Innovations™ Magazine October - December 2013

®

A quarterly publication of T.D. Williamson October-December 2013

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We are partners.At TDW, we work with our customers to be operationally

ready for the unexpected. Our emergency pipeline

repair system combines planning, preparation and

project management with industry-leading products and

services to assist our business partners in preparing

for and responding to pipeline emergencies.

SmartPlug® Tetherless Isolation Technology

® Registered trademark of T.D. Williamson, Inc. in the United States and other countries. ™ Trademark of T.D. Williamson, Inc. in the United States and other countries. © Copyright 2013 All right reserved. T.D. Williamson, Inc.

®Registered trademark of T.D. Williamson, Inc. in the United States and other countries. ™ Trademark of T.D. Williamson, Inc. in the United States and other countries. © Copyright 2013. All rights reserved by T.D. Williamson, Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Printed in the United States of America.

Cover Story: LEGO®s, Robots, and the Future of the Industry . . 8 Pairing professionals with students to engage the next generation of engineers,

FIRST® LEGO®League robots battle the fallout of a natural disaster and teach

children how engineering can empower them to shape the world’s future.

Vol. V, No. 4 – October - December 2013

Innovations™ magazine is a quarterly publication produced by T.D. Williamson.

Editor-in-Chief Jim Myers Morgan

Managing Editor Waylon Summers

Art Director Joe Antonacci

Digital Production Jim Greenway

Ward Mankin

Contributors

Bruce Binkley Hillary Carper

Chris Cloyde Chad Crim

Ashish Deb Jesse Green

Bill Herring George Lim

Ed Maynard Mark Ray

Sharon Roe Julie Simmons

Annie Tomecek Anne ValentinWe Improve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 President and CEO Bruce Binkley discusses how TDW looks at every challenge

as an opportunity to utilize continuous improvement.

Safety Matters: Rooting Out the Cause . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 A systematic approach to identifying the root causes of mission-critical problems.

Faces & Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Looking at TDW events and projects from around the globe.

Taking Aim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Targeting waste and process variation to improve performance and the

customer experience.

Five Questions: D-2000 Closure System . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Built for safety, speed and ease of use by a single operator.

TDW on Tour . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Find out where and when you can see TDW technology in person.

T.D. WilliamsonNorth and South America: +1 918-447-5000

Europe/Africa/Middle East: +32 67-28-36-11

Asia/Pacific: +65 6364-8520

Offshore Services: +1 832-448-7200

E-mail: info@tdwilliamson.com

Web: www.tdwilliamson.com

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Contents

The operator’s timeline was short, affording TDW only five months to plan, gather resources, and execute one of the world’s largest subsea hot tapping and STOPPLE® plugging projects. Each phase – preparation, engineering assessment, fabrication, simulation, mobilization and execution – had to be carried out to perfection in order to meet the demanding deadline.

After mobilizing equipment from North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region, all parties converged to begin the final phase of this massive project. Huddled on a diving support vehicle off the island of Java, in Indonesia, TDW technicians were proud and excited to get their equipment in the water and bring this incredible job to fruition.

Late in the execution phase, our technicians were preparing for a 14-inch plug setting operation when they noticed a flaw with one of the set pins on the plug holder. Undeterred, the technicians were able to create a safe workaround, allowing the job to continue. Further into the job, they experienced the same flaw on a second plug holder. Again, the skilled technicians were able to respond adeptly, keeping the project on track. But two identical flaws on two separate pieces of equipment pointed to a potential quality issue with the entire batch of holders. Through unwavering customer commitment and ingenuity in the field, the job proceeded. It was executed to the operator’s complete satisfaction and under deadline.

We came away from this impressive and successful project having learned a hard lesson. We made a mistake. Our processes missed something. Rather than sweep it under the rug or hang the responsibility on an individual, we chose to investigate, hold ourselves accountable, and discover how we can eliminate this flaw and any others like it. We learn. We improve.

