TRUMPF Express V1-11

Vol. 1/11

SpecialSkeleton-free processing

Working hard, playing hardA fabricator speaks his mind

Without a hitchFarming leads to manufacturing career

Cool carsMoving fast in Memphis

Go man goAttitude is everything

Magazine for Sheet Metal Processing in North America

Ingenuity and spiritAdvantages of youth

22 Express Vol. 1/11 33Express Vol. 1/11

8

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

12 There’s something in the name Th e president of B&W Trailer Hitch plants in the

garden-at-large.

PROFILE

14 A crusading fabricator Eric Schleich defi es the odds on all counts.

INTERVIEW

21 Allied Steel shows its medal Th e late Mike Exe’s upbeat approach continues to

drive Allied Steel forward.

CUSTOMER FOCUS

24 Four Seasons keeps it cool Th e roar of Sprint cars and cheers of racing fans

sound like music to a Memphis-based business.

FABRICATING

26 Moving up A successful sheet metal operation reigns in the

land of lavender.

Two young friends embrace the obstacles of

their age at this Guadalajara, Mexico-based

general laser cutting shop.

PORTRAIT

In age there is opportunity

030428

303031

TO THE POINT

PANORAMA

PERSONALITIES

STORIES IN SHEET METAL

CREDITS

CLOSING POINT

STANDARDS

TOPICS12

8

21

14

24

26

EXPRESS VOL. 1/11 FEATURE

CONTENTS

TRUMPF’s popular TruLaser 1030 was launched in 2009 at the FABTECH

industry show in Chicago. Developed in response to a need in the

marketplace for an entry-level machine, especially for those sheet metal

fabricators who want to bring laser cutting in-house, this innovative 2D

laser cutting system has indeed opened the door to new business

opportunities for many.

And during last year’s FABTECH event in Atlanta, two other options

within the TruLaser 1030 product line were introduced: Th e TruLaser

1030 fi ber, and the TruLaser 1030 with TruCoax 2500.

Designed and built in the United States, the TruLaser 1030 features

all of the benefi ts of TRUMPF technology. It’s easy to install and operate,

and it’s aff ordable to purchase.

Th e market’s reaction to this new laser-cutting system is exactly what

TRUMPF had hoped for; however, there is an unexpected twist.

Approximately 70 percent of TRUMPF’s production of the TruLaser

1030 is for overseas markets. Th e TruLaser 1030 is sitting on shop fl oors

in countries such as India, China and Russia.

At TRUMPF, we consider ourselves fortunate to conduct business in

a society that off ers avenues where we can take our technological

innovations to other areas of the globe and positively impact the quality

of life. We are grateful for and humbled by the opportunity to share our

knowledge with those in other countries.

Unfortunately, with the myriad of rules and regulations impacting

U.S. manufacturers, it is becoming increasingly diffi cult, and sometimes

downright impossible, for sheet metal fabricators to remain competitive

at home and in the global marketplace. Th is situation is very concerning,

and it is in everyone’s best interest to make American manufacturing

more competitive and more productive.

U.S. manufacturing produces $1.6 trillion worth of value each year, or

11.2 percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. Manufacturing also

supports an estimated 18.6 million jobs in the U.S.—which accounts for

about one in six private sector jobs. In fact, about nine percent of the

American workforce is employed directly in manufacturing. Also

important is the fact that U.S. manufacturers perform half of all R&D

in the nation.

Th ese few facts that I’ve presented are just the tip of the iceberg. Th e

list of contributions the U.S. manufacturing economy makes to the

nation’s economy is a long one. If you’re interested in knowing the specifi c

contribution manufacturing in your state makes to your state’s overall

economy, please see the chart in the Panorama section of this issue of

TRUMPF Express.

However, in spite of manufacturing’s countless contributions, there

are several issues of critical importance that must be addressed to ensure

that we regain surefootedness in the marketplace. Th ese include the

creation of a national tax climate that does not place U.S. manufacturers

at a disadvantage, creation of new business opportunities, a regulatory

environment that promotes economic growth, and promotion of an

international trade policy that opens global markets and reduces

regulatory and tariff barriers.

U.S. manufacturers of all sizes, including TRUMPF, are burdened.

Regulatory and tariff barriers put us at a disadvantage for selling our

machines, like the TruLaser 1030, to some countries, such as Korea, for

example. We simply cannot export competitively to certain geographic

areas because of regulations imposed upon us by our own government.

Th ese types of roadblocks merit our serious attention; we must let our

elected offi cials know our concerns.

In order to be a good, global neighbor, American manufacturers must

fi rst and foremost take care of ourselves and protect our own strengths.

Otherwise, we will have nothing to off er the world—let alone to our own

future generations.

GOOD, GLOBAL NEIGHBORS Rolf Biekert, President and CEO

TO THE POINT

Special Page 17

Skeleton-free processing with punching machines

3Express Vol. 1/11


8

MAKING A DIFFERENCE

12 There’s something in the name Th e president of B&W Trailer Hitch plants in the

garden-at-large.

PROFILE

14 A crusading fabricator Eric Schleich defi es the odds on all counts.

INTERVIEW

21 Allied Steel shows its medal Th e late Mike Exe’s upbeat approach continues to

drive Allied Steel forward.

CUSTOMER FOCUS

24 Four Seasons keeps it cool Th e roar of Sprint cars and cheers of racing fans

sound like music to a Memphis-based business.

FABRICATING

26 Moving up A successful sheet metal operation reigns in the

land of lavender.

Two young friends embrace the obstacles of

their age at this Guadalajara, Mexico-based

general laser cutting shop.

PORTRAIT

In age there is opportunity

030428

303031

TO THE POINT

PANORAMA

PERSONALITIES


CREDITS

CLOSING POINT

STANDARDS

TOPICS12

8

21

14

24

26

EXPRESS VOL. 1/11 FEATURE

CONTENTS

TRUMPF’s popular TruLaser 1030 was launched in 2009 at the FABTECH

industry show in Chicago. Developed in response to a need in the

marketplace for an entry-level machine, especially for those sheet metal

fabricators who want to bring laser cutting in-house, this innovative 2D

laser cutting system has indeed opened the door to new business

opportunities for many.

And during last year’s FABTECH event in Atlanta, two other options

within the TruLaser 1030 product line were introduced: Th e TruLaser

1030 fi ber, and the TruLaser 1030 with TruCoax 2500.

Designed and built in the United States, the TruLaser 1030 features

all of the benefi ts of TRUMPF technology. It’s easy to install and operate,

and it’s aff ordable to purchase.

Th e market’s reaction to this new laser-cutting system is exactly what

TRUMPF had hoped for; however, there is an unexpected twist.

Approximately 70 percent of TRUMPF’s production of the TruLaser

1030 is for overseas markets. Th e TruLaser 1030 is sitting on shop fl oors

in countries such as India, China and Russia.

At TRUMPF, we consider ourselves fortunate to conduct business in

a society that off ers avenues where we can take our technological

innovations to other areas of the globe and positively impact the quality

of life. We are grateful for and humbled by the opportunity to share our

knowledge with those in other countries.

Unfortunately, with the myriad of rules and regulations impacting

U.S. manufacturers, it is becoming increasingly diffi cult, and sometimes

downright impossible, for sheet metal fabricators to remain competitive

at home and in the global marketplace. Th is situation is very concerning,

and it is in everyone’s best interest to make American manufacturing

more competitive and more productive.

U.S. manufacturing produces $1.6 trillion worth of value each year, or

11.2 percent of the U.S. Gross Domestic Product. Manufacturing also

supports an estimated 18.6 million jobs in the U.S.—which accounts for

about one in six private sector jobs. In fact, about nine percent of the

American workforce is employed directly in manufacturing. Also

important is the fact that U.S. manufacturers perform half of all R&D

in the nation.

Th ese few facts that I’ve presented are just the tip of the iceberg. Th e

list of contributions the U.S. manufacturing economy makes to the

nation’s economy is a long one. If you’re interested in knowing the specifi c

contribution manufacturing in your state makes to your state’s overall

economy, please see the chart in the Panorama section of this issue of

TRUMPF Express.

However, in spite of manufacturing’s countless contributions, there

are several issues of critical importance that must be addressed to ensure

that we regain surefootedness in the marketplace. Th ese include the

creation of a national tax climate that does not place U.S. manufacturers

at a disadvantage, creation of new business opportunities, a regulatory

environment that promotes economic growth, and promotion of an

international trade policy that opens global markets and reduces

regulatory and tariff barriers.

U.S. manufacturers of all sizes, including TRUMPF, are burdened.

Regulatory and tariff barriers put us at a disadvantage for selling our

machines, like the TruLaser 1030, to some countries, such as Korea, for

example. We simply cannot export competitively to certain geographic

areas because of regulations imposed upon us by our own government.

Th ese types of roadblocks merit our serious attention; we must let our

elected offi cials know our concerns.

In order to be a good, global neighbor, American manufacturers must

fi rst and foremost take care of ourselves and protect our own strengths.

Otherwise, we will have nothing to off er the world—let alone to our own

future generations.

GOOD, GLOBAL NEIGHBORS Rolf Biekert, President and CEO

TO THE POINT

Special Page 17

Skeleton-free processing with punching machines

3Express Vol. 1/11


PANORAMA

> How do you prepare students for a career in laser-aided manufacturing?

I try to instill a culture of innovation, where students learn how to take a problem and, in order to solve it, must apply knowledge from many different areas. The only way you can show the value of the technology is to expose students to its uses. You cannot just do it in abstract. When I teach a class, I invite industry—such as TRUMPF—to guest lecture , and I bring my students to local companies.

> What needs to happen in the United States to help students train for the kinds of jobs required in this sector of manufacturing?

In addition to more government investment in laser technology, I would like to see more education of students in the area of physics. When I teach a processing course, I have to spend about four weeks educating students about the physics of lasers; the engineer has literally no background knowledge on optics. What I’d like to see are many more courses in lasers and optics, along with the engineering and laser processing side of it. At the University of Michigan, we offer specialized courses in laser processing, and we do offer a master’s and Ph.D. program in Laser Processing Research.

PANORAMA

TRUMPF helps raise a hero

U.K. company invests in North America

Manufacturing supports states economies

Three of the fi ve TRUMPF machines at FAIST’s Phoenix site.

After 16 months of working at TRUMPF, Fidelco Guide Dog hopeful, Jewel, moves on for more training.

Guide dog puppy heads to training

FAIST leases 56,000 square foot facility in Arizona

Industry makes important contributionsMANUFACTURING CONTRIBUTION TO STATE ECONOMIES

State $ Billions

Reprinted with permission from “Th e Facts About Modern Manufacturing,” 8th Edition, 2009.

> Additional information: www.faist.net

> Additional information: www.fi delco.org

Insight from Jyoti Mazumder, Ph.D.The Robert H. Lurie Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan’s Department of Mechanical EngineeringQUESTIONS

Q

United Kingdom-based multinational company

FAIST Greentek has recently leased a 56,100

square foot manufacturing facility in Phoenix,

Arizona, offi cially establishing the company’s

expansion to the United States with a large order

Although manufacturing constitutes a less signifi cant share of U.S. economic

activity than it has in previous eras, it contributes importantly to state and local

economies across the country.

In the past quarter century, the geographic distribution of manufacturing has

shift ed–in some cases quite dramatically. Where it was once concentrated in

the Northeast and Midwest, today, manufacturing is more broadly distributed

and plays a signifi cant role in the economic life of every region.

Manufacturing in just fi ve states (California, Texas, Michigan, Ohio, and

Pennsylvania) adds over half a trillion dollars to the national economy. And as

the fi gure to the right shows, 14 states rely on manufacturing to generate more

than 15 percent of their overall economic activity. States as disparate as Alabama,

Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon, and Wisconsin depend on

a healthy manufacturing sector to support their local economies.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

29

1

20

17

181

16

29

5

0.2

36

43

1

5

79

64

28

19

29

41

5

15

35

62

34

14

32

1

10

6

7

44

5

69

78

3

84

16

30

75

5

25

4

41

159

13

3

34

32

7

49

1

of TRUMPF equipment. FAIST has been a long-

term supplier to Power-One, Inc., a company

involved in creating effi cient renewable energy

sources. FAIST Greentek manufactures metal

parts for solar and wind electrical inverters,

which are able to convert raw electricity from

solar and wind farms that can be used to power

from 1 to 70,000 homes. Dan Franklin, U.S.

Director of Operations, says that, “Th e initial

expansion of FAIST Greentek into North

America is estimated to create 125 to 150 jobs at

full production, in support of Power-One. With

the incorporation of the TRUMPF fl at bed laser,

combination punch/laser and three press brakes,

we feel our competitiveness and location will

attract additional customers.”

In recent years, Phoenix has become an

epicenter for the renewable energy industry, and

FAIST’s new facility is a welcome addition. Don

Cardon, the CEO of the Arizona Commerce

Authority said, “We’re proud to have helped

facilitate FAIST’s investment in Arizona that

will create jobs and support the growing high-

technology manufacturing sector.”

FAIST will supply sheet metal components,

sub-assemblies, enclosures and cabinets to

Power-One in Phoenix as they already do in

Europe. “Our move to Greater Phoenix enables

us to better supply Power-One which is a world

leader in energy effi cient solutions,” said FAIST’s

head of marketing development, Claudio

Pezzimenti. “Our expansion in Greater Phoenix

will enable our company to continue to grow.”

At the tender age of just 9 weeks old, Fidelco guide dog puppy,

Jewel, joined TRUMPF’s marketing department for the fi rst step

in her journey to become a guide dog for the blind. Her mission:

to work alongside TRUMPF’s marketing manager, who is a puppy

raiser for the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Inc. of Bloomfi eld,

Conn., to hone her socialization and obedience skills.

With the help of her TRUMPF colleagues, Jewel transformed

from a playful puppy into a mature and obedient guide dog trainee.

On April 10th, Jewel returned to Fidelco and was paired with a

professional trainer. For six to eight months she will work with her

trainer every day to learn and perfect the specifi c skills required to

safely and eff ectively guide a person with visual disabilities. Upon

successful completion of this process, she will be placed with her

new partner.

