Norsk Titanium Components receives NORSOK qualification for flanges

Norsk Titanium Components AS (NTiC), the producer of complex titanium components, has received NORSOK (M650) qualification as a manufacturer of grade 2 titanium piping flanges, enabling the company to produce flanges for use by the Oil and Gas industry in the North Sea. As a result, NTiC has been included in Statoil’s approved vendors list and is in the process of producing and delivering its first contract of flanges to Energy Piping AS.

NTiC has developed a ‘near net shape’ additive layer manufacturing technology that enables the production of high quality titanium components at very competitive cost. The process transforms in just three processing steps inexpensive titanium feedstock into complex components that are up to 90 % finished. It significantly reduces the amount of raw material that has to be machined away to make the completed complex parts.

- To receive NORSOK qualification and have our proprietary, plasma based, Direct Metal Deposition (DMD) technology accepted by Statoil as an alternative to forging, is a major milestone for our company, Petter Gjørvad, CEO of NTiC says. NTiC would like to give a warm thank you to Energy Piping who executed the qualifying process of NTiC.  – We are already delivering on our first contract to the Oil and Gas industry and will in 2012 pursue qualification on a selection of new products, enabling us to deliver a broader specter of standard titanium products. Utilizing our DMD technology, we are able to produce small and medium volumes at competitive prices and with much shorter lead time compared with traditional methods, Gjørvad says.

Prior to receiving NORSOK qualification, NTiC produced a series of flanges that passed rigorous testing to ensure that material quality and properties (strength, ductility and chemistry) met or exceeded the requirements of forged piping components (ASTM B381-10, Grade F2) for use in the North Sea.
Beyond being able to deliver standard, NORSOK qualified titanium products to the Oil & Gas industry, NTiC also targets production and delivery of customized products, where design flexibility and low cost prototyping are important competitive advantages.

- We have with great interest followed the progress that NTiC has made with their new production method for titanium parts, says Ingve Stangeland, Technical Manager of Energy Piping. Lower cost in combination with faster and more flexible production cycles, without having to compromise on material quality, is important for our company, and we look forward to continue our cooperation with NTiC.

The raw material for the DMD process is inexpensive titanium wire that is always kept in stock, enabling the company to produce a wide variety of components to a given client with a short lead time. NTiC is currently delivering products to the Oil & Gas industry in both titanium grade 2 and 5, and other titanium alloys may be possible as long as the alloy is available as wire feedstock.

Beyond the Oil and Gas industry, NTiC’s target markets are Aerospace and Defense.