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SILICON VALLEY JOB SHOP ACHIEVES SUCCESS WITH PRIMA POWER MACHINES
Since A & J Precision Sheetmetal Inc., San Jose, CA, first opened its doors in 1995, the company has earned a stellar reputation as a leading job shop producing high-quality precision parts in
the demanding Silicon Valley. Over the 25 years, A & J has evolved from a one-man shop to a facility of 26,000-square- feet and 60 employees. According to Amrik Atwal, CEO, today A & J has 80 active customers in such industries as semiconductors, networking systems, 3D printing, and medical equipment. Atwal and his wife Jagtar run the company with their son Suki, vp operations. “We have many very smart high-tech customers in the Silicon Valley that keep coming up with new ideas and products,” explains Amrik Atwal. “Our challenge has been to keep up with technology to provide the best quality parts to this market.”
To meet this challenge, A & J has purchased a wide array of fabricating equipment over the years. The company’s relationship with Finn-Power, now Prima Power, goes back to 1995 when the company purchased its first Finn-Power turret punch press, the hydraulic TP2525. This relationship has grown over the years and includes several E5 servo-electric turret punch presses and an E6 Compact Express purchased in 2012. From 2016 to 2018, A & J also purchased three Prima Power eP servo-electric press brakes.
Prima Power eP Press Brakes
The Prima Power eP Press Brake is based on a rigid O-frame. This ensures tool alignment even under stress deformation since there is no horizontal displacement. The position of the upper beam, in relation to the lower beam, is measured by dual Y1 and Y2 linear encoders that are attached independently of the machine frame and are bed referenced. This design isolates ram positioning accuracy from any deflection in the side frames under load and maintains accurate positioning even during off- center bending operations. Ram repeatability on the eP- Series is ± 0.005 mm.
Ease of Programming & Maximum Productivity
An operator-friendly 17” touch screen user interface leads to a significant improvement of data input rates and a considerable reduction in programming time. 2D graphical programming with automatic bending sequencing will assist in making even first-time operators productive. The eP Press Brake features the advantages of high acceleration, deceleration, and fast response times of the servo-electric drive system. Compared to conventional brakes, considerable productivity increase can be reached; reduction of cycle times by up to 30% and more is the reality. “These press brakes have reduced our setup times and have dramatically increased accuracy,” says Amrik Atwal.
48 www.CNC-West.com CNC WEST June/July 2020
Article & Photos Supplied by Prima Power