Author: Natalie Yates

Chris Punshon, Head of New Energy Applications at Cambridge Vacuum Engineering, will feature on the upcoming episode of Weld Tech Talk on Saturday 30th October 2021 at 17:00 IST.

Hosted by The Indian Institute of Welding, the episode’s title is Local Vacuum Power Beam Welding in Energy Applications.

The presentation will cover CVE’s development of local vacuum electron beam welding and its commercialisation (Ebflow), illustrating practical applications of the process in heavy section structural steels, austenitic stainless steels and high-temperature alloys.

Examples of the current and potential applications will be presented together with evidence of achievable weld quality and properties.

Electron beam (EB) welding is a powerful welding process capable of joining large thicknesses of metallic materials in a single pass, leading to the potential for high productivity combined with exceptional weld quality and minimal distortion.

The development of reduced pressure EB welding, and more recently, reduced pressure laser welding has led to the possibility of deploying the process outside the usual confines of a vacuum chamber using local sealing and pumping.

This local vacuum process variant also permits the delivery of active gas during welding, which leads to the possibility of weld composition modification in autogenous welds.

The presentation will aim to answer any questions received before the event where possible, or you may ask them at the end during the Q&A session.

The presentation will take online via Zoom on Saturday 30th October 2021 at 17:00 IST.

Please click here to register your attendance.

Cambridge Vacuum Engineering secure Offshore Wind Growth Partnership funding for a ground-breaking advanced welding solution to support low-cost offshore wind tower manufacturing.

The Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP) has awarded funding to Cambridge Vacuum Engineering (CVE) in the 2020 Development Grants Competition for the development of ground-breaking electron beam welding technology, Ebflow. As an industrial partner, Global Energy Group (GEG) will be supporting a trial programme and qualification of the technology for eventual use at their planned tower manufacturing facility.

• OWGP award £300k grant for the development of ground-breaking Ebflow electron beam welding technology
• Industrial partner GEG will provide offshore wind sector expertise and a trials programme to qualify the technology with the aim of implementing it at their planned state-of-the-art tower manufacturing facility at the Port of Nigg in the Highlands of Scotland
• Ebflow has the potential to reduce welding time by 76%, cut electricity usage and reduce carbon emissions by 90%

The OWGP grant will facilitate the deployment of CVE’s welding technology for producing long seam and circumferential seam welds associated with offshore wind tower production.

GEG are advancing their plans to develop a next-generation tower manufacturing facility at the Port of Nigg. Participating in this project as an industry partner provides evidence of a UK route to market in offshore wind, paving the way for the commercial introduction of Ebflow. High-productivity welding is a defining factor in influencing the economics of large-scale serial manufacturing.

Ebflow can be readily transported and operated on-site and applied to significantly larger structures than can be accommodated in a vacuum chamber. Ebflow brings all the advantages of electron beam welding to structures of unlimited size.

Figure 1: Global Energy Group’s Port of Nigg facility.

The technology is also strongly endorsed by SSE Renewables who are leading the current RapidWeld project in electron beam welding and facilitating a trial on the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, the world’s largest offshore wind farm. If successful, this UK innovation will be a world-leading technology, with substantial benefits to UK energy consumers, UK offshore engineering, the associated offshore wind supply chain and the UK’s high-value jobs market.

In addition to other competitive benefits, the collaborative project between CVE and GEG has the potential to reduce welding times by over 75% while bringing down energy usage and associated carbon emissions by over 90%.

Global Energy Group’s Director of Innovation, Steve Chisholm, commented:

“GEG recognises that it can only maintain a position of international competitiveness through the development and deployment of ground-breaking innovation. The application of electron beam welding to offshore wind tower production is truly transformational and has massive potential to improve productivity, reduce cost and dramatically lower carbon emissions.”

