Recent Projects & Case Studies

News from Fedtech

• Our new website is set to launch soon! Are you excited? You should be. The new design is going to be incredible, and we're eagerly anticipating our chance to show it off! Watch for the official announcement and then check it out. You'll definitely be pleasantly surprised!!
• As of today, you have 22 days left to enter our drawing for some freebies! Click here: http://www.fedtech.com/free to enter your email to win this month's prize! We draw a winner on July 1st, so watch your inbox!
• Did you know that we send you free stuff just for sending people our way? It's true. We appreciate the fact that word of mouth is a great way for customers to find us. We've sent out T-shirts, hats, and mugs to some great people who referred us to their friends. So go ahead and do the same and make sure they let us know you sent them! :)

Now, onto some neat projects and case studies that you may have been missing, due to http://www.fedtech.com/ being down for updates. So, get your fill here instead. See the following case studies and simply enjoy!  

1. WATERJET CUTTING 7.5" THICK CARBON STEEL
Take one look at these parts featured here and it won't take long for you to notice that this material is incredibly thick. How thick? Well these parts were cut from 7.5" thick carbon steel (A36). The best way to cut this thick of carbon steel is to use abrasive waterjet cutting. We were able to cut through the material using multiple cutting heads (cutting down turnaround times) and waterjet cutting efficiently lacks heat affected zones (HAZ) as well.

2. LASER CUT 310 STAINLESS STEEL

These bite-sized parts here fit right in the palm of my hand as you can see in the photo at the right. These 3" in diameter, circular, perforated steel parts were laser cut at Fedtech from 310 stainless steel. Each part featured 241 holes, at .098" in diameter each. The material itself, was .098" (2.5mm) thick.

SIDEBAR: Are you wondering about waterjet cutting or laser cutting and what they are, or which is better for your project? Find more on those processes on our company website, click here for waterjet cutting, and here for laser cutting.

That's all I have for this morning. Stay posted for updates!

Sarah

About Us Images

Oil Giant, BP, to Fix What They Broke

We try to stay on top of what's happening in the manufacturing industry, and well, I don't think it's any news to you that there's oil floating around in the gulf. But in case you haven't heard all the facts, here's what we've found that's currently up-to-date:

• It may not seem life-threatening to us (or you may be concerned about the animals) but did you know that 11 people were killed on April 20th in the Transocean Deepwater Horizon rig explosion? (Image shown on right, taken by the U.S. Coast Guard)
• The daily flow rate is more than 12,000 to 25,000 barrels a day. While "the Discoverer Enterprise drill ship can only handle 15,000 barrels a day" (New York Times, Coast Guard Sees Cleanup of Spill Lasting Until the Fall, June 6, 2010).
• "BP executives have said that as much as 90 percent of the escaping oil may be contained by the cap if all goes well. The cap is a temporary measure. The well cannot be cemented shut until two relief wells are drilled, by August at the earliest" (NYT, Cap Slows Gulf Oil Leak as Engineers Move Cautiously, June 5, 2010).
• Over 20,000 people are working to protect the coastlines.
• To help respond, Obama send 17,500 National Guard troops.
• The flow is coming from a 18,000-foot-deep well, where the best solution to this problem is to instate relief wells to stop the flow.
• "BP has sent $46 million in checks so far to some 17,500 Gulf Coast residents for their lost income" (NYT, BP Pays Out Claims, but Satisfaction is Not Included, June 6, 2010).
• The oil spill as of May 17, 2010 (a little outdated) was 130 miles long and 70 miles wide (The Daily Green, The Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill By the Numbers, June 7, 2010).

There is also a site that you can use to put the spill into perspective. At http://www.ifitwasmyhome.com/ - you can visualize how large the spill is according to your town. You type in your city and it maps the spill in scale to your surroundings. A very cool tool to see exactly what we're dealing with out there on the Gulf Coast. When you look at the map, keep in mind it's continuing to expand as wind and nature take hold. (Image at right credit: Los Angeles Times)

It appears that it may be a long while until we can see major improvements on the disaster. Some project until August, others until Fall. However, there are many places seeking to help the cause. Here are a few:

1. National Wildlife Refuge
2. American Red Cross
3. Mad Mobile Text Campaign
4. SaveOurGulf.org

If you find any of our information to be incorrect, or if you'd like to add any details, please leave a comment below. We welcome them!


Stay current.


Sarah





Total Blog Directory

Top Four Ways to Minimize Production Costs

Have you taken notice of raw material prices lately? Depending on which industry you're focused in, you may notice increasing prices, or you may see decreasing prices. You'll be glad to find out that you're not the only person out there being conscientious of how much money you're spending.

As seen on TTI Inc's website, "raw material prices have been on the rise and are impacting every company in the electronics supply chain." Now, this doesn't have to focus primarily on the electronics industry, as these materials are used in industries across the board.

Focusing in on Aluminum, Copper, Gold, Lead, Nickel, Oil, Platinum, Silver, Steel, Tin and Zinc - the website gives a nice graph of the impact of these material prices on the cost of connectors.

(Source: http://www.ttiinc.com/object/ME_Materials_Aluminum)

That being said, you can see there was a surplus back around November '08 through July of '09 and we've been steadily increasing ever since. Many industries are affected by this increase, including defense/military, aerospace, architecture, retail displays and storefronts, automotive, and more.

Now take a look at steel prices. The opposite can be said of this raw material, for the spike it took around April of '08 through December of '08 (around the same time as aluminum's downward spiral) was the highest steel prices had been in rougly three years. As for right now, steel prices are still relatively high according to the mean (excluding the peak stated above).

