Drilling & tapping
As well machining the wear areas, before new wear plates can be fitted, many of the tapped holes for the plate bolts often need to be refurbished. The constant pounding of rollers on hot steel and the vibration cause the threads to gradually deteriorate. In addition to the milling machines for surface work the Metalock Engineering Group has developed a range of drilling equipment to redrill and tap all the holes.
Not only is the Metalock mill housing equipment suitable for machining vertical surfaces it is also used to remachine the housing bases flat and level with each other and square to the housings themselves. Increasingly, Metalock is carrying out reboring for upgrades of mill screwdown systems and like the drilling procedures this work is performed using an adaptation to the mill housing remachining system. This means that the range of Metalock equipment available for steel plant work encompasses milling, drilling and tapping, boring and facing.
Orbital turning
One of the latest pieces of equipment to be developed is an orbital turning machine which was designed for machining and reprofiling 0.5 metre diameter X 1.5 metre long stub shafts for a beam straightening/finishing machine at Corus, Teesside. To speed the orbital turning operation and ensure that all seven shafts matched, Metalock fixed a template of the stepped profile to the orbital turning device. The tools followed this profile, as in a copying lathe.
Cast iron repairs
In addition to the machining work the Metalock Engineering Group is the largest and most successful company in the world specialising in cold repairs to cast iron using the Metalock process. This technique was developed over 70 years ago for the repair of castings in iron, bronze, aluminium and steel that have been cracked or broken. Because it is a cold repair it avoids the normal stress problems associated with welding. The Metalock process is the accepted repair technique for all cracked, broken and damaged castings in a wide range of industries, for a multitude of applications. The repair consists of peening layers of Metalock special nickel alloy multi-dumbbell shaped keys into prepared apertures. These keys are highly ductile and can be peened into a metal-to-metal condition to become almost integral with the component’s parent metal. Metalock keys are manufactured in a variety of sizes to suit each individual job. Their high strength ensures the return of a high percentage of the original strength. The essential advantages of the Metalock repair are that no heat stresses are introduced, no distortion occurs and in many instances machining is unnecessary. The process is invaluable in emergency situations and in many cases where the component is accessible, it can be done in-situ to avoid costly dismantling and re-assembly.
When it comes to providing specialist services to the world steel industry, the Metalock Engineering Group is one of the leaders by offering its skills in In-Situ Machining, Cold Repairs to Cast Iron and Cast Iron Fusion Welding, For those who require it, the company provides alignment services and has a comprehensive in house machining facility at its headquarters.
