The production of
ratchet rings for
Ash Safety’s load
arrestor blocks are
being produced on
this Omax waterjet
machine
High water marks
Safety equipment specialist chooses Omax; fi lm set expert installs Techni machine; motorsport team
taps into Flow technology. Steed Webzell has the details
“The new Omax waterjet allows us
to produce ratchet rings for our
load arrestor blocks, high
performance rockers for motorcycles and
custom marine engine transom plates,”
states Andre Beard, owner of Honiton-based
Ash Safety. “Our APL load arrestors can
hold rivet guns and tools weighing up to
800 kg each. Jaguar Land Rover uses our
APLs as there was no other device on the
market that could ful l their exact
requirements. The introduction of these
units has increased safety signi cantly.”
Formed in 2009, Ash Safety is a
22-employee company that specialises in
the hire, maintenance and repair of personal
protective equipment, as well as other safety
gear. In addition, the operation customises
safety solutions to meet the desired
parameters of its customers. It is in this
customisation that the Devon-based rm
utilises its Omax 2626 abrasive waterjet.
“The manufacture of products unique to
the company has always been the main goal
and new innovations are constantly under
development,” says Beard. “We usually take
speci cations from a client that has a
particular issue that needs to be resolved.
This is then studied and a concept prototype
developed that will deliver the exact
parameters requested by the client, with all
the safety features assured.”
The nished production part is then either
outsourced or, if the manufacture is within
capacity, produced in-house at Ash Safety.
VERSATILE IN APPLICATION
Sited on the company’s shop oor, the Omax
2626 is a fast and precise machine with the
versatility to cut virtually any material.
Featuring a cutting envelope of 737 by
660 mm, the machine is coupled with a
200 l abrasive hopper, allowing the company
to cut for hours with minimal downtime.
Also part of the package is a 22 kW Omax
EnduroMax pump, which is speci cally
engineered to simplify maintenance, through
features such as independent cylinders.
The combination of cutting table, hopper
and pump is geared to increase uptime,
accommodating hour upon hour of
continuous waterjet cutting. In addition, the
Intelli-Max software suite is said to be both
easy to learn and easy to use.
“The fact that the Omax software is free
for the life of ownership – with all upgrades
WATERJET CUTTING INDUSTRY JET SETTERS
– and that the software can be loaded to any
laptop, were a large factor in the investment
decision,” says Beard.
“Our products are today commonplace
within the UK automotive, aerospace and
water industries,” he adds. “Certain lines
now also have agents worldwide and on this
we hope to expand.”
Not only does the use of Ash Safety’s
Omax allow it to reach a wide range of
industries, but since the company is able to
cut on demand, there is no need to keep a
warehouse full of products. Beard explains
that the company is able “to reduce
stockholding costs and produce parts as
and when required, thanks to the waterjet
and our other machining capabilities”.
Ash Safety has used its 2626 model to
cut CZ114 brass, bronze, 316 stainless
steel, tool steel and Perspex, with materials
ranging in thickness from 2 to 25 mm. Omax
machines are available in the UK from
Aquajet (https://is.gd/bokuva).
Another company bene ting from recent
investment is London Waterjet, a High
Wycombe-based subcontractor that has
been supplying a pro le cutting service,
predominantly to the lm set industry, for
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