#Internal Weld Bead Rolling Equipment

[tengdi]

Tips for maximizing tube, pipe mill efficiency (Part II)

Finding, Reducing, Eliminating Bottlenecks

The pace at which the strip moves through the mill, from one station to the next—breakdown, forming, welding, sizing, and straightening—sets the pace for everything else. The mill’s reference speed is the maximum speed at which it makes a properly formed tube with a robust, durable weld.

“The limitations often are in the entry and exit areas,” said Nelson Abbey, director of Abbey Products at Fives Bronx Inc. Efficient mill operations can be hampered by material handling and coil joining at the entry end; cutting the product to length and getting tubulars off the mill likewise tend to impose limits at the exit end.

Getting the Coil Into the Mill. If the coils are long, butt welding the outgoing coil to the incoming coil might take place every 15 or 20 min., and the operator gets a break between each one, Abbey said. If the coils are short and take only 5 min. or so to work their way through the mill, the end-joining process is likely to be the mill’s productivity limit. Longer coils mean less frequent mill stoppages and put less stress on the operator, he said.

For some applications, the butt weld serves a second purpose. For long lengths of coiled tubing, which can be miles long, the butt welds are a product feature and must be just as durable and leakproof as the longitudinal welds. Although an arc welding process is traditional, laser technology is making inroads relative this application, said Kevin Arnold, Midwest sales manager for IPG Photonics. The benefits are the same as those for making the longitudinal weld with laser technology, especially the minimal heat input and minimal ensuing distortion.

“The lower heat input and smaller heat-affected zone create a more durable weld,” said Mark Wagner, vice president of sales for Guild International. “A hard, brittle weld is prone to breaking as the joint moves through the mill. The tension can be enormous and often is more than enough to break the weld. When using a laser to join the coils, Guild has found that weld breaks are greatly reduced, and that the line can get back up to speed much quicker.”

“Another issue is the weld bead’s thickness,” he said. “Arc welding processes typically leave a thick weld bead. The additional thickness accelerates the wear on the roll tooling and other equipment, like inline tension levelers, so the weld has to be treated with either manual or automatic milling to reduce the weld bead, so the thickness is consistent. Laser welding doesn’t leave a raised weld bead, so it eliminates postweld treatments such as milling.”

The initial process, making the butt weld, also tends to go more quickly with laser welding than arc welding processes, he added.

Make It, Cut It, and Move It Out. When all is nearly said and done on the mill, the focus turns to the cutoff process. Some products simply take more time to cut than others. Even a product that usually is made at a fast rate and is easy to cut—say, a light-wall, small-diameter tube—can slow a mill down if the final cut lengths are short. The saw has to move at the same speed as the tube to make the cut, return to its starting position, then get back up to the mill’s speed to make the next cut. As the cut lengths decrease, the saw’s accelerations have to become increasingly faster to keep up.

Beyond the cutoff, carrying out finishing as part of the production process can create a bottleneck.

“Flushing the chips out of the tube, facing, and bundling them are additional processes that usually slow down a line,” Abbey said. The problem is that these run in different ways, Abbey explained.

“A mill runs most efficiently when it’s running consistently at a constant speed,” he said. “Finishing operations are start-and-stop processes.” On the surface, the difference is the pace of the mill versus the pace of the finishing steps, but it goes deeper.

“Every line stop creates at least one length of scrap,” Abbey said. Another drawback is the time it takes to ramp up the mill. “You don’t press a button and get back to full speed,” he said. “For typical mills, it can take 10 minutes or so.”

Depending on the system’s design, which often is influenced by limited floor space and obstructions such as building columns, such a connected system might just be inherently inefficient. Designing a generous buffering capacity between processes that run at substantially different rates is a good solution, depending on handling complexity. But if it’s impossible to include a buffer, or if the buffer is undersized, a lower overall production rate is inevitable.

It seems counterintuitive to connect a mill to finishing equipment, but indeed many mills are set up in this way. Depending on the product and how fast it runs through the mill, this setup isn’t detrimental to operational efficiency. For example, among mills designed to make products according to American Petroleum Institute specifications, about half of them can be connected to the finishing system with no effect on productivity, Abbey said. However, many such setups would run faster if they were disconnected.

What are the benefits? Such a setup uses less labor power than a disconnected system, and it takes up a smaller footprint than a disconnected setup, so many tube and pipe producers are willing to sacrifice some line speed and possibly lower overall product rates for these benefits.

On some mills, processes such as flushing and bundling are manual, which can be even more detrimental. In some cases, these end-of-mill processes bring the mill speed down by half, Abbey said. It’s a tradeoff—the company makes a smaller capital investment and brings in less revenue—but it can have unintended consequences. The operators become accustomed to the mill’s pace, and even if the company upgrades to automated flushout and bundling, it can have a lot of difficulty with the return on investment. After learning to do the job at 200 ft./min., the operators simply aren’t comfortable operating a mill that runs at twice that pace.

Changeovers

Selecting the right tooling for the job seems like an obvious first step, but mixups do happen. Mounting the wrong tooling—say, substituting tooling with a modified edge break for tooling with a standard edge break—makes it more difficult to make good product, and it compromises the tooling life, said Warren Wheatman, vice president of T&H Lemont’s Tooling Business Unit. The same goes for mounting the tooling correctly. When tools are reconditioned, the company that did the grinding usually provides a set of bearing block shims for proper mounting. In many cases, the shims get misplaced or their purpose isn’t understood and they are discarded. The tooling can’t do its job properly without the shims.

Getting the tooling aligned is the next step. Automated tool positioning devices are available, but many tube and pipe producers still rely on manual setups.

“Motorized adjustments with position feedback at each pass can help the setup go much faster, leaving only a small amount of manual tweaking to finalize the setup,” Abbey said. The same goes for the settings of the straightener, he said. The only caveat is that the maintenance staff has to be knowledgeable on how every device works and how everything is wired, and the company has to keep sufficient spares of every critical device in its inventory. Otherwise, just one bad component like an encoder can slow the process substantially, especially if used in an automated quick-change mill.

Does a tube producer need quick-change hardware, electronic positioning devices, and other hardware to reduce its changeover time? No. According to Abbey, good procedures and a motivated crew can cut changeover time nearly in half. He cited one 10-in. mill that had standard equipment and no quick-change features or setup assistance of any sort. While most such mills need five to eight hours for a changeover, one company with a motivated crew equipped with well-documented procedures could get it done in three and a half hours.

If a mill can accommodate rafts—subplates with tooling mountings—it can cut the mill’s downtime by a large amount, frequently up to 75%. It still takes time to do the changeover, so the company still needs the labor to change out the tooling on the raft, but it does so while the mill is still running and making money.

Of course, planning goes into this like it does everything else. Michael Strand, president of T&H Lemont, suggests three rafts per mill. While one raft is on the mill and making money, a second raft can be prepped with tooling for the next run. The rafts themselves have a large number of moving parts, so the third raft can be set aside for a teardown, inspection, and repairs if necessary.

“Threading is also a candidate for improvement on some mills,” Abbey said. “When threading a new strip through the mill, it’s common practice to jog the mill, starting and stopping numerous times. Once threaded, the mill is then typically run for a short distance to check the weld and do sizing adjustments, which generates a substantial amount of scrap. Simple improvements in this area can be obtained by streamlining the steps and by including interlocks with the welder so it can weld and jog at the same time.”

“It would generate less scrap if the company that made the welding power supply would change the controls so the mill could jog the material forward, weld, and scarf simultaneously,” he continued. “On large mills this is a necessity, and it really reduces the amount of scrap generated at each startup.”

Bringing It All Together

The essence of tube or pipe mill efficiency hasn’t changed, but in times like these, it’s more critical than ever. The revenue a mill generates while it’s running is always offset by the losses it incurs when it’s not, but times such as these seem to amplify the losses. Steel prices are higher than normal, and some materials simply aren’t available, so keeping the mill running and minimizing scrap are two considerations that are in sharp focus right now.

Best Practices. These industry experts, each of whom has decades of experience in the field, provided informed insights and perspectives regarding best practices:

“Every changeover involves downtime and scrap, and traditionally these are the two areas where tube and pipe producers can make the biggest gains,” Abbey said. “Every mill supervisor needs to study their changeover procedures.”

“It’s important to perform every maintenance action according to the schedule and document everything,” Strand said. Track every action on the mill, including the number of feet of product made by each set of roll tooling during each run, to stay on top of mill maintenance from a big-picture, years-long perspective.

“It’s helpful to use a status board or checklists that show each major step described clearly and concisely,” Abbey said. “Whether it is a changeover or a routine maintenance procedure, such as inspecting tooling, using checklists adds to consistency and efficiency,” Abbey said.

Using automated systems and devices to assist with mill setup can keep changeover time to a bare minimum. Abbey cited one special, automated mill that had its changeovers down to a science, relying extensively on such hardware, and it achieved consistent 15-min. changeovers. In that case, it was necessary to keep operator intervention to a minimum.

“Tube and pipe producers need to be careful how they use the mill,” said Stan Green, general manager for SST Forming Roll Inc. “Many of the materials available these days are much harder than common carbon steels, and the steel producers seem to introduce stronger materials all the time,” he said. Using a mill designed for carbon steel with a 50,000-PSI minimum yield strength to process 80,000-PSI material is going to accelerate the wear on every component on the mill and likely will break something—and sooner rather than later.

Inspections, maintenance, alignments, and yield work together, especially with tooling and roll stands.“The weakest point is the point that moves [out of position],” Green said. He cited a tiny bit of movement, anything more than 0.010 in., as too much movement. “Proper tooling position is important for a consistent process and to maximize yield, but you can’t keep the tooling in the right position if the bearings and shafts are worn,” he said.

Budgetary Matters. Regular maintenance is always important. It’s a critical issue day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year. Following the suggested maintenance schedule for every item isn’t more important when runs are shorter and changeovers are more frequent, but these activities are more likely to be delayed or even overlooked during difficult times.

“When times are good, tube and pipe producers hesitate to stop production for maintenance,” said Michael Strand, president of T&H Lemont. “When times are tough, they don’t want to spend the money.” And although many mills are running full-tilt right now, a sign of good times, some of the business conditions are tough—especially the sky-high cost of raw materials and the less-than-reliable supply chains, fallout from the pandemic.

“More money spent on the raw material and more time spent on changeovers means less money and time for scheduled maintenance,” said Dan Ventura, president of Ventura & Associates. It’s not just a matter of spending money, but spending it wisely. It takes high-quality machinery and consumables to make high-quality products, and better investments can pay off.

“When buying tooling, many tube producers work right off the quotes and make decisions based on price,” Strand said. If it’s not a trustworthy tooling provider, it’s impossible to know if the tooling is made to the right design for your mill, made from the proper alloy, and if it was heat-treated properly.

The same goes for the ferrite used in the impeder, said John Holderman, general manager for EHE Consumables.

Few would go so far as to research something that many would regard as a minute detail, but ferrite varies in grade, which equates to its capacity to do its job. To provide the best use of electrical energy, the ferrite must have three characteristics: low losses, high permeability, and high saturation of flux density. For durability, it needs construction methods and binders that resist heat.

The same goes for everything else on the mill. Frugality is one thing, but taking that too far can mean dedicating disproportionate time and effort on repairs and incurring more downtime than necessary as the equipment ages.

Breaking the Speed Limit. If a company does adhere to every best practice, where can it go from there? For those who are prepared, there is one more boundary to be pushed.

“When everything is dialed in, the operator has one more thing he can do to maximize throughput,” Abbey said. “A motivated operator can run the mill a little faster than he’s accustomed to.” Abbey acknowledges that this means the operator has to work outside of his comfort zone, and this isn’t easy, but this is one last area for productivity gains, and perhaps the only way to find out what the mill really can do.

[hysteriium]

𝐌𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐬𝐭;

(𝐆𝐢𝐟 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞)!

(𝐀/𝐍 ): Ok. So. I really got carried away with this. TOMMY DESERVES LOVE OKAY???? I hope y’all enjoy! Kinda scared it sucks and I will be surprised if people read this but anyways lol – this is a lengthy boi! :)

( 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 ): Request for @enigmaticandunstable​. The reader reflects on memories and the moments leading up to how her life was changed forever.

( 𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 ): Thomas Hewitt x Reader.

( 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭 ): 7800+ k. 

( 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 ): Mentions of gore, fake friends, violence and swearing.

(I was previously @clownsxclowns, though I’ve recently changed my name to @hysteriium​)!     ͢  ⁽ᵉᵈⁱᵗᵉᵈ ᵒⁿ ᵗʰᵉ ¹¹ᵗʰ ᵒᶠ ᶠᵉᵇ ²⁰²¹⁾ 

You dangled your legs while sitting on the porch as Luda May spoke inside with Hoyt. You were unsure as to what the subject matter was, but they had been arguing for the past few minutes; his reassurances, particularly that she worried too much only worked to rile her up more. 

In some contradictory way it manifested a warm, homely sensation of tranquillity; the tingling in your chest a response to the joy of what you had – who you had. 

A family. 

With the Texan weather scorching and almost unbearable, it reminded you of another time. 

One specific day. 

One you recalled.

One that changed your life, forever.  

