The list of items needing regular maintenance in your shop is likely long. It probably seems there is always something to be done. Unfortunately, while most shops are great at inspecting items like cranes, forklifts, and air compressors, an item that tends to slip through the cracks is the plasma cutting system. It might be the old adage “the squeaky wheel gets the grease” proves true here. Plasma systems, at least good quality systems, don’t tend to be troublesome. The systems go about the job day in and day out, slicing through whatever metal is thrown at it, but while your plasma system may appear to work just fine, failure to properly maintain it is quietly impacting its performance and life. Mechanical parts will start to wear out, causing rough machine motion. Part tolerances will deviate. Cut quality, particularly at higher speeds, will suffer.

It is kind of like the tires on your car. To get the best life and performance, you need to make sure your tires have the right amount of air and are rotated regularly. If you don’t do those two things, will your car still roll? Sure. Will the ride and gas mileage suffer? Will your tires last as long? No. Are you more apt to get a flat tire at the worst possible time? Yes. It’s the same thing with your plasma system. If you don’t take good care of it, it’s going to break down when you need it most. Like when you’re in the middle of the largest plate-cutting job you’ve ever had for your most lucrative customer. Not only have you just let down an important customer, at up to USD$200 per hour fully burdened, you’ve just cost your shop a lot of money.

The other problem is when components in the machine fail, as troubleshooting and servicing can take days. This brings us to another old adage, “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Fortunately, it doesn’t take much to keep a plasma system up and running. A small investment of your time is often all it takes to keep your system in good shape. The key though is to establish a regular preventive maintenance routine.

Cleaning and inspection

Your routine should contain two components: (1) routine cleaning and inspection, and (2) replacement of common wear items. Part one of your program can be divided into daily, weekly, and monthly tasks. Let’s start with the daily tasks. There are four things you’ll want to do for every single day your system is turned on.

First, verify inlet pressure of gases in both the “test pre-flow” and “cutflow” modes by making sure your regulator dial reaches the recommended PSI.

Second, inspect the air filters. You’re checking for moisture, oil, and particulates. If you see moisture, oil, or a lot of metal dust for example, you’ll need a new filter. If you only see a little dust or dirt, try to lightly vacuum it off. All air filters need eventual replacement, but if you’re going through more than your fair share, then you likely have an issue with the quality of your air and should check its purity.

Step three is to check your coolant level and condition. If the level is below the neck of the tank, add more. If the coolant looks dirty, flush out your tank and refill it with fresh coolant.

The final daily task it to inspect your torch. Hypertherm strongly recommends taking your torch into an office or other clean place to do this. Also, wash your hands. Typically, the two items requiring careful inspection are the o-ring and coolant tube. Remove the o-rings from the torch and check for damage. If all looks good, apply a very small amount of lubricant to your fingertips and lightly rub this lubricant onto the o-ring. The o-ring should look shiny but you should not see any lubricant. If you do, you’ve applied too much and should wipe some off. Replace all o-rings so they fit snugly, then inspect all threaded consumables and remove any dirt that you see. You’ll also want to inspect the water tube to make sure it isn’t out of round, bent, or pitted. Inspect the nozzle and electrode mating surface for damage, then take a clean cloth and wipe off the torch, both inside and outside. Use a cotton swab if needed to clean hard to reach areas.

Next up are the weekly tasks. First step, inspect all air hoses, coolant hoses, and torch leads. Look for scrapes and cuts, punctures, chemical spills and burns, or any kinks or bends that would restrict flow.

Second, check for gas leaks by conducting the built-in leak and flow tests. Before doing this last test, make sure you are using the right consumables and have selected the correct plasma process for the test.

Finally, check your coolant flow. If you have an auto-gas console, this can be done right from your CNC. If you have a manual gas console, go to your console to read the flow rate. If the CNC detects a problem, then you’ll need to perform the specific Coolant Flow tests found in your owner’s manual.

Monthly tasks include cleaning the inside of your power supply, inspecting electrical components, and checking your ground and table-to-work piece connections. First, turn off the power to your power supply, then remove the top and side panels. You’ll likely see a lot of metal dust and other particulates that you’ll want to either blow out or vacuum. Don’t forget to vacuum build-up on the fan and fins. Next, gently remove dust and particulates from your circuit boards, taking extra care not to damage them.

