Subsea Plough Bore and Face Restoration
Overview
A subsea plough used for laying cables in the North Atlantic required a comprehensive overhaul after significant wear developed in its hinge joints. The bores had become oval, and the mating faces showed heavy wear of almost 30 mm, leaving them out of square and compromising the plough’s operational reliability.
Challenge
The hinge assemblies on a subsea plough experience extreme forces during trenching operations. Oval bores and worn, misaligned faces could have led to poor articulation, excessive loading, and potential equipment failure offshore. Restoring both the bores and the faces to original specification was essential to ensure safe, dependable service.
Our Solution
Benroc Engineering attended site with specialist boring and facing equipment to fully restore the hinge joints. The work included:
- Machining every bore back to correct size and geometry
- Working in coordination with the client’s welders to rebuild worn faces
- Re‑machining the faces parallel, correcting the out‑of‑square condition
- Ensuring full alignment and smooth operation across the entire hinge assembly
Our team maintained continuous communication with the client’s welding crew to ensure that rebuilt areas were machined accurately and consistently.
Results
Within three weeks, all bores and faces on the plough were restored to their original specification. The hinge joints were returned to correct alignment, ready for safe and reliable cable‑laying operations in demanding offshore conditions.
Conclusion
This project demonstrates Benroc Engineering’s capability in heavy‑duty precision machining and our ability to efficiently restore critical subsea equipment. By returning every bore and face to optimal condition, we ensured the plough was fit for dependable service in one of the harshest operational environments.
