SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., July 10, 2009 — LAI International, Inc., strategic supplier of precision components and subassemblies for original equipment manufacturers, announced it has expanded its Advanced Hole-Drilling Production Center to process turbine components for power generation and aerospace industries.
   The expansion, which took place at LAI’s contract manufacturing plant in Minneapolis, increases production capacity by 25 percent for high-speed waterjet coating removal, drilling and machining of shaped holes. The Advanced Hole-Drilling Production Center also features a development laboratory and flow-testing workstations that support drill-to-flow methods to achieve optimum flow performance and precise control in turbine components.
   “The latest waterjet workstations and supporting equipment are specially designed by our engineering group for advanced shaped hole drilling in a production environment and will increase our capacity to service our customer’s demands even more efficiently than before,” Frank Bailey, plant manager of LAI’s Minnesota facility, said.
    LAI’s engineering staff has pioneered development of processing shaped cooling holes using an enhanced abrasive waterjet technology that eliminates thermal distortion, re-cast layers and the need for secondary operations. LAI’s Advanced Drill-to-Flow Abrasive Waterjet ProcessTM drills precision shaped holes to diameters as small as 0.018 inches.
   “Our innovative process provides a number of advantages over non-traditional machining methods, such as reducing cycle-times, producing superior hole quality and allowing greater design freedom,” Darcy Dodge, director of strategic products for LAI.
   The process also allows for tighter flow control, improved hole profiles, elimination of re-cast layers and lower processing costs. The company’s specialized waterjet operations, which are used to cut slots in spacer bands and rings, excel at near-net cutting of difficult-to-machine materials, including stainless steel, Inconel, titanium and high-nickel-content super-alloys. The world leader in precision shaped hole drilling with abrasive waterjet technology, LAI processes blades, buckets, blisks, shrouds, nozzles, vanes, impingement plates and other precision turbine parts.
   The company uses advanced laser, EDM, abrasive waterjet, CNC grinding and CNC milling technologies to process precision components for industrial and aerospace gas turbines. LAI’s precision five-axis laser machining centers cut, weld and drill pre-formed, three-dimensional and rotary parts.

About LAI International
   LAI is a leading contract manufacturer of precision-engineered components and assemblies for aerospace, power generation, defense, medical and other advanced technology industries. The company’s technology, engineering and manufacturing solutions are used to build components for airframes, aircraft engines, power generators, defense systems, medical devices and other mission-critical applications.
   LAI has developed strategic relationships with leading global OEMs and operates five U.S. manufacturing facilities, with locations in Minneapolis, Phoenix, Tucson, Westminster, Md., and Scarborough, Maine – all of which are ISO 9001 and AS9100 certified. The company also offers NADCAP-certified non-conventional machining processes.
   LAI has developed innovative applications in advanced machining processes, including waterjet cutting and drilling, laser cutting, drilling, welding and heat-treating, EDM drilling, CNC EDM, high-speed EDM, conventional CNC machining, five-axis CNC machining and precision grinding. The company also provides gage calibration, tooling production, air-flow inspection and additional manufacturing services.
   For more information, see www.LAIco.com. 

  

Quick Facts about LAI International

- Founded in 1979

- Five U.S. manufacturing facilities: Phoenix, Tucson, Minneapolis, Westminster, Md., and Scarborough, Maine

- Corporate headquarters located in Scottsdale, Ariz.

- All facilities ISO 9001 | AS9100 certified

- GE Customer Impact of the Year Award winner

- Lockheed Martin Corporate STAR Supplier

- Northrop Grumman Platinum Source Preferred Supplier

- ACE Corporate Excellence Award winner, 2008

- Inc. 5,000 fastest-growing company, three-time award winner, 2007-09