Cambridge Vacuum Engineering’s Managing Director, Bob Nicolson, commented:

“Ebflow is a disruptive technology that has been in development for 10 years. It is a major breakthrough in thick section, large structure welding and it has applications in a wide range of industries. The OWGP grant, in conjunction with the RapidWeld project, has the potential to provide a significant step towards the Offshore Wind Sector Deal’s ambition of increasing the UK content of UK offshore wind farms to 60% by 2030. We are excited about the collaboration with GEG, who have demonstrated willingness to adopt new advanced manufacturing processes and are perfectly positioned to integrate this technology into their newly installed manufacturing set-up.”

OWGP Programme Director, Andy Macdonald, commented:

“OWGP is delighted to be supporting CVE’s development of electron beam welding for offshore wind monopiles and towers. It is essential that UK fabricators have early access to technology that can reduce costs and ensure quality for long-term competitiveness. As well as providing solutions to fabricators, this project will help CVE to develop new markets and increase sales in the offshore wind sector.”

Pennsylvania College of Technology (PCT) recently honoured its donors after a ‘best-ever’ philanthropic year. Amongst the list were Cambridge Vacuum Engineering (CVE), who partnered with Penn College in early 2020, resulting in PCT acquiring a CVE electron beam welding machine.

The event saw Penn College recognise honourees for their unwavering support that ignited a record-setting year for institutional fundraising.

The annual event took place in front of the Penn College Donor Wall, which pays permanent tribute to those whose contributions of gifts, pledges, donations and entrustments of equipment and technology significantly empower students – including CVE who feature under the Heritage Society section.

The recognition is a result of the $2m Welding Expansion Project that added 35,000 sq. ft. of space to the College’s instructional lab, as well as new systems and technologies. The state-of-the-art welding lab features a CVE welding machine – believed to be the only electron beam welder used for instruction in U.S. higher education. Next door to the welder, you can find advanced laser welding and cutting processes (including CNC plasma cutters) and a full lab of automation and robotics.

Principal supporters for the expansion project included Cambridge Vacuum Engineering, BAE Systems, Kuka Robotics Systems, Lincoln Electric and more.

As a result, the College can enrol up to 60 more welding students annually – more than 300 in total. The welding lab was first extended in 2010 but has had to be expanded again due to the programme’s popularity and growing demand for graduates in the industry.

Figure 1. The Welding Expansion Recognition Wall.

Figure 4. State-of-the-art lab video

Millionaire’s Society ($1 million+)

• Blaise Alexander/Blaise Alexander Family Dealerships*
• William J. Martin*
• Miller Electric Manufacturing Co.*
• Octopuz Inc.
• Larry A. and Sherry Ward

Golden Society ($500,000 to $999,999)

• Ira Lubert
• Anthony Misitano
• Judith von Seldeneck
• Volvo Construction Equipment*

Visionary Society ($100,000 to $499,999)

• ABB Robotics*
• Acero Precision
• Gene Haas Foundation*
• The High Companies and High Steel Structures LLC*
• Highway Equipment and Supply Co.*
• Hudock Capital Group LLC*
• Komatsu
• Kuka Robotics Corp.
• Ed & Sharon Madalis
• Nationwide Insurance Co.
• Novatec Inc.*
• Libellula
• Penn Power Group*
• Farhad and Debi Saba
• The Satorius Family
• Sodick Inc.
• Soitaab USA Inc.
• Susquehanna Trailways
• TurnKey Electric Inc.
• Williamsport Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association*

Heritage Society ($50,000 to $99,999)

• Cambridge Vacuum Engineering
• Dolphitech
• Betty Edkin*
• Mary Fish*
• Frazier Family
• William F. Geyer and Dorothy J. Gerring*
• John Deere*
• Laserline
• Darla Logue*
• John and Linda Lundy*
• Miller Welding Automation
• NAIMA
• Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association-North Central Chapter*
• Subaru of America Inc.
• Susquehanna Valley Corvette Club Foundation
• The Soars Family and Pneu-Dart Inc.
• Terex Corp.
• Woodlands Bank*

Ambassador’s Society ($25,000 to $49,999)