This process of intense accountability and continuous improvement is not new to TDW. In fact, it has always been a part of our culture. More recently, however, we formalized the process and began measuring the gains as part of our commitment to continuous improvement. The value of this push has been undeniable. Every time we track down a problem’s root cause or remove a safety or quality issue, it’s like putting money and time back in the pockets of our customers.

You can learn how our Lean-Six Sigma Master Black Belt, Chris Cloyde, is championing the continuous improvement efforts and bringing real returns to the customers in our feature story, “Taking Aim,” beginning on page 10. As always, I hope you enjoy all of the articles and information in this issue of Innovations™ magazine.

Until next time,

4

by Bruce Binkley, President and Chief Executive Officer

Innovations | October-December 2013

We came away from this impressive and successful project having learned a hard lesson.

We Improve

by Bill Herring, TDW Corporate Manager HSE

& Mark Ray, TDW Services Global Quality Leader

Safety MattersA systematic approach to identifying the root cause of mission-critical problems.

Rooting Out the Cause

5

“Why are you late for work?” is a familiar question that generally receives appropriately pat responses. “Traffic was crazy!” “Oh, the weather was terrible this morning!” “I got caught at every light!” Although these answers may contain some truth, they are more effective at demonstrating our aversion to looking at root causality.

When something goes wrong it’s our self-preserving nature to deflect responsibility and fixate on the activity directly preceding the incident. Rarely do we pause, back away from the moment and assess the greater contributing factors and implications. In taking this more objective approach, when asked why you are late for work, you might respond with, “Because I hit my snooze button three times this morning. Because I was so incredibly exhausted. Because I stayed up far too late last night watching the riveting new season of Downton Abbey on Netflix.”

TDW is a complex company discontent with pat responses and overly simplistic solutions. As it offers a vast portfolio of products and services, operates multiple international manufacturing plants and maintains more than 50 service centers around the world, any one incident has the potential to become globally significant, impacting the entire company and, ultimately, its customers.

To help identify, investigate and eliminate these incidents, TDW sought a methodology

that would allow it to effectively and efficiently drill down to root causality. And although it already employs powerful continuous improvement efforts, such as Lean-Six Sigma (LSS), these tools are not specifically designed for distilling an incident down to an ultimate why and how.

TapRooT® is a systematic process, software, and training for discovering the real root causes of problems. It is used by leading companies around the world to investigate and fix the root causes of major accidents, everyday incidents, minor near-misses, quality issues, human errors, maintenance problems, productivity issues, manufacturing mistakes, environmental releases … in other words, all types of mission-critical problems.

TapRooT® is not a silver bullet, nor is it as simple as distributing software and watching the magic problem-solving take place. TapRooT® is itself a necessarily complex but logical process, utilizing the latest human performance and equipment reliability technology.

TDW sought a methodology that would

allow it to effectively and efficiently drill

down to root causality.

This means that, like LSS, there is a significant amount of training invested into TDW personnel to take full advantage of this process.

Once all key personnel are fully trained on TapRooT® and the process implemented throughout the organization, TDW plans to achieve a 20 to 25 percent year-over-year reduction in both safety incidents and quality issues. With the addition of TapRooT®, TDW is better equipped than ever to eliminate or greatly reduce potential risks, which transfers directly to its customers in the form of first time success rates – a job done 100 percent right, 100 percent of the time. l

TapRooT® is a trademark of System Improvements Inc., which does not sponsor, authorize or endorse this magazine or its content.

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Innovations | October-December 2013

1. Utah, USA / 6-inch MDSTDW recently launched its 6-inch Multiple Dataset (MDS) inline inspection tool, containing Deformation, axial magnetic flux leakage (MFL) and SpirALL® MFL (SMFL). This tool, with the various technologies, weighs only 146 pounds (66 kg) and is a mere 73 inches (1.85 m) in length. Accounting for the 6-inch MDS runs already executed and those currently scheduled, 14 segments and almost 600 miles (970 km) will be inspected using this technology in its first months on the market.

