Case Studies
Here you can see a few specific examples of projects we have done, and projects that we have learned from in the past. The projects shown here were waterjet cut, laser cut, or a have used a combination of our in-house, value-added manufacturing services.
1" Acetal Wheel Conveyer Pieces
Fedtech processes 1" thick acetal by using waterjet technology. The finished product is then sent to the customer to be drilled, tapped, turned and lastly put into use for their business. The pieces seen here are then used as a type of roller for a conveyer belt.
Using 3-Axis Waterjet Cutting for Alloy Gears
Fedtech used abrasive waterjet cutting to process extremely hard, heat-treated alloy gears. The heat treated material made the project extremely challenging. Our solution satisfied the customer and we successfully completed another custom manufacturing project.
Waterjet Cutting Aluminum Plate
This project required abrasive waterjet cutting to process 4" thick 6061 aluminum plate. The large plate dimensions (240" x 72") would require a large waterjet cutting table, and fortunately Fedtech has just the waterjet to do the job!
Processing 9.25" Aluminum Blocks
Fedtech's waterjet machinery takes it to the next level when processing 9.25" thick aluminum for a customer. The thick material is difficult to process since the waterjet must deliver a perfectly straight cutting stream through all 9.25" to achieve the exact cut that the customer desired.
Laser Cutting Carbon Steel
The project at hand here, was 16 gage carbon steel (A1011) that would be laser cut at Fedtech for tight tolerances and high quality. The parts were architectural panels for outdoor decor on a company building.
Fedtech Gets a Start on Art
To complete a sculpture at Charlotte-Douglas International Airport, Fedtech was called in to do some extra-special laser cutting of 7 gage 304 stainless steel for the tops of the towers to have their immaculate LED light fixtures shine through. See more!
Fabricated Aluminum Parts
The parts in this case study made for a complicated project on Fedtech's production floor. The parts were waterjet cut, formed, stamped, milled, heat treated, finished and assembled to completion. Read more about this project...
Rubber Belting for Rock Climbing
This project required abrasive waterjet cutting to process 3/8" rubber belting to be used for a rock climbing wall. The small holes were cut into the material for the rocks to be placed in. The material was soft but still hard, so waterjet cutting was the ideal choice to process the material. Read more...
Custom Machined Bronze Parts
These custom parts were machined from 1.5" thick blocks of bronze. The project also called for 304 stainless steel inserts as you'll see in the photos. Ultimately, the final parts would be used in elevators for a custom look and feel.
Custom Waterjet Cut Bronze Shims
These custom shims were cut from sheets of .002" thick bronze. This delicate material was as thin as half a regular sheet of paper! To be used in the food industry, the shims needed to have accurate tolerances and quality cuts.
Waterjet Cut Aluminum Signage
This project was completed for a local business in St. Paul, Minnesota. We waterjet cut 6061 aluminum for their custom logo signage. Not only was the material waterjet cut, it was drilled, tapped, and painted as well.
14 Gauge Engine Parts for Concrete Equipment
Unique parts are laser cut for precise engine parts. The 14 gauge HRPO carbon steel would soon be used on the engine skid cover for concrete leveling equipment. The process of laser cutting was able to process the large parts while still allowing for tight nesting of parts and amazing cutting accuracies.
Custom Waterjet Cut Copper Parts
These custom waterjet cut parts were processed from .093" thick HH Alloy 110 copper. The end parts will be used as a base plate for the end customer's finished product. Since laser cutting is not a good fit for reflective material (ie. copper), waterjet worked perfectly.
Thick Copper for Waterjet Cutting
Fedtech even processes copper! The task here was to use waterjet cutting to process 10" copper bars. Copper is not a cheap material, so it was important to ensure perfect cuts on each copper bar. Another tough part was the thickness of the copper, which was difficult in itself as the expensive material was 10" thick.
Custom Aluminum Signage
Fedtech's waterjet manufactured custom aluminum signage of .125" thick for a local eye care clinic. See the finished product and the process used to get the job done by reading more of this case study!
Fedtech's Waterjet Catches a Wave on TV
A recent project on our waterjet was for the DIY network. A custom cut flower from .750" thick MDF (Medium-Density Fiberboard) for a bathroom renovation on their upcoming series, "BATHtastic!".
