Mechel OAO has announced that it has upgraded the machine tool equipment base at its Southern Urals Nickel Plant OAO subsidiary in Russia. A new large lathe RT-117-5, valued at USD 240,000, has been installed in the Casting and Mechanical Workshop of Southern Urals Nickel Plant OAO. Among other tasks, the universal lathe is designed to manufacture and renovate shafts of up to 5m in length and crane wheels, process the rotors of sinter machines, and manufacture sinter cutting knives. Operation of the lathe will enable the Casting and Mechanical Workshop to extend the variety of long-length components it currently machines and cut production costs by reducing outsourcing the production of such components to third parties. Ultimately, the workshop plans to also replace its Skoda boring machine and its vertical milling machine, which have reached the end of their service lives. In line with the plant’s program to upgrade the equipment in its auxiliary shops, an 8tn telpher to be used in overall repairs of the main processing equipment and a sling testing jig required to arrange a section for sling manufacturing have been purchased for the Casting and Mechanical Workshop.