4. Norway / North Sea IsolationAlthough TDW has been a trusted partner for the operator in other parts of the world, this isolation was TDW’s first opportunity to showcase its SmartPlug® pipeline isolation tool and SmartTrack™ remote monitoring and tracking system on the operator’s North Sea lines. The job involved gauge pigging, isolation and leak testing of a 20-inch pipeline during repair of an Emergency Shutdown Valve. The SmartPlug® tool was used to isolate the pipeline against full line pressure and to leak test the pipe after the repair works.

3. France / Lake IsolationTDW recently completed an inline inspection of a key oil pipeline network running through Parentis Lake, a popular leisure destination nestled in the pine forests of southwest France. The inspection program was carried out on 12 oil production lines and one oil transmission line near Bordeaux, and was the first time TDW supplied this service to Vermilion REP, a division of Canadian energy firm Vermilion Energy.

2. Scotland / Safety by RemoteTDW hosted a Customer Appreciation Event in Aberdeen and rolled-out its newest subsea technology, the Clamp Installation Tool (CIT). The CIT is a remote-controlled system that makes it possible to install any proprietary clamp or fitting on subsea pipelines in need of repair or to prepare for tie-ins to new pipelines. The lightweight CIT is operated remotely, via topside laptop, by an experienced technician aboard a platform or a diving support vessel, enhancing operational safety and control over clamp installation operations.

Looking at TDW events and projects from around the globe.

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8. Indonesia / Speed ControlCompleting a difficult vertical launch, the TDW Indonesian inline inspection (ILI) operations team completed a key integrity inspection using TDW’s Speed Control technology (SPC). The inspection tool was a 26-inch platform with SPC, GMFL and DEF. Team members from the Indonesian ILI Service Center executed the run, with the tool maintaining optimum inspection speed throughout, achieving 100 percent sensor coverage.

7. Malaysia / Framework AgreementFor the past 12 years, TDW has been supplying pipeline pressure isolation services to facilitate safe maintenance activities on export lines and pipeline tie-ins for a major Malaysian operator. As part of a framework agreement between the two companies, extended in 2012, TDW, through use of its SmartPlug® isolation technology, has recently assisted the operator in relieving increasing contact stress between a gas export riser and platform jacket offshore East Malaysia.

5. Denmark / 30-inch Gas MainTDW was contracted to assist in rerouting a 30-inch gas main, in an urban area, responsible for supplying the majority of Denmark’s gas. The gas flows in from an offshore North Sea platform, which is also responsible for delivering significant quantities to Sweden. In total, TDW performed three double-double STOPPLE® Train isolations to facilitate the move and to prepare the lines for tie-in.

6. Georgia / STOPPLE® Train Isolation As part of a global Pipeline Intervention and Isolation Agreement, TDW completed its first-ever STOPPLE® Train isolation program in the Republic of Georgia. It was the ideal solution for the operator, as it was essential to maintain the utmost safety and speed during valve replacement. The double seal, combined with the bleed capability of this unique system, meant that the line was completely and safely isolated, and quickly returned to full operation.

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Innovations | October-December 2013

sets to build autonomous robots. The robots score points on a thematic playing surface, or Robot Game, as they attempt to create an innovative solution to a problem.

All teams are led by at least one adult professional, and are guided by the FLL® Core Values. These values teach participants that friendly competition and shared gain are not mutually exclusive goals, and that helping one another is the foundation of teamwork. The 2013 theme for FIRST ® LEGO® League is “Nature’s Fury.” It uses natural disasters to teach team members how to prepare, stay safe and rebuild better than before.

The adults and children who appear to be avoiding productivity are actually hard at play. They’re laying a foundation for solving problems caused by the natural disasters often faced by TDW customers, and they are doing it through play with LEGO®s.

