RapidWeld - Advanced manufacturing of offshore wind steel structures using Reduced Pressure Electron Beam Welding

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RapidWeld will use a novel electron beam welding process, Reduced Pressure Electron Beam welding (RPEB) to fabricate welds on offshore wind foundation monopiles. These will be 'First-in-Class' globally establishing this UK innovation as world-leading technology, with substantial benefits to UK energy consumers, UK offshore engineering, the associated offshore wind supply chain and the UK's high value jobs market.RPEB uses heat generated by a beam of high-velocity electrons to make a high strength and durable welded steel join in a clean and efficient way. The project aims to be disruptive to existing welding technology and reduce the costs of future offshore wind foundation monopiles by up to 20%. With monopile type foundations accounting for over 90% of foundations used in UK projects, RPEB could realise significant cost savings on future projects.The RapidWeld project team comprises: SSE, the UK's leading offshore wind developer; Aquasium Technologies (trading as CVE), the SME designer and manufacturer of the RPEB equipment; SIF, a global leading fabricator; and, TWI, the UK's foremost welding research establishment.