• American Dental Education Association
• BAE Systems
• Lawrence Belle and MaryBernadette Reidy
• Bracalente Manufacturing Group
• The Brook J. Lenfest Foundation Inc.
• The Coca-Cola Co.
• Compass Group North America
• Mark and Denise Cunningham
• Elsner Engineering Works Inc.
• Glen-Gery
• Jim Green
• Tom and Mary Gregory
• Hensel Phelps
• R. David and Joann Kay
• LNS America Inc.
• Randy and Debra Mattern
• Dale and Sally Metzker
• Chris and Wendy Miller
• Ryan Monteleone
• Precitec Inc.
• Michael J. Reed
• Rolls-Royce Corp.
• Harold Sinclair
• Suzanne and David Stopper
• Studebaker Drivers Club-Keystone Region

CVE recently exhibited at FABTECH Chicago 2021. Fabtech is North America’s largest metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing event.

Held at McCormick Place in Chicago from September 13-16, the exhibition saw North America’s largest collaboration of technology, equipment, and knowledge in metal forming industries.

Tony Slater, Technical Sales Manager at CVE Inc. (our USA subsidiary), was at booth B25062 in Hall B (welding, welding automation, robotics and industrial automation), where he met a wide range of welding professionals.

The exhibition was attended by over 30,000 visitors, with over 1,000 exhibitors covering 500,000 sq. ft. of floor space.

Thank you to everyone who came to see us! If you have any further questions, please get in touch.

Fabtech provides a convenient one-stop-shop venue. You can meet with world-class suppliers, see the latest industry products and developments, find the tools to improve productivity, increase profits, as well as discover new solutions to all your metal forming, fabricating, welding and finishing needs.

The show encompassed three halls with a variety of technology pavilions. Featured technologies included welding machines (electron beam and laser), maintenance and repair, additive manufacturing and much more. Find out more about the exhibition on Fabtech’s website.

The American Welding Society (AWS) are one of the exhibition’s Event Partners. Founded in 1919, The AWS is a multifaceted, non-profit organisation: with a mission to advance the science, technology and application of welding and allied joining and cutting processes, including brazing, soldering, and thermal spraying. Headquartered in Doral, Florida and led by a volunteer organisation of officers and directors, AWS serves more than 70,000 members worldwide.

Take a look at Cambridge Vacuum Engineering’s listing on the AWS Buyer’s Guide or find out more about AWS.

CVE has achieved Cyber Essentials Plus (CE+) certification. The certification helps guard our IT infrastructure against the most common cyber threats; whilst demonstrating our commitment to cyber security.

It is a Government-organised scheme that has two levels: Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus — with certification for the latter only achievable after passing a hands-on technical verification.

Backed by industry organisations, including the Federation of Small Businesses and the Confederation of British Industry, CVE is proud to have achieved the highest qualification level.

The certification is indicative of our proactive measures against cyber attacks, demonstrating to our customers and prospects that data is being held securely, as well as protecting us against at least 80% of common cyber threats.

Operated by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), the certification is recommended for organisations of all sizes from SMEs and microbusinesses, to large multi-national corporations. The scope covers firewalls and routers, software updates, malware protection, access control and secure configuration.

Here, you can find out more about CVE.

Cambridge Vacuum Engineering recently attended ITM Industry Europe, the leading trade fair in Poland for exchanging technological experience amongst the leaders of the innovation sector.

ITM Industry Europe promotes innovation in the industrial sector; due to the exhibition of ideas and solutions developed by the trade fair’s participants and partners, giving measurable benefits to companies and scientific research institutions.

The organisers of the event postponed it for the previous two years, but this year reported incredible energy and buzz of business talks.

There were over 340 exhibitors, whereby companies could present either in-person at the exhibition hall, or try a new tool – an online meeting platform.

CVE exhibited in-person, at the Technika Spawalnicza Sp. z o.o. booth in pavilion 5, stand 64, with information on electron beam and laser welding.

