FORCE Technology’s mission is to safeguard lives and assets in a sustainable manner through providing integrity management for offshore structures and pipelines. FORCE Technology is one of Europe’s leading research and technology hubs, with competencies in materials science, structural integrity and inspection and monitoring.
FORCE Technology is certified in accordance to ISO-9001, and has a fully developed HSE policy covered in its corporate standard FCS 194. FORCE Technology is also accredited for certification of personnel (ISO 17024), as a testing laboratory (ISO 17025) and as an independent inspection organization (ISO 17020).
Non-destructive testing
A weld on a platform leg that fails or a high pressure pipe that has corroded apart can cause a great loss of time and expense. Non-destructive testing (NDT) has been developed to ensure these problems are avoided.
Today, FORCE Technology has become a leading powerhouse within NDT, being both a certification body and a driving force behind increased adaptation of NDT. Particularly, we have pushed the frontiers on the application of NDT in hard to reach places, be it in nuclear power plants or on subsea structures. FORCE Technology takes pride in employing some of the industry’s most skilled NDT engineers, using state-of-the-art methodologies and equipment to provide accurate and reliable data on your equipment’s state.
Offshore structural engineering
Within structural engineering FORCE Technology has a combination unmatched in Europe: wind and wave test facilities married with computational capacity. This enables us to optimize results using both computer modeling and extensive laboratory experiments.
Typically, our engineers will be active from the idea phase where we would help develop and evaluate various design concepts. During field development we provide advanced strength analysis taking into account wave and wind loads at the installation location. We also validate complex lifting operations and may function as an independent third party during the operation itself. The same skills are of course also invaluable during life-extension and decommissioning.
Subsea NDT inspection and monitoring
FORCE Technology – then The Danish Welding Institute – built up a considerable NDT competence during the 1970s to be able to verify the quality of welds. With an increasing number of offshore structures being built, a need for subsea NDT inspection arose, and FORCE Technology’s first subsea adaptation of NDT was conducted in 1982. Through the 1990s we pushed forward with the development of specialized tools for better results and use in deeper waters, as well as fanning out to also build subsea monitoring equipment.
Subsea robotics
When a need for subsea NDT inspection arises, it is often very urgent to get a working solution fast, for instance if you discover that an anchor has damaged a major export pipeline and you are unsure if the pipe can still be safely used. Here at FORCE Technology we pride ourselves in our ability to get our customers answers fast.
In order to create a tool capable of conducting an NDT inspection at 300m depth it is necessary to marry a thorough NDT understanding with sophisticated electronics, software and mechanical expertise. Consequently, FORCE Technology has an advanced multidisciplinary robotics team at its disposal.
An example of our engineers’ creativity is the F-EIM robot which uses eddy current inspection to find cracks on hard to reach subsea joints. The tool is deployed by a remotely operated vehicle (ROV).
Ease of inspection design analysis
It is, unfortunately, fully possible to design a subsea installation that is completely impossible to inspect. To avoid this, it is best practise to consider ease of inspection at the design stage. Using our extensive inspection experience we help subsea designers identify points requiring inspection as well as ensuring these points can be inspected.
Materials engineering and materials selection
FORCE Technology has approximately 150 people working within the fields of constructional materials science as well as the necessary lab facilities when tests are required. Due to our deep technology base and excellent laboratories FORCE Technology is well positioned to help clients solve upcoming problems or analyze failures. Often, we will function as our client’s extended engineering arm on long contracts.
Materials science can be tricky. Unexpected corrosion or inconvenient crack growth is often due to incorrect materials selection, and can turn a successful project into a nightmare. Here at FORCE Technology we have the expertise to go over your design and verify that your materials are fit for purpose with regards to strength, fatigue, corrosion and coating.
Welding and weld inspection
FORCE Technology started its life to help solve the early teething problems encountered by the welding industry in the late 1930s. We are now proud to be in possession of one of Europe’s leading welding laboratories. Typical tasks consist of developing new welding and inspection methods, troubleshooting for clients and third party control.