Leamington Spa-based Mills CNC (
www.millscnc.co.uk), the exclusive distributor of Doosan CNC machine tools in the UK and Ireland, has recently supplied a large-capacity Puma VTS 1620M vertical turning lathe to Fife-based National Oilwell Varco (NOV) Flexibles UK — a group within NOV Subsea Production Systems and a leading manufacturer of flexible pipe systems for the offshore oil and gas industry.
The machine was installed at the company’s recently upgraded and extended manufacturing facility in Glenrothes in April, as part of an on-going multi-million pound investment in plant, machinery and equipment.
This investment will allow NOV to create a global welding and precision manufacturing Centre of Excellence at the site and help it to deliver its in-sourcing business strategy.
The VTS 1620M is being used to machine a diverse range of complex, high-precision and performance-critical components as well as re-machine worn parts that require refurbishment.
These components (made from difficult-to-machine materials, many of which have undergone Inconel weld overlay plus inlay cladding and heat treatment processes) include large diameter end-fittings and flange connectors — components that provide the required secure interfaces between flexible pipe systems and topside/subsea facilities such as FPSOs/FPUs, platforms, well-heads and sub-sea installations.
The Doosan VTS 1620M is the latest high-performance CNC machine tool NOV has acquired from Mills CNC in recent years. Other machines include several long-bed Puma horizontal single-turret lathes with driven tools, twin-pallet horizontal machining centres and a horizontal borer.
All these machines, including the VTS 1620M, are rigidly built and powerful, with large working envelopes.
Alex Mitchell, Flexibles UK’s maintenance manager, said: “The VTS 1620M is reliable and versatile, with an impressive cutting performance. We continue to invest in Doosan machine tools because they are technically sound and competitively priced.”