“By allowing Jewel to work and train in the offi ce with me every

day, TRUMPF has made a major contribution to the development

of this future guide dog,” says marketing manager, Sheila LaMothe.

“Th e impact she will have on a blind person’s life is immeasurable.

I think it is safe to say she made an impact on all of us at TRUMPF

as well.”

Th e Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Inc. is dedicated to promoting

increased independence to men and women who are blind by

providing them with the highest quality guide dogs.


PANORAMA

> How do you prepare students for a career in laser-aided manufacturing?

I try to instill a culture of innovation, where students learn how to take a problem and, in order to solve it, must apply knowledge from many different areas. The only way you can show the value of the technology is to expose students to its uses. You cannot just do it in abstract. When I teach a class, I invite industry—such as TRUMPF—to guest lecture , and I bring my students to local companies.

> What needs to happen in the United States to help students train for the kinds of jobs required in this sector of manufacturing?

In addition to more government investment in laser technology, I would like to see more education of students in the area of physics. When I teach a processing course, I have to spend about four weeks educating students about the physics of lasers; the engineer has literally no background knowledge on optics. What I’d like to see are many more courses in lasers and optics, along with the engineering and laser processing side of it. At the University of Michigan, we offer specialized courses in laser processing, and we do offer a master’s and Ph.D. program in Laser Processing Research.

PANORAMA

TRUMPF helps raise a hero

U.K. company invests in North America

Manufacturing supports states economies

Three of the fi ve TRUMPF machines at FAIST’s Phoenix site.

After 16 months of working at TRUMPF, Fidelco Guide Dog hopeful, Jewel, moves on for more training.

Guide dog puppy heads to training

FAIST leases 56,000 square foot facility in Arizona

Industry makes important contributionsMANUFACTURING CONTRIBUTION TO STATE ECONOMIES

State $ Billions

Reprinted with permission from “Th e Facts About Modern Manufacturing,” 8th Edition, 2009.

> Additional information: www.faist.net

> Additional information: www.fi delco.org

Insight from Jyoti Mazumder, Ph.D.The Robert H. Lurie Professor of Mechanical Engineering, University of Michigan’s Department of Mechanical EngineeringQUESTIONS

Q

United Kingdom-based multinational company

FAIST Greentek has recently leased a 56,100

square foot manufacturing facility in Phoenix,

Arizona, offi cially establishing the company’s

expansion to the United States with a large order

Although manufacturing constitutes a less signifi cant share of U.S. economic

activity than it has in previous eras, it contributes importantly to state and local

economies across the country.

In the past quarter century, the geographic distribution of manufacturing has

shift ed–in some cases quite dramatically. Where it was once concentrated in

the Northeast and Midwest, today, manufacturing is more broadly distributed

and plays a signifi cant role in the economic life of every region.

Manufacturing in just fi ve states (California, Texas, Michigan, Ohio, and

Pennsylvania) adds over half a trillion dollars to the national economy. And as

the fi gure to the right shows, 14 states rely on manufacturing to generate more

than 15 percent of their overall economic activity. States as disparate as Alabama,

Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon, and Wisconsin depend on

a healthy manufacturing sector to support their local economies.

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

North Dakota

Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

29

1

20

17

181

16

29

5

0.2

36

43

1

5

79

64

28

19

29

41

5

15

35

62

34

14

32

1

10

6

7

44

5

69

78

3

84

16

30

75

5

25

4

41

159

13

3

34

32

7

49

1

of TRUMPF equipment. FAIST has been a long-

term supplier to Power-One, Inc., a company

involved in creating effi cient renewable energy

sources. FAIST Greentek manufactures metal

parts for solar and wind electrical inverters,

which are able to convert raw electricity from

solar and wind farms that can be used to power

from 1 to 70,000 homes. Dan Franklin, U.S.

Director of Operations, says that, “Th e initial

expansion of FAIST Greentek into North

America is estimated to create 125 to 150 jobs at

full production, in support of Power-One. With

the incorporation of the TRUMPF fl at bed laser,

combination punch/laser and three press brakes,

we feel our competitiveness and location will

attract additional customers.”

In recent years, Phoenix has become an

epicenter for the renewable energy industry, and

FAIST’s new facility is a welcome addition. Don

Cardon, the CEO of the Arizona Commerce

Authority said, “We’re proud to have helped

facilitate FAIST’s investment in Arizona that

will create jobs and support the growing high-

technology manufacturing sector.”

FAIST will supply sheet metal components,

sub-assemblies, enclosures and cabinets to

Power-One in Phoenix as they already do in

Europe. “Our move to Greater Phoenix enables

us to better supply Power-One which is a world

leader in energy effi cient solutions,” said FAIST’s

head of marketing development, Claudio

Pezzimenti. “Our expansion in Greater Phoenix

will enable our company to continue to grow.”

At the tender age of just 9 weeks old, Fidelco guide dog puppy,

Jewel, joined TRUMPF’s marketing department for the fi rst step

in her journey to become a guide dog for the blind. Her mission:

to work alongside TRUMPF’s marketing manager, who is a puppy

raiser for the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Inc. of Bloomfi eld,

Conn., to hone her socialization and obedience skills.

With the help of her TRUMPF colleagues, Jewel transformed

from a playful puppy into a mature and obedient guide dog trainee.

On April 10th, Jewel returned to Fidelco and was paired with a

professional trainer. For six to eight months she will work with her

trainer every day to learn and perfect the specifi c skills required to

safely and eff ectively guide a person with visual disabilities. Upon

successful completion of this process, she will be placed with her

new partner.

“By allowing Jewel to work and train in the offi ce with me every

day, TRUMPF has made a major contribution to the development

of this future guide dog,” says marketing manager, Sheila LaMothe.

“Th e impact she will have on a blind person’s life is immeasurable.

I think it is safe to say she made an impact on all of us at TRUMPF

as well.”

Th e Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation, Inc. is dedicated to promoting

increased independence to men and women who are blind by

providing them with the highest quality guide dogs.

66 Express Vol. 1/11

Earlier this year, TRUMPF’s regional sales representatives participated in the

TRUMPF Sales Excellence certifi cation program to become more familiar with

TRUMPF technology. During the week-long course, each sales representative was

educated on various aspects of TRUMPF, with focus on the entire machine tool

product line, in addition to the TruTops soft ware, fi nancing procedures, and the

TRUMPF philosophy of increased productivity, fl exibility and effi ciency.

Part of that philosophy includes ensuring that every salesperson responsible

for supporting the sale of TRUMPF machines has a broad and current

knowledge of TRUMPF products in order to better serve our customers. With

the launching of new and innovative products such as the new TruLaser 1030 fi ber

and TruPunch 3000 this year, the timing of the course was perfect.

“It’s very important to not only refresh the existing knowledge of all sales

representatives, but also to ensure they are properly introduced to and educated

on new TRUMPF technology and the benefi ts the technology can bring to our

customers,” said Burke Doar, TRUMPF Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

All participants, which included each of TRUMPF’s North American

sales representatives, were tested on the course material in order to

achieve certifi cation.

Th e Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT) has teamed

with TRUMPF’s laser division to bring the fi rst TruMicro 7050 unit to the

organization’s Laser Applications Laboratory. Th e TruMicro 7050 features

TRUMPF’s diode-pumped disk laser technology.

Th e CCAT team will be looking into how the features of the TruMicro 7050

compare to lasers that are either used currently or being considered for use

in diff erent applications, such as laser machining, coating removal, surface

cleaning and drilling.

“We are very excited to have a cutting edge technology like the TRUMPF

TruMicro 7050 at CCAT,” stated Elizabeth Gounaris, Laser Applications Engineer

at CCAT. “Our investigation of the TRUMPF TruMicro 7050 has immediately

shown great potential and has met the requests of our customers. We are thrilled

to have a relationship with TRUMPF where we can discuss new applications this

technology was not originally intended to serve.”

Th e Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc. (CCAT) helps private

and public entities to apply innovative tools and practices to increase effi ciencies,

improve workforce development and boost competitiveness.

Emphasis put on effi ciency and productivity

TRUMPF teams with CCAT

TRUMPF sales certifi cation aims to enhance customer experience

TruMicro 7050 now part of Laser Applications Lab

PANORAMAPANORAMA

77Express Vol. 1/11

> Additional information: www.us.trumpf.com

The TruMicro 7050 shows great potential for CCAT.

Members of TRUMPF’s sales force recently spent fi ve days in training to achieve certifi cation status.

That small logo advising you to reduce, reuse and recycle is just about everywhere—from the bottom of your water bottle to the front page of your morning newspaper. But how about on the bumper of your car? As it turns out, automobiles are the top recycled consumer product, and steel in general is the number one recycled material in North America. Every year, more steel is recycled than aluminum, paper, glass and plastic combined, totaling upwards of 65 million tons per year. Scrap steel has become the steel industry’s single largest source of raw material for the manufacture of new products. According to the Steel Recycling Institute, steel is infi nitely recyclable; it can be recycled again and again and still maintain its original durability and strength. That means the 14 million tons of steel recycled from automobiles alone each year can be used to produce 14 million new automobiles, a recycling rate of 100 percent. The steelmaking industry in America is committed to making changes in order to become more energy and cost effi cient. Already the industry operates with the lowest energy consumption per ton in the world, but research is being done to continue to reduce that even more, as well as to reduce or even eliminate CO2 emissions.

> Additional information: www.CCAT.us

A factory that works on its own and solves problems itself. Th at sounds

like science fi ction or a pipe dream — but it’s actually not that far away. At

the Munich University of Technology, researchers are already working on

teaching a factory to think. Making use of simulations, algorithms and

neural networks, Professor Gunther Reinhart, the director of the Institute

for Mechanical Engineering and Science of Management (IWB), transports

real-world machine tools into the virtual world. “Mechanical engineering is

an ideal fi eld for us to practice how to deal with cognitive questions,” he notes.

Th e CoTeSys (Cognition for Technical Systems) excellence cluster is studying

cognitive technical systems. Th e output of the work is artifi cial intelligence

for production machines. “We want to teach machines to activate themselves

more independently than in the past,” says Dr. Reinhart.

Production systems are designed to autonomously collect information

about themselves and the operating environment. Th ey will independently

derive — and implement — solutions based on that data. Th e fi rst cognitive

factory has already been created at Munich, in the Cognitive Machine Shop

sub-project. Th e workpieces manufactured there carry RFID tags that let

them communicate with machines and conveyor systems. Included in the

simulation are not only the technical aspects, but fi nancial questions, as well.

Th e IWB is currently working with an automotive industry supplier to test a

model for risk assessment. Th e manufacturer is considering building a plant

in the Czech Republic or Bulgaria. Th e simulation model takes account of

many factors — the logistics chain, supply reliability and wage developments.

Th e system uses these parameters to calculate in advance whether an

investment in a foreign country will pay off .

A high-intelligence factory

In the “thinking factory” special data display goggles keep the wearer in the picture.

Stats:> 1 ton of steel conserves 2500 pounds of iron ore, 1400 pounds of coal, and 120 pounds of limestone.> 2 out of every 3 pounds of steel is recycled.> There has been a reduction of CO2 emissions in the steelmaking industry of 35% since 1990.

Researchers in Munich are teaching machines to “think”

> Additional information: www.iwb.tum.de/en/iwb.html

> Additional information: www.recycle-steel.org

Reduce, reuse and recycle—steel


Earlier this year, TRUMPF’s regional sales representatives participated in the

TRUMPF Sales Excellence certifi cation program to become more familiar with

TRUMPF technology. During the week-long course, each sales representative was

educated on various aspects of TRUMPF, with focus on the entire machine tool

product line, in addition to the TruTops soft ware, fi nancing procedures, and the

TRUMPF philosophy of increased productivity, fl exibility and effi ciency.

Part of that philosophy includes ensuring that every salesperson responsible

for supporting the sale of TRUMPF machines has a broad and current

knowledge of TRUMPF products in order to better serve our customers. With

the launching of new and innovative products such as the new TruLaser 1030 fi ber

and TruPunch 3000 this year, the timing of the course was perfect.

“It’s very important to not only refresh the existing knowledge of all sales

representatives, but also to ensure they are properly introduced to and educated

on new TRUMPF technology and the benefi ts the technology can bring to our

customers,” said Burke Doar, TRUMPF Vice President of Sales and Marketing.

All participants, which included each of TRUMPF’s North American

sales representatives, were tested on the course material in order to

achieve certifi cation.

Th e Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology (CCAT) has teamed

with TRUMPF’s laser division to bring the fi rst TruMicro 7050 unit to the

organization’s Laser Applications Laboratory. Th e TruMicro 7050 features

TRUMPF’s diode-pumped disk laser technology.

Th e CCAT team will be looking into how the features of the TruMicro 7050

compare to lasers that are either used currently or being considered for use

in diff erent applications, such as laser machining, coating removal, surface

cleaning and drilling.

“We are very excited to have a cutting edge technology like the TRUMPF

TruMicro 7050 at CCAT,” stated Elizabeth Gounaris, Laser Applications Engineer

at CCAT. “Our investigation of the TRUMPF TruMicro 7050 has immediately

shown great potential and has met the requests of our customers. We are thrilled

to have a relationship with TRUMPF where we can discuss new applications this

technology was not originally intended to serve.”

Th e Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, Inc. (CCAT) helps private

and public entities to apply innovative tools and practices to increase effi ciencies,

improve workforce development and boost competitiveness.

Emphasis put on effi ciency and productivity

TRUMPF teams with CCAT

TRUMPF sales certifi cation aims to enhance customer experience

TruMicro 7050 now part of Laser Applications Lab

PANORAMAPANORAMA

77Express Vol. 1/11

> Additional information: www.us.trumpf.com

The TruMicro 7050 shows great potential for CCAT.

Members of TRUMPF’s sales force recently spent fi ve days in training to achieve certifi cation status.

