Quality Testing Upgrades

Vallourec’s Muskogee Oklahoma mill upgraded its quality testing capabilities with the recently installed Omax waterjet cutter and Instron Charpy impact tester.

Waterjet cutters enhance the precision of all lab test sample cuts to improve accuracy in testing. Charpy tests measure the lateral expansion of pipe and quantify the impact they can absorb before cracking. This quality indicator is used to ensure pipes can withstand the drilling pressure in the field.

The Omax waterjet enables fast and consistent high-quality cutting suitable for steel pipe applications. A highly pressurized stream of water up to 2500 feet per second becomes a dynamic cutting tool for QA metallurgical laboratory samples. The waterjet creates a precise cut on steel up to 2″ thick and with tolerances range from between .003″ and .005″ of an inch. A PC-based motion control program ensures a fast, accurate sample the first time.

The Instron impact tester is now identical to those used in Youngstown and Houston inspection operations to provide consistent testing across all Vallourec Star locations. Its ease of operation makes the Charpy impact tester ideal for high volume labs such as those in our mills. The high resolution encoder accommodates a wide range of capacities capable of conducting both extremely accurate high- and low-energy impact tests crucial for in-ground and offshore drilling.

The Charpy impact tester comes with a number of safety features, including a motorized lift which eliminates repetitive strain injuries. The interlocked specimen access door prevents hammer release when the door is open and interchangeable hammer weights conveniently adjust the system capacity without removing the hammer shaft. These integrated guard and safety control systems meet the stringent requirements for ISO 13849.