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OCAS delivers accelerated fatigue testing equipment
OCAS was called upon by the company Mechanical Testing Services LLC (MTS) (located in Houston, Texas) to deliver an accelerated fatigue testing installation. MTS provides equipment testing-related services for a full range of industries and companies in the energy sector and various industrial markets. Their state-of-the-art facility offers the expertise and competence for full-scale testing in accordance with various international standards. From their traditional energy customer base, MTS has acquired significant technical expertise in qualifying tubular connections with their test equipment. To extend their service offering with the addition of accelerated fatigue qualification tests for threaded tubulars and girth welds, MTS called upon OCAS’s experience with resonant bending fatigue.
MTS AND OCAS JOIN FORCES
Drawing on our know-how, OCAS designed, engineered, and commissioned the ‘HIPNOS-US’ test bench to satisfy the specific needs of MTS. Throughout the process – and despite the pandemic – MTS and OCAS have been in very close contact to ensure that all aspects of the scope have been met. This resulted in a high-quality test set-up. MTS checked the system at OCAS prior to shipping, and OCAS engineers went over to Houston to commission the test setup. OCAS also transferred its knowledge and trained the MTS staff in using the equipment as well as in analysing and interpreting the fracture and fatigue aspects.
EXPANDED SERVICE OFFER FOR BOTH
One important result of this project is that OCAS has expanded its service offer to include not only research projects, testing services and asset integrity analysis, but now also specialised equipment delivery and methodology transfer to a key testing and engineering house in the USA. OCAS will, of course, continue to support MTS in this field.
Due to the pandemic restrictions, it has been challenging to deliver our OCAS fatigue testing system within an ambitious time frame and with elaborated on-site support. So, we are pleased to have succeeded so well. We are grateful to MTS for their trust in OCAS and their collaboration throughout the project.
Jeroen Van Wittenberghe & Kris Hertschap
