By the middle of the year, VEEM’s arsenal of high technology machinery will have the capability to machine items up to 4.5mtr in diameter x 1.9mtr turning capacity envelope, and a 7m long x 3.6m wide x 1.9m high milling envelope.

The 6-axis CNC machine, which is currently being installed at VEEM, measures 20m long, 10m wide and 6.7m high, and weighs just over 86 tonnes!

High accuracy 6-axis CNC machining was not previously possible on propellers larger than 2.2m at VEEM, but in the next few months everything from larger VEEM Propellers to VEEM Gyro components to precise engineering work will be undertaken on the new machine, and the capacity to do larger and more varied work will also dramatically increase.

“We will see a large improvement in efficiency on the projects we already complete, hopefully by up to 30%, and because of this our overall production output can dramatically increase,” says Commercial Manager, Mike Coyle.

The installation of the CNC machine began this month with over 140m3 of concrete and 10 tonnes of steel reinforcing installed in the footing pit; a mean feat but necessary to allow the machine to remain rigid when performing work. With the bridge and columns also installed this month, the finer details like cabling and covers will be completed next and the machine will be in action very soon.