Posted on 05/17/2016 6:28:10 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
More bad news for Canada's problem-plagued submarine fleet: two of the boats will be out of commission for most of this year because of shoddy welding.
HMCS Chicoutimi and its sister, HMCS Victoria, are stuck in their Vancouver Island port for months because several hundred welds can't be trusted to hold tight when the boats dive.
"Numerous welds are located outside the boats' pressure hull, which will require docking to complete the review and effect repairs," says a briefing note for Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, obtained by CBC News under the Access to Information Act.
"Both submarines will be alongside or in the dock in Esquimalt [B.C.] for several months."
More bad news for Canada's problem-plagued submarine fleet: two of the boats will be out of commission for most of this year because of shoddy welding.
HMCS Chicoutimi and its sister, HMCS Victoria, are stuck in their Vancouver Island port for months because several hundred welds can't be trusted to hold tight when the boats dive.
"Numerous welds are located outside the boats' pressure hull, which will require docking to complete the review and effect repairs," says a briefing note for Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan, obtained by CBC News under the Access to Information Act.
"Both submarines will be alongside or in the dock in Esquimalt [B.C.] for several months."
Weld problems on HMCS Chicoutimi are costing the navy about eight months' downtime, with the submarine returning to sea only in the autumn. Beginning in February this year, technicians had to inspect 344 suspect welds on the boat and found at least 30 needed re-welding, often in tight spaces where work is difficult.
Technicians are scheduled to inspect 325 dubious welds on HMCS Victoria. There's no word yet on how many of those will need re-welding.
(Excerpt) Read more at cbc.ca ...
What is wrong with the welds?? Supposedly, these are x rayed and visually inspected. Was their something wrong with the welding gasses? Perhaps.
Round up the usual subjects.
People responsible for the welding program need to go to jail for a long time.
Preferably, for life.
What is a “Dutch Breech?”
The Canadians bought a bunch of used subs from the Brits that turned out to be lemons.
Looks like an escape hatch.
Bad welds. Not words one wants to hear regarding a sub.
What is a “Dutch Breech?”
Cargo hatch, I think.
X-ray cameras have been used for welding quality control since the late 1940’s. So why is this a problem now?
Maybe it is about inefficient use of inert gases in the welding process, which means oxidation & weakening of welded joints.
Not to worry, we have a wonky Emperor who should stay in the White House for the next 8 months and 2 1/2 days.
It's a section of the hull designed to be easily cut away to allow access to the machinery spaces. You see them on conventional submarines only. The shipyard will open the hull there to remove the diesels or what have you. Then it'll be welded shut again once the work is complete.
Companies with cost cutting, bean counter lead management (MBAs) cut highly compensated individuals in these areas and anyone that stands in their way.
Weld discipline and skills degrade, defective welds are produced and there is no one in the process to detect and correct.
Without proper oversight such as the US SUPSHIPS agency, the defective welds can take years to detect.
I suspect it is porosity as well as cold lapse. X-ray would have picked this up upon inspection unless the inspectors were incompetent or paid to look the other way.
A nuke plant here in Texas had substituted inspection x-rays inserted into files and they got caught after the fact with post build inspections prior to start up. Cost rate payers ALOT of money to fix.
The Dutch Breech is the opening in the hull that enables the loading and unloading of large pieces of equipment that wouldn’t fit down the normal hatch. It’s used primarily only when the boat is in shipyards.
From: http://www.navalreview.ca/2012/05/some-history-of-the-upholder-class-submarines/
I’m guessing there is a similar provision for refueling a nuclear sub.
Post #12 says it best, IMO. Quality control is paramount.
Yeah. There are few things more dangerous to a company’s long term health than a Hahvaad MBA.
Way back when, Electric Boat had a welding problem until the welders had to ride the boat on it’s first test dive.
I would posit that it is a access for the engines and other equipment.
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