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| Spring 2015 |
| CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT |
| FORTY MILES NORTHWEST OF THE WINDY CITY, A HYPERTHERM CUSTOMER CREATES ITS OWN GUSTS Hop a train to Cary, Illinois and there you’ll find Illinois Blower Inc, a company well versed in the art of moving air – among other gases. Petrochemical companies, power generators, pollution control experts, even paper and steel processing companies all turn to Illinois Blower to engineer, design, and manufacture custom gas movement solutions. Illinois Blower’s reputation is so strong its customer base stretches far beyond the Midwest to countries around the world. Custom jobs are the norm, with the company stepping up to tackle the tough jobs that other companies won’t touch. The gas movement systems commonly referred to as “blowers” often end up in harsh environments—areas with high pressure or extreme temperatures, reaching up to 1,400 degrees Fahrenheit for example—that can take a toll on the blower’s components. The company is well aware of potential complications and follows stringent standards throughout its engineering process to ensure its designs can withstand the abuse. 3D modeling, finite element analysis, and fluid flow testing are all part of the process.  The company is just as careful when it comes time to manufacture its products. It uses the latest CNC machinery, AWS certified welders, and rigorous quality control procedures. Throughout its 30 year history, Illinois Blower has relied on several Hypertherm products including the MAX40, one of the earliest Hypertherm systems ever produced. Recently, the company purchased a HyPerformance Plasma HPR260XD system, EDGE Pro CNC, ArcGlide THC, and ProNest CAM software, collectively referred to as a Built for Business Integrated Cutting Solution. By choosing this combination of hardware and software, Illinois Blower can take advantage of Hypertherm only performance applications such as Rapid Part, True Hole, and True Bevel to cut a wide range of metal—stainless, mild, and pressure vessel quality steel ranging from 12 gauge up to 1 ½ inches in thickness. “Everyone we talked to was recommending Hypertherm, but the major reason that we stayed with Hypertherm was reliability,” explains Jeff Sauck, Illinois Blower’s Operations Manager. Though Hypertherm’s Integrated Cutting Solutions products are designed with ease of use in mind, smart machines need knowledgeable people to run and maintain them. The team at Illinois Blower was looking forward to receiving dedicated operator training on their new plasma system. They understood that using the technology to its full-capacity was necessary for the strongest return on their investment and that confident employees are more productive, can reduce waste, and make you more money.  Scott MacDonald, who manages Hypertherm’s Inside Sales and Support, puts it this way, “Trainings are customized early in the process so that the information is relevant to each customer’s specific application. Trained employees are the key to getting the most out of your capital investments. Whether these employees are focused on reducing part-to-part cycle times, improving hole quality, or maximizing nesting efficiency, a fully trained employee gets the most out of the system and the technology every time.” By purchasing Hypertherm equipment, Illinois Blower has access to the full breadth of Hypertherm support and contacted Hypertherm about hiring a technical instructor to come to Illinois. The training Illinois Blower received was completely customized to match their needs and equipment. It took place inside their manufacturing facility on their new cutting system and employees worked their routine shift. During the course of two days and 17 hours , the Hypertherm technical instructor reviewed all aspects of the cutting process, from system set up and operation, to consumable selection and optimization, gas selection, operator-level maintenance, and basic troubleshooting. “After the Hypertherm training, it was like night and day. The training took us in a whole new direction. We were confident. We knew what to do. We knew what to look for,” says Illinois Blower Foreman David Sherrill. “We now have a significant understanding of how to use the system so we easily avoid downtime. We can quickly pinpoint or prevent an issue, just by looking at what the machine is doing.” MacDonald explained, “On-site training programs make sense and are affordable. Prices are set, there is no limit on the number of attendees, and employees work their routine shift and train with the actual machines in your facility.” To learn more about Hypertherm Built for Business Integrated Cutting Solutions visit www.hypertherm.com/builtforbusiness. To learn more about Hypertherm on-site training programs, please visit www.hypertherm.com/onsitetraining. |
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21 Great Hollow Rd, PO Box 5010, Hanover, NH 03755 USA
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