If your company is looking to buy or rent a flange facing machine, you may have a clear idea of what you want the machine to do, but what features and benefits should you be looking for to ensure your chosen machine produces accurate results every time?
There’s more to choosing the right machine than you might think, so here is a list of the key considerations and questions to ask when researching the many products available:
• Machining range — What are the minimum and maximum sizes the flange facer is capable of machining? Over the longer term, it may be better financially to pay a little extra for a machine that covers a wider range of flange sizes. Some internally mounted machines achieve this by using different base sizes, making a wider range of mounting options possible. There are also machines available that can be mounted both internally and externally.
• Repeatable finish — Getting the right spiral-serrated finish should be easy for an experienced operator, but not all machines can guarantee the same number of grooves per inch on a given setting each time it is used.
• Motor power — Choosing a machine with a more powerful motor will help you to remove more material faster and with greater accuracy.
• Hydraulic vs. pneumatic — Think ahead to your future projects and what options you will have at your disposal. A machine that can be powered by both methods may be utilized more often.
• Construction — The machine should be well engineered to maintain long-term accuracy and to help reduce “chatter.” It should incorporate robust bearings capable of a high load-carrying capacity.
• Mounting options — Find out from the machine supplier if it can be mounted vertically, horizontally or upside-down.
• Base legs — Internally mounted flange facing machines use legs to clamp the machine into position. Some are available using just four legs. Although these may be slightly quicker to set up, they come at a much greater risk of instability.
• Auto-axial feed — A flange facing machine incorporating this feature reduces the need for continued manual adjustment, making additional operations such as boring and counter-boring much easier.
• Available accessories — If you’re taking the time to specify the correct machine, you should also look at the available add-ons. Examples include attachments for machining compact flanges and kits to convert the machine for orbital milling and valve-seat machining.
• Gears and speeds — How much control does the machine give you? Some cheaper machines are harder to adjust and rely on the “trial and error” method of the operator varying the power input.
• Tool post design — Does the tool post rotate to allow more machining operations? And how simple is it to change the cutting tools?
• Setup time — Time is money, so a machine that can be deployed quickly may be attractive, but don’t sacrifice stability or accuracy in favor of saving just a couple extra minutes in setup time.
• Skill level — How much expertise is required to set up and operate the machine? Will the manufacturer provide training if needed?
• Safety — How safe is the machine to operate? For example, is there a risk of getting trapped by moving parts? A machine with a vertically mounted motor may be safer to operate. Also, make sure all switches and controls are easy to reach.
• Flexibility — Can many machining jobs be carried out without the need for add-ons such as extra tool posts?
• Service and spares — What happens if a problem arises? Will you get support from the machine manufacturer who has the specialist product knowledge? Before committing to a purchase, check on the availability, pricing and lead times of spare parts.
• Availability — What are the lead times from receipt of order? Flange facing machines are not usually custom built and are held in the manufacturer’s stock, often at several locations throughout the world.
• Maintenance — Flange facing machines need very little maintenance, typically just lubrication and cleaning. Manufacturers can normally help out if more thorough maintenance is needed.
For more information, visit www.miragemachines.com or call (281) 859-1234.