The next step, with your power still off, is to check the main contactor for excessive pitting, or a blackened or rough surface. If you see any of these things, replace your contactor

Third, though you should check your coolant flow once a week, you’ll want to conduct a more thorough test each month. Typically, this test is more comprehensive and should be conducted by a trained service technician or other specially trained resource. At the same time, you’ll want to inspect all connection points—for example where the hose connects to the ignition console, the torch body, and the power supply.

The fourth task you should do once each month is to inspect the pilot arc relay. Remove the cover, and inspect the contacts for excessive pitting. Again, if you see a lot of pitting, you’ll want to replace the relay.

Next, inspect your gas line connections by spraying them with soapy water. If bubbles appear on a gas line, tighten or replace it as necessary.

Lastly, inspect your ground and work lead connections. Verify that all system components are individually grounded to a driven earth ground and that your work lead connection—particularly the connection at your cutting table—is clean and tight. There should be no paint or oil directly on the connection, as you need a clean metal-to-metal contact.

Replacement of common wear items
With your routine maintenance out of the way, you’ll now want to focus on common wear items. Because plasma systems are precision machines with moving parts like torches, main contactors, relays, and such, these parts are going to wear out. The frequency of part replacement will vary depending on system usage, but typically you’ll want to replace items after a set number of months or arc hours. Recommendations are as follows:

Every 6 months (or 500 arc hours)

1. Torch o-rings and bullet plugs
2. Air filter
3. Coolant filter

Every 12 months (or 1,000 arc hours)

1. Torch main body
2. Pilot arc relay
3. Main contactor

Every 2 years (or 2,000 arc hours)

1. Torch receptacle
2. Coolant pump
3. Torch leads

Every 3 years (or 3,000 arc hours)

1. Check valves
2. Cooling fans
3. Coolant pump motor
4. Gas and pilot arc leads

In order to make part replacement easy, some manufacturers have put together comprehensive preventive maintenance programs, along with annual replacement kits. Companies such as Hypertherm have taken it a step further by providing this information with every system we sell and establishing a dedicated landing page www.hypertherm.com/preventivemaintenance that offers customers the ability to download a complete maintenance program from their system.

Like your forklift, crane and air compressor, your cutting system requires care to operate at peak efficiency. Regular, ongoing maintenance is the smartest and most efficient way to optimize output, reduce unplanned downtime and minimize the operating costs of your cutting system. It’s an active approach as opposed to a costly reactive approach. This way, you’ll not only extend the life of consumables, but also, the life of your entire cutting machine.

Sidebar

Cleaning and inspection checklist

Daily

1. Verify inlet pressure of gases
2. Inspect all air filters
3. Check coolant levels and condition
4. Inspect torch for leaks (o-rings and water tubes)

Weekly

1. Inspect hoses and leads for cracks
2. Inspect gas fittings for leaks
3. Verify coolant flow

Monthly

1. Clean inside of power supply
2. Check with main contactor
3. Conduct a more thorough coolant flow test
4. Inspect pilot arc relay
5. Inspect gas line connections
6. Inspect ground and table-to-work piece connections

About Author: Clayton Gould, Marketing Manager, Aftersales, Hypertherm Inc. 

Jabez Technologies, creators of software to simplify complex robotic programming, is joining Hypertherm, a U.S. based manufacturer of plasma, waterjet, and laser cutting systems, to make it easier for companies to utilize robots for manufacturing applications.

Simple offline programming is a key barrier to the wider utilization of robotics in manufacturing. Hypertherm and Jabez believe combining Hypertherm’s cutting expertise with Jabez’s skilled engineering and support staff will make it easier for robotic programmers and integrators to achieve optimal results. At the same time, Jabez can enhance its support for a wide variety of robotic programming applications, including those beyond cutting, by leveraging Hypertherm’s global infrastructure and strong engineering community.