Lots of visitors came to take a look at our sample that was welded using an Ebflow system- CVE’s ground-breaking technology that can weld 300 mm thick sections in a single pass!

The date of the next edition of ITM Industry Europe has already been announced. The organisers are planning the event between May 31 and June 3, 2022.

The aim of ITM Industry Europe is to demonstrate and promote industrial achievements on a global scale. Thus, it gives entrepreneurs the opportunity to take a step into the future, which is incomparable to any other event in Poland.

The ITM Industry Europe trade fair is an example of an excellent combination of industry, business and science. It is attended by nearly 1,000 exhibitors who present innovative machines and solutions for such industries as plastic metalworking, metallurgy, welding, surface treatment, varnishing, automotive, transport, railways.

Poznań is also a venue for the presentation of the achievements of engineers, design teams and scientific bodies; innovations and the most modern solutions, delivered to the industry, enabling the increase of equipment efficiency, optimization of production plants and increasing the market attractiveness and competitiveness of companies.

The scope of the ITM Industry Europe trade fair includes 5 thematic showrooms:

• Mach-Tool (machines and tools)
• Surfex (surface treatment)
• Metal forum (metallurgy, foundry, metal industry)
• Welding
• Research for Industry (scientific achievements of research institutes)

Find out more about the event on the organiser’s website.

The ability to weld thick sections efficiently is critical to drive widespread deployment of cost-effective solutions to meet low-carbon energy needs. Thick section local vacuum electron beam welding is considered a key enabling technology in the serialised fabrication of micro modular reactors (MMR) and other large tubular structures.

CVE, TWI, and Cammell Laird have been working collaboratively for over three years to produce the UK’s first full-size MMR vessel segment.

Supported by Innovate UK, the EBManPower project has demonstrated a low cost and rapid pressure vessel manufacture solution for thick section vessels for nuclear and other industries, using existing UK logistical and manufacturing capabilities. EBManPower focussed on using CVE’s Ebflow system, deployed at the Cammell Laird’s shipyard in Birkenhead, to demonstrate the viability of cost-effective MMR fabrication.

Electron beam welding has been used for the nuclear and aerospace industries for decades. This is the first time that a commercially available local vacuum EB system has been deployed in an industrial environment.

This project has received funding from Innovate UK, grant agreement: 3534/104220. Innovate UK is part of UK Research and Innovation, a non-departmental public body funded by a grant-in-aid from the UK government.

There will be a demonstration day held at TWI Ltd (10:00-14:30), followed by an optional visit to Cambridge Vacuum Engineering (14:30-17:00) to view the Ebflow system, on the 20th July 2021.

A maximum of 25 physically attending visitors can be accommodated at TWI. For those unable to attend, a live stream of the presentations will be offered.

The full agenda is as follows:

• 10:00 – 12:30: Technical presentations
• 12:30 – 14:00: Lunch and demonstrator viewing
• 14:00 – 14:30: Presentation and closing remarks
• 14:30 – 15:00: Travel to CVE (transport not provided)
• 15:00 – 17:00: Equipment showcasing at CVE

CVE is excited to announce the appointment of Chris Punshon as the Head of New Energy Applications at our head office in Cambridge.

Chris brings a wealth of experience and knowledge from the energy, power and renewables industries, which will be utilised to build on CVE’s existing zero-carbon project portfolio.

Chris’ career in engineering began in 1983, after graduating from the University of Sheffield with an honours degree in Metallurgy B.Met (hons). He then joined TWI Ltd, one of the foremost independent research and technology organisations where he worked for 38 years, starting as a Project Leader and leaving as Industry Group Manager Power and New Energy.

During his career, he has directed many ground-breaking research and development projects relating to welding and joining, material properties, and other advanced technologies; in collaboration with a wide range of clients and partners throughout key industries such as oil and gas, renewable energy and power generation.

With growing numbers of countries committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2050, new energy applications have never been more important.