The Texan sun burnt into your flesh like a brand, making your skin red-hot and sticky. Without so much as a breeze, you remained perched in the back of your friend’s van, cramped up while the sweat welded your shirt to your form. Your desperate hands floated in front of you as they fanned the beads of sweat trickling down your forehead, leaving salty tracks in their path. 

You were practically sold on the idea that you’d all suffocate to death before reaching your destination. 

Mustering what was probably the last bit of energy you had, you called out to the driver. There was no way out of all the passengers on board you were the only one on the beginnings of delirium. With a quick observation it was clear heat exhaustion had coiled around everyone’s bodies, rendering them lax against the van walls.   

“It’s a fucking oven back here, we need to stop somewhere,” you shouted, amongst the bumps of the road. 

A chorus of agreement was heard, agitated murmurs and obscenities filling the thick air around you. In the rearview mirror, you could see your friend glaring at you, their eyes tight and squinting.

“Alright, alright. We passed a small store a few minutes ago. I’ll turn back,” is all they responded with. 

As the sounds of relief spread throughout the van, the piercing screech of the vehicle turning forced you to cover your ears, and before you knew it, you were thrown to the other side. Sliding across the open floor of the van, you ended up sandwiching one of the others between the wall. 

You grumbled a sorry once the van stabilised, and turned to face the only person you knew on this god awful road trip, just catching the ends of their mischevious smile. 

“Bitch,” you uttered, their laugh cutting through everyone else’s groans of pain. 

Untrue to their word, it was half an hour or so before you reached the stop they were talking about.

‘A few minutes my ass,’ you cursed internally.

It wasn’t the first time you began to believe the trip was a bad idea, but the belief was becoming more and more solidified as the minutes ticked by. The churning of your gut never failed you, and so it was a mystery as to why you had chosen to ignore it on this occasion. 

As everyone camped inside the convenience store, huddled around one of the tables, you were stationed on the other side of the wall waiting for (F/n) to come out of the bathroom. As boisterous laughter and the clacking of beer bottles filled the room, it wasn't hard to notice with a bit of observation that your group was annoying the lady at the counter; an annoyance that only worsened when one of the guys, you thought his name was Jerry, dropped his beer. Mostly empty, not much liquid coated the rotting floor planks; already in such a shambled state, it didn’t need any more stress. Instead, the glass shattered and the pieces had glided across the floor. Frantic movement behind the counter had your eyes darting towards the woman. Almost immediately you were scrambling to her side, fearful that she was going to kick you all out. 

“I’m so sorry about them, ma’am,” you shot her a sweet smile. 

She burned a look into you and it was far from friendly. She may as well have said ‘fuck off’. 

Regardless, you persisted. 

“I’ll clean up the mess and make sure it doesn’t happen again.” 

Your attempts to defuse the situation worked as she then wordlessly handed you a dustpan and broom. The scowl that had once manipulated her face lessened, and you just caught the hint of a smile. 

It was enough for you. 

You took the cleaning equipment and speedily cleaned up the scene of destruction while telling the group to be more careful. Like they were a bunch of teenagers, and you nothing more than a scolding mother, they booed at you. It was loud and obnoxious and there was no doubt the ruckus irked the owner even more. 

You felt your eyes roll at the act, the ever-increasing ache of homesickness weighing your chest down. After disposing of the remains, you returned the equipment to the older woman.

“Again, I’m really sorry about them,” you said, a small flush of embarrassment coating your cheeks.  

“That’s quite alright dear. Good things come to those who are polite,” she grinned. 

While it was sweet coming from the woman that was previously moments away from losing her temper and raining hellfire upon all of you, you couldn’t help but think the smile which tugged at her lips was ominous. 

Off. 

Eerie. 

It hastily tied a knot in your gut – something within you certain it wasn’t just the homesickness. 

You quickly excused yourself and said you needed fresh air, leaving her with a small nod. Not caring about what the fuck (F/n) was doing in the bathroom, you gladly walked back into the sun and welcomed the possibility of being fried like an egg.

Compelled by the seductive haze of autopilot, you made your way back to the van. You were going to let your head rest against the metal of the van, wanting to bask in the silence, until legs caught your eye. The legs on the other side of the vehicle were only visible from the gap between the floor and the van, their shoes unfamiliar. They certainly weren’t part of the group. 

The mystery struck you with a whirlwind of anxiety, forcing you to cautiously move toward the vehicle, and ultimately, to the person. You maneuvered around the back of the automobile, stopping just where the stretch ended.

There was a man hunched over, towards the passenger’s side door. Although it was hard to see at your angle with his back turned towards you, it looked like he was fiddling with something – hiding whatever it was in his hand. He wore a tan hat, the colour nearly matching his shirt, with coffee-coloured slacks.

“Sir?” 

The stranger froze. His brown pointed and worn leather shoes were the first thing to move towards you. When he rotated, your eyes darted to the glittering object perched on his shirt. It was a five-pointed star and it almost blinded you from the reflection of the sun. 

A nervous smile found its way to your face as it clicked, and like a common criminal, you felt your hands start to sweat. It wasn’t as if you had anything illegal on you; just being near officers made you nervous – as if you had unknowingly committed a crime.

“How may I help you, sheriff?” You said.

You assumed he was taken aback by your politeness because his bushy grey eyebrows jerked in surprise. Yet, it was gone as soon as it appeared and his face flickered back to a wrinkled scowl. 

Were people alien to courtesy here? Why were they so surprised whenever you showed a shred of civility?

“Honey, this here your van?” His accent drawled, breaking the stare off. It was thick and loud. 

The pet name made you want to gag, but you somehow restrained yourself.  

“No, it’s my friend’s. Why, is something wrong?”

He let out a hum, spitting to the side. “It’s not up to my standards.”

“Oh,” you paused to look back at the store, thumb pointing along with you, “I can get the owner if you’d like?” 

He failed to respond to your suggestion and advanced, looking you up and down. Your mouth grew dry, urging you to swallow. 

“What brings you to our little ol’ town, sweetheart?” He questioned. 

He was hardly a meter away and you were able to see his large pores, his blemishes and the days-old greying stubble that were bathed in sweat. 

“Oh, uh, just passing through,” your nervous laughter filled the air. The twitch of his nose signalled his suspicion as if he was a bloodhound specially bred for lies. 

“Keep outta trouble darlin’, or I’ll be seeing you.” 

“Y-Yes, sir.” 

His smile was anything but. It more of a sneer, with his snout crinkled. You were forced to watch his green-tinged spit hit the ground again as he squinted at you. His eyes lingered on your form for a short instant before he finally walked off. 

You couldn't contain the sigh of relief when he completely vanished from view and after a few more minutes, the group started spilling out of the store, just as rowdy as before. Two of them stumbled around, drunk. 

Great.

The urge to check what the Sheriff was doing to the car was shoved to the back of your mind. And then, the notion was entirely forgotten when you saw (F/n) return. You watched them run over to the driver’s seat, their shrill call declaring that the last person to get in was going to be left behind. 

You observed everyone catapult themselves into the back following their statement, and you ran to the passenger's seat, not entirely sure if (F/n) was joking or not. The chance of getting your old spot back was slim to none and it was only when they started up the car, blaring their uniquely shitty music that you regretted the decision entirely. 

Maybe you should’ve stayed behind.

The minutes passed by like hours. 

At the very least the heat had reached its peak with the passing of noon, making the weather more bearable. Finally, you were able to breathe without it seeming like you were travelling at a snail’s pace to death.

The clamour in the back had also fallen back and after some pleading, the music had dwindled down to a soft volume. 

As things started to turn around and peace seemed like a concept within reach, you found your mind wandering back to the sheriff. 

You felt compelled to tell (F/n).  

“Um hey,” you started, the awkward fumble getting their attention. “The sheriff came by earlier. He was kinda... weird.” 

“Sheriff?” They made a face, mimicking disgust, “are you about to tell me you almost got arrested?” 

You laughed.

“No, but you almost were. He was complaining about how your van wasn’t up to his standards.” 

Their gasp ripped through the air, sudden and dramatic. With one hand continuing to direct the steering wheel, the other made its way to the dashboard, rubbing the vinyl soothingly as if it had feelings. 

“Shhh, it’s okay baby, you’re up to my standards. You’re enough for me.”

“Okay, now I wish I had been arrested,” you mumbled, earning a laugh from (F/n), who had returned their attention to driving. 

“What an ass, my van’s perfect.” 

As if on cue, there was a loud ‘pop!’ It was one that startled everyone and a harmony of screams echoed throughout the car. (F/n) slammed on the breaks as the van swerved, thankful that the country road was large enough to accommodate the veering. 

“What the FUCK?” (F/n) shouted. 

The purr of the engine halted as (F/n) yanked the keys out of the ignition. Meanwhile, you worked to calm your pounding heart and your tattered breathing. A very audible string of curses fell from their lips once they realised what was wrong. 

They were on your side of the vehicle, the same area the Sheriff was at. Either he was right about the van not being up to standards, or he had done something to tamper with it. It was hard to believe that the sheriff could have done this, but then again he was kind of sketchy. If only you had checked prior, maybe this could have been avoided.

You hastily ignored the questions directed at you from the back as you followed (F/n)’s lead. Your clammy fingers gripped the door handle and curled around the latch before you pushed yourself out of the vehicle. (F/n) hunched over the front tire, their hands resting on their knees. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“The fucking tire’s exploded!” (F/n) exclaimed, their hands shooting up in an abrupt movement.  

“Exploded? How-”

They interrupted you with long strides and a face twisted up in anger. As they marched their way to the back door they harshly gripped the latch and heaved the door in one violent drag. Everyone in the back was silent as they seemingly looked up at the face of the devil. 

“Tire’s screwed. We’re gonna have to go searching for help.”

There were groans, but they were quickly crushed when (F/n) glared at the group, shutting them up. 

(F/n) started barking commands, motioning for the others to exit the vehicle. 

“(Y/n), the four of us are going to go search around. We should be back in a bit.”

“What? You’re leaving me!?” 

“Well someone needs to watch the van and I only trust you with that.” 

Another classic case of (F/n) buttering you up to get what they wanted. 

You caved. 

“Fine. Just don’t be too long. This place’s giving me bad vibes.” 

(F/n) mumbled something about feeling the same way before walking off with the rest of the group, leaving you alone and skittish. 

Your concept of time was flawed with only the sun and its position as your guide. Daylight was diminishing with every few minutes, and you found it increasingly hard to believe that the group was going to be back anytime soon. The bubbling anger that had manifested was yet to subside, the twinge of betrayal festering. You understood why they did what they did, but it didn’t make you feel any better.

Now that you were alone, you were hyper aware of everything: noises in the distance, the cicada's song, the occasional bird. You were also conscious of how dead it was. If something happened would someone be able to hear you? Help you? Were there any houses around the next few miles? 

There seemed to be nothing nearby but grass and the occasional tree. 

You were spiralling. 

Overthinking wasn’t helping, and if anything, it worsened the situation. You concluded that the best thing for you now was a distraction. 

You wiggled between the seats, careful not to knee anything on the console. When you fell into the back compartment with a grunt, you landed on your hands and knees. The distinctive crimson hue of your luggage popped its way into view, and mindful of everyone else’s things, you made an effort to avoid damaging anything. Reaching the case, you freed the zip, fixed on finding one of the few books you had packed. Your fingers operated with a mind of their own as you tossed your spare clothes, creating random mounds. 

When you discovered the novel, your features morphed into a grin. 

Then, you contorted your body back into the passenger's seat and began to read. 

As time passed, so did your energy. Before long your oldest friend, exhaustion, caught up with you and the leaden weight of your eyelids struggled to hold. You don’t remember how long it took to give into their painful demand, all you remember was the visual world floating away.

Hoyt was outside, his argument with Luda well in the past as his aged hands rested on his hips. 

He inhaled loudly. 

He was usually too busy to appreciate the beauty of the Hewitt household and its surroundings, but in one of those rare, out of the blue moments it seemed he’d found the time to do it now. 

Hoyt was, and always would be, a country man at heart. 

He was unaware of your presence and only seemed to acknowledge it you when you let out a groan from stretching. Then, he silently made his way over to you, plopping down onto the cushioned chair next to you. Wisps of dust shot into the air, looking almost like furious insects that had found their next feast. 

He started with a laugh, “you remember that time when I found you sittin’ in that van, all alone.” 

The words that left his mouth were strange and unexpected and exactly his style. Hoyt was sadistic, he could be an asshole and sometimes incredibly narcissistic, but the one thing that was certain was he cared about his family. You were apart of that.

“You was sleepin’ like a baby. Sure as hell weren’t snorin’ like one – I scared the shit outta you,” you heard the amusement in his voice, he didn’t try to hide it as the porch filled with his wheezing laughter. 

“I don’t snore!” 

He gives you a look, one that screams disbelief. 

“Ask Tommy!” 

“Yeah, because the big guy would know, wouldn’t he?” He shot you a wink.

The blood runs to your cheeks, and you avoided eye contact a fact that only fuelled Hoyt’s fit.

Under his prompt, you go to remember the memory, time rendering it hazy.  

There was a collation of noises: the crackling of gravel under wheels, the hum of something mechanical, wind; ignoring it, you remained asleep with a body that felt way too heavy to move. Two white dots of light shifted into view, piercing the skin of your eyelids before transforming into a bold red.

