The new T-DRILL S-56 PC collaring and punching unit
At this year’s AHR Expo in Chicago, visitors witnessed a product launch that is revolutionary to the HVACR industry. T-DRILL launched a new, heavy-duty product line for forming stronger, thicker materials – with collaring and punching done in one single unit. The new product line is optimal for manufacturing copper-iron piping for Co2, the up-and-coming refrigerant of choice in the industry.
According to Carroll Stokes, Technical Sales at T-DRILL, the increasing use of Co2 is due to its low environmental impact. The challenge with Co2 is its high operating pressure. Strong, robust copper-iron (CuFe2P) tubes are capable of withstanding Co2’s pressure while maintaining copper’s advantages, such as corrosion-resistance. With this, the material becomes significantly thicker and stronger, making it impossible to collar, punch or spin with regular machinery. T-DRILL’s new copper-iron product line is therefore pivotal to the industry’s future and sustainability.
“We conducted market studies and sat down with our customers. We asked them: What do you need? How can we help you work through the changes that are taking place in your industry? The answer was more or less the same all around: a solution where copper-iron can be collared and punched in one single unit, with as little cleaning as possible required. This we have now achieved.”
The new T-DRILL product line is one of the first solutions in the world developed for forming copper-iron. It includes three updated machines:
Not only can HVACR customers now form stronger, thicker materials like copper-iron, they are also able to punch and collar tubes in one single unit with the updated S-56, remarkably increasing efficiency in their production. The fast, automatic work cycle and not having to physically move the workpieces from one machine to another results in a through-put time that is 3–4 times faster than before. The updated machines also minimize the amount of cleaning and the risk of chips getting into the material.
T-DRILL has been aware of the upcoming changes for several years. The widespread use of Co2 as a refrigerant is getting closer as the use of synthetic refrigerants such as hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) is increasingly restricted in almost all parts of the world. By the Kigali Amendment, almost all developed countries must reduce their use of HFCs by 45 % by 2024 and by 85 % by 2036. With the use of the high-pressure Co2 increasing, HVACR manufacturers encounter numerous challenges, including the need to adhere to newly implemented rules and regulations. For instance, welders will be required to possess specialized qualifications as pressure vessel welders.
“HVACR manufacturers will not only have to buy a new machine. They will have to reassess their entire production chain to be able to accommodate the upcoming changes – and the time frame is getting tight. We have been preparing and creating a solution together with our customers and are now ready to help our customers in the industry through these changes.”
Read more about the S-56 PC or get to know the advantages of T-DRILL’s unique collaring method!
T-DRILL SPM-115 spinner
T-DRILL T-115 collaring machine
T-DRILL S-56 PC collaring and punching unit
Published: March 20, 2024
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