As such, Chris’ role will focus on further commercialisation of Ebflow within applications such as offshore wind, pressure vessels (small- and micro-modular reactors SMR and MMRs), as well as hydrogen encapsulation and transportation.

Ebflow is a local vacuum power beam welding technology that brings all the advantages of electron beam and laser welding (productivity, repeatability, accuracy), to the fabrication of large structures of unlimited size, achieving high joint completion rates. Therefore, Chris Punshon will be at the forefront of developing its adoption within zero-carbon, new energy applications.

Chris is also a Chartered Engineer (CEng), a Professional Member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining (MIMMM), as well as a Fellow of The Welding Institute (FWeldI) – a testament to his experience, reputation, and contribution to the community of welding, joining, and allied technologies.

CVE would like to take this opportunity to welcome Chris to the organisation as we look forward to continuing CVE’s commitment to engineering and innovation together.

The developers of the world’s largest offshore wind farm will carry out the first large-scale pilot of Ebflow for the welding of monopiles, which will reduce welding times by as much as 80%.

CVE’s Ebflow technology is expected to be used at the Dogger Bank A phase of the wind farm, to fabricate welds on offshore wind foundation monopiles, reducing the time it takes to carry out the task from several hours to a matter of minutes.

It will be the first time that reduced pressure electron beam (RPEB) has been used on a large-scale offshore infrastructure project and will take place under a collaborative project named RapidWeld.

The RapidWeld project aims to create an industry-approved weld process for offshore wind, which is more productive and sustainable than established methods while reducing energy and material costs significantly.

The project team comprises of:

• SSE Renewables, a leading developer, owner, and operator of renewable energy across the UK and Ireland
• Sif, a global leading manufacturer of offshore foundations
• TWI, the UK’s foremost welding research establishment
• Cambridge Vacuum Engineering, the designer and manufacturer of Ebflow

Ebflow is a reduced pressure electron beam (RPEB) technology that uses heat generated by a beam of high energy electrons to make a high strength and durable welded steel join, cleanly and efficiently.

Ebflow uses a local vacuum, allowing the system to be readily transported and operated on-site and applied to structures significantly larger than those that can be accommodated in a vacuum chamber.

Ebflow will streamline the fabrication process for offshore wind farms, further increasing the efficiency of large-scale projects and demonstrating increased cost-effectiveness of renewable energy for consumers.

Ebflow will also reduce the carbon emissions associated with the traditional welding methods by 90%.

The RapidWeld project is expected to develop methods that outstrip existing welding technology and reduce the costs of future offshore wind foundation monopiles by up to 20%.

A joint venture between SSE Renewables, Equinor and Eni, SSE Renewables is leading the construction and delivery of Dogger Bank, while Equinor will operate the wind farm on operation. When complete, Dogger Bank will be the largest offshore wind farm in the world.

Steve Wilson, SSE Renewables Project Director for Dogger Bank Wind Farm said:

“This is a ‘first-in-class’ project, establishing this UK innovation as world-leading technology. With monopile type foundations accounting for over 90% of foundations used in UK projects, Ebflow RPEB could realise significant cost savings on future projects.

“These substantial savings will not only benefit the UK offshore engineering industry but could be passed on to UK energy consumers.

“It’s exciting that Ebflow is being used at Dogger Bank – a project which continues to contribute to the UK economy by creating jobs and supporting to the supply chain. No doubt, other offshore projects across the world could ultimately benefit from what the RapidWeld partnership achieves.”

The project has been made possible with a smart grant of £600k from Innovate UK, which is part of the UK Government-backed Research and Innovation organisation.

Sif will be responsible for the fabrication and supply of 190 monopiles and primary steel for the transition pieces, as well as for the marshalling of all foundation components for the first two phases of Dogger Bank Wind Farm.

Chief Operating Officer for Sif, Frank Kevenaar said:

“We see great potential in the Ebflow RPEB welding process for thick section welding. Reduced distortion and elimination of filler material are, amongst others, great advantages. We are very pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to this innovative project that is joining forces and expertise to create new cost-effective production methods.”