“A growing trend toward lean and flexible manufacturing is resulting in the expanded use of robotics in our served industries. Manufacturers realize that robots are increasingly critical to producing higher quality products at a lower cost, and to achieving the speed and flexibility needed to remain competitive,” Evan Smith, Hypertherm’s President and CEO commented. “Adding Jabez to the Hypertherm team will enable Hypertherm to bring even greater value to our robotic customers, and at the same time provide Jabez with the support and resources to achieve its wider vision, which we share.”

Hypertherm is not making any major changes to Jabez’s operations, leadership structure, or distribution channels. Chahe Bakmazjian, founder and president of the privately held company, will continue to lead his team as part of Hypertherm’s newly established Robotic Software group. Jabez’s current offices in the Montreal area will remain intact, with no consolidations or reductions planned. Support for non-Hypertherm cutting systems, non-cutting applications and previously planned investments in engineering and support resources will continue. In addition, Jabez Associates will receive all Hypertherm benefits, including profit sharing and full participation in the company’s employee stock value plan. The transaction was structured as a purchase of substantially all assets of Jabez Technologies. Financial terms are undisclosed.

“We are excited to join the Hypertherm family. Hypertherm’s vision regarding the future of industrial robotics as well as the cultural alignment between our companies made a perfect and natural fit,” explains Chahe Bakmazjian. “Additionally, we can leverage Hypertherm’s global service, support and logistics resources to better serve our rapidly growing base of robotic integrators and end users to accelerate the growth of Robotmaster.”

Jabez Technologies specializes in simplifying complex robotic programming for 3D shapes, particularly in high-mix manufacturing environments. With the ability to program many different robots across multiple processes, and by providing tools for easy cell setup and configuration, its Robotmaster software delivers the flexibility required to support a wide variety of robotic applications. Built-in simulation tools, on-the-fly calculation capabilities and unique optimization and collision avoidance tools allow programmers to quickly prepare their jobs with confidence.

Hypertherm designs and manufactures advanced cutting products for use in a variety of industries such as shipbuilding, manufacturing, and automotive repair. Its product line includes plasma, laser and waterjet cutting systems, in addition to CNC motion and height controls, CAM nesting software, robotic software and consumables. Hypertherm systems are trusted for performance and reliability that result in increased productivity and profitability for hundreds of thousands of businesses. The New Hampshire based company’s reputation for cutting innovation dates back nearly 50 years to 1968, with Hypertherm’s invention of water injection plasma cutting. The 100 percent associate owned company, consistently named a best place to work, has more than 1,400 associates along with operations and partner representation worldwide.

When it comes to cutting metals and other materials, there are two main cutting choices: plasma cutting and laser cutting. Both methods offer an effective solution for the fabrication of materials unsuitable for cutting by traditional methods.

Yet there’s one question that a lot of manufacturers have when it comes to having their materials cut: Which one is better? Laser or plasma? 

Plasma, of course, had the head start and was first used to cut metal in the 1950s, with lasers only becoming utilised as a cutting method in 1965.

But does age give the plasma cutter an advantage? Or does the fact that the laser cutter came late to the party mean it had more time to develop?

Let’s discuss the benefits of each cutting type, before deciding which is better.

Both methods are incredibly effective at what they do, so this could be a close one.

Plasma Cutting 

As the oldest form of cutting between the two, it only felt right that we first explored the art of plasma cutting.

Plasma cutting works by firing a gas out of a nozzle, and the cutting occurs because an electric arc is formed as this happens between the gas and the metal – and this creates plasma.

This then cuts through the metal, which is the only material that plasma cutting works on.

However, there are no limits to the types of metals that it can cut, as plasma can be made use of no matter what type of metal you require cutting. This makes it an incredibly versatile tool when it comes to the metal cutting industry.

When operating a plasma cutter, you must wear protective glasses at all times to avoid damage to your eyes, and the machine can be noisy. Plasma cutting can also be dangerous if the proper precautions are not taken before the machine is used.

Plasma is able to cut metals in various thicknesses ranging between 1mm and 80mm, and it can also cut at a speed of 20 metres per minute. In terms of specialist cutting area, plasma is best when it comes to cutting thick metal, which it does so incredibly well.

But what about laser cutting?

Laser Cutting

There are two types of lasers, Co2 and fibre lasers, and both of them are great at cutting.