That small logo advising you to reduce, reuse and recycle is just about everywhere—from the bottom of your water bottle to the front page of your morning newspaper. But how about on the bumper of your car? As it turns out, automobiles are the top recycled consumer product, and steel in general is the number one recycled material in North America. Every year, more steel is recycled than aluminum, paper, glass and plastic combined, totaling upwards of 65 million tons per year. Scrap steel has become the steel industry’s single largest source of raw material for the manufacture of new products. According to the Steel Recycling Institute, steel is infi nitely recyclable; it can be recycled again and again and still maintain its original durability and strength. That means the 14 million tons of steel recycled from automobiles alone each year can be used to produce 14 million new automobiles, a recycling rate of 100 percent. The steelmaking industry in America is committed to making changes in order to become more energy and cost effi cient. Already the industry operates with the lowest energy consumption per ton in the world, but research is being done to continue to reduce that even more, as well as to reduce or even eliminate CO2 emissions.

> Additional information: www.CCAT.us

A factory that works on its own and solves problems itself. Th at sounds

like science fi ction or a pipe dream — but it’s actually not that far away. At

the Munich University of Technology, researchers are already working on

teaching a factory to think. Making use of simulations, algorithms and

neural networks, Professor Gunther Reinhart, the director of the Institute

for Mechanical Engineering and Science of Management (IWB), transports

real-world machine tools into the virtual world. “Mechanical engineering is

an ideal fi eld for us to practice how to deal with cognitive questions,” he notes.

Th e CoTeSys (Cognition for Technical Systems) excellence cluster is studying

cognitive technical systems. Th e output of the work is artifi cial intelligence

for production machines. “We want to teach machines to activate themselves

more independently than in the past,” says Dr. Reinhart.

Production systems are designed to autonomously collect information

about themselves and the operating environment. Th ey will independently

derive — and implement — solutions based on that data. Th e fi rst cognitive

factory has already been created at Munich, in the Cognitive Machine Shop

sub-project. Th e workpieces manufactured there carry RFID tags that let

them communicate with machines and conveyor systems. Included in the

simulation are not only the technical aspects, but fi nancial questions, as well.

Th e IWB is currently working with an automotive industry supplier to test a

model for risk assessment. Th e manufacturer is considering building a plant

in the Czech Republic or Bulgaria. Th e simulation model takes account of

many factors — the logistics chain, supply reliability and wage developments.

Th e system uses these parameters to calculate in advance whether an

investment in a foreign country will pay off .

A high-intelligence factory

In the “thinking factory” special data display goggles keep the wearer in the picture.

Stats:> 1 ton of steel conserves 2500 pounds of iron ore, 1400 pounds of coal, and 120 pounds of limestone.> 2 out of every 3 pounds of steel is recycled.> There has been a reduction of CO2 emissions in the steelmaking industry of 35% since 1990.

Researchers in Munich are teaching machines to “think”

> Additional information: www.iwb.tum.de/en/iwb.html

> Additional information: www.recycle-steel.org

Reduce, reuse and recycle—steel


Alejandro Salazar and Omar Rojas are both barely out of

college, and while it’s said that having youth on one’s side is

a good thing, the duo acknowledge that it can be problematic

when it comes to convincing people that even without years

of experience they’re still very capable of running a business.

The pair own SYRMA, Salazar y Rojas Maquinados,

translated as Salazar and Rojas Machining, which is a Guadalajara-

based, general laser cutting shop.

Youth has, as Omar puts it, been their most formidable

opponent.

But obstacles—and overcoming them—are all part of Alejandro’s

and Omar’s story. Since launching SYMRA Laser Cutting, they have

encountered many hurdles in their path, and the two men, who have

been friends since they studied mechatronics engineering together at the

Monterrey Tech Guadalajara Campus, simply leap over them.

“When we started,” says Omar, “we told ourselves, ‘We can do it.’ We

took the obstacles as a challenge.”

So the friends embraced the barriers—including those their age presented—

and simply dealt with them.

Aft er all, there was no other option. To borrow a phrase that Mexican poet

Fernando del Paso Morante penned in his Sonnets with platitudes (del Paso has

a sense of humor), La rosa es una rosa es una rosa. A rose is a rose is a rose.

In other words, things are what they are.

Referencing a 77-year-old poet alongside two young sheet metal fabricators

may seem a little unusual, but one of SYRMA’s fi rst fabricating jobs was to create

a metal statue that pays homage to the famous poet. Th e sculpture is proudly

on display at the “Fernando del Paso” Plaza at the offi ces of the University of

Guadalajara Students’ Federation in Zapopan, Jalisco.

Th is very public, high-profi le project was an auspicious beginning for Alejandro

and Omar.

PORTRAIT

A rose is a rose is a rose for one

laser cutting shop

In age thereis opportunity

PORTRAIT

Alejandro Salazar of SYRMA Laser Cutting

8 Express Vol. 1/11


Alejandro Salazar and Omar Rojas are both barely out of

college, and while it’s said that having youth on one’s side is

a good thing, the duo acknowledge that it can be problematic

when it comes to convincing people that even without years

of experience they’re still very capable of running a business.

The pair own SYRMA, Salazar y Rojas Maquinados,

translated as Salazar and Rojas Machining, which is a Guadalajara-

based, general laser cutting shop.

Youth has, as Omar puts it, been their most formidable

opponent.

But obstacles—and overcoming them—are all part of Alejandro’s

and Omar’s story. Since launching SYMRA Laser Cutting, they have

encountered many hurdles in their path, and the two men, who have

been friends since they studied mechatronics engineering together at the

Monterrey Tech Guadalajara Campus, simply leap over them.

“When we started,” says Omar, “we told ourselves, ‘We can do it.’ We

took the obstacles as a challenge.”

So the friends embraced the barriers—including those their age presented—

and simply dealt with them.

Aft er all, there was no other option. To borrow a phrase that Mexican poet

Fernando del Paso Morante penned in his Sonnets with platitudes (del Paso has

a sense of humor), La rosa es una rosa es una rosa. A rose is a rose is a rose.

In other words, things are what they are.

Referencing a 77-year-old poet alongside two young sheet metal fabricators

may seem a little unusual, but one of SYRMA’s fi rst fabricating jobs was to create

a metal statue that pays homage to the famous poet. Th e sculpture is proudly

on display at the “Fernando del Paso” Plaza at the offi ces of the University of

Guadalajara Students’ Federation in Zapopan, Jalisco.

Th is very public, high-profi le project was an auspicious beginning for Alejandro

and Omar.

PORTRAIT

A rose is a rose is a rose for one

laser cutting shop

In age thereis opportunity

PORTRAIT

Alejandro Salazar of SYRMA Laser Cutting

8 Express Vol. 1/11


PORTRAIT PORTRAIT

Good citizensTh e community-minded businessmen also pride themselves on operating

SYRMA in a manner that is environmentally friendly and socially

responsible. Some examples of this commitment, which Alejandro

cites, include ensuring that oils and hazardous materials from the shop

are not disposed of into the sewage system. SYRMA is also a paperless

company; the only items they print are customer invoices, which is a

legal requirement. Th e company also uses LED lamps that are powered

by solar energy.

As a way of contributing to the community where SYRMA Laser

Cutting is located, Alejandro and Omar have started an annual tradition

where every December they sponsor a Posada for children. As Omar

explains it, the Posada is a Mexican tradition that commemorates the

journey of Mary and Joseph in the days prior to Christmas. Posada

involves a traditional party for the children of the area with songs, food

and a Piñata.

“We host this event,” says Omar, “because we try to put a smile on the

children’s faces.”

As for the future of SYRMA, the company with youth on its side knows

no limits to the possibilities that lie before it.

“Our vision is to become recognized as a business leader in Mexico,”

says Alejandro.

“As our business grows,” adds Omar, “we will add new TRUMPF

equipment to help us maintain our commitment to our customers—and

to the quality of our work in accordance with international standards.”

Who: Salazar and Rojas Machining, Guadalajara, Mexico. Established in 2010. www.syrma.com.mx

What: General fabricating business that specializes in laser cutting.

How: TruLaser 1030

Salazar and Rojas Machining

Ingenuity and spirit defi ne SYRMATh e men behind the SYRMA name compensate

for their lack of years with energy, intelligence

and ingenuity.

Th e young businessmen always knew they

wanted to start their own company and work

for themselves. Armed with more moxie than

money, the pair was determined.

Th ese days, they cut sheet metal using their

sophisticated TRUMPF TruLaser 1030. But their

beginnings were humble. Alejandro and Omar

found, as Omar describes it, “an abandoned,

beat-up and damaged” 1984-model laser cutting

machine in an old warehouse. Its resonator,

electronics system and controls were completely

inoperable, but Alejandro and Omar rebuilt the

machine from what amounted to the ground

up, and this was the machine the partners used

to launch SYRMA Laser Cutting.

In the company’s day-to-day operations,

Alejandro handles more of the technical end

of the two-year-old business, which involves

designing and programming of parts, whereas

Omar oversees more of the customer service

end of the business.

Right from the beginning, Alejandro and

Omar made a commitment to run SYRMA

Laser Cutting ethically and responsibly.

“Our goal is to help our customers minimize

their costs while maximizing profi ts,” said

Alejandro.

After launching their business with an abandoned laser they rebuilt themselves, one year later Alejandro and Omar now have a TruLaser 1030.

Omar Rojas

”Our goal is to help our customers minimize their costs while maximizing profi ts.”


PORTRAIT PORTRAIT

Good citizensTh e community-minded businessmen also pride themselves on operating

SYRMA in a manner that is environmentally friendly and socially

responsible. Some examples of this commitment, which Alejandro

cites, include ensuring that oils and hazardous materials from the shop

are not disposed of into the sewage system. SYRMA is also a paperless

company; the only items they print are customer invoices, which is a

legal requirement. Th e company also uses LED lamps that are powered

by solar energy.

As a way of contributing to the community where SYRMA Laser

Cutting is located, Alejandro and Omar have started an annual tradition

where every December they sponsor a Posada for children. As Omar

explains it, the Posada is a Mexican tradition that commemorates the

journey of Mary and Joseph in the days prior to Christmas. Posada

involves a traditional party for the children of the area with songs, food

and a Piñata.

“We host this event,” says Omar, “because we try to put a smile on the

children’s faces.”

As for the future of SYRMA, the company with youth on its side knows

no limits to the possibilities that lie before it.

“Our vision is to become recognized as a business leader in Mexico,”

says Alejandro.

“As our business grows,” adds Omar, “we will add new TRUMPF

equipment to help us maintain our commitment to our customers—and

to the quality of our work in accordance with international standards.”

Who: Salazar and Rojas Machining, Guadalajara, Mexico. Established in 2010. www.syrma.com.mx

What: General fabricating business that specializes in laser cutting.

How: TruLaser 1030

Salazar and Rojas Machining

Ingenuity and spirit defi ne SYRMATh e men behind the SYRMA name compensate

for their lack of years with energy, intelligence

and ingenuity.

Th e young businessmen always knew they

wanted to start their own company and work

for themselves. Armed with more moxie than

money, the pair was determined.

Th ese days, they cut sheet metal using their

sophisticated TRUMPF TruLaser 1030. But their

beginnings were humble. Alejandro and Omar

found, as Omar describes it, “an abandoned,

beat-up and damaged” 1984-model laser cutting

machine in an old warehouse. Its resonator,

electronics system and controls were completely

inoperable, but Alejandro and Omar rebuilt the

machine from what amounted to the ground

up, and this was the machine the partners used

to launch SYRMA Laser Cutting.

In the company’s day-to-day operations,

Alejandro handles more of the technical end

of the two-year-old business, which involves

designing and programming of parts, whereas

Omar oversees more of the customer service

end of the business.

Right from the beginning, Alejandro and

Omar made a commitment to run SYRMA

Laser Cutting ethically and responsibly.

“Our goal is to help our customers minimize

their costs while maximizing profi ts,” said

Alejandro.

After launching their business with an abandoned laser they rebuilt themselves, one year later Alejandro and Omar now have a TruLaser 1030.

Omar Rojas

”Our goal is to help our customers minimize their costs while maximizing profi ts.”

1313Express Vol. 1/11

It is no coincidence that the name

of Humboldt, Kansas sounds a

lot like “humble.”

The rural town, with a

population of 2,000 people, is

located approximately 100 miles

from any of the region’s major

metropolitan areas and is home

to a close-knit community of

hard-working people with strong

moral values.

You have to wonder whether

the last name of one its residents,

co-founder and president of local

business B&W Trailer Hitches—

Joe Works—has a last name that is a noun or

a verb.

Joe’s story is that of an ambitious, American

entrepreneur from modest beginnings.

Growing up on a farm outside of Humboldt,

Kansas, Joe was well trained in the ways of

agriculture by a young age. His familiarity with

the subject motivated him to study agricultural

mechanization in college, which involves

learning about the engineering of agricultural

machinery. Simultaneously, Joe pursued a

degree in business administration. Along the

way, his career goals changed, and he took an

interest in the manufacturing industry.

A metamorphosis into manufacturing“I had no idea I’d end up in manufacturing,”

Joe says. “I farmed with my brother for about

20 years aft er college. Th en I eventually eased

myself out of it.” And that was when, in a small

garage in 1987, alongside his then-partner, a car

restorer, B&W Trailer Hitches was born.

Th e company’s original business concept

was building custom truck beds fi t to each of

their customers’ unique specifi cations. “We did

that primarily for a couple of years, and then

designed the fi rst hitch to incorporate into our

truck beds. Th e hitches became such a dominant

part of our business that the truck beds have

become a small part of what we do,” says Joe.

B&W has moved from that small garage

and now operates in a 270,000 sq. ft . facility

in Humboldt. Th ey have made a name for

themselves as renowned innovators in the trailer

hitch industry. Th e company’s claim to fame

is what has been dubbed the “Turnoverball”:

a one-of-a-kind version of their popular

gooseneck hitch.

“The gooseneck hitch is still the same

functioning design we came up with 20 years

ago, and that was a major revolution in the

industry,” Joe explains. “Prior to that, a ball

had always been permanently fi xed above the

bed of a truck, and so once you committed to

pulling a gooseneck trailer you always had to

deal with that ball.”

Th e Turnoverball’s design allows the ball to be

removed, turned upside down, and stowed in the

fl oor of the truck bed. Th e company currently

A commitment to values

is part of B&W’s culture

There’s something

in the name

off ers 15 diff erent versions of the user-friendly

hitch to fi t diff erent truck makes and models

plus a full line of hitch products including

hitches marketed to the RV Industry.

