Page 24 - MetalForming June 2014

Manufacturer’s
Cost-Effective
Versatility
...is fueled by abrasive waterjet cutting, so much so that a second waterjet machine may soon
be on the horizon.
As the first of four very successful enterprises, West Coast Steel Fab- ricators, Eugene, OR, launched operations in 1979 as a custom fabri- cator of conveyors, bins, hoppers, tanks, trusses, ductwork, silos and more. Today, the 50-person shop, under the direction of owner Brian Hough, also provides fabricating expertise and capabilities to its three operating divi- sions—Olympus Technologies, Inc. (OTI), Olympus Trailers and Cascade Truck Body & Trailer Sales. OTI manu- factures equipment for wastewater- treatment facilities; Olympus Trailers builds large motorsports and utility trailers; and Cascade Truck Body & Trailer Sales up-fits trucks for service and heavy-duty industrial use. What these divisions, as well as West Coast Steel Fabricators, have in common is
that they all benefit from cost-effec- tive, highly versatile waterjet cutting.
Diversify, and Elevate Quality
A few years ago, Hough looked to expand and diversify his business in the face of the new economic reality. He wanted to expand his custom steel product offerings and elevate compo- nent quality to higher levels. That’s when he turned to abrasive waterjet cutting to handle a wider range of pro- duction runs, including fast prototype development. The shop now can quick- ly turn around highly accurate parts
without the hassle of tool changes or complex fixturing. Plus, as compared with other production equipment in the shop, abrasive waterjet cutting gen- erates smoother surface finishes, Hough says, which often can eliminate the need for secondary machining.
Hough’s machine of choice: a Max- iem 1530 JetCutting Center from Omax Corp., with an x-y cutting travel of 122 by 62 in.
According to Hough, once the machine landed in his shop only a few hours of employee training—on the machine and on the Omax Intelli-Max
The Maxiem 1530 JetCutting Center at West Coast Steel Fabricators produces parts that are beautifully finished right off the machine. It has eliminated as much as 2 hr. of finishing time from most parts, as well as the man-hours usually spent deburring and cleaning.
22 MetalForming/June 2014 www.metalformingmagazine.com