A large manufacturer of gas turbines faced significant challenges in production and operations due to accuracy and the lengthy setup times. This massive vertical lathe used a standard tool holding system that couldn’t keep up with the demands of precision and accuracy. With creative problem solving, ST Solutions was able to design a custom, magnetic system that immediately reduced down-time and improved machining accuracy.
A machine used for tool repair was originally designed with a standard, 4 jaw chuck holding system. The repair involves the rotation of an enormous component, which measures 5 feet in diameter and weighs close to 3 tons. To ensure precision and accuracy, the part must be indicated within .0002 of an inch. The process to hold in place and read the movement of a single part was taking up to 7 hours, an entire employee shift. This extensive delay caused a 3 week backlog in production and numerous operational challenges.
The customer had asked several other vendors for solutions, but none could help. Our competitors weren’t well-versed in all the available options for tool holding and lacked the deep relationships with a multitude of top-tiered vendors that ST Solutions provides.
When the client asked for our team’s support, we felt confident in our knowledge and industry expertise. ST Solutions has a reputation for solving unique challenges for our customers and thinking outside the box. We don’t just select parts from a standardized catalog and pass them off to the customer. Instead, we take a holistic approach to problem solving. We exceed expectations, crafting custom designs to build the best tool to suit the job.
In this case, we examined the faults with the existing 4 jaw chuck holding system and began designing a new solution. We partnered with an innovative manufacturer to design a custom, 3 jaw magnetic chuck hybrid. On the first run with the new magnetic technology in place, machining accuracy and precision were met in a fraction of the time, roughly 20 minutes. Almost immediately, production backlog was eliminated entirely.
You can buy your tools anywhere. It is hard to find the committed partnerships, innovative ideas, and deep relationships ST Solutions offers our clients.