Loyalty, values drive B&WHowever, despite the high quality and popularity

of B&W’s products, the company was not

immune to the economic recession of 2008. Like

many companies, business fell off . Unlike many

companies, however, Joe and B&W never lost

sight of their values and loyalty.

“We do not import products. Everything is

made right here in the USA,” says Mike Mueller,

B&W’s plant manager. “To do that in a rural

area, we’ve had a big focus on training. Joe’s

very good about investing in technology, so we

also invest in training our employees to match

their skill level to the technology.”

Not one of those valuable employees was ever

laid off from B&W during the slump, which is

the largest employer in Humboldt. Instead, they

were enlisted to participate in several projects to

enhance the community, such as restoring one

of the town’s weather-worn churches and fi xing

up local playgrounds and recreational areas.

“We try to be a very employee-oriented

company,” Joe says, explaining his decision

to avoid layoff s. “Keeping them on was part

of an ongoing eff ort to meet the needs of the

employees and give them autonomy, so we get

their creativity as well as their labor.”

Several TRUMPF products have helped in

B&W’s rebound from hard times. “Our core

philosophy on how to survive in manufacturing

in the U.S. involves taking the chances and

spending the capital to have the newest

technology,” Mike says.

“Using technology like the Unfold soft ware

on the press brakes, we’re able to bring in a

solid fi le, produce a part, and put it out the

door the same afternoon,” says Mike. He

also sees TRUMPF laser cutting technology

as an enormous advantage. “In order to be

reactionary to the market, we stay with laser

technology rather than stamping.”

Th at effi ciency comes in handy as business

for B&W picks up. Joe may no longer farm, but

he still enjoys agricultural equipment and the

outdoors. He spends his leisure time doing what

others might, well, consider work.

When he’s not at B&W, Joe Works enjoys

planting walnut trees along streams on plots

of land he’s purchased.

“I’ve planted about 6,000 over the past

few years.”

MAKING A DIFFERENCE MAKING A DIFFERENCE


Who: B&W Trailer Hitches, Humboldt, Kansas, Established in 1987. www.turnoverball.com

What: Manufacturer of high quality truck beds and trailer hitches using the most technologically-advanced equipment available.

How: TruLaser 3030 (4), TruLaser 3530, TruBend 7036

B&W Trailer Hitches

”We do not import products. Everything is made right here in the USA.”

Joe Works, founder and president of B&W Trailer Hitches, tends to one of the hundreds of walnut trees he has planted in his community.


It is no coincidence that the name

of Humboldt, Kansas sounds a

lot like “humble.”

The rural town, with a

population of 2,000 people, is

located approximately 100 miles

from any of the region’s major

metropolitan areas and is home

to a close-knit community of

hard-working people with strong

moral values.

You have to wonder whether

the last name of one its residents,

co-founder and president of local

business B&W Trailer Hitches—

Joe Works—has a last name that is a noun or

a verb.

Joe’s story is that of an ambitious, American

entrepreneur from modest beginnings.

Growing up on a farm outside of Humboldt,

Kansas, Joe was well trained in the ways of

agriculture by a young age. His familiarity with

the subject motivated him to study agricultural

mechanization in college, which involves

learning about the engineering of agricultural

machinery. Simultaneously, Joe pursued a

degree in business administration. Along the

way, his career goals changed, and he took an

interest in the manufacturing industry.

A metamorphosis into manufacturing“I had no idea I’d end up in manufacturing,”

Joe says. “I farmed with my brother for about

20 years aft er college. Th en I eventually eased

myself out of it.” And that was when, in a small

garage in 1987, alongside his then-partner, a car

restorer, B&W Trailer Hitches was born.

Th e company’s original business concept

was building custom truck beds fi t to each of

their customers’ unique specifi cations. “We did

that primarily for a couple of years, and then

designed the fi rst hitch to incorporate into our

truck beds. Th e hitches became such a dominant

part of our business that the truck beds have

become a small part of what we do,” says Joe.

B&W has moved from that small garage

and now operates in a 270,000 sq. ft . facility

in Humboldt. Th ey have made a name for

themselves as renowned innovators in the trailer

hitch industry. Th e company’s claim to fame

is what has been dubbed the “Turnoverball”:

a one-of-a-kind version of their popular

gooseneck hitch.

“The gooseneck hitch is still the same

functioning design we came up with 20 years

ago, and that was a major revolution in the

industry,” Joe explains. “Prior to that, a ball

had always been permanently fi xed above the

bed of a truck, and so once you committed to

pulling a gooseneck trailer you always had to

deal with that ball.”

Th e Turnoverball’s design allows the ball to be

removed, turned upside down, and stowed in the

fl oor of the truck bed. Th e company currently

A commitment to values

is part of B&W’s culture

There’s something

in the name

off ers 15 diff erent versions of the user-friendly

hitch to fi t diff erent truck makes and models

plus a full line of hitch products including

hitches marketed to the RV Industry.

Loyalty, values drive B&WHowever, despite the high quality and popularity

of B&W’s products, the company was not

immune to the economic recession of 2008. Like

many companies, business fell off . Unlike many

companies, however, Joe and B&W never lost

sight of their values and loyalty.

“We do not import products. Everything is

made right here in the USA,” says Mike Mueller,

B&W’s plant manager. “To do that in a rural

area, we’ve had a big focus on training. Joe’s

very good about investing in technology, so we

also invest in training our employees to match

their skill level to the technology.”

Not one of those valuable employees was ever

laid off from B&W during the slump, which is

the largest employer in Humboldt. Instead, they

were enlisted to participate in several projects to

enhance the community, such as restoring one

of the town’s weather-worn churches and fi xing

up local playgrounds and recreational areas.

“We try to be a very employee-oriented

company,” Joe says, explaining his decision

to avoid layoff s. “Keeping them on was part

of an ongoing eff ort to meet the needs of the

employees and give them autonomy, so we get

their creativity as well as their labor.”

Several TRUMPF products have helped in

B&W’s rebound from hard times. “Our core

philosophy on how to survive in manufacturing

in the U.S. involves taking the chances and

spending the capital to have the newest

technology,” Mike says.

“Using technology like the Unfold soft ware

on the press brakes, we’re able to bring in a

solid fi le, produce a part, and put it out the

door the same afternoon,” says Mike. He

also sees TRUMPF laser cutting technology

as an enormous advantage. “In order to be

reactionary to the market, we stay with laser

technology rather than stamping.”

Th at effi ciency comes in handy as business

for B&W picks up. Joe may no longer farm, but

he still enjoys agricultural equipment and the

outdoors. He spends his leisure time doing what

others might, well, consider work.

When he’s not at B&W, Joe Works enjoys

planting walnut trees along streams on plots

of land he’s purchased.

“I’ve planted about 6,000 over the past

few years.”

MAKING A DIFFERENCE MAKING A DIFFERENCE


Who: B&W Trailer Hitches, Humboldt, Kansas, Established in 1987. www.turnoverball.com

What: Manufacturer of high quality truck beds and trailer hitches using the most technologically-advanced equipment available.

How: TruLaser 3030 (4), TruLaser 3530, TruBend 7036

B&W Trailer Hitches

”We do not import products. Everything is made right here in the USA.”

Joe Works, founder and president of B&W Trailer Hitches, tends to one of the hundreds of walnut trees he has planted in his community.


A Connecticut job shop embraces

teamwork and a sense of adventure.

PROFILE

A crusading fabricator

”When you have the best equipment, and good relationships, it’s the right combination to achieve and sustain success.”

Eric Schleich, President of E.S. Metal

In one of the blockbuster Indiana Jones fi lms, the eponymous hero’s

love interest warned him that he could up end dead chasing aft er

dangerous adventures.

“Maybe,” he conceded, “but not today.”

Th ose words may have been spoken by a fi ctional character, but spend

some time getting to know Eric Schleich, and you might think it sounds

like a line from his own script. As president of E.S. Metal, Eric is the kind

of guy who defi es all odds.

Th e Long Island native was, by his own account, one of those ornery

kids who got himself into some good trouble early on in life. “I was the

type of kid they sent to the technical school,” he explains. “Back then,

that’s where they steered the bad kids.”

When his family relocated to Connecticut, Eric was in the fi nal year

of junior high school. He received top honors for industrial arts, but he

had a reputation as a renegade in spite of this academic success. School

offi cials enrolled him at Goodwin Tech, and the initial plan was that Eric

would take up plumbing. But it was machine tools that caught his eye.

“Th e machine shops blew me away,” he recalls. “I immediately knew,

‘Th is is what I want to do.’”

Now in his early 50s, Eric is not crawling under kitchen sinks

or snaking drains. Instead, he’s running a successful sheet metal

fabricating business in Terryville, Connecticut that he founded in 1985.

His brother, Russell, is E.S. Metal’s vice president, and his son, Kyle, is the

company’s programmer.

“It’s teamwork all the way,” says Russell.

Indeed. E.S. Metal has grown into a global supplier of sophisticated

metal products that serves many customers in diverse industries, including

air cargo, offi ce equipment, munitions, trucking, telecommunications,

chemicals, pharmaceutical, public utilities, aerospace, feed and grain,

entertainment, and sound control—to name a few.

Th e company has also fabricated prototypes for the U.S. military,

including recovery trailers and protective turrets that sit on top of Humvees

as protective shields for soldiers who serve as gunners.

Some other interesting and unique jobs that have come out of E.S. Metal

include parts for windmills used to generate alternative energy, seats for

snowmobiles for those who have physical disabilities, plows for trains, and

railing for the Yale Bowl at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

A fabricator’s perspectiveAccording to Eric, much of E.S. Metal’s success is because of the company’s

relationship with its suppliers. “When you have the best equipment, such

as TRUMPF machines, and good relationships with your suppliers and

customers, it’s the right combination to achieve and sustain success.”

In addition to being a TRUMPF customer—E.S. Metal owns two

TRUMPF lasers, a TRUMPF press brake and a TRUMPF punch—the

company also fabricates parts for TRUMPF’s SheetMaster Compact,

TruPunch 2020 and TRUMPF’s lasers.

Watching Eric behind his desk, his command central, it’s a little diffi cult

to believe him when he talks about the possibility of retiring soon. But

the conversation turns simultaneously refl ective and

philosophical as he reaches into his desk

drawer and pulls out an invoice book

that shows his very fi rst job—the job

that launched him almost 30 years

ago when he fabricated

15Express 1/11

PROFILE


Team E.S. Metal: Eric Schleich, President, Russel Schleich, Vice President (standing in foreground), Kyle Schleich, Programmer (seated), and Tony Taillon, Project Manager.


A Connecticut job shop embraces

teamwork and a sense of adventure.

PROFILE

A crusading fabricator

”When you have the best equipment, and good relationships, it’s the right combination to achieve and sustain success.”

Eric Schleich, President of E.S. Metal

In one of the blockbuster Indiana Jones fi lms, the eponymous hero’s

love interest warned him that he could up end dead chasing aft er

dangerous adventures.

“Maybe,” he conceded, “but not today.”

Th ose words may have been spoken by a fi ctional character, but spend

some time getting to know Eric Schleich, and you might think it sounds

like a line from his own script. As president of E.S. Metal, Eric is the kind

of guy who defi es all odds.

Th e Long Island native was, by his own account, one of those ornery

kids who got himself into some good trouble early on in life. “I was the

type of kid they sent to the technical school,” he explains. “Back then,

that’s where they steered the bad kids.”

When his family relocated to Connecticut, Eric was in the fi nal year

of junior high school. He received top honors for industrial arts, but he

had a reputation as a renegade in spite of this academic success. School

offi cials enrolled him at Goodwin Tech, and the initial plan was that Eric

would take up plumbing. But it was machine tools that caught his eye.

“Th e machine shops blew me away,” he recalls. “I immediately knew,

‘Th is is what I want to do.’”

Now in his early 50s, Eric is not crawling under kitchen sinks

or snaking drains. Instead, he’s running a successful sheet metal

fabricating business in Terryville, Connecticut that he founded in 1985.

His brother, Russell, is E.S. Metal’s vice president, and his son, Kyle, is the

company’s programmer.

“It’s teamwork all the way,” says Russell.

Indeed. E.S. Metal has grown into a global supplier of sophisticated

metal products that serves many customers in diverse industries, including

air cargo, offi ce equipment, munitions, trucking, telecommunications,

chemicals, pharmaceutical, public utilities, aerospace, feed and grain,

entertainment, and sound control—to name a few.

Th e company has also fabricated prototypes for the U.S. military,

including recovery trailers and protective turrets that sit on top of Humvees

as protective shields for soldiers who serve as gunners.

Some other interesting and unique jobs that have come out of E.S. Metal

include parts for windmills used to generate alternative energy, seats for

snowmobiles for those who have physical disabilities, plows for trains, and

railing for the Yale Bowl at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut.

A fabricator’s perspectiveAccording to Eric, much of E.S. Metal’s success is because of the company’s

relationship with its suppliers. “When you have the best equipment, such

as TRUMPF machines, and good relationships with your suppliers and

customers, it’s the right combination to achieve and sustain success.”

In addition to being a TRUMPF customer—E.S. Metal owns two

TRUMPF lasers, a TRUMPF press brake and a TRUMPF punch—the

company also fabricates parts for TRUMPF’s SheetMaster Compact,

TruPunch 2020 and TRUMPF’s lasers.

Watching Eric behind his desk, his command central, it’s a little diffi cult

to believe him when he talks about the possibility of retiring soon. But

the conversation turns simultaneously refl ective and

philosophical as he reaches into his desk

drawer and pulls out an invoice book

that shows his very fi rst job—the job

that launched him almost 30 years

ago when he fabricated

15Express 1/11

PROFILE


Team E.S. Metal: Eric Schleich, President, Russel Schleich, Vice President (standing in foreground), Kyle Schleich, Programmer (seated), and Tony Taillon, Project Manager.


