The customer
Responsive Engineering Ltd is a UK-based contract engineering company working across some of the toughest sectors in the industry, including oil & gas, defence, aerospace, power generation and sub-sea engineering. The team welds a wide range of materials, including steels, aluminium and super-alloys, to a long list of national and international standards within an integrated management system.
Because its customer base spans so many industries, Responsive Engineering need a flexible welding capability, handling everything from thick-wall pipework to precision, sector-specific fabrication work.
The challenge
Responsive Engineering needed welding technology flexible enough to cover an unusually broad spread of sectors and applications, without compromising on speed, weld quality, or cost.
Sector diversity
Working across oil & gas, defence, aerospace, power generation and sub-sea engineering meant no single process could cover every job. The team needed to demonstrate alternative applications to a wide range of customers.
Thick-wall tubular welding
50mm thick tubulars needed welding on both internal and external faces, a technically demanding task that called for a simplified, repeatable process.
High deposition jetty construction
Jetty construction sections required high-deposition-rate welding to keep pace with the project, without sacrificing weld quality.
Cost recovery & skill building
Any new equipment needed to pay for itself quickly through real project work, while also building the team's skill pool on more advanced welding processes.
Westermans recommendation
Because Westermans can supply such a broad range of equipment, Responsive Engineering could source a tailored, cost-effective solution backed by ongoing service and welding-systems expertise, rather than being limited to a single manufacturer's line-up.
Westermans supplied a Bode column and boom manipulator fitted with an ESAB submerged arc welding system, alongside a Lincoln Electric STT MIG welder for tubular work.
Equipment supplied:
- Bode column and boom manipulator
- ESAB submerged arc welding (SAW) system
- Lincoln Electric STT MIG welding system
- Refurbished equipment matched to a varied, multi-sector application list
"Because Westermans can supply a vast range of equipment, we can meet this need very cost-effectively, and all with the benefit of the company's ongoing service, not least its comprehensive awareness of welding systems."
The outcome
The ESAB submerged arc system on the Bode column and boom manipulator gave Responsive Engineering a high deposition rate for jetty construction sections, building skill levels in-house while rapidly recouping its initial cost. The Lincoln STT MIG process simplified the traditionally difficult initial weld pass on tubulars, again widening the team's skill pool.
“Responsive Engineering is an excellent example of a company that is benefiting from our approach and track record, particularly as its need to highlight a range of welding technologies and techniques to customers is paramount.”
Why this setup worked
The combination gave Responsive Engineering both high-deposition submerged arc welding for heavy jetty construction work and a simplified MIG process for difficult tubular root passes. This covered two distinct technical challenges with one supplier relationship, at a fraction of the cost of buying new equipment for both processes.
Want a deeper dive into submerged arc or MIG welding equipment for demanding manufacturing environments? Browse our full range of Submerged Arc Welders and MIG Welders, read our Submerged Arc Welding Guide, or see our General MIG Welder Buying Guide for help choosing the right machine.
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