Flooring Designs & Custom Tile Cutting
A recent project completed at Fedtech included water-only waterjet cutting VCT tile that was 1/8" thick. The 12" x 12" squares were processed individually from three different colors to be put together like a puzzle for a custom floor design.
Stainless Steel Dairy Parts
These intricate 304 stainless steel parts were created for the pasteurization process in the dairy industry. Because the parts needed .9mm holes (and 4,500 of them) burr-free and scratch-free, they came to Fedtech.
Fuel Injector Pieces For the Aircraft Industry
Fedtech recently completed a project for the aircraft industry. This project involved processing several 5.5" Haynes 282 rounds using waterjet cutting. The project was tricky since the rounds were attached to a piece of equipment that could not get wet. Not only this, but the job required extremely expensive material in order to meet the requirements for the jet.
Gears Galore - 7" Rounds
Fedtech was asked to waterjet cut 1.125" thick carbon steel rounds, which were 7" in diameter. To process the rounds individually with the exact cut on each piece would have taken countless hours, however waterjet cutting got the job done in just a short amount of time. The resulting product was a shipment of gears, processed for a company in Avon, Minnesota called Columbia Gear Corp.
Waterjet Cutting of 1.5" Thick GPO-3
Fedtech had a recent project the required us to process 1.5" thick GPO-3. This material is a fiberglass reinforced polymer laminate that is used for its flame resistance properties for electrical components. Normal applications of cutting here would have involved bandsaw cutting, millling, or drilling which often times results in broken saws or bits.
Armor 400 Steel Gaskets
Customers wanted head gaskets made out of AR 400 steel, a wear resistant material. To produce quality results, we used waterjet cutting to process the 1/16" thick material to the specifications required.
Custom Weldment Heater Head
This case study showcases tight tolerances and tiny holes made in 316 stainless steel from 1.120" wide by 8.80" long blanks. The holes cut into the material were .021" in diameter (.0105" radius). To reach this tight tolerance, laser cutting was used in processing this project.
Honeycomb Aluminum Processed Here
When a job comes along that is soft but tough at the same time, it's always nice to have options. In this case, the choice option was waterjet cutting. Since Fedtech has numerous years of experience in waterjet cutting, they knew exactly how to go about processing honeycomb aluminum.
Manufacturing HY-100 Material
This case study features abrasive waterjet cutting of 4.00" thick HY-100 ballistic steel material. Mostly featured in the defense industry, HY-100 is a very tough and rugged material. See how waterjet was able to process the material with exact specifications and tight tolerances.
Laser Cut Animal Shapes
These custom animal shapes were laser cut from 11 gage HRPO carbon steel for a museum of art in St. Paul, Minnesota. Our laser cutting services prevailed in cutting these intricate details for the end customer.
Laser Cut Machinery Signage
These 16 gage carbon steel parts were laser cut at Fedtech, the end product would be used on the side of a machine that polishes sidewalks and floors. Our laser cutting services were the perfect solution to provide quality processing and quick turnaround.
Custom Waterjet Cut Logo (Signage)
This completed project was an awesome example of what Fedtech can do with waterjet cutting in Minnesota. See how we processed .5" thick gatorboard with waterjet cutting with no heat affected zones, flawless edges, and flawless results.
Custom Machined Nylon Bushings
The parts seen here were custom machined at Fedtech for the cosmetic industry. The .750" thick nylon blocks were machined into these custom bushings that would be used in the manufacturing of cosmetic products.
6061 Aluminum Martial Arts Weapons
In this project, we were asked to use abrasive waterjet cutting to process .090" thick 6061 Aluminum. The parts had numerous points at which detail was to be carefully processed into the aluminum. With 400 of the blades being made, it was crucial that the parts were manufactured to the exact specifications the customer gave us.
Custom Waterjet Cut Metal Rings
These parts were waterjet cut from 7 gage 316 stainless steel and also 5052 aluminum. Take a look at these custom waterjet cut rings and see the precision and detail behind each individual project.
Micro Machined Parts
These tiny parts were laser cut, deburred, and machined at Fedtech. The size of a dime, with intricate details, these parts would later be shipped off to a customer for their final product that measured pressure and flow in pipe lines.