Although harder to ignore, it was a feat you achieved by lazily tossing your arm over your eyes. Nothing could get you to move. 

Thud, thud, thud! 

Proven wrong almost seconds later, the unexpected noise had you jolting forward and your hands striking the dashboard. You looked out the window, the shining subconscious hope of it being your friends crushed when you saw the familiar tan hat taking up most of the space. 

In a moment of disorientation, you stole a glance at the sky glad to find the sun had not set and the vibrant blue of the afternoon was still as prominent as before. It was only a matter of time, though. 

Frantic hands rolled down your window for the sheriff, your nerves performing the signature upturn of your lips. 

“Howdy again, sheriff!” You said, too enthusiastically. 

Naturally, he did not return the energy. 

“I thought I told you to say out of trouble.”

Your smile fell.

“What do you–” 

You were interrupted by his sudden movements. The older man fiddled with his belt for a second before producing a torch. One aggressive click later you were forced back into your seat as he stuck his head through the open window. The flashlight’s guiding light illuminated the back of the van, and it darted to every corner. Every crevice.

“That‘s a lot of stuff here for one person.” 

You cursed in your head, already knowing where this was leading to. 

Arrested in the middle of Texas under suspicion for transporting drugs while waiting for your asshole friends to return was not on your to-do list. 

“Not all of it’s mine, the tire exploded so my friends went to go look for help.” 

He used his flashlight even though it was not needed in daylight and shone it on the damaged tire. He didn’t mention anything about it after a glance, as if forgetting about it entirely, and returned to the subject of your friends. 

“And they left little ol’ you alone?”

“Er – yeah…” 

“Darlin’,” he said, leaning against the car, “it sounds like you need new friends.” 

You couldn’t help but think the creepy old sheriff was right.

With one swift motion, the door groaned open. The officer, you now knew as ‘Hoyt’ from his name tag, ordered you to exit the van. To avoid getting on his bad side, you did just that. 

The man’s moods shifted like the wind. 

He turned away from you as he adjusted his hat. With a flick of his wrist and the flex of his index finger, he motioned you to follow. He led you his car and after settling in, he drove off without a word. You were entirely in the dark as to where he was going, though you were trying your hardest to avoid getting thrown into a holding cell in an entirely different state. 

“What about the van?”

His fingers danced around the dashboard, appearing to look for something as his eyes remained fixed on the road. When he found it, he latched onto the small device and held it up to his mouth.  

“Monty get your ass over here, I have a van about a quarter mile from our place. Needs towin’.” 

“Towing?!” You screeched. 

Hoyt gave you a threatening look.

You shut up.

“Yes, sheriff,” there was an annoyed pitch to the man’s voice, though Hoyt didn’t acknowledge it. Whether it was because Hoyt didn’t care, or because he was unaware, you believed it was the former. 

“Are we going to the station, sir?”

There was no proper response to your question, just a grunt. 

Eventually, you arrived at a two-story house. It was visually decrepit and made out of stone. Pillars supported the structure, though you were unsure as to how long that would last, and the setting sun embraced the building with an ominous glow of which it did nothing positive for it. 

Dread churned in your gut.

If there was ever a point in your life where something screamed ‘TURN BACK NOW’ this would be it.   

“This... doesn’t look like a station…” Your voice trailed off, a million and one scenarios speeding through your mind.

Hoyt ignored you. 

When the sheriff parked he leapt out of the vehicle and opened the door for you. He barked a mean order to get out and when you didn’t do so immediately, he lost his patience. Rough hands dug into your wrists, hauling you out of the car for you. Then, acting like he did you a favour he spat a ‘your welcome’ at you as you struggled to stabilise your wobbly legs. You were shaking and unsure as to what exactly you did wrong while a wicked smirk grew across his chapped lips, replacing that semi-perminent frown.

When he dragged you to the porch, you were surprised to find that the woman from the store was standing in the doorway, holding the door open with her body. 

Were there only 2 people in this town?!

“Easy on her Hoyt, she was kind enough to help me at the store today,” she gave the man a look. One of warning.  

His gaze shifted to you, eyes narrowed and rife with distrust – though he seemed like he was pondering her words. A grunt was heard and he released your throbbing wrists, propelling you in the direction of the woman. 

Her arms captured you in an embrace. The woman proceeded to scowl at the man, a look he ignored as he moved past her, into the house. 

“Oh dear, you must be hungry. Let me fix you something to eat.”

“I’m not that hungry–” your stomach betrayed you, not even letting you finish your sentence. Your cheeks flared up in embarrassment, dragging along with it the shocking realisation you hadn’t eaten. Instead of listening to any more of your protests, she grabbed onto your wrist, similarly to Hoyt, though with a gentleness. Almost motherly. Reassuring. 

“Right through here,” she said, leading you to the kitchen, “take a seat right there, I won’t be a minute.” 

You did as she directed and make yourself as comfortable as you humanly could despite the blarring warning sings. 

You couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched, the burning gaze of another prominent. It was a feeling you managed to chalked off as mental, and so you tried to ignore it.  

She was true to her word when she returned with a steaming hot cup of tea. The wisps of smoke danced in the air, around the cup. She had a bowl in her other hand, the contents only something you were able to get a good look at when it was placed in front of you. The smell uppercut you, a pleasant homely aroma, though the visual wasn’t as appealing; it looked like some sort of stew. 

“I hope you’re not a vegetarian,” she joked. 

A few strands of her hair fell in front of her face as she cackled. Then, she manoeuvred herself into the chair across from you, watching intently as you took a spoonful of her dish.

The meat was a weird texture, it was not something you’ve tasted before. 

Strange. 

Maybe they fed the cows differently here which resulted in a different taste? You weren't sure. Regardless, it was edible in your borderline starving state; you could practically eat anything at this stage.   

“No, I’m not,” you chuckled with her, “thank you so much for your hospitality, ma’am. It’s really good!”

"It's May, dear," she continued, “Thank you, it’s a family recipe." 

“May,” you smiled, “I’m (Y/n).”   

“Oh, such a sweet name for a sweet girl. Tommy would just adore you.” 

“Tommy?” You questioned, not remembering her mention him at all. 

She paused for a moment, teacup pulled back from her mouth as she stared into the drink. You were almost convinced there was something ghastly wrong with the drink – as if a fly had fallen into the beverage – though you were also certain you would have seen it happen. 

She continued this unsettling act for a couple more seconds before a wavering grin possessed her features. The hairs on the nape of your neck rose as a result. 

“Oh, you’ll meet him soon enough.” 

The statement was as ominous as the one from earlier, perhaps more so, the dread building up and clawing at your heart. 

You hastily changed the subject. 

“Have my friends come past by any chance? You saw them earlier at the store.” 

“I’m afraid they haven’t–”

May was cut off by a scream. It was local and unsettling, its origin from below. 

Silence.

Then, you heard it again as you stared at each other, May’s eyes containing something dark and intense. Yet, they swirled with curiosity – intrigued at what you’d do; daring you to act first. The shrieks were familiar and your brain frantically searched for the missing puzzle piece until, it clicked. 

(F/n). 

To say you jumped up and bolted for the door was an understatement. 

May was faster than she looked though and she latched onto your hand like an anchor. She knew exactly how you’d react – like any normal person. 

Shrieking a cry of pain, you tried to wriggle yourself free from her death grip. 

“Let go!” 

You repeated this over and over like it would make a difference. It did to some degree, but not the outcome you hoped, only working to intensify her grasp. She proceeded to capture your other hand. The blank stare she’d taken on told you she wouldn’t be letting you go anytime soon. 

“Such a shame,” she sighed, seeming truly upset, “I’ve always wanted a girl.” 

Unsure of what that statement even meant, your foot connected with her knee in a final attempt to free yourself. A wounded gasp left her lips and she tumbled to the ground, her body joining the floor with a ‘thud’. You didn't feel remorse at the sickly sound, though you felt fear when she screamed out to Hoyt and to the man you had yet to meet, Thomas. Not wanting to find out who exactly ‘Tommy’ was, you retreated for the door, thankfully remembering your way around. 

There was commotion all around the house as if there was a blind, scared dog on the loose; its poor body crashing into furniture, producing the thuds. 

You couldn’t focus on the strange noises if you wanted to try saving your life, and headed for the door, neglecting the aching pain in your hip as it collided with one of their outdated pieces of furniture. 

The only thing that stopped you in your tracks was a knife swiping at you.

With widened eyes, everything felt like it was in slow motion – like you were about to watch yourself die.

Hoyt leapt for you, weapon in hand. The blade glistened against the light, and he struck – fast, hard and equally terrifying. You managed to dodge his first advance out of sheer luck with the weapon aimed at your jugular. It had been a close call, mere centimetres away. 

The second time he swung, you weren’t as lucky. Like a rabid wolf, he was frothing at the mouth, eager to induce pain, to see blood, and he got what he wanted when he stabbed you in the back of your forearm. Just before he had dug the blade into you, you raised your arms in self-defence, covering your face. The metal scraped against the target area, leaving a thick and deep gash. 

The wound stopped just above your elbow. 

As an automatic response, you kicked him back – once in the stomach to which he hunched over from, and a second to the groin. 

“Goddamn!” He groaned in pain, rolling to his side in a ball. His hands held his crotch and he almost sounded impressed by how hard you hit him. Reduced to nothing but a mean old man, you were happy to find that you were stronger than you thought.

You didn't have long to internally celebrate when you heard the slamming of metal. It sounded like a door, but there was more of an industrial ring to it. 

Maybe that was the notorious family member you had yet to meet.

Regardless, it was enough to send you sprinting. 

You ran as far as your legs could carry you. The grass was long, thick and rife with weeds. It tickled your legs and while it was a sign of freedom, it was far from comforting. 

You continued to sprint for your life, just missing a circular metal formation. It looked sharp, possessed razored edges and had a menacing trigger mechanism. 

A bear trap.

If you had so much as altered your sprinting, your leg would have badly damaged – if not lost. 

There was no time to dwell on the multitudinous horrors of the day you repeated to yourself, like a mantra, as you darted towards the trees. Staying focused and alive was the main priority. 

You were about to celebrate how far you’d sprinted when your internal cheering was cut short. 

First you heard a sputter, the sound of a machine purring. The ruckus of a ripcord being pulled floated to your ears and it took a few tries of the repeated drag before the noise morphed into something else entirely. Something more dangerous and unique. 

A brattle war cry. 

It turned out you hadn’t escaped as you had so wanted to believe, and now, you were being fucking chased. 

With a chainsaw. 

Too scared to look back, you tried your best to run as fast as humanly possible. (F/n) was long forgotten and the frantic drumming in your chest was a sour reminder that you’d be joining them soon. 

Shit, shit, shit, shit. 

Despite your better instincts, you caved and did exactly what you told yourself not to do. You looked back. The move was so sudden and wild that you tripped over your tangled feet and fell to the earth, dirt flying into your mouth. Terrified and sputtering the specks of ground, you were convinced you were about to end up in shreds and subsequently be served as spaghetti. 

Holding onto that last scrap of hope, you threw your hands up in surrender. This truly was your last chance at survival, the chainsaw that had caught up – swiftly and unfairly so – was shoved too close for comfort, mocking your cries while it buzzed.

“T-Thomas!” You stuttered as your hands shook above you.

The sound of his name caused him to angle his head. You had caught him off guard. 

Good.

“T-Thomas, was it? Tommy?” 

This time you called to him softer, though still loud enough to hear over the roaring of the chainsaw. The man continued to look at you, confused. 

Able to get a better view of the man in front of you, you first noticed his eyes, blue and shimmering as he hunched over. 

Striking and captivating. 

If it wasn't for the fact that he was about to slaughter you with a fucking chainsaw, and for the blood coated apron tied around his neck, you would have thought him intriguing.

His large form blocked out the setting sun from where you were beneath him and the tree’s canopies were your only source of speckled light. Messy black strands of hair littered his face, some stuck to his forehead due to sweat, while others hung freely. His breathing was noticeably ragged, large intakes expanded his large frame, yet there was no noise to it, silent and much like him, threatening.

You grew curious at the leather muzzle overlaying his face, it was brown and worn, but beckoning. It failed to cover the entrance to his mouth, so as stupid as you believed the thought was, he wasn’t wearing it because he bit people.

What else could it be for?

When he stepped closer to you, you scrambled backward, mentally kicking yourself for losing yourself in your thoughts. The rough trunk of the tree you backed into stole your breath for a moment.

“G-Ge-get ba-back!” It was hardly a confident exclamation, though it seemed to somewhat do the trick. 

He stood still for a long time. You were anxious there was no swaying him until he lowered his chainsaw. Although it was still running, loud and clear, his stare was intense and never left you. His thick brows furrowed, and there was confusion in his eyes. Bright and obvious. 

Taking advantage of this once in a lifetime second chance, your hands pushed yourself off from the ground while your back rubbed against the tree. The wound on your forearm had not stopped bleeding, the steady stream of blood continuing to seep its way out. Due to the angle you stood up from, your injury brushed up against the prickles of bark. Some directly jabbed into your wound, forcing an anguished yelp from your throat, while others were baptised with red rain. 

