Newly developed welding technology a tailwind before Korean shipbuilding industry

[Photo provided = KIMM]

Bearing expectations due to an increase in contracts Korean shipbuilding industry may secure stronger competitiveness on behalf of a newly developed welding technology. Korea Institute of Machinery & Materials (KIMM President: Park Sang-jin) under the Ministry of Science and ICT and Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME President: Lee Sung-geun) successfully cooperated to come up with a hybrid laser-arc welding technology in purpose of manufacturing high manganese steel fuel tank.

Research team of Lee Gwang-hyun and Seo Jeong team doctors of Busan Machinery Research Center under KIMM invented the technology that matches the criteria of 30mm thick LNG high manganese steel fuel tank manufacturing.

High manganese steel matches the cryogenic strength and toughness of the conventional stainless steel that were used to build LNG tanks and more competitive pricewise. For this reason there have been constant efforts to discover the best welding technology that could commercialize the high manganese steel LNG tank.

The research team applied laser welding to the conventional arc welding resulting in stronger results and shortening the process by 10 times.

If the plates are welded using laser welding the welded parts of plates rapidly solidify after the melt making the connection concise and the welding process advances fast. If such technology.

Conventional arc welding forms thin and wide welded parts and makes toxic welding fumes which required several sophisticated welders to operate for a considerable time.

The research team accumulated competence in laser welding technology thanks to the 20kW hybrid laser-arc welding system built by ‘Creative industry supporting business’ led by Seo Jeong.

KIMM and DSME will make a business agreement at 22nd of July to conduct the ‘Development of automatic welding and examination technology for cutting down manufacturing prices of IMO Type C high manganese fuel tank’ which is an order made by the Ministry of Trade Industry and Energy for next 3 years.

Doctor Lee said that the technology will contribute a lot to secure competitiveness in domestic eco-friendly shipbuilding technology and resultingly brought honor to KIMM.

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