What Machining Processes Are Used in the Production of Industrial Boiler Drums

The production of industrial boiler drums involves a variety of machining processes, mainly including the following:

1. Turning: Used to machine the outer diameter, inner diameter, and end faces of the drum to ensure dimensional accuracy and surface finish. Turning is one of the most basic processes in drum manufacturing.
2. Boring: Used to machine large-diameter holes or high-precision holes inside the drum, such as tube holes or connection holes, often using boring machines or CNC machining centers.
3. Drilling: Used to drill holes in the drum, such as holes for installing tube seats, connections, or bolts. Deep hole drilling may be used for thicker walls.
4. Milling: Used to machine the planes, grooves, or complex surfaces of the drum, such as flange connection surfaces or mounting grooves, often using milling machines or CNC milling machines.
5. Grinding: Used to finish the inner and outer surfaces or holes of the drum, improving surface finish and accuracy, especially suitable for high-precision parts.
6. Roller Burnishing: Used to process the inner wall or tube holes of the drum, improving surface hardness and fatigue resistance, commonly used in high-pressure boiler drums.
7. Post-Welding Machining: The drum is usually made by rolling and welding steel plates. The weld seams need to be turned, milled, or ground to eliminate welding defects and ensure flatness.
8. Tapping and Threading: Used to machine threaded holes on the drum, such as the threaded parts for installing bolts or joints.
9. CNC Machining: Modern drum manufacturing widely uses CNC machine tools (such as CNC lathes and machining centers) to achieve complex shapes and integrated multi-process machining, improving efficiency and accuracy.
10. Post-Heat Treatment Machining: After heat treatment (such as annealing or normalizing), the drum may require finishing to eliminate thermal deformation and ensure dimensional and positional tolerances.

The selection and combination of these processes depend on the material of the drum (such as carbon steel, alloy steel), design requirements (such as pressure rating), and the equipment capabilities of the manufacturer. Non-destructive testing (such as ultrasonic testing) is also required during the processing to ensure quality.