Machines and engineers united for high-precision machining
Deploying state-of-the-art equipment and unique expertise, the Martigny workshops manufacture and repair components for hydroelectric power stations.
The central workshops in Martigny specialise in three essential activities in the hydroelectricity sector: rehabilitation, servicing and machining. The machine shop is known for its ability to produce and repair large components. This calls for high-performance machinery like the Correa machining centre. One of the largest machines in French-speaking Switzerland, it was installed in 2020 and can process complex parts up to seven metres in length and weighing almost twenty tonnes. Due to its rotating table, it can perform milling as well as turning operations.
The machine can also be used for grinding, thanks to adaptations devised by the workshop staff. Grinding is used more and more frequently in Martigny. In the hydroelectric sector, many components are coated with tungsten carbide to resist erosion and extend service life. Machining these components requires highly specific tools.
Care and precision to extend component life cycles
Other high-precision equipment is also used for critical components such as guide vanes, which are essential to the efficient operation of hydroelectric turbines. The machine shop also collaborates with the RRC workshop to repair and refurbish wheels. The sequence of interventions (welding, turning, milling) is designed to extend the life of critical components and reduce replacement costs. Sophisticated measuring tools, such as a three-dimensional measuring arm and 3D scanning, ensure the quality of the machined parts.
When all is said and done, though, the workshop’s strength lies in its staff, whose expertise and know-how are at the heart of the process. Their mastery of the machines and their knowledge enable the machine shop to constantly innovate and meet customer expectations.
Using high-precision equipment, the machine shop can work on large workpieces
Such workpieces are often impressive, such as this swept pipe.
Machining this type of part, a ball-type isolation valve, would be impossible with traditional tools.
