Fiber laser allows wheelchair manufacturer to bring cutting in-house

SITUATION

Action Mfg. in Marshall, Minn., started out in the recreational motorsports business but in 2008, 10 years after an accident left his son paralyzed, company founder Tim Swenson wanted to get his son back into the outdoors again.

The company now manufactures the Action Trackchair and Action Trackstander all-terrain wheelchairs. They are accompanied by a variety of accessory options, including rear utility racks, fishing rod holders, gun racks, and footrests.

“Starting out, we had no idea if we were going to sell 10 or 100 chairs,” Swenson explained. “Now we have sold over 3,500.”

The company soon realized it needed to make some operational changes. “With the increase in demand, we knew we needed a more efficient and more accurate system put in place,” said Swenson.

One of those changes was to bring previously outsourced work in-house.

The firm started out with a used 2-kW Mazak CO2 laser machine, but within two months, Swenson knew Action Mfg. needed a new fiber laser to improve production speed and accuracy.

RESOLUTION

Less than a year after purchasing the used laser, the company purchased a Mazak Optiplex 3015 4-kW fiber laser cutting system.

“We are now designing our products around the laser,” Swenson said. “We changed the way our chairs are being produced. We started with tubing, and because of the laser, we are now using sheet stock. This has allowed us to save time, which in turn saves money. We also have been able to utilize more aluminum instead of steel. With people in wheelchairs always wanting to go faster, further, and for longer, aluminum is a better option.”

With the increase in production and the new laser, the company needed more space. It added 12,000 sq. ft. to its 24,000-sq.-ft. facility and most recently purchased a robotic welding cell to help increase efficiency.

Mazak Optonics Corp.

www.mazakoptonics.com