Technology sees BWE through tough times

When Mark Piacun formed Blue Water Engineering (BWE) in 1982, little did he know he, with help from QMI Solutions and its colleagues Industry Capability Network Queensland (ICN Queensland)  would blaze a trail in new manufacturing technology, expanding the company from its Gold Coast base into Sydney and establish a new business.

Piacun, who formed BWE with his wife, Margaret, began using laser cutting technology when it was in its infancy in the 1990s, but was unhappy with the results and the extra labour it took to properly finish some components.

"In 1996 or 1997, we started making card shufflers for casinos using laser cutting technology, but we realised that was not the way to go. There was excess finishing involved because of heat from the lasers," he said.

Ben Matthews, then an ICN Procurement Engineer, had been contacted by a casino seeking a company to produce automatic coin counters and he knew of BWE's contract to manufacture card shufflers.

"BWE was making card shufflers for other casinos and on our radar as a result. I went to see what they were doing and how they were producing the card shufflers. At the factory, I was shocked to see several people with files, hand filing the burred edges of components that had been cut by laser," Matthews said.

"Obviously the components needed to be precise, but hand filing is very labour intensive. Laser cutting was a relatively new technology and Mark had been quick to employ it, but I suggested Water Jet Cutting was even newer and could be just what he was looking for."

Water Jet Cutting technology in action: creating a large chain sprocket

As part of its remit to improve the efficiency of manufacturers via new technologies and systems, QMI had bought a Water Jet Cutting machine in 1993. "Mark asked if he could see some sample cuts. It didn't take much to arrange for samples of his card shuffling machine components to be cut so he could have a look at the new technology's capability," Matthews said.

Piacun said: "Ben steered us towards using Water Jet Cutting technology. It was through him that we had the trial cuts at QMI. It became obvious Ben was on the right track and there was no turning back. Water Jet Cutting can do all a laser can do, and more.

"Water Jet Cutting has tremendous advantages over laser in that there are no burred edges that you get with heat transference, which means no clean-up costs involved in finishing the product and no stress or heat-affected zones in the finished product, which is particularly important in brittle and lightweight materials."

Matthews said "we organised contacts at QMI for Mark and they sent the trial cuts to BWE. I called Mark a few weeks later and he liked the results so much he ordered a Water Jet Cutter."

Piacun said: "We did our research and found an American firm, Omax Corporation, which was at the forefront of Water Jet Cutting technology. Our first machine cost around $360,000 but it was worth every dollar. We were extremely impressed with it."

He was so impressed he decided to launch a new company, Abrasive Jet Machining Services Pty Ltd (AJM), which he established in 1998 with the aim of overseeing all the Water Jet Cutting work that was beginning to come BWE's way.

"We started AJM because we wanted to educate potential clients who might be interested in Water Jet Cutting," Piacun said. "We felt BWE did not have enough clout in that area to explain this new technology. When we started AJM, we found only a small number of manufacturers using Water Jet Cutting. Obviously there are more now."

"Ben did a really good job of spreading the word that we had started using a Water Jet Cutter. Soon we were supplying parts to other engineering firms and for engineering shops. We were finishing off work started by heavy machinery. The finish for our clients has always been more than acceptable," he said.

"The advantage of Water Jet Cutting technology is that it opens up a new era in using materials that were traditionally difficult to process with conventional tooling. We have cut aluminium at a thickness of 475mm. No laser or plasma cutter can achieve that. We have even cut cast steel at a thickness of 365mm and high tensile at 290 mm thick, all with excellent results. It's a very powerful technology."

Over the years, work has continued to roll in and AJM has become synonymous with Water Jet Cutting expertise. The company now has five Omax cutters, three on the Gold Coast and two in Sydney and Piacun is delighted with them. "The Omax machines are very easy to train people to use. We had more than 35,000 hours of cutting time on them, so we have plenty of experience and know the capabilities."

He said AJM now has a broad base of satisfied clients. "We work for design companies, making floor features from granite and marble. We are currently working on a stone flooring feature for a major shopping centre."

BWE: Small machine parts created with Water Jet Cutting technology

"We also work for architects, food companies, other engineering companies and even artists. Our customer base is across the board. We will do one-off pieces of work, right up to multiple production runs for other factories and some work for the mining industry. We have sent jobs to all Australian states and several completed jobs overseas."

 "Even now, the cutters still have that wow factor when we show them to prospective clients. They are very impressed with what they can do."

Piacun employs 18 staff at his two sites and they are busy, despite the global financial crisis. "All this week we have been working double shifts. We have a very good name and that helps in a recession."

He said turnover was "adequate and growing". And he is grateful to QMI. "QMI were very easy to work with and I have since passed other people on to QMI. Their expertise was invaluable."

For more information or advice, please contact:
Consultant: Steve Lennox
Email: info@qmisolutions.com.au