New designs always bring unforeseen problems. For one such client, a cutting-edge, mid-sized defense cutter was no exception. During sea trials, the cutter began to develop hull cracks in the marine-grade aluminum structure.
Applied Ultrasonics’ Engineering Services group sent a Subject Matter Expert (SME) to evaluate the cutter’s cracking issues and consult with the shipyard. With an extremely tight schedule ahead, a solution was developed and proposed by Applied Ultrasonics on the spot and quickly approved by the shipyard. Applied Ultrasonics’ solution was to enhance the weld joint design, coupled with non-thermal stress relief using the application of Esonix UIT. This approach provided the fatigue-prone material and geometry a massive increase in fatigue life and fatigue strength.
Applied Ultrasonics deployed a Welding Engineer and Certified Weld Inspector to the shipyard to ensure that the solution was correctly applied. The end result – no more hull cracks!