Page 25 - MetalForming June 2014

software—were required to launch production.
“I had long been interested in water- jet cutting,” says Hough, “so when I was ready I contacted Omax, nearby in Kent, WA. Once I decided on a machine model, Omax had it here within three days. On delivery day, we were up and running.”
Where the Maxiem 1530 really shines, says Hough: producing 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.
Life Before Waterjet
Prior to waterjet cutting, Hough’s businesses had relied on high-defini- tion plasma cutting of parts. And while that process still accounts for a large amount of his daily operations, it can- not compete with the waterjet in terms of accuracy, especially when cutting the shop’s aluminum and mild- and stainless-steel plate.
“With our high-def plasma, we can get speed but not accuracy,” Hough says. “Parts come off the plasma-cut- ting machine and must be polished, the edges cleaned up and a reamer run through the holes. These operations add up to an extra 90 min. of time tacked on to every part.
“With the waterjet,” Hough contin- ues, “we can cut the same number of parts as with plasma, but when the waterjet parts are done they are ready to ship. In fact, we now have internal guidelines noting certain parts only can be produced using the waterjet machine—specifically, those parts that will be customer-facing. We want to show off these parts, which give the equipment a high-tech look and feel. Parts are cut perfectly and look beau- tiful every time.”
Accessorized, for Cutting Uneven Surfaces
Recently, the shop added the Omax Collision Sensing Terrain Follower accessory to its cutting machine, which contends with cutting uneven part sur-
faces. The accessory has proved par- ticularly useful for cutting parts for OTI—Hough’s anaerobic digestion- equipment division. Prior to adding the Terrain Follower, when the waterjet- cutting head would encounter an uneven surface, the machine would automatically shut off.
“Initially, we did not realize the need for the Terrain Follower,” recalls Hough. “Fortunately, we were able to
retrofit the device to our machine. Now, if our plate stock has a bit of a wave to it, the machine just follows along seamlessly and without any issues or special programming.”
In addition to OTI, Hough’s Olympus Trailers division, in particular, leverages the unique capabilities of waterjet cut- ting. Its high-end trailers feature exten- sive aluminum constructions, includ- ing all-aluminum-framed cabinets with
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