Behind The Scenes at Hypertherm, Full Factory Tour & More (Videos)

[Lanse]

Good morning, everyone!!

So, these are my newest two videos, I just thought I'd stop in and share them...

As some may be aware, I recently flew to New Hampshire, and met up with Jim Colt for a full tour of their facilities, and of course, some YouTube exclusive footage...

Here's part one, its a tour of the Powermax facility, where they build the smaller units and the consumables for them:



And here's part two... This is about their lasers, waterjets, and advanced cutting systems:



Well, it sure was a fun trip, and I'd just like to thank Jim Colt & Hypertherm for their hospitality, and letting me shoot there, I really enjoyed it...

That being said, this wasn't the *only* plasma footage I shot in New Hampshire, I'll have more to post in the near future.

Enjoy the videos, and happy, uh, plasma cutting guys

[Burpee]

Chucklezzz. BEG them to make welders too.

[duaneb55]

Lance you dog you! Awesome tour video and yes, a BIG thanks to Jim Colt and all the folks at Hypertherm for hosting such an inside look into the best cutting products made to date.

Fantastic! A root beer for each of you!!

[Scott Young]

very nice. A big thank you to Jim Colt and great video Lanse.

[Oldendum]

I can't wait to see you two actually playing in Jim's shop.

[IamVince]

Nice to see who Jim Colt is....always like his post.
And thanks for filming lanse

[Scott Young]

best video award going out! You will just have to imagine receiving it

[fasteddy]

Many thanks to Jim and Lanse for that great tour. I know my next purchase will have a Hypertherm badge. Looking forward to seeing Jim's shop too.

[Lanse]

Thanks, guys!! I'm glad yall like it

[Oldendum]

Where's your Hypertherm ball cap?

[KenS]

So, these are my newest two videos, I just thought I'd stop in and share them...and I'd just like to thank Jim Colt & Hypertherm for their hospitality, and letting me shoot there, I really enjoyed it...

Lanse and Jim,

Great PR move for Hypertherm, and instructive videos of the production lines. Makes me appreciate my Powermax 30 more than ever! It's nice having Jim here as a resource, and it's nice to be able to place a face to the name. Lanse, keep up the good work-- and when are you going to finish the engine?!?

Ken

[richey]

Lanse, Jim & Hypertherm....Superb guys.
I've always wanted to see the facilities and, you nailed it.....Thanks a lot....

Lanse....you need a remote microphone......

Wow Great Job Lance and Jim. I am very impressed with the Hypertherm facility. Thank you both for letting us see how our machines are made. The best part. Made in the USA and no one laid off over 40 years. richey

[shovelon]

Well how cool was that!

Great job Lanse and Jim.

[brucer]

Where are all the employees?

[TxDoc]

That was a very eye-opening tour. Nice to get to see how things really work. That looks like a clean room at NASA.
Thanks Lanse and Jim.

[jimcolt]

Hypertherm, employee owned, has a quarterly company meeting. Our tour was timed perfectly when the production floor employees were sitting in conference rooms at this meeting....which is shown live on the viewing screens in each of our facilities. When you look at the cnc machines in the shop where the consumables and torch components are produced you do not see a lot of employees because the cellular manufacturing typically will have one cnc machine operator overseeing 3 or 4 large turning centers. Their job is parts inspection and monitoring the machines. To manufacture in the U.S. and remain competitive globally you need to make excellent products with good reliability, and you need the best shop floor efficiency possible. That is what Hypertherm does.

Jim Colt

Where are all the employees?

[12345678910]

These are good videos

It was a treat to listen to Jim Colt




There is something about Lanse's voice that I can't listen to -- that high nasal squeek and the "yee haw's"
just make my skin crawl

[soutthpaw]

These are good videos

It was a treat to listen to Jim Colt




There is something about Lanse's voice that I can't listen to -- that high nasal squeek and the "yee haw's"
just make my skin crawl

Hee hee,, I take it there are some advantages to being Deaf...:-P. Gotta love em' country folks..

Sent w/ Tapatalk using Swype, pls excuse typos

[soutthpaw]

Hypertherm, employee owned, has a quarterly company meeting. Our tour was timed perfectly when the production floor employees were sitting in conference rooms at this meeting....which is shown live on the viewing screens in each of our facilities. When you look at the cnc machines in the shop where the consumables and torch components are produced you do not see a lot of employees because the cellular manufacturing typically will have one cnc machine operator overseeing 3 or 4 large turning centers. Their job is parts inspection and monitoring the machines. To manufacture in the U.S. and remain competitive globally you need to make excellent products with good reliability, and you need the best shop floor efficiency possible. That is what Hypertherm does.

Jim Colt

This does illustrate what business journals have been consistently reporting. 1U.S. worker is efficient as 5 Chinese ones. For the very reason Jim explained nicely here. In China, you would probably have 1 worker for each machine and a couple QA people... oh wait China does not do QA

Sent w/ Tapatalk using Swype, pls excuse typos

[jimcolt]

It is closer to one US worker with the same level of productivity as 7 Chinese workers. Unfortunately (or Fortunately) the pay in the US is more 7 times that of a Chinese worker. You have to be very efficient to be a US company that successfuly sells product in China, and Hypertherm does very well there! I am proud to be a long term Hypertherm employee....and have watched the company grow and improve for over 35 years.

Jim Colt

[jontheturboguy]

Awesome job guys and gals (hint hint @ the 2:00 min mark...even wears cammo!)

[larphead]

Jim,

Are the touch screens at each station checklists for ISO-9000? If so I am assuming these are fed into one or more network computers? I would like to know more about that system if possible.
I think my workplace could benefit from something like that. As of now each station has a paper checklist that gets checked/signed and put in the job order packet. Then the packet travels with the product through each station. Very time consuming and creates a HUGE amount of worthless paperwork.

[killdozerd11]

Great Job Lanse and Jim it was great to see how it's done

Hey lanse did anything follow you home

[jimcolt]

The touchscreens contain all of the manufacturing documentation for each station, tools to uses, torque specs, any special instructions as well as (in some cases) board serial number info. You find these at each of our manufacturing facilities at every workstation. And yes, they are tied into our networked computers for inventory tracking, quality control, etc.


Jim Colt

Jim,

Are the touch screens at each station checklists for ISO-9000? If so I am assuming these are fed into one or more network computers? I would like to know more about that system if possible.
I think my workplace could benefit from something like that. As of now each station has a paper checklist that gets checked/signed and put in the job order packet. Then the packet travels with the product through each station. Very time consuming and creates a HUGE amount of worthless paperwork.

[Lanse]

Great Job Lanse and Jim it was great to see how it's done

Hey lanse did anything follow you home

Thanks, Killdozer!!

No, unfortunately not this time!! Haha...