Valve Working Group

Velan ball on Hardide Coatings’ CMM (Hardide Coatings)

Meetings
The Valve Working Group has continued with its regular programme of two meetings per year. The March 2015 meeting involved a very informative visit to the Hardide coatings facility in Bicester, giving us an insight into their hardness coating process and its many applications. This was coupled with an afternoon WG meeting at BVAA – our first chance to see and utilise the impressive Peter Churm Technical Centre.

Our September meeting was at the equally interesting Noel Village (Foundries) facility in Doncaster, where we learned a great deal about weld-free castings. Once the Holy Grail of the industry, it was gratifying to see a foundry able to deliver what was once thought impossible.

In 2012 we deliberately set out to open members’ eyes to the technical opportunities in our own supply chain and I’m delighted that the Valve WG is doing its part in this regard.

Of key support to my WG was the rolling out of the Technical Expert Group initiative. Finding time to discuss all the detail of all the standards under our jurisdiction in our meetings was proving impossible. The TEGs however have allowed us to spin out issues like Fire Testing, Subsea and Butterfly valves to dedicated groups.

International Standards
Another benefit of the TEGs will be the opportunity for those interested in any particular ‘product standards’ in CEN and ISO to form their own TEGs, alleviating our group from covering these in our meetings.

We can focus our attention now on core standards that cut across all valves types and disciplines such as test standards. Plus of course relevant directives like the PED, where a new text, and new national interpretations, seem likely to require our input.

The Valve WG will however continue to receive reports on the valve related strands of activity and offer guidance and advice as required.

The Future
Our plans / goals for 2016 include focussing effort on maintaining well attended meetings, ensuring timely communications with membership on key industry issues, growing representation / involvement of members in UK Technical Work and increasing attendances and activity in API and ASME or others where required.

As for myself this will be my last report as I plan to Chair the Valve WG for 2016 and then, having served 5 years, to rotate out to allow someone else the chance to lead this vibrant technical group. I would like to thank all my members for their considerable support, the BVAA team for looking after us so well, the new TEGs for their welcome assistance of late and of course the many hosts and speakers we’ve persuaded to make our meetings so much more informative.

Published: 17th February 2016