Reduced Cleaning and Downtime Requirements
A traditional cutting method would have required the tank to be fully drained and cleaned before cutting could begin, adding an estimated 3 to 5 days of cleaning time. NuWave’s method allowed the client to avoid a full tank cleanout before completing the cut.
No Hot Work Required
A conventional approach would have required a cutting torch, along with hot work procedures and additional ignition-related precautions. NuWave’s no-ignition cutting method helped reduce safety concerns related to potential ignition points.
Significant Time Savings
Once the tool was built, tested, installed, and the work area was prepared, the 24” cut was completed in approximately 30 minutes. The client estimated that NuWave’s approach saved approximately 240 to 360 hours compared to the traditional method.
Estimated Value Savings
Project Description
Type of Cutting
CASE STUDY REPORT
Project
Name
Client Name
22 September 2023
The Cut
The project required a 24” diameter cut through a ¼” mild steel tank wall. Because the cut had to be completed after a 30” nozzle was welded onto the tank, NuWave designed and built a specialty tool that could bolt to the flange and rotate 360 degrees inside the nozzle.
After the tool was successfully tested and installed, and the fluid level was brought below the cut zone, NuWave completed the cut in approximately 30 minutes.
Reduced Cleaning and Downtime Requirements
A traditional cutting method would have required the tank to be fully drained and cleaned before cutting could begin, adding an estimated 3 to 5 days of cleaning time. NuWave’s method allowed the client to avoid a full tank cleanout before completing the cut.
No Hot Work Required
A conventional approach would have required a cutting torch, along with hot work procedures and additional ignition-related precautions. NuWave’s no-ignition cutting method helped reduce safety concerns related to potential ignition points.
Significant Time Savings
Once the tool was built, tested, installed, and the work area was prepared, the 24” cut was completed in approximately 30 minutes. The client estimated that NuWave’s approach saved approximately 240 to 360 hours compared to the traditional method.
Estimated Value Savings
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The Issue
The client required a 24” diameter cut through a tank wall made of ¼” mild steel. The cut needed to be completed after a 30” nozzle had already been welded onto the tank.
Using a traditional cutting method would have required the tank to be fully drained and cleaned before work could begin, creating several days of downtime before the cut itself could be completed. A conventional approach would also have required a cutting torch, introducing hot work procedures and ignition-related safety concerns.
The client contacted NuWave to determine whether there was a safer and more efficient way to complete the cut without fully cleaning out the tank or creating an ignition point.
The Solution
NuWave developed a custom tool specifically for this project. Once the required measurements were provided, the NuWave team built the tool in-house within 12 hours and completed a test run before mobilizing to site.
The custom-built tooling was designed to bolt directly to the flange of the nozzle and rotate 360 degrees around the inside of the 30” nozzle. This allowed the team to complete a precise circular cut through the tank wall without the need for a traditional torch.
Three NuWave team members completed the work on site, with the cutting area located approximately 30 feet in the air. Once the tooling was in place, the work area was deemed safe, and the fluid level was brought below the cut zone, the cut itself was completed in approximately 30 minutes.