The FIRST ® LEGO® League (FLL®) uses a robotics program or children ages 9-16 (9-14 in the United States, Canada, Mexico) to inspire excitement about science and technology, and teach them valuable employment and life skills. With more than 20,000 teams of up to 10 children in 70-plus countries, FLL® participants use MINDSTORM® LEGO®

8

LEGOs, Robots and the Future of the IndustryPairing professionals with students

to engage the next generation of engineers.

THE COVER STORY

Hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, floods. When natural disasters strike, why are TDW engineers turning to children to help them solve customer problems?

®

continued on page 13

9

First FLL® Pairing

TDW’s initial involvement in FLL® came at the behest of Ed Maynard, Ph.D., PE, based in Salt Lake City. Looking first to find a way to spend more time with his own LEGO®-fanatic son, Maynard has formed an FLL® team composed of the children of TDW employees.

Meeting at the state-of-the-art Salt Lake City facility, TDW engineers work with the children to share the excitement of problem-solving in a technological field, using play as the vehicle. Maynard states, “The children receive clear benefits from exposure to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) thinking and education, while the engineers are often gifted with surprisingly novel approaches to a problem. This dynamic directly influences how TDW views solving its own customer challenges.” Maynard adds, “We are also helping our customers satisfy their future needs for innovative engineering talent by introducing the best and the brightest to engineering as a career at an early age, when their STEM perceptions are being formed. These children will not solve today’s problems, but we are equipping them to tackle tomorrow’s.”

LEGO®s and EPRS

Around the world, T.D. Williamson engineers agree that in a natural disaster the ability to effectively and quickly intervene at the location of damaged infrastructure, while only minimally affecting other collateral services, is critical. A company-wide commitment to Emergency Pipeline Repair Systems (EPRS) allows TDW to help customers prepare for probable disaster by focusing on mitigating damage before disaster strikes, rather than merely reacting afterward.

Maynard sees a strong connection between what FIRST ® LEGO® League teaches and TDW’s EPRS. “The toll natural disasters take is obvious and immediately visible—loss of life, shelter and possessions. But those disasters also affect infrastructure, like pipelines, which affects the transmission of natural gas, making things like the generation of heat and cooking impossible.” Maynard adds, “Generators of electricity can be knocked offline and pipelines that carry refined products to vehicles can be damaged. These vehicles may be those responsible for transporting relief materials, clearing debris or bringing in construction materials. We need to know how to minimize the crisis by adequately anticipating and comprehensively preparing for disaster. FIRST ® LEGO® League provides students – those with a curiosity about LEGO®s and how things are built –

CORE VALUES COME FIRST FOR ENGINEERS AND STUDENTS

T.D. Williamson adheres to three core values—the “Three I’s”:

• Integrity means we build trust by doing the right things the right way, all the time.

• Interdependence means we are mutually reliant on each other to achieve our common goals.

• Initiative means we see opportunities, have the courage to take action and deliver results.

This works well for the teams, as FIRST® LEGO® League is also committed to its core values:

•We are a team.

• We do the work to find solutions with guidance from our coaches and mentors.

• We know our coaches and mentors don’t have all the answers, we learn together.

• We honor the spirit of friendly competition.

• What we discover is more important than what we win.

• We share our experiences with others.

• We display gracious professionalism and cooperation in everything we do.

•We have fun!

Source: FirstLegoLeague.org

some idea of the skills they will need to provide their own future solutions, and ultimately solve problems cast at them by a world outside their control.”

Solving an Industry-Wide Crisis

TDW Chairman Dick Williamson has long supported STEM education, advocating to education decision-makers the importance of an emphasis on, and ready access to, STEM programs in school. Increased visibility for STEM programs helps bring FIRST ® LEGO® League to more schools; in turn, involvement in FLL® allows TDW to introduce the students to a top-flight engineering program, showing them a company worth considering when the time comes.

Organizers of TDW’s FIRST ® LEGO® League hope they are doing their part to lessen what many are calling an impending severe shortage of engineering talent in the United States and around the world. “We strongly feel it meets our goals to support education,” commented Annie Tomecek, TDW Global Community Relations. “In fact, this program could be the pilot for our STEM Signature Program to support STEM education and careers.”

