Page 82 - MetalForming October 2016

Extreme Welding
began supplying various components to Yamaha. Soon thereafter it discovered an opportunity to provide aftermarket accessories to meet the needs of snow- mobile enthusiasts looking to ratchet up the performance of their rides.
Today, Skinz designs and builds an array of performance parts ranging from A-arms and other front-suspen- sion and chassis components to front and rear bumpers, ergonomic handle- bars and rail stiffeners. In short, the company makes anything and every- thing snowmobilers may want to upgrade their machines.
Production Boost Required New Welding Solution
Skinz performs virtually all metal- working, forming and welding opera- tions in its Minnesota facility, including CNC turning and milling, tube cutting and bending, powder and liquid coat- ing, polishing, deburring, and, of course, welding. But as demand increased for the 800-plus products on
Through the use of pulse-wave gas- metal-arc-welding technology, Skinz has experienced eased setup and high quality when welding aluminum for snowmobile aftermarket parts such as this front bumper.
the company’s to-do list, it became clear that the workforce would be over- whelmed unless Skinz made significant changes to its production process.
Welding represented a key area of concern as many products, such as front and rear bumpers, are made from thin aluminum material, both sheet- metal and tubing, transformed into complex, angular shapes. Typically, Skinz would gas-tungsten-arc weld (GTAW ) these components, requiring a high degree of expertise by seasoned welders spending as long as 20 min. to complete a weld.
“The good news is that our products are well accepted by snowmobilers, so our production demands have grown quickly,” says Hawksworth. “Unfortu- nately, it’s not always easy to find addi- tional qualified welders, so it’s been a strain on our existing staff. I’ve been GTA welding for more than 10 years and I know how challenging and time- consuming that process can be. When our welders had to ramp up from making
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