6061 Aluminum Machined Parts
The parts here started out as 6061 aluminum bar stock and went through numerous processes to become the exact custom parts that were needed by the customer. From turning, to milling and more.
Stainless Steel Movie Theater Decor
It's show time at a couple local theaters! Their latest renovations to their business involved custom manufactured ticket windows, which turned out to look great! The different designs were waterjet cut from stainless steel, and A36 carbon steel and were then presented to the customer.
Custom Metal Perforation Plates
The perforated plate shown here was custom cut for a customer, however Fedtech is able to manufacture endless different designs for metal perforation.
G-10 Phenolic Manufacturing
In this project, Fedtech machines these phenolic blanks after they were waterjet cut in-house.
Waterjet Cut Poron Cellular Blocks
Fedtech used water-only waterjet cutting to custom cut these .500" thick blocks for once of our customers. Processed from poron cellular material, and center plugs removed, these parts were a sight to see when the whole production was done!
Custom Retail Displays
This project was custom made for the retail industry to proudly display behind their inventory. We custom waterjet cut materials into large flower shapes from aluminum, HDPE, and more.
Reverse Engineering
When it comes to unique projects, you have to give this one a top spot on the list. The parts you see here were from a vintage elevator located in the Twin Cities, Minnesota.
Waterjet Cut Urethane Seals
The project here was to waterjet cut custom urethane seals from 1.25" thick 90A oil-resistant black urethane. The custom parts would then be used as spline seals for the customer's industry.
Custom Silicone Rubber Gaskets
These parts were waterjet cut from 1/4" thick silicone rubber. Fedtech used water-only waterjet to process this material in order to keep the white material abrasive free.
Waterjet Cut Spiral Aluminum Blocks
These parts were waterjet cut from aluminum blocks, soley with waterjet cutting. The waterjet was required to loop and curve about the center to cut the elaborate pattern.
Water-Only Waterjet Cuts PTFE
For soft or thin materials, water-only waterjet cutting is the best way to go. To keep the material clean but still precisely manufactured, we use our water-only waterjet. In the case of this particular project, the material we would be cutting was PTFE, one of the most slippery materials out there. But what also made this job tricky was the .094" thick material.
Custom Tile Cutting for Decor
The project shown here were custom tile decor for a Fedtech customer. The tiles were designed by the customer and involved waterjet cutting through 3/8" slate tile. The designs included letters and animals for a very 'outdoorsy' look.
Titanium Pieces in Thousands
A recent project that was brought to Fedtech was the task to process 13,200 pieces of titanium that was .025" thick. The pieces were to be waterjet cut then sent to the customer to be used as electrical conductors for vacuum cleaners. What made this project interesting was the fact that titanium is a very strong material, but also very lightweight, making it a fascinating project to observe.
Custom Steel Trumpet Art
The laser cut 304 stainless steel was a unique design to be exhibited at a local building at their front entrance. The clever design made it so that the laser cut shapes would line up perfectly and form the shape of a trumpet.
Waterjet Cut Urethane Pieces
These custom water-only waterjet cut parts were processed at Fedtech out of Urethane. At 1/4" thick, the material was soft and needed a careful engineering team to make the project work.
Waterjet Cut A36 Steel Back Plates
Fedtech custom waterjet cuts these parts for an energy and power systems company. The .750" thick A36 steel was to have a complex design requiring intricate, precise cuts.
Waterjet Cut Belting
This case study features custom cut SBR belting. The forty-nine foot material would be waterjet cut with small holes as designated by the print. The material was .123" thick and ran smoothly on our waterjet cutting table.
Waterjet Cut Woven Wire Screen
These custom designed parts were waterjet cut at Fedtech from .017" thick stainless steel woven wire. The finished parts would be used in a farming combine as a filtration part.
Have an idea? Check out our Photo Album to see samples of our prior work in waterjet and laser cutting, to develop a better understanding of what Fedtech is all about. Now you can even check out some New Videos from our production floor! Or you can Contact Fedtech today to request a quick quote, or just tolearn more about waterjet and laser cutting. We're here to help!