SHOP SOLUTIONS
to its first waterjet. The slanted tank makes it easier to clean out pulp debris, while the blow-down system helps hold the material in place during the cutting process. “This has dras- tically cut down on tank cleaning and increased the quality of our cuts by almost completely eliminating splash-back onto our products,” Burns said. “Jet Edge has been more of a partner than we ever anticipated in helping to build our brand and increase our production capabilities,” said Burns. “In all aspects, Jet Edge has been there to answer questions, work to solve issues, and deliver parts in a quick reliable way. The hands-on treat- ment from Ben Callahan, our Jet Edge salesman, has from the start allowed us to build a system to fit our needs and budget, and our Jet Edge technician is always available for quick answers and reliable onsite repairs. Jet Edge waterjets are not the cheapest systems out there, but the investment in a greater up-front cost more than makes up for itself in the reliability of the waterjet, the service capabilities of Jet Edge, and the reliability of the necessary consumable parts Jet Edge’s parts department has in stock,” Burns said. With its waterjets running an average of 100 hours a week, YOXO goes through a fair amount of consumable wa- terjet parts. Burns tried to save money with knockoff parts, but quickly switched back to genuine Jet Edge parts. “There is no comparison. After that experiment I have no problem paying more for parts that last two to three times longer,” said Burns. “Jet Edge makes the best consumable parts by far. They are better designed and more reliable than any other company’s parts that we have tried. You get what you pay for, and they pay for themselves quickly.” YOXO’s Jet Edge waterjet equipment has been very
reliable and is easy to operate and maintain, according to Burns. “The pumps are almost indestructible. Waterjets by their nature take a higher level of maintenance than some modes of production. However, by and large, the mainte- nance itself is quick and well described by the manuals and Jet Edge training program. Our off-the-street operators with no prior experience were quickly able to perform the neces- sary daily and preventive maintenance requirements to an adequate level. We have used inexperienced operators from the get go. After the install training, we were ready to begin full production within days. And with the second machine, we were ready within hours of the final installation testing,” said Burns. For more information from Jet Edge, go to
www.jetedge.com, or phone 800-538-3343.
34
AdvancedManufacturing.org | November 2016 Continued from P31
MFG.com Offers Online Sourcing for Robotics Parts T
he simple proposition that no two automation solutions using robotics are alike because no two manufacturing
processes are identical presented a major challenge to Daniel Drennen of Deshazo LLC (Alabaster, AL). Deshazo offers robotic vision systems that allow robots to perform quality control inspection, parts picking, and other automating processes for the steel, aerospace, automotive, and consumer products industries, among others. Its robotic packaging systems give robots the capacity to determine what product goes into a particular package and then box the product. Recent engineered solutions include a vision-guided robot to load castings into a high-speed machining center, while another uses a robot to do spot welding for catalytic converter housings. Still others employ robotic systems to perform filling, capping, and labeling functions for hazardous materials, residential coil assembly for an HVAC manufacturer; and assembly for a consumer goods manufacturer. “The applications for robotics are limitless, but each solu-
tion creates a unique parts need,” said Drennen. “A custom end-of-arm tool that we design and affix to the end of that robot arm allows the robot to perform a specific task. The tool might require a finger, some kind of plate, or some other attach- ment. We need the tool in a quantity of one or two because the task performed is unique to a single customer’s process. The high variability in robotics parts needed, coupled with the low production volume, requires that we outsource the work. But finding shops that can do custom work competently, quickly, and inexpensively is a challenge.”
Deshazo has in-house manufacturing capabilities and a host of suppliers that support the major efforts associated with its automation division and its primary business of manufactur- ing custom-built overhead cranes. But, specialized robot parts constituted a whole new manufacturing niche Drennen had to fill. Initially, he looked to nearby shops in Alabama. What he gained in convenience, he lost in price. No competitive market forces were at work to keep costs in check. One day, a casual conversation with a colleague around the water cooler provided the solution:
MFG.com. Drennen investigated the global online manufacturing marketplace and liked what he saw. “
MFG.com helps sourc- ing professionals and engineers quickly and easily locate
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