We have had several situations involving heavy parts that need machining. When the height of the part is relatively short, as is the case with heavy discs that eventually hold turbine blades, a vertical turret lathe may be the machining equipment of choice.
With a vertical turret lathe the workpiece is set upon a horizontal rotating table and depending upon the equipment’s design, tools are applied from both side and above. Live tooling exists in some cases.
We have several shops with this capability. Most are limited to 60” diameter, but we may be able to help if your requirements are greater. We can certainly find sources for that if necessary.
One of the primary advantages of the vertical turret lathe is that gravity is used to help hold the piece in place. The horizontal rotating table thus requires less clamping than would be the case with a horizontal machine. With heavy pieces this is especially helpful, and considerably safer!
Your requirements may not only involve traditional turning work, but also those that suggest a machining center. More complex vertical turret lathes have these capabilities built in. Turning, milling, drilling and tapping on the same machine with the same setup means high efficiency and lower costs to you.
When the need arises you can count on the fact that we are ready for your inquiries.