On Site Machining
On-site machining is an essential service for maintaining the performance and integrity of industrial equipment, allowing repairs and maintenance to be performed directly on site without the need to move heavy components to a remote machine shop.
The most common on-site machining services are flange face machining, line boring, milling, drilling, and pipe cutting.
Traditional machine tools
Traditionally, machine tools are usually associated with permanent machines installed in workshops, which work with metal to shape and adjust parts that were part of other machines and parts.
These workshops not only deal with the production and fabrication of parts, but also receive used pieces to be repaired with the help of the workshop staff.
While it is true that this is - and remains - the usual way of mechanical repairs, the need soon arose to consider other possible mechanical solutions that involve changing the location of the repair.
In situ Machining
This need arose to be able to repair equipment for military defense, when the battalion was at the front, or technical work that involved great geographical mobility. The conventional concept of stationary machine tools was expanded, creating the first portable machine tools.
The machines offered the possibility of being transported to the site to perform the work in situ, instead of taking the damaged part to a workshop, the workshop would go to the site and thus perform the operationin situ.
In the vast majority of cases, on-site execution involves special and unique working conditions for each operation. Therefore, in situ machining inherently presents great challenges not only in the design and adaptation of the portable machines, but also in the execution and knowledge of the operator.
In situ machining of flange face
Maintenance
Essential for maintaining heavy machinery in oil refineries, offshore platforms and gas processing plants, machining facilitates in situ repair work on flanges, bores and other components while maintaining uninterrupted production.
Flange and valve repair
Machining flanges and valves is vital to maintaining leak-free seals and efficient system functionality in high-pressure environments, reducing the risks of system failure in oil and gas operations.
Benefits In situ machining
In-situ machining offers great benefits to customers; it enables the repair of specific components, simplifies operation and avoids the removal of the rest of the components, resulting in cost savings through the overall shortening of the repair schedule.
With technological development available to industry and with economies requiring greater competitiveness, in-situ machine repair is a fundamental and necessary activity. Industry is developing new machines that are often higher capacity, more complex and larger. Inevitably, these machines age and require constant maintenance to improve their efficiency and extend their life. For all these reasons, Machining In Situ is an essential part of the maintenance of all industrial equipment.
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Remark(s) of the Author...
My own experience
My first experience with on-site machining was when a U shaped pipe section had to be installed.
This pipe spool was intended to be installed in a high-pressure steam system and was equipped with 22 inch weld neck flanges pressure class 2500 with a wall thickness of approximately 42 mm; the pipe had the same thickness.
During the lifting operation, one of the flange faces hit a structure and was badly damaged.
At that time, the only option was to cut off the flange and install a new one (new material, new weld, new pressure test, new radiographic examination, considerable additional costs for the much longer lifting activities, direct and indirect costs etc.).
In short: costs and time were difficult to estimate.
But a wize person suddenly started talking about site machining?
In short again: within a few hours the damage was repaired, for a very fair price, thanks to site machining.