In a sudden movement, he lifted his chainsaw. The action immediately drew out a wail from you and you shut your eyes, bracing for the worst. You fell to the ground, whispering a silent prayer as you waited for impact. The chainsaw continued to roar and then finally it breathed its last breath, a few final sputters indicating its stop. Then, there was a thud – heavy and metallic, followed by silence. 

When you opened your eyes again and saw the man still in front of you, it was only then when you realised you were not dead. His blue eyes observed you intently, his form shrouded by the shadows. 

He stepped closer without the blessing of grace, stopped at your legs and then finally fell to his kness. He appeared to want to inspect you further as his hands reached out to grip your face. He squeezed at certain places, especially your cheeks, and you were forced to remain calm under his handling.

It was hard to contain your whimpers and sobs and you somehow managed until you caught his attention with your tears. Unable to stop them, you felt like you were beginning to lose all control entire. That is – until he wiped their salty trails away with his thumb. 

“Thomas,” you whispered with fluttering eyes, “please don’t hurt me.” 

It wasn’t clear if exhaustion, stress or the loss of blood had finally caught up with you – or if it was all of the above – but your vision began to fade, taking with it your consciousness, too. 

The next time you returned from your flashback, recalling the woman you once were, it was at the Hewitt dinner table. You don’t know why you were reminiscing so much. It wasn’t because you missed your old life. You knew it was far from it. 

The past was apart of who you were, no matter how hard you tried to dissociate from it. The memories weren't uncomfortable, they weren't haunting. Just neutral. How you perceived the gone by, those thoughts and memories, were a reflection of yourself. Where you were at mentally. 

You believed memories were like mountains; they pile up throughout your lifetime. Over time, bits and pieces fall off the rock due to weathering, while others form stronger, more stable parts of the stone. And just like mountains, memories can be daunting; scary and hard to get over. Some people never reach the top, tormented, with every day posing a challenge; some fall and get back up. For others, it’s a while before they do. 

Neither option’s right or wrong, sometimes it’s what's needed at the time. We all scale mountains in our minds, progressing at different speeds. 

It is with that, that you realised you were one of the lucky ones. To look at the past with an impartial lens, to recognise the happiness in some, the tragedy within others, but still remain content and engaging with the present; it was a feat. 

Everyone had noticed your distance, your movements automatic and trance like as you played with your food. 

Luda was the first to speak. 

“Dear, what’s wrong?” Luda was sitting to the right of you, her gentle hand reaching its way over and stopping just before your plate. 

You told them the memory – about the first time you arrived at the house and they all fell silent. Monty was yet to say anything and Thomas, to your left, was focusing on a small stain on the tablecloth. It was clear he was uncomfortable. 

Hoyt then burst out into laughter, his hand slapping his knee, “oooh-ee, you kick like a mean bitch! That shit hurt for days!” 

Finding solace in his laughter, you were glad to find that there was some sort of humour to the event, especially since things could have gone drastically sideways. 

In your best attempts to reassure Tommy, your hand snuck its way to his knee under the table, rubbing soothing circles. This got his attention as his gaze locked with yours; the slight twitch of his cheeks told you he was smiling softly, his eyes twinkling with admiration. Though, it didn’t last long and he returned to the very same mark on the tablecloth.  

Dinner passed by rather quickly after sharing the memory, and when you were near finishing assisting May with the dishes, you felt familiar hands enveloping your hips; large but antithetical in their tenderness. 

A grin took hold of your lips when he rested his chin on top of your head, his form hunching over slightly. 

"Hey, Tommy," you whispered, closing your eyes briefly to bask in his affection.

He squeezed your hips in reply as you finish wiping down the last of the wet plates. The squeaking of the ceramic grated on you and you picked up your pace, eager to spend time with your partner. Thomas let go of you when he saw you were done and nuzzled you, urging you to hurry up and put away the rest of the kitchenware. Then, he quickly grabbed your hand, impatiently leading you to the front door. 

You could tell he was just as excited to spend time with you. 

In seconds, you were out on the porch. Tommy sat down on the wooden bench and he grabbed you by the hips again, lifting you effortlessly and placing you on his lap. Adjusting, you draped your legs across his lap, feet just barely hanging off as the wind softly blew through your hair. It was cool for a change, strange for Texas, and it nipped at your bare skin, causing you to nestle into Thomas. He noticed your sudden chill, and his strong arms pulled you into a giant hug, your tired head resting against his shoulder. He was far from cold, he was more so the personification of a heater. 

Your thoughts suddenly turn back to the events at dinner – his distance, and why he was so quiet.

“Where’d you get off to at dinner, Tommy? You seemed to float away.”

The words seemed to trigger a memory within him and you witnessned him react with pain as you looked up, his gentle eyes squinting. It almost made you want to retract the question entirely. 

With care he removed his arms from around you and grabbed your wrist, raising it to display a large gash on your forearm. The wound was healed, your flesh risen and sensitive. His fingers hovered over the scar, delicate and tentative as if he was scared of reopening it again – scared of reliving the past. 

You looked down to the wound, a bittersweet monument; bitter because it had hurt, and because Hoyt was an ass. Sweet because in spite of all the pain and agony you had to endure that day, the best thing that came out of it was Tommy. The days that initially followed were hard, but you came to realise that the man you had viewed as so terrifying and murderous, was in fact only doing what he needed to help his relatives survive. He was a big softy when it came down to things, caring and protective of those he called family. 

“Hey,” you whispered, looking into his large, melancholy cerulean eyes, “it’s not your fault.” 

He grunted in response and you knew it was a protest to your statement, most likely finding a way to justify how wrong you were. 

A frown found its way to your face, and you hushed him. Whenever he got into his sad guilty moods it was hard to get him out of it. Thomas couldn’t talk, and that in itself made it difficult for him to express himself. He was often in his head as it was his only form of escapism, and by that same token, it was also his own hell. He experienced anxieties like everyone else, and spirals of self-doubt – of shame. The poor man was exceptionally critical of himself. You could only imagine what was going through his head. 

It was hard to see your love this way. 

Switching your position, your legs parted on both sides of his legs and you grabbed both of his hands, bringing them up to your lips. 

“You can’t control anyone else’s actions Tommy, and I don’t blame you for it. There’s nothing you could have done to stop him.” 

He didn’t reply, but he was listening to what you were saying.

“I love you more than anything, and I forgave you for everything a long time ago.

“It’s time to forgive yourself, my love.” 

You watched his face contort into gentle happiness. You couldn’t see the entire smile itself, a good portion covered by his leather muzzle, but you could see it in his eyes. They were the most expressive part of Thomas, and you could often figure out what he was feeling with just one look. 

Watching those very same eyes become glassy broke your heart. Perhaps it was something he had been holding onto a long time, or maybe he just really needed to hear it. Either way, your words impacted him. 

He signalled to cover your eyes and when you’d done so, you heard the jingle of metal - Thomas pulling off his muzzle. He then brought his hands to your face and cupped your cheeks. When his lips met yours, he was slow and sweet. Full of love.

If someone had told you months ago you were going to find the love of your life and settle down, you would have laughed in their face. Yet life happens and it changes so fast it’s hard to keep up with its pace. 

But for this, you were thankful. 

Wanting to see your boyfriend happy, you wiggled your fingers and darted them to his sides, causing him to writhe and grunt in laughter. You weren’t expecting him to be so ticklish and you filed the information away to use again later; his joy was a beautiful sight – his amusement a beautiful sound – and it’s one you’re certain to remember for lifetimes. 

Your moment of awe was cut short when he turned the tables. He very easily broke free. His sturdy hands dug into your side, while the other held you in place, ensuring you wouldn’t escape. Your giggles were the only thing that could be heard among the crickets and the gentle melody of wind chimes. 

“T-Thomas!” You somehow manage to blurt out through frantic laughter, “you’re hurting me!” 

The sound of your chuckles was enough to convince him otherwise, though he stopped and brought a calloused hand to your face, rubbing small circles with his thumb. You leant into his touch and reverted to the position you were in before, his arms securely around your smaller frame.  

Spending slow lazy nights with Thomas on the porch was something you loved, and wouldn’t trade for the world. Although you were usually both out here to see etheral glow of the sky at dusk – pinks, purples, and oranges scattered around to depict the perfect artwork – the stars were here instead. Just as beautiful and celestial, you couldn’t convey the swell of your feelings as you watched the stars twinkle their soft hello’s. Without fail, no matter how many times you attended the show of the universe, you always felt something. It was a sensation you loved to share with Tommy; maybe it was love, elation, but even then the words felt wrong. They weren’t enough to describe such feelings. 

But, perhaps you didn’t need to. 

Experiencing it was enough.

It wasn’t hard to conclude Tommy felt the same as the two of you sat there. Rather than counting down the seconds, waiting for the tranquil moment to end – dreading its end – you drunk in its bliss. Intoxicated by it, you were just happy to share this small moment in time.

With him. 

[keenobservationtiger]

Solving problems on the tube mill

Tube mill machine line face a variety of challenges every day in their effort to produce high-quality tubing in a cost-effective and productive way.

This article examines some of the typical problems producers encounter, some common causes of these problems, and some ideas for how to solve these problems.

Lost Mill Time During Operation and Changeovers

Often, excessive downtime during normal operation or tooling/job changeover can be attributed to one or more of the following causes:

1. No written procedures for setup. Every mill should have written procedures for all operators to follow. The machine, tooling, and steel are fixed factors in the mill setup equation; the only variable is the human factor. This is why it is so important to have written procedures in place to control the process. Written procedures also provide a tool for troubleshooting when problems arise.

2. No setup chart. Tweaking the mill during setup loses valuable setup time. Operators must work the tooling the way it was designed. This means setting up to the parameters of a setup chart.

3. Lack of formal training. Formal training helps operators perform the procedures for carbon steel tube mill machine and maintenance and ensures that all operators are on the same track.

4. Disregard of parameters from previous setup. If the Galvanized tube mill machine has been set up according to the written procedures and setup chart, the operator can write down the numbers from the digital readout on the single-point adjustment (SPA) unit, allowing the next operator to set up where the first left off. Setting up to the numbers can save as much as 75 percent of total setup time, as long as all the other tips discussed in this article are followed.

5. Mill in poor condition. A poorly maintained mill costs valuable time and scrap during setup and operation. The mill must be dependable so that the operator is not chasing mechanical problems during normal operation and setup. A good maintenance program, as well as rebuilds or upgrades when necessary, is essential.

6. Mill in misalignment. Tube mill misalignment, poor mill condition, and inaccurate setup account for 95 percent of all problems in tube production. Most mills should be aligned at least once a year.

7. Tooling in poor condition. Operators must know how much life is left in the tooling before the next scheduled rework. Running the tooling until it cannot produce tubing anymore not only wastes valuable mill time, but produces scrap and affects delivery schedules. All tube production companies should have a tooling maintenance program in place.

Any of these causes of lost time on the mill can have varying degrees of value, depending on the severity of the conditions. The bottom line is, the more of these items that are in control, the less downtime on the mill.

Splitting in the Weld Zone

Weld zone splitting can be a result of some or all of the following:

Overly narrow strip with insufficient material to forge

Poor alignment or setup

Insufficiently worked fin passes, so the edge is not prepared for welding

Poor slit edge

Off-center strip approach (strip rolled over) to the weld box, preventing forging between the weld rolls

Nonparallel edges entering the welding machine

Inappropriate weld power for mill speed

Poor-quality steel with improper chemistry

Irregular Size in the Sizing Section

When irregular size occurs in the sizing section, the problem may not necessarily be in the sizing section itself. The operator also must check the setup in the breakdown, fin, and welding section of the mill to ensure proper presentation to the sizing section. If the forming section sends improperly formed tube to the sizing section, irregular tube size can result.

The operator also should check for bent shafts, oversized bores on the tooling, or undersized outside diameters (ODs) on the driven shafts. The integrity of the side roll boxes also should be checked.

In addition to these checks, the operator should consider the following questions:

Is the weld size in accordance with the setup chart?

Is the weld size round?

Are the strip edges parallel, with no step going into the weld rolls?

Is the weld scarf smooth?

Are rework shims installed under the bottom driven shafts to maintain the metal line?

Are the correct spacers installed on the driven shafts and to the correct length?

Are the bearings and bearing blocks tight?

Are the side rolls parallel?

Is the tube being cooled properly?

Are all the drives coordinated and adjusted to match the rework of the tooling?

Has the chemistry or hardness of the material changed?

Weld Chatter

Weld chatter is the inability to achieve a clean cut of the outside weld bead after welding. The scarf knife chatters and produces a ribbed or rough cut on the OD of the tube. This is unacceptable in most of the end products produced by the tube and pipe industry.

Several techniques can be used to prevent weld chatter.

The scarf knife should have a slightly larger radius than the tube OD. This will provide a concentric, clean cut.

An ironing pass should be used after the scarf stand. As the name implies, this stand irons out any hot imperfections the scarf knife may leave behind. It also adds a tremendous amount of stability to the scarfing operation.

On mills that employ induction welding, moving the induction coil upstream a bit and away from the weld rolls helps temper the edges of the strip by preheating them before welding. This results in a more malleable material that is softer and easier for the scarf knife to cut.