Ebflow can reduce the time needed to weld a monopile by 95%, whilst being 94% more energy efficient, resulting in a 98% overall cost reduction – compared to traditional submerged arc welding (SAW) – based on a typical specification of a 60 metre long, 8 metre diameter monopile, with a wall thickness of 80mm.

View the full datasheet or find out more about Ebflow.

Cambridge Vacuum Engineering (CVE), a specialist in the design and manufacture of electron beam welding (EBW) machines, has built its very first laser welding system. Now installed at an important customer in the automotive sector, the machine relies on a TRUMPF TruDisk 1000, a 1kW solid-state laser with optimised beam quality for welding metals, in this case steel and Inconel.

The origins of CVE can be traced back to the late 1950s when two Cambridge graduates founded the company. Through a process of subsequent breakaway groups and acquisitions, the CVE name emerged in the late 1980s. Despite the change of identity, the focus remained the same: EBW and vacuum furnaces, largely in support of aero-engine manufacture.

“In recent years we’ve been supplying a lot more machines to automotive customers, some of which are beginning to make enquiries about EBW alternatives,” reports Steve Horrex, Sales Director at CVE. “Traditionally, EBW works in a vacuum, which is great from a process quality perspective, but vacuum generation and maintenance is sometimes seen as burdensome. For this reason, laser welding is gaining attention in certain applications as it can operate using nothing more than a shield gas.”

Indeed, the company recently received an enquiry for a fully automated, bespoke laser welding system from an existing automotive customer. It would prove to be CVE’s first laser welding machine, marking the beginning of its association with TRUMPF. The machine is being used by a tier-one automotive supplier to weld small (approximately 50mm long) steel and Inconel parts together in reasonably high volumes.

“In this particular application, the join quality produced by laser welding with a shield gas was perfectly adequate,” explains Mr Horrex. “TRUMPF was chosen for its track record in the automotive sector and its reputation for quality engineering. The customer’s R&D centre also had a TRUMPF system, which definitely helped steer the purchase decision.”

Shield gasses protect the weld area from oxygen and water vapour. In addition, unlike EBW, no X-rays are produced, so the process does not require an expensive vacuum chamber. This fact also means that higher productivity can be achieved.

Says Mr Horrex: “TRUMPF turned out to be a good choice for the laser – we were particularly impressed with the expertise of their engineering team, which made the integration of the TruDisk 1000 with our system very smooth. As we were fairly new to the laser business it was good to find a partner with whom we could build trust. Following the successful installation and commissioning of the laser welding machine, we’re now quoting additional systems for the same customer, as well as machines for other clients. The TRUMPF laser has been a really good stepping stone to a new revenue stream.”

Alongside machine reliability, traceability is vital to CVE’s customer. The laser welding system is required to provide full traceability of all weld parameters and process details. This data is then shared with the end user’s MES (manufacturing execution system). With the TruDisk 1000, the extensive data captured by the laser’s intelligent sensors mean that all important parameters can be monitored reliably, in line with Industry 4.0 practices.

Offering a compact footprint and increased robustness, the latest-generation TruDisk 1000 works economically in all laser states thanks to a new pulse function with greater energy efficiency and intelligent energy management.

“Moving forward, the end user is looking to introduce further new parts to the laser welding machine,” says Mr Horrex. “The tooling, work-holding and automation that we devised facilitates rapid component changeover, thus future-proofing the system.”

There is little doubting the size of challenge that CVE has overcome with its new laser welding machine. Going from a blank canvas to a successfully commissioned system in a matter of months is impressive enough. Throw a pandemic into the mix and the feat is even more monumental.

“CVE customers always get the full package, and this now extends to laser welding machines,” concludes Mr Horrex. “Combine our engineering and machine-building expertise with the brand reputation and quality of the TRUMPF TruDisk laser, and our customers have access to a very powerful combination.”

Read the full article on the TRUMPF website.