powermax380 inside

[mechanic416]

I opened up a powermax380 last week to install a new torch. Here are some pictures of what I found.

[Stick-man]

Your point?

You're surprised???

It's still the best produced brand of plasma cutters, IMO. Even fords have some, if not most of their parts made somewhere else. Don't blame hypertherm. Blame the politicians for restricting what we can manufacture here. And the taxes asessed here. And the lack of import taxes.

I love it, the politicians ARE the bad guys, and we're all arguing, blaming each other and blaming the corporations for wanting to make money! If WE controlled the politicians instead of them controlling us, America would be the like it used to and everyone would still be working.

[Lanse]

Its no secret... Certain Toyotas have higher american parts content than certain chevys... I used to know which models off the top of my head, but I forgot. Im sure that someone can find that out. Today, you can buy an American car made in Mexico, or a Japanese car made in South Carolina. Foreign parts are everywhere, in everything. My Dad rolls around in a Subaru, made in Indiana.

Certain companies don't try to hide that (Harbor Freight, Everlast, Longetivity, etc), while others carry on an all-american image and people are shocked that they aren't made entirely here (Lincoln, Hypertherm, etc). Its really not where somethings made, its how its made. How well its manufactured, and to what level of quality control. A properly trained and well equipped Chinese factory worker can turn out a high quality part thats identical to one produced by an identicly trained and equipped American worker. Likewise, American companies and workers can produce the same low quality trash commonly associated with the Chinese. Location is just that, a location.

[jimcolt]

The Powermax380 was built by Miller for Hypertherm, the Powermax350 and the Powermax190 were also built by Miller. All of those products were discontinued years ago, and all of the current Hypertherm products are designed and built in our plants in Hanover and Lebanon NH, USA. There are many internal components that come from all around the world. No secrets there! Every Hypertherm unit is designed, engineered assembled and tested in our plants by employee owners of Hypertherm. If any one wants to see....and is planning a trip to NH....give me a call, I'll give you a personal tour.

Best regards, Jim Colt

[Cory151]

Wow, informative post for sure, I guess if the customer service aspect is there, there isnt really much reason not to buy a plasma a made with foreign parts.

[ccawgc]

done the tour. Just don't drive to fast up the road. The plant is back in the trees.
Drove past it and had to turn around and come back.
There's a whole wall covered in patent certificates.

[Sport]

Good info, I guess it show what we all suspect not everything saying (made in America) is totally made here in the USA , and I hope that goes the other way to (Does it)??? I don't know!! Kind of sad isn't !!!! They (corporate America) keeps shipping manufacturing jobs over seas saying that we are not skilled enough to do the job, Bull ShXX!!! I may not be the best collage material But if some one show me what I need to learn to the job I will be able to learn it, and do the job as good as most people maybe even better, and I think most American workers can say the same!!!!Whats happen to the apprenticeship? We need more of them along with school!!!
Now I off my soap box!!! for the first and last time LOL

[papaharley03]

They (corporate America) keeps shipping manufacturing jobs over seas saying that we are not skilled enough to do the job,

Never heard any of them say that. They really don't hide the fact that the jobs are going where it's cheaper to manufacture the stuff, quality be damned. Corporations are publicly owned, and the stockholders want maximum profits. The board of directors answers to the stockholders and therefore will do what ever they deem necessary to achieve those higher operating margins.

Does it suck? YES
Is it ethical? NO

I've said it before, and I'll say it again here. Once all the US workers are unemployed, whose going to buy all those things that the US companies now manufacture overseas? It's short term gain, long term loss.

[jimcolt]

More companies need to be like Hypertherm. All of their units are designed and built in the US by employee owners of the company. There are some foreign components (many parts are simply not available from US companies....Integrated circuits, electronic components, etc.). Hypertherm did not have a single layoff during the downturn, and has hired many production workers in the last couple of years. Over 60% of its product is exported outside the US.

It proves that you do not have to have labor done in other countries by low paid workers.....US companies simply need to design great products with high reliability, and most important, use the best techniques on the production shop floor to keep costs down and quality up. The business will follow.

Jim

[SEAR]

More companies need to be like Hypertherm. All of their units are designed and built in the US by employee owners of the company.



with that piece of the puzzle you don't have the corp/wall street douche baggery that leads to companies farming out work over seas.

if every company operated like that our economy would be better ;)