Skeleton-free Processing The simplest way to reduce waste and punch more effi ciently.

teThe simplest way to reduce wastand punch more effi ciently.Fabricators are always looking for ways to produce parts that are faster,

more cost effi cient and reliable. Available on the TruPunch 3000 and

TruPunch 5000, skeleton-free processing can be the innovative solution

companies are looking for to keep them one step ahead of the competition.

SPECIAL

an oak and steel stone boat in his basement for an oxen pull at the

Terryville Fair.

“Anything for the American market, in my opinion, should be made in

the American market,” says an adamant Eric. “Th e politicians have sold

us down the river. Th eir primary job is to protect our way of life and our

country, and they’re failing 100 percent.”

His son, Kyle, E.S. Metal’s programmer who was standing in the

doorway of his father’s offi ce during this conversation, agrees. “It’s tough

to hang on.”

Eric’s contention is that there are big problems brewing. As the economy

begins to brighten and if the sheet metal fabricating business does indeed

return to pre-recession levels, he says a dearth of trained fabricators will

make it diffi cult for companies such as E.S. Metal to be competitive.

Outsourcing work to other countries not only impacts the supply chain

in this country, he says, but it aff ects the number of available sheet metal

fabricators. Aft er all, why train for a trade if there are no available jobs?

And Eric is equally concerned that the American work ethic has become

too lax. “As the older generation disappears, we’re losing our integrity,” he

says. And integrity is important to Eric Schleich, a man who likes to pay

all of his major suppliers within 10 days of receiving their invoice.

Star qualityWaxing philosophical, though, can wait. When prompted with a request

to see family photos, Eric opens another desk drawer, and pulls out an

album that includes photos of multiple reptiles, dogs, a cat, a deer, and

one of Eric on a horse.

A man who works hard at overseeing his own company but

also plays hard at some unusual hobbies, Eric rides, shoots, shoots pool

in three leagues, and trawls his 240-acre property in one of his two

excavators to see if he can fi nd anything interesting to unearth. He also

has his own sawmill.

But rock crawling, an extreme form of off -road driving, is perhaps the

hobby that is most telling of Eric’s thrill-seeking lifestyle. In fact, he even

built a rock crawling course at his residence.

Driving up, down and across rocks and ledges that appear to be

impassable is defi nitely not for the faint of heart.

But Eric Schleich’s heart is anything but faint.

An older gentleman walks through E.S. Metal’s front door to inquire

about a metal bracket that he needs produced. He needs only one.

“We have a lot of people from the community stop in and ask us to

make a single part for them,” says Eric. And while those types of requests

certainly aren’t profi table, E.S. Metal’s founder says he tries his best to

honor them.

Aft er all, he points out, “Th at’s why we’re in this business. We’re here

to help people.”

Who: E.S. Metal, Terryville, Conn., Established in 1985. www.esmetal.com

What: A recognized leader in precision fabrications, which specializes in one-of-a-kind customized products as well as multiple-piece orders.

How: TrumaBend V230 (TruBend 5230), TruMatic 260T, TruLaser 4030, TruLaser 3040

E.S. Metal

PROFILE

E.S. Metal’s president, Eric Schleich, enjoys an extreme version of off-road driving.


Skeleton-free Processing The simplest way to reduce waste and punch more effi ciently.

teThe simplest way to reduce wastand punch more effi ciently.Fabricators are always looking for ways to produce parts that are faster,

more cost effi cient and reliable. Available on the TruPunch 3000 and

TruPunch 5000, skeleton-free processing can be the innovative solution

companies are looking for to keep them one step ahead of the competition.

SPECIAL

an oak and steel stone boat in his basement for an oxen pull at the

Terryville Fair.

“Anything for the American market, in my opinion, should be made in

the American market,” says an adamant Eric. “Th e politicians have sold

us down the river. Th eir primary job is to protect our way of life and our

country, and they’re failing 100 percent.”

His son, Kyle, E.S. Metal’s programmer who was standing in the

doorway of his father’s offi ce during this conversation, agrees. “It’s tough

to hang on.”

Eric’s contention is that there are big problems brewing. As the economy

begins to brighten and if the sheet metal fabricating business does indeed

return to pre-recession levels, he says a dearth of trained fabricators will

make it diffi cult for companies such as E.S. Metal to be competitive.

Outsourcing work to other countries not only impacts the supply chain

in this country, he says, but it aff ects the number of available sheet metal

fabricators. Aft er all, why train for a trade if there are no available jobs?

And Eric is equally concerned that the American work ethic has become

too lax. “As the older generation disappears, we’re losing our integrity,” he

says. And integrity is important to Eric Schleich, a man who likes to pay

all of his major suppliers within 10 days of receiving their invoice.

Star qualityWaxing philosophical, though, can wait. When prompted with a request

to see family photos, Eric opens another desk drawer, and pulls out an

album that includes photos of multiple reptiles, dogs, a cat, a deer, and

one of Eric on a horse.

A man who works hard at overseeing his own company but

also plays hard at some unusual hobbies, Eric rides, shoots, shoots pool

in three leagues, and trawls his 240-acre property in one of his two

excavators to see if he can fi nd anything interesting to unearth. He also

has his own sawmill.

But rock crawling, an extreme form of off -road driving, is perhaps the

hobby that is most telling of Eric’s thrill-seeking lifestyle. In fact, he even

built a rock crawling course at his residence.

Driving up, down and across rocks and ledges that appear to be

impassable is defi nitely not for the faint of heart.

But Eric Schleich’s heart is anything but faint.

An older gentleman walks through E.S. Metal’s front door to inquire

about a metal bracket that he needs produced. He needs only one.

“We have a lot of people from the community stop in and ask us to

make a single part for them,” says Eric. And while those types of requests

certainly aren’t profi table, E.S. Metal’s founder says he tries his best to

honor them.

Aft er all, he points out, “Th at’s why we’re in this business. We’re here

to help people.”

Who: E.S. Metal, Terryville, Conn., Established in 1985. www.esmetal.com

What: A recognized leader in precision fabrications, which specializes in one-of-a-kind customized products as well as multiple-piece orders.

How: TrumaBend V230 (TruBend 5230), TruMatic 260T, TruLaser 4030, TruLaser 3040

E.S. Metal

PROFILE

E.S. Metal’s president, Eric Schleich, enjoys an extreme version of off-road driving.


SPECIAL: SKELETON FREE PROCESSING



Th e basis of this new development is powerful soft ware with all the

right nesting algorithms, combined with the option of rotating parts

and left over pieces with innovative tool technology.

The result increases effi ciency in several areas:■ Increased material utilization■ Parts no longer get stuck in the sheet skeleton■ The operator no longer has to remove the leftover material from the machine table■ Sorting is improved due to a turnout underneath the parts chute that automatically

separates the fi nished parts from the scrap.

Sheet without common cuts Sheet with common cuts

Nothing remains on the machine with skeleton-free processing

because the sheet is completely cut into pieces. Residual material

and small parts are directly unloaded through a 20” by 20” parts

chute. Larger fi nished parts can be manually removed, or, if automated,

removed by the machine.

On average, skeleton-free processing achieves a

10% higher sheet utilization rate when compared to

conventional processing methods. Smaller parts have

seen up to 27% higher utilization. And common line

cuts are now easily programmed on parts that don’t

lend themselves to traditional, rectangular geometry

normally found in punch nests.

What does this mean for cost savings when it

comes to material? Let’s use an example of a 4’ by 8’

sheet of 0.060” stainless steel, costing $160, with a

500-part run. In this example, a conventional nest

with a sheet skeleton yields 20 parts per sheet. Th is

equates to 24 sheets of material to produce 500 parts,

at a total material cost of $4,000.

Now let’s calculate the costs for the same job, using

the skeleton-free processing method with an average

of 15% more sheet utilization. Th e same sheet with

skeleton-free processing will now yield 23 parts per

sheet and dispose of the scrap during the process. Here,

only 21.7 sheets of material are needed to produce a

500-part run, at a material cost of $3,478.26. Th e total

material cost savings is $521.74 for this job alone.

Th e scrap is cut into pieces, which results in another

value added feature eliminating the need for manual

removal of sheet skeletons. Over the course of a year,

you may fi nd that cost savings on material using

skeleton-free processing will be enough for the machine

to actually pay for itself.

Skeleton-free Processing The skeleton-free processing approach punches parts as well as scrap, leaving no

skeleton behind. This new method relies on common split cuts. However, extensive

programming is no longer needed to make them.

19Express Vol. 1/11

Material effi ciency = Quantifi able results

Material is the biggest expense in the cost per part equation.

*Assumption: Two-shift operation at average productivity,load, material mix, labor and energy costs.

Material Machine Costs

Operator Material

73%

14%

12%

1%


Complex, small parts

Complexity Nesting

Easy, large parts

Medium complexity, middle sized parts

27% higher material utilization;52 additional parts

Material Savings







Th e basis of this new development is powerful soft ware with all the

right nesting algorithms, combined with the option of rotating parts

and left over pieces with innovative tool technology.

The result increases effi ciency in several areas:■ Increased material utilization■ Parts no longer get stuck in the sheet skeleton■ The operator no longer has to remove the leftover material from the machine table■ Sorting is improved due to a turnout underneath the parts chute that automatically

separates the fi nished parts from the scrap.


Nothing remains on the machine with skeleton-free processing

because the sheet is completely cut into pieces. Residual material

and small parts are directly unloaded through a 20” by 20” parts

chute. Larger fi nished parts can be manually removed, or, if automated,

removed by the machine.

On average, skeleton-free processing achieves a

10% higher sheet utilization rate when compared to

conventional processing methods. Smaller parts have

seen up to 27% higher utilization. And common line

cuts are now easily programmed on parts that don’t

lend themselves to traditional, rectangular geometry

normally found in punch nests.

What does this mean for cost savings when it

comes to material? Let’s use an example of a 4’ by 8’

sheet of 0.060” stainless steel, costing $160, with a

500-part run. In this example, a conventional nest

with a sheet skeleton yields 20 parts per sheet. Th is

equates to 24 sheets of material to produce 500 parts,

at a total material cost of $4,000.

Now let’s calculate the costs for the same job, using

the skeleton-free processing method with an average

of 15% more sheet utilization. Th e same sheet with

skeleton-free processing will now yield 23 parts per

sheet and dispose of the scrap during the process. Here,

only 21.7 sheets of material are needed to produce a

500-part run, at a material cost of $3,478.26. Th e total

material cost savings is $521.74 for this job alone.

Th e scrap is cut into pieces, which results in another

value added feature eliminating the need for manual

removal of sheet skeletons. Over the course of a year,

you may fi nd that cost savings on material using

skeleton-free processing will be enough for the machine

to actually pay for itself.

Skeleton-free Processing The skeleton-free processing approach punches parts as well as scrap, leaving no

skeleton behind. This new method relies on common split cuts. However, extensive

programming is no longer needed to make them.

19Express Vol. 1/11

Material effi ciency = Quantifi able results

Material is the biggest expense in the cost per part equation.

*Assumption: Two-shift operation at average productivity,load, material mix, labor and energy costs.

Material Machine Costs

Operator Material

73%

14%

12%

1%


Complex, small parts

Complexity Nesting

Easy, large parts

Medium complexity, middle sized parts


Material Savings




Process reliability Material effi ciency User-friendly

A strong legacy

Allied Steel Shows Its Medal

INTERVIEW



Attitude is a big factor in success. Just ask the employees of Allied

Steel Fabricators, based in Redmond, Washington, where there are

nearly 150 rainy and 201 cloudy days each year. Th ey’ll tell you a

beautifully lush and green spring and summer rewards those who

Joel Exe and his mother, Nancy Exe.

Principles ofSkeleton-free Processing1. Row-by-row processing

2. No extra programming is required for:

■ Common cuts

■ Part rotation

■ Machining strategy modifi cation

■ Choosing the fastest strategy for scrap that becomes detached

■ Removing the remainder strip.

3. Processing time per part remains the same

4. Parts are “released” from the surrounding skeleton prior to unloading.

5. Parts and remainder pieces are rotated for ejection through the chute.

6. The remainder strip is cut up completely.


Process reliability Material effi ciency User-friendly

A strong legacy

Allied Steel Shows Its Medal

INTERVIEW



Attitude is a big factor in success. Just ask the employees of Allied

Steel Fabricators, based in Redmond, Washington, where there are

nearly 150 rainy and 201 cloudy days each year. Th ey’ll tell you a

beautifully lush and green spring and summer rewards those who

Joel Exe and his mother, Nancy Exe.

Principles ofSkeleton-free Processing1. Row-by-row processing

2. No extra programming is required for:

■ Common cuts

■ Part rotation

■ Machining strategy modifi cation

■ Choosing the fastest strategy for scrap that becomes detached

■ Removing the remainder strip.

3. Processing time per part remains the same

4. Parts are “released” from the surrounding skeleton prior to unloading.

5. Parts and remainder pieces are rotated for ejection through the chute.

6. The remainder strip is cut up completely.


INTERVIEWINTERVIEW

Heavy-gauge brushed stainless steel medal

holders emblazoned with inspirational mantras,

such as “Believe,” “Challenge Your Limits,” and

the top-selling “Always Earned, Never Given,”

are cut on a TruLaser 2030. With its quick

changeover, the fl exible and productive laser is

well suited for the task. Standard medal displays

come in more than 50 designs, ranging from

the largest – measuring 26 by 3.5 inches to hold

18 to 25 medals – to a mini-tiara display meant

to accommodate 1 or 2 medals and measuring

just 4 by 3 inches.

Customized displays, usually featuring a

personal mantra or name, are the company’s

most popular medal display product and

can reach 50 inches long. “Th e laser makes

individual customer requests a reality quickly,

oft en beating customer expectations. We can off er total customization

in a matter of 3 to 4 days rather than 3 to 4 weeks,” Joel says.

While the size and design of the display can vary, most are cut from thin

material. To prevent 11-gauge stainless steel parts from falling through

or tipping up during the laser, Allied Steel tabs the parts. “Because of

the intricacy of the parts and small size and runs, we use the tabbing

feature a lot,” explains Jason Rines, laser operator and programmer.

The end result is a high-quality medal display. Fans with

running blogs agree, and have contributed greatly to the product’s

popularity nationwide and internationally. To foster this symbiotic

relationship, the company works with well-respected bloggers on

giveaway contests. In turn, the blog giveaways generate feedback that

aff ects product development.

