industrial pricing help

[Rister]

This will be my first shot at some industrial work. This is a flange support bracket that gets bolted to a flange and gets welded to a piece of channel iron. All of this stuff goes on skids and the guy told me that he orders them by the hundreds and has to drive an hour each way to get them. The ones that he gets have a terrible taper on them, so all they have to do is work. I have nested 175 of these on a 4x8 sheet of 1/2 inch. with 85 amps operation time is 2 hours and 30 minutes, 105 amps takes me down to 2 hours and 5 minutes.

Thanks

[beefy]

Just a thought Rister.

Could your plasma cutter go continuously for the 2 hours 5 mins at the 105 amps, or would you have to add pause intervals into the cut to give it some cool down time.

Would it be better to cut at the lower amps, and get better edge and hole quality.

Probably teaching my granny how to suck eggs, but don't forget to home the table and get the work offsets before starting that cut, in case anything goes wrong in the middle of the cut.

You must have nested a different way to me, I got 174 pieces, one less than you

Keith.

[Rister]

Thanks keith

yeah 85 amps is my number 1 choice. the edge angularity of the competitors product was making me think that i should do 105 amps just to get it done, not the smartest choice i guess.
I will have to look at my charts to see if my powermax 105 will run that long continuously.
Thanks I hope that i don't overkill the price
I ran it through the spreadsheet that everyone uses and it seemed like a price that i would be expecting.

[Shane Warnick]

I cut a lot of thicker plate, with a powermax 1250. Up to 1" with lots of pierces, some thicker but all edge start. I would be really surprised if you can run that long without pausing, or cleaning the tip / nozzle / shield, etc. Also, I see those holes are 5/8" holes. I can get real close, but on a hole that small in 1/2" plate I am going to have to chase them either with a drill bit in the press or a carbide burr and a die grinder to remove the tit left over from the lead in. Unless you are cutting them 5/8 so they will be 1/2" easy, then that's another step / time. Also, that thicker stuff is HARD on your grate, and keep that in mind when you start thinking about increasing amps to increase speed. That arc doesn't quit cutting just because it's through the material, you will cut some serious chunks and notches into your grates, even worse if you increase amps to increase speed. Sounds like the competition has a really inferior product though, so as long as you price them fair and deliver a quality product sounds like you have some gravy about to fall off onto your plate. Especially if he needs a couple hundred a month. Under promise, over deliver, word will get around and you will be hopping I assure you.

Stay safe
Shane

[Rister]

Thanks everyone for your input and encouragement!!!!!

[natewelding]

I would probably tell the guy material cost + 5$ to cut. With that many pierces and the amount of time to cut you'll probably use more than 1 consumable set, maybe not but id charge for it anyway, but at 5$ a piece plus material I think that's a fair price.

[weldor2005]

I measure 5/16" material being left from the edge of the hole to the outside. being a bolting flange this is very little meat left there for a washer or a nut.

I know the customer is always right, and that you have little business talking about what they have designed and why it is that way. You might be able to see what strength is needed and suggest beefing this spot up and then making it a open hole and a 1 pierce 1 cut product and that will bring their manufacturing cost down.

[beefy]

making it a open hole and a 1 pierce 1 cut product.

Great suggestion Dave.

I've seen the open hole method (was looking at a lamp post base just a week ago) but keep forgetting about it.

Keith.

[beefy]

Thanks everyone for your input and encouragement!!!!!

So what did you end up charging the customer and more importantly did they accept it ?

Keith