Pipe milling machines from Fein are used in particular when pipelines that have already been laid have to be cut in the open field or offshore, sometimes under the most difficult conditions. Tailored to the area of application, Fein pipe cutting machines are available in two versions: the electric version (Fein RSG 1500 and RSG Ex 1500) and the compressed air version (Fein RDG 1500). They can cut oil, gas and water pipes with a diameter of 250 to 1,500 mm. Even cement-spun pipes for water supply as well as large containers from the power plant sector or plant engineering can be processed with the machines.

The Fein RDG 1500 with 67 kg is the compressed air version of the pipe milling machine, which can also be used on pipes that convey oil, gas and chemical substances. The machine can also be used at low water levels, as is the case with burst water pipes, for example.

Cutting in detail: concentricity of the Fein RSG 1500. © Fine

The Fein RSG 1500 electric version with its low weight of 73 kg has a constant torque and can be used in environments from +60 to -30 °C. This model is available with an explosion-proof motor under the product name Fein RSG Ex 1500; both the electric motor and the additional switch are ATEX-compliant for this model. Both the compressed air and electric versions can be set up by two people due to their low weight of around 70 kg. "Thanks to these advantages, Fein's pipe milling machines are problem solvers for cutting and milling work that would otherwise be difficult to manage," says Lisa Ocker, who is responsible for the topic of "cutting" as Product Manager at the company.

Together with application specialist Matthias Hess, she travels to customers and interested parties all over the world to demonstrate the advantages of the two robust heavy-duty machines individually tailored to the respective tasks, as her colleague Hess explains: "These are always challenges that we prepare for before visiting the customer." New, high-strength steel pipes and extreme temperatures demand maximum performance from machines, milling cutters and saw blades. "This can be in the middle of the desert at up to 50 or 60 °C plus, as well as in arctic regions where temperatures are around 30 °C below zero." If a pipeline is being repaired or extended here, the use of a pipe milling machine is essential.

How a pipe milling machine works - flexible milling without offset

The Fein pipe milling machines are available in two gearbox variants with different feed rates: 40 mm per minute and 80 mm per minute. The feed rate can be switched on and off. Different tools can be used to make straight cuts as well as profile cuts for V or U weld grooves.

The Fein RSG 1500 and RDG 1500 models require little space for pipe circulation. The link chains can be variably adjusted to suit the respective pipe diameters. The two-chain system with separate spring tensioning heads also enables tension-free cuts from 250 to 1,500 mm in diameter. The new and optionally available guide chain keeps the pipe milling machine on track and enables a precise cut without offset, even with tolerances in the pipes or spiral-welded pipes.

Fine pipe milling machines can be set up by two specialists. © Fine

Safety of user and machine

All Fein pipe milling machines are manufactured at the company headquarters in Schwäbisch Gmünd-Bargau, Germany. Before a machine goes to the customer, a careful quality check is carried out here. In addition to a high quality standard, the safety of man and machine is also an extremely important issue when using tube milling machines. To ensure this safety, Fein offers on-site customer training - no matter where in the world the customer is located. If a customer also has specific questions, the service team can also advise them by telephone on request - and here too, suitable solutions are always found, as Matthias Hess describes: "We once had the task of cutting a pipeline as a riser. We managed to do this without any other accessories or tools, just using the pipe milling machine."

In this video, you can see how a pipe milling machine is installed on a pipe.