“Some contests require entrants to list their favorite medal

displays,” says Joel. “We can see which displays people are interested

in and identify less-popular displays.” Th e product line now includes

displays for gymnastics, figure skating, cheerleading, wrestling,

swimming and soccer, among others. “Th ere are so many places we

could go,” says Joel.

Beyond the medal displays, he also keeps Allied Steel

environmentally responsible. “I’m a green guy,” Joel says. In addition

to increasing recycling options and bins in the shop, he makes sure the

company stores less steel outside to avoid leaching particles into the

water system. Recently, Joel was asked to help the State of Washington

with a stormwater testing initiative. One thing is certain, if anyone can

fi nd optimistic and creative ways to handle metal and rain – it’s the folks

at Allied Steel.

Who: Allied Steel Fabricators, Redmond, WA, Established in 1984. www.alliedsteelsteelfab.com

What: Provides structural steel fabrication services, manufactures store fi xtures and retail displays, railings, stairs, and gates, custom fabrications, laser cut parts including medal displays.

How: TruLaser 2030

Allied Steel Fabricators

y

bloggers on

feedback that

orite medal

are interested

now includes

g, wrestling,

res store fi xtures and retailaser cut parts including medal displays.

A royal way to display medals.

work hard, using creativity and optimism to

make it through the long grey days of Pacifi c

Northwest drizzle.

For the last 26 years, Allied Steel employees

have manufactured high-quality store fi xtures

and displays designed to showcase merchandise

for some of the nation’s most venerable

department stores and retail establishments.

Allied Steel’s innovative metal handrails, stairs

and gates can found across the country, as well

as in the local homes of Microsoft executives

and in neighboring Nintendo’s brand-new

Redmond headquarters. Th e busy shop also

off ers structural steel fabrication and laser

cutting services and laser- cut medal displays.

From the backyard of Michael and Nancy

Exe, Allied Steel has grown and become well-

known for high-quality and artistic – but

functional – products. “Nothing is handed

to us. We truly earn the business,” explains

General Manager Mike Th orson, who has been

with Allied Steel for 21 years and was Mike Exe’s

friend and right-hand man.

Th e company proved its mettle in 2003. Aft er

a year-long illness, founder Mike Exe passed

away. His wife Nancy and son Joel still work at

the company, and Th orson took charge and kept

the company growing. Th orson adds, “We’re

lucky to be surrounded by a good group of

creative, experienced people.”

Mike Exe’s upbeat motivational approach

continues to drive the company forward. In

Exe’s honor, Allied Steel developed the “Go

Man Go” award, given quarterly and annually,

to recognize employees’ hard work and positive

attitudes. Exe frequently used the throwback

phrase – shouted by jazz club patrons to

encourage improvising musicians – saying

“Go Man Go” to inspire employees starting

new projects.

Further inspiration is derived from a TruLaser

2030 purchased in 2007. “Th e laser has given us

even more artistic freedom,” explains Th orson.

“We implement more creative ideas, faster and

more cost-eff ectively.” Allied Steel Production

Manager Russ Berglund adds that the laser

“quickly breathes life into displays inspired by

napkin sketches or antique Parisian tables for

Allied Steel’s upscale department store client.”

For example, one rivet table design cut on a laser

in one hour would previously have taken about

a week to cut and prepare for assembly.

Speed and efficiency are particularly

important to Allied Steel employees who run

marathons and other races. And, as most

runners will tell you, the highlight of any race

is stepping across the fi nish line and receiving

a medal. “Aft er the race, the medal is what

you have to show for all your training and

hard work,” says Joel Exe, marketing and sales

director of Allied Medal Displays.

Yet many runners admit, with embarrassment,

these medals often end up in shoeboxes

or hanging from doorknobs. Allied Steel

developed a better way to honor and display

the achievements. Employee and “marathon

maniac” Brad Nelson conceived the idea of

a laser-cut sheet metal holder from which

ribboned race medals could hang with pride.

”The laser makes individual customer requests a reality quickly, often beating customer expectations.”

Mike Thorson, General Manager


INTERVIEWINTERVIEW

Heavy-gauge brushed stainless steel medal

holders emblazoned with inspirational mantras,

such as “Believe,” “Challenge Your Limits,” and

the top-selling “Always Earned, Never Given,”

are cut on a TruLaser 2030. With its quick

changeover, the fl exible and productive laser is

well suited for the task. Standard medal displays

come in more than 50 designs, ranging from

the largest – measuring 26 by 3.5 inches to hold

18 to 25 medals – to a mini-tiara display meant

to accommodate 1 or 2 medals and measuring

just 4 by 3 inches.

Customized displays, usually featuring a

personal mantra or name, are the company’s

most popular medal display product and

can reach 50 inches long. “Th e laser makes

individual customer requests a reality quickly,

oft en beating customer expectations. We can off er total customization

in a matter of 3 to 4 days rather than 3 to 4 weeks,” Joel says.

While the size and design of the display can vary, most are cut from thin

material. To prevent 11-gauge stainless steel parts from falling through

or tipping up during the laser, Allied Steel tabs the parts. “Because of

the intricacy of the parts and small size and runs, we use the tabbing

feature a lot,” explains Jason Rines, laser operator and programmer.

The end result is a high-quality medal display. Fans with

running blogs agree, and have contributed greatly to the product’s

popularity nationwide and internationally. To foster this symbiotic

relationship, the company works with well-respected bloggers on

giveaway contests. In turn, the blog giveaways generate feedback that

aff ects product development.

“Some contests require entrants to list their favorite medal

displays,” says Joel. “We can see which displays people are interested

in and identify less-popular displays.” Th e product line now includes

displays for gymnastics, figure skating, cheerleading, wrestling,

swimming and soccer, among others. “Th ere are so many places we

could go,” says Joel.

Beyond the medal displays, he also keeps Allied Steel

environmentally responsible. “I’m a green guy,” Joel says. In addition

to increasing recycling options and bins in the shop, he makes sure the

company stores less steel outside to avoid leaching particles into the

water system. Recently, Joel was asked to help the State of Washington

with a stormwater testing initiative. One thing is certain, if anyone can

fi nd optimistic and creative ways to handle metal and rain – it’s the folks

at Allied Steel.

Who: Allied Steel Fabricators, Redmond, WA, Established in 1984. www.alliedsteelsteelfab.com

What: Provides structural steel fabrication services, manufactures store fi xtures and retail displays, railings, stairs, and gates, custom fabrications, laser cut parts including medal displays.

How: TruLaser 2030

Allied Steel Fabricators

y

bloggers on

feedback that

orite medal

are interested

now includes

g, wrestling,

res store fi xtures and retailaser cut parts including medal displays.

A royal way to display medals.

work hard, using creativity and optimism to

make it through the long grey days of Pacifi c

Northwest drizzle.

For the last 26 years, Allied Steel employees

have manufactured high-quality store fi xtures

and displays designed to showcase merchandise

for some of the nation’s most venerable

department stores and retail establishments.

Allied Steel’s innovative metal handrails, stairs

and gates can found across the country, as well

as in the local homes of Microsoft executives

and in neighboring Nintendo’s brand-new

Redmond headquarters. Th e busy shop also

off ers structural steel fabrication and laser

cutting services and laser- cut medal displays.

From the backyard of Michael and Nancy

Exe, Allied Steel has grown and become well-

known for high-quality and artistic – but

functional – products. “Nothing is handed

to us. We truly earn the business,” explains

General Manager Mike Th orson, who has been

with Allied Steel for 21 years and was Mike Exe’s

friend and right-hand man.

Th e company proved its mettle in 2003. Aft er

a year-long illness, founder Mike Exe passed

away. His wife Nancy and son Joel still work at

the company, and Th orson took charge and kept

the company growing. Th orson adds, “We’re

lucky to be surrounded by a good group of

creative, experienced people.”

Mike Exe’s upbeat motivational approach

continues to drive the company forward. In

Exe’s honor, Allied Steel developed the “Go

Man Go” award, given quarterly and annually,

to recognize employees’ hard work and positive

attitudes. Exe frequently used the throwback

phrase – shouted by jazz club patrons to

encourage improvising musicians – saying

“Go Man Go” to inspire employees starting

new projects.

Further inspiration is derived from a TruLaser

2030 purchased in 2007. “Th e laser has given us

even more artistic freedom,” explains Th orson.

“We implement more creative ideas, faster and

more cost-eff ectively.” Allied Steel Production

Manager Russ Berglund adds that the laser

“quickly breathes life into displays inspired by

napkin sketches or antique Parisian tables for

Allied Steel’s upscale department store client.”

For example, one rivet table design cut on a laser

in one hour would previously have taken about

a week to cut and prepare for assembly.

Speed and efficiency are particularly

important to Allied Steel employees who run

marathons and other races. And, as most

runners will tell you, the highlight of any race

is stepping across the fi nish line and receiving

a medal. “Aft er the race, the medal is what

you have to show for all your training and

hard work,” says Joel Exe, marketing and sales

director of Allied Medal Displays.

Yet many runners admit, with embarrassment,

these medals often end up in shoeboxes

or hanging from doorknobs. Allied Steel

developed a better way to honor and display

the achievements. Employee and “marathon

maniac” Brad Nelson conceived the idea of

a laser-cut sheet metal holder from which

ribboned race medals could hang with pride.

”The laser makes individual customer requests a reality quickly, often beating customer expectations.”

Mike Thorson, General Manager


At the time, Garry explains, aluminum was

gaining in popularity. Th e metal was known to

run cooler, which made it eff ective for radiator

fabrication, and also for its ability to expel heat.

Th is led FSR to construct an aluminum radiator

sample so eff ective that FedEx began ordering

10 at a time.

“Back then, my son, Brian, who was about

14 years old, would come over to the shop aft er

school to help. Using only a foot shear and

small bender with one welder, we were working

on a table in the back of the shop to fabricate

the orders.”

Word of mouth started a chain reaction,

and the next thing Garry knew he was getting

orders from the FedEx hub out of Atlanta,

Indianapolis and other locations. At that point,

he purchased new hand punches, drill presses

and foot shears, but he still had one considerable

problem, and that was outsourcing. As FSR

expanded into the world of custom fabrication,

Garry found outsourcing expensive in terms of

cost and downtime.

“Subcontractors would take up to two weeks

to turn over a part,” he recalls. “Add another

two weeks if we needed to make a change,

which, quite frankly, is unacceptable.”

But those were in the days before Garry

invested in a TRUMPF TruPunch 1000.

“Th e punch allows us to control everything,”

he says. “We make a change one day, try

something new the next. Brian is my main

programmer and operator. He can knock out

a prototype in 20 minutes.”

This ability to work quickly is critical

when it comes to custom work, which is

FSR’s niche. “We build radiators for anything

that’s needed.”

The unusual and the familialWhile FSR’s custom radiator work primarily

focuses on the racing industry (fabricating for

sprint cars, street rods and ultra light aircraft ),

and the airline industry (fabricating luggage

tractor tugs, plane push backs and forklift s),

they have also done a broad range of custom

work for monster trucks, small airplanes and

automotive restoration.

And FSR does have the occasional,

unusual request.

“We had one customer who was using a

solar panel array, connected to a radiator with

a fan, which moved the hot air off the radiator

through air ducts to heat his home,” Garry

recalls as one example.

But the exotic requests are all taken in stride.

Aft er all, FSR, which recently expanded into

a new, 13,000 square-foot facility, is highly

committed to customer satisfaction. They

pride themselves on accomplishments such

as the triple pass radiator, which is touted as

the ultimate cooling solution for the grueling

conditions found on the track—such as those

experienced by sprint car drivers.

It’s been said that in order to appreciate Sprint

car racing, you have to see it in action. With its

open wheel design, large 5’x 5’ wing, mounted

just above the driver’s head, and powerful V8

engine just inches from the driver’s knees, you

can feel the excitement even when the ignition

is switched off . It’s something that always stays

with you. And when you can, it’s something you

like to pass along.

Aft er 36 years of racing, last year Garry Bell

retired from the sport. He still owns a Sprint

car, and you can still fi nd him trackside. But the

torch has been passed, and these days Garry is

cheering on his protégé, his son Brian.

“The punch allows us to control everything.”

Who: Four Seasons Radiator, Memphis, TN, Established in 1981. www.fsrproducts.com and www.fsrradiator.com

What: FSR Racing Products supplies high performance all aluminum radiators to the racing community, and FSR Radiator specializes in building custom radiators for ground support equipment.

How: TruPunch 1000

Four Seasons Radiator

CUSTOMER FOCUS CUSTOMER FOCUS

Memphis, Tennessee is an eclectic place that’s steeped in American

history. Th e city, which has earned an honored place in music, is home

to legends such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and B.B. King.

If the soul of Memphis can be found in its music, then its heartbeat

can be heard in an outlying, quarter-mile dirt track that comes to life

with the roar of stock cars, Sprint cars and throngs of racing fans.

And it’s the Sprint cars that captured the passion of Garry Bell, owner

of Memphis-based Four Seasons Radiator (FSR).

“Daddy started taking me to the track when I was about 8 or 9 years

old,” he recalls. At age 22, Garry purchased his own Sprint car.

Timing is everythingGarry’s career path was born from a need. When his race car’s radiator

was leaking, he struck up a conversation with a repair shop’s owner, who

happened to mention that he was looking for help. It was a fortuitous

meeting for the two men, because Garry just happened to be looking for

a job. Th at was back in 1975.

A few years later, in 1981, Garry went into business for himself, opening

Four Seasons Radiator. With only a few tools to start, most of the work

was done by hand. But then things changed.

FedEx Express’s global “super-hub,” which operates out of Memphis

International Airport, is the world’s largest airline in terms of volume of

freight moved and fl own daily. So it was no surprise to Garry when he

heard the company was experiencing over-heating issues with ground

support equipment.

“With 1500 baggage tugs moving tons of freight daily…they run their

equipment hard.”

FedEx was already one of FSR’s local customers, so the

company requested that Garry offer a solution to address the

overheating problem.

