Development of the Beaver CNC - flexibility in production, automation and more
Copier Machinery started with manufacturing end-working machines that use form tools. A form tool is a kind of cutting tool having one or more cutting edges with a defined profile or contour. That profile or contour is reproduced as the needed form on the workpiece surface. In 2012, Copier responded to the increasing demand for using CNC-controlled machinery in end-working. CNC is single-point machining; it refers to a cutting tool with a single sharp edge that removes material from the workpiece. There was a demand for CNC machining since it became more complex to work with form tools with larger wall thicknesses. Also, more complex materials like high alloys with higher strengths are easier to machine by CNC-controlled machinery. The CNC machine can prepare pipes with higher wall thicknesses without changing tools during the machining process. Furthermore, a CNC-controlled machine is easier to control in automation without needing human force; it is more flexible to control by sending production data only.
In addition, more complex materials require a stable machine; materials such as duplex and super duplex. The demand for CNC machining also increased due to the flexibility of the machine. It is easy to control automatically since it can create all kinds of bevels with the same tool; less tooling and less change-over time are required.
Copier Machinery responded to this demand by developing its own CNC machine. The machines already existed within the high-end industries, but not within the industries in which Copier Machinery is active. Three different applications can be performed with the machine: beveling, cut grooving, and threading. These are three preparations that are often applied in the oil and gas industry. The machine is completely pre-programmed for standard bevels and can be extended upon special requests. Only the basic metrics such as pipe diameter, wall thickness, and type of application have to be filled in. The machines are built according to the latest technology; they can be accessed remotely. This allows Copier Machinery to connect to the machine remotely to update software or support operating in it. The machines are prepared to log data and connect to the factory where the other machines operate. With this capability, the factory can track production volume, efficiency, and maintenance requirements.
Thanks to its stable, robust, and state-of-the-art design; the CNC machine requires minimum maintenance. The company provides training that includes basic maintenance.
On a rotating tool lathe, the X-axes of the machine are mounted on the chuck. That means, the tool, mounted on the X-axes, will move on the rotating chuck to get the correct profile. This can be done by CNC controls like Fanuc. In this part of the industry, there is not much knowledge of CNC programming (with G-codes), therefore, it is mandatory to have a good interface between the machine and the operator. That is why you should have a program between the operator and CNC, that only requires giving basic metrics like diameter, wall thickness, type of preparation, and material. With these data, the machine should be able to run.
Safety is always an important condition when operating machinery, especially when it is automatically controlled. The process itself must also prevent as many safety problems as possible. Changing from one machining situation to another requires at least 50% less human work on tooling, which decreases change over time between batches, decreases human errors with tooling, and eliminates safety issues as well.
Heinz Gothe is a company specializing in processing different kinds of steel. In 1920, the company was founded as a Coppersmith in Düren, Germany. The company is, among other industries, active within the oil and gas industry.
Gothe was looking for a new pipe finishing machine to improve their production efficiency with a new, fast and safe solution. They were working with large-sized pipes on a traditional lathe, where the pipe is turning and the tool is fixed. This was causing danger for the operator due to the lack of control and safety of the cycle.
The batch specifications differ in terms of material, pipe size, wall thickness, and required bevel shape. Therefore, adjustment of the old turning lathe is required per batch.
Bringing and positioning the pipe, adjusting the tooling, and completing the entire beveling cycle with their outdated beveling machine took too much time. At the time, the solutions available on the market were limited and did not fully meet Gothe’s production requirements.
Copier Machinery came up with the Beaver 24 CNC as a solution for Gothe. The CNC machine operates oppositely compared to the traditional tool lathes: the workpiece is fixed by clamping safely and the tool is rotating. This made the production process safer for the operators of Gothe.
The most important advantage of Beaver CNC is that there is no need to change tools per bevel shape or bevel angle. The radial and axial feeding can perform the preset shapes automatically and precisely which is speeding up the production cycle by four times.
The solution Copier Machinery provided to Heinz Gothe facilitated their production in terms of speed and safety. The beveling process is four times faster since the new machines are operating in their fabrication shop.
Check out this article on the website of Oil and Gas Innovation!