Rafter upgrades tube mill for automotive tube producer

Rafter Equipment Corp., Strongsville, Ohio, has shipped a new RT-3000 tube mill re-top and drive train upgrade for a North American automotive tube producer. The equipment will replace older tube mill equipment that is worn and difficult to maintain.

The previous machine had integral roll stands and gearboxes. The new drive train, which features conventional universal-shaft driven roll stands, can be tailored to the customer’s needs. In this case, the addition of a four-speed transmission allows for both high torque on the more difficult products and high speed on the easier products.

The new driven and idle side roll stands are mounted on subplates that are secured permanently to the existing mill bases without the need to change the passline height of any of the ancillary equipment.