Custom radiators are this company’s niche

Four Seasons keeps it cool

Car racing is all in the family.

Garry Bell and his son, Brian.


At the time, Garry explains, aluminum was

gaining in popularity. Th e metal was known to

run cooler, which made it eff ective for radiator

fabrication, and also for its ability to expel heat.

Th is led FSR to construct an aluminum radiator

sample so eff ective that FedEx began ordering

10 at a time.

“Back then, my son, Brian, who was about

14 years old, would come over to the shop aft er

school to help. Using only a foot shear and

small bender with one welder, we were working

on a table in the back of the shop to fabricate

the orders.”

Word of mouth started a chain reaction,

and the next thing Garry knew he was getting

orders from the FedEx hub out of Atlanta,

Indianapolis and other locations. At that point,

he purchased new hand punches, drill presses

and foot shears, but he still had one considerable

problem, and that was outsourcing. As FSR

expanded into the world of custom fabrication,

Garry found outsourcing expensive in terms of

cost and downtime.

“Subcontractors would take up to two weeks

to turn over a part,” he recalls. “Add another

two weeks if we needed to make a change,

which, quite frankly, is unacceptable.”

But those were in the days before Garry

invested in a TRUMPF TruPunch 1000.

“Th e punch allows us to control everything,”

he says. “We make a change one day, try

something new the next. Brian is my main

programmer and operator. He can knock out

a prototype in 20 minutes.”

This ability to work quickly is critical

when it comes to custom work, which is

FSR’s niche. “We build radiators for anything

that’s needed.”

The unusual and the familialWhile FSR’s custom radiator work primarily

focuses on the racing industry (fabricating for

sprint cars, street rods and ultra light aircraft ),

and the airline industry (fabricating luggage

tractor tugs, plane push backs and forklift s),

they have also done a broad range of custom

work for monster trucks, small airplanes and

automotive restoration.

And FSR does have the occasional,

unusual request.

“We had one customer who was using a

solar panel array, connected to a radiator with

a fan, which moved the hot air off the radiator

through air ducts to heat his home,” Garry

recalls as one example.

But the exotic requests are all taken in stride.

Aft er all, FSR, which recently expanded into

a new, 13,000 square-foot facility, is highly

committed to customer satisfaction. They

pride themselves on accomplishments such

as the triple pass radiator, which is touted as

the ultimate cooling solution for the grueling

conditions found on the track—such as those

experienced by sprint car drivers.

It’s been said that in order to appreciate Sprint

car racing, you have to see it in action. With its

open wheel design, large 5’x 5’ wing, mounted

just above the driver’s head, and powerful V8

engine just inches from the driver’s knees, you

can feel the excitement even when the ignition

is switched off . It’s something that always stays

with you. And when you can, it’s something you

like to pass along.

Aft er 36 years of racing, last year Garry Bell

retired from the sport. He still owns a Sprint

car, and you can still fi nd him trackside. But the

torch has been passed, and these days Garry is

cheering on his protégé, his son Brian.

“The punch allows us to control everything.”

Who: Four Seasons Radiator, Memphis, TN, Established in 1981. www.fsrproducts.com and www.fsrradiator.com

What: FSR Racing Products supplies high performance all aluminum radiators to the racing community, and FSR Radiator specializes in building custom radiators for ground support equipment.

How: TruPunch 1000

Four Seasons Radiator

CUSTOMER FOCUS CUSTOMER FOCUS

Memphis, Tennessee is an eclectic place that’s steeped in American

history. Th e city, which has earned an honored place in music, is home

to legends such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and B.B. King.

If the soul of Memphis can be found in its music, then its heartbeat

can be heard in an outlying, quarter-mile dirt track that comes to life

with the roar of stock cars, Sprint cars and throngs of racing fans.

And it’s the Sprint cars that captured the passion of Garry Bell, owner

of Memphis-based Four Seasons Radiator (FSR).

“Daddy started taking me to the track when I was about 8 or 9 years

old,” he recalls. At age 22, Garry purchased his own Sprint car.

Timing is everythingGarry’s career path was born from a need. When his race car’s radiator

was leaking, he struck up a conversation with a repair shop’s owner, who

happened to mention that he was looking for help. It was a fortuitous

meeting for the two men, because Garry just happened to be looking for

a job. Th at was back in 1975.

A few years later, in 1981, Garry went into business for himself, opening

Four Seasons Radiator. With only a few tools to start, most of the work

was done by hand. But then things changed.

FedEx Express’s global “super-hub,” which operates out of Memphis

International Airport, is the world’s largest airline in terms of volume of

freight moved and fl own daily. So it was no surprise to Garry when he

heard the company was experiencing over-heating issues with ground

support equipment.

“With 1500 baggage tugs moving tons of freight daily…they run their

equipment hard.”

FedEx was already one of FSR’s local customers, so the

company requested that Garry offer a solution to address the

overheating problem.

Custom radiators are this company’s niche

Four Seasons keeps it cool

Car racing is all in the family.

Garry Bell and his son, Brian.


FABRICATING

Gilles and Pascal Martinez vowed to

one day launch their own business, and

they did. Th e Métal Laser company

came to life in a shed located in an

industrial park in the village of Rousset,

which is in the Provence region of

southern France.

Th e shed was in desperate need of

repair, poorly illuminated and with

no heating. Th e fi rst thing the brothers

did was have a concrete slab poured in

order to set up their very fi rst machine:

a TruLaser 4050 with a fi ve kilowatt

laser, the highest-performing machine

available at the time.

From the very outset, the young

businessmen invested in f lexible

machines in order to cover a broad

range of orders. Th ey already knew

the market for processing sheet metal,

because both had worked for several

years in a laser-equipped job shop.

Th eir ramshackle shed has since been

transformed into a modern factory

building and offi ce complex, with new

machinery progressively added. Following in rapid sequence were a

TruLaser 3050, a TruLaser 4050 with a six kilowatt laser, and press brakes

such as the TruBend 5170.

“At the outset, the most diffi cult thing was keeping our employees

on board,” recalls Pascal. “Th e working conditions in the shed were just

that poor.”

Today, Métal Laser employs a crew of 35 and added a technical manager

to its executive staff .

Overcoming the oddsIt’s very rare for a company to expand its payroll tenfold in less than

six years’ time, let alone in the Provence region of France, which is an

area known more for its lavender than for fl ourishing industry. But the

Martinez frères did just that. And their success can be summed up in a

single sentence: “We never turn down a job.”

Or, rather, they pounce on every opportunity that comes their way.

Aside from a few small industrial outposts around Aix-en-Provence,

the region known as “Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur” is not home to any

major industries with strong growth rates. Instead, food processing,

services, tourism, and the construction industry set the course for

economic development in this picturesque countryside. It’s not without

good reason that many dream of retiring to Provence.

Residential construction and urban development are booming,

matching the rates of population growth—and Métal Laser has

capitalized on this opportunity.

“We submit a proposal for even the smallest steel sheet that needs to

be bent and drilled, and we off er delivery as soon as possible,” says Gilles,

who explains that the company works three, eight-hour shift s in order

to keep delivery times short.

New ideas drive businessAnother factor in the Martinez brothers’ success is their innovative

spirit. One example of this is when they surprised their customers with

a TruLaser Tube 7000. When they invited customers to the dedication of

their new facility in 2009, they had their new TruLaser Tube set up and

demonstrated how the machine could cut both round and rectangular

tubes quickly and easily.

“Most of our guests immediately saw the productivity built into that

machine,” remembers Gilles. Th e TruLaser Tube can, for example, be

used to make up a tubular frame by cutting three notches in the profi le.

Th en the frame needs only to be bent into shape by hand and the joints

welded. Th is omits the need for the conventional 45-degree cuts, which,

when fi lling a large order, kept one employee busy full time.

A good reputation goes farTh e Martinez brothers’ quality of work and commitment to innovation

did not go unnoticed within the region and beyond its borders. Word-

of-mouth advertising has worked perfectly well for these businessmen.

In fact, they almost blush with embarrassment when they

admit that word-of-mouth is the only strategy they have used to market

their company.

Admittedly, there is some talk about setting up a website. But in this

very down-to-earth company, everyday business takes precedence. Th e

customers come fi rst at Métal Laser. Th e Internet will just have to wait.

In less than six years, the

Martinez brothers turned

their small company into an

industrial gem—one rapid-

fi re step at a time.

Moving up

Giles and Pascal Martinez operate their sheet metal fabricating business in a region of the world known for its lovely lavender.

Who: Métal Laser, Rousset near Aix-en-Provence, France. Founded in 2004.

What: Cutting, bending and drilling tubes and sheet metal for furniture manufacturers, carpentry shops and metalworking companies that primarily serve the construction trade.

How: TruLaser 4050 (2), TruLaser 5030, TruLaser Tube 7000, TruBend 5170, and TruBend 5085.

Métal Laser

A spirit of innovation is at the core of Métal Laser.

“Most of our guests immediately saw the productivity built into that machine.”


FABRICATING

Gilles and Pascal Martinez vowed to

one day launch their own business, and

they did. Th e Métal Laser company

came to life in a shed located in an

industrial park in the village of Rousset,

which is in the Provence region of

southern France.

Th e shed was in desperate need of

repair, poorly illuminated and with

no heating. Th e fi rst thing the brothers

did was have a concrete slab poured in

order to set up their very fi rst machine:

a TruLaser 4050 with a fi ve kilowatt

laser, the highest-performing machine

available at the time.

From the very outset, the young

businessmen invested in f lexible

machines in order to cover a broad

range of orders. Th ey already knew

the market for processing sheet metal,

because both had worked for several

years in a laser-equipped job shop.

Th eir ramshackle shed has since been

transformed into a modern factory

building and offi ce complex, with new

machinery progressively added. Following in rapid sequence were a

TruLaser 3050, a TruLaser 4050 with a six kilowatt laser, and press brakes

such as the TruBend 5170.

“At the outset, the most diffi cult thing was keeping our employees

on board,” recalls Pascal. “Th e working conditions in the shed were just

that poor.”

Today, Métal Laser employs a crew of 35 and added a technical manager

to its executive staff .

Overcoming the oddsIt’s very rare for a company to expand its payroll tenfold in less than

six years’ time, let alone in the Provence region of France, which is an

area known more for its lavender than for fl ourishing industry. But the

Martinez frères did just that. And their success can be summed up in a

single sentence: “We never turn down a job.”

Or, rather, they pounce on every opportunity that comes their way.

Aside from a few small industrial outposts around Aix-en-Provence,

the region known as “Provence-Alpes-Cote d’Azur” is not home to any

major industries with strong growth rates. Instead, food processing,

services, tourism, and the construction industry set the course for

economic development in this picturesque countryside. It’s not without

good reason that many dream of retiring to Provence.

Residential construction and urban development are booming,

matching the rates of population growth—and Métal Laser has

capitalized on this opportunity.

“We submit a proposal for even the smallest steel sheet that needs to

be bent and drilled, and we off er delivery as soon as possible,” says Gilles,

who explains that the company works three, eight-hour shift s in order

to keep delivery times short.

New ideas drive businessAnother factor in the Martinez brothers’ success is their innovative

spirit. One example of this is when they surprised their customers with

a TruLaser Tube 7000. When they invited customers to the dedication of

their new facility in 2009, they had their new TruLaser Tube set up and

demonstrated how the machine could cut both round and rectangular

tubes quickly and easily.

“Most of our guests immediately saw the productivity built into that

machine,” remembers Gilles. Th e TruLaser Tube can, for example, be

used to make up a tubular frame by cutting three notches in the profi le.

Th en the frame needs only to be bent into shape by hand and the joints

welded. Th is omits the need for the conventional 45-degree cuts, which,

when fi lling a large order, kept one employee busy full time.

A good reputation goes farTh e Martinez brothers’ quality of work and commitment to innovation

did not go unnoticed within the region and beyond its borders. Word-

of-mouth advertising has worked perfectly well for these businessmen.

In fact, they almost blush with embarrassment when they

admit that word-of-mouth is the only strategy they have used to market

their company.

Admittedly, there is some talk about setting up a website. But in this

very down-to-earth company, everyday business takes precedence. Th e

customers come fi rst at Métal Laser. Th e Internet will just have to wait.

In less than six years, the

Martinez brothers turned

their small company into an

industrial gem—one rapid-

fi re step at a time.

Moving up

Giles and Pascal Martinez operate their sheet metal fabricating business in a region of the world known for its lovely lavender.

Who: Métal Laser, Rousset near Aix-en-Provence, France. Founded in 2004.

What: Cutting, bending and drilling tubes and sheet metal for furniture manufacturers, carpentry shops and metalworking companies that primarily serve the construction trade.

How: TruLaser 4050 (2), TruLaser 5030, TruLaser Tube 7000, TruBend 5170, and TruBend 5085.

Métal Laser

A spirit of innovation is at the core of Métal Laser.

“Most of our guests immediately saw the productivity built into that machine.”


Vollis Simpson had just fi nished eating supper.

He’d put in a full day at his workshop, where,

even at age 92, he can be found almost every

day. His wife, Jean, had settled him in to a

comfortable chair by the telephone in his

Lucama, North Carolina home, near Raleigh,

where he chatted for a little while with a writer

for the TRUMPF Express.

A high school graduate and veteran of the

United States Army Air Corps, Mr. Simpson

has become famous for his colorful whirligigs

that spin with movement generated by the wind.

He conceives their designs in his imagination,

and then he uses the medium of sheet metal to

bring them to life.

Mr. Simpson’s work falls into the genre

of “Outsider Art,” a term that broadly

defi nes a category of work by artists who are

self-taught and have little contact with the

art world.

He has, however, become downright

famous in the past few years. His whirligigs—

or windmills, as he prefers to call them—

have appeared in the window of New York

department store Bergdorf Goodman, and he

created the signature piece for the American

Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore.

Some of Mr. Simpson’s colorful whirligigs

are as tall as 50 feet and weigh as much as six

tons, while others will fi t comfortably on a

small bookshelf.

You get the sense that Mr. Simpson, who

is part artist, part engineer, seems somewhat

confounded by all of this attention as well as

the fact that his whirligig-windmills are taken

very seriously in academic and artistic circles.

