2017-10-25 08:00:23
Toyoda Americas Corp. recently hosted its ToyoTECH 2017: Oil, Gas & Valve Symposium, the company's bi-annual event, where many of its latest machines were demonstrated. This year, Toyoda focused its seminars, machine demos and processes on maximizing profitability within the Oil & Gas Industry, a relatively volatile market.
Owen L. Anderson, a professor and Distinguished Oil and Gas Scholar at the University of Texas School of Law in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Center for Energy Law & Business, gave the keynote address. Anderson, who is a member of the Texas, Oklahoma and North Dakota bars, discussed industry trends, challenges and what the economic future could look like.
"Energy use evolves over time," Anderson said. "From biomass to coal, to oil and gas, to nuclear and hydro and other renewables, d e m a n d continues to rise. By 2040, electricity is expected to increases threefold," he said.
"Primary energy consumption of petroleum, natural gas, coal, renewable energy and nuclear energy is used by the transportation sector (27%); industrial sector (22%); residential and commercial sectors (12%); and electric power sector (39%).
"The sales of electric vehicles could grow from 1% to 10% by 2025."
Anderson quoted statistics from July's issue of Seeking Alpha that show shale production in 2012-14 grew 2.7% per month; in 2015, it grew 3.6% per Owen L. Anderson month; in 2016, it grew 3.2% per month; and in 2017, it was flat. "While overall shale production volumes are increasing, the rate of growth is not," Anderson said. "If prices are sufficient, this suggests more wells will be drilled (and more rigs used) to maintain increasing production growth."
That could mean increased business for manufacturers that supply parts and machinery to oil companies.
To view Anderson's entire presentation, see https:/ / tinyurl.com/y9occ3ns.
Toyoda, manufacturer of horizontal machining centers, vertical machining and turning centers, cylindrical grinding machines and automation systems, demonstrated machines that are wellsuited for the oil and gas industry, especially in hydraulic fracturing (tracking).
"From tracking companies to offshore rigs, extractors in the oil and gas arena are constantly searching for solutions to help productivity," said a company spokesperson.
The Toyoda FH1250SW horizontal machining center with quill spindle was showcased. The demonstration component was a tracking fluid end that was first rough milled and bored on a Toyoda WELE SB316YM five face bridge machine. Then, it was contour machined inside the bore internal chamber using a mechanically actuated U-axis contouring head from Innovative Tooling Solutions. These tracking fluid ends wear out constantly and must be machined again.
The Toyoda FH1250SW horizontal machining center specifications:
• Column cross travel (X axis): 86.6"
• Spindle head travel (Y axis): 59"
• Work table travel (Z axis): 72.8"
• Quill spindle travel (W axis): 21.6"
• Spindle quill diameter: 5.12"
• Max. workpiece swing: 0 94.49" x 70. 87"
• Rapid traverses (XY): 1,260 IPM
• Rapid traverses (Z axis): 1,654 IPM
• Rapid traverses (W axis): 196 IPM
• Spindle nose to rotary table center: 5. 6 RPM
• Pallet size: 49.2" x 49.2"
• Maximum work load on the pallet: 11,000 lbs.
• Spindle speed: 10 ~ 3,000 RPM
• Spindle drive motor: 60 HP for 30 minutes
• Spindle nose taper: CAT 50
• Tooling storage capacity: 60 standard
The Toyoda WELE SB316YM five face bridge machine was rough milling the same fracking fluid end component out of 50 Rockwell chrome alloy, before it was moved to the FH1250SW HMC.
Toyoda WELE SB316YM five face bridge machine specifications:
• Column cross travel (X axis): 120.5"
• Column cross travel (Y axis): 90.5"
• Spindle vertical travel (Z axis): 31.5"
• Distance from spindle nose to table top: 7.9" - 39.4"
• Distance between columns: 66.9"
• Table size (XY): 118.1" x 59.0"
• Maximum work load: 22,000 lbs.
• Spindle: CAT #50 taper, 6,000 RPM gear head, 30/35 HP
• Tools: 60 tool ATC
Another featured machine, the Toyoda FH450J horizontal machining center, was paired with the TIPROS FMS pallet system, Toyoda's integrated production system, offering a single- or multi-level flexible pallet automation solution. The cell uses a rail-guided vehicle and TIPROS software to increase spindle utilization and allow for an increase in a shop's production capacity.
Other featured machines included the FH500J-50, a horizontal machining center with a 50 taper spindle running at 15,000 RPM using a grinding wheel to machine bearing race channels inside a swivel joint in one set-up.
The LA-350M L16, a Takisawa Taiwan Turning Center, an extremely rigid 30 HP machine was roughing, finishing and threading shafts; and the FH630SX-i, a horizontal machining center that has a high material removal rate was machining 4140 material using Toyoda's high-torque spindle and latest HMI control system.
"Ultimately, this year's ToyoTECH event was conceived on the idea that placing more control in the hands of manufacturers through maximized machining processes and smart manufacturing techniques adds more control in a volatile and generally unpredictable industry," said the spokesperson.
For more information contact: JTEKT Toyoda Americas Corp. 316W. University Drive Arlington Heights, IL 60004 847-253-0340 info@toyoda.com www.toyoda.com
Visit www.toyoda.com to find your local distributor.
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