The heel of the scarf knife or insert should be ground to an angle of 18 degrees from the horizontal, and the tool should be set at an angle of 15 degrees from the vertical. This provides the proper clearance so the knife does not drag on the tube or pipe. A straight up-and-down approach to the tube or pipe invites chatter.

In general, several tube mill components should be checked on a regular basis. This should be done at least monthly, but should be based on the usage. A higher production rate or running heavier metals through the mill requires more frequent checks. Shafts should be checked for OD, looseness, bending, and parallelism. Shoulder alignment should be checked, and the integrity of the entry table, drive stands, side roll boxes, weld box, and Turk's head units should be ensured. Of course, rolls should be checked to ensure they have been installed on the correct stands.

Once a year, the mill should be aligned. A mill alignment usually takes one or two days and is most often done by a professional. Every day, the mill operator should use a setup chart and follow all operating procedures.

The operator also should know the chemistry, Rockwell hardness, width, and thickness of the strip entering the mill and should document these values. Tube size should be measured between each pass.

Most important, for high-quality, consistent results in tube producing, an operation standard should be established for all employees to follow.

High‐frequency welded carbon tube mill machine line is designed to produce round tube diameter of 10.0 – 38.1mm, and wall thickness of 0.4 ‐1.8mm.This line utilizes roll forming to process steel strip into various shapes. Using high frequency induction heating, this line is capable of producing section material of various diameters and sizes by squeezing weld seam together into closed shape. The application of advanced aperture technology, PLC automatic control system and British Eurasia Digital speed‐regulating unit ensure that the production line works reliably and operates and maintains easily.

Every detail is the evidence of showing our company's strength and works's hardworking and it is the basical assurance of every machine we are producing.We are targeting to provide our customers with high-quality equipment or machines.

Botou Boheng Metallurgical Equipment Manufacturing Co.,Ltd was established in 2003, and located in Botou city Hebei province. Boheng is a high and new-techonology enterprise specialized in design,development and manufacture of ERW welded pipe equipment,high precision slitting & crossing-cutting equipment,spiral welded pipe equipment,cold forming equipment and crossing-cutting equipment,spiral welded pipe equipment,cold forming equipment and rollers. Boheng is the pioneer that had the key processing technology of the international advanced whole set welded pipe mill. Boheng always adhere to the enterprise policy "contribute to the society with excellent techniques,high quality products and perfect service".

Technology capability:

(1)Engineer able to service overseas

(2)Work out reasonable investment scheme,selecting rational model unit

(3)Provide free equipment layout,factory planning for you

(4)Provide free equipment foundation drawing,if necessary,offer technical guidance on-site for equipment foundation construction

(5)Provide equipment installation and commission,ensure the normal operation of production line

(6)Provide professional technical training to help your stuff familiar with equipment ASAP

[phgq]

SMC rolls out seafood processing program for Bulacan residents

#PHnews: SMC rolls out seafood processing program for Bulacan residents

MANILA – San Miguel Corporation (SMC) has rolled out a new community-based training program for former residents of Barangay Taliptip in Bulakan, Bulacan, which aims to boost the local seafood industry, and provide additional livelihood opportunities for relocatees from what will be the future site of the Manila International Airport project.

Part of the master plan for the airport project is to transform the host province Bulacan into a seafood capital of the country and provide the means to allow it to flourish.

The recent livelihood and skills training program of SMC in Taliptip teaches relocatees seafood processing techniques to allow them to maximize their income potential and help further develop the local industry.

The courses include bangus deboning, tinapa-making, boneless tilapia and lumpia shanghai making, as well as bangus and shrimp fry production.

“This is an industry that many of our Taliptip families are quite familiar with, because many of them used to work at fishponds. But we wanted to teach them new ways to maximize their income. And that is to turn seafood into value-added products,” SMC president and COO Ramon Ang said on Thursday.

“Today, most of the major fish ports and seafood industries are located in nearby areas like Navotas, Malabon. But Bulacan can be like them too. This community project is a small start. Initially, residents aim to just cater to the local market and their local establishments. But if more residents and locals really go into, it can become their major local industry,” he added.

So far, some 44 participants have benefitted from the first two batches of seafood processing courses.

Meanwhile, another 40 to 50 relocatees are already earning from the ongoing bangus and shrimp fry production training under a local fishpond operator, in cooperation with SMC.

Many of the participants have also previously graduated from vocational courses funded by SMC under the Technical Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA).

“We are encouraged by their willingness to learn more skills and this only shows that they want to improve their lives, with our help. As we promised them before, when we first helped them to build new homes, we will make sure they also have the capability to earn more income,” Ang said.

“We are currently reaching out to more relocatees who are still residing in Bulacan so we can offer them the same skills and livelihood training opportunities, even as we move closer to our task of making the airport project the centerpiece of development in the province, “he added.

Apart from seafood processing courses, other community-based training courses on tap are baking and pastries as well as beads and accessories making.

Ang said by learning more skills, the relocatees are expanding their sources of income and their capacity to provide for their families, especially during this time of pandemic.

The relocatee-graduates of the said community-based training programs will be initially supplying wet and dry goods such as bangus, tilapia, crabs, and other native delicacies of Bulakan to local restaurants and eateries in Barangay Taliptip.

Last January 24, former residents of Sitio Kinse opened the pilot store of SMC’s Community Reseller program in Barangay Bambang. SMC provided the initial inventory of Magnolia Chicken and Purefoods products for free, as well as freezers for the said community store.

“We have been receiving numerous queries about our community reselling program from our relocatees who want to put up their own businesses. Right now, they are organizing themselves into groups or cooperatives, and we look forward to opening more stores with them,” he said.

The community-based skills training program is just the latest assistance provided by SMC to former Taliptip settlers. This is on top of financial assistance that allowed 277 Taliptip families to build their own homes or purchase property in Bulacan or their home provinces.

Owners of non-concrete houses or shanties were given PHP250,000 each, while owners of concrete houses were given the appraised value of their homes, multiplied by two, plus PHP100,000.

Cash assistance was also provided to 87 others who were disqualified, for a total of 364 beneficiaries.

The first batch of 58 former Taliptip residents taking up SMC-supported courses in TESDA has also graduated.

Graduate of Shielded Metal Arc Welding, Electrical Installation and Maintenance, and Heavy Equipment Operations courses are being prepared for possible jobs once airport construction begins, while graduates of Dressmaking and Cookery courses have been given toolkits to start their small businesses. (PR) 

  ***

References:

* Philippine News Agency. "SMC rolls out seafood processing program for Bulacan residents." Philippine News Agency. https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1129676 (accessed February 05, 2021 at 03:01AM UTC+14).

* Philippine News Agency. "SMC rolls out seafood processing program for Bulacan residents." Archive Today. https://archive.ph/?run=1&url=https://www.pna.gov.ph/articles/1129676 (archived).

[little-p-eng-engineering]

CSA Z662 (Oil and gas pipeline systems)

June 12, 2020

P.Eng.

Meena Rezkallah

1 Scope 2 Reference publications and definitions 2.1 Reference publications 2.2 Definitions 3 Safety and loss management systems 3.1 General 3.2 Pipeline system integrity management program 3.3 Engineering assessments 3.3.1 General 3.3.2 Engineering assessment process 3.3.3 Documentation 3.4 Risk management 4 Design 4.1 General 4.2 Design conditions 4.2.1 General 4.2.2 Temperature 4.2.3 Sustained force and wind loading 4.2.4 Other loading and dynamic effects 4.3 Design criteria

4.3.1 General 4.3.2 Class location assessment areas 4.3.3 Class location designations 4.3.4 Class location end boundaries 4.3.5 Pressure design for steel pipe — General 4.3.6 Pressure design for steel pipe — Design factor (F) 4.3.7 Pressure design for steel pipe — Location factor (L) 4.3.8 Pressure design for steel pipe — Joint factor (J) 4.3.9 Pressure design for steel pipe — Temperature factor (T) 4.3.10 Pressure design for steel pipe — Allowances 4.3.11 Pressure design for steel pipe — Wall thickness 4.3.12 Pressure design for components — General 4.3.13 Pressure design for components — Closures 4.3.14 Pressure design for components — Elbows 4.3.15 Pressure design for components — Tees and crosses 4.3.16 Pressure design for components — Branch connections 4.3.17 Pressure design for components — Integrally reinforced extruded outlet headers 4.3.18 Pressure design for components — Welded branch connections 4.3.19 Pressure design for components — Reinforcement of single openings 4.3.20 Pressure design for components — Reinforcement of multiple openings 4.4 Valve location and spacing 4.5 Selection and limitation of piping joints 4.5.1 Buttwelded joints 4.5.2 Threaded joints 4.5.3 Sleeve, coupled, mechanical interference fit, and other patented joints 4.5.4 Additional requirements for mechanical interference fit joints 4.6 Flexibility and stress analysis — General stress design 4.6.1 Applicability 4.6.2 Stress design of restrained and unrestrained portions of pipeline systems 4.6.3 Discontinuity stresses 4.6.4 Supplemental stress design 4.6.5 Hoop stress 4.6.6 Steel properties 4.7 Flexibility and stress analysis — Stress design for restrained portions of pipeline systems 4.7.1 Combined hoop and longitudinal stresses 4.7.2 Combined stresses for restrained spans 4.7.3 Anchors and restraints 4.8 Flexibility and stress analysis — Stress design for unrestrained portions of pipeline systems 4.9 Flexibility and stress analysis — Loads on pipe-supporting elements 4.9.1 General 4.9.2 Supports and braces 4.10 Flexibility and stress analysis — Design of pipe-supporting elements 4.11 Cover and clearance 4.12 Crossings 4.12.1 General 4.12.2 Crossings of utilities 4.12.3 Crossings of roads and railways 4.12.4 Crossings of water

4.13 Requirements for pipelines in proximity to electrical transmission lines and associated facilities 4.13.1 General 4.13.2 Effects on pipelines in proximity to high-voltage DC lines 4.13.3 Safety requirements 4.14 Design of compressor stations over 750 kW and pump stations over 375 kW 4.14.1 General 4.14.2 Design of compressor stations over 750 kW 4.14.3 Design of pump stations over 375 kW 4.15 Liquid storage in oil pipeline pump stations, tank farms, and terminals 4.15.1 Aboveground tanks over 4000 L 4.15.2 Aboveground tanks of 4000 L or less 4.15.3 Underground tanks 132 4.15.4 Pressure spheres, bullets, and ancillary vessels 4.15.5 Pipe-type storage vessels 4.16 Gas storage in pipe-type and bottle-type holders 4.16.1 General 4.16.2 Aboveground installations 4.16.3 Underground installations 4.17 Vaults 4.17.1 Structural design 4.17.2 Location 4.17.3 Vault ventilation 4.17.4 Drainage and waterproofing 4.18 Pressure control and overpressure protection of piping 4.18.1 General 4.18.2 General design requirements for systems for pressure control and overpressure protection 4.18.3 Additional design requirements for pressure-relieving installations 4.18.4 Additional overpressure-protection requirements for compressor and pump stations 4.19 Instrument, control, and sampling piping 4.20 Leak detection capability 4.21 Odorization 4.22 Requirements for pipelines installed by horizontal directional drilling 5 Materials 5.1 Qualification of materials 5.2 Steel materials and gaskets 5.2.1 Design temperatures — Steel materials 5.2.2 Notch toughness requirements — Steel pipe 5.2.3 Notch toughness requirements — Steel components 5.2.4 Steel pipe 5.2.5 Steel components — General 5.2.6 Steel components — Flanges 5.2.7 Bolting 5.2.8 Gaskets 5.2.9 Steel components — Fittings 5.3 Other materials 5.3.1 Aluminum piping

5.3.2 Polyethylene pipe and fittings 5.3.3 Cast iron components 5.3.4 Copper and copper-based alloys 5.3.5 Stainless steels 5.3.6 Reinforced composite pipe and fittings 5.3.7 Nonferrous flanges 5.3.8 Other alloys and composites 5.3.9 External coatings for pipe and piping 5.4 Oilfield water service 5.5 Cement-mortar linings 5.6 Reuse of materials 5.7 Records of materials 5.8 Engineering assessments 6 Transportation, handling, and installation 6.1 General 6.2 Activities on pipeline rights-of-way 6.2.1 Clearing, grading, and ground disturbances 6.2.2 Pipe and components handling 6.2.3 Bends and elbows in steel piping 6.2.4 Alignment and welding 6.2.5 Protective coatings 6.2.6 Ditching and lowering-in 6.2.7 Backfilling 6.2.8 Internal cleaning 6.2.9 Clean-up and restoration 6.2.10 Installation of crossings 6.2.11 Horizontal directional drilling (HDD) 6.3 Pipe and component surface requirements applicable to steel piping 6.3.1 Pipe and component manufacturing defects detected during installation inspection 6.3.2 Field repair of gouges and grooves in pipe 6.3.3 Dents in pipe 6.3.4 Ripples, wrinkles, buckles, and out-of-roundness 6.3.5 Removal of cracks in circumferential butt welds and in fillet welds 6.3.6 Field repair of gouges, grooves, and dents in components 6.3.7 Material acceptability 6.4 Electrical test leads on pipeline systems 6.5 Inspection 6.6 Precautions to avoid uncontrolled fires 7 Joining 7.1 General 164 7.2 Arc and gas welding — General 7.3 Arc and gas welding — Joint configurations 7.3.1 Butt welds 7.3.2 Fillet welds 7.4 Arc and gas welding — Welding equipment 7.5 Arc and gas welding — Materials 7.5.1 Pipe and components

