FusionTECH OMAX 80160

Plenty of thought goes into making food products safer and protecting the quality of prescription medicine. A small business based in Roseville, Illinois, offers a helping hand to companies required to comply with Food and Drug Administration standards. FusionTECH Integrated Inc. is a full-service fabricator bringing design concepts to completion with two 80160 OMAX JetMachining Centers. The company builds equipment for customers in the food processing and packaging industry, as well as the pharmaceutical industry. FusionTECH produces custom-designed conveyors, catwalks, dumpers, hoppers, piping, tanks, and other specialized equipment.

Central to FusionTECH's business is the ability to cut and weld stainless steel, a material essential in meeting the food and drug industry's sanitation regulations. Required by the food industry, stainless steel is easier to clean than other materials; it is less susceptible to bacterial growth; and is less prone to rust. Abrasive waterjet technology has proven itself to be advantageous for FusionTECH's turnkey design solutions. Waterjet cutting produces smoother edges, allowing for neater TIG (tungsten inert gas) welded joints, a common construction requirement expected by the FDA. A cleanly welded joint will result in stronger fused material with less porosity; therefore, the equipment is less likely to hold bacteria in those areas. FusionTECH also takes advantage of waterjet technology to minimize carbon contamination which can cause oxidation or rust on stainless steel equipment.

"The waterjets allow us to process thicker materials up through six inches," said Dan Bentz, General Manager at FusionTECH. "We"ve had success in cutting thick stainless steel and aluminum." Using the OMAX JetMachining Centers greatly reduces secondary machining, eliminates heat-affected zones, provides tighter tolerances, and lessens cleanup for the next step of the CNC machining process, he added.

"The waterjet's ability to cut any material - such as titanium, ceramic, and plastic - gives us the flexibility to tap into other markets," Bentz said. "Laser machines are limited in cutting different material grades and thicknesses."

Also, OMAX accessories provide leaner production processes for his team. "When operating the OMAX Tilt-A-Jet accessory, the programmers are able to cut a hole to the desired drill size — rather than indicating and drilling on another machine — and then tap the hole, which completely eliminates a step in our manufacturing process."

Overall, Bentz is most impressed by the OMAX Intelli-MAX  software and the OMAX Technology Guarantee. "Continuous improvement in the software allows you to change parameters, such as edge quality, grade, and thickness without reprogramming," he said. "I wish the OMAX program could be carried over to other machine languages; it's a lot more user-friendly."