Machine-Inspection

Drone inspection sounds like a gimmick until you have to inspect the inside of a 10,000-liter coolant tank or the top of a machine column 20 feet above the floor. I started using a small inspection drone two years ago and it has replaced several confined-space entry procedures and eliminated a lot of ladder work. Where Drones Add Value in Deep Hole Drilling The obvious application is coolant tank internal inspection. Before drone access, inspecting a coolant tank meant draining it, purging the atmosphere, testing for oxygen, and sending a person in with a harness and a standby attendant. That process took four hours minimum and required two people trained in confined-space rescue. ...

Buying a used deep hole drilling machine is a common way to save money. I have bought and sold several used machines over the years, including a 1995 gundrill that ran for another eight years after purchase and a BTA machine that needed a full spindle rebuild within six months. The difference between those two outcomes was the inspection process. Here is the checklist I use. Spindle Inspection The first thing I check is the spindle. I listen for bearing noise during a test run at multiple RPMs. A quiet spindle with smooth operation is a good sign. A rumbling or grinding sound means bearing replacement, which costs $5,000 to $15,000 depending on the spindle size and whether the replacement includes a new bearing cartridge or requires a full rebuild. ...

I have inspected more used deep hole drilling machines than I care to count. Some were steals that ran for another decade. Others were money pits that cost more in repairs than the purchase price. The difference was the inspection — or the lack of one. This checklist is what I use every time, and it has saved me far more than it has cost. If you are not familiar with what makes a deep hole drilling machine different from standard machine tools, start with my overview on what to look for in a deep hole drilling machine. Then come back here for the pre-purchase deep dive. ...