Maynard’s vision for T.D. Williamson’s continued involvement with the FIRST ® LEGO® League program includes building a connection between FLL® and the company’s two-year Engineering Development Program (EDP), which offers a broad range of training and development opportunities for specially selected, newly hired engineers. Launched in 2009, EDP participants

Even for a company that works with polyethylene and steel as raw materials, one of T.D. Williamson’s most important commodities is still time. Streamlining production – without cutting corners – creates a marked improvement in efficiency, productivity, and profits. What’s more, improved workflow ultimately ensures that customers are happier, too.

That’s why reducing product lead time was among the early objectives tackled under T.D. Williamson’s continuous improvement (CI) program, which rolled out in 2011, and is part of its greater Product Quality Plan (PQP). The results haven’t taken long to appear. As of October 2013, customers who order T.D. Williamson’s 4- to 20-inch LOCK-O-RING® Plus flanges and plugs will receive their orders (on average) in 15 percent of the time it once took. Since July 2013, delivery of closures from TDW’s India manufacturing facility is nearly 50 percent faster than it was.

These time-saving upgrades are the result of T.D. Williamson’s systematic shift toward a Lean-Six Sigma (LSS) methodology – a methodology that is widely respected by companies worldwide for its ability to help achieve twin goals: better productivity and greater customer satisfaction.

At T.D. Williamson, the LSS program’s key players are its Green

Belts, Black Belts, and Master Black Belt. For those unfamiliar with Six Sigma terminology, the “belts” are company employees who’ve been hand-selected by executive management to become experts in applying LSS principles to company projects. In addition, they act as coaches and mentors, helping teams and business leaders achieve their goals.

Bringing in the Black Belts: T.D. Williamson adopts Lean-Six Sigma

In less than two years, T.D. Williamson has fully trained 80 of its employees in Lean-Six Sigma. Of those, 63 are Green Belts, 16 are Black Belts, and one is a Master Black Belt. Green Belts work in operations, where their training enables them to monitor and

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Innovations | October-December 2013

GREEN BELTS

80 LSS

MASTER BLACK BELT

BLACK BELTS

63

16

1

Targeting waste and process variation to improve performance and the customer experience.

Taking Aim

“ Even great businesses can find ways to improve.” Master Black Belt Chris Cloyde

The Essentials of Lean-Six Sigma: ■ Strong customer focus ■ Solid, fact-based data ■ Horizontal process focus ■ Systematic problem solving ■ Striving for perfection

{

maintain grassroots improvements made by the project teams. Black Belts are responsible for leading high-impact projects while also coaching Green Belts and mentoring teams. At the top tier are Master Black Belts, who guide and support Black Belts. Although the company expects to have 25 to 50 Black Belts in the future, Chris Cloyde, PE, Lean-Six Sigma Master Black Belt, says the number of practitioners isn’t as important as where those practitioners are placed within the company. That’s what will bring about “broad-based and externally evident benefits for TDW and our customers.”

Currently, T.D. Williamson’s Black Belts are located in these business units around the globe: • Global Manufacturing and Supply Chain (USA and India) • Finance and Accounting (USA) • Inline Inspection (USA) • Hot Tapping & Plugging Services (Poland, Belgium, and Brazil) • SmartPlug® Operations (Norway)

Among the newest group of Black Belts is Hillary Carper, who has taken a leadership role in the company’s LOCK-O-RING®

Plus lead time reduction project. She was plucked from the company’s Tulsa procurement team, where she had worked as a buyer for about a

year. Like her Black Belt peers, Hillary completed 200 hours of training to develop her LSS expertise, coordinated through TDW University.

Serving as a Certified Change Management professional, Carper admits she didn’t seek out a position as a Black Belt. But her enthusiasm for her relatively new role is unbridled.

