Monday, 2 february 2015
ARAKO company (belongs to the engineering division of the corporation Rosatom – Atomenergomash), thanks to the investments made in previous years, extends the offered range of industrial valves with high pressure forged gate valves for nuclear power sector.
The company´s design development department worked out a challenging design task in the last year – a gate valve A42 for use in nuclear power plants. In December 2014, there were successfully completed internal tests on a prototype of diameter DN100, pressure PN160, that included function test, body strength and tightness test, obturator strength test and cycling the valve with an electric actuator ZPA Pečky by 1000 cycles. External tests follow at authorized testing laboratories. The documentation for the subsequent transfer of the product into series production will be worked out after their successful completion. Currently, there are negotiations about deliveries of the gate valves A42 for Russian nuclear power plants under way.
Just as in the case of high-pressure forged gate valves S43 and swing check valves L43 (their development was completed last year) for conventional power sector, it is possible to produce the gate valves A42 for nuclear power, thanks to the new facilities, which the ARAKO company bought within the investment program in 2011-2013. It was the largest investment in the history of the company and the main goal was to increase production efficiency while maintaining the first-class quality of valves both for conventional and nuclear power sector.
The extensive modernization of production facilities for a total amount of 150 mil. CZK included the purchase of modern equipment: CNC turning centers, welding and weld-on machines, inspection and test equipment, degreasing and rinsing equipment, horizontal machining centers, eight new modern furnaces for heat treatment, a blasting box and others. Also the surfacing line underwent the modernization and a new warehouse for raw materials was built. The company also implemented a new ERP information system, which replaced a number of old programs and nowadays it significantly optimizes and accelerates the processes related to the activities of the company.
Buying the new equipment moved the production a step forward, it enabled the expansion of the production range not only as far as the new items of valves, but also a larger diameters of valves (up to DN800) are concerned. It also contributed to a higher self-sufficiency of the company – ARAKO company has achieved a reduction of the technologically necessary cooperations of 35% compared to the year 2013. Thanks to the modernization of test equipment, there was a significant increase in productivity during pressure tests of valves for nuclear power sector, the new warehouse ensured optimization of logistic processes in the production. In connection with the purchase of new equipment, the company achieved the 30 % reduction of tools and jigs in 2014.
The investment program was financed from both internal and external sources, the guarantee for the credit processing was provided by Atomenergomash.
ARAKO company continues its development and accepts the challenge to become more competitive in the market of industrial valves, also in consequence of the acceleration and making the production more accurate.