Novus Sealing - European first as The AJI use FADU rig to enhance training courses

In many respects welding would be the ideal means to prevent leakage however welding up all flanged joints would be far from practical. Access requirements, the ability to inspect and replace piping components means that flanged joints are prevalent across oil and gas installations. In order for a flanged joint to remain tight and not leak certain practices and procedures need to be followed. Those practices are addressed in the ASME standard PCC 1, Guidelines for Pressure Boundary Bolted Joint Assembly. It was revised in 2010, roughly doubling its size as the result of "lessons learned" since its first publication in 2000.

As a member of the ASME PCC committee, Gary Milne is well placed to advise on the updated standard, he said: "The FADU enables us to provide the all important insight into the improvements in the standards so that our accredited integrity training courses encompass the latest ASME Guidelines, while also providing best practice information to the European Standard EN1591 Part 4."

The FADU design is based upon many years of teaching experience and gasket industry knowledge. It is important to recognise that whilst the FADU is a fantastic tool, the skill of the trainer is vital to ensuring that the key technical principles of joint assembly are successfully conveyed to the candidate in an engaging way. Using this unit, training instructors demonstrate the effects that different gaskets and assembly techniques can have on gasketed joint assembly. Using "hands-on" training, students can easily see for themselves the importance of correct assembly techniques, adequate gasket compression, the effect of creep relaxation on gasket performance, and numerous factors affecting the torque-preload relationship, including lubricant selection, application, and standard wrench usage. Ad-hoc experiments can be devised and conducted to answer questions concerning specific plant applications. Direct comparisons between different gaskets, fastener lubricants, and other materials are also easily accomplished using the FADU.

Subsea clients have enthusiastically embraced this method of training because it provides a true understanding of the errors that can occur during the assembly and tightening process. Training using the FADU to demonstrate loading an RTJ with tensioning tools and various tightening methods removes the black art behind load loss calculation methods, and frictional losses. All in accordance with Annex G – Assembly Guidelines of ISO (API) Specification 17D/ISO 13628-4.

On shore COMAH facilities, as well as offshore facilities have a legislative responsibility to provide training to all personnel who assemble and tighten bolted connections, this is a key element audited by the Health and Safety Executive during the current range of KP4 inspections. The Academy of Joint Integrity provides these accredited courses in Critical Bolting Units as well as Sealing Technology courses as per Guidelines of the Energy Institute – 2007 – Management of the Integrity of Bolted Joints for Pressurised Systems.

Remember that the gasket is only one of many reasons a bolted flange joint connection can leak. Even when all the complex inter-related components of a bolted joint flange connection work in perfect harmony, the single most important factor leading to success or failure of that bolted flange connection will be the attention given to proper installation and assembly procedures by the person installing the gasket. If done properly, the assembly will remain leak-free for the target life expectancy.

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European first as The AJI uses the FADU rig to enhance training courses

The Academy of Joint Integrity was launched last year to raise awareness of sealing technology and to provide professional accredited training services to support its global client base. It remains essential that gaskets and sealing products are installed, assembled and tightened to industry best practice. So to enhance the training to an unrivalled level, The Academy of Joint Integrity (part of the FDS Group) has invested in another state-of-the-art FADU specifically for North Sea customers.

The FADU enables the user to tighten a bolted joint and see the impact of tightening procedures on screen through the innovative load monitoring software. The benefits of this interactive training are already being appreciated in Aberdeen with many operators and engineering firms signing up for training and lunch and learn sessions.

Gary Milne, Group technical training manager, said: "The FADU is a fantastic tool for both the trainer and the candidate. The trainer can easily convey the complex interactions of the flanges, bolts and gasket, whilst the candidate can clearly see the importance of following correct procedures."

By embracing such technology The Academy of Joint Integrity is able to provide its clients with the key training tools to embrace the issues relating to the assembly and tightening of flanged bolted connections. Candidates attending the training courses can experience first hand the effect of applying bolt loads to flanges containing different gaskets and view graphically the interplay between the flange, fasteners and the gasket using various assembly and tightening procedures. The unit utilises both an API Ring Type Joint and an ASME B16.5 raised face flange. The two flange arrangements are fully interchangeable and give the client direct experience of tightening the full range of gaskets, including solid metal ring type joints (RTJ), spiral wounds, Kammprofiles and soft gasket types. This capability is unique to The Academy of Joint Integrity and was requested specifically to support the offshore market.

Key to the unit's appeal is the immediate feedback via our load monitoring software. This automatically displays data on bolt stress, gasket compression, and torque- preload relationships in real-time, in an easily understandable layout. The software takes the calculation and guesswork out of interpreting results and the data logging facility can be used to capture data from experimentation or record the results of each student's performance. This is beneficial when the client requires evidence of competence.

Since The Academy of Joint Integrity was created, it has always been clear about its purpose to not simply train people to bolt up flanges but to educate its clients about the importance of joint integrity and the key aspects of gasket technology. "This unique blend of experience and knowledge means we can relate to the oil and gas industry’s unique requirements"

There are many factors to bear in mind when considering the design of a bolted joint - the type of flange, the gasket material and the type and grade of bolts. No matter how good the selection of the components is, the correct assembly and appropriate tightening of flanged joints is essential to ensure safe performance and a leak tight joint.

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