– no waste coating!
Are you familiar with sustainable precision irrigation? It delivers water exactly where plants need it. No waste, no flooding the entire field where weeds might thrive – just nourishing the roots. This principle closely mirrors the approach of Selmers’ Weld Seam Compensator…
Why waste remains the norm
It sounds logical: apply just the right amount of coating to a pipe. But in practice, things work differently. Coating lines are generally designed to give the entire pipe a uniform layer, without distinguishing critical points like the (elevated) weld seam.
“Better safe than sorry”
An experienced operator might push the limits of coating thickness while still adhering to standards. After all, a rejected pipe can mean a financial loss of well up to €5,000 to 10.000. A less experienced operator is more likely to play it safe, coating the entire pipe thicker than necessary. It’s a secure and efficient approach from one perspective, but the result is that thousands of kilograms of coating are wasted every year – all to ensure the weld seams are adequately protected.
Longitudinal efficiency
Selmers’ solution is tailored specifically for LSAW (longitudinally welded) pipes. These have weld seams that run straight along the length of the pipe, creating a constant location that our system can easily detect and compensate for. For spiral welded pipes, where the weld follows a spiral path, this technology is unfortunately (not yet) suitable. But who knows what the future holds? We improve the world step by step wherever we can.
What about te trees?!
With the Weld Seam Compensator, savings of 7% to 12% are achievable. In the example of a 3LPE coating line with an extrusion capacity of 1,500 kg per hour, a 10% saving means reducing HDPE coating usage by 150 kg per hour. Over a 40-hour workweek, that adds up to 6,000 kg of material saved, translating to about €12,000 per week, assuming an HDPE price of €2 per kilo.
Over a production period of 30 weeks, this could result in 180,000 kg less coating used, equating to an estimated total cost savings of €360,000 for the entire project. In terms of sustainability, it means a reduction of around 288,000 kg of CO₂ – comparable to the amount of CO₂ that 12,000 trees absorb in a year! To give you a better feeling with these numbers; 500 trees per acre, which equates to about 35 soccer fields!
From premium to accessible
The Weld Seam Compensator is not new. For 15 years, this system has been delivering savings to pipe coating lines worldwide. At its launch, the technology was considered a significant investment, especially in a challenging economic climate focused on immediate cost savings. But times change. New regulations, such as the Corporate Sustainable Reporting Directive for Europe, or the global Green Deal now require companies to be more transparent about their environmental performance. Reducing material usage and CO₂ emissions is no longer optional – it’s a legal requirement.
Meanwhile, the Weld Seam Compensator has been adopted by financially robust companies with a forward-looking focus. Today, it has evolved into a Configure-to-Order (CtO) product, offering flexible customization for specific lines. This development has significantly reduced acquisition costs, making this ingenious piece of equipment not only affordable but also easy to integrate into existing systems.
Waste not, want not
We could have named the Weld Seam Compensator ‘precision coater’. Just like precision irrigation, it delivers exactly what’s needed, exactly where it’s needed. This reduces costs, improves sustainability, and ensures resources are conserved for when they’re truly needed. The age-old adage is “Waste not, want not” – so with the Weld Seam Compensator, nothing goes to waste, and you will have exactly enough of what you need.
The only bad news? Its uniqueness means we’re the only company providing these high tech developed units. The good news? We deliver worldwide!
Join us on the green mile!
Everything we do has an impact on the environment around us. It is important to constantly consider these choices and the influence decisions have on business processes and society. The way we see it, coming together is the only way to further narrow the sustainability gap between design and production. If you would like to learn more about our solutions, please feel free to call us at +31 (0)251 211 999, send an email to sales@selmers.com or let us contact you at https://www.selmers.com/contact.
