Drake Manufacturing Services Co. recently shipped another in a series of high precision gage grinding machines to one of China's emerging API gage manufacturers. A precision tool manufacturer in Central China is in the process of installing its second Drake internal gage grinding machine. The machine is a GS:TI 540 (Grinding System:Thread Internal) and will supplement and expand the customer's capacity to grind internal thread gages from 10 mm to 500 mm internal diameter threads. This company previously purchased a Drake GS:TI-LM 350 machine in 2005. It manufactures a full line of thread gages, taps, measurement equipment and other threading tools.

In the past two years, Baoshan Iron and Steel and Chengdu Chengliang Precision Tools have also expanded their gage grinding capabilities with the addition of Drake's thread CNC internal and universal thread grinders. Baoshan purchased a GS:TE/I-LM 650 universal grinder (pictured right) capable of grinding external threads up to 650 mm and internal threads up to 550 mm diameter. Baosteel produces American Petroleum Institute (API) thread gages used to check the integrity of threads on steel tubing and casing used in drilling for and transporting petroleum and natural gas. Chendu Chengliang purchased a GS:TI 540 internal thread grinder capable of grinding ring gages to 500 mm thread diameter. Chengliang also produces taps, end mills, and other metal cutting tools.