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Back in 1990, Randy Lomax was a ‘One Man Show’. “I was the Salesman, Fabricator, Delivery Driver and Bookkeeper rolled into one” Randy told me during a recent visit. For two years Randy wore many hats and built old fashion ‘sweat equity’ from the ground up.
In 1992 wife Tammy joined in. Later, Randy’s son Randal joined the team. This Family Business has continued to experience steady growth even through difficult economic times. |
Lexington Metal Fab has expanded its facilities every two years on average. The most recent expansion in the 27,000 sq ft enterprise includes a Powder Coating System and another expansion is under consideration. |
“This is the best thing I’ve ever
done for my company” |
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A New Family Member?
Randy’s latest equipment investment has a nick-name: “Jake” is the Capital Robotics Welding System by OTC Daihen that has won the hearts of Lexington Metal Fabrication. “This is the best thing I’ve ever done for my company… It won’t be long and I’ll have an “Elwood” in here too!” “I wish I’d done this a long time ago.” |
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Common Misconceptions
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When we suggest Robotic Welding, many customers brush the idea aside based on several misconceptions. Here are just a few:
· “I need to have extremely high volumes of parts”
· “Programming is really slow and difficult”
· “I need ‘perfect parts’ or it just won’t work”
· “Fixtures are too costly”
· “Those systems are really expensive” |
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Randy struggled with these same ideas when we first suggested Robotic Welding. But he did his homework. He considered most manufacturers and asked them to address these issues. Once all was said and done, SMT provided Lexington Metal Fab with the OTC Daihen system. I am pleased to report to you what Randy has discovered first hand: |
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Practical Realities
“I need to have extremely high volumes of parts”
According to Randy: “If you have any volume at all, you need this system.” Keep in mind Lexington Metal Fabricators is a Contract Manufacturer. Multiple setups and short part runs are common occurrences. However, in addition to quick and easy programming, OTC’s control provides storage for 9,999 jobs! If you receive an order for 15 pieces, you just install the proper fixture, program, and run the job. When they re-order six months later? Simply pull up the stored program, install the proper fixture and watch the sparks fly. |
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“If you have any volume at all,
you need this system.”
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“Programming is really slow and difficult”
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Eric Bartlett enjoys the distinct pleasure of being Jake’s assistant. Eric told me: “I learned all I really needed to know after the first hour of training… One hour- and I was running full production.” Capital Robotics provided two days of on site training. The intuitive control requires 50% less key strokes than most. The full color LCD screen is easy to work with and the “teach steps” are a breeze. Eric said: “The only complaint I have is that it’s really hard for me to keep up with Jake.”
“I learned all I really needed
to know after the first hour of training…” |
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“I need ‘perfect parts’
or it just won’t work”
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“Fit up” is important. Lexington makes high quality parts. However the components for the welded assemblies are produced with: shears, brakes, saws and plasma. These are common Machine Tools found in most shops. OTC has developed state-of-the-art technologies that tackle applications other systems shy away from. The Digital Turbo Pulse power source is unrivaled in the Welding Industry. We control the process with such precision that “spatter” is virtually a thing of the past. The money you are spending to grind off “spatter” should be going to your bottom line!
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“Fixtures are too costly”
Good fixtures are crucial for Robotic Welding. We can provide the fixtures you need at affordable prices. Randy Lomax decided to develop and construct his own fixtures. And they work perfectly! |
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Capital Robotics also offers a full line “Fusion Arc” welding cells that fit most applications. To develop a custom system, Capital Robotics and the customer define and create an overview of the process. Capital engineers review this plan as a team to refine and formalize the system’s design. Capital completes the engineering work and design process, including software models and control integration between the various processes. However, Randy also opted to develop and construct his own welding cell. |
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He developed a work area that provides for three or more products in production at one time. The table provides a matrix of ¾” holes on 6” centers. He welded ¾” dowel pins on the bottoms of his fixtures. One fixture may be “zeroed” by inserting the pins into “A-3 and D-11” while another attaches at “C6 and G3”. The fixtures are labeled with the address near each pin. This low cost system is simple to use and highly “repeatable”. Randy also fabricated shaded doors with counter weights and “e-stop” interlocks. |
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“Those systems are really expensive”
Purchasing an OTC Daihen system can be as affordable as buying a Press Brake. In most applications, these systems pay for themselves in “weeks”! The truth is: “You're spending much more money by NOT having this technology”, according to Randy. And I agree. But to understand this fully, you really have to wrap your mind around OTC’s manufacturing process. |
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Money, money, money… |
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We recently gave a demo at a job shop. The test part was similar to this:
The weld is around the post, attaching it to the base. Without a fixture, we assembled the parts on the small demo table. We touched three points and asked the control to weld a circle. The total programming time was about 2 minutes. The part was welded in 12 seconds. This assembly is currently being welded in 15 seconds using a small, motorized turntable. So what is the big deal about saving only 3 seconds? This is where you can miss the whole point. It's NOT about saving 3 seconds. The 3 seconds is the tiny "tip" of a "huge" iceberg. |
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Let's say it takes 5 seconds to assemble these parts and 5 seconds to set the welded assembly on a pallet. In reality the process goes like this: load- 5 seconds, weld- 15 seconds and unload 5 seconds. Total production takes 25 seconds and your “arc on time” is only 60%. Forty percent of the time is devoted to load-unload.