Fibre lasers are best to use when you are hoping to cut a thin metal sheet, and it can work through all metal types. However, a Co2 laser cannot cut through copper, brass and aluminium as it will not work on reflective surfaces.

Yet don’t be put off.

Co2 lasers can also cut through wood and acrylics, making them a great, all-round cutting device if you have a large selection of different material types to cut in a timely manner.

Lasers can also be used for a variety of other actions as well as cutting. They can also engrave, weld, drill and much more – meaning if you have a laser device you could be open to a world of different design aspects.

The best thing about laser cutting is that it’s quick, efficient and incredibly accurate. And when it comes to the finish you’ll receive from laser cutting, you can be sure that it will leave behind a smooth edge.

However, laser cutting cannot cut materials as thick as plasma, and usually can only efficiently cut materials that are up to 25mm in thickness.

Yet the quick nature of laser cutting overall will mean a quick turn around, so this is something that needs to be taken into consideration when debating which type of cutting will be the best

Laser vs Plasma

Both lasers and plasmas have different benefits when it comes to cutting materials.

Lasers tend to be more accurate and a quicker than their plasma cutting cousin, yet plasma cutting can cut through every single metal type whereas lasers cannot.

Plasma cutting is a more dangerous process than laser cutting, yet it is also best at cutting thick materials. Lasers are more effective if your metal surface is on the thinner side, and also if you need to cut other materials such as wood.

Laser cutting also uses less energy than plasma cutting requires, making it a more eco friendly way of cutting your materials. However, it won’t be able to handle metals beyond the range of 25mm, whereas plasma cutters can cut through any type of metal up to 80mm in thickness making it more efficient when it comes to cutting metals.

Lasers are also more capable of producing a variety of different cuts, and can be used to print things in 3D as well as engraving items. As 3D printing is becoming more and more popular, it’s hard to deny how much of an advantage this gives laser cutting over the plasma cutting equivalent.

On top of this, due to the fact that laser cutting can provide a quicker turn around when it comes to any required jobs, it may be more of a suitable option to choose laser over plasma if you need your cutting in a quick manner.

Yet both plasma and laser cutting do have their own place in the cutting industry, secured by the varying benefits of both practices.

It largely depends on what you need cutting, and the thickness of it. Only then can you really determine whether laser or plasma cutting will be more effective when it comes to cutting your materials.

This blog was written by Amy Leach on behalf of laser cutting specialists Yorkshire Profiles Ltd.

Image Courtesy: Shutterstock

]]> https://mfgtechupdate.com/hypertherm-introduces-new-centricut-brand-quick-change-torch/ Tue, 31 Mar 2015 05:11:02 +0000 http://mfgtechupdate.com/?p=5029 Hypertherm, a U.S. based manufacturer of plasma, laser, and waterjet cutting systems, today announced a new Centricut® brand quick change torch for use with ESAB® plasma cutting systems. The torch, which incorporates proprietary Hypertherm technology, is designed to replace ESAB PT-36, PT-600 and PT-19XLS torches. It will perform as well as the original ESAB single […]]]>

Hypertherm, a U.S. based manufacturer of plasma, laser, and waterjet cutting systems, today announced a new Centricut® brand quick change torch for use with ESAB® plasma cutting systems. The torch, which incorporates proprietary Hypertherm technology, is designed to replace ESAB PT-36, PT-600 and PT-19XLS torches.

It will perform as well as the original ESAB single piece torch design, while increasing productivity. The two-piece quick-change design allows operators to change out consumables up to three times faster or, through the use of multiple torch heads, load consumables for the next job while cutting the current job.

In addition, operators can experience a lower overall operating cost by using Centricut brand consumables with either the new quick change torch or their current ESAB single piece torch. In field-testing, cut quality and consumable life from the Centricut brand consumables were consistently equal to the OEM while costing 20 to 30 percent less.

The performance is due in part to Hypertherm’s patented SilverLine® electrode and CoolFlow nozzle technologies. SilverLine technology features a hybrid copper / silver weld joint that delivers performance equal to a solid silver electrode for a fraction of the cost. Advanced cooling features reduce the operating temperature of the electrode maximizing the hafnium pit depth and slowing its wear rate to extend electrode life. CoolFlow technology improves cooling to help maintain the size and shape of the nozzle orifice for longer life.