“I appreciate that every day is interesting and different,” she says. “I’m grateful to be in a position to have a positive effect on the company’s global business, an effect on its bottom line. It’s very rewarding to say, ‘I saved my company such-and-such dollars.’”

Carper says one of the best parts of her Black Belt certification is that it gives her more opportunities to interact with customers. For example, her work on the LOCK-O-RING® Plus project exemplifies what the company calls listening to the Voice of the Customer.

“T.D. Williamson is one of the most trusted pipeline solutions companies in the world. We have the statistics and customer information to substantiate that,” Carper says. “But we heard that we weren’t always on time.”

To develop a solution, Carper worked with a cross-functional team that included people from the company’s global manufacturing and supply chain, as well as the planning, scheduling, engineering, quality control, and supplier quality functions.

It didn’t take long for Carper and the rest of the team to identify the source of the holdup. Although the flange component of the two-piece LOCK-O-RING® Plus product was consistently manufactured on time, supply chain issues at the India facility that produces the plug component were delaying delivery.

The next step was to conduct a high-level analysis of how to fix the problem. To cut down on the shipping delay in India, the team examined several alternatives, such as moving manufacturing to Tulsa or purchasing the plug from an outside vendor.

By aligning it’s supply chain to the customer’s needs, the TDW team brought everything into lockstep.

Although the implications to the company are still being calculated, Carper says that the kind of thinking that went into the lead time reduction project is being instilled throughout T.D. Williamson.

“We’re fundamentally changing the business around a product or process. Things are faster, safer, and higher quality,” she says.

DMAIC: Transforming “practical problems” into data-driven answers

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“ Things are faster, safer, and higher quality.” Black Belt Hillary Carper

BetterQuality

$$$

LeanImproves �ow to meet customer requirements by eliminating waste within processes

Six SigmaEliminates defects and generates predictable output by reducing variation of key input variables

AccuracySpeed

BetterDelivery

Satisfied Employees

Satisfied Customers

Continuous Improvement

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Innovations | October-December 2013

When Carper mentions “high-level analysis,” she’s referring to one of the steps in a problem-solving method common to many companies: DMAIC. The framework for process improvement, DMAIC is shorthand for Define – Measure – Analyze – Improve – Control.

For Black Belt Ashish Deb, the DMAIC methodology was the key to resolving on-time delivery and lead time reduction issues for the closure product line manufactured at T.D. Williamson’s Savli, India, plant. In addition to boosting customer satisfaction by reducing cycle time, he says his cross-functional project team uncovered ways to better use available resources. They also generated cost savings by eliminating late shipments and holding inventory.

According to Deb, the team entered the project believing that late delivery of raw material was the main reason for the delays. It’s true that the forging vendor was missing deadlines as well. However, by utilizing a data-driven process, Deb’s team uncovered additional causes, many of them planning-oriented and well within the company’s control.

Those problems included committing to delivery schedules shorter than standard lead times would allow; slowdowns in issuing vendor purchase orders and approving vendor quality assurance plans; and insufficient means of monitoring and tracking of orders and task completion.

Deb’s team was composed primarily of Green Belts. Not only were they equipped with LSS knowledge, but they brought with them hands-on experience from the company’s procurement, manufacturing, and customer service departments. As a result, the group could be more realistic about the concerns and the solutions.

Today, a multi-faceted improvement program has significantly reduced lead times. On-time delivery is approaching T.D. Williamson’s 90 percent standard. Aspects of the plan included: • Eliminating the waiting time

for releasing purchase orders • Developing a system for

monitoring sales order status • Defining the shortest delivery

date that can be committed to • Crafting a sound supply-

replenishment strategy • Creating an agreement with the

supplier to significantly reduce closure forging lead time

In a project summary, Deb praised the DMAIC process with giving T.D. Williamson a direction and focus that can drive great results in terms of process improvement and eliminating waste.

“The team learned how to transform a practical problem into a statistical

problem, then brainstorm for a practical solution and see a change through statistical analysis,” he says.

