Ultrasonic inspection of Submerged Arc Welded pipes
SNUP systems are the industry standard for high throughput inspection of conventional carbon steel pipes and more complex constructions, such as CLAD pipes. These ultrasonic testing systems are built with our industry-leading technology, phased array or optionally conventional.
Krautkrämer SNUP Systems are designed and built by a
talented team with a long history of experience in automated ultrasonic testing machines in Cologne, Germany, where the machines are still built today. Submerged Arc Welded (SAW) pipes are the primary component in on and offshore oil and gas transmission pipelines, where structural integrity is paramount and industry standards require inspection of the weld seam quality within the pipe manufacturing process. Krautkrämer SNUP is used for longitudinal or helical (spiral) weld seams. The system assesses weld quality for process control prior to expansion and hydrostatic testing as well as for the final quality test. All major international standards are met, such as API, DNV, SHELL, IOGP.
Highlights
Benefits
- 100% in-process testing of LSAW welds
- Setup for carbon steel or CLAD pipe weld inspection on same system
- High test speeds to keep up with multiple weld lines
- Flexible platform with fast changeover and setup for different pipe geometries
- Excellent ultrasonic inspection performance
Features
- Standard phased array ultrasonic methods with optional Conventional ultrasound
- Laser weld seam tracking
- Available in lifting frame or portal configurations
- Rugged, stiff steel construction to minimize factory vibration impact on ultrasonic performance
- Automated setup with motorized probe centerline adjustment and sectorial scan optimization
- No dimensional or wall thickness limitations
- Optional on-bead weld inspection
Applications
- On and offshore oil and gas transmission pipelines
• Phased array or conventional ultrasound capable (same UT Instrument compatible with both)
• Real-time strip chart visualization and recording of test data for each inspection channel
• Real-time phased array sector scan tool for quick and easy setup and optimization of the ultrasonic sound path
• Motorized probe adjustment for automated setup of each ultrasonic probe position for predefined pipe geometries greatly minimizing setup times for changeovers especially when combined with Waygate Technologies’ phased array ultrasonic method
• Multi A-scan to view several channels at once for easy calibration
• Automated laser guided weld seam tracking following both weld cap edges for improved inspection control
• Stable ultrasonic coupling using controlled water gap and hardened wear shoes that ride on the actual pipe surface
