Laser Tracker Aids Machining 7m Turbine Wheel Casing

API recently participated in the machining of a 7m diameter turbine wheel casing. This operation was not easy to achieve in view of the large dimensions involved. The API customers, energy company EDF and TACQUET INDUSTRIE, in France selected API for the adjustment of the machine in relation to the rotation axis of the wheel casing. The measurements were made with an API RADIAN PRO laser tracker running METROLOG X4 V17 software.

The axle of the turbine wheel casing was measured beforehand, with the adjustment made in 1.5 days with TACQUET. For this, adjustment pins had been provided on the machine. The operation was rather delicate because the old casing was deformed and moreover off-axis; this complicated the machining because it was necessary to compensate for the ‘bumps’ and the ‘off-axis’.

On the generated measuring report above the deviations from the final dimension in terms of the thicknesses that had to be taken up before machining can be viewed.

In the above report it can be seen that after machining there is a mantle centered at less than 0.15mm in relation to the axis of rotation of the turbine with a shape defect of 0.289mm. The diameter of the casing was adjusted in relation to the diameter of the turbine wheel in order to have the clearance requested by the customer.

Tacquet Industries, founded in 2004, is a company specialized in on-site machining and has become the leader on the French market. Tacquest clients have entrusted the company with ‘impossible’ missions that have forged its expertise and enable the company to meet the most ambitious machining challenges.