Thursday, December 18, 2008

Reuel Inc. Acquires State-of-the-Art Jet Edge Waterjet Cutting Technology

Jet Edge, Inc., is pleased to announce that Reuel Inc. of Goldsboro, N.C., has installed Jet Edge’s latest ultra-high pressure waterjet cutting system, the Jet Edge Mid Rail Gantry. With its new waterjet system, Reuel is now capable of cutting complex parts from virtually any material with water that has been pressurized to 60,000 psi. and mixed with an abrasive.

Reuel is an internationally-leading manufacturer of insulating components for the electrical power equipment industry. The company specializes in molded switchgear components, apparatus bushings and specialty products for medium voltage electrical distribution equipment. It also manufactures traction-power substations for mass transit authorities and large-scale contractors.

Established in 1987 by Larry and Sue Davis, Reuel has grown steadily over the years and is now one of the larger manufacturers in its industry. The company, which started out manufacturing just epoxy and other polymeric material electrical components, has grown to over 50 employees and now occupies a 110,000 square foot state-of-the-art manufacturing facility that features fully equipped machine and fabrication shops that, in addition to the new waterjet, include vertical milling centers, plunge and wire EDM machines, CNC lathes, CNC punches and press brakes, a shear, plasma cutter and a powder-coat paint line. Reuel also has a high-tech molding and casting department that features 11 hydraulic molding presses including a custom press that it built itself, plus a new pneumatic material conveying system.

According to Jason Stevens, Reuel project engineer, Reuel decided to add waterjet cutting to its extensive machining capabilities because it is the most effective way to cut GP03 fiberglass, one of the primary materials used in the company’s switchgear components for its traction-power substation line.

“Waterjet is the best way to cut parts from this material because it eliminates an aggravating fine dust that is created by other cutting methods,” Stevens said. “This dust can cause accelerated machine wear especially in machine ways and optical encoders.”

Reuel also plans to cut other materials with its waterjet machine, including steel, stainless steel, polycarbonate and copper, Stevens noted.Prior to purchasing its Jet Edge system, Reuel had been outsourcing its waterjetting, but determined it would be more cost-effective and efficient to bring its waterjet cutting in-house, Stevens explained.

“Now that we have our Jet Edge waterjet, we will have control over our process and control over lead time in addition to cost savings,” he said.

Within a week of installing the Jet Edge, Reuel had already trained five employees how to run the machine (the company cross-trains its fabrication shop employees) and was busy cutting GP03 insulating components for a traction-power substation it is building for a light rail system in New Orleans. Reuel is building two substations for the city’s transit authority to replace units damaged by flooding following Hurricane Katrina.

“Jet Edge’s training was great,” Stevens said. “The machine is working great, it can be run relatively unattended, and it looks like maintenance should be easy. I like the SigmaNEST® Companion CAD/CAM software on the controller. It seems to be very intuitive and the controller also is fairly intuitive. It’s one of the easiest that I’ve used.”

Stevens said he researched 20 waterjet systems from various manufacturers before deciding on Jet Edge.

“I like Jet Edge’s vertical integration and one call for service,” he said. “A lot of the other companies require you to call one company for parts and service on the gantry and another for parts and service on the pump. I also liked Jet Edge’s 24-hour availability. Many other waterjet manufacturers were available eight to five in their time zone or they had online support. Plus, I really liked working with David Arthur [Jet Edge’s Southeast U.S. regional sales manager]. I felt that he was as honest as a salesman could be and was willing to work with us to determine the best solution.”

The Jet Edge Mid Rail Gantry selected by Reuel features an 8’X13’ work envelope with an exposed tank that easily accommodates overhead loading. It comes standard with one abrasivejet cutting head; a second cutting head can be added to increase productivity. The Mid Rail Gantry is ball-screw driven for higher accuracy. Its sturdy heavy-wall tubular steel construction eliminates vibration and increases longevity. The Mid Rail Gantry utilizes an industrial PC controller and can be configured so that all three axes are fully programmable (Z optional). It also features direct-couple AC brushless digital servo motors and single or double carriages. Critical bearing components are protected with heavy metal covers with brush seals.

