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New Technologies, Upgraded Machines Equal More Parts, Faster!
What began as a farm fabrication shop took a major turn in 1993 when Precision began a successful partnership with the recreational vehicle accessory industry. Fabrication all but faded away as part production became the primary focus. Since then, Precision has expanded its markets into areas such as parts for retail fitness equipment manufacturers. Loewer recognized the opportunities a punch/plasma combination could bring to Precision when he was investigating new technologies with Roger Williams, salesman for Whitney distributor MH Precision, headquartered in Florence, AL. Reducing ‘Fingerprints’ “The need for the Whitney became apparent in 1999 with a particular project as an ATV accessory,” explains Loewer. “The parts were hole intensive and we were putting too many ‘fingerprints’ on them. The more times you have to touch a part the more the part costs you.” Before the 3400 RTC, the 3/16" mild steel parts—4" wide, 12" long, with 32 holes—were conventionally produced in several steps. Production started by cutting the shaped part on an older model plasma burning table; manually unloading the parts while the table sat idle; moving the parts to a deburring station to remove the slag; then moving the parts again for layout and manual punching or drilling; finally, on to shipping. After the addition of the 3400 RTC in 2000, the same parts are completed in one process. The 3/16" plate is loaded, the CNC program for the nest is initiated for part production, and the parts are packaged for shipping. “The 3400 RTC allowed us to eliminate the deburring and manual punching,” says Loewer. “The work was basically taken to one machine.” Five men from manual punching were reassigned to shipping, painting and packaging. The dross-free TRUECut® edge completely removed the need for the deburring operation. The reduction of “fingerprints” and material handling greatly reduced production time and lowered the cost per part. Loewer uses the gained production time to investigate and win new business. He says that the market for parts produced on the 3400 RTC comes to him. “We started with a very small select market for the 3400…but as people heard about this machine, we were afforded the opportunity to run different types of parts. Our market built itself.” Many of the newer jobs going on the Whitney have been won from shops where they were previously produced on a laser. Loewer attributes this “phenomena” to the quality of cut, efficient nesting, and the consistent lower per piece cost. Customers are designing parts around the 3400 RTC capabilities. They request updates on the tool library and adjust the size of the part to fit on the machine. Loewer has one customer who will not accept parts that are not run on the 3400 RTC. He says, “You know you’ve arrived when you have customers designing parts around your machine.” Adding Faster Technology Precision Cutting follows a distinct business plan which includes regular investment in new technologies. New machines and upgrades to existing equipment are regular events. Even the 3400 RTC, only two years old, has seen improvements. A Drop Door Retrofit Package, available in spring of 2002, was added to the 3400 RTC to decrease the amount of time required to unload small parts and increase overall production. One hole intensive nest that took an hour and a half on the standard 3400 RTC, is produced in one hour on the same machine since the retrofit. Overall savings indicated by Precision Cutting’s time studies is at a steady 25 to 30 percent. An additional benefit included with the Drop Door Retrofit is a sensor that confirms that parts have dropped out of the skeleton, virtually eliminating the chance of lost production due to “part tip-ups.” Operator Blake Miller, who spends about 12 hours a day running the 3400 RTC, will use the time he’s saved since the retrofit to operate a new press brake. The brake will be located next to the Whitney so Miller can bend parts as they come off the 3400 RTC. What’s Next? Loewer sees a South Louisiana trend towards heavy plate fabrication 3/4" and up. He is strategically planning to keep Precision Cutting in the lead in that market. “Our feedback to Whitney is that in the machine tool market, they’ve been the best we’ve worked with. They have the service, phone support, even follow-up calls. “Looking into the future,” Loewer says, “I see this being a Whitney shop.” (Used with permission from Whitney Metal Fabrication News, August 2002) Home | All Applications | Punch/Plasma Machines | 3400 Series Applications |
