A real giant - The Sun Chronicle : Local News:
A real giant
Seekonk firm's vertical boring machine believed to be largest built in the US over the last half-century
Posted: Thursday, October 31, 2013 1:32 am | Updated: 3:04 am, Thu Oct 31, 2013.
SEEKONK - What weighs more than a million pounds and is made in Seekonk?
The largest machine tool produced in the United States.
Phoenix Inc., which manufactures and rebuilds machines used for a variety of industrial purposes, on Wednesday formally unveiled a giant vertical boring machine that will be used to make housings for steam turbines.
The machine, which towers nearly 30 feet, was manufactured for Siemens, which will install the machine in its plant in Charlotte, N.C.
"We've built a lot of big machines, but nothing this size," said Robert Fuller, the co-owner of Phoenix along with his brother Steve. Fuller said the device, which was on display at a company open house, is believed to be the largest single machine manufactured in the United States in the last 50 years.
Fuller said it took more than 15,000 man-hours over 18 months to build, test and design the monster. More than 1,000 hours were spent in computer modeling for the project.
State Rep. Steven Howitt, R-Seekonk, who attended the unveiling, called the machine "truly amazing."
"The brainpower and ingenuity that went into creating this machine shows that when it comes to meeting a challenge, we can still rely on Massachusetts and the United States," he said.
Phoenix designs and builds machine tools from the ground up for a wide variety of industries. Currently more than 100 Phoenix vertical milling machines are being operated in North America, according to company literature.
The company employs about 45 people.
While the giant boring machine was constructed in Seekonk, many pieces such as castings had to be forged in Pennsylvania and Canada. A casting used for the machine's base alone weighs 130,000 pounds.
To prepare for the installation of the new machine, Siemens built a special foundation for the device and an elevated operator platform for controlling the mill.
The machine is scheduled to be shipped to North Carolina in stages next month, using the equivalent of 25 tractor trailers.
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