“This new torch provides owners of ESAB systems with the time-saving benefits of quick-change technology at a very affordable price,” explains Cynthia von Recklinghausen, product marketing manager for Hypertherm’s Centricut brand. “On top of that, ESAB owners can realize further cost savings while enjoying improved cut quality and consumable life by coupling the use of their torch with Centricut brand consumables.”

Centricut brand products, like all Hypertherm products, are designed with critical-to-function tolerances and are precision manufactured by advanced machinists to deliver the best quality product every time.

Hypertherm’s Centricut brand engineers and manufactures advanced plasma and laser cutting consumables. Its product line includes consumables that deliver increased value to people who own most any non-Hypertherm cutting system including systems by ESAB, Kjellberg, Kaliburn, and Trumpf. All Centricut brand products are engineered and manufactured to exacting standards and incorporate the latest technological advances that help to reduce operating costs, while delivering increased cut speed and quality. Centricut products include free technical support and come with same-day shipping.

New Air Plasma System Includes Internal Air Compressor for On-the-go Cutting

Hypertherm, a U.S. based manufacturer of plasma, laser, and waterjet cutting systems, announced the introduction of the Powermax30 AIR, a new portable air plasma system featuring an internal compressor that offers greater convenience for on-the-go cutting.

With the built-in compressor and the ability to operate on both 120 or 240 volt lines, the Powermax30 AIR is a highly versatile system that enables metal cutting just about anywhere. Weighing only 13.5 kg (30 pounds), the Powermax30 AIR provides 30 amps of output, and has the highest power-to-weight ratio of any system in its class.

This high power-to-weight ratio is due in part to several engineering advances, including an all-new patent-pending consumable design that optimises airflow from the compact internal compressor. Coupled with a proprietary and highly-effective moisture removal system, the Powermax30 AIR provides excellent cut quality and performance in hot and humid conditions.

Benefits:

• High portability with the addition of an internal air compressor that eliminates the need for an external compressor unit;
• Greater versatility and convenience with a ‘Plug-and-Use’ model that allows the system to be used anywhere with just an electrical power point, even in remote and non-industrial environments; and
• Cost reduction with the elimination of additional costs associated with the use of an external compressor.

“Hypertherm is setting new performance and portability standards with this new model,” explains Harry Mellott, a Hypertherm Powermax specialist. “With a recommended cut capacity of 8 mm (5/16”)and a severance capacity of 16 mm (5/8”), the system can easily and quickly cut a variety of metal types and thicknesses making it a great entry-level cutting tool for a wide variety of applications.”

Powermax30 AIR system will be available for orders from authorised Hypertherm distributors, from 10 March.

Hypertherm, a US based manufacturer of plasma, laser, and waterjet cutting systems, today announces new Centricut brand consumables for use with ESAB PT-36 torches. The new Centricut consumables, which replace ESAB XR consumables in the PT-36 torch, are guaranteed to perform as well as ESAB consumables. In field-testing, cut quality and consumable life were consistently equal to the OEM, delighting customers who were pleased to have a lower-priced alternative. The cost is 20 to 30% lower, allowing customers to save money without sacrificing cut quality or performance.

The performance is due in part to Hypertherm’s patented SilverLine electrode and CoolFlow nozzle technologies. SilverLine technology features a hybrid copper / silver weld joint that delivers performance equal to a solid silver electrode for a fraction of the cost. Advanced cooling features reduce the operating temperature of the electrode, maximizing the hafnium pit depth and slowing its wear rate to extend electrode life. CoolFlow technology improves cooling to help maintain the size and shape of the nozzle orifice for longer life.

“Hypertherm engineers have extended our consumable technology to competing plasma brands so that owners of non-Hypertherm cutting systems can realize some of the life and performance benefits of genuine Hypertherm consumables,” explains Martin Geheran, product marketing manager for Hypertherm’s Centricut brand. “In this case, ESAB customers can get outstanding cut quality and life, while reducing the overall cost of operation.”

Centricut brand consumables, like all Hypertherm consumables, are designed with critical-to-function tolerances and are precision manufactured by advanced machinists to deliver the best quality product every time.

