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NIC Shortlisted for British Engineering Excellence Award

Wed, 12 January, 2022

A Non-Metallic Innovation Centre project has been shortlisted for the British Engineering Excellence Awards (BEEAs), taking place at the Landmark Hotel in London on 18 March 2022.

The project, ‘Friction Welding of GRE using PEEK’ is developing an innovative new method to join reinforced thermosetting resin (RTR) composite pipes. This new joining method has the potential to replace the use of adhesive joints and sealing gaskets, creating a more reliable joining solution for the oil and gas industry.

Replacing the adhesive with a bonded pipe technology using a thermoplastic layer ensures the structural integrity of the joint is maintained. The thermoplastic also acts as a sealing layer, removing the need for an O-ring or gasket and simplifying the whole process.

The use of non-metallic pipes such as RTR composite pipes in the oil and gas industry promises cost savings due to eliminating corrosion. The environmental benefits are also apparent, with a life-cycle carbon footprint being as much as 60% lower with composite pipes when compared to metallic pipes.

This NIC project has been nominated as one of the R&D Projects of the Year at The British Engineering Excellence Awards, which were created by the publishers of Eureka! magazine, New Electronics and The Engineer, to celebrate the very best in design engineering achievements across the UK as well as recognising the companies and people behind them since 2009.

The award winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on 18 March 2022, and you can find out more about the BEEAs here.