Manufacturers are constantly developing new tooling designs to increase speeds and tool life.
Cutting tool technology is no exception. Manufacturers are constantly developing new tooling designs to increase speeds and tool life. An application’s current production method might not necessarily have flaws, but staying updated with the latest innovations can help further reduce cycle times and manufacturing costs. Taking this critical factor into consideration, OSG District Managers Mike Hickey and Mike Brzezniak approached FMC Technologies with OSG’s HY-PRO-HXL and HY-PRO-VXL taps in hand, knowing that these taps could offer FMC greater tool life and cost-per-hole savings.
“The taps FMC was using have the reputation of being good, but very expensive,” says OSG District Manager Mike Hickey. “Ours, on the other hand, cost less and perform even better!”
FMC Technologies is a global provider of technology solutions for the energy industry. According to their Web site, FMC designs, manufactures and services technologically sophisticated systems and products such as subsea production and processing systems, surface wellhead systems, high pressure fluid control equipment, measurement solutions and marine loading systems for the oil and gas industry.
FMC Technologies’ subsea services division in Houston has approximately 2,000 employees and houses 390,000ft2 of 
manufacturing facility. Their Surface Wellhead division supplies drilling, completion and production systems for onshore and offshore applications. By eliminating steps in drilling and completion operations, their equipment aims to help customers save rig time and improve rig crew safety, FMC Technologies’ Web site stated.
Prior to the introduction of OSG’s HY-PRO-HXL and HY-PRO-VXL taps, FMC Technologies used a German-made spiral flute tap to produce threads in surface wellheads, which are used to control pressure during drilling and monitor casing annulus pressures during production. The part that FMC Technologies machines is called the Crossover Valve Block, which they have been producing for more than 10 years. FMC Technologies produces approximately10 to 15 parts per week. Over 1,000 parts are produced each year.
FMC Technologies machines their Crossover Valve Blocks in 4140 Alloy Steel using the CNC horizontal machining center. Each part is roughly consisted of eight to 16 blind holes with flat bottoms. Each hole is approximately 0.875" in diameter and 3.125" deep. The volume of the Crossover Valve Block varies from 1,500in2 to 2,500in2.
The level of productivity was targeted at 400 to 500 holes with the German spiral flute tap. By no means was FMC Technologies dissatisfied with these taps. However, they were willing to accept a free tooling trial offered by Hickey and Brzezniak, since the duo claimed that OSG’s HY-PRO HXL and VXL taps could produce superior results.
OSG’s HY-PRO-HXL and HY-PRO-VXL taps are designed to excel in any industry producing threads over 1/2" in diameter. Oil, gas and wind energy are all considered primary industries because they commonly deal with threading of large diameter holes with often reduced or limited machine capability, which these taps are engineered to accommodate.
“What distinguishes OSG’s HY-PRO-HXL and HY-PRO-VXL taps from our competitors’ are their performance, price and availability,” said Drew Strauchen, vice president of marketing and engineering at OSG Tap and Die. “Our taps last longer than any competitors’ on the market, and we literally have dozens of test results with customers in the field to prove it.”
The HY-PRO-HXL, designed for horizontal applications, breaks chips into a manageable size that evacuate with normal coolant flow. The HY-PRO-VXL, designed for vertical applications, produces longer, tightly wound chips that evacuate and break off away from the shank of the tap. A highlight feature of OSG’s HY-PRO-HXL and HY-PRO-VXL is their ability to effectively control chips to eliminate “bird-nesting,” which is a common problem other taps face.
In addition to preeminent performances, OSG has made a huge investment in inventory to ensure sizes up to and including 2-1/2” taps are on the shelf ready for delivery when customers need them, Strauchen adds.
The spiral flute taps FMC Technologies previously used were capable of generating 400 to 500 holes per tap. Running at the same speed at 50sfm, OSG’s 1"-8 HY-PRO-HXL and HY-PRO-VXL taps were making 3,000 holes per tap – nearly seven times more effective.
“OSG’s HY-PRO-HXL and HY-PRO-VXL taps were designed hand-in-hand with our customers in the United States,” Strauchen says. “After two years of testing and designing with our customers’ input every step of the way, we arrived at a final product that literally meets every need the end users specified - a moderately priced, high-performance tool with rigidity and wear resistance to overcome even the toughest machining application, ready to ship when customers need it.”
Utilizing the latest technology, OSG’s HY-PRO-HXL and HY-PRO-VXL taps are capable of producing more holes per tap, thus requiring a less frequent tool change. In addition, the price of OSG’s HY-PRO taps are approximately 10% to 20% lower than the German spiral flute taps that FMC Technologies previously used.
Tool designs are always evolving and probably always will be. In order to further increase productivity and overall profit, it is vital to stay current on what is available. Being oblivious to new products could strip the competitive edge a company needs in order to survive in today’s market.
“OSG’s HY-PRO-HXL and HY-PRO-VXL taps were able to help FMC decrease cost and increase performance,” Hickey says. “I think we got the best of both worlds.”