I Fully localized welding materials for K2 tanks, further stepping up efforts to facilitate submarine hull applications

I “Nurturing key industries for the country’s economy” (Founder Hong Jong-Yeol)

I The “KSS Method”, which allows for shortened construction project schedules, designated as a New Technology (KORHEAT)

 

     

     ▲ View of KISWEL Seoul Office

 

 

   KISWEL rolled out “Welding consumables for 9% Nickel steel for LNG Tank” in its product demo held in November 17, 2022, which has been a year since the success of its localization jointly implemented with its solution partner, POSCO. The audience engaged in envisaging a future that will bring the locally developed technology to life.

“Localization of welding consumables”, which may not be aligned with the general consumers’ interests, is not all that simple in its implication.

 

     

     ▲ KISWEL is demonstrating the “welding of 9% Ni steel sheets used for onshore LNG storage tanks” in its interactive demo with prospective customers.  

 

 

   The welding consumables successfully localized by KISWEL is used for onshore LNG storage tanks. Those tanks modeled and fabricated shall meet the prescribed Special class A earthquake-resistant design criteria.

Steel sheets for LNG storage tanks, along with their welds, require strength and toughness (the ability to withstand shock up to fracture) higher than conventional steel sheets to sustain no permanent damage against earthquake aftershocks acting on the outer tank. In particular, the inner tank that directly contains LNG at the ultra-low temperature of -165 degrees Celsius uses “9% nickel steel” suitable for the cryogenic environment together with expensive “nickel-alloy welding wires”.

 

   In the case of 9% Ni steel for cryogenic purposes, it was developed for the first time in Korea by POSCO in the early 1990s, and now it is readily available for LNG storage tank projects both local and overseas. However, nickel-series welding consumables had to be imported from foreign suppliers due to the issues such as high toughness and efficiency

 

   To address this, POSCO and KISWEL entered into a joint development agreement to “locally-produce 9% Ni steel welding consumables.” It came into fruition in 2021. A year after that, the product demo took place in front of the clients.

 

   The development was much more successful than expected. The final product is found to fully meet the test items of global design-build construction firms as well as the stringent quality standards of Korea Gas Corporation. With the technical development by KISWEL, the clients can now be supplied with welding consumables that have more competitive prices than foreign ones. Both KISWEL and POSCO will create packages of “9% Ni steel” and “welding consumables” and supply them to the market in the future.

 

 

  “A global company in the welding sector”

 

   What kind of company is KISWEL? Have you ever heard of the name KISWEL before?

 

  Many people appear to be unfamiliar with the company named KISWEL,  Nevertheless, there might be many passers-by who have come across a giant, iconic billboard displaying the name KISWEL together with an elephant image on top of its headquarters building at Toegye-ro, Seoul.

 

   KISWEL is a company that has walked a single path in the field of welding consumables, with this year marking its 50^th anniversary. It has a corporate headquarters in Seoul as well as two manufacturing plants and a state-of-the-art R&D centers across the country, with local factories in the U.S.A., China, and Malaysia. KISWEL is a global enterprise with local incorporations in the U.S.A., Japan, China, Vietnam, and Malaysia, and branches in Thailand, Indonesia, Luxembourg, Mexico, and UAE (Dubai).

 

   The company, despite its rich history and significant presence in the field, is relatively lacking public awareness. The business group KISWEL, founded by the late Hong Jong-Yeol, an ex-honorary president of the Kiswire Group, is now led respectively by the founder’s eldest son Hong Ho-Jeong (Chairman of Kostech), his second son Hong Young-Chul (Chairman of Kiswire), his third son Hong Min-Cheol (Chairman of KISWEL and Chairman of Samhwa Steel) and his fourth son Hong Bong-Cheol (Chairman of SYS Retail (formerly Et Land).

 

 

  “Welding consumables for K2 tanks completely localized”

 

     

     ▲ Polish President Andrzej Duda at the unloading ceremony of South Korea’s K2 tanks and K9 self-propelled howitzers, which was held at the port Gdynia, Poland on December 6, 2022.

 

   In recent years, KISWEL has exhibited outstanding achievements in many areas. With its accomplishments in the field of national defense deemed particularly remarkable.

   After intensive R&D since a “joint development MOU for localizing welding consumables used in the defense industry” entered into with Hyundai Rotem, an affiliate of Hyundai Motor Group, KISWEL has succeeded in developing “welding consumables dedicated for K2 battle tankers” that hitherto relied on imports for nearly four decades.

