Accura Group Limited and AIMS, two Midlands based businesses have teamed up to provide the oil and gas industry with a unique component of engineering excellence that is set to realise significant returns.
Accura Group Limited, based in Wolverhampton and Peterborough based Advanced Interactive Materials Science Limited (AIMS) have come together to manufacture, using the HIPing process, Venturi Flow Meters that accurately measure the flow of oil and gas as it comes out of the ground.
What makes this Venturi Flow Meter unique is the accuracy and longevity of the product that is formed by AIMS using HIPed powder metallurgy and near-net shaping techniques and then precision machined by Accura to achieve internal engineering tolerances of two microns.
Accura has an exclusive licence to market and sell the HIPed Venturi Valve globally. Accura, established 30 years ago, is a specialist alloy and tooling supplier and manufacturer for the world’s most demanding engineering industries, specialising in oil and gas, aerospace and automotive.
Accura’s chief executive David Williams said: “This new Venturi Flow Meter manufacturing technology is outstanding when it comes to performance, longevity, accuracy and integrity. With this product’s mechanical properties and dimensional accuracy that more than meet the stringent oil and gas subsea standards, there is quite simply nothing like it in the marketplace.
“It is truly exciting and I believe the quality and performance standards achieved by AIMS and Accura will become the benchmark must-have Venturi Flow Meter globally. We have already received serious interest from various global oil and gas clients in North America, Asia and Europe.”
Replacing Venturi Flow Meters is a difficult and costly process, so components with high quality uniform material properties and highly engineered dimensional tolerances that reduce manufacturing risk and maintenance costs offer something the oil and gas industry is keen to exploit.
AIMS is part of Alycidon Capital, located in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. Managing director Mark Hodgkins, said: “We are delighted to be teaming up with another Midlands business established in the global oil and gas market that shares our passion for delivering the highest quality products that minimise manufacturing risk and maintenance costs.
“The AIMS team has been working hard to perfect various HIPed and near-net shaped components which are at the cutting edge of manufacturing precision technology.
“This new product type for oil and gas highlights the quality standard of AIMS’ powder containments used in HIPing and near-net shaping and the precision machining capability of Accura. Our partnering allows complex precision structures to be manufactured using a truly uniform and predictable process.”
If you would like to discuss this development with Accura Group Limited please get in touch at 01902 454460. You might also like to read our previous blog on press tooling.
