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Because fabricated pipe spools play an essential role in most heavy industrial projects, owners and their fabrication contractors develop long, lasting relationships that span years. With that in mind, it’s always a good idea to periodically check in to be sure your fabricator is keeping up with the industry’s latest processes and technologies. Below are six questions you might ask to help assess your fabrication contractor:
Engineering: As your pipe fabrication project’s first stop, does your fabricator have an in-house engineering team? It’s also worth asking what software/technology they utilize for shop drawing creation and tracking.
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Project management and procurement: One spool on a shop floor can easily become a needle in a haystack at a fabricator’s facility. Does your fabricator have a dedicated project manager to oversee your project, ensuring it receives the level of care it requires? A good project manager should be able to easily show your project’s progression from beginning all the way through to delivery. A fabricator’s procurement system can make or break your project. Ask if your fabricator has a robust inventory management system in place, and if they have international sourcing capabilities.
Production: From automatic to manual fabrication and everything in between, the more fabrication capabilities, the better. Have you received a full list of production offerings from your contractor? Have you considered proven cost and time-saving production methods like heat induction and cold bending?
Quality management: A fabricated pipe spool is useless if it doesn’t meet industry quality requirements. What in-house testing methods and tracking processes does your fabricator offer? Having “S,” “U,” and “R” stamps are a must, but you should also expect complete traceability, standard and custom document packages, in-house NDE/NDT, heat testing and stress relief processes.
Painting and coating: Painting and coating should not be an afterthought. Are your fabricator’s coating and painting facilities climate controlled? Do they offer not just your standard multi-coat systems but fusion bond and thermal spray coatings as well? What accreditation do their facilities and inspectors have?
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Delivery: Does your fabricator meet you at the last mile? Getting your pipe spools delivered safely and tagged for easy onsite sorting should be a requirement.
For over 30 years, Turner Industries’ Pipe Fabrication Division has responded to client requests and met their demands, offering all the services and processes listed above and more. This has resulted in Turner becoming the largest privately owned pipe fabricator in the United States. To find out what we can offer you, please visit www.yourpipefabsolution.turner-industries.com.