7.5.2 Filler metals and fluxes 7.5.3 Shielding gases 7.6 Arc and gas welding — Qualification of welding procedure specifications 7.6.1 General 7.6.2 Company approval 7.6.3 Records 7.6.4 Welding procedure specifications 7.6.5 Essential changes for qualification of welding procedure specifications 7.7 Arc and gas welding — Testing for qualification of welding procedure specifications and qualification of welders 7.7.1 Welding of test joints 7.7.2 Testing of butt welds — General 7.7.3 Testing of butt welds — Tension test 7.7.4 Testing of butt welds — Nick-break test 7.7.5 Testing of butt welds — Root-bend and face-bend tests 7.7.6 Testing of butt welds — Side-bend test 7.7.7 Testing of fillet welds and branch connection welds — Root-break test 7.7.8 Testing of fillet welds and branch connection welds — Macrosection test 7.7.9 Additional testing of partial-penetration butt welds 7.8 Arc and gas welding — Qualification of welders 7.8.1 General 7.8.2 Qualification range 7.8.3 Special qualification — Butt welds 7.8.4 Visual inspection 7.8.5 Qualification of welders by visual and nondestructive inspection 7.8.6 Retests 7.8.7 Records of qualified welders 7.9 Arc and gas welding — Production welding 7.9.1 General 7.9.2 Alignment and root gap 7.9.3 Grounding 7.9.4 Use of line-up clamps — Butt welds 7.9.5 Relative movement 7.9.6 Bevelled ends 7.9.7 Weather conditions 7.9.8 Clearance 7.9.9 Cleaning between beads 7.9.10 Position welding 7.9.11 Roll welding 7.9.12 Identification of welds 7.9.13 Seal welding 7.9.14 Fillet welds 7.9.15 Preheating, interpass temperature control, controlled cooling, and stress relieving 7.9.16 Stress relieving 7.10 Arc and gas welding — Inspection and testing of production welds 7.10.1 General 7.10.2 Visual inspection 7.10.3 Mandatory nondestructive inspection 7.10.4 Nondestructive inspection

7.10.5 Destructive testing 7.10.6 Disposition of defective welds 7.11 Arc and gas welding — Standards of acceptability for nondestructive inspection 7.11.1 General 7.11.2 Weld crown 7.11.3 Incomplete penetration of the root bead 7.11.4 Incomplete fusion 7.11.5 Internal concavity 7.11.6 Undercut 7.11.7 Incomplete fusion due to cold lap 7.11.8 Lack of cross-penetration 7.11.9 Elongated slag inclusions 7.11.10 Hollow bead 7.11.11 Burn-through areas 7.11.12 Isolated slag inclusions 7.11.13 Spherical porosity 7.11.14 Wormhole porosity 7.11.15 Cracks and arc burns 7.11.16 Unequal leg length — Fillet welds 7.11.17 Accumulation of imperfections 7.11.18 Weld conditions limiting radiographic interpretation 7.12 Arc and gas welding — Repair of welds containing repairable defects 7.12.1 Partial-penetration butt welds 7.12.2 Authorization for repairs 7.12.3 Repair procedures 7.12.4 Removal of arc burns in weld areas 7.12.5 Removal of cracks in circumferential butt welds and in fillet welds 7.12.6 Inspection of repairs 7.13 Arc and gas welding — Materials and equipment for radiographic inspection 7.13.1 General 7.13.2 Radiographic procedure 7.13.3 Radiation sources 7.13.4 Imaging media 7.13.5 Screens 7.13.6 Image quality indicators 7.13.7 Comparator shims 7.14 Arc and gas welding — Production of radiographs 7.14.1 Radiation source location 7.14.2 Geometric relationship 7.14.3 Size of radiation field 7.14.4 Location of image quality indicators 7.14.5 Radiographic image identification markers 7.14.6 Processing of radiographic images 7.14.7 Radiation protection 7.14.8 Radiographers 7.14.9 Retention of radiographic records 7.15 Arc and gas welding — Ultrasonic inspection of circumferential butt welds in piping 7.15.1 Methods 7.15.2 Terminology

7.15.3 General 7.15.4 Equipment and supplies — General 7.15.5 Equipment and supplies — Additional requirements for mechanized inspection systems 7.15.6 Qualification of ultrasonic inspectors 7.15.7 Calibration 7.15.8 Inspection procedure for production welds 7.15.9 Inspection procedure for production welds — Additional requirements for mechanized inspection 7.15.10 Standards of acceptability for ultrasonic inspection 7.15.11 Ultrasonic inspection reports and records 7.16 Mechanical interference fit joints 7.16.1 General 7.16.2 Qualification of joining procedure specifications 7.16.3 Qualification of operators 7.16.4 Inspection procedures 7.17 Welding on in-service piping 7.17.1 General 7.17.2 Fillet welds and branch connection welds on liquid-filled piping or flowing-gas piping and direct deposition welds on flowing-gas piping 7.17.3 Essential changes for qualification of welding procedure specifications intended for welding on in-service piping 7.17.4 Fillet welds and branch connection welds — Face bend test 7.17.5 Fillet welds and branch connection welds — Macroexamination and hardness tests 7.17.6 Qualification of welding procedure specifications and welders for direct deposition welds 7.17.7 Nondestructive inspection of welds made on in-service piping 8 Pressure testing 8.1 General 8.2 Safety during pressure tests 8.3 Compressor and pump station piping 8.4 Instrument and control piping 8.5 Test-head assemblies 8.6 Testing procedures and techniques 8.7 Piping to be operated at pressure greater than 700 kPa 8.7.1 Strength and leak tests 8.7.2 Pressure-test mediums 8.7.3 Minimum strength and leak test pressures 8.7.4 Maximum strength and leak test pressures 8.7.5 Duration of tests 8.7.6 Maximum operating pressures 8.7.7 Pressure-test measurements and records 8.8 Piping intended to be operated at pressures of 700 kPa or less 8.8.1 Strength and leak tests 8.8.2 Pressure-test mediums 8.8.3 Minimum leak test pressures 8.8.4 Maximum leak test pressures 8.8.5 Duration of tests 8.8.6 Maximum operating pressures

8.8.7 Pressure-test measurements and records 8.9 Leaks and ruptures during pressure tests 8.10 Disposal of pressure-test mediums 8.11 Cleaning and drying 8.12 Tie-ins of tested sections 9 Corrosion control 9.1 General 9.2 Selection of external protective coatings for buried or submerged piping 9.3 Application and inspection of external protective coatings for buried or submerged piping 9.4 Storage, handling, transportation, and installation of coated pipe and components 9.5 Cathodic protection — Design and installation 9.6 Electrical isolation 9.7 Electrical interference 9.7.1 Direct current 9.7.2 Alternating current and lightning 9.8 Corrosion control test stations 9.9 Operation and maintenance of impressed current and sacrificial cathodic protection systems 9.10 Internal corrosion control 9.10.1 Susceptibility to internal corrosion 9.10.2 Mitigation 9.10.3 Monitoring 9.11 Corrosion control records 10 Operating, maintenance, and upgrading 10.1 Engineering assessments of existing pipelines 10.2 Safety 10.2.1 Training programs 10.2.2 Employee information 10.2.3 Supervisor responsibility 10.2.4 Hazards 10.2.5 Security 10.2.6 Work sites 10.2.7 Firefighting and special equipment 10.2.8 In-service pipelines 10.2.9 Additional precautions for pipeline systems transporting high-vapour-pressure hydrocarbons 10.2.10 Fluids containing H2S 10.2.11 Carbon dioxide pipelines and gas pipelines containing predominantly CO2 10.2.12 Steam distribution pipelines 10.3 Integrity of pipeline systems 10.3.1 Pipeline system integrity management program 10.3.2 Integrity of existing pipeline systems 10.3.3 Leak detection for liquid hydrocarbon pipeline systems 10.3.4 Leak detection for gas pipeline systems and carbon dioxide pipeline systems 10.3.5 Leak detection for oilfield water and multiphase pipeline systems 10.3.6 Pipeline system incident investigations

10.3.7 Change in service fluid 10.3.8 Upgrading to a higher maximum operating pressure 10.3.9 Pressure testing existing piping 10.4 Records 10.4.1 General 10.4.2 Pipeline systems 10.4.3 Pipeline emergency records 10.4.4 Pipeline system incidents 10.4.5 Pressure-test records 10.5 Operating and maintenance procedures 10.5.1 General 10.5.2 Pipeline emergencies 10.5.3 Pipeline identification 10.5.4 Signs at stations and other facilities 10.5.5 Ground disturbance 10.5.6 Odorization 10.5.7 Precautions to avoid unintentional ignition of gas-air mixtures or hydrocarbon liquids 10.5.8 Environmental effects 10.6 Right-of-way inspection and maintenance 10.6.1 Pipeline patrolling 10.6.2 Vegetation control 10.6.3 Exposed facilities 10.6.4 Crossings 10.7 Change of class location 10.8 Crossings of existing pipelines 10.9 Operation and maintenance of facilities and equipment 10.9.1 Compressor and pump stations 10.9.2 Aboveground tanks and pressure vessels 10.9.3 Underground storage 10.9.4 Pipe-type and bottle-type gas holders and pipe-type storage vessels 10.9.5 Pressure-control, pressure-limiting, and pressure-relieving systems 10.9.6 Valves 10.9.7 Vaults 10.9.8 Quick opening closures 10.10 Evaluation of imperfections 10.10.1 General 10.10.2 Corrosion imperfections in pipe 10.10.3 Gouges, grooves, and arc burns in pipe 10.10.4 Dents in pipe 10.10.5 Pipe body surface cracks 10.10.6 Weld imperfections in field circumferential welds 10.10.7 Weld imperfections in mill seam welds and mill circumferential welds 10.10.8 Ripples, wrinkles, and buckles in steel pipe 10.11 Permanent repair methods 10.11.1 General 10.11.2 Grinding repairs 10.11.3 Piping replacements 10.11.4 Repair sleeves for pipe 10.11.5 Defect removal by hot tapping

10.11.6 Direct deposition welding 10.12 Temporary repair methods 10.12.1 General 10.12.2 Composite reinforcement repair sleeves 10.13 Maintenance welding 10.13.1 General 10.13.2 In-service piping 10.14 Pipeline hot taps 10.14.1 General 10.14.2 Pipe preparation 10.14.3 Parameters 10.15 Deactivation and reactivation of piping 10.15.1 Deactivation of piping 10.15.2 Reactivation of piping 10.16 Abandonment of pipelines and pipe-type storage vessels 10.16.1 General 10.16.2 Buried pipelines 10.16.3 Removal of related surface equipment 10.16.4 Aboveground pipelines 10.16.5 Records 10.17 Abandonment of pipeline related facilities 10.17.1 General 10.17.2 Underground vaults and closed top pits 10.17.3 Aboveground tanks and pressure vessels 10.17.4 Underground storage tanks 11 Offshore steel pipelines 11.1 Applicability 11.2 Design — General 11.3 Design information 11.3.1 Pipeline route 11.3.2 Route survey and data acquisition 11.3.3 Pipeline operating conditions 11.4 Design and load conditions 11.5 Functional loads 11.6 Environmental loads 11.6.1 General 11.6.2 Wind forces 11.6.3 Hydrodynamic loads — General 11.6.4 Wave-induced and current-induced hydrodynamic loads 11.6.5 Loads due to ice conditions and regional ice features 11.6.6 Seismic activity 11.6.7 Loads arising from marine growth 11.6.8 Indirect environmental loads 11.6.9 Accidental loads 11.7 Design analysis 11.8 Design for mechanical strength 11.8.1 Design criteria for installation 11.8.2 Design criteria for pressure testing

11.8.3 Design criteria for operation 11.8.4 Determination of stresses 11.8.5 Pipe wall thickness specification 11.8.6 Strain-based design 11.8.7 Strain-based design criteria 11.9 Design for thermal expansion 11.10 Design for on-bottom stability 11.11 Design for fatigue life 11.12 Design for free spans, anchoring, and supports 11.13 Design for shore approaches 11.14 Design for components 11.15 Design for crossings 11.16 Pipeline components and fabrication details 11.16.1 General 11.16.2 Supports, braces, anchors, and buckle arresters 11.16.3 Mechanical connectors 11.16.4 Welded branch connections and reinforcements 11.16.5 Reducers 11.16.6 Weight-coating 11.16.7 Thermal insulation 11.17 Pipeline pressure control 11.18 Leak detection 11.19 Emergency shutdown valve 11.20 Materials 11.20.1 General 11.20.2 Pipe 11.20.3 Fittings, flanges, and valves 11.21 Installation 11.21.1 General 11.21.2 Transportation, handling, and storage of materials 11.21.3 Ancillary equipment and specialty items 11.21.4 Installation procedures 11.21.5 Installation inspection 11.21.6 Repair of pipe and components prior to installation 11.21.7 Repair of pipelines after installation 11.21.8 As-built surveys 11.21.9 Commissioning 11.22 Welding 11.22.1 General 11.22.2 Qualification of welding procedures 11.22.3 Testing of welded joints — Pipe butt welds 11.22.4 Production welding 11.22.5 Underwater welding 11.23 Mechanical connectors 11.24 Pressure testing 11.24.1 General 11.24.2 Testing of mechanical connector assemblies 11.24.3 Test pressure 11.24.4 Pressure-test medium

