"Twin turret. Dual turret Double turret. Whatever you call them, there is no arguing that they increase productivity compared to traditional single turret CNC lathes," said a Kent Industrial USA spokesperson. "That is true no matter what you are making, but especially so with very large or very long parts, like those produced by oil and gas companies."
Fast and Flexible
"Why? Because twin turrets save time," continued the spokesperson. "Two turrets means you have the tools to turn practically any part, right there. No more letting the machine sit idle while you swap out a roughing tool for a grooving tool or threader. No more time wasted touching off tools every time there is a new part. Just set it once and forget it. And since you can turn on one turret while the other one is indexing to the next tool, cycle times are shorter."
Achieving a Balance
Some twin turret lathes are equipped with independent slides (Kent USA's MA-U series is one example). This allows users to turn a valve body and bore or drill it at the same time, for instance. One might rough a bit sub on the front turret and finish turn it on the back, again, simultaneously. "It is the same with shaft sleeves, stuffing boxes and bushings-because you can engage two tools at once, productivity skyrockets," said the spokesperson.
Twin Turret Truths
"Still, there is more to a good oilfield lathe than twin turrets," said the spokesperson. "Large spindle bores are needed to accommodate most oil and gas parts. Kent USA customers generally find that 10 inches is a good size. Because long shafts are common in this industry, generous Z-axis travels are also helpful-up to 196 inches is available.
"Perhaps most importantly, lathes need extreme rigidity when turning Inconels and duplex steels used to make oilfield parts. This is why Kent CNC's MA and MA-U double turret turning center models have a single-piece Meehanite bed and taper roller bearings in the spindle. And two turrets-a V8-100 on the front and H4-250 on the back-help maximize productivity for any shop trying to make a buck in this highly competitive market. Maybe it is time to take a second look at twin turret lathes."
For more information contact:
Kent Industrial USA
1231 Edinger Ave.
Tustin, CA 92780
800-KENT-USA / 714-258-8526
sales@kentusa.com
www.kentusa.com