Driving productivity through automated tube cutting
Hypertherm's CAM Software Team recently put together an article on Hypertherm customer, Natural Structures. As the article says, this Oregon company fabricates “fun and excitement,” as a producer of aquatic recreation products such as children’s water slides and splash parks. They company also makes other outdoor equipment like stainless steel slides, pavilions, benches and bike racks.
The company, founded in 1971, ships its products throughout the United States, Canada, and even internationally to countries outside North America.
Working to meet tighter tolerance requirements from customers, owners Jodie and Ted Hausotter decided to eliminate the hand cutting of round pipe by incorporating Hypertherm’s HyPerformance HPR400XD plasma system, with an EDGE Connect CNC, ProNest CAM software and Rotary Tube Pro automated tube and pipe cutting software. This change enabled Natural Structures to go from holding tolerances of a sixteenth of an inch before, to a few thousandths of an inch today.
Production Supervisor Percy Dickerson says, "Now when we process a job, instead of measuring out tube, taking it to the saw operator, then taking it down to the fitter for layout and drilling, with Rotary Tube Pro we just put the material on the machine and eliminate all those steps.”
In additon, by choosing an intergrated Hypertherm system, Natural Structures can use the True Hole process to cut bolt ready holes. Dickerson adds, "We have a lot of uses for Rotary Tube Pro, including plasma etching for layout marks. It’s so easy. Now we’ve got fitters saying, ‘Hey, I want more of that.’ It makes my job way easier and I can go much faster. Now, one fitter can keep up with three welders, which is pretty significant.”
Read the entire Natural Structures article.