Bad Soden, Germany,
25
January
2010
|
16:00
Europe/Amsterdam

Gases from Messer for the king of the Dubai skyline

In the manufacture of steel constructions, such as the lifts in the Burj Khalífa building in Dubai that are constantly under huge dynamic stresses, high-quality welds are decisive. A total of 14 lifts, each with a lifting height of 400 metres and used to build the Burj Khalífa, were welded with the Ferromix welding gas from the industrial gas specialist Messer. Eight lifts transported people and material to a height of 425 metres. Four transfer lifts moved the material a further 250 metres. Construction of the building was also supported by "jumping" lifts with individual cages and a load-bearing capacity of up to two tons. The height of these lifts grew with the building. With each 80 to 100 metres of building height, the lifts were dismantled and assembled one segment higher. These lifts were used for the extensive transfer of materials between the various floors.

Because of building sway, when manufacturing the lifts major attention was given to the material and how it was finally processed - in particular the welding process. The lifts were constructed entirely in the Czech Republic and delivered to Dubai. The lifts currently hold the altitude world record. At their weld joints, the Ferromix C18 shielding gas mixture, made of 82 percent argon and 18 percent carbon dioxide, demonstrated its excellent mechanical and optical properties such as a very fine and low-spatter weld. The Ferromix fast welding speed makes it extremely suitable for, among other things, tube steel, structural steel and fine-grained steel.

The Burj Khalífa was opened on 4 January 2010 and at a height of 828 metres and 189 storeys is acknowledged as the tallest skyscraper in the world. During its construction period of four years several million tons of material was transported in the lifts.