Mills CNC, the exclusive distributor of Doosan CNC machine tools in the UK and Ireland, has supplied a new, large-capacity Puma VTS 1620M vertical turning lathe to Fife-based National Oilwell Varco (NOV) Flexibles UK – a group within NOV Subsea Production Systems and a manufacturer of flexible pipe systems for the offshore oil and gas industry.

The machine was installed at the company’s recently upgraded and extended manufacturing facility in Glenrothes, and represents part of an ongoing multi-million pound investment made in plant, machinery and equipment. Doosan’s VTS 1620M is being used to machine a diverse range of NOV’s proprietary and patented, complex components, as well as repair (re-machine) worn parts that require refurbishment. These components, made from difficult-to-machine materials, many of which have undergone Inconel weld overlay, inlay cladding and heat treatment processes, include large-diameter end fittings and flange connectors – components that provide the required secure interfaces between flexible pipe systems and topside/subsea facilities such as FPSOs/FPUs, platforms, well-heads and subsea installations.
A box-guideway vertical turning lathe equipped with a 63” chuck, the VTS 1620M has 2000 mm maximum turning diameter capacity. In addition, the machine has a number of on-board technology features that make it suitable for the productive and precise machining of large-diameter components.
Alex Mitchell, Flexibles UK’s maintenance manager, says: “The VTS 1620M, like our other Doosan machines, is reliable, versatile and delivers impressive cutting performance. We continue to invest in Doosan machine tools because they are technically sound and are competitively priced. They are also backed by Mills CNC’s aftersales service and support which, from our experience, is difficult to beat.”
For further information www.millscnc.co.uk