Flange Management Technician at RusselSmith Group

Summary of Functions
The Technician / Engineer should be capable of:

• Health and safety precautions
• The health and safety precautions at the work site
• Safety precautions when handling and removing compressed Asbestos fibre (CAF) gaskets
• Hot bolting and live plant procedures and risk assessment
• Pressure, temperature and hostile environmental factors (such as corrosion and vibration) on the degradation of the bolted assembly
• Factors which result in bolt load variation
• Applied and residual load
• The effect of different lubricants on friction losses
• The relative accuracy of different methods of tightening
• The technique for application of tensioned bole loading
• Joint assembly methods and tightening procedures
• The need to check gaskets, nuts and stud bolts against specification
• The requirement to tag and complete records for assembled joints
• The need to:
  • Check the compatibility of selected Torque tools and equipment capacity prior to use
  • Top up oil levels in hydraulic pumps
  • Clean and protect tools and equipment from corrosion
• The principles of joint component sealing action
• The principles of bolt elongation and tensile stress
• The function of gasket or seal types
• The importance of correct bolt loading
• The effect on bolt load and seal compression using different methods of tightening
• The importance of using correct lubricant
• The importance of correct selection of joint components to comply with the design specification
• The correct sequence and number of tightening passes required for toque and tensioned bolts
• The principles and techniques used for direct bolt length measurement
• The need for and using reporting procedures when defects or faults in bolt tightening equipment or its assembly are identified
• The principles of preparing bolted joint connections for assembly
• The need for seal face cleanliness and for nuts to be free running
• The effect of joint alignment and gap uniformity on residual bolt loading
• The importance of gasket storage, handling, preparation and installation
• Good installation practice for bolting, washers and nut orientation for tightening method and equipment to be used
• The need to report variance from design specifications and tightening procedures
• The principles and requirement for the safe selection, calibration, installation and use of hydraulic torque and bolt tensioning equipment
• Principles of carrying out bolt de-tensioning and joint breakout safely and correctly
• The important of attending product specific training and following manufacturer’s procedures for proprietary joint types.
• Why mixing components from different equipment manufacturer is prohibited
• The principles of inspection after tightening and the procedure and the techniques to be used such as “break loose” tests (Check passes) and bolt tightness Tap-test
• The requirements for the storage, preparation, maintenance and calibration of torque tools and bolt tensioning equipment for its safe use
• Ability to:
  • Recognize and rectify the faults with torque or tensioning equipment
  • Interpret joint or flange manufacturer identifying marks
  • Identify defects, distortion and surface irregularities on flange sealing faces and threads
• Demonstrate ability in;
• Preparation of all joint components
• Correct selection and assembly joint components
• Diagnosis and rectification of problems with hydraulic equipment
• Selection and correct installation of hydraulic torque or tensioning equipment
• Correct application of various tightening techniques
• Carrying out specified tightening sequence and subsequent tightening passes to ensure axial alignment and squareness of the joint assembly
• Carrying out joint breakout safely and correctly
• Carrying bolt ‘break loose’ tests (check passes) to check integrity of assembled tensioned assembly
• Completion of a joint record sheet
• Integrity and inspection checks of completed joint assembly
• Maintaining a personnel portfolio of joint assembly

Educational Qualifications
Experience Required:

• 0-2 years.