Wire EDM raises seal output five-fold

Selected for its ease of programming, a wire EDM has increased production of replacement seals for large reciprocating compressors by a factor of five.

A Sodick AQ325L wire EDM with linear drive technology has helped Hoerbiger Rings and Packings increase throughput five-fold since installation in November 2004.

When Hoerbiger Rings and Packings (HRP) in Bradford, UK, a company of Hoerbiger group, wanted to replace older EDM technology that had become unreliable, it was the ease of programming demonstrated by UK agent Sodi-Tech EDM that led the company to select the high speed Sodick AQ325L ahead of competitor products.

"We looked at all of the leading wire EDM machines on the market," confirms operations manager, Paul Smith, "but in terms of programming, it was far simpler".

"Add this to other factors such as speed, accuracy and its linear drive technology, and the choice became obvious." Since 1994 HRP has been part of the EUR 600 million turnover Hoerbiger group that originated in Austria.

Housing 75 employees, the Bradford facility of HRP is the European Competence Centre from where the company offers R and D, design, marketing and sales to both its OEM customers and its network of local service centres throughout Europe.

Part of the company's role is to manufacture replacement seals for large reciprocating compressors used within industries such as gas, petrochemical and plastics production.

While many of the piston rings and rider rings offered by HRP are manufactured from Teflon, a significant portion of its product range is metallic, such as pressure packing rings, intermediate packing rings and oil wiper packing rings.

In addition to the traditional design of oil wipers, HRP has introduced its new OT Wiper packing ring that provides oil tight packing using a patented 'throttle ring' design.

The OT Wiper is manufactured from bronze on the company's new Sodick AQ325L wire EDM.

"The Sodick EDM is necessary to produce the functional quality of the product," explains Smith.

"Surface finish and flatness are vital".

"Segments of rings have to locate together precisely to prevent the escape of gases: if the alignment is not perfect the consequences are potentially hazardous".

"However, since the AQ325L has been installed in November, I ca not recall a single reject." The biggest benefit afforded to HRP from the use of the Sodick machine is the amount of throughput that can now be processed".

""I would estimate cycle times are up to five times faster, due to the linear drives and the ability to 'nest' components - running multiple small batches in a single load".

"We can also leave the machine to run unattended, which was never possible using our previous machine due to its lack of reliability." Armed with a strong order book, Hoerbiger is looking to become the sector's European leader in terms of market share (currently number two) in the very near future".

""Our investment in the Sodick AQ325L will help us achieve this goal," concludes Smith.

HRP originated in 1901 as the 'Universal Metallic Packing Company', providing services to the steam engines of the Yorkshire woollen mills.

However, with the new Sodick on board, there is no reason why HRP ca not 'steam' ahead of its competition.

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