In Medical Manufacturing, Laser Makes the Cut

Productivity and precision are two strengths of smart laser choices.

The manufacturing industry is cyclical, transitioning every few years from one hot market to the next. A company's success is dependant on its ability to evolve with those changes. The right equipment will deliver the flexibility and performance necessary for future growth.

Today, the medical industry is one of the hottest and most demanding U.S. manufacturing markets. Medical manufacturing plants are booming and job shops are experiencing higher volumes of medical contract work. Job shops are servicing areas ranging from pharmaceutical packaging to surgical tools to highprecision surgical components to hospital equipment such as computer casings, carts, and so forth.

Many of these manufacturers are turning to the newest equipment from Mitsubishi Laser for superior product quality and maximum productivity. Mitsubishi equipment is engineered with the end user in mind, providing the flexibility to optimize production efficiency.

Larry Rosevear, long-time Mitsubishi user and owner of Laser Innovations (Anaheim, CA), notes that, "Job shops have to be able to change all the time and Mitsubishi Lasers can change quickly. There are some machines that can't even cut off a leftover piece of material without writing a program to do it. Mitsubishi Lasers have several features that other manufacturers don't, which make them the most user-friendly and reliable machines out there,"

Tornqvist, Inc. (Wayne, NJ) manufactures components for packaging equipment in the pharmaceutical industry. By purchasing a new Mitsubishi LVP laser with MSCIII automation, the company increased output by 50%.

"The Mitsubishi has helped our productivity reach an all-time high," comments Vice President Ken Grimbilas. "Where our old laser took 45-60 minutes for startup, the new LVP is cutting parts in less than ten minutes. Changeover used to take up to an hour. On the LVP, we're able to switch materials and thicknesses within minutes."

Manufacturing plants for medical companies also rely heavily on Mitsubishi's technology to manufacture their highly-specialized products. dj Orthopedics, for example, specializes in rehabilitation and regenerative products for the non-operative orthopedic and sports medicine market.

dj Orthopedics uses Mitsubishi Laser to support its lean manufacturing environment. This process eliminates waste during production, providing the products customers want at the lowest possible cost.

"We purchased the laser from Mitsubishi about two years ago," says Tooling Manager Vladimir Archipov. "It gave us a better and faster way to get our products to the market." The company plans to add a second laser with a larger table size soon to increase capabilities.

According to Mitsubishi,whether medical manufacturing is taking place in job shops or manufacturing plants, its laser is built to achieve top productivity and the superior part quality the medical industry demands. Delivering capability and flexibility to stay competitive as the manufacturing industry continues to evolve is the goal. TMD