost event for the development of offshore resources.

WHO:             Climax Portable Machining and Welding Systems is a global engineering services and machine tool manufacturer, specializing in the invention, design and development of portable tools used for on-site machining and welding. Through 32 offices and licensed representatives worldwide, Climax offers custom machine manufacturing, standard and rental tool programs, and equipment training. Industry applications include power generation, shipbuilding, petrochemical, heavy construction and mining, as well as service and engineering sectors. Climax holds 33 issued patents with five pending. More information about the company is available at www.cpmt.com or by calling 1-800-333-8311 or +1-503-538-2185.

#  #  #

For more information about the information contained in this media advisory, please contact:

Organization Contact:                                                 Media Contact:
Andy Becker, VP of Marketing                                    Marion Margiotta
Climax Portable Machining & Welding Systems            Grady Britton
(503) 538-2185                                                           (503) 228-4118
abecker@cpmt.com                                                   marionm@gradybritton.com

Floating Wind Turbines Get Joint UK-US Focus (AOL Energy)
Interesting look at how the US and UK are working together in pursuit of the advancement of floating wind turbine technology.

Altaerors Energies Releases Demo Video of Their Flying Wind Turbine (Core77)
This inflatable helium shell could be a breakthrough solution for remote power. It lifts a turbine into the air while tethers send power to the ground, and it generates over twice the power of a tower mounted turbine! Take a look at the video — it’s very impressive.

How (And Why) to Mine an Asteroid (Fast Company)
The possibilities that lie inside of the asteroids of our solar system — and a closer look at how we might actually harvest some of those minerals.

Blue-Collar, in High Demand (Bloomberg)
An impressive (and inspiring) infographic that demonstrates the current demand for highly skilled workers like machine tool operators, machinists, and welders.

DIY.org — A Community for Creative Kids
Really unique website that provides a place for kids to build and share their own projects with other kids. It reiterates the notion that creativity is an important part of education. We love everything this stands for.

Also Worth Mentioning:
Climax Borewelder in Action
An awesome photo that Isaac Carrion, one of our customers in Texas, shared on Twitter this week. (Thanks, Isaac!)

CLICK HERE to read the full Part 1 Article.

Situation

Chuck Stuckey has over 28 years of experience repairing and maintaining power plants and plant components including turbines, and his name is well-respected throughout the power industry. A year ago, he struck out on his own and founded Portable Machining Services, an on-site field machining service company, then began attracting business from the many plants and project managers familiar with the quality of his work.

The Hillabee Energy Center, a gas-power plant in Alexander City, Alabama, was designed to be a clean and highly efficient combined-cycle generating facility with three 190 mega-watt units having a total output of 570 mega-watts, driven by two Siemens-Westinghouse 501G combustion turbines. Construction was subsequently placed on hold, but recommenced with the purchase of the plant by a major utility in 2008. With increased demand for energy, the new owners hoped to get the plant online by the end of 2009, and hired Zachry Construction to complete the project.

Challenge

The piping and components had been sitting in the field for two years and corrosion had taken a heavy toll on the flanges as well as other piping components. Zachry’s project manager contracted with Chuck Stuckey to assess the damage and determine if any of the flanges and piping components could be salvaged.

Stuckey examined the parts and concluded that, in spite of the pitting and rusting, they could be salvaged by total machining refurbishment. In addition, because he and his team were experienced in on-site machining, Stuckey was confident the parts could be machined efficiently at the job site, eliminating the time and cost that would accrue from having to transport the parts to a machine shop and back.

To ensure meeting the utility’s stringent spec requirements, Stuckey called Climax Portable Machine Tools. He had used Climax machine tools on previous jobs and was confident they had the precision and strength to meet the tight tolerances required.  He liked the fact, too, that Climax tools are backed by 24/7 technical support. He rented two flange facers – the Climax FF4000 and Climax FF5000 – and had them shipped to the job site.

