Fab shop switches gears with Jet Edge waterjet cutting machine

Mar. 26, 2017 – For years Murrco Fabrication’s competition pit boxes have been the go-to tool cart for Saturday night racers. Now the Nashville-area metal fabricator is extending its business beyond the motorsports industry with the opening of a new waterjet job shop cutting service.

Since launching its waterjet cutting service in August 2016, Murrco has fast become the waterjet shop of choice for Nashville home builders trying to keep pace with the city’s roaring housing boom. Murrco has been running its waterjet at a breakneck pace cutting primarily ornamental iron products, including handrails, custom mailboxes, street signs and much more.

The company is also cutting a variety of racecar parts for local teams, as well as parts for its Murrco signature pit boxes.
 
Murrco equipped its waterjet shop with a new industrial CNC waterjet cutting system built by Jet Edge in St. Michael, Minn. The Jet Edge machine is capable of cutting precision parts and can accommodate sheet sizes up to 5 ft x 13 ft. It cuts parts with a 55,000 psi supersonic jet of water mixed with garnet abrasive, leaving a sanded smooth edge with no burrs, slag or heat affected zone (HAZ), says the company. Murrco powers its waterjet with a Jet Edge hydraulic intensifier pump. It fitted its waterjet system with IGEMS waterjet software for optimal CAD/CAM/Nesting performance, and is using dtiCORE diamond orifices and diamond guard filters from Diamond Technology Innovations (DTI). When paired with a Diamond Guard Filter, dtiCORE Diamonds maximize cut quality and eliminate unnecessary down time to achieve unparalleled reliability, it adds.
 
Mike Murray, Murrco president and owner, decided to add waterjet cutting services to his one-man fab shop after noticing a growing demand for the service from his customer base, which had already grown beyond the racing industry.

“The waterjet service market is booming and I wanted to get involved and establish myself and my company as a waterjet service provider,” he said. “I plan on using my Jet Edge waterjet to provide quality and accurate parts and products in a job shop environment. As time goes on, I’m sure some new products will be added to Murrco’s racing product line. Production type work in the motorsports industry is the goal.”
 
Waterjet’s ability to cut an array of materials and its reach into multiple industries were very attractive to Murray, whose business sustained the Great Recession and is now benefitting from the rebounding economy.
 
“Having waterjet cutting services in-house opens up a wide array of possibilities and new markets for Murrco,” he said. “I have cut parts from aluminum, mild steel, graphite and wood. The thickest I have cut has been 2-in. thick mild steel, and it was amazing how well the finished product turned out.”
 
“We’re excited to have Jet Edge on our team,” he continued. “Having a waterjet broadens our imagination of the things that we can make in house for the car.”
 
Murray said he is very happy with his decision to go with a Jet Edge waterjet cutting system.
 
“Why did I choose Jet Edge? All you have to do is research your options when it comes to a waterjet company,” he said. “When I decided that I wanted a waterjet, I researched for about 14 months. Reading, talking to those that owned waterjets and more reading. Jet Edge offered everything, quality, service, options and competitive pricing. The IGEMS software is so easy to learn and has endless options for operation.”