11.24.5 Safety during pressure tests 11.24.6 Pressure-test records 11.25 Corrosion control 11.25.1 General 11.25.2 External corrosion control — Protective coatings 11.25.3 External corrosion control �� Cathodic protection systems 11.25.4 Internal corrosion control 11.25.5 Maintenance of cathodic protection systems 11.25.6 Records 11.26 Operating and maintenance 11.26.1 General 11.26.2 Manual of operating procedures 11.26.3 Contingency manual 11.26.4 Communication systems 11.26.5 Inspection and patrolling of pipelines 11.26.6 Leak detection 11.26.7 Valves 11.26.8 Control and safety devices 11.26.9 Safety 11.26.10 Repair of pipelines 11.26.11 Records 11.26.12 Pipeline deactivation and reactivation 12 Gas distribution systems 12.1 General 12.2 Applicability 12.3 Gas containing hydrogen sulphide 12.4 Design 12.4.1 Steel piping 12.4.2 Polyethylene piping — Design pressure 12.4.3 Polyethylene piping — Design limitations 12.4.4 Polyethylene piping — Design pressure of components 12.4.5 Copper pipe and tubing 12.4.6 Plastic piping materials — Other than polyethylene 12.4.7 Cover 12.4.8 Pipelines within road and railway rights-of-way 12.4.9 Limitations on operating pressure — General 12.4.10 Limitations on operating pressure — Piping within customers’ buildings 12.4.11 Pressure control and overpressure protection 12.4.12 Distribution system valves — General 12.4.13 Distribution system valves — Valve location and spacing 12.4.14 Distribution system valves — Service shutoffs 12.4.15 Customers’ meters and service regulators 12.4.16 Distribution systems within buildings 12.4.17 Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) pipeline systems 12.5 Materials 12.5.1 General 12.5.2 Steel pipe, tubing, and components 12.5.3 Polyethylene pipe, tubing, and components

12.5.4 Cast iron valves 12.5.5 Polyamide (PA) piping systems 12.6 Installation 12.6.1 General 12.6.2 Steel piping 12.6.3 Ditch depth 12.6.4 Polyethylene piping — General 12.6.5 Polyethylene piping — Inspection and handling 12.6.6 Polyethylene piping — Direct burial 12.6.7 Polyethylene piping — Insertion in casing 12.6.8 Polyethylene piping — Bends and branches 12.6.9 Copper piping 12.6.10 Installation of service lines — Drainage 12.6.11 Installation of service lines into or under buildings 12.6.12 Installation of service lines — Additional installation requirements for polyethylene service lines 12.6.13 Trenchless installations 12.7 Joining 12.7.1 General 12.7.2 Steel pipe joints and connections — Essential changes for qualification of welding procedure specifications 12.7.3 Steel pipe joints and connections — Qualification of welders 12.7.4 Steel pipe joints and connections — Inspection of production welds 12.7.5 Steel pipe joints and connections — Inspection of tie-in welds 12.7.6 Steel pipe joints and connections — Steel pipe joints within buildings 12.7.7 Polyethylene pipe joints and connections — General 12.7.8 Polyethylene pipe joints and connections — Joining by heat fusion 12.7.9 Polyethylene pipe joints and connections — Joining by electrofusion 12.7.10 Polyethylene pipe joints and connections — Joining by mechanical methods 12.7.11 Joints in copper pipe and tubing 12.7.12 Service line connections 12.8 Pressure testing 12.8.1 Piping in distribution systems intended to be operated at pressures in excess of 700 kPa 12.8.2 Steel piping in distribution systems intended to be operated at pressures 700 kPa or less 12.8.3 Piping within customers’ buildings 12.8.4 Polyethylene piping 12.8.5 Test-head assemblies 12.9 Corrosion control 12.9.1 Steel piping 12.9.2 Copper piping 12.9.3 Corrosion inspection 12.10 Operating, maintenance, and upgrading 12.10.1 General 12.10.2 Marking of piping 12.10.3 Distribution system maintenance 12.10.4 Pressure recording for distribution systems 12.10.5 Valve maintenance 12.10.6 Pressure-control, pressure-limiting, and pressure-relieving devices 12.10.7 Repair procedures for steel distribution pipeline systems

12.10.8 Maintenance welding 12.10.9 Squeezing of polyethylene and polyamide pipe for pressure-control purposes 12.10.10 Maintenance and repair requirements for polyethylene, polyamide, and polyvinyl chloride pipe and tubing 12.10.11 Static electricity dissipation 12.10.12 Pressure upgrading of distribution piping 12.10.13 Pipeline emergencies 12.10.14 Ground disturbances 12.10.15 Class location 13 Reinforced composite, thermoplastic-lined, and polyethylene pipelines 13.1 Reinforced composite pipelines 13.1.1 General 13.1.2 Design 13.1.3 Materials 13.1.4 Installation 13.1.5 Joining 13.1.6 Joining personnel — training and qualification 13.1.7 Joining inspection 13.1.8 Pressure testing 13.1.9 Operation 13.1.10 Pipeline repairs 13.1.11 Deactivation or abandonment 13.2 Thermoplastic-lined pipelines 13.2.1 General 13.2.2 Design 13.2.3 Materials 13.2.4 Installation 13.2.5 Joining liners 13.2.6 Flange connections 13.2.7 Pressure testing 13.2.8 Operation and maintenance 13.3 Polyethylene pipelines 13.3.1 General 13.3.2 Design 13.3.3 Materials 13.3.4 Installation 13.3.5 Joining procedure and qualification 13.3.6 Joining personnel — Competency requirements 13.3.7 Joining inspection 13.3.8 Pressure testing 13.3.9 Operation and maintenance 14 Steam distribution pipelines and high temperature pipelines 14.1 General 14.1.1 Scope 14.1.2 Applicability 14.1.3 Multiple service pipelines 14.1.4 Alternate provisions

14.1.5 Definitions 14.2 Design 14.2.1 General 14.2.2 Straight pipe under internal pressure 14.2.3 Pipe bends 14.2.4 Limits of calculated stresses due to sustained loads and displacement strains 14.2.5 Expansion, flexibility, and support 14.2.6 Corrosion and erosion allowances 14.2.7 Wall thickness tolerance 14.3 Materials 14.3.1 General 14.3.2 Material testing 14.3.3 Fittings (excluding bends and transition pieces) 14.3.4 Flanges 14.3.5 Non-standard flanges and clamp connectors 14.3.6 Valves 14.3.7 Transition pieces 14.3.8 Pipe bends — General 14.3.9 Pipe bends — Qualification and production 14.3.10 Piping supports 14.4 Joining 14.5 Pressure testing 14.6 Corrosion control 14.7 Steam distribution pipelines — Commissioning and operating 15 Aluminum piping 15.1 General 15.2 Applicability 15.3 Design 15.3.1 Pressure design for aluminum pipe 15.3.2 Pressure design for components 15.3.3 Piping joints 15.3.4 Aluminum properties 15.3.5 Uncased railway crossings 15.3.6 Effects on pipelines in proximity to low-voltage alternating current lines and associated facilities 15.4 Materials 15.4.1 Design temperatures 15.4.2 Notch toughness 15.4.3 Aluminum pipe and components 15.5 Installation of aluminum piping 15.5.1 Bends and elbows 15.5.2 Attachment of test leads 15.5.3 Storage and handling of aluminum pipe and fittings during installation 15.5.4 Ambient temperature 15.5.5 Burial of coiled aluminum pipe by ploughing 15.5.6 Plain dents 15.6 Joining 15.6.1 General

15.6.2 Arc welding 15.6.3 High energy joining — General 15.6.4 High energy joining — Qualification of joining procedure specifications 15.6.5 High energy joining — Qualification of personnel 15.6.6 High energy joining — Inspection and testing of high energy joints for qualification of joining procedure specifications and personnel 15.6.7 High energy joining — Production welding 15.6.8 High energy joining — Inspection and testing of high energy joints 15.6.9 Mechanical interference fit joints 15.7 Pressure testing 15.8 Corrosion control 15.8.1 Test lead attachment 15.8.2 Installation of cathodic protection systems 15.8.3 Corrosive medium 15.9 Operating, maintenance, and upgrading 15.9.1 Evaluation of imperfections and repair of piping containing defects 15.9.2 Maintenance welding 15.9.3 Pipeline hot taps 15.10 Sour service 15.10.1 General 15.10.2 Material properties 15.10.3 Exposure to iron sulphides 15.10.4 Location factor 15.10.5 Sectionalizing valves 15.10.6 Nondestructive inspection 15.10.7 Integrity management program 15.10.8 Construction 15.10.9 Operating and maintenance 15.10.10 Records 16 Sour service pipelines 16.1 General 16.2 Sour service — Specific definition 16.3 Design 16.3.1 Design parameters 16.3.2 Design information 16.3.3 Stress design 16.3.4 Anchors and restraints 16.3.5 Threaded joints 16.3.6 Pipe-type and bottle-type holders and pipe-type storage vessels 16.4 Materials 16.4.1 Environmental cracking 16.4.2 Material provisions 16.4.3 Marking 16.4.4 Nonferrous materials 16.5 Construction 16.5.1 Deviations 16.5.2 Records 16.5.3 Inspection plan

16.6 Joining 16.6.1 Carbon equivalent 16.6.2 Change in carbon equivalent 16.6.3 Butt welds of unequal thickness 16.6.4 Weld hardness requirements 16.6.5 Deposited weld metal composition limitations 16.6.6 Alignment 16.6.7 Preheat 16.6.8 Backwelding 16.7 Corrosion and corrosion control 16.7.1 Supplemental mitigation requirements 16.7.2 Mitigation and monitoring program 16.7.3 Design and sizing of pigs 16.8 Operating and maintenance 16.8.1 Procedures 16.8.2 Records 16.8.3 Repair methods 16.8.4 Hydrogen charging 16.8.5 Direct deposition welding 16.8.6 Change management process 16.8.7 Changes in service conditions 16.8.8 Integrity management program 16.9 Gas and multiphase pipeline systems 16.9.1 Additional requirements 16.9.2 Design 16.9.3 Joining 16.9.4 Operating and maintenance 16.10 Additional requirements for gas pipeline systems only 16.10.1 General 16.10.2 Mechanical interference fit joints 16.10.3 Start-up corrosion mitigation 17 Composite-reinforced steel pipelines 17.1 General 17.2 Applicability 17.3 Specific definitions 17.4 Design 17.4.1 Stress distribution 17.4.2 Maximum operating pressure 17.4.3 Design pressure 17.4.4 External pressures and loadings 17.4.5 Stress limits 17.4.6 Design temperature 17.4.7 Engineering assessment 17.5 Materials and manufacture 17.5.1 Steel pipe 17.5.2 Fibre-reinforced composite 17.5.3 Composite-reinforced steel pipe manufacture 17.6 Installation

17.6.1 Field bending 17.6.2 Damage 17.6.3 Crossings 17.7 Joining 17.7.1 General 17.7.2 Joint reinforcement 17.7.3 Transitions to steel pipe 17.7.4 Qualification of joining procedure specifications 17.8 Pressure testing 17.9 Corrosion control 17.10 Operation and maintenance

Annex A (informative) — Safety and loss management system Annex B (informative) — Guidelines for risk assessment of pipeline systems Annex C (informative) — Limit states design Annex D (informative) — Guidelines for in-line inspection of pipelines Annex E (informative) — Recommended practice for liquid hydrocarbon pipeline leak detection Annexes F and G have been deleted Annex H (normative)   — Pipeline failure records Annex I (informative)  — Oilfield steam distribution pipelines — Alternate provisions Annex J (informative) — Recommended practice for determining the acceptability of imperfections in fusion welds using engineering critical assessment Annex K (informative) — Standards of acceptability for circumferential pipe butt welds based upon fracture mechanics principles Annex L (informative) — Alternative or supplementary test methods for coating property and characteristics evaluation Annex M (informative) — Guidance for system control, monitoring, and protection of hydrocarbon pipeline systems Annex N (informative) — Guidelines for pipeline system integrity management programs Annex O (informative) — Reliability-based design and assessment (RBDA) of onshore non-sour service natural gas transmission pipelines Annex P (informative) — Development and qualification and welding procedure specifications 665 Commentary

TAGS:

CSA Z662

Oil and gas pipeline systems

Engineering Consulting Services

[expomahal-blog]

IMATS - International Make-Up Artist Trade Show - London 2019 at United Kingdom(London) 2019-May

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[theophenes]

Seattle nights Byte 2: Every Chummer's crazy for a Sharp-dressed Man

Byte 1

Preparation. If there was one thing Jeeves always took pride in, it was his technique and preparation. Six hours before meeting the other two members of is crew, and he was checking his weapons. Hold-out needler pistol. Taser. Calibrated internal systems.  He smirked, calibrating his reflexes. Wired stim systems at twenty percent, standard responsiveness.

