On-site machining work can be required for a number of reasons and the stakes are high in the majority of cases. For example, production might be held up at a petrochemical plant, an offshore facility, or at power generation plant where a turbine needs maintenance.

Therefore, any onsite machinist will need total confidence that the machine tools specified will get the job done safely and efficiently. That’s why all Mirage manufactured products undergo a thorough inspection and pre-use testing process before being signed off and dispatched to the customer.

But what does this actually involve? below is just a selection of some of the checks made that helps ensure we only manufacture quality portable machine tools.

A new year is often a time people take stock and consider how the world has changed over the past few decades.

With this in mind, we've taken a break from our usual blog topics that cover subjects such as flange facing,hot tapping machines, line boring (and many others), to bring you something a little more light hearted. This time we take a historic look at some of the worlds weirdest machines and gadgets invented.

The first one (pictured above) is the 'one wheel motorcycle'. Today, monowheel vehicles are mostly built for entertainment purposes. But from the 1860s to the 1930s, unbelieveably they were proposed as a 'serious' means of transportation and a quick Google image search for 'monowheel vehicles' shows that this idea isn't going away just yet.

Visit almost any manufacturer’s website and the chances are you’ll soon find phrases such as “committed to total quality”, “quality assured” or “continuous improvement”.

We all know that the stakes are high in the oil, gas and power generation industries, so how can you tell if there’s any real substance behind these reassuring claims?

Throughout the world, advances in new technology have always remained important for the oil, gas and energy sector, but when the going gets tough do the innovators keep going?

With the current challenges facing the sector and the outlook for the future uncertain, there’s never been a better time to find out.

It’s going to be an exciting year for Mirage, as we look forward to a number of new developments:

Expansion plans

We’re looking to capitalise on our success in South East Asia by expanding our reach in Australia with a dedicated office. This means we’ll be able to provide local support directly to customers in the region, and be able to supply portable machine tools and rental kit to customers within tight timeframes.

Come and visit our stand at AOG from 11-15 March 2015 in Perth to find out more; invites will be sent out shortly and if you want to discuss anything specific please let us know.