Marine Welding and Burning Services

UKDC offers specialist welding and burning services for the marine industry.

Wet Welding

Wet welding is a type of hyperbaric welding performed in water, rather than in a dry chamber. The diver utilises the release of gas bubbles around the electric arc. These bubbles act as a shield, preventing electrical currents from conducting through the water and protecting the diver. However, these bubbles can also obscure the welding area, complicating the process. Additionally, the bubbles can disrupt the weld pool and cause the weld to cool too rapidly due to heat loss to the surrounding water, potentially leading to defects like cracking. To address these challenges, skilled and certified underwater welders are essential. Wet welding typically employs direct current rather than alternating current for enhanced safety in underwater conditions.

Underwater Burning and Arc Cutting

Underwater burning and arc cutting involve the use of exothermic cutting rods designed for underwater operations. These rods are activated by an oxygen supply and ignited at the tip with 150 amps of direct current from the torch. Once ignited, the rod continues to burn even if the electrical current is turned off, as long as the oxygen flow remains active or the rod has not been fully consumed. This technique is capable of cutting both ferrous and non-ferrous metals, ranging from 1mm in thickness to any size, using an extremely high-temperature arc that reaches up to 10,000 degrees Celsius.

Read about a UKDiveworks Commercial underwater welding case study? Click here to view