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The company and products
Comotti is a small manufacturing company, located 25 miles outside of the city of Milan, in Osio Sopra, Italy. Mr. Giampietro Comotti’s father founded the company in 1966, and he is the second generation to oversee its operation. Comotti manufactures industrial equipment for the mining industry, which is then used to extract stone and minerals from quarries in this region. Their fine reputation for quality products has been built on almost 50 years of experience. Comotti employs six people. They cut mild steel exclusively, with 80% of their cutting needs falling between 15 mm and 20 mm thick. The full range of cutting thicknesses is between 2 mm and 25 mm.
The problem
Comotti’s oxyfuel cutting system was limiting their cutting capabilities. The company was forced to outsource 80% of their cutting needs to other suppliers; however these suppliers were not dependable. They were often tardy and missed scheduled delivery dates. This resulted in production delays for Comotti. Mr. Comotti commented, “I could not depend on my suppliers any longer.” This frustrating situation confirmed for Mr. Comotti that he had to upgrade his on-site cutting capabilities to be able to maintain his business the way he wanted to.
The solution
After speaking to a cutting table manufacturer, Comotti purchased the Hypertherm HySpeed Plasma HSD130 as a replacement for the company’s oxyfuel system. They were interested in the HSD130 because of the thickness range it could cut and the quality of its cuts. The system provides a virtually dross-free cutting capacity on mild steel. It is easy to use, offering both oxygen and air plasma cutting. The system is more productive and more cost-effective than other metal cutting solutions such as shearing, oxyfuel and non-Long Life oxygen plasma systems.
Plasma replaces oxyfuel as a cutting solution. Company brings 70% of outsourced work back onsite.
Cutting table powered by HySpeed Plasma HSD130 Save time and money by bringing outsourced work back onsite Experience improved cut quality and reduce the need for secondary operationsBenefits
The HySpeed Plasma HSD130 virtually eliminated Comotti’s dependence on an external organization for their cutting needs. Comotti brought the majority of their work back on-site. Mr. Comotti stated, “With the oxyfuel we used to cut 20% of what is needed for our product; with the HSD130 we now cut 90%.”
The new system gave Mr. Comotti the flexibility he wanted and the freedom to determine the future of his business.
The benefits of plasma over oxyfuel are undeniable. Comotti experienced improved productivity, increased cut capacity and quality, as well as lower operating costs when they switched to the HSD130. Comotti is now cutting 800 mm/min on 20 mm mild steel plate, as compared to 500 mm/min with oxyfuel. The company is saving money by using air as their primary cutting gas. The HSD130 can cut mild steel down to 2mm thick, while the oxyfuel often caused thinner material to warp or bend. Mr. Comotti confirmed that the table manufacturer “did the right thing by recommending the plasma technology first of all, and then the HSD130 system. There was no need for HyDefinition plasma. The HSD130 perfectly meets my expectations.”
