Indexing Toolpost Solves Manufacturing Problems

CAMCO, a Schlumberger Company (Houston, Texas), is a manufacturer of oil field components consisting of packers and safety valves. Due to the size of the parts, the company recently replaced many of its manual lathes with Weiler manual/CNC flat bed lathes. The versatility of these lathes has allowed the company to machine the large parts with multiple operations. With the advantages the lathe offered, the company was able to increase production on these parts.

However, because of increasing orders, the company needed to speed to up the process even more. Production manager Danny Theriault and machinist Oscar Marriquin turned to Dorian Tool International to help solve the problem. Mr. Marriquin, who has been with CAMCO for 10 years, suggested an indexing toolpost. In the past, the more conventional method of tooling used was the four-sided square index turret. Although the turret allows the machinist to index every 90 degrees in one direction, it does not offer a quick-change system, and shimming the cutting tools is necessary to achieve center height.

In recent years, the super quick-change toolpost, which has become a standard in the industry, offered some solutions to deficiencies in the square index turrets. The super quick-change toolpost allows the machinist to mount quick-change holders on the toolpost by releasing and locking the handle. The height adjustment screw on the quick-change holders allows for quick and easy setup. CAMCO was not able to reach its goals with either the square turret or the quick-change toolpost. Dorian’s southwest district manager, Rich Giannetti, visited the facility and made some recommendations on the application. He recommended Dorian’s QITP50 Quadra Index toolpost.

The QITP50 allowed Mr. Marriquin to increase his output. He was able to perform five OD operations without removing any toolholders—turn, face, chamfer, thread and groove. The 15-degree, bi-directional indexing allows him to perform a 45-degree chamfer using a 60-degree threading tool simply by indexing 15 degrees to the right. One of the complaints that Mr. Marriquin had with the square index turret was that he was not able to mount large diameter boring bars properly. The combined weight of the boring bar and the holder made it difficult and tiring to change to the next operation. Now Mr. Marriquin was able to mount three ID holders to the QITP simultaneously to perform drilling, deep boring and ID threading without removing a single tool from the toolpost.

Delta Brands Inc. (Irving, Texas) is a designer and manufacturer of metal processing machinery and has more than 30 years of experience in the industry. Delta also needed to increase production in its manual lathe department. The company manufactures large shafts that require three to four different operations.

Charles Harris, vice president of operations for Delta, consulted with Kevin Sprayberry of SUMMIT Machine Tool Manufacturing Corp. (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma). Mr. Sprayberry recommended the Smartcut CNC lathe with a QITP50 mounted on it. Delta purchased three lathes, each equipped with a toolpost. Shop foreman Robert Morris says the toolpost has helped increase output on lathe operations.

Gammaloy 12233 FM529 (Houston, Texas) manufactures non-magnetic drill collars for the oil patch industry. The company owns a QITP60 mounted on a Gemminis manual/CNC lathe. Lead man Gary Grissom, who has been a machinist for 12 years, says he likes the flexibility that the toolpost offers, and he is able to maximize production levels on the lathe.

With the combination manual/CNC lathe becoming more common, and with the need to improve production, Dorian quick-change lathe tooling has helped these three companies in different ways.