“We ask ourselves, ‘Are the dials moving on the dashboard?’”

T.D. Williamson is a market leader, a company with a long track record of innovation and success. So what was the motivation to embrace a program like continuous improvement?

According to Master Black Belt Cloyde, even great businesses can find ways to improve, such as formalizing ways to identify customer concerns and standardizing work to eliminate defects. Through continuous improvement efforts, the company’s performance is more predictable. The customer

can expect the same high level of response with every T.D. Williamson interaction.

“We’ve been a market leader for some time,” Cloyde says. “But as we grow

globally, we’re seeking new levels of performance. Continuous improvement is one of the vehicles that can take us there.”

Carper concurs.

“We’re seeing exponential global growth in our business. CI will help us keep up with growth. It allows

us to work smarter and to establish processes that help us get out of the

‘that’s the way we’ve always done it’ pattern,” she says.

That’s why CI efforts are championed by company president and CEO Bruce Binkley and

his executive team. In fact, 61 percent of the company’s business leaders, 28 percent of its professionals, and 15 percent of supervisors have completed an introduction to LSS training. Those figures aren’t far behind the statistics achieved by Best in Class organizations. In other words, T.D. Williamson has made big strides in little more than two years.

LSS Training Completed by TDW

Define Project &Product

Establish Team

Indentify Quality

Features

Develop Control Plan(s)

Establish Verification

Process

Implement & Go Live

Establish Measurement

Process

Develop Work Instructions/Standards

PQP

Continuous Improvement

61% of TDW business leaders

28% of TDW professionals

15% of TDW supervisors

Continuous improvement is an essential step in T.D. Williamson’s Product Quality Plan.

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receive an in-depth introduction to TDW history, culture and core values, and then rotate through a variety of disciplines, including sustainable engineering, operational engineering, and research and development.

Maynard has two specific goals in mind. “First, I’d like to see EDP participants become involved in mentoring these young, aspiring engineers. Nothing makes you understand an engineering topic quite as well as having to explain it to a 9-year-old. Second, this is the perfect opportunity to teach young engineers how to be brave enough to take a novel approach to problem-solving in the field.” Maynard continues, “Because we are scientists, we know what works, and we like to use what we know will work. There’s a lot of excitement and energy in finding new ways to solve old problems, and FLL® forces you to think about solving problems with an entirely new set of tools—LEGO®s. That’s the greatest part of the whole program!” l

LEGO®s, Robots and the Future of the Industry continued from page 9

FLL® teaches children how engineering empowers them to shape the world’s future.

How does the company know what CI success looks like?

“We ask ourselves, ‘Are the dials moving on the dashboard?’” Cloyde says.

And to date, many of the needles are shifting in the right direction.

Consider the reduction in product escapes. A product escape refers to any time a product leaves a manufacturing facility and, in some way, something is amiss. That can mean the quality is off, the quantity is wrong, or it’s been shipped to the incorrect location.

Year-to-date 2013 over 2012, globally T.D. Williamson has achieved reductions in:

• Total complaints: Down 28 percent• Total escapes: Down 40 percent• Non-conformance: Down 45 percent• Cost of poor quality: Down 25 percent

“At every level of our organization, we are striving to become a data-driven company, which will help us make better decisions and gauge true performance,” Cloyde adds.

Toward a culture of continuous improvement

Moving forward, T.D. Williamson will continue to embrace a culture of quality and continuous improvement throughout its global business. The mentoring environment will expand. Green Belts, Black Belts, and Master Black Belts will continue to learn from their customers, helping teams take aim at waste and process variations to improve performance and the customer experience. l

Total Complaints

28%Total

Escapes

40% Non-Conformance

45%Cost of

Poor Quality

25%

LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO® Group of companies which does not sponsor, authorize or endorse this magazine or its content. FIRST® and FLL® are registered trademarks of The United States Foundation for Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, which does not sponsor, authorize or endorse this magazine or its content.

