Construction begins of new carrier with ESAB‘s cutting technology

When the programme to build the nation’s new aircraft carriers gained further momentum during February 2010, ESAB Cutting Systems' plasma cutting technology was centre stage. Portsmouth Naval Base is the future home of the Queen Elizabeth Class ships and Secretary of State for Defence, Bob Ainsworth, pushed the button on BAE Systems' new state of the art ESAB Numorex plasma steel cutter to mark the start of full scale production there.

The team at Portsmouth is building Lower Block 2, one of the large structures, that forms part of the hull on the first ship, HMS Queen Elizabeth. Housing machinery spaces, stores, switchboards and some of the ship’s accommodation, this block alone will weigh around 6,000 tonnes and will stand over 18 metres tall, 70 metres long and 40 metres wide.

The Numorex meets the strict demands of BAE Systems for a cutting machine that has the capability to provide all the metal cutting requirements in the production of the aircraft carrier.  It is a highly productive machine offering process flexibility. It can cut, mark and bevel cut using both the plasma and the oxy-fuel gas processes whilst also operating to the highest health & safety and environmental standards though its underwater cutting capability.

In all, six shipyards across the UK will be involved in the manufacture of the ships’ hulls, supporting up to 8,000 jobs in the construction and up to another 3,000 throughout the supply chain. ESAB Cutting Systems has already supplied a large Telerex cutting machine equipped with plasma cutting technology and ink jet marking to BAE Systems’ shipyard in Govan.

For further information, contact ESAB Cutting Systems,
Crown Way Industrial Estate, Andover, Hampshire, SP10 5LU,
Tel:  +44 (0) 1264 332233,
Fax:  +44 (0) 1264 332074 or
email ian.kirkpatrick(at)esab.co.uk