General information

Plant size:   13,600 sq. ft.
Established: 1996
Quality department
Core processing capabilities:
Abrasive waterjet cutting, waterjet trimming, waterjet drilling and five-axis waterjet machining.

Advanced waterjet capabilities:
Processing of all materials without heat-affected zone or re-cast layers. Capabilities include rotary tables, multiple-head stations, 5-axis robotic processing, high-speed cutting, precision shaped-hole drilling, tube machining, shuttle tables and large gantries.
Prototypes to low-volume and large production runs. Complete parts manufacturing. Five-axis waterjet processing. High-Definition Abrasive Waterjet Machining^TM, including precision cutting and drilling, small-hole drillling, screen production, surface modification and preparation, thin-kerf cutting, and high-pressure coating removal and cleaning.

Specifications:
Maximum thickness: Virtually unlimited. LAI's waterjets have cut titanium as thick as 15 inches.
Surface finishes: 125 to 500 RMS depending on speed.
Positional tolerances: As accurate as ±0.002 inches, depending on application.
Hole drilling: Holes as small as 0.020 inches in diameter.
Capacity: Up to 10,000 pounds.
Table sizes: Work areas as large as 13 x 15 x 5 feet.
Materials processed: Extensive database of parameters for materials including metals, composites, glass and stone.
Programming: In-house CNC programming. Nesting capabilities to maximize material usage.

Waterjet workstations:   5
Waterjet heads:   8
Intensifiers:   4

Waterjet Workstation 1: Five-Axis Cutting System
• Cutting heads: 1
• X axis travel: 96 inches
• Y axis travel: 72 inches
• Z axis travel: 24 inches
• B axis travel: ± 270 º
• C axis travel: ± 360 º
• Linear positional accuracy: ± 0.005 inches
• Repeatability: ± 0.002 inches
• Cutting table capacity: 100 lbs./sq. ft.
  
  Waterjet Workstation 2: Five-Axis System
• Cutting heads: 1
• X, Y, Z, B and C travel
• Linear positional accuracy: ± 0.005 inches
• Repeatability: ± 0.002 inches
• Cutting table capacity: 63" x 111"
  

Waterjet Workstation 3: Multi-Head Cutting System
• Cutting heads: 2
• X axis travel: 48.5 inches
• Y axis travel: 96.5 inches;
• Y axis indexed cut: 145.5 inches
• Z axis travel: 12 inches
• Dynamic positional accuracy: ± 0.005 inches
• Repeatability ± 0.002 inches
• Cutting table capacity 200 lbs./sq. ft.
  
 
Waterjet Workstation 4: Large Table Cutting System
• Cutting heads: 1
• X, Y and Z travel
• Linear positional accuracy ± 0.002 inches
• Repeatability ± 0.008 inches
• Cutting table capacity: 19 feet x 7 feet
  

Workstation 5: Two-Head, Four-Axis Cutting System
• Cutting heads: 2
• X axis travel: 72 inches
• Y axis travel: 96 inches
• Z axis travel: 12 inches
• C axis travel: Rotary 360º
• Linear positional accuracy: ± 0.005 inches
• Repeatability: ± 0.002 inches
• Cutting table capacity: 100 lbs./sq. ft.

Machining and Tooling Capabilities
LAI Southwest provides secondary machining, including CNC machining services, and in-house design and manufacturing of fixtures to customers' requirements. Qualified sub-contractors are available for work beyond our capacity.

De-burring equipment
• Air grinders
• Belt sanders
• Bench grinders
• Hand sanders
• Passivation treatment
• Sand blasters
• Surface grinders, 6 inches x 18 inches
• Vibratory tumbler
  

Drilling machines
• Automatic CNC mini-drill attachment waterjet, maximum 0.19 inches chuck diameter
• Wilton 20-inch drill press
  

Fabricating equipment
• Arbor presses, 3
• Assembly work cell for riveting, adhesives and hardware assembly
• Bench manual bender
• Bender, 90-ton, 4' x 8' capacity, CNC controlled
• Box brake
• Shear/brake, 30" capacity
• Shear/brake, 48" capacity
  

Machining equipment
• Bridgeport vertical milling machine with DRO
• TOS horizontal lathe, 13 inches x 40 inches 
  

Material handling equipment
• Forklift, 4,000-pound capacity
• Overhead bridge crane, 6,000-pound capacity
• Vacuum material lift attachment
  

Sawing
• Cut-off saws, 2
• Wilton horizontal band saw, 7 inches x 12 inches
  

Welding equipment
• Hobart Beta-Mig welding equipment
• Oxy acetylene torch
  

Additional equipment
• Assembly and fabrication stations for riveting, adhesives, hardware assembly and other operations
• Sandblasting booths, 4