Manufacturing Today - May/June 2017 - 55
Basin Precision Machining www.basinprecision.com / HQ: Jefferson, Wis. / Employees: 160 / Specialty: Machined components / Erik Anderson, CEO: "We sell precision machining to demanding companies." Midwest Chamber of Secrets basin precision machining's use of pressurized chambers and new technology has helped build the company's reputation as an innovator. by kat zeman The thermal energy method for deburring and deflashing parts isn't new. It's how Basin Precision Machining applies it to a high mix of parts that sets the company apart from its competition. While its competitors use drills, files and knives to remove sharp edges (burrs) generated by the machining process, Basin Precision utilizes a new thermal energy method developed by Germany-based manufacturer ATL. ATL's iTEM series machines provide precise metering and pressure control that allows Basin Precision to seamlessly switch between larger than 200-part numbers with no changeover time. "Our employees don't use knives to deburr parts anymore," Basin Precision CEO Erik Anderson says. "We use thermal energy to remove burrs. The parts are placed in a chamber, which is pressurized with a mixture of methane and oxygen. We then ignite the mixture. The resulting flash generates nearly 6,000F degrees for about 20 milliseconds. The heat is absorbed by the thin edges on the part, and those thin edges flash oxidize, removing burrs." It's absolutely critical that burrs are removed, a process that traditionally requires manual dexterity and extreme attention to detail, but ultimately is high risk due to its manual nature, Anderson says. "You can bring a million dollar machine to its knees with one loose burr," he adds. Jefferson, Wis.-based Basin Precision manufactures precision basin precision uses a thermal energy method to remove sharp edges from its parts. MAY/JUNE 2017 manufacturing-today.com 55