The increase in projects based around hydrogen fuel cell power systems does not translate to a decrease in Axenics’ in-house safety measures or productivity. Cross-training our team ensures there are many hands available for welding tasks. Staying on top of new techniques keeps our welders sharp as they tackle increasingly intricate weldments.
The delicate nature of hydrogen fuel cell components means we are performing much of the welding in a cleanroom setting, which is maintained daily. Potential contaminants such as dirt and dust particles are kept out, tooling is regularly cleaned and technicians wear protective gear to maintain the purity of your products.
Nondestructive testing on hydrogen fuel cell components
Non-destructive weld testing (NDT) is an essential part of the process in component production. Axenics’ technicians regularly perform NDT on three-pass heat exchanger hydrogen fuel cells, evaluating the performance of the components. NDT locates any potential defects and discontinuities, while maintaining the component’s functionality. These three variations of NDT are commonplace at Axenics:
Visual Weld Testing is just as it sounds — using trained eyes to find potential leaks. Technicians review the component for a range of possible problem areas, including, but not limited to:
- Weld fissures
- Surface flaws
- Material corrosion
- Banding distortion
Hydrostatic testing uses water and air pressure to locate leak points. Helium leak testing via pressure testing and vacuum testing are two NDT processes used to ensure your components are defect-free. Axenics’ performs helium leak tests on any component used to transport a gas, such as hydrogen.
Axenics accelerates hydrogen fuel cell component production to lower energy costs and provides longer lifetimes of products for our customers — to promote a cleaner environment for everyone.