Guidance on best practice for welding for the nuclear construction industry
Welding quality assurance, welding skills and the introduction of new technologies are the three focus areas behind a series of recommendations set out for the nuclear construction industry in support of the 2012 Nuclear Construction Lessons Learned study report. A working group from the Engineering the Future alliance, with lead authors Sayee Raghunathan and Paul Jones from TWI, published The Royal Academy of Engineering guidance earlier this year.
In summary, the Guidance on best practice: welding document includes a recommended approach to quality assurance, referencing ASME and RCC/ETC codes/standards with detailed discussion of the relevance of the ISO 3834 framework – welding-specific quality assurance. In terms of skill requirements, guidance to the nuclear construction industry is to encourage, influence and define – alongside relevant skills and certification bodies – detailed skills requirements and competencies. This drive for improved industry co-ordination of new or adapted welding technologies and associated skills, in the light of an increasing number of new build nuclear construction projects, will enable realisation of the benefits in weld quality.
For further information contact Sayee Raghunathan Sayee.raghunathan@twi.co.uk or Paul Jones paul.jones@twi.co.uk
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Notes to Editors
During 2011/12, TWI’s Manufacturing Support Group led an industry working group that examined recent civil nuclear build projects in order to draw lessons and define best practice in welding for the forthcoming programme of UK nuclear new build.
Convened for the pan profession ‘Engineering the Future’ organisation, the working group consisted of welding specialists from companies including EDF Energy, Nuclear Power Delivery UK, Rolls-Royce Civil Nuclear, Office for Nuclear Development, Cogent Sector Skills Council and the Performance Review Institute. The group identified many areas where lessons could be learned and made a diverse set of recommendations to ensure that welding on new nuclear stations is of requisite quality. The report was published in April 2012.
The steering group commissioned Lancaster University to undertake the study, and interviews were conducted with key personnel involved in recent and current nuclear construction projects around the world, including Sizewell B in the UK. The objective of the research was to understand the main issues associated with these construction projects and identify issues that have the potential to significantly impact the delivery of the construction phase of the UK new build programme. In October 2010, the steering group published the project’s report titled ‘Nuclear Lessons Learned’. The high profile report, presented at the Nuclear Development Forum by the Rt Hon Charles Hendry MP, Minister of State for Energy and Climate Change, received wide industry support and can be accessed here.
About TWI
TWI is one of the world’s foremost independent research and technology organisations, with expertise in solving problems in all aspects of manufacturing, fabrication and whole-life integrity management technologies.
Established at Abington, Cambridge, UK in 1946 and with several facilities across the globe, the company has a first class reputation for service though its teams of internationally respected consultants, scientists, engineers and support staff, whose knowledge and expertise are available to its Members as and when they require.
The company employs over 700 staff, serving 700 Member companies across 4500 sites in 80 countries. TWI also houses a professional institution, The Welding Institute, with a separate membership of 6000 individuals.
TWI, Granta Park, Abington, Cambridge CB21 6AL. Tel: 01223 899000. Fax: 01223 892588. E-mail: twi@twi.co.uk. Web: www.twi.co.uk Twitter: @TWI_Ltd
Date: 9 July 2012 catherine.condie@twi.co.uk 28/12