 

   KISWEL’s meaningful achievements in the defense industry have now extended to the aircraft industry. Recently, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is accelerating the localization of advanced aircraft consumables through the Aircraft Material Development Association, where a total of 37 organizations and institutions including KAI, KISWEL, KCC, and Hansco are participating.

Classified as core technologies with limited technology transfer much like radar, aircraft engines, and stealth technologies, aircraft consumables/composites must be lightweight and have high strength, strong durability, and heat resistance.

 

   The domestic market in the aerospace consumables sector is worth about 1.12 trillion won, and is expected to grow year by year. In that respect, the ripple effect from the localization of KISWEL surely brings the sector much more benefits such as stability in supply, price competitiveness, reduced production cycle, savings in transportation cost, and export competitiveness. Its high total value added will also greatly contribute to the national economy as well as job creation.

 

   Korea has agreed to around 20-trillion-won agreement to ship defense equipment to Poland, thereby raising the status of Korea’s defense industry. KISWEL, which has succeeded in localizing the defense industry, is confirmed to supply welding consumables for the agreement. This agreement was finalized just two months after Present Yoon Suk-yeol got into a discussion with Polish President Andrzej Duda at the NATO summit in Spain in June 2022. The defense agreement made between the two countries is worth 10 trillion won only for the first term delivery, and is estimated to reach about 25 trillion won in total which includes three export phases over the course of the next 10 years. There are three types of Korean weapons exported to Poland – the K2 tank, the K-9 self-propelled howitzer, and the FA-50 light attack aircraft.

 

 

  "KISWEL technologies embracing land, sea & sky vehicles"

 

     

     ▲ Welding consumables produced by KISWEL

 

   Hyundai Rotem is a key player in the agreement and had a large part in making “K-Defense” successful, being at the center of manufacturing. However, it should be noted that KISWEL is just as entitled to be called a hidden supporter, particularly in subsequent manufacturing processes.

According to experts in the relevant industries, it is important for the tanks to be able to withstand enemy fires, let alone their capability to destroy. The so-called “K-series” tanks are said to have mechanical strength enough to protect themselves against enemies’ small-size missiles. Welding consumables used in the production of armored fighting vehicles such as tanks and IFVs specifically require advanced technology so as to endure devastating shell shocks, making localization by KISWEL all the more meaningful.

 

   KISWEL’s welding product models used for K-series tanks are ‘ZH-100D’ ‘T-100D’ and ‘K-11018M’.

 

   The promotion of import substitution thanks to the development by KISWEL holds a special meaning in view of contributing to the improved national interest and enhanced competitiveness.

 

   Even deep sea vehicles are about to be included in the long list of K-Defense. KISWEL, nominated as a lead organization in a national R&D project is now undertaking development for welding consumables dedicated to submarines.

 

   Here is an excerpt from an interview with Kim Yong-Cheol, the Director of KISWEL’s R&D Center:
 

   “KISWEL’s R&D team in collaboration with leading companies in relevant fields is striving for localizing welding consumables for submarines. The submarine pressure hull must maintain structural integrity with the difference between outside and inside pressure at depth to provide a safe space, enabling the crew to carry out operations and live inside it. The submarine also needs to submerge and resurface repeatedly, which makes it different from battleships.” he said.
 
  ― Submarines require a high-level of technical skills and state-of-the-art technology.
 

   ”There is a probability that fatigue cracking occurs on the surface of the submarine shell welds when subjected to frequently varying pressure under extreme conditions. Fatigue design is crucial for ensuring submarine performance, as even small issues with the pressure hull can impact the safety of the submarine and its crew. We at KISWEL strive to establish ourselves as a leader in submarine technology by constructing both domestic and export submarines using solely domestic technology.”
 
  ― It has become known that you are now devoted to localizing welding consumables.
 
   “From the perspective of the company that has insistently been engaged in the welding industry for nearly half a century, we firmly believe that localizing welding consumables is our mission. Welding consumables are essential in welding operations particularly as they serve as a basis for quality assurance in the defense industry. We recently expanded into the localization of aircraft consumables, in addition to submarines. Our company is actively participating in the Aircraft Material Development Association led by KAI. KISWEL will solidify its position as a solution provider in the national defense industry encompassing land, ocean, and air.”

 

 

 

(Continuously)