Solution

To meet the deadline for the project, 15 machinists from Portable Machining Services were assigned to work on site at the plant. They set up several work stations and using the Climax FF4000 and FF5000 flange facers, the machinists were able to machine approximately 8-10 flanges per day.

The Climax FF5000 flange facer can machine 5.0 – 24.0 inches diameter (127.0 – 609.6 mm) flanges to a depth of 1.97 inches (50.0 mm) in one setup, using 150 ft. lbs. (204 N.m) of torque at the cutter. The Climax FF4000 flange facer can machine flanges from 3.0 – 19.0 inches (76.2 – 482.6 mm), producing a surface finish of 63 – 500 RMS.  Its 1.45Hp (1.08kW) motor allows a typical material removal rate of 1 cubic inch (16.4 cm3) per minute.

Results

All flanges machined to-date have met the specs set by the utility.

Because all machining can be done on site, the project team has realized substantial productivity gains, and Stuckey’s machinists have been commended for keeping the job ahead of schedule.

Through its team of skilled machinists and precision machining tools, Portable Machining Services has demonstrated to Zachry’s project manager its ability to get the job done quickly and efficiently, putting the company in a prime position to receive additional contracts.

After renting the tools for six months, Stuckey purchased the Climax FF5000. His rationale: the tool is competitively priced so having it continually on hand will be cost-effective while allowing him to be ready for nuclear plant repair and other maintenance projects with short and challenging outage times.

“Portable Machining Services clearly is thriving by building a reputation for efficiency and precision work. We are proud to be able to supply the tools and services that are helping them excel at what they do.” – Geoff Gilmore, President, Climax Portable Machine Tools, Inc.

Babcock & Wilcox Canada Ltd. (B&W) is no exception. B&W is a developer and supplier of innovative solutions for global building and repairing of energy utility plants. The company provides power generation systems and equipment in more than 800 utilities and industries worldwide. Recently B&W sought a viable machining solution from a trusted expert to support its maintenance program for a CANDU 6 nuclear power plant in Asia.

When the company examined the plant during a scheduled maintenance outage it found that the steam generator man-way opening seals in an ASME Section III, Class 1 pressure boundary area needed repair. The port’s inner cover gasket, which measured 355 mm by 456 mm, was not seating properly. In addition, the stud seals were not leak-tight, causing a pressure differential between the port’s inner and outer covers. Integrity was at risk. The solution team at B&W needed to determine how to balance the geometry of the port and redesign the covers’ gaskets.

In addition, the steam generator’s hemispherical head was developed out of forged steel and the exact properties of the material were unknown. An earlier attempt by B&W to machine the opening with lathe technology was unsuccessful: The material proved more difficult to cut than originally expected, and the feed rates of the cutting inserts could not withstand the tough material. Following its evaluation, B&W determined the job required a specialized machine to accomplish the difficult task at hand.

Machine Design Specifications

B&W turned to Climax Portable Machine Tools for its engineering expertise and breadth of machining solutions. A team comprised of B&W engineers and project managers, and Climax engineering specialists developed a cutting repair solution to quickly and accurately machine the difficult material.

First, the team needed to determine the project requirements. They knew the tool had to operate in a tight space and would need to withstand cutting tough material. Second, the solution had to perform a dry cut. Third, the tool needed to be rigid, accurate, and quick to set up. Finally, with a tight 24-hour time allotment to complete the machining, the machine also needed to cut speedily.

The tool’s mounting requirements were another consideration. The team needed one stationary bracket to mount the tool because it would be in a crowded area where the primary head of the generators was surrounded by process piping and system components. This made access difficult. In addition, to accommodate unforeseen machining adjustments, on-site, the tool needed to include several interchangeable cutting heads.

