Inside Nickel-Based Alloy Fabrication| Shop Talk Podcast Episode 5 | Enerfab
Nickel-based alloys are some of the most demanding materials used in industrial vessel fabrication — and for good reason. They’re often specified for the most extreme services: high temperatures, highly corrosive environments, and applications where failure simply isn’t an option.
In this episode of Shop Talk, host Ben Sprengard, Managing Director of Innovation at Enerfab Process, is joined by Nick Colvin, Director of Quality Assurance, and Daniel Hamond, Senior Welding Technician, for an in-depth, practical discussion on what it really takes to fabricate pressure vessels and reactors using nickel-based alloys.
From welding techniques and filler metal selection to inspection strategies and decades of hard-earned shop-floor experience, this conversation pulls back the curtain on the details that separate routine fabrication from truly critical work.
🔍 In this episode, we cover:
- What defines a nickel-based alloy — and why it’s often the “gold standard” for corrosive and high-temperature service
- Key differences between welding nickel alloys, carbon steel, and stainless steel
- Filler metal selection, dilution control, and joint design considerations
- Common welding challenges like lack of fusion, hot cracking, and distortion
- The role of WPS/PQRs, welder qualification, and hands-on training
- Inspection methods including PT, RT, UT, phased array, and PMI
- When solid nickel makes more sense than clad construction
- How tribal knowledge, sequencing, and experience drive successful outcomes
- Why quality in fabrication is directly tied to customer safety and long-term reliability
Whether you’re an engineer, welder, inspector, or owner responsible for critical equipment, this episode offers real-world insight into how Enerfab approaches some of the most complex materials in industrial fabrication — with precision, care, and accountability.
