Revising
the concept
The
next stage is to take the concept to the end user. If
the response
is positive, our design engineers begin the task of
digitizing the
concept into a real 3D computer model. Again user
groups are asked
to review the end product and it is rated on
aesthetics, usability,
and consumer demand.
Off
to Production
Once
a product has been released to production, it will
follow many paths
and machining stations. The majority of our products
will begin
here at one of our many Laser cutting machines or one
of several
CNC turret punch press machines. Watching these
machines take raw
mettle and turn them into flat versions of our
products is truly
an amazing site.
Inspection Inspection
Inspection
Every
step of the production process is monitored by the
inspection department.
Using tools such as the MetalSoft parts scanner,
products can be
checked against the exact cad file to look for even
the smallest
machine error.
We've got the
bends!
If
you have ever read any Kendall Howard Product Data
Sheets, then
you know how we pride ourselves in our forming
operations. Virtually
every product is made one part at a time in each
machine with operators
dedicated to making every product flawless. Taking the
time to coin
each bend for added strength with over 35 Amada CNC
break presses
at our disposal there is never a shortage of bending
power.
The Hard Facts
Hardware
is one of the most important features that our
products have. We
use only the best Pem and American made hardware
components. Again
we have the ability to run most parts through CNC
hardware machines
assuring that every piece gets the right hardware in
the right place.
Hang your Coat
Here
One
of the last steps in the production process is the
coating process.
Here we custom paint or coat our products with
everything from the
familiar Black Powder coat to brilliant zinc, copper
and magnesium
coatings. We would love to show you the process but
our procedures
are just too far ahead of our competition to allow us
to be that
open with our process.
Finally
a Rest
Well,
not for long, once our products have been manufactured
they are
moved into our warehousing facility where your items
are packed,
stuffed, boxed, wrapped and handled with care. All
products are
shipped direct to the end user and are available with
or without
the Kendall Howard branding.
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The
Idea
Ideas
for Kendall Howard products come from many different
sources. From
end user feedback and reseller needs to that crazy
idea jotted down
on a napkin. Ideas are frequently discussed among
sales, customer
service representatives, and engineers as to
feasibility, and user
demand. Once the idea has been agreed upon it has now
become a concept.
Here
comes the product!
The
final stage is to create the prototype. Once again we
bring the
product to the consumer to be rated. If we did our
jobs right, we
have just created another innovative design available
only from
Kendall Howard.
Picky Picky
Laser
and CNC Turret machines can hold tolerances of .001
thousandths
of an inch. That's one quarter the size of a human
hair! Do we need
it to be that precise? Well, do you want the best
product possible?
We thought so...
Operator Verification
No matter how
many times one of our products are run, every part is
checked and
rechecked by the operators to make sure our products
are consistently
top of the line quality.
Its all coming
together
Once the raw
parts have been punched or lasered and all bending
operations have
been completed, its off to the welding department for
structural
and aesthetics welding.
The Final Voyage
We
talked allot about automated CNC this and CNC that,
but the reality
is that every single product must be touched by
individual operators.
there are some things that machines just cant do as
well as the
dedicated employee can. We take pride in the products
that we produce
and each operator puts their stamp of approval on
their operation
before it can ever go to the next stage in the
production process.
That's all Folks
We
hope you have enjoyed taking a quick look at how we
take an idea
to concept to the final product and then to your door.
If you have
any questions about our products or processes, please
feel free
to contact your Kendall Howard Representative at
651-213-1333
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