Hypertherm’s Centricut brand engineers and manufactures advanced plasma and laser cutting consumables. Its product line includes consumables that deliver increased value to people who own most any non-Hypertherm cutting system including systems by ESAB, Kjellberg, Kaliburn, and Trumpf. All Centricut brand products are engineered and manufactured to exacting standards and incorporate the latest technological advances that help to reduce operating costs, while delivering increased cut speed and quality. Centricut products include free technical support and come with same-day shipping.

Hypertherm’s journey in India…
2013 was a slow year, but we are hopeful that the market condition will improve once the new government is established and they start implementing measures to revive the economy. Oxyfuel continues to be the most widely adopted thermal cutting technology due to its low initial cost, but we will continue to introduce new products and solutions for our Indian customers.

How has metal cutting evolved over the years with the growing demand for higher speed and productivity?   
As the demand for high productivity and speed increases, end-users are moving away from conventional and adopting automated technologies. Their expectations have increased drastically over the years. Today they want more consistent quality, higher productivity, efficiency, reliability and lower cost of manufacturing. This is also complemented by ‘Just In Time’ (JIT) manufacturing, so basically it calls for advanced metal cutting equipment.

And what’s the role of plasma cutting?
Plasma cutting meets most of the expectations mentioned above for end users and offers an optimised solution for metal cutting processes. There has been a lot of advancements in plasma cutting technology, offering solutions for a wider range of material types, thickness, and for a variety of industry segments.

How soon do you see this change happening in India?
More and more manufacturers are focusing on consistent quality and productivity. Partly, this is attributed to the global manufacturers setting base in India, which will drive growth in the demand of high-end technologies. India is moving toward adoption of modern manufacturing technologies, which will continue in the coming years.

What are the latest advancements in plasma cutting technology?
Systems are available now wherein minimum operator intervention is required for the job.  For example, automated design to production systems, excellent cut quality on thin stainless steel, increased productivity, long consumable life (i.e. lower cost of cutting), improved hole quality are some of the recent trends in plasma cutting.  All these can be achieved by an operator easily. One of Hypertherm’s philosophies is to constantly reduce the metal cutting costs yet with improved cut quality and productivity.  As part of Hypertherm’s Built for Business – Integrated Cutting Solutions, some of the new technologies include HDi® thin stainless steel cutting, Rapid Part® technology for higher productivity, True Bevel® technology and the latest Powermax125 air plasma system with 100% duty cycle.

Laser and plasma have seen good response in India, but what about waterjet?
Adoption of Waterjet technology is picking up, there are certain areas where waterjet is quite applicable. If one wants to cut very thick materials or requires a zero heat affected zone, waterjet offers a good option for cutting metal. Also, waterjet can be used for non-metallic materials, which makes it a versatile cutting solution.

The automotive industry is in bad shape, which are the other emerging sectors to focus on during this period?
When we talk about plasma cutting, we will continue to focus on our core sectors. Our core sectors include those with high degree of plasma adoption, for example, construction equipment, infrastructure, railways, ship building, and even the agriculture industry, which is creating good demand for the technology. We offer solutions for all these segments, from simple hand cutting plasma systems to high end CNC plasma systems. In the automotive industry, they usually process on very thin metals so the usage of plasma is relatively low there. When we relate our industry performance, the above-mentioned sectors are our benchmarks. These industries are also looking to invest but unfortunately, 2013 was not that great a year. The Indian economy is also affected by global slowdown and this has put a hold on the investments which has affected everyone.

What are the challenges that the industry faces in terms of adopting latest automation solution in India, considering the fact that India is a price sensitive market?
The biggest challenge that the industry is facing right now is the current economic condition that has lowered investment amounts. Apart from this, I would say lack of awareness of the latest technologies, and lack of knowledge and exposure to the latest manufacturing technologies like plasma still exists in the Indian market.
There are reservations considering that the investments are associated with high end technology; however, the industry is adopting technologies wherever the investment justifies ROI (Return on investment).

What are present day customers looking for?
When we talk to customers, the first thing they want is cost effective solutions, and cost doesn’t always mean price; a solution which has multiple applications is a cost effective solution. They are looking at an increase in productivity, which means more automated product and lower operating costs. Apart from this, they also look for end-products with good cut quality, ease of use, and reliability. In addition to the technological aspect, good technical service support and after-sales service are also factors for consideration. System reliability is very important and customers are also looking for in-region service support.

