110 MMA units supplied in massive re-equipment

One hundred and ten MMA power sources have been supplied to DML, which owns and operate the Devonport Royal Dockyard and are being used on the one year Refit Period of HMS Gloucester destroyer.

Kemppi PRO4000 MMA power sources supplied by Kemppi (UK), based in Bedford to DML, who own and operate the Devonport Royal Dockyard are being used on the one year Refit Period (RP2) of HMS Gloucester, a 3,500 tonnes type 42 Destroyer.

One hundred and ten (110) PRO 4000's were delivered to the yard at the backend of last year and are used throughout the yard.

Around 20 units are currently being used to work on the Gloucester.

They are housed in specially designed pods of 6 for ease of transportation around the yard.

With the Gloucester 4 pods are stationed on the dockside at the fore and aft ends of the vessel and are used for all welding, whether it is on repairs to the hull or work in the bilges.

She is currently under cover and much of her equipment has been removed and undergoing repair or modernisation in DML's engineering and weapons workshops.

Other work being carried out includes the installation of an upgraded sewage system as well as major structural work, which will give her extra compartments in her self-compensating fuel system.

All of these jobs involve the use of the PRO 4000.

The PRO 4000 is one of a series of power source from Kemppi for MIG, TIG, MMA and carbon arc gouging.

With a rating of 400A at 60%duty cycle and an OCV of 65V, they fit the requirements of the yard perfectly.

The DML machines are fitted with the PX control panel which provides accurate control of the welding current, adjustment of the start/MMA dynamics and has a tack welding/MMA/carbon arc gouging selector switch and a visual display of the welding parameters.

Space is always at a premium on a warship and now DML have no need to take their welding equipment on board as each welder has a C100T 'wire less' remote control, meaning they are able to set their welding parameters up to 100m from the power source.

John Frost, Director Sales and Marketing at Kemppi (UK) said: "Before we won the contract, DML's evaluation trials were very rigorous and the Kemppi PRO system really impressed them, especially the wire less remote control, which gave them a flexibility they had not previously experienced.

The local dealer Andrew Endacott Welding Plant was involved in the contract from the very start and is now responsible for the servicing and maintenance of all the PRO4000's in the yard" Jason Tiddy, Welding Engineer summed up DML feelings about the Kemppi PRO 4000: " We selected the Kemppi PRO4000 MMA power source for its flexibility in use.

It can be used both in the workshop and on the dockside with additional TIG or MIG process units.

The remote control transmitter saves us valuable time as operators can change the welding parameters on the dockside power sources whilst remaining on board the vessel." .

(This was Manufacturingtalk's Top Story on 10 October 2002).

Back to top