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From Durban to Antwerp and Back Again
5 September 2008
Hydratight's new portable 3D CNC Thread Milling Service has been in high demand - even before its official launch this autumn.
Difficult jobs have been completed ahead of schedule in Europe and Africa, as part of demanding final field trials - exceeding company expectations and proving the machinery's effectiveness and efficiency.
The repair of large-bore threads in power generation and marine plant, such as diesel engines and turbines, can cause big problems for even specialist contractors - as it proved on a MAN B&W five-cylinder engine undergoing refurb in Durban, South Africa.
The marine diesel was undergoing a major overhaul after many years of service. The harsh marine environment had left some of the studs between engine block and cylinders in need of replacement.
Five senior technicians, with local labourers using different types of traditional boring and tapping equipment, had spent over a week attempting to refurbish old M95 studs and re-tap holes to accept them. After 10 days the team hadn't managed to repair any of the studs - leaving the project deadline in jeopardy.
Hydratight was asked to help.
Working closely with the engineer's on site, Hydratight personnel used the new, portable 3D CNC thread mill and went further, designing and making a special mill mounting plate for the engine.
The new milling machine is relatively light and capable of milling to very high accuracies in situations that would previously have demanded dismantling and removal to an engineering workshop.
As a result 14 studs were machined in three days, to accuracies previously unimaginable in a ship's engine room - and the project was back on schedule.
"The customer was delighted - the company immediately booked the 3D unit for work on the ship's sister vessel in Durban, and for the first ship's next overhaul in Antwerp!" said Hydratight's service product manager, Chris Leonard.
"The first test of the unit proved to be extraordinarily successful, despite difficult working conditions; the official launch of the service this autumn will bring the benefits of the next generation of in-situ machining directly to our clients.
Hydratight now offers a wholly innovative solution to what has been a big problem for engineers: we expect the tremendous initial reaction to continue."
To learn more email chris.leonard@hydratight.com
