More Throughput, No Risk: Perry Products Strengthens Production with a Second Vertical Lathe

At a Glance

• Industry: Process equipment, pressure vessel, and heat exchanger fabrication
• Challenge: Production bottlenecks caused by reliance on a single key vertical lathe 
• Solution: Investing in a second VDM 2300 S vertical lathe
• Result: Higher production reliability, more flexibility, and improved throughput
• Machine: KNUTH VDM 2300 S

The Company

Perry Products Corporation, based in Hainesport, New Jersey, has specialized in the design and manufacture of shell-and-tube heat exchangers and pressure vessels since 1947. The family-owned company employs roughly 25 to 30 people and runs a welding shop certified to ASME Section VIII.

Beyond manufacturing, Perry offers customers full engineering services. These range from thermal design and process optimization to mechanical design and 3D modelling. Quality, safety, honesty, and teamwork form the foundation of the company's philosophy.

The Challenge

Machining large, heavy components is central to Perry's production. Tubesheets for shell-and-tube heat exchangers, custom heads, and forgings for pressure vessels all have to be machined reliably and on schedule. An existing KNUTH vertical lathe had reliably handled this work for around 15 years, but as workloads grew, it began to present a potential bottleneck. 

When machining the sealing faces of welded components, any scheduling overlap or unplanned downtime could affect the production flow directly. The goal was clear: Perry sought to expand machining capacity without altering existing processes or compromising plant reliability. 

The Solution

Perry had already invested in a modern CNC vertical machining center with turning and milling capabilities. That machine added flexibility, but it could not fully take over the work of the existing vertical lathe.

After weighing several options, Perry made a deliberate choice to build on its existing machine setup. The company selected a second KNUTH VDM 2300 S, with a performance profile and operating concept nearly identical to the machine already in place.

This approach offered several advantages:

·    Minimal operator training
·    Identical processes on both machines
·    High flexibility in production planning
·    Reliable backup against machine downtime
·    Extra capacity for peak demand

The VDM 2300 S is built specifically for machining large workpieces. Key features include a powerful high-torque main drive, a servo-driven feed system, rugged hydraulic cross-rail clamping, a side tool head for machining outer contours, and a standard 3-axis position readout (DRO).

Implementation

Integration was seamless. Because both machines are identical in design, operators knew the controls and workflows right away. There was no lengthy learning curve, and the second VDM 2300 S was quickly up and running.

Today both machines run in parallel. This lets Perry distribute jobs flexibly, plan maintenance more easily, and avoid capacity bottlenecks. Even at high workloads or with short-notice schedule changes, production keeps moving.

Results and Benefits

The investment has noticeably improved how Perry organizes production. With two comparable vertical lathes, the company now has far greater production reliability. When machining tubesheets, pressure vessel heads, and forgings, the team benefits from more scheduling flexibility and better use of resources.

Quality is just as convincing. The machine delivers consistently precise surfaces and repeatable results for downstream welding and assembly. The welded parts allow relatively generous tolerances, yet the machining still meets every requirement for dimensional accuracy and surface finish.

"Having two machines of the same type has really improved our workflow. It keeps things running smoothly, with no interruptions or bottlenecks," says Annie Harris, General Manager of Perry Products.

Conclusion and Outlook

With a second KNUTH VDM 2300 S, Perry Products has strengthened its production in a focused way. Rather than introduce an entirely new manufacturing concept, the company stuck with continuity and proven processes.

The result is a more resilient production environment. It offers more capacity, greater flexibility, and reliable quality for demanding work in pressure vessel and process equipment fabrication. Perry can now distribute jobs more flexibly and stay on schedule even during peaks.

Info Box

User: Perry Products Corporation
Industry: Heat exchanger and pressure vessel fabrication
Machine: KNUTH VDM 2300 S
Machine type: Conventional vertical lathe
Applications: Tubesheets, pressure vessel heads, forgings, weld preparations
Key features: High-torque drive, servo feed, side tool head, 3-axis position readout

Looking to make similar production processes more efficient?

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