One of the many products produced at Kimray Inc. on their range of Emco Maier lathes. The company continues to purchase these lathes, which they are very fond of, in order to keep up with the increased demand for their products.Founded in 1948 by Garman Kimmell, Oklahoma City, OK-based Kimray Inc. is a manufacturer of control valves and related equipment for oil and gas producing companies. A privately owned family company, Kimray has a rich history of service to the petroleum industry. Kimmell’s vision for the company began with the introduction of the 3" SGT-BP, a pilot operated gas back-pressure regulator. The first of many patented designs, the Kimray gas valve revolutionized gas pressure regulation.

Kimmell went on to design many other products which have had a lasting impact on the industry. Kimray’s glycol pumps, treater valves, oil dump valves, high pressure control valves, and pilots are all recognized industry and worldwide.

The vision Kimmell brought to Kimray included more than engineered products. He believed in order to be successful, a company must service what it sells. Kimray products are designed for serviceability. You can repair a 3" SGT-BP purchased in 1948 with a repair kit purchased for the same model being produced today. This commitment to non-obsolescence has been a trademark of Kimray design since the beginning.

Maintaining the existing product in the field is important, but true customer support involves innovating new ways to solve problems. Kimray’s paradigm of product development starts with an actual problem or need, and finishes with an economical and reliable solution. Kimray engineers closely follow developments in materials, processes, and technology to ensure that Kimray products continue to advance into the future.

This eye to the future led Kimray to start an Automation Division in 1988 to provide engineered solutions for the oil and gas industry’s growing need for electronic monitoring, control, and data acquisition. The integration of mechanical and pneumatic controls with state of the art electronic controls place Kimray at the forefront in production control.

Then and Now
In 2004, Kimray was operating in a 125,000ft2 facility employing more than 250 people to serve its expanding customer base. Kimray machines iron, steel, and aluminum as well as a thermoplastic material to build a comprehensive line of control valves, thermostats, energy-exchange glycol pumps, gas-operated pilots, and other control devices. The range of products are used to control vessel and lead line temperatures, liquid level inside pressurized vessels, pressure drops, and liquid/gas flow.

The company maintains a turnkey manufacturing facility, including dozens of lathes, grinders, turning, milling, sawing, and bore finishing honing machine tools, nearly all with CNC systems onboard. In 2004 the newest purchases to keep up with demand were and Emco Maier Emcoturn 420 MC Plus lathe and an Emco Maier Hyperturn 665 MC Plus lathe, each equipped with Siemens Sinumerik 840D CNC’s and Simodrive 611D drive packages.

Fast-forwarding to 2010 shows Kimray’s business continuing to expand at a rapid pace, resulting in operations managers deciding it was time to purchase more machines. Through all the success they had experienced with their original Emco Maier lathes purchased in the early 2000s, the decision was simple; they would purchase two additional Emco Maier lathes.

The company operates a host system for file storage and back-up on all part production data. As one operator of these lathes observed, “I liked the Fanuc 18i-T CNC we used on other machines in the shop, but, with the Sinumerik 840D, you can do so much more, such as instant programming and cut and paste operations, while the machine is running or stopped. Each screen allows you to be very detailed about what you are doing, such as separating your mains from your subs with your part and workpiece programs. I use the Siemens CNC for axis and spindle movements on both machines (Emco Maier 420 dual main and counter spindle machine and the 665 main and counter spindle machine). My programs and data can be recessed easily and transferred back to the machines – from the company’s main host system – as needed. I can run my programs out of workpieces and sub-spindles, including milling and stenciling out of the sub-programs. I use the parts program as my way to transfer files and folders to the main system and back again.”

He further comments on the controls, “On a typical set up, I like the sensitivity of the CNC. Being able to move the axis only a ten thousandth at a time to a hundred thousandth at a time comes in very handy for me. I also like the program test feature, especially on new programs. Each tool has its own geometry page and up to four offsets, making things much less complicated.”

Lastly, regarding the machine builder, this operator notes, “I received lots of good advice and training from the folks at Emco Maier, especially Doug Poling. He has also assisted me a few times by phone, when needed.”

83% Efficiency Increase
In the manufacture of its oil and gas production controls, Kimray typically machines bar stock of 303, 304, 310, 316, and 17-4 stainless, as well as D-2 tool steel, 6061-T6 aluminum, brass, Delrin, and Teflon. Cast iron, ductile, steel, stainless, and aluminum are also machined. The 83% increase in machining efficiency has been achieved, due to the four Emco Maier machines with Siemens CNCs, according to Kimray sources and company production data.
In determining the increase in overall machining efficiency at Kimray, VP of Operations David Hill comments, “Our commitment to run CNC machine tools has long been in place and the addition of the Emco Maier lathes with Siemens controls onboard are the latest steps in this process. We have literally had no problems with these machines, the CNCs, or the drives. When Kimray operators can keep running and producing parts in such a way, the impact on our overall efficiency is immediate and substantial.”

Mike Morris, Kimray’s plant engineer, adds that “the control is strong and easy for the operators to use. Over the years, the CNCs have been virtually bulletproof.”

From the builder’s perspective, Emco Maier shares Kimray’s appreciation for the performance of its CNC/drive package supplier.

The Emco Maier 420 machine enables simultaneous production of two parts without interruption or collision. The digital drives (Siemens Simodrive 611D) produce dynamic performance in both the main spindle and X/Z axes. Plus, programming is just the same as on any CNC lathe. Only one program is generated. The program for the second workpiece is simply transferred to the bottom system by means of a selector switch. No additional programming is necessary.

The 665 Hyperturn machine enables true 4-axis machining plus full C-axis capability on both the main and counter spindles. The 665 uses some of the same programming features, plus the same digital drive system as the 420, but in a larger package.
 
Continuing Traditions
Kimray’s commitment to customers translates into a willingness to invest in the future, generating yearly sales of more than $90,000,000.

With the motto “A good name is more precious than silver or gold,” Kimray has successfully incorporated the fourth generation of the family into management and appears to be well poised to serve the industry for many years to come.

Today, Kimray operates a 274,000ft2 facility and employs more than 400 people, continuing to serve its expanding customer base of oil and gas producing companies.
 

Kimray Inc.
Oklahoma City, OK
kimray.com

Emco Maier Corp.
Columbus, OH
emcomaier-usa.com

Siemens Industry Inc.,
Drives Technologies, Motion
Control-Machine Tool Business
Elk Grove Village, IL
siemenscnc.com