(Source: http://www.ttiinc.com/object/ME_Materials_Steel)

How about copper? A widely used material in automotive, architectural and more; has prices soaring as of late. Customers in this bracket have become weary of the high prices that started increasing back in January of 2009 and has made it up to $8,000 per metric ton as of late. This material, though expensive in general, has become even more costly to process.

Rubber, a major resource for numerous industries, has climbed almost 74% this year after rising 92% in 2009 (Wall Street Journal, April 23, 2010). While it's supply is 'tight', says the Wall Street Journal, due to "wet winter weather in the rubber-producing nations in Southeast Asia". Lumber costs (construction costs) also take a hit and are up nearly 59%.

So what can we do?

It's inevitable that if your industry relies on these materials, you will need the materials. There's simply no working around it. But there are some options to how you can keep your processing cost-effective instead of paying high fees to get the job done.

1. Nest your material. As you can see in the image on the right, these parts have been tightly nested into the material to really make the most of the material (minimize drop/scrap). This method of manufacturing saves customers money by cutting down on material costs.

2. Make sure your vendor shops around. Your job shop has loads of contacts where they can get pricing on material. Some of these shops have gotten material at times when material was cheaper and thus can save you money on your material. Other shops may have just gotten a new shipment in and paid a higher price for it. Make sure your job shop does their homework and gets you the lowest price possible. As a general rule at Fedtech, this is the way we make our projects work.

3. Combine your projects for higher quantities. If you think you'll need more of the parts that you are producing, let your supplier know. Usually when you produce higher quantities, prices will drop. Low quantities will provide you a higher price, so see if you can't combine this month's order with next month's order and save yourself the time and capital.

4. Produce your own files. Do you have a CAD/CAM whiz in the office, or some way to create a print of your project? If so, do it. You will save yourself the cost of a programmer engineer or estimator. Not only this, but your project will be easier to quote, and can likely obtain a shorter turn around time on your project(s).

In an economy where budgets are tight and every penny counts, make the most of your resources by following these four rules. It may not get you free manufacturing, but it can save you significant amounts of money in the long-run.

Have a great Monday!

Sarah

Fedtech, Inc.

Become a Fedtech Facebook Fan

It's true, Fedtech's been on Facebook for a while now - but just as of late, we've acquired enough fans to establish our own customized URL: http://www.facebook.com/Fedtech

While we are thrilled at how many awesome fans we have, we're of course open to building a larger group! So - we're spreading the word that on this Thursday (May 13, 2010) we are going to randomly select one facebook fan and get them a free Fedtech coffee mug, just to say thanks for being our fans!

Our facebook page consists of updates on case studies, cool projects, and other fun stuff that wouldn't usually be posted on the formal website. We also acknowledge previous customers and fun projects we've completed for them. Along with recognize employees and other fun stuff.

So what are you waiting for; Check it out already! (You might even win a free coffee mug... who could resist?)

Some Fedtech Cutting Projects

So maybe you're pretty savvy when it comes to the internet. If that's the case, then you've probably heard of Twitpic.com, but in the case that you haven't, don't worry because you're hearing about it now. Twitpic.com allows you to post photos and share them on Twitter. We've added quite a few now and have a good-sized collection. You can check out our posted photos here: http://twitpic.com/photos/FedtechInc

Some of the photos that are shown there include previous case studies, but in all, it is our number one source for posting images. In other words, that's where you will find images that don't make it to the website, blog, or elsewhere.

An example of the latest pictures include:

1" thick waterjet cut UHMW

Custom machined brass handrail

Custom Aluminum business signage






And lots more. The images are always one-of-a-kind and sometimes if you're lucky, you'll find some photos from around the office of our cheerful squad in the sales and estimating department. It's always a surprise to see what pops up there, so be sure to check back often or just follow us on Twitter and get updates whenever a photo is posted on Twitpic!

Keep checking back here this week as well for a post on questions of the week and other good stuff from Fedtech!

Have a great day :)

Sarah

Blast from the Past

Have you ever seen our old blog? It's a little outdated, and not as cool as this one, but there are some memorable parts and events posted there. So if you are ever looking for some projects you've never seen before, maybe you just need to check that out!

Here's the link: http://fedtech.multiply.com/

There's old company picnic photos, along with some really cool projects and other cool stuff. Worth a look!

Manufacturing Blog Compilation

With so much buzz around social media, online networking, and just to take advantage of all the great sources out there, we've put together a list of some good blogs that were both submitted and discovered. The list is in no particular order. Be sure to comment or email me if you have your own blog to contribute.

1. Managing Automation Blog - Featuring numerous different authors on the topic of manufacturing and automation technology. (Thank you Chris!)

2. The Manufacturing Industry Blog - Featured by Xerox, she writes about industry trends and studies.

3. The IQS Newsroom - They say they are 'your source for industry news articles and industrial products and manufacturers'. I think that pretty much sums it up!

4. The Manufacturer - This website features articles from nearly any topic imagineable from all different sources. Founded in the UK, the information is cutting edge and very up-to-date. This particular link focuses in on sustainable manufacturing (eco-friendly/green).

5. IMAGINiT Manufacturing Solutions Blog - A personal, detailed blog about manufacturing software such as AutoCAD and Inventor. Moreso the engineering side of manufacturing here!

6. Lean Reflections - Featuring questions and answers (much like our blog) and observations, this one is set up by Karen Wilhelm whose specialty is lean manufacturing.

7. Green Inc. Blog - Featured in the New York Times, this green blog focuses on clean manufacturing along with environmentally friendly solutions.  

8. Marki Microwave Blog - A different industry than the above, Marki discusses technology, innovation and lots more. (Thanks for the submission Kristen!)


Well this should give you more than enough resources to check out when you feel like learning something new. Of course, don't forget to check back in here to see what new things we have to say as well!

Take care now!

Sarah