Graebener Maschinentechnik successfully commissioned a circ seam milling machine for the preparation of weld seams on wind tower sections in Portugal. The customer is Vieira Alves Metalomecânica, SA. (VAM) located in Alferrarede.
Circ seam milling machines are usually transportable machines and are positioned on the weld seam to be processed by crane or on rails. At VAM, the process is reversed. Instead, the approx. 30 m long wind tower section is positioned in such a way that the seam to be processed is located directly in front of the milling head. This allows safe and at the same time very fast positioning on the approx. nine circumferential seams of the respective sections – without any crane handling.
In addition, the very precise edges of the seam preparation now allow an automated welding process. VAM states that, since the Graebener circ seam milling machine is being used, two sections of 30 m length with 9 circumferential seams each can be processed per shift. VAM increased the efficiency of this process by more than 50%, while improving working conditions, saving on labor costs and increasing quality.