Heavy-Machining

Railway components – axles, wheelsets, couplers, and brake components – are heavy, long, and have tight quality requirements. I have been working on these parts for over a decade and they present a unique set of challenges compared to smaller, higher-volume deep hole drilling jobs. In my experience, the railway industry uses deep hole drilling for three main purposes: through-boring axles for weight reduction, drilling oil holes in couplers and knuckles, and boring wheelset bores for axle fit. ...

Wind turbine manufacturing is a growing source of deep hole drilling work. The gearboxes, main shafts, and structural frames for wind turbines are large components that need precise bores and drilled channels. I’ve worked on components for onshore and offshore wind turbines. The scale is similar to oil and gas work — large parts in high-strength materials with tight tolerances. Gearbox Components Wind turbine gearboxes are massive — some weigh 20 tons or more. They need drilled holes for lubrication passages, cooling channels, and bearing seats. The typical material is high-strength alloy steel, often case-hardened for wear resistance. ...