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Shop Profile: LAI Southwest
Job Shop Innovates Ways to Cut Costs for Customers
Copyright 2000
Are you a project manager searching for ways to speed up the cycle time to produce parts? Are you a plant manager focused on the bottom line, or a buyer seeking to reduce costs? If you are involved in some way with custom-manufacturing parts, waterjet processing could be a big help.
A leader in high-pressure precision waterjet processing, LAI Southwest focuses on smart manufacturing methods to increase its customers' productivity. For example, LAI:
Uses multiple heads on its waterjet machines to turn around parts more quickly than single-head machines.
Builds extensive databases of cutting parameters to constantly improve data for feed and speed rates.
Is developing new high-speed waterjet processes to slash machining times.
Part of this philosophy of innovation and cost savings stems from LAI's commitment to engineering solutions, a way for programmers, engineers and technicians to engage in problem-solving manufacturing. For instance, LAI Southwest's production team worked with Vomar Products, Van Nuys, Calif., to maximize the cutting speeds to manufacture large signs for the campus of Nike, Inc. LAI was chosen to cut the 4' by 2', 3/16"-thick stainless steel signs because the surface finish, accuracy and speed of LAI's waterjet cutting were superior to other manufacturing methods, according to Doug Wochna, Vomar's production manager.
"waterjet was the right process," he said. "We have CNC machining in house, but that would have been much too slow."
Finding new ways to increase productivity
LAI's support team makes innovative recommendations for cost reductions, whether in tooling, material handling or secondary operations. Besides offering standard inventory methods like Just-In-Time, which allows on-site storage of stock material, LAI takes advantage of other cost-saving techniques. These include optimizing part nesting to minimize material waste and layering materials to dramatically speed up turn-around time.
Experts at LAI examine entire projects and make recommendations on raw materials, quality standards and lead-time. Besides full CAD and engineering support, LAI Southwest draws from its family of LAI facilities additional resources, including metallurgical, mechanical engineering and chemical expertise.
Expanding capabilities and production space
LAI Southwest started in 1996 as one of the first waterjet job shops in Arizona, later expanding its capabilities with five-axis waterjet processing and plans to add additional laser capacity. The job shop views itself as an extension of its customers' manufacturing facilities, expanding their capabilities without the additional capital investment.
To expand its manufacturing capabilities and keep up with its growing workload, LAI Southwest is moving into a new 13,600-square-foot facility in Phoenix, tripling the size of its manufacturing floor space. The building is located at 4814 S. 33rd St., one block south of its former location.
LAI Southwest is part of LAI International, Inc., which has been in the machining and metalworking business since 1979 and became one of the primary innovators of waterjet technology in the 1980s. LAI International, Inc. is known as the largest provider of laser and waterjet contract services in the United States with facilities including LAI East in Westminster, Md., and LAI Midwest in Minneapolis, Minn.
LAI Southwest uses high-pressure abrasive waterjets to cut millions of parts, ranging from the trimming of casting gates on titanium parts to roughing out 2"-thick aluminum vehicle accessory components. The versatility and economics of waterjet cutting allow processing of not only aerospace and electronics applications, but also decorative floor tiles and stone for architectural projects.
LAI Southwest's plant features its own hybrid waterjet systems made from the best components available in the industry. The state-of-the-art abrasive waterjet capabilities center on a five-axis waterjet workstation. A large ongoing five-axis contract involves drilling precise, angled holes in nickel alloys for land-based steam turbines. A second waterjet station features a dual-head configuration, and a third machine is dedicated to small parts. All machines have precision motion control systems, achieving repeatability of +/- .001 inches.
Developing new technologies to cut faster
LAI continues to develop its special high-definition waterjet cutting process. This high-speed waterjet processing method saves both production time and cost per part, using a special combination of proprietary technologies, which allows LAI to manufacture parts with better surface finish and less taper at a lower price.
LAI's five-axis waterjet processing also increases productivity. Complicated tooling and set-ups are either reduced or eliminated as processing steps are performed by robotic motion. LAI Southwest has also pioneered new techniques such as pre-drilling and vacuum piercing to drill precision holes in laminates, composites and glass without de-lamination. LAI has gained national attention for its ability to use waterjets to drill technically challenging holes, including high-tolerance holes, repetitive patterns and complicated arrays of shaped and angled holes.
LAI Southwest waterjet services
LAI Southwest's focus as a job shop is to scrutinize applications to cut production time and costs. LAI's staff can design a work approach to offer real choices in reducing lead-time, secondary operations and material consumption.
Complete waterjet services
High-speed abrasive waterjet cutting
Five-axis waterjet machining
Processing of all materials, including steel,
aluminum, titanium, composites, tile and stone
Prototypes to production runs
Precision hole drilling
High-Definition waterjet cutting advantages
Multiple-head cutting saves time and money
Large capacity workstations
Engineering services and secondary operations
High-Definition cutting: +/- .001" tolerances
Linear positional accuracy: +/- .003"
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LAI East
1110 Business Parkway S.
Westminster, MD 21157
410-857-0770
410-857-0774 Fax
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LAI Midwest
7645 Baker St. N.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55432
763-780-0060
763-784-4740 Fax
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LAI Southwest
4814 S. 33rd St.
Phoenix, AZ 85040
602-304-1160
602-304-1612 Fax
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Southwestern Laser
975 W. Grant Road, Suite 151
Tucson, AZ 85705
520-807-0433
520-807-0437 Fax
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