【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Engineering Equipment】From 2017 to 2024, CNPC Pipeline Bureau made breakthroughs in key technologies for flexible welding robots in mountainous areas!

Thread Content

Give praise and encouragement to the achievements made in China’s chemical engineering technology and equipment; your participation in discussions is the greatest encouragement. **********************【Ten Years of Progress in Chemical Engineering Equipment】Continuous updates and summaries available – feel free to join the discussions: https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3576046-1-1.html ***************** The Pipeline Bureau has made breakthroughs in key technologies related to flexible welding robots for use in mountainous areas! In March 2024, I visited the construction site of Section 2 of the Western Route of the Sichuan-Guangdong Gas Pipeline Project (hereinafter referred to as the “Sichuan-West Project”) to see how the Pipeline Bureau addressed the challenges associated with fully automatic welding in mountainous areas, overcame the key technical obstacles related to flexible welding robots in such environments, and achieved their industrial application. Through intelligence and hard work, the team managed to overcome the difficulties posed by those mountainous conditions. In the Chuan Er Xi project, the difficulty of the Shu Road represents the first obstacle facing the project builders. This route passes through Luxian County in Luzhou City, Sichuan Province, Longchang County and Dongxing District in Neijiang City, as well as Anyue County in Ziyang City, with a total length of 110.79 kilometers. Along the way, there are mountains, rivers, and hills everywhere; the roads in Shu are as intricate as spider webs, making it extremely difficult to transport equipment and materials. There are 895 heat-bent pipes along the entire line, which amounts to 8 pipes per kilometer; there are 1,750 cold-bent pipes, with an average of 15 pipes per kilometer. The proportion of fully automated welding exceeds 72%. In Sichuan province, rainy days account for 37% of the entire year, meaning that effective construction time is less than two-thirds of the year. The long rainy season hinders construction progress, and the frequent fog increases air humidity, posing serious challenges to the quality of fully automatic welding. In addition to the challenges posed by nature, further pressure stems from the drive for \"low costs\" on construction capabilities. In recent years, the pipeline industry has been highly competitive. To earn more profits in this crowded market, pipeline companies must rely on technological innovation to ensure that the safety, quality, and progress of ongoing projects are all under control, thereby delivering satisfactory results to their clients. How to complete construction projects in large quantities, quickly, efficiently, and cost-effectively, while using construction capabilities to ensure profit margins, is a challenge that must be addressed. In order to strengthen the company’s position in the industry and secure broader prospects for future development, since the full commencement of construction on the Chuan Er Xi project on September 15, 2023, the Pipeline Bureau has adopted scientific decision-making, meticulous planning, and strict oversight. It has used systems to ensure strict adherence to safety standards, to maintain high quality levels, and to enhance efficiency. The various welding teams have worked hard to keep up with the construction schedule, overcoming difficulties by crossing mountains and obstacles ； On the other hand, efforts are made to create platforms for technological innovation across various units within the bureau, encouraging cooperation among them. By closely integrating these efforts with practical engineering needs and leveraging the results of research projects carried out by the bureau, it is possible to overcome various challenging obstacles. A fierce battle to enhance core competitiveness through breakthroughs in technological innovation was soon launched at the front line. What’s refreshing is that at the fully automatic welding site in Wangjiasi Village, Jieshi Town, Longchang City, Sichuan Province, where it used to be very difficult to carry out welding at joints where straight pipes met elbows at angles of over 30 degrees using manual welding methods, long rows of black pipes can now be welded together. Thanks to the results of two research projects undertaken by the agency: the “Research, Integration and Demonstration Project on Fully Automatic Welding Technologies for Mountainous Areas” and the “Development of Technical Equipment for Fully Automatic Welding of X80 D1219 Millimeter Hot-Bent Elbows with Straight Pipes”, it has been possible to overcome the obstacles posed by the mountainous terrain, enabling fully automatic welding from the foot of the mountain to the top, using extended hot-bent elbows, and then back again from the top to the foot of the mountain, without any gaps in the welds. With a well-organized work belt, on-site workers can precisely control the mountain-type flexible internal welding machine simply by pressing the buttons on the remote control, thereby ensuring that the pipes are connected seamlessly and in an orderly manner. Under the scientific planning of the project team, the main welding units have mastered a variety of fully automatic welding techniques, ensuring that there are no leftover ends of pipes along the entire line. All these breakthroughs are truly remarkable; the power of technology has indeed given engineering projects \"wings,\" enabling a qualitative leap in the construction standards of pipeline systems by pipeline authorities.