TPT November 2013

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November 2013 89
2013
Tube, pipe and cutoff mills
RAFTER Equipment Corporation
manufactures tube mills and pipe mills,
roll forming machines, cutoff machines,
and other related mill machinery. The
company is able to provide equipment for
tube sizes from 0.188" (4.76mm) to 16"
(400mm) OD. It has supplied mills using
high-frequency induction (HFI), high-
frequency contact (HFC), TIG/plasma,
and laser welding. The equipment has
been used for the production of the
following tubular products: mechanical,
structural, HSS, energy, API,
refrigeration, automotive, appliance,
and other tubular products.
Rafter has remained busy throughout
the recent economic downturn. An
RT-3000 automotive tube mill was
commissioned this year for the
production of drive shaft tubing. The
mill is capable of producing tubing up to
127mm OD x 4.8mm wall (5" x 0.188")
with a maximum diameter-to-thickness
(D/t) ratio of 78:1. The line included a
complete strip entry system with vertical
strip accumulator through an overseas
partnership. All the drive electrics and
controls for the mill and entry system
were sourced through the US and are
serviced locally. Also included was
a web-based VPN diagnostic portal
that allows Rafter to access the PLC
remotely.
In addition to mill equipment, Rafter
provides mill accessories. These
mainly include weld squeeze boxes,
seam orientation units, and turkshead
straighteners. In the past year, Rafter has
provided many upgrades in these areas.
For 2013, Rafter will offer a new
machine design for the roll forming
industry. This design will be targeted
for custom roll formed profile producers
that require high-quality machinery with
quick-changeover capabilities. The new
machine will be officially introduced in
November at the Fabtech International
show in Chicago.
Originally started in 1917 as a
roll forming machine builder, the
company was purchased, relocated,
and transformed into North America’s
premier tube mill manufacturer in 1988.
Since this time, Rafter Equipment
has provided nearly 100 tube mills and
more than 400 mill accessory upgrades.
Its focus is to provide robust equipment
that is simple to operate and maintain,
and it supports its equipment through
personalised and dedicated after-sales
service and spare parts.
Rafter – USA
Email:
Website:
Customised 4-way
forklifts
COMBILIFT Ltd manufactures a wide
range of customised 4-way forklifts, all
of which are designed for the safe and
space saving handling and storage
of the large and bulky loads typically
handled in the fabricating sector. The
exhibits on Booth S2381 at this year’s
Fabtech are a small selection of the
products that Combilift manufactures at
its HQ in Ireland and exports to over 75
countries worldwide.
Alongside a model from Combilift’s
original core CSeries, exhibits will include
a model from the ST stand-on range. This
features a very narrow cab for operation
in much narrower aisles than the original
C series, making it suitable for use in
steel and pipe stockholding facilities, for
example. The compact counterbalance
design 4-way Combi-CB on show caters
for the requirements of operations that
need to handle a mix of palletised and
long loads.
Combilifts work as counterbalance,
sideloader, and narrow-aisle forklifts,
and allow for the maximum use of all
available storage space. Sideways
travel with loads resting on the platform
avoids the need for hazardous high-level
transportation, significantly improving
safety procedures.
With fully synchronised 4-way steering
providing manoeuvrability and flexibility
of use, Combilifts can be deployed
from the initial stages of offloading raw
materials, during the manufacturing
process, through to the handling, storage
and dispatch of finished product.
Combilift Ltd – Ireland
Fax: +353 47 80501
Email:
Website:
Rafter Equipment Corp – RT-3000 Tube Forming and Welding Mill
Combilifts work as counterbalance,
sideloader, and narrow-aisle forklifts