Deeming use of advanced materials and improved processes in fabrication of structures as pre-requisites for reduction in cycle time of delivery in the competitive scenario, the Welding Research Institute (WRI), BHEL, Tiruchi, and the Indian Welding Society (IWS), Southern Zone, joined hands to take along business partners on an expansion path through a two-day international conference.
The two-day conference on ‘Fabrication of Structurals – Emerging Trends' that got off to a start on Monday has been designed to highlight new dimensions to improve sturdiness of the product among sub-contractors to whom BHEL outsources fabrication of structures in high volumes – on an average, 12,000 tonnes of materials have to be fabricated for a 500 MW power plant.
During this fiscal, outsourcing of structural fabrication by BHEL, Tiruchi, will be close to 4.8 lakh tonnes, in equal proportion to local vendors and away centre fabricators. Next year, the volume will go up to 6.2 lakh tonnes, A.V.Krishnan, Executive Director, BHEL, Tiruchi, said, inaugurating the conference. Emphasising on the importance of processes to ensure quality, Mr.Krishnan advised business partners to enhance performance by adopting good manufacturing practices through skill-development trainings, and development of facilities.
He advised sub-contractors to invest time, effort and money and keep pace with the parent company.
The package of information offered through the conference was one of the best in four decades, Mr. Krishnan observed, adding that unlike in the case of pressure parts that were periodically inspected and replaced, endurance of structures have to be ensured for the entire life of the plant.
High-strength low alloy steel need to be used to fabricate structures for the once-through supercritical boilers of 660 MW and 800 MW ratings, he said.
Presiding over, M.Kannappan, former Executive Director, BHEL, and Chairman, IWS, SZ, said upgrading of technology was inevitable in the current pace of infrastructure growth in the country.
Only by imbibing the best practices in fabrication can vendors sustain themselves in the competitive scenario by improving upon their fastness in bringing out the products with improvements on the fronts of quality and cost, IWS president S. Sankaran said, and suggested future programmes relating the role of managements in arriving at products with visual appeal. He felt that by obviating the need for grinding after welding, cycle time of delivery can be further reduced.
Mr.Sankaran handed over the first CD of the proceedings to Rajappa Rajkumar, Vice-Chairman, IWS, SZ, and president of BHEL Small Industries Association, in the presence of P.Nainar, Vice-Chairman, IWS, SZ, and General Manager – HR, BHEL, Tiruchi; S. Suresh, Chairman, Technical Committee, IWS, and Head, WRI and Labs; and G.Rajendran, Hon. Secretary, IWS, SZ.
