Composites sector goes with the flow

Mike Richardson attended Composites UK’s Marine and Offshore Energy Industry Showcase event to hear how leading composites manufacturing companies are looking to test the waters of the marine and offshore energy sector.
With the aim of supporting companies using composite materials in the marine and offshore energy sectors, Composites UK held its Marine and Offshore Energy Industry Showcase event last November at MacDonald Botley Hotel, Southampton.
Following on from the association’s last successful Composites in Rail showcase event, the Marine and Offshore Energy Industry Showcase presented a number of companies working with fibre-reinforced composites materials to an audience of specifiers, end users, researchers as well as wider industry representatives.

Attracting over 60 delegates, presenting companies included Aernnova, Momentive CCT, Sigmatex, Team Refrigeration, Siemens PLM and TRB Lightweight Structures and Wärtsilä.

These leading companies presented their work in a morning session, comprising case study presentations, with each having a table-top exhibition display where delegates could spend the afternoon informally networking and asking questions. There was also a chance to catch up with the latest developments from the Hub Database – a Composites UK and National Composites Centre initiative to collate an accurate status of the UK composites industry.

“The Composites UK Marine and Offshore Energy Showcase was the second in the association’s new style of events, focusing in-depth on the different sectors where composites are used,” states Composites UK’s communications manager, Claire Whysall (pictured). “These events have a dual purpose - introducing people who have never used composites before to how they could potentially be utilised as well as informing those with knowledge of the materials of new developments relevant to their sector. The showcasing companies also get to present in front of an audience of potential customers. It was important for Composites UK to begin engaging more with the marine sector, promoting membership benefits and increasing member companies in this area.”

Seal the deal

Since 2007, Tim Biswell, Wärtsilä’s general manager (pictured)- composites; services seals & bearings PCUK, has headed R&D and engineering activities at Wärtsilä’s UK-based Face Seal & Composite business. He is currently general manager, composites responsible for composite R&D and product design as well and the global business development of its composite products. He begins by explaining how his company’s initial engagement with the offshore energy industry first came about.

“Wärtsilä has a history of supplying sealing and bearing products to the marine industry. These products have demonstrated extremely reliable operation and offered operators excellent through life value. Wärtsilä has similarly supplied to the land energy industry like hydropower stations. The offshore energy industry demands similar values; hence it’s a natural extension for designers and operators to consider our technologies, products and services.”
I’m interested to know what demands and issues Wärtsilä can provide solutions for that has drawn the company to this particular industry. Unsurprisingly, Biswell says the products are required to operate in extremely harsh and aggressive environments.

“Maintenance downtime is extremely costly due to loss of generating revenue and accessing the facilities. Wärtsilä products have demonstrated excellent service experience and offer the benefits of proven reliability, predictable service intervals, corrosion free material and excellent durability.”

Wärtsilä provides a wide range of technologies transferable to these industries, and within its seals and bearings division, the company offers seals, bearings, and hydraulic couplings, along with nacelles and other fabrications.

“The offshore energy industry is a conservative adopter of composite technologies. However, the operational challenges of the equipment require designers to embrace new technologies to overcome the challenges - both technical and commercial - that this hostile environment provides.

In terms of some clear examples where composites materials can deliver a more technically innovative and beneficial value proposition over traditional materials, Biswell first points to seals as an example.

“Our structural composites offer excellent corrosion resistance, robustness, weight reduction and contribute to lower through life and maintenance costs. In bearing applications, our composites’ ability to operate in marginal - or water contaminated - lubrication conditions prolongs life, whilst reducing maintenance periods and providing more reliable operation. The lighter weight also speeds up potential maintenance. In summary, downtime is very expensive for the operators and service is often very difficult due to very limited access.”

Composite capabilities

As well as presenting his company’s product solutions during the event, Biswell reckons Composites UK’s Marine and Offshore Energy Industry Showcase event proved to be an interesting visit for his company.

“The showcase gave us the opportunity to demonstrate some of our capabilities. Whilst we did not recognise any immediate new business leads, we increased awareness of our organisation. We frequently heard: ‘We didn’t realise Wärtsilä were players in this industry.’

“In addition, it provided the opportunity to expand our network of composite manufacturing and academia contacts to assist in the speed and efficiency of future development projects.”

As always, there are technological and commercial barriers to engagement with any industry – the marine and offshore energy sector is no different. Biswell says the biggest challenge is persuading the designers to move out of their traditional “we have always done it this way” comfort zone and investigate the benefits of composites.

“Despite composites having being around for 100 years, many still consider them as a ‘new technology’,” he states.
Finally, although the benefits of composite materials use may take some time to percolate through to the offshore energy industry, does Biswell feel it is important to be a leader, not a follower?

“Definitely a leader,” he concludes “It is our responsibility to create the awareness and educate industry of both the value and benefits of composites.”

www.compositesuk.co.uk