Manufacturer invests in large horizontal borer

Glenrothes-based KSW Engineering Ltd was established in 1980 and now employs 43 people. It specialises in the manufacture of large, heavy components for the aerospace, marine and oil and gas sectors, with much of its business (65%) being export-led. With a world-wide reputation for quality and on-time delivery, the company makes regular strategic investments in advanced machine tools, and it recently acquired a large-capacity Doosan horizontal borer from Mills CNC Ltd.

Stewart Wilson, managing director of KSW, says: “We are a specialist niche manufacturer operating in demanding markets. On our boring machines, we manufacture parts up to 15 tonnes in weight, and to a cube capacity of 2,300mm (90in). Components such as well-head housings, hangers, valves and seals are manufactured from a variety of hard and difficult-to-machine materials — mainly carbon steels and nickel alloys — with features such as bores, threads etc machined to tight tolerances (±12µm) and high surface finishes (Ra 4µm).

“Our decision to purchase the Doosan DB 130 CX was based on a number of inter-related factors — namely availability, performance and price. Though not the largest horizontal boring machine on the market, it had a number of advantages. The first of these was the fact that it could be delivered and installed within three months of us placing our order. It’s not unusual for there to be a waiting list of 12 months or over for similar boring machines.”

KSW has ambitious plans for the future. These include an in-house welding facility that will use an ‘overlay’ process to create a wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant skin over critical features. The picture shows a large, complex component that is typical of those manufactured by KSW for the oil and gas sector.