Mechanical Design
Kalsi Engineering has a proven track record in developing new designs and products from concept to full production. Our mechanical design team is supported by our comprehensive analysis and testing capabilities. Our engineers and designers have extensive experience in machining, welding, tooling, and other manufacturing processes used in the fabrication of a broad range of mechanical and structural equipment. We utilize state-of-the-art, computer-aided design soft-ware tools to support our design and development activities.

Our accomplishments are reflected by numerous improvements and patents related to valves, static and dynamic seals for demanding applications, downhole drilling tools, bearings, measurement-while-drilling equipment components, wellhead equipment, and unique thread geometries. We have formed world-class alliances to market our technology, and several of our patented products are licensed to multi-national companies for manufacturing and worldwide marketing.

Insights gained from analysis and testing led to an improved gate valve design for critical service in nuclear power plants. The design eliminates the severe galling and degradation commonly observed in conventional designs under blowdown conditions.

Strain gages were used to measure stresses and axial and bending loads in a mechanical device subjected to repeated impacts.

• Conceptual and detail design of mechanical/structural equipment
• Detailed manufacturing drawings
• Prototype design and fabrication
• Product testing and evaluation
• Development of proprietary/patentable products
• Design of specialized test fixtures

• High pressure, high speed washpipe assembly design for drilling and coring swivels
• Design and development of a new generation of automated welding machines for hard surface overlays on large surfaces
• Design of space station mock-up hardware used for astronaut training in NASA's Neutral Buoyancy Laboratory
• Sealed bearing assemblies for downhole drilling motors and rotary steerable tools
• An improved wedge gate valve design for critical nuclear power plant applications
• A nonlocking lubricated tapered plug valve design suitable for operation under sharp hydraulic transients
• Design of turbine impellers for downhole power generators to provide the desired speed, torque, and erosion life characteristics
• Design of unique elastomeric thrust bearings to carry high thrust loads in an abrasive environment
• Development of a high-accuracy test stand for qualifying electric motor-powered gear actuators for valves
• Design of compact, high capacity hydrodynamic thrust bearings

Full-scale tests were conducted on a fixture designed to qualify 42" diameter high-pressure rotary seal assemblies for a welding machine.

• Structural integrity, fatigue life, and performance qualification testing
• Strain gage testing
• Flow loop testing per ANSI/ISA standards
• Shock, vibration, impact, and seismic testing
• Friction, wear, lubrication, and galling testing
• High pressure, elevated temperature testing
• Scale model testing
• Unique test fixtures to simulate performance of complex systems
• On-site support for field testing

Our mechanical testing laboratory is located in the Houston, Texas metropolitan area.  It it routinely used to evaluate performance characteristics, life and degradation of mechanical/structural equipment, hydraulic/rotating machinery, pressure vessels, and piping components. The laboratory is equipped with several digital data acquisition systems and instruments for pressure, flow, shock, vibration, temperature, and strain measurements. To meet our clients' needs, we also provide on-site support to perform instrumented tests in the field when required.

Testing Examples

• Field measurement of transient dynamic stresses, accelerations, and impact energy in casing connectors under hammer driving loads
• Bending moment, axial load, and torsional load tests on pipe, connectors, flanges, and valves to determine structural, sealing, and operational limits
• Evaluation of various dynamic seals, such as mechanical face seals, elastomeric lip seals, plastic seals, and proprietary design seals, to determine operational limits
• Flow tests to determine Cv, choking, and cavitation characteristics of valves of different designs and manufacturers
• High pressure, high temperature tests to qualify components for the oilfield downhole environment
• Seismic qualification of valve and actuator assemblies, downhole tools, and electromechanical equipment to meet client specifications or IEEE Standards

Kalsi Engineering, Inc.   745 Park Two Drive   Sugar Land, Texas  77478-2885  Tel: (281) 240-6500    Fax: (281) 240-0255

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