India is home to several global players; what is your strategy to survive the competition?
Hypertherm focuses on research for continual innovation and to further develop the existing technologies. In addition, we have in-country sales and technical service associates to provide efficient support to customers. Also, with our ‘Cutting Technology Centre’, we continue to engage end users and train our channel partners to increase their service capabilities.

nishant@mfgtechupdate.com

What kind of demand you see in the industry and how your product offering strategies are? 
We are into manufacturing of CNC waterjet cutting machine, CNC laser cutting machine, CNC plasma cutting machine and robotic waterjet cutting machine. Our major focus is on non conventional cutting methods. These are all futuristic technologies; if you look worldwide these technologies are there since last 30-40 years, but in India it’s still not been utilised properly.

So we feel there is lot of opportunities for such technologies in future and would like to provide best solution to encash this opportunity.

We have made it a point that we want to provide high quality product, so we import the best component available in the market. Our machines are equipped with best available components in the industry, like our waterjet pump, CNC controller & motion components are from Germany.

Frankly speaking the market is not going in an upward direction. But, we expect may be five years down the line there will be a good scope for these technologies.

What are the fundamental differences when it comes to cutting methods like plasma, waterjet and laser?
We have adopted a unique approach so that these technologies are not competing against each other; we are very neutral because all the three products are in our basket. Depending on the customer’s requirement we suggest the right technology after studying their requirement in detail.

If you take plasma, it cuts metal by highly ionised gas, very high heat is transferred to the metal to erode or vaporise the metal. Plasma cutters use electricity to superheat air into plasma, which is then blown through the metal to be cut. A laser cutter directs and focusses a laser beam onto a material which is cut. As the beam hits the material, it vaporises to leave a cut. So the common thing between these two technologies is that they generate heat and they have thermal resistance.

Waterjet cutting has its own advantages. The positive thing about the waterjet method is that there is no thermal process. An application where heat is not allowed such as orthopedic implants, few aerospace components, or where there is thicker and non ferrous material, waterjet suits the best.
So all these technologies are unique and have its own advantages.

What are the benefits of waterjet cutting and what are the applications it is better suited for?
Major advantage of waterjet is that it can cut most of the materials like aluminium, brass, copper, allows, titanium, even non metals like rubber, marble etc. It is a very versatile technology and that is the major advantage. Thicker materials can only be done by waterjet, let’s say if you want 100 mm stainless steel or titanium to be cut it is possible only with the use of waterjet not laser or plasma.

Effect of automobile industry slowdown… 
It is one of the most important industries. If the automotive industry is doing well, it affects all others in a positive way. At present the automotive industry in India is sustaining, but not growing at the rate it should grow. So there is both direct and indirect impact.

Our laser products are very much used in the automotive industry specifically as the materials used are thin as compared to that of general engineering. So if that industry is not doing well it affects the laser industries directly. Companies providing robotic waterjet solutions are also affected a lot. We are expecting the industry will bounce back in 1-2 years.

Which are the other emerging sectors?
Job shop is a promising sector and there is huge scope for growth in the near future. Now-a-days several big companies outsource some of their machining activities from job shops. It helps them cut down on cost as they dont have to invest in a particular technology; else they will have to use it for longer hours to get the ROI. This was they get their work done at a reasonable cost and at the same time job shop owner gets a his share of business.

Challenges faced…
There are a few challenges as the overall economy is not doing great. People are not at all optimistic and capital good market is the first to get affected.
One more thing that is affecting the industry is the rupee depreciations. In our industry, almost everyone is associated with the foreign countries or companies. Some or the other component is imported, so higher the dollar rate against rupee worse the problem. So all the input cost have gone up by 50% as compared to what it was two years ago.

Do you think SMEs are ready to adopt highly automated technologies?
They are ready to adopt the technologies but are often pulled back due to lack of finance. SMEs in India are facing major financial crunch, banks are not providing loan easily and if they do the interest rates are very high. So the overall viability sometimes doesn’t work for them.

nishant@mfgtechupdate.com