Job Shop Gives Abrasive Waterjet High Marks
From structural frames to heavy weldments and sturdy machine bases -- if it can be envisioned, chances are Metfab Engineering, Inc can build it. Located in Attleboro Falls, MA, the full-service job shop provides metal fabrication and machining services to businesses around the world. Metfab's services include CAD engineering and layout, machining, waterjet and laser cutting, welding, assembly, painting and finishing for customers in nearly every business sector, including the semiconductor, energy, defense, security, medical, pharmaceutical, and chemical industries.
Like most successful job shops, Metfab Engineering can trace its roots back to a simple 3-car garage and owner Edward Urquhart's vision to build a business from the ground floor. Today the company occupies a 50,000 sq ft modern manufacturing facility and employs 60 people. Metfab's longtime manufacturing engineer Bruce Weeman attributes the company's success to Urquhart's willingness to invest in his business.
"His philosophy is if we can buy a piece of equipment that makes the job easier and faster, then buy it," Weeman noted.
Investing for Success
Seven years ago, Metfab did just that when it invested in a precision abrasive waterjet cutting system manufactured by Jet Edge of St. Michael, MN. The company selected Jet Edge's 6 x 10 ft High Rail Gantry System, which it powered with a 50 hp Jet Edge 55-50B intensifier pump rated for 60,000 psi (4,100 bar). The system is controlled by Jet Edge's AquaVision motion controller, which produces consistent quality finished surfaces and cuts.
"We looked at all the major manufacturers and I saw demos from each one," Weeman recalled. "I met some of Jet Edge's engineers and heard what they had to say, and it seemed like the construction and maintenance of the machine was exceptional."
Weeman explained that his company originally bought its waterjet system to cut laminated panels, but quickly discovered its usefulness for other projects. With its Jet Edge system, Metfab is able to cut parts from virtually any material, including materials considered "unmachinable" with conventional cutting tools. Metfab cuts materials up to 6 in. thick and maintains a tolerance as close as +- 0.005 in.
Weeman said that the Jet Edge system's CAD/CAM software has helped Metfab reduce waste by enabling it to tightly nest multiple parts in a single program. The company also is able to cut smaller parts out of material it once would have considered scrap. In addition, the Jet Edge system has helped Metfab increase its productivity by allowing the company to cut parts on the waterjet that it once would have had to make in its machine shop. This has freed up the machine shop for other projects and, since the waterjet leaves no burrs or heat-affected zones, has eliminated the need for secondary finishing.
Taking On New Projects
The Jet Edge system also has allowed Metfab to take on projects it once would have had to sub out, giving the company more control over its delivery dates, Weeman added.
"We use it a lot more than we thought we would," he said. "It's brought in a lot of new work that we couldn't do before, and when these customers come into the building and see what we do, it leads to other different types of work."
Weeman noted that Metfab has saved several customers months of fabrication time with its Jet Edge system.
For example, when a natural gas company needed to have a valve customized with a difficult-to-machine hole, and they needed it quickly, Metfab's waterjet operator manually raised and lowered the waterjet cutting head and was able to drill the hole into the contoured valve within minutes.
"They said if they had to buy the piece, it would have taken two months to get," Weeman said. "It took us a half hour between programming and cutting."
Metfab also has used its Jet Edge system to cut fragile stained glass pieces for a local window company, Weeman said. The owner of the window company initially was skeptical that the waterjet could cut the pieces, some of which would have been impossible to cut by hand.
"He didn't think we could cut it, and we cut it out and handed it to him," Weeman recalled. "He said for a million dollars he couldn't have cut that by hand. Parts it would have taken him 6 months to cut by hand, we did in 4 days, and out of 200 sheets of stained glass, I think we cracked 3 sheets handling them. He said he usually has a 25-30% break ratio."
With his Jet Edge system still running smoothly after several years of intense use, Weeman said he has been very happy with Jet Edge's quality and commitment to service.
"It's been great," he said. "It's simple to use. We're able to train new operators in fairly little time, and have sent two or three operators to Jet Edge's free lifetime training program. If we call service, they are usually very quick, and the parts department is exceptional. . . . Downtime has been almost nonexistent. Everyone, from sales to service to parts has been excellent."