Thai Welders Share Limelight In Chilean Miners Rescue Operation

[webfact]

TRAPPED MINERS

Thai welders share limelight

By The Nation

Two Thai welders are among the team of international engineers recruited in a rescue effort to free 33 miners trapped in a Chilean mine since August, their foreign employer in Thailand said.

Wachiraphong Nasaree and Somphong Phongkanya were picked by Metalogic Inspection Services, a Canadian company with expertise in advanced engineering technologies, from many candidates from its operation bases in eight countries, Stephen Francis, manager of the firm in Southeast Asia, said.

The Chilean government had made a request to leading engineering companies to bring the best equipment and technologies for the rescue operation, which has drawn media attention worldwide.

Coupled with the company's invention of MetaPhase, a "solution" to replace X-rays, the expertise of Wachiraphong and Somphong were said to be crucial to the job, which requires precision welding based on their long experience.

Francis described the Thai workers as hard-working, diligent and having a good attitude.

Both men were tasked with welding a rescue tube made of special steel. Francis said: "One per cent of mistakes on their job could mean a jeopardy to the safety or lives of the 33 trapped miners."

He said both Wachiraphong's and Somphong's responsibilities and roles had drawn attention from the Chilean media, and worldwide media attention had followed. "Thailand has been known all over the world - that Thai workers are skilful [and] second to none."

In addition to supervising welding tasks to build a vertical metal rescue tube to be lowered more than 700 metres into the ground to reach the trapped miners, both Wachiraphong and Somphong have been responsible for operating the MetaPhase system to inspect and analyse welding marks on the tube. In televised images of a simulation of the rescue operation, rescue workers are sent underground in a capsule one by one.

-- The Nation 2010-10-13

[Soutpeel]

Its a great acheivement that they are finally getting these guys back to the surface, so not trying to poo poo the efforts by all the guys concerned, but please "The Nation" research your articles a bit better. eg

Both men were tasked with welding a rescue tube made of special steel..... which requires precision welding based on their long experience.

to supervising welding tasks to build a vertical metal rescue tube

both Wachiraphong and Somphong have been responsible for operating the MetaPhase system to inspect and analyse welding marks on the tube

what exactly where the gentlemen concerned actually doing ??

Welders do not inspect their own work....this would be in contravention of every construction code the world over, further the "Metaphase system" is a Phased array ultrasonic system, nothing special in that, these systems have been around for years and need to be operated by very skilled personnel specifically trained in these types of systems

Suspect we have quite a bit of poetic license going on here.....

[jackr]

First thoughts were, oh christ, I hope they haven't welded the thing up.

Joking aside, have worked with learned Thai welders offshore and some switched-on guys out there... the 'second to none' comment is a little cringeworthy, but.

[Soutpeel]

First thoughts were, oh christ, I hope they haven't welded the thing up.

Joking aside, have worked with learned Thai welders offshore and some switched-on guys out there... the 'second to none' comment is a little cringeworthy, but.

There are some very good Thai welders working in industry not going to argue that one and in fact some of them were a lot better than some of the so-called US "expert" rod burners I have worked with through the years...

[Metalogic]

The information in this article is false, for accurate infomration on the Thai MetaPhase Technicians (who are NOT welders but Non-Destructive Testing technicians):

On August 5, 2010, the roof of the San José Copper and Gold mine collapsed, leaving 33 miners trapped underground. The San José Mine is about 45 kilometers (28 mi) north of Copiapó, Chile. The miners are trapped at a depth of approximately700 meters (2,300 ft) deep.

It was quickly determined that drilling a rescue tunnel with a minimum diameter of 66cm (28”) to the miner’s location was the only option. However, given the instability of the mine and surrounding area, there was a significant risk and likelihood of the tunnel collapsing, as well as the customized rescue pod getting stuck during the miner extraction. Therefore it was decided that a steel reinforcement sleeve approximately 24” in diameter and a ½” thick would have to be installed in the rescue shaft.

Rescue operation personnel, who had previous experience with MetaPhase™, determined that Metalogic’s MetaPhase™ Inspection Technologies was the best option to insure that the rescue welds steel sleeve was to be inspected in the fastest time without any sacrifice to qualify and made and urgent request to Metalogic’s Corporate Headquarters in Canada to mobilise crews for the project. (MetaPhase™ is a proprietary ultrasonic technology that replaces multiple conventional inspection techniques most notably x-ray weld inspection).

Our Corporate Headquarters then mobilised its resources from as far away as S.E. Asia and worked around the clock enabling our team to mobilise all equipment and personnel in record time on September 28th.

It should be noted that a special request came from the project for our Thai MetaPhase™ technicians to mobilise due to the technicians “work ethic, attitude and expertise” on a pipeline project that they worked on in Chile earlier this year. This is an outstanding validation from one of our valued clients on how well trained and equipped our MetaPhase™ crews are not only for their day to day projects but also for a high profile project such as this rescue effort to save the 33 minors in Chile.

