The new process, which has branded Hammerhead? Wet-spot Welding, is the work of David Keats, international welding technologist and senior welding inspector, of Speciality Welds Ltd, West Yorkshire. He said: "We were actually awarded the DTI's 'Smart-Award' for this in Nov 2003.

We completed our trails/report in September last year and sold our first system to Quest Underwater Services Ltd, who were very pleased and stated this system saved them time and money on what was otherwise a difficult welding job."

The process, while still remaining MMA, has solved the long-standing problems associated with underwater wet welding in poor and/or nil visibility by providing an effective joining means through use of a control system that sits above water and controls all welding parameters. High quality repeatable welds can be produced time after time without the need for the welder to control parameters that affect quality, such as travel speed, electrode angle, arc length, and accurate deposition.

Mr Keats continued: "We have also received enquiries from Corus, for a non-marine application. We have established that this welding technique offers an excellent method of repair too as it only needs access to one side of the material and eliminates all the normal grinding and gouging, as associated with conventional welding repairs. In fact NAMTEC are assisting us to bring this to the attention of the 'crack' repair industries."

Furthermore, no weld cleaning is necessary and no joint as such is required as the weld is made directly through the top new material unaided, and penetrates into the existing structure to form a weld nugget, similar to a spot weld.

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