Productivity boosted by waterjet cutting
September 1st 2005

The acquisition of an Omax 55100 jetMachining Center by Frocester Engineering is not only maximising core production for the Somerset-based company, but helping to open up lucrative new possibilities in terms of sub-contract waterjet cutting and machining.

The light engineering company specialises in tube bending, welding and fabrication techniques and used to rely on laser profiled piece parts. Anthony Locke, MD, considered buying a laser profiler, but felt such a machine would not be economically viable.

Instead he opted for a waterjet cutting system. Acquisition costs and cutting accuracy are similar to those of a laser profiler, but it was considered that the waterjet system would be capable of cutting and profiling a much wider range of materials, enabling Frocester Engineering to use it for additional sub-contract work.

Two machines were trialled and Anthony Locke was impressed with the Omax machine’s flexibility and accuracy, and particularly the speed and ease-of-use of its Intelli-Max programming software.

He also liked the fact that the machine was fully integrated, having its own high pressure pump, nozzle and software.