A Standard Machine Redesign Provides the Solution

Meeting all these machining requirements limited the engineers’ tool options. After much assessment and analysis, the team decided to adapt a standard Climax Portable Machine Tools BB5000 Boring Machine. The tool’s ability to program precise cutter movements provided the flexibility necessary to perform onsite cutting of material with unknown qualities. The machine also offered precise control of the spindle RPM, allowing feed rates and cutter movements to be fine-tuned by the operator at the repair area.

The boring machine incorporated changeable tooling and cutting technology to provide accurate cuts and inserts. An adjustable mechanical stop and an incremental adjustment process were machined into the tool head and bit. The cutting head was automatically fed axially on a traveling bar using the standard axial feed screw with mechanical stops. The radial feed was manually adjustable using a tapered locking mechanism.

It also included a 108 mm diameter x 1219 mm long chromed bar, a rotational drive unit and an axial feed unit. The boring machine also featured an electric drive motor, 115v 50/60 Hz, with two-speed gearboxes and an 115v remote control pendant with variable speed and stop start.

To meet the job’s difficult attachment concerns, a special bearing mount was developed into a slide mechanism and attached to a modified version of the hydraulic chuck supplied by B&W. The modified chuck incorporated a slide, which held the bearing and allowed it to move from one side of the bore to the other.  The chuck was mounted using stops and screws at either end of the slide. A passage bore cut into the chuck enabled the hydraulic line to connect and move to either side of the bore.

B&W engineers supplied Climax with a 3-meter hydraulic hose with a quick connect for attaching to a hydraulic pump for activating the chucking system. A B&W manifold attached to the top of the slide mechanisms, and the lines were routed away from the bar using hose brackets and looms to provide stability to the machine once it
was mounted on-site.

A special standoff bracket supported the bar’s other end and used the manway pivot block as the primary mount. The fixture was anchored against the wall of the steam generator and the plant’s structural steel. Adjustable legs with jacking feet were expandable to secure the fixture in place. The team designed a slide mechanism into the standoff bracket for positioning the bar on both ends.

Once the new boring tool was completed, B&W’s operational staff visited Climax Portable Machine Tools’ Training Center in Newberg, Oregon, for a full education on its capabilities. Machinists tested the boring tool by simulating the repair on a replication of the repair site. This testing and training process provided B&W with a level of confidence that the tool could complete the work to specification within the allotted time. Having the opportunity to learn how to use the machine before on-site work began also helped reduce any on-site guesswork by machinists.

Approval Cycles

Before deploying the tool, Climax proved the boring machine’s capabilities to a validation committee comprised of B&W and personnel from the nuclear plant. The acceptance criteria were based on set-up times, cutting rates and reliability of operation over what was required at the site. This was deemed necessary to ensure that the equipment could complete the machining functions successfully, considering the uncertainties of the vessel material properties.

The final solution met expectations and passed a test plan before any work was completed.

The Repair

On-site, B&W machinists mounted the customized boring bar to re-machine the outer seal of the existing port.
The crew enlarged the opening from 492 mm to 592 mm in an obround shape to provide a footprint of the opening size for counter-boring. Machinists removed approximately three inches radially into the primary head of the material during this first machining step and five eighths of an inch in the width.

The machinist’s second step in the job was to counter-bore off a considerable amount of material to form an obround opening from a round opening. For the major shape to match the outer seal’s opening, they completed cutting the opening from 193 mm to 211 mm.

Once the operators made the cuts, they completed the repair by using a B&W developed Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machine to achieve the necessary gasket face location and size. This machine also accurately produced the desired smooth finish of the obround shape.

Results

The final repair results met all of the plant mangers’ expectations. Together, the teams exceeded the exacting
cutting requirements and beat the time requirements.

By working together, B&W and Climax efficiently and collaboratively defined the requirements and customized the tool according to specifications including space and location criteria. Additionally, they shortened the development process and accounted for all potential problems during the machining process. As a result, Climax completed the machine from quote to finished job in 12 weeks — well within the targeted outage time. Together, B&W and Climax proved to be partners that could quickly and accurately get the job done.