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Snippets of industry leading offshore engineering development
Our new LiftLOK, 4000 mT, Quick Connect Lifting Tool (QCT) is made up of some of the largest steel forgings ever produced in offshore installation.
These forgings were forged at our steel forging supplier, Ofar. We visited to see the initial steel forging process and where it would fit into our connector.
You can see more of Ofar’s forging and other work, including in the offshore wind industry, here.
Forgings are essentially metal pieces that are shaped under extreme pressure. By compressing the metal during forging, it becomes incredibly strong and reliable – key factors for offshore and subsea applications where loads are heavy, and safety is paramount.
The forging process doesn’t just stop with shaping the metal. There are several key steps taken to ensure the metal performs as needed in extreme environments. Key stages in the forging process are normalizing, austentizing and tempering. It is these heat treatments that are important to ensuring the strength and resilience of our products.
After the metal is forged, it’s heated to a high temperature, typically around 200°C, and then cooled in air. The goal of normalizing is to refine the metal’s grain structure and improve its toughness. In other words, it helps even out any inconsistencies in the metal, making it more uniform and easier to machine later.
This step involves heating the metal even further, often to a temperature above 900°C. At this stage, the metal undergoes a transformation at the molecular level, changing its crystal structure to something called “austenite.” This is a crucial step that prepares the material for further heat treatments, enhancing its hardness and strength
After austenitizing, the metal is cooled rapidly, by quenching it in water or oil. This makes the metal extremely hard, but also somewhat brittle. To balance that hardness with ductility, the metal undergoes tempering. During this process, it is reheated to a lower temperature, around 550°C. Tempering ensures that the metal can withstand the heavy loads and harsh conditions of offshore use without cracking.
After the metal is forged, it’s heated to a high temperature, typically around 200°C, and then cooled in air. The goal of normalizing is to refine the metal’s grain structure and improve its toughness. In other words, it helps even out any inconsistencies in the metal, making it more uniform and easier to machine later.
This step involves heating the metal even further, often to a temperature above 900°C. At this stage, the metal undergoes a transformation at the molecular level, changing its crystal structure to something called “austenite.” This is a crucial step that prepares the material for further heat treatments, enhancing its hardness and strength
After austenitizing, the metal is cooled rapidly, by quenching it in water or oil. This makes the metal extremely hard, but also somewhat brittle. To balance that hardness with ductility, the metal undergoes tempering. During this process, it is reheated to a lower temperature, around 550°C. Tempering ensures that the metal can withstand the heavy loads and harsh conditions of offshore use without cracking.
Fill in the following details and click the Submit button.
You will hear from us within three working days.