Topic: Our cutting shop - starting to take shape (Read 62897 times)

mandrel-bends · « **Reply #240 on:** June 09, 2013, 12:40:27 AM »

Theoretically I can manufacture them for 56% of the cost of the best supplier I ever had in China for this part # @ container load levels. We will see how the theoretical and the reality pan out though before I start counting my chickens and pricing them.

I've designed this line to be able to produce ~300,000 fittings a year with 3 operators, 8 hours a day, so we will see. If it works well I'm going to setup dedicated lines for each pipe size.

rawr · « **Reply #241 on:** June 11, 2013, 09:45:35 AM »

Putting china out of business?

mandrel-bends · « **Reply #242 on:** June 11, 2013, 07:41:34 PM »

Insulating and sheeting right side of shop.

The acoustic wall is taking 4" of foam then we sheet over it. The effective wall thickness is 14" on that wall, which blocks the offices from the CNC shop.

Doors are ready to go in. They should be here next week (finally). Gotta get this thing inspected this week.

Cleaning out the left side shop for epoxy floor application. This stuff better not suck.

Added a receptionist cube up by the window. Gotta figure out some way to prevent people from just barging in here like they own the place.

mandrel-bends · « **Reply #243 on:** June 11, 2013, 07:55:57 PM »

Oh and went and bought that eagle 6" bender. It's hard to tell from the picture, but the bend arm by itself is over 6 feet wide from the center of the die mount. The pressure die sticks out another two feet past it as you can see in the pic. I've never seen a mandrel bender that big in my life. You actually load it from a platform as the centerline of the tube is around 6 feet off the ground. (It was awesome!)

crxvtec91 · « **Reply #244 on:** June 12, 2013, 10:29:34 AM »

That looks BIG!

PhilStubbs · « **Reply #245 on:** June 12, 2013, 10:59:17 AM »

That's what she said

Joseph Davis · « **Reply #246 on:** June 12, 2013, 12:33:15 PM »

Quote from: rawr on June 11, 2013, 09:45:35 AM

Putting china out of business?

Certain types of manufacturing have been cheaper in North America for some time now, partially due to small owner-operators willing to work for less in order to get business. And, while there are manufacturers in china willing to do a good job, on average you get better work (and can build a better relationship) with folks this side of the Pacific. Local, even. CNC Zone is the absolute best place to find a talented guy an hour from your house willing to work to keep the lights on. Factor in rising production costs in china, and increasing costs to transport material, and "reshoring" is expected to be in full swing 2014.

This is half the reason OP is expanding his lines. Business may not be the best ever, but if you work hard and do a good job, it doesn't suck.

mandrel-bends · « **Reply #247 on:** June 12, 2013, 07:14:15 PM »

Anything you can take the effect of labor out of the equation by either increasing your manufactured quantity or automating the process, you can do well against china. Freight on heavy goods is a real equalizer as well. We've been competitive with china since 2009. Once we had the volume, the other aspects fell in place.

All of this is an attempt to move from 8 bending machines that are constantly having tool changes, to 40+ dedicated, one size/radius benders that will enable us to take on short order custom work and produce our stocking quantities on demand. This is the business model of the largest of the bending companies in the US, and most of these guys are 400-600 mil + a year companies. I'm a zit in comparison right now because I can't do custom or short order production work. I probably turn down 3 mil a year in this stuff alone right now and the big boys wont even talk to me yet. Still too little.

mandrel-bends · « **Reply #248 on:** June 13, 2013, 07:47:21 PM »

Dropped all the panels. Tomorrow we are going to jack up the drop ceiling 18" and re-support it. The ept-150 bender is 8'4 to the top of the electrical panel so the existing 10 feet clear height wasn't going to cut it when we moved it in (a bit too tight). We will be at 11'6 after we do this mod. All the power is going to be run next couple weeks as well with the ceiling down.

rawr · « **Reply #249 on:** June 14, 2013, 12:11:17 AM »

I want to play with your machines.

jabberwock · « **Reply #250 on:** June 14, 2013, 03:17:20 AM »

Quote from: rawr on June 14, 2013, 12:11:17 AM

I want to play with your ______.

mandrel-bends · « **Reply #251 on:** June 14, 2013, 04:26:40 PM »

