Customer: Coal-Fired Power Generation Facility, Ottumwa, Iowa (USA)
Asset Type
Coal Pulverizer – Roller Assembly
Location
Ottumwa, Iowa, USA
Completion Date
October 2019
Project Scope
Align Boring, Metrology, and Heat-Treatment Support
Service Phase
Upgrade to new OEM mill specifications
Precision Requirements
±0.003" alignment, 63 RMS/N7 finish
Equipment Deployed
Three Hydratight Model 4 Boring Bars FARO Metrology Systems Hydratight Heat-Treating Consoles
Team
Four Hydratight Field Service Engineers
The customer needed to upgrade an aging coal pulverizer to meet the latest OEM design specifications. After years in service, the mill’s roller assemblies and bore interfaces had deteriorated, creating excessive vibration and accelerated wear. Left uncorrected, these conditions risked catastrophic damage across the pulverizer structure. The critical challenge: precisely align multiple 24" diameter bores and rollers, simultaneously, to within ±0.003" and deliver a high-grade surface finish of 63 RMS/N7. Worn reference surfaces on the legacy equipment made accurate measurement and alignment even more complex. Additionally, new bearings required controlled heat-treating to shrink-fit correctly during installation.
Hydratight deployed a specialist team of four Field Service Engineers supported by advanced machining and metrology technologies to deliver a right-first-time upgrade. Key Solution Components
1. Multi-Bar Align Boring
Three Hydratight Model 4 boring bars were set up in parallel to machine and align all bores simultaneously - ensuring precise concentricity and eliminating cumulative error.
2. High-Accuracy Metrology
Using FARO metrology systems, the team established reliable measurement datums on worn equipment, verified bore alignment, and confirmed final tolerances to OEM specifications.
3. Controlled Heat-Treating for Critical Bearings
Hydratight heat-treating consoles were used to preheat and shrink-fit new bearings safely, ensuring correct seating and long-term performance.
4. Technical Expertise & Project Familiarity
The customer sole-sourced Hydratight based on successful historical projects and our long-standing relationship with the mill’s OEM - reducing risk and ensuring continuity of knowledge.
restoring optimal alignment and surface finish across all bores.
protecting connected components and significantly extending equipment life.
helping prevent the progressive wear that can compromise an entire pulverizer assembly.
using metrology to establish accurate starting points and eliminate uncertainty.
Hydratight delivers precise, high-integrity machining and metrology solutions for critical assets, where accuracy, safety, and uptime matter most.
If you’re upgrading, repairing, or re-engineering rotating or process-critical equipment, start the conversation with our technical specialists today.
Contact Hydratight to discuss your project
