Bright sparks required - SkillWeld continue search for talented UK welder

The search is now on for the UK's most gifted trainee welder. Skillweld 2010, the prestigious, national welder competition, is looking for exceptional young people and adults who are proficient in all popular welding processes. The winner will be crowned UK SkillWeld 2010 champion. 

With support from TWI, principal sponsor Air Products and other leaders from across welding, skills and manufacturing industries, Skillweld is holding a number of regional competitions all over the UK. Any welder, competent in MMA and TIG and MIG/MAG, who is currently undergoing training may take up the challenge and enter. The best candidates from each regional competition will then go on to compete at the national final held at the TWI in Cambridge from 6-9th April 2010. 

Outstanding finalists from the national competition may then be considered for inclusion in the world's biggest skills competition, WorldSkills, which is taking place in London in 2011.

Chris Eady TWI Associate Director for Professional Affairs and Chairman of the SkillWeld Committee said: "High-integrity welding is essential to the performance and profitability of UK industry. SkillWeld, the UK's most prestigious welding competition, sets the standard for accomplished welders to aspire to and provides the showcase for welding excellence. TWI, the World Centre for Materials Joining Technology, is delighted to support the SkillWeld 2010 competition as part of its continual promotion of welders, welding, and welded engineering solutions."

Matthias Kuhn, Air Products' General Manager - Packaged Gases for the UK and Ireland, commented: "Maintaining a commitment to the training and development of young welders is particularly important during these challenging economic times. Skillweld entrants are judged against working industry standards, and as we know from experience they are highly accomplished, which clearly shows their importance to business. 

"Linked to this is a strong need to encourage welding trainees and professionals to innovate. The value of doing so can clearly be seen in important developments such as Air Products Integra® cylinder range and the Maxx® shielding gases, which offer improved productivity, without compromising quality or safety - something essential in the current climate."

Skillweld in profile
In its sixth year, SkillWeld is the UK's most prestigious, national welder competition for young people and adults. In addition to producing a Skillweld champion, it also gives competition finalists an opportunity to be selected as the UK representative at the World Skills Competition in London in 2011.

The competition is designed to showcase the skills of trainee welders, and to bring increased recognition to colleges, training providers and employers for their support and guidance in developing welding training and skills. As well as working to promote and raise the profile of welding within industry, and to highlight the requirement of skilled welders. Skillweld is supported by leaders from across the welding, skills and manufacturing industries. 

Regional competitions are to be held at selected regional centres in February 2010.

Regional Centres
Scotland: Cumbernauld College and Angus College. North East England: South Tyneside College. North West England: Tameside College. Midlands: Dooson Bacocks. Eastern: Park Lane College, Keighley, and Lowestoft College. Wales: Neath and Port Talbot College. London: College of N/W London. South: Central Sussex College

For further information on the Regional competitions and details regarding the registration of entry, view website: www.airproducts.co.uk/skillweld

Air Products (NYSE:APD) in profile
Air Products (NYSE:APD) serves customers in industrial, energy, technology and healthcare markets worldwide with a unique portfolio of atmospheric gases, process and specialty gases, performance materials, and equipment and services. Founded in 1940, Air Products has built leading positions in key growth markets such as semiconductor materials, refinery hydrogen, home healthcare services, natural gas liquefaction, and advanced coatings and adhesives.  The company is recognized for its innovative culture, operational excellence and commitment to safety and the environment. Air Products had fiscal 2008 revenues of $10.4 billion, operations in over 40 countries, and 21,000 employees around the globe. 

As an acknowledged leader in welding gas technology, the company is recognised for innovation   and a proven commitment to safety and the environment.  Air Products' welding gas innovations - such as the Integra® cylinder range and the Maxx® shielding gases - bring improved safety, quality and productivity to the welding market and have gained international and national awards such as the Queen's Award for innovation and the TUV product safety mark. 