More Information
For more information about Reuel, visit www.reuelnc.com, call 919-734-0460 or e-mail info@reuelnc.com.For more information about Jet Edge, visit www.jetedge.com, call 1-800-JET-EDGE (538-3343) or e-mail sales@jetedge.com.

About Jet Edge
Established in 1984, Jet Edge is a global designer and manufacturer of waterjet systems for precision cutting, surface preparation and coating removal. Jet Edge systems are used around the world in a broad range of industries, from the world's leading airlines to automotive, aerospace, industrial manufacturers, machine and job shops. Jet Edge waterjet systems are proudly made in the U.S.A. For more information about Jet Edge, visit www.jetedge.com, e-mail sales@jetedge.com or call 1-800-JET-EDGE (538-3343).

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Michael Waltrip Racing Speeds Up Waterjet Cutting with 90,000 PSI Jet Edge X-Stream Waterjet Pump


Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) has installed a 90,000 psi Jet Edge X-Stream xP90-100 waterjet intensifier pump at its fabrication shop in Cornelius, N.C. The pump will power MWR's Jet Edge waterjet cutting system, which it uses to make parts for its three NASCAR Sprint Cup Series teams and its NASCAR Nationwide Series team.

MWR plans to achieve much faster cutting speeds and drastically lower its operating costs with its new Jet Edge X-Stream pump. The pump produces 50% more pressure than a typical 60,000 psi waterjet intensifier pump, resulting in a 40-50% increase in productivity for many materials. As a result of these faster cutting speeds, MWR can expect to use 30% less water, 30% less power, and up to 50% less abrasive.

"These days we're all looking for ways to save time and money, and Jet Edge's X-Stream pump does both," said Nick Hughes, MWR's technical director. "We couldn't ask for anything more."

According to Hughes, MWR has been running its Jet Edge waterjet system 60 to 65 hours per week since installing it in the spring of 2008. It now waterjets 250 parts for each of its racecars. The parts are cut from a wide variety of materials ranging from ¼" Nomex® to ½" steel, and include numerous panels, mounts and chassis components, plus duct work, windows, splitter panels and much more. MWR builds about 56 cars per year, which include the #55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota Camry driven by Michael Waltrip and fielded by MWR, the #00 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota Camry driven by David Reutimann and fielded by MWR, the #47 Little Debbie® Toyota Camry driven by Marcos Ambrose fielded by JTG-Daugherty Racing through a technical alliance with MWR, and the NASCAR Nationwide Series #99 Aaron's Dream Machine Toyota Camry driven by David Reutimann fielded by MWR.

MWR has experienced tremendous productivity gains since installing its Jet Edge waterjet system, Hughes said.

"After we installed our Jet Edge last year, we increased our productivity by 50 percent and were able to get technology improvements to the racetrack two weeks faster than in the past," he said. "This resulted in some very respectable finishes that got everybody talking about Michael Waltrip Racing. It really comes down to machining time. We can cut parts a lot faster on the waterjet than on the milling center. We are also producing better quality parts and we are seeing huge reductions in material waste thanks to the Jet Edge's tight nesting capabilities."

Hughes noted that the Jet Edge waterjet was instrumental in the development of MWR's newest racecar, the Series 600.

"The Jet Edge waterjet was key to the redesign," Hughes said. "It enabled us to design and produce parts at a moment's notice. We were able to get the project done much faster and much more cost effectively than we could have in the past. As we enter our third year of Sprint Cup Series competition, there is no doubt that we will be placing even more demands on our Jet Edge waterjet. The X-Stream pump's faster cutting speeds will help us keep up with that demand."

For the latest updates on Michael Waltrip Racing's use of the Jet Edge waterjet system, and for more information about Jet Edge, visit www.jetedge.com, call 1-800-JET-EDGE (538-3343) or e-mail sales@jetedge.com. For more information about Michael Waltrip Racing, visit www.michaelwaltrip.com.