It seems that what he enjoys the most, other

than creating these magical metal masterpieces,

is talking about them with regular folks who

happen to fi nd their way down Wiggins Mill

Road to what Mr. Simpson calls his “farm” of

whirligigs—or else telephone him.

What did you make in your workshop today?

Believe it or not, I am making little turkeys.

I just happened to make big turkeys, and

I thought I would make some little ones. So

little turkeys and chickens are what I’m doing

right now.

Do you know what your whirligigs—or

windmills—are going to look like before you

begin working on them, or do you let the metal

decide for you ?

I get an idea and look around to see if I see

the sheet metal to do it. I’ve made dogs out of

sheet metal salvaged from boats. I’ve made a

nuts-and-bolts dog with a propeller for a tail.

And angels, bicycles, dogs, cats, mules, a team

of horses pulling a wagon, a man strumming

a guitar… . I used to run to the salvage yard to

see what they had, but now I go right to Dillon

Supply Company once a week and get exactly

what I need. It’s about 20 miles away.

What prompted you to start making your

windmills?

I’ve always fi xed things. I was World War II in

the Pacifi c for a year, and I made a windmill

from parts of a junked B-29 bomber that

generated power for a giant washing machine

for soldiers’ clothes. I wanted to bring it back,

but someone stole it.

Aft er the war, I was in the business of repairing

tractors. For 50 years there wasn’t any time

left over; it was all work. But when I retired about

26 years ago, I started making windmills.

You use an acetylene cutting torch to create

your windmills. Is there a little bit of danger

involved in your artwork?

Well, I did spend a couple of days in the hospital

a few years back when I caught my shirt on fi re.

I’ve caught on fi re a few times since then but

managed to put it out.

Windmills are increasing in popularity

because they supply a form of alternative

energy—like your windmill in WW II that

powered a washing machine. What do you

think of using windmills as an alternative

form of energy in the 21st century?

I wondered why they hadn’t done it earlier.

PERSONALITIES

Express Vol. 1/1128

PERSONALITIES

What was once a hobby for Vollis Simpson

has turned into serious artwork

Whirligigs and windmills


Vollis Simpson had just fi nished eating supper.

He’d put in a full day at his workshop, where,

even at age 92, he can be found almost every

day. His wife, Jean, had settled him in to a

comfortable chair by the telephone in his

Lucama, North Carolina home, near Raleigh,

where he chatted for a little while with a writer

for the TRUMPF Express.

A high school graduate and veteran of the

United States Army Air Corps, Mr. Simpson

has become famous for his colorful whirligigs

that spin with movement generated by the wind.

He conceives their designs in his imagination,

and then he uses the medium of sheet metal to

bring them to life.

Mr. Simpson’s work falls into the genre

of “Outsider Art,” a term that broadly

defi nes a category of work by artists who are

self-taught and have little contact with the

art world.

He has, however, become downright

famous in the past few years. His whirligigs—

or windmills, as he prefers to call them—

have appeared in the window of New York

department store Bergdorf Goodman, and he

created the signature piece for the American

Visionary Art Museum in Baltimore.

Some of Mr. Simpson’s colorful whirligigs

are as tall as 50 feet and weigh as much as six

tons, while others will fi t comfortably on a

small bookshelf.

You get the sense that Mr. Simpson, who

is part artist, part engineer, seems somewhat

confounded by all of this attention as well as

the fact that his whirligig-windmills are taken

very seriously in academic and artistic circles.

It seems that what he enjoys the most, other

than creating these magical metal masterpieces,

is talking about them with regular folks who

happen to fi nd their way down Wiggins Mill

Road to what Mr. Simpson calls his “farm” of

whirligigs—or else telephone him.

What did you make in your workshop today?

Believe it or not, I am making little turkeys.

I just happened to make big turkeys, and

I thought I would make some little ones. So

little turkeys and chickens are what I’m doing

right now.

Do you know what your whirligigs—or

windmills—are going to look like before you

begin working on them, or do you let the metal

decide for you ?

I get an idea and look around to see if I see

the sheet metal to do it. I’ve made dogs out of

sheet metal salvaged from boats. I’ve made a

nuts-and-bolts dog with a propeller for a tail.

And angels, bicycles, dogs, cats, mules, a team

of horses pulling a wagon, a man strumming

a guitar… . I used to run to the salvage yard to

see what they had, but now I go right to Dillon

Supply Company once a week and get exactly

what I need. It’s about 20 miles away.

What prompted you to start making your

windmills?

I’ve always fi xed things. I was World War II in

the Pacifi c for a year, and I made a windmill

from parts of a junked B-29 bomber that

generated power for a giant washing machine

for soldiers’ clothes. I wanted to bring it back,

but someone stole it.

Aft er the war, I was in the business of repairing

tractors. For 50 years there wasn’t any time

left over; it was all work. But when I retired about

26 years ago, I started making windmills.

You use an acetylene cutting torch to create

your windmills. Is there a little bit of danger

involved in your artwork?

Well, I did spend a couple of days in the hospital

a few years back when I caught my shirt on fi re.

I’ve caught on fi re a few times since then but

managed to put it out.

Windmills are increasing in popularity

because they supply a form of alternative

energy—like your windmill in WW II that

powered a washing machine. What do you

think of using windmills as an alternative

form of energy in the 21st century?

I wondered why they hadn’t done it earlier.

PERSONALITIES

Express Vol. 1/1128

PERSONALITIES

What was once a hobby for Vollis Simpson

has turned into serious artwork

Whirligigs and windmills


CREDITS

TRUMPF Express 1/11Magazine for Sheet Metal Processing

Published by

TRUMPF Inc.

Farmington, CT 06032

www.us.trumpf.com

Responsible for the content

Sheila LaMothe

Editor-in-Chief

Melanie McMillan

860-255-6112

[email protected]

Editorial Staff

Mike Gordon

Susan Grohs

Sheila LaMothe

Taryn Murphy

Nathalie Reuster

Design and production

John Mik, MIK Advertising & Design

Printing and assembly

Paladin Commercial Printers, LLC

Contributors

Keri Bailey

Connecticut Center for Advanced

Technology (CCAT)

Flynn Ink

pr + co. gmbh, Stuttgart

The Facts About Modern Manufacturing:

8th Edition, 2009

Tammy Tragakiss

Photographs

Steve Adams

Jo Laura Bell

Dwight Cendowski

Dale DeGabriele

Leonard Simpson

Emilio Toledo

Anthony Works


For generations, the Slinky has

been enjoyed by children all

across America. Th e toy

itself is unimpressive

at fi rst glance; aft er

all, it is a simple

p l i a b l e m e t a l

spring. It took the

creative, childlike

mind of a World

War II era engineer

to turn something so

seemingly ordinary into

a beloved American icon

that has been appreciated

for decades.

In 1943, a naval engineer by the name of

Richard James was developing a mechanism to

monitor the horsepower on battleships. While

at work, a torsion spring fell from the table.

James took a moment to watch how the spring

bounced from a stack of books to a tabletop

and then to the fl oor, where it recoiled and

stood upright. Ostensibly a kid at heart, he later

remarked to his wife Betty that he believed he

could manufacture and market a children’s toy

that employed the same concept.

James took the spring home that evening

and went right to work. His goal was to fi nd a

suitable material that would allow the spring

to “walk,” as he put it, which he accomplished

by experimenting with diff erent coils and steel

gauges. He eventually perfected his formula

and introduced the toy to his wife. Betty was

initially unconvinced by the potential success

of the toy, but upon positive reception from

the neighborhood children, concluded it was

a worthy endeavor. She came upon the word

Slinky, meaning sleek and graceful, in the

dictionary and thus the Slinky was dubbed.

With a $500 loan, Richard and Betty founded

the James Spring and Wire Company (later

James Industries). Th ey hired a local machine

shop to manufacture the fi rst 400 Slinkies,

which were 2 ½ inches tall with 98

coils of high-grade blue-black

Swedish steel, and priced

them at $1 a piece. Aft er

experiencing dismal

sales in local toy stores,

in November 1945,

Gimbels department

store in Philadelphia

agreed to allow the

Jameses to set up

shop in their toy

section.

Th e Slinky was an

instant hit. Th e 400

units sold out in a

mere ninety minutes, and prompted the Slinky

to be introduced at the 1946 American Toy Fair

in New York City. Business took off in the 1950s,

and Betty James, now with full faith in the

Slinky creation, had taken over operations by

1960. She experienced great success aft er moving

the company to Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania

and expanding the Slinky product line. Th e

series now includes pocket-sized and colorful

plastic versions, as well as the Slinky Dog and

Slinky Train.

Today, the Slinky is still an adored staple

of American childhood. It has been featured

on its own commemorative postage stamp,

participated on a NASA space mission, and

been named one of the top 10 toys of the

20th century by the Discovery and History

Channels. To date, over 300 million Slinkies

have been sold. As the memorable Slinky

jingle affi rms, “A spring, a spring, a marvelous

thing;” the Slinky’s success is owed plainly to

its wonderful simplicity.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slinky

http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinventions/a/slinky.htm

http://www.ideafi nder.com/history/inventions/slinky.htm

http://www.poof-slinky.com/Slinky-Museum/Slinky-History/

http://www.slinkyprint.com/slinky_history.htm

A beloved childhood toy, the Slinky, holds

magical memories for many.

Tricks of steel

The Slinky, or “lazy spring,” is able to execute interesting contortions thanks to gravity and momentum.


CREDITS

TRUMPF Express 1/11Magazine for Sheet Metal Processing

Published by

TRUMPF Inc.

Farmington, CT 06032

www.us.trumpf.com

Responsible for the content

Sheila LaMothe

Editor-in-Chief

Melanie McMillan

860-255-6112

[email protected]

Editorial Staff

Mike Gordon

Susan Grohs

Sheila LaMothe

Taryn Murphy

Nathalie Reuster

Design and production

John Mik, MIK Advertising & Design

Printing and assembly

Paladin Commercial Printers, LLC

Contributors

Keri Bailey

Connecticut Center for Advanced

Technology (CCAT)

Flynn Ink

pr + co. gmbh, Stuttgart

The Facts About Modern Manufacturing:

8th Edition, 2009

Tammy Tragakiss

Photographs

Steve Adams

Jo Laura Bell

Dwight Cendowski

Dale DeGabriele

Leonard Simpson

Emilio Toledo

Anthony Works


For generations, the Slinky has

been enjoyed by children all

across America. Th e toy

itself is unimpressive

at fi rst glance; aft er

all, it is a simple

p l i a b l e m e t a l

spring. It took the

creative, childlike

mind of a World

War II era engineer

to turn something so

seemingly ordinary into

a beloved American icon

that has been appreciated

for decades.

In 1943, a naval engineer by the name of

Richard James was developing a mechanism to

monitor the horsepower on battleships. While

at work, a torsion spring fell from the table.

James took a moment to watch how the spring

bounced from a stack of books to a tabletop

and then to the fl oor, where it recoiled and

stood upright. Ostensibly a kid at heart, he later

remarked to his wife Betty that he believed he

could manufacture and market a children’s toy

that employed the same concept.

James took the spring home that evening

and went right to work. His goal was to fi nd a

suitable material that would allow the spring

to “walk,” as he put it, which he accomplished

by experimenting with diff erent coils and steel

gauges. He eventually perfected his formula

and introduced the toy to his wife. Betty was

initially unconvinced by the potential success

of the toy, but upon positive reception from

the neighborhood children, concluded it was

a worthy endeavor. She came upon the word

Slinky, meaning sleek and graceful, in the

dictionary and thus the Slinky was dubbed.

With a $500 loan, Richard and Betty founded

the James Spring and Wire Company (later

James Industries). Th ey hired a local machine

shop to manufacture the fi rst 400 Slinkies,

which were 2 ½ inches tall with 98

coils of high-grade blue-black

Swedish steel, and priced

them at $1 a piece. Aft er

experiencing dismal

sales in local toy stores,

in November 1945,

Gimbels department

store in Philadelphia

agreed to allow the

Jameses to set up

shop in their toy

section.

Th e Slinky was an

instant hit. Th e 400

units sold out in a

mere ninety minutes, and prompted the Slinky

to be introduced at the 1946 American Toy Fair

in New York City. Business took off in the 1950s,

and Betty James, now with full faith in the

Slinky creation, had taken over operations by

1960. She experienced great success aft er moving

the company to Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania

and expanding the Slinky product line. Th e

series now includes pocket-sized and colorful

plastic versions, as well as the Slinky Dog and

Slinky Train.

Today, the Slinky is still an adored staple

of American childhood. It has been featured

on its own commemorative postage stamp,

participated on a NASA space mission, and

been named one of the top 10 toys of the

20th century by the Discovery and History

Channels. To date, over 300 million Slinkies

have been sold. As the memorable Slinky

jingle affi rms, “A spring, a spring, a marvelous

thing;” the Slinky’s success is owed plainly to

its wonderful simplicity.

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slinky

http://inventors.about.com/od/sstartinventions/a/slinky.htm

http://www.ideafi nder.com/history/inventions/slinky.htm

http://www.poof-slinky.com/Slinky-Museum/Slinky-History/

http://www.slinkyprint.com/slinky_history.htm

A beloved childhood toy, the Slinky, holds

magical memories for many.

Tricks of steel

The Slinky, or “lazy spring,” is able to execute interesting contortions thanks to gravity and momentum.

Mutable Metal

One company thrives on the challenge of navigating through choppy waters. Advanced Metal Components in Swainsboro,

Georgia has a compass that includes a spirit of tenacity, combined with patience, frugality and effi ciency. Th ese are guiding

principles at AMC, which uses TRUMPF equipment to supply contract manufacturing services to businesses in the industrial

equipment, medical, refrigeration, recreation, mass transit, and telecommunications industries. AMC’s creative, innovative

approach to developing solutions for their customers enables them to easily swim upstream. Th ey even help rivers and

streams keep their sparkle; the company lends a hand in the manufacture of the Bandalong Litter Trap, a device that utilizes

the natural energy of fl owing water to capture and remove fl oating pollutants and debris from our waterways.

Documents

TRUMPF Express V1-11