He looked in the mirror, shaving with a straight-razor. Perfect. Clean. Orderly. Not a hair out of place, as he sculpted it with gel, putting in contact lenses to mask is eye color, looking a perfect, pristine, dull blue. Wrapping a layer of synthetic skin over the one identifying mark on his neck, covering it with a bio-gel adhesive. All the cosmetology skill of a high-end corporate fashionista, and here he was, putting that talent to the mundane task of looking so bland no one could notice him. Still, it was important to play the game, even if it took an hour or so.

The fashion was as tedious and meticulous as the hair and make-up. His glasses, lenses cleaned, with a subtle AR interface. A dark red tie, in a Windsor knot. Matching pocket square. A perfectly pressed shirt, a tailored jacket. The ensemble itself was almost an hour in prep time. Then, the weapons. Holster hidden under the breast of the jacket, one at the ankle for the tazer. A few slap-patches of sedatives in the wallet. A small ceramic folding knife in the left sleeve. Chrome cuff-links, both diamond-shaped with a line from one corner to the other. Accessories made the outfit, and the suit made the man, after all. Jeeves looked up at the clock. Three hours was enough time to re-read the dossier for any important info, seeing if Mr. Fong's additional context went anywhere. If nothing else, he might get a new grasp on the security detail.

Jeeves sat on a rather plain couch, in a plain, small apartment. The whole place looked like the sort of apartment you'd show to potential renters that nobody actually lived in. The decor was simple, black leather and office furniture. Paintings of dull still life pieces hung on the walls, utterly quiet and sterile, except for one piece of life, an oasis on the glass dining room table. A small bonsai tree, sand-pit, and a bowl of water decorated with Taoist runes. The suited man thumbed through the documents, muttering to himself. “Hmmm. I should trim the bonsai this weekend.”

   In the mean-time, Hel made preparations of her own, not to herself, but to her work. Her own little hovel was a strange, cluttered affair, the smell of ozone and burnt plastic permeating the air, with small hints of Buffalo-sauce flavored soy-chik crackers and mildly stale tea and burnt soykaf.

Her main workbench, eating table, and general all purpose place to set stuff was covered with various things, primarily manuals and pieces. However, a small tarp of less than square foot, unfolded on the floor, was where the current action took place. Soldering, re-pairing, and altering circuitry. The small drone looked like a companion model, around the size of a medium dog, coming up to the average person's knee, or the Orc's boots. She tapped away at her diagnostic computer with one hand while she poked and prodded with the other. Connectivity was good, but the new installs could cause interference if they overloaded. She had to watch the charge capacity. Still, it and Harpy should've been enough to get it done.

The music in the background to her welding and cursing was a perky playlist on hop-net, alternating between newer Idol Pop out of Tokyo and some weirdly chipper Ork Rawkers from Bristol called “Da Noiz Boiz.” She smirked and stopped to check her time and wipe grease from her fingers. This new model would be up and running in time for the show.

As she finished up the drone re-working, she got ready to head out the door. Shotgun, forged mag-key, a duffel bag for the new drone, her trademark loud jacket, here less trade-mark shit-eating grin, a neon red pair of capri pants black boots, and a faded t-shirt showing a bunch of cats walking on type-writers.

She checked her pockets, then remember to grab her e-cig. After all, some essentials were bigger than others.

---------------------------------

Fong's idea of preparation was, unsurprisingly, flipping through the dossier while sitting down and eating some...unique street food. The grub was referred to as a Zog-puff, which was basically seaweed and soy-flour broiled into soft, crispy little things that were somewhere between a good crouton and a bad hush-puppy. He was dipping them in a sort of sticky thing that could pass for Teriyaki sauce if you were a  Berlin street musician who had only seen the stuff in a magazine before trying this concoction. Still, it was cheap, and that was what mattered.

Fong sighed, hanging upside down from a rafter on the ceiling as he sifted through the dossier on his pda while attempting to handle the Zog-puffs with chopsticks, while neither of those things were meant to work in concert. He grinned, juggling them slightly as he considered it. The pay-off, as per the dossier, would allow him to present his first offering. And set enough aside that he could eat for a few weeks, prep for the next job. New digs weren't part of the equation yet, but hey—it was Seattle. Opportunities were never lacking, only the luck and circumstances to survive them.

The slim adept considered this as he popped another puff into his mouth. “Soon, if I can ge--opmhrhrmrrhhmrmr,” he hummed as he ate the puff and then swallowed heroically, performing a not-quite-ab-crunch to do so, “I can develop the resources necessary for the shot at nomononph,” he said to no one in particular, although he hoped a certain spirit was listening to him, somewhere.

He sighed. “Either way, I can't meet the buyer. That'd likely cause more trouble than it's worth. Still, I need to deal with the security. Best to pack some flash-bangs on top of the usual toys. And the prayer beads, yeah, that'll do...even a bad acolyte could stand to use his prayers,” the elf smirked and laughed weakly. He enjoyed dark humor, even if it was at his own expense. Hell, he deserved it sometimes. The smiling heretical monk. The weird one. He shook his head. “Well, if that's the only punchline I've got, we're definitely in need of a rematch, then,” he rubbed the back of his head and dropped from the rafters. “Okay, quick bath at that shower farm two blocks down, then we grab our ass-whuppin' gear and get going.”

-----------------------------

Jeeves’ preferred meeting place was not the sort of place that served fallout nuclear wings with extra sauce. It was, to put it politely, a  music school practice room in Central Auburn, near a few nightclubs. Dull, uninteresting, with multiple sound-proof rooms where a bunch of people dressed tackily could have a private session with no equipment for 20 nu-yen. Plenty of runners came in, pretending to be either musicians or managers holding practice sessions. Of course, so did a few escorts and pimps, dealers and criminals. Rooms that weren't bugged and could be rented with a credstick and no real names were always an excellent commodity.

Jeeves was the earliest, booking the room and waiting for the other two to arrive as he set up a small digital map on the lone table in the room, sitting at one of the five chairs. He'd asked for a furnished study room, and this was sufficient. Fong and Hel arrived on time, both smiling and walking in, Hel with earbuds in, Fong whistling as he entered.

The elf waved at the man in the perfect suit. “Jeeves, buddy. Nice spot to hang, I dig it. Privacy's a plus. Could use some catering, though,” he rolled his shoulders as if stretching.

“At least no one will try to murder you the  way out of the building. Don’t go two blocks north, though. Humanis goons like that area,” he said calmly as Hel shut the door behind her, removing her earbuds.

She coughed and looked at them. “Alright, so let's go over the final details. I've gotten us a nice little van—old exterminator's wagon. Hardly economic, but easy to fit a group and some cargo in. We park two blocks south,” she said as she pointed to the map. “I show up in uniform, and start using my drones to do a work-through of the building, ‘finding’ a plague rat corpse. Should be enough to scare everyone, then you two come in after I've 'called for back-up' which should take, like ten minutes, or so,” she nodded, releasing the air quotes she had made.  “Then, you guys come in, ask the maintenance guys for secondary keys so you can find the nest, then order a building evac for people's safety.”

Fong smirked. “Even if you've got a uniform in my size, can I hide the armor under it somehow?”

She shook her head. “You can put all your shit in a duffel bag, skinny. We can change after I accidentally break the security camera networks chasing an imaginary rat in with one of my drones. Didn't think the illustrious kung-fu master needed a lot of kit.”

Fong stroked his beard as mystically as possible. “Prepare for ten different battles, so you may win the one that occurs,” he said with a wink. “Or, barring that, bring a bug-out bag, an assistant with great legs, and enough nuyen to bribe your way out of hell. Although, if we had that last one, I suppose we wouldn't be doing this...” he trailed off, shaking his head.

Jeeves nodded. “Zen routine aside, I appreciate the idea of preparation. I'll keep my kit in a bag as well. I'm assuming we'll need a second car, to arrive in?”

Hel put a hand behind her head. “Yeah, but I could only get the one. Showing up in a beat-up truck should be fine, as long as everyone thinks you came when I called to help out.”

Fong nodded. “Yeah, we came in on our day off because you needed the extra manpower,” Fong said, flexing his muscles and snickering.

Hel thumped him in the shoulder. “Yeah, you can carry my lunch money, slim” she sniggered. “Sorry, Mr. Fong. You just look more like a reed than a pillar, you know?”

Fong winked. “When standing erect, I can hold up a roof. And when I start swinging, I can bring down the house!” He laughed.

“Focus,” Jeeves said sternly. “So, after we've shut down the security, we move in to seize the box. Are you prepared to assense the area, Mr. Fong?”

Fong steepled his fingers together in the sort of pyramid formation used by vague mystics and Sorcerous Trideo villains. “I can attune my third eye in due time. As Hel's drones map out the building, I can allow my spirit to hit the astral. Even if the box isn't magic, it should have enough emotion tied to it to stand out like a bonfire in a place as....well, shallow as a Horizon storage facility.”

Jeeves nodded. “I suppose that makes sense, as much as any magic does,” he mused dryly.

“Was that a joke, Jeeves? Glad to see you've got it in you,” Hel said as she took a drag from her e-cig. She blew out a small orange smoke ring.

Jeeves just adjusted his glasses. “I have my moments, after all,” he said with the tiniest of smirks. “So, are there other questions?”

Fong raised a hand. “Yeah, one thing's bugging me. You said you cased the joint, and the mundane security seemed pretty minimal. But knowing what's in that box—it's gotta be more than that. This isn't a question, I guess. Just a word of caution. If the Brotherhood of Wu is hiring us, they're expecting something they haven't got the man-power to deal with. Or, they tried already and failed. Either way we should gird ourselves with wisdom as much as stolen uniforms.”

Hel frowned. “Were you part of this Wu thing? You seem to know their methods by heart.”

Fong waved dismissively. “If I said yes, would you simply nod and let it go?”

“That is definitely not an answer,” Hel said with a rolling of her eyes. “The truth is that you don't want to meet them, but you're okay with helping them with their drekshow. Why?”

Fong grinned. “A wise man controls the pieces, a genius controls the board.”

Jeeves shook his head. “Fong's relationship with our employer is unimportant, provided we complete the mission and receive payment.”

Fong shrugged. “I assure you, if anyone tries to kill us in a way that makes my tragic history matter, I will happily address it.”

Hel grimaced. “I don't like flying that fucking blind, Mr. Fong. Why can't you give a little here?”

Fong nodded. “Hel, I don't know anything about either of you two—I only volunteered what I thought would help. I don't even know what Jeeves is actually capable of. The crappy part of the shadows is that we've all got secrets. And some of them are risky to share with other professional criminals you just met. You done now? Or do you wanna push out your only Mystic back-up because he's hiding something under his glorious beard?”

Jeeves stood up, his voice sharp and pronounced before Hel could retort. “That's enough. Mr. Fong's made his point. We don't trust each other, not yet. That's fine. Tonight, we work. If we still don't trust each other tomorrow, we'll address it. Or, we'll avoid working together again.”

Hel gritted her teeth. “Fine, keep up the cryptic bullshit. Just make sure we don't get geeked because you're feeling tight-lipped.”

Fong shook his head. “If anyone knows who I am during this mission, then our employer has severely misrepresented the truth, and we should bug right the hell out, likely after I hurt a few people,” the elf rose slowly from his seat.“But, I'm not expecting any old friends to show up to this one. That being said, I've brought some party favors and talismans in case. It never hurts to be prepared for a betrayal, or a sudden reversal of fortunes.”

Hel nodded. “Yeah, I'm bringing a full kit in, just in case things go weird.”

Mr. Fong nodded to Jeeves. “And what about you, our well-dressed leader? I'm assuming you've got more than just style up your sleeve?”

Jeeves shrugged. “I'm prepared for the worst. Like you, I'll demonstrate when it becomes necessary. However, if we're lucky, I won't need to go all out,” he said with a nod.

Mr. Fong nodded. “Yeah,we go in quiet, and only go loud if this all goes to hell. Which it might, but hopefully not. Still, we should all pack heat, and like I said, I'll let you know if anything hokey, magic or otherwise, is gunning for us. So any other important steps? Aside from saying our prayers and eating some lunch?”

Hel snorted. “Do we look like the praying type, Mr. Fong?”

The strange elf stroked his beard. “This world has a million spirits, at the very least. How am I to know from whom you seek succor? At least, not until we've gotten some drinks.”

Hel shook her head. “You full of this much bullshit naturally, or did you have to learn it?”

Fong smiled warmly. “I have a quote-a-day calendar. 'Zen for guys with fancy beards.' I think it's on the Morinobu app store....” He laughed a little.

Hel simply nodded. “Yeah, yeah. Jeeves, you can drive a stick? I've got a idea on who we can get a truck from.”

“I'll manage,” the man in the suit said, checking his lapels in a mirror absentmindedly. They were perfectly straight, but some habits were a constant, even in the shadows, where chaos was a state of being.

“Then it appears we have a plan, with a few contingencies if it goes poorly,” Fong grinned. “That's definitely an excellent start.”

[sekomachinery001-blog]

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