Gotta love this economy. Made a 40% offer on another Eagle bender (3" VB-76), and it was accepted yesterday. 2 years ago these couldn't be found for under 60k used. This one even runs and was rebuilt in 2004!

walter · « **Reply #252 on:** June 14, 2013, 06:44:29 PM »

i'd wish you be in Europe $:-\$

rawr · « **Reply #253 on:** June 14, 2013, 10:36:23 PM »

Do you need an inspection/quality lab?

mandrel-bends · « **Reply #254 on:** June 15, 2013, 01:29:40 PM »

For ISO certs, yes. It's part of that big next (step / leap). No point yet tho. Don't have the production capability to handle the contracts that require it.

mandrel-bends · « **Reply #255 on:** June 19, 2013, 04:43:02 PM »

More fire doors going in. $3k for both.

mandrel-bends · « **Reply #256 on:** June 20, 2013, 06:42:32 PM »

Getting close. All inspections passed. Sheeting up the last wall. Back roll up doors go in next friday.

highroller54 · « **Reply #257 on:** June 22, 2013, 03:38:14 PM »

Fuck thats a badass setup!

mandrel-bends · « **Reply #258 on:** June 28, 2013, 04:40:08 PM »

Big doors are in.

mandrel-bends · « **Reply #259 on:** June 28, 2013, 04:45:55 PM »

The foam tower for insulating above the drop ceiling as they repair it. Also 480V->240V transformer, lights, 400A outside service panel, and a bunch of other electrical things.

480V service going in next week. Going to start working on the bathrooms and the outside soon. Getting there.

ratcityrex · « **Reply #260 on:** June 28, 2013, 05:42:03 PM »

All I see is $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

But it looks real good!

mandrel-bends · « **Reply #261 on:** June 28, 2013, 06:58:39 PM »

I dont even want to think about the cost at this point. Just glad it's almost done. I got machines we need to start shoe horning in here.

Passenger · « **Reply #262 on:** June 29, 2013, 03:37:10 PM »

Those overhead style doors are really nice. Good for you for being able to afford and complete this project, I would have been bust two pages ago

mandrel-bends · « **Reply #263 on:** July 02, 2013, 04:44:13 PM »

Raw enclosures and transformer mounted, 42 breaker panel boxes, 1 480V 400A, 1 240V 400A.

Ceiling partially fixed. Need to do perimeter. The openings are where the new lights are going and the track lighting is coming down in the back. We need every inch to get these big bastard machines in.

mandrel-bends · « **Reply #264 on:** July 02, 2013, 04:53:18 PM »

Has not been easy. I'm way over budget at this point, and 2 months behind where I wanted to be. Ultimately what it came down to though was I changed everything instead of just a handful of things. So it's my fault in reality.

Quote from: Passenger on June 29, 2013, 03:37:10 PM

Those overhead style doors are really nice. Good for you for being able to afford and complete this project, I would have been bust two pages ago

ratcityrex · « **Reply #265 on:** July 02, 2013, 05:22:56 PM »

I hate the drop ceilings, why did you decide to use them?

mandrel-bends · « **Reply #266 on:** July 02, 2013, 10:55:12 PM »

Acoustic dampening. The other room where we deleted the drop ceiling is insanely loud in comparison and this room is going to have HUGE pumps. The EPT-150MR's pump is 150HP.

malichite · « **Reply #267 on:** July 05, 2013, 07:29:23 PM »

http://www.offroadfabnet.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9678
FYI

mandrel-bends · « **Reply #268 on:** August 19, 2013, 07:00:30 PM »

Been awhile since I updated this. Building interior is mostly done, less the bathrooms. Outside is getting there.

Outside mostly done.

Old look

Big Power is in.

Pad we are putting in the back. The existing pavement was higher then the bottom of the doors, so it left a dangerous ledge.

One of the CNC rooms, getting ready to acid wash the floors. We've mechanically removed all of the glue from the previous floor tiles.

This room is done, as I'm not going to coat this floor as nobody thinks it will survive moving the 70,000lb ept-150 into the building.

DSharp · « **Reply #269 on:** August 20, 2013, 01:46:39 PM »

This is where i want to be in 10 years. Great work man!

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Author Topic: Our cutting shop - starting to take shape (Read 62897 times)