For further information, view website: www.airproducts.co.uk/welding or www.airproducts.ie/welding

The new castor series from Elesa includes their polyurethane tyred RE.FF range

The new castor series from Elesa includes their polyurethane tyred RE.FF range with technopolymer wheels, suitable for loads of up to 750kg and for use on floors of tile, asphalt, cement/resin or similar. They are likely to suit industrial trolleys or transfer equipment of many types.

The RE.FF features a double ball race chassis in zinc plated steel or in stainless steel for arduous environments and minimal turning resistance - an important factor in initial alignment when moving from rest. Traditional swivel and fixed chassis are complemented by total lock braking versions which operate to prevent wheel turning as well as castor rotation. Wheel sizes are available from 80mm to 150mm dia with total height of 107 to 194mm.

Chemical resistance of the RE.FF is good in relation to common industrial chemicals such as alcohols, glycols, weak organic and mineral acids, as well as water and saturated vapour, so ensuring efficient use and castor longevity in temperatures from -20°C to +80°C. For further information on Elesa (UK) Ltd products, view website: www.elesa.co.uk   Refer to page 86

New bearing solutions ensure high availability of continuous casting plants

The Schaeffler Group has launched its Continuous Caster Bearing (CoCaB) programme, a new service that offers a comprehensive range of bearing solutions that are tailored to the requirements of continuous casting plants.

In steel rolling mills, rolling bearings are critical components that support the strand guide rolls on continuous casting machines. During processing, the cast strand is supported and tilted from the vertical to the horizontal by rolls that rotate at low speeds. In order to minimise the deflection, these rolls are supported throughout their length by multiple rolling bearings.

The operating conditions in continuous casting plants place very high demands on the rolling bearings. The bearings are subjected to high loads at low speeds and must operate reliably despite high temperatures and water spray. If a bearing fails, production must be stopped and significant downtime costs will be incurred whilst the bearing is removed and replaced.

For many years, Schaeffler has worked with continuous casting plants, supplying a range of cylindrical and spherical roller bearings to the steel processing industry, for use in strand guide rolls. The CoCaB service goes a step further than this and offers tailor-made bearing solutions to suit all types of strand guide rolls, including cylindrical and split spherical roller bearings for driven rolls, needle roller bearings for the upper section of the casting machine, as well as special bearings with circulating water-cooled housings.

Non-locating side
Schaeffler's new FAG cylindrical roller bearing, for example, combines the advantages of full complement cylindrical roller bearings with the characteristics of spherical roller bearings. Standard non-locating bearings for strand guide rolls normally provide only a compromise solution and are not optimised to meet the high demands placed on them.

The new FAG cylindrical roller bearing, however, was developed specifically for this type of application, combining high radial load carrying capacity with axial displacement capability. A special improved raceway profile compensates for any angular misalignment. The bearing is corrosion protected and can be mounted quickly and easily, with no special tools required.

Locating side
Where high thrust loads, misalignment and high radial loads are present, Schaeffler's FAG spherical roller bearings are recommended. These bearings operate reliably under extreme loads, whilst compensating for shaft deflection and any misalignment of bearing seats.

With an improved internal design, these spherical roller bearings now offer better kinematics. Up to an outside diameter of 320mm, the 240 and 241 series bearings have new sheet steel cages. The new cage design ensures optimal guidance of the rollers and there is more space inside the bearing for the lubricant. The temperature-resistant split cage is ideal for withstanding the extreme operating conditions.

As spherical roller bearings in continuous casters typically require high volumes of lubricating grease, sealed bearing solutions are often preferred, due to their cost effective, environmentally-friendly appeal. Sealed bearings can reduce the grease volume over the entire life of the bearing by up to 80 per cent.

Schaeffler's service worldwide for the steel industry is supported by FAG Industrial Services (F'IS), the maintenance and condition monitoring company within the Schaeffler Group. F'IS helps customers to reduce maintenance costs and optimise plant availability by offering a range of rolling bearing condition monitoring and reconditioning services.

For further information, view website: www.schaeffler.co.uk    Refer to next page