“Preparing to weld” is NOT welding. When sparks are flying, you are making money. The rest of the time is costly. And let’s be realistic: Can your workers really sustain this pace of 5-15 and 5? For how long? How consistent is the quality? |
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(36 parts loaded at 5 seconds each equals 3 minutes of load time) |
There's still a smarter way to do it…
(36 parts loaded at 5 seconds each equals 3 minutes of load time) |
Now let’s load 36 parts on the three work areas. We will invest 3 minutes (1 minute per area) for this first load. Once loaded, we start the system. It will take about 2.5 minutes to weld “area 1”. The system then starts “area 2”. Now we unload and reload “area 1” while “area 2” is in production.
As you continue this process, you are experiencing 100% “ARC ON TIME”! This is how you can recover huge amounts of costly wasted labor. The results are easily projected.
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Remember, in this example the “other” process is Semi-automated by a small motorized turntable. Most shops would simply weld this by hand. I’ll estimate this part welded manually will take 60 seconds and add 5 seconds for load and 5 for unload for a total of 70 seconds. Let’s run the these numbers and compare 3 methods for welding this part: |
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See what I mean? At first glance you assume you will only save 3 seconds per part. But this example illustrates that it’s possible to weld 5 times faster than by hand and over 2 times faster than this semi-automated method!
These results are even better than you think. Neither method 1 or 2 is likely to be sustained for 2 hours, much less a full day. Simply put: We humans get weary. Production slows and quality deteriorates.
Your OTC Robot is consistently accurate. Your quality and "through-put" is something you can take to the bank! It’s more than about how much you can "save". Consider how much labor you are currently wasting. If you have “any” volume at all- you owe it to your company to explore the huge financial advantages of OTC Daihen’s incredible welding solutions! |
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Single Source Solution
Remember, OTC Daihen manufactures the Robot, Control and Power Supply. If you ever have a service issue, you don't want the "Robot Guy" telling you that problem is in the control. Or the "Control Rep" advising you to consult the "Power Supply" service department. Single Source. Professional, timely response.
Move Into the Digital Age
Come harness the accuracy previously unavailable in analog machines. With the onboard CPU to measure values, we assure consistent, uniform welding conditions that are not possible with an analog machine. Read on to learn more about both the DM-350 and the DP-400. |
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Unmatched Service and Support
Capital is the largest provider of Robotic Welding & Fabricating Technology in the south. The company provides experienced Welding Engineers, Technology Showrooms, Regional Service Engineers, Application Engineers, Operational Robotic Cells, On-site Training Classes & an abundant inventory of robotic welding parts & consumables. Capital and OTC-Daihen offer a unique partnership for total customer support. |
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Mobile Repair Units |
Factory-Trained
Technicians |
Parts Inventory |
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Each service call is treated with the same priority. Whether the machine is in or out of warranty, Capital is committed to a “First Call Fix” program designed to motivate everyone to expedite the repair. |
All of Capital’s Staff receive substantial Training on all aspects of product setup, operation & maintenance. They attend available classes at our manufacturers and go through periodic updates in Capital’s Technology Center in Tampa. |
Capital maintains a large supply of parts in order to respond promptly to customer requirements. Parts are inventoried both in our showroom facilities as well as on-board each one of our Service Vans. |
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Want to learn more?
We have demo units in your area! Contact us today and schedule an appointment. We will put a Robot on your shop floor and you can experience first hand this incredible technology |
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Also, feel free to contact Randy:
800-895-8708
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Thanks are in order
SMT would like to thank Randy and Lexington Metal Fabricators for their business! We also are very grateful to the Capital Robotics / OTC Daihen team for providing our customers with state-of-the-art technology and support!
Oh and when you see Randy? Now you will know why he has such a big grin on his face. I guess with “Jake and Elwood” around, you never get the blues!
-Robert Mann |
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