About Jet Edge
Established in 1984, Jet Edge is a global designer and manufacturer of waterjet systems for precision cutting, surface preparation and coating removal. Jet Edge systems are used around the world in a broad range of industries, from the world's leading airlines to automotive, aerospace, industrial manufacturers, machine and job shops. Jet Edge waterjet systems are proudly made in the U.S.A. For more information about Jet Edge, visit www.jetedge.com, e-mail sales@jetedge.com or call 1-800-JET-EDGE (538-3343).

Monday, December 8, 2008

Used Water Jet Machines, Pumps Available from Jet Edge

Jet Edge, Inc., a leading manufacturer of ultra-high pressure waterjet and abrasivejet systems for precision cutting, coating removal and surface preparation, is now posting used waterjet equipment for sale on www.jetedge.com.

Jet Edge’s used equipment inventory includes ultra-high pressure intensifier pumps, motion systems, accessories and mobile cleaning and cutting equipment. For more information about Jet Edge’s new and used waterjet equipment, visit www.jetedge.com, call 1-800-JET-EDGE (538-3343) or e-mail sales@jetedge.com.

New CAD/CAM Nesting Software for Waterjets is Easy to Learn and Use

Jet Edge is now offering the easy-to-learn and use SigmaNEST Companion™ CAD/CAM nesting software on its precision waterjet cutting systems.

Developed by SigmaTEK Systems, LLC, of Cincinnati, SigmaNEST Companion uses a wizard-based approach to allow waterjet operators with little or no CAD/CAM experience to design, edit and nest parts quickly with little training. Available at a fraction of the cost of the full SigmaNEST program, Companion features numerous SigmaNEST functions such as DXF import, TrueShape nesting, automatic path generation, and NC code generation. With it, waterjet operators can load DXF files to automatically or manually nest parts. They also can create new tasks using standard shapes available in the program’s library. Companion also allows operators to edit part parameters and generate a variety of custom reports, including cost, layout and summary reports.

Jet Edge manufactures a full line of precision waterjet cutting machines, intensifier pumps and waterjet parts. Jet Edge waterjet tables are available in a wide range of sizes, from 30”X30” to 30’X100’. Jet Edge waterjet intensifier pumps are capable of producing pressures from 30,000psi to 90,000psi. They are available in electric and diesel models ranging from 30hp to 280hp. Jet Edge’s open-architecture motion controllers are compatible with most CAD/CAM software, including SigmaNEST and SigmaNEST Companion. For more information about Jet Edge, visit www.jetedge.com, call 1-800-JET-EDGE (538-3343) or e-mail sales@jetedge.com. For more information about SigmaNEST, visit www.sigmanest.com, call (513) 674-0005 or e-mail sales@sigmanest.com.

Water Jet Manufacturer Jet Edge Participating in Minnesota's Trade Mission to Israel

Jet Edge, Inc., a leading manufacturer of ultra-high pressure (UHP) waterjet and abrasivejet systems for precision cutting, coating removal and surface preparation, is pleased to announce that Jet Edge International Sales Manager David J. Anderson will join the Minnesota Trade Office’s Business Development Mission to Israel, Dec.11-18, 2008.

Anderson is one of 30 business delegates who will participate in the mission led by Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty. The delegation’s objectives are to acquire market information and business contacts, increase Minnesota exports to Israel, facilitate high-tech exchanges and collaboration, and develop strategic relationships with key organizations that support U.S.-Israeli trade and investment. As one of the world’s most prominent centers of innovation and technology, Israel offers a wealth of opportunities for high-tech exchanges and collaboration. Additionally, with one of the best economic growth rates in the Middle East and an affinity for American products, Israel presents significant market opportunities for Minnesota exporters.

For more information, visit http://www.jetedge.com, e-mail sales@jetedge.com or call 1-800-JE-EDGE (538-3343).