Propellers, impellers & hydro turbines
For marine & energy industries
The client is a company based in the USA with many years of experience and extensive expertise in the manufacture of marine propellers, impellers, and hydro turbines. This organization strives to deliver high-quality products on time, profitably, and with the lowest environmental impact.
THE PROBLEM
In their first call, the customer reported that achieving a perfect finish in their turbines and propellers involved repetitive and time-consuming manual tasks, leading to labor-intensive work or complex multistep processes in robotized cells with high maintenance and operational costs. The customer’s traditional surface finishing was inefficient and error-prone, lacking the required repetitiveness and consistency, and leading to premature failure.
On the other hand, the client’s former surface finishing processes created a bottleneck in the factory due to the lack of trained workers and limited space for manual belting and buffing benches. These processes exposed workers to dust, noise, and toxic compounds. Finally, abrasive surface treatment generated dangerous dust particles that may not be visible to the naked eye, posing health risks that might take years to become evident.
THE GOAL
The most significant challenge of GPAINNOVA’s implementation proposal was ensuring proper production performance at the client’s site. The group defined production performance with the goal of achieving the desired target cost, processing time, and quality results. After the equipment was installed at the customer’s facilities, GPAINNOVA’s Customer Care team facilitated a smooth machine implementation by conducting various training sessions and tests with the customer’s staff.
THE SOLUTION
GPAINNOVA successfully achieved the desired Ra, thereby meeting ISO standards and enhancing energy efficiency and boat speed through precise surface finishing of the propeller. The innovative DLyte solution not only reduces both time and costs compared to the previous process but also simplifies it significantly.
It is worth it to stress that, before adopting GPAINNOVA’s solution, the client’s workflow involved milling, manual belting, and manual buffing. Thanks to DLyte, the customer eliminated the two labor-intensive manual processes that were not only expensive but also time-consuming.
In addition, time savings with DLyte were significant, compared to the previous system. With a processing time of 64 minutes, the client was able to effectively polish a propeller using the DryLyte Technology.
TECHNICAL BENEFITS
01. Geometry and tolerance preservation & homogeneous results across the piece
02. Best-in-class concerning surface roughness (Ra under 0.02 micrometers)
03. Stable results among different batches within the electrolyte lifespan
04. Longer lifespan for treated parts
05. More cleneability and brightness
OPERATIONAL BENEFITS
01. Reduced footprint
02. Time and cost reduction
03. Exposure of workers during process and maintenance
04. Handling and storage of media
05. No need for multistep processes
06. Easy waste management
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