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Plasma machine helps pipe fabricator expand services

Beveling, software, exhaust system deliver 1-2-3 combination


Every once in a while, a business starts as a success. Merging two complementary companies or buying a successful business unit and bringing it into an existing corporate structure are two ways to start out on top. However, most success stories are based on humble origins, and the story of Porter Pipe & Supply, Addison, Ill., is one of this sort.

Founded in 1976 as Porter Supply Co., it was a Chicagoland supplier of heating equipment and components. The staff consisted of the founder, Ralph Porter, and a delivery driver, Ralph’s son Jim. The company leased 8,000 square feet of commercial space, and the only asset other than the inventory was a pickup truck. The sales volume in 1976 amounted to $310,000.

The staff grew and the footprint grew. In 1983 Jim’s brother Bud joined the company, and by 1991 the company occupied 18,000 sq. ft. Renamed Porter Pipe & Supply Co. after the sons purchased the business in 1996, it took on pipe up to 36 inches outside diameter in a variety of alloys. It expanded to occupy 40,000 sq. ft. and started 24-hour operations, and in 1999 the brothers added an 8,000-sq.-ft. facility in downtown Chicago and expanded its market to include northwest Indiana.

The company never claimed to have a secret to its success in those days, and it doesn’t now. Porter stakes a claim to building long-term relationships, providing top-notch customer service and relying on old-fashioned integrity. These days it is bigger than ever—it has 260,000 sq. ft. of indoor space and 70,000 sq. ft. of covered, lit, and secure outdoor storage space—and it keeps up with business trends by investing in state-of-the-art fabrication equipment.

Growth and Bottlenecks

Managing growth can be tricky. Every aspect of running a business is prone to change—market conditions, raw material prices, product demand, product mix, customer needs, hardware and software—and often, managing growth includes watching for constraints. Bottlenecks can develop if growth isn’t monitored closely. Seasoned executives need to keep a close eye on all of the factors that affect a company’s growth, and their results.

One such executive is Nick Porter, chief operating officer and grandson of the founder. He’s well-versed in manufacturing and knows Porter Pipe & Supply well, having grown up with the business. He worked at the company during his high school years and attended Illinois State University, graduating with a degree in business administration, so he has the one-two combination of industry experience and academic achievement. Operations manager since 2007 and COO since 2015, he launched a new company under the Porter umbrella, Bulldog Cartage LLC, a logistics company—one that provides storage, staging, handling, and trucking services—focusing largely on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning equipment for commercial and industrial customers.

Despite dealing with the various demands of Porter and Bulldog Cartage, Nick stays on top of things. When he noticed that Porter’s sawing area was nearing capacity, he got busy looking for a resolution. Not one to merely add more equipment, he sought a different process.

Cutting and Beveling. “We run 24-7 production, Monday through Friday,” Porter said. “A significant part of the overall value Porter brings is our pipe cutting and end prep operations. Our shipping and fabrication teams work the night shift to have next-day orders ready for shipping at 5:00 a.m.” That’s not quite brutal, but it is relentless. A company like Porter doesn’t have a lot of leeway in its production schedule.

While nobody doubts the productivity and reliability of band saws—after all, they served the company well for decades—Porter knew it was time to look for another process.

“We were approaching our capacity and needed a way to cut pipe faster to meet growing demand,” he said. Porter knew a bit about plasma cutting and visited one of the FABTECH® expos in Chicago to learn more about the technology.

“We were there to look at another plasma machine and happened to pass by the Watts booth,” Porter said. “The Watts representative, David Carr, took a great deal of time with us to learn and understand our needs. He even offered to come out for a site visit the next day.”

The more Porter learned, the more he realized he was on the right track. Eventually the company invested in a 6-axis machine, Watts model W-244.

“The most exciting new opportunity is in our ability to deliver beveled pipe,” he said.

Software. Beveling capability was just one aspect of the machine. Programming was another.

“We are able to program repetitive beveled cuts, and with minimal additional processing time compared with square cuts, we can produce a smooth beveled edge,” Porter said. “We can now ship a fully beveled pipe end and do it with a largely automated process. For multiple cuts we input the data once and cut many pieces without adding any repetitive setup time.”

The basis for this is PypeServer™ software, which was developed by PypeServer Inc.

“PypeServer software is far superior to what we found with other machines,” Porter continued. “PypeServer is far more advanced and modern as an application. This was a big part of our decision to go with Watts.”

First, the program encompasses essentially everything necessary for cutting and beveling pipe. It allows the users to import drawings from most common computer-aided design (CAD) systems, reducing the likelihood of errors and eliminating time spent programming for cutting. The system tracks part identification numbers from the CAD program, so handling a change order is as simple as importing the updated file.

Second, while it can use its own automatic nesting program to determine the best fit for each pipe component—that is to say, to minimize waste—from one or several jobs, it also allows substantial manual control. The machine operator can manipulate the nesting with both parameter settings and manual changes, reorder nested parts, replace nested parts, remove low-priority items, change cut paths, and correct previously designed and nested parts when necessary.

Third, its remote seat feature provides access for shop floor and office personnel alike. Designers, foremen, machine operators, and others on the shop floor can design or modify parts. Estimators, project managers, and detailers can review and collect any information they need, such as job status, heat number verification, and torch-on time for consumable calculation.

Fourth, it has an onboard database. Its filter and search functions allow users to find information in the software’s database, allowing users to filter, hide, and group information as necessary.

“We have just started using this software, and we know there is much more capability to be leveraged,” Porter said.

Fume Extraction. A complete plasma system includes a method for removing contaminated air from the workspace.

“We asked about exhaust options for a machine we might order,” Porter said. “After gathering our specifications, Watts worked hand-in-hand with Plymovent.”

A Dutch manufacturer, the company has a sales office in Mississauga, Ont., and more than 40 years of manufacturing ventilation systems to remove welding and cutting fumes, oil mist, and vehicle exhaust.

“Watts offered to customize their machine [to interface] with the Plymovent system to meet our needs. We saved capital expense on both the Watts machine and the exhaust system when compared to the other pipe cutting machine we had been quoted,” Porter said.

The Outcome

On 4-in. pipe, the cutting time fell from 1:41 to 0:21, saving 1:21. On 24-in. pipe, the cutting time fell from 45:30 to 1:55, a reduction of 43:35. In other words, on small-diameter product, the time savings is nearly 80 percent; on large diameters, it’s well over 90 percent.

Porter’s beveling capability reduces its customers weld prep time, which also is translating into a substantial cost reduction.

“After completing a time study with one of our highest-volume customers, we discovered that we were able to provide cost savings in preparation time of up to 280 percent while increasing our sales revenue in exchange for the added value we were providing.”

Plymovent, www.plymovent.com

Porter Pipe & Supply, www.porterpipe.com

Pypeserver, www.pypeserver.com

Watts Specialties LLC, www.watts-specialties.com