Above: Sterling Edge conducts demonstrations for local universities to showcase the technology behind waterjet jobs.

Shop owner uses competitive technology to entice potential employees

April 2018 - The most intricate tolerances or detailed designs are exactly the types of jobs Sterling Edge Industrial Cutting LLC specializes in. The Denver-based dedicated waterjet shop runs three machines, including a 10-foot by 27-foot machine from Omax.

Owner Blane Newton toured the country researching manufacturing methods and waterjet cutters before deciding to purchase from the Kent, Washington-based machinery builder. “After reviewing the different options available, Omax stood out with its dedication to research and development and easy-to-use software,” Newton says.

Sterling Edge handles high-precision cutting jobs that require fast turnaround for industries ranging from defense and aerospace to signage. The company also serves as a tour site for universities. “Schools bring classes in and allow us to showcase the technology behind the waterjet cutting jobs we do,” Newton says. “It’s been a great way to introduce students to fabricating and we’ve actually hired individuals that participated in one of our classes.”

Fast turnaround jobs include cut parts for industries ranging from defense and aerospace to signage.

Teaching waterjet cutting to students as well as operators is easy because of Omax’s intuitive software. “We’re not a bottom tier fast-cut shop,” explains Newton. “We need every new feature available and the latest in technology to keep current with technology for our customers. We’re able to handle carbon steel piping as large as 25 feet long and 32-inch round diameters. The Omax has opened new markets to us whether we’re working on cuts for tanks or a satellite or a pipe for the oil industry, we can handle it and not many shops have that kind of range.”

Omax Corp.’s investment in research and development is at the forefront of the waterjet manufacturer’s own competitive edge, says Stephen Bruner, vice president of marketing. Omax received a Tibbets award from the U.S. Small Business Administration in 2016 “for successfully commercializing our ultra-precise MicroMAX product,” he says.

“The MicroMAX uses our abrasive waterjet-specific Intelli-TRAX drive system using linear encoders to determine location resolution within 1 micron,” he says. “All Omaxwaterjets feature this same drive system. With Intelli-TRAX, customers like Blane can be confident in the precision of the machine, which is critical for high-end applications.”

Customers can use their own CAD programs for creating drawings and easily import drawings for pathing and machining.

Thrive at the top

Increased demand from the aerospace sector means more jobs for Sterling Edge’s customers that serve that market. “We see smaller shops adding their own waterjets so we need to stay at the top of technology to thrive in this business,” Newton says.

When customers request certain capabilities, Sterling Edge invests in equipment with numerous features and options. “We use the Omax 120X-1 6-axis cutting—which is the 5-axis cutting head plus Omax’s rotary attachment. The 5-axis head gives us up to 59.5 degrees. With the sixth access rotary attachment, we can go to 360 degrees,” Newton says. “We added that as customers started asking for it. It was not a ‘If you build it, they will come,’ scenario. The demand was there and we were not willing to pass on jobs without it.”

The Omax 5-axis cutting head allows Sterling Edge to accurately perform angle beveling. “More customers are asking for weld prep angles on their parts so the 5-axis head makes that easy for us to do,” Newton says. “We have two cutting heads on our 120X-1, including a high-precision taper head—again, to keep in tune with the high-end market. We need those tight tolerances,” and the model provides positional and part repeatability accuracy of +/-0.001.

Loading and offloading material is also simple with the Omax 120X-1. “We can load up five or six large plates and fire off the machine overnight—Omax doesn’t officially support that but that’s how we use it. The sensors account for pressure losses to limit any errors and has allowed us to spread our load off without losing any accuracy,” he adds.

From quote to finished product, Sterling Edge typically rolls out orders three days after receiving the material. “In fact we just had a customer come in with desperate need to have parts cut within two hours and we were able to fit it in without issue,” says Newton. “It’s those key one-offs that allow our customers peace of mind.”

Simplifying the complex

Software innovation is in constant flux at Omax. “Our fourth-generation cutting model can precisely predict cutting speeds, taper and jet lag. Using this model allows our software to deliver optimal tool paths without any calculations required by the user,” explains Bruner. “Other software features include lead optimizations for fast piercing and corner passing strategies to deliver precision and speed in complex part geometries.”

Even in part pathing, Omax works hard to eliminate complexity, he continues. “For example, customers can use their own CAD programs for creating drawings and easily import those drawings for pathing and machining.”

LEFT: Using the Omax 120X-1, Sterling Edge can cut round pipe up to 32-inch diameters and 25 feet long.

Customers often come to Omax with specific needs in mind, including finding out how much time would it take to cut a part, the cost, and what kind of accuracy is possible.

“Once the machine is installed, we believe software plays a large role in expanding the use of the Omax waterjet to other cutting opportunities within a shop as well as building confidence in bidding new business,” Bruner says. “Built-in tools like job quotes and costing help customers get the most out of their waterjet.”

Customers bring their master plates to Sterling Edge because no other shop in the area can process them so quickly while adhering to stringent specifications, claims Newton. “We’re able to cut those plates down to whatever sizes needed. That’s something companies using plasma to cut aluminum master plates, for example, can’t do as quickly as we can,” Newton says. “We can get those jobs turned around in 24 hours and it’s a big boon to our customers.” MM