Innovations | October-December 2013

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In each issue of Innovations™ magazine, we answer a handful of questions about one of the innovative products or services offered by T.D. Williamson.

on the D-2000 Closure System

For more information, call +1 918-447-5400 or visit www.tdwilliamson.com

What is the D-2000 Closure System?A launcher and receiver closure system built for speed and ease of use by a single operator, the D-2000 is the reliable solution for small (4-inch) to large-diameter (48-inch and above) applications, with an innovative O-ring design that provides positive sealing and a pressure warning lock for added safety.

What makes it a system?The D-2000 Quick Closure System is more than just a closure. It is composed of three major parts. First, the physical closure. Second, the Field Maintenance Kit. This portable and convenient kit includes all of the necessary O-rings, tools and lubricants to quickly and easily execute O-ring replacement in the field. It also helps ensure an overall reduction in downtime. Third, extensive customer training.

What kind of training is provided?TDW ensures that its customers have multi-format training, including hands-on experience operating the closure in the field. It brings its customers up to an expert level of competency, removing confusion and fear, while greatly increasing safety. Additional training is provided for the maintenance of the

closure, ensuring maximum return on investment by significantly extending the life

of the closure.

Is it actually safer?The D-2000 closure is equipped with a pressure warning

lock, in accordance with UG-35 of ASME Sect. VIII, Div. 1, to alert the operator to the existence of internal pressure prior to opening the closure. In addition, the clamp cannot be opened without completely removing the pressure warning lock screw. Conversely, the clamp must be fully closed in order for the pressure warning lock screw to be inserted through the aligned holes in the locking bars and threaded into the bushing. Lastly, because the design intentionally places the operator to the side when opening and closing the pressure warning lock, clamp ring and door, the D-2000 is safer to operate than closures that require the operator to stand in front of the door.

How does it seal?The large, cross-sectional diameter O-ring, located on the periphery of the D-2000 closure’s barrel collar, provides positive sealing, as well as protection from damage by tools, pigs or debris. l

Mark your calendars to see TDW technology in person.

Do you need to optimize your pipeline throughput, integrity, safety and service life? If so, join us at one of these upcoming industry events. TDW experts will be on-hand to hear your challenges and assist you in finding or developing the right solution. To learn more, visit our booth or register for a customer event in your corner of the globe.

TDWonTour@tdwilliamson.com

NOVEMBER 2013

5-7 Deepwater Operations, Galveston, Texas, USA, Booth 622

18 TDW Thailand Grand Opening, Rayong, Thailand

19-21 Oil & Gas Turkmenistan, Ashgabat, Turkmenistan

20 PPSA Operational Pipeline Pigging Seminar, Aberdeen, Scotland

20-22 2nd International Conference and Exhibition on Logistics, Transportation and Distribution of Hydrocarbons, Leon, Guanajuato, Mexico

JANUARY 2014

28-30 Marcellus-Utica Midstream, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA

30 FFU Seminar, Sola, Norway

FEBRUARY 2014

10-13 Pipeline Pigging & Integrity Management Conference, Houston, Texas, USA, Booths 120/122/124

19-21 International Pressure Equipment Integrity Association, Banff, Alberta, Canada, Booth 4

MARCH 2014

4-6 Subsea Tieback San Antonio, Texas, USA, Booth 1933

9-13 NACE Corrosion, San Antonio, Texas, USA, Booth 2621

17-19 Southern Gas Association Spring Conference and Expo, Columbia, South Carolina, USA

24-27 Gastech, Seoul, South Korea, Stand A180

25-28 OTC Asia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

30-1 CGA National Conference, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

APRIL 2014

2-4 DUG Bakken and Niobrara, Denver, Colorado, USA

8-10 MCE Deepwater Development, Madrid, Spain

10 ASME Plant Engineering, Inspection and Maintenance Trade Show, Pasadena, Texas, USA

22-25 Western Energy Institute Operations Conference, Indian Wells, California, USA