In addition to the I have never been given any interview by this newspaper and the quotations are false.

Regards,

Steven Francis

Metalogic Inspection Services

[bdenner]

The whole thing is saturated on CNN at the moment.

Couldn't believe the close up of a so called Chilean engineer connecting a small cable and tightening the clamp nuts using a pair of long nose pliers and not a proper tools eg ring spanner or ratchet socket. He was slipping and sliding his tool over these nuts trying to get some torque on them but just rounding them off in front of the world media. Ya gotta wonder.

I have worked with the Thais off shore as well and they are quite well educated and talented. No problems with Thai welders. OK a little different out here in the rice paddies but with minimal tools and safety equipment still get the job done AND do not use long nose pliers to tighten nuts!

Edited October 13, 2010 by bdenner

[Soutpeel]

The information in this article is false, for accurate infomration on the Thai MetaPhase Technicians (who are NOT welders but Non-Destructive Testing technicians):

Thats what I figured.....In all my years in the heavy engineering buisness have never come across welders who where allowed to inspect their own work...

[virtualtraveller]

Soutpeel, stop winging and go back to Sefrica man!

[lukeskywalker]

Cool! Good for Thailand!

[Soutpeel]

Soutpeel, stop winging and go back to Sefrica man!

......you remember the spitting images skit....Never met a nice SeAfrican....

[DMC1]

Good lad Somphong, worked with me before.

[sawati]

Very good theme for a discussion in the beer bar...

[Tropicalevo]

In addition to the I have never been given any interview by this newspaper and the quotations are false.

What! A newspaper printing false information?

I am mortified

[asiawatcher]

The information in this article is false, for accurate infomration on the Thai MetaPhase Technicians (who are NOT welders but Non-Destructive Testing technicians):

On August 5, 2010, the roof of the San José Copper and Gold mine collapsed, leaving 33 miners trapped underground. The San José Mine is about 45 kilometers (28 mi) north of Copiapó, Chile. The miners are trapped at a depth of approximately700 meters (2,300 ft) deep.

It was quickly determined that drilling a rescue tunnel with a minimum diameter of 66cm (28") to the miner's location was the only option. However, given the instability of the mine and surrounding area, there was a significant risk and likelihood of the tunnel collapsing, as well as the customized rescue pod getting stuck during the miner extraction. Therefore it was decided that a steel reinforcement sleeve approximately 24" in diameter and a ½" thick would have to be installed in the rescue shaft.

Rescue operation personnel, who had previous experience with MetaPhase™, determined that Metalogic's MetaPhase™ Inspection Technologies was the best option to insure that the rescue welds steel sleeve was to be inspected in the fastest time without any sacrifice to qualify and made and urgent request to Metalogic's Corporate Headquarters in Canada to mobilise crews for the project. (MetaPhase™ is a proprietary ultrasonic technology that replaces multiple conventional inspection techniques most notably x-ray weld inspection).

Our Corporate Headquarters then mobilised its resources from as far away as S.E. Asia and worked around the clock enabling our team to mobilise all equipment and personnel in record time on September 28th.

It should be noted that a special request came from the project for our Thai MetaPhase™ technicians to mobilise due to the technicians "work ethic, attitude and expertise" on a pipeline project that they worked on in Chile earlier this year. This is an outstanding validation from one of our valued clients on how well trained and equipped our MetaPhase™ crews are not only for their day to day projects but also for a high profile project such as this rescue effort to save the 33 minors in Chile.

In addition to the I have never been given any interview by this newspaper and the quotations are false.

Regards,

Steven Francis

Metalogic Inspection Services

So the Thai media have jumped on the PR bandwagon?

[Lovat]

Cool! Good for Thailand!

Yep. And expect it to make the national news again when a taxi driver hands in what he finds in the back of his cab.

[Artisi]

In addition to the I have never been given any interview by this newspaper and the quotations are false.

What! A newspaper printing false information?

I am mortified

I'm not, just the usual cr_ppy news reporting, full of mistakes, dud information and outright lies - so nothing new .

Edited October 13, 2010 by Artisi

[peterallard]

So the newspaper got it wrong. Nevertheless, Mr. Francis gives reason for some national pride in this extraordinary and so far successful effort. I am glad to see the recognition of two able Thai men.

[jayjay0]

In addition to the I have never been given any interview by this newspaper and the quotations are false.

What! A newspaper printing false information?

I am mortified

I'm not, just the usual cr_ppy news reporting, full of mistakes, dud information and outright lies - so nothing new .

why does Thai Visa insist on depending on the nation are they part owners

kudos to the Thai workers what ever there job is. To be requested is a honor.