Our shop
The Cutting System
This is our computerized cutting system. Fabric is loaded on the roll racks behind the cutting machine. The material is brought out on to the vacuum table where it is held flat by a very strong vacuum motor. The machine duplicates the computerized drawings that are in the patternsmith patterning program on the computer. That information is relayed to the control computer on the machine. The control computer plots information that is stored on the patterned drawings on the computer. Those pattern drawings are color coded for two different cutting tools and one pen. The pen can write instructions for the welders under the seams or in hidden areas of the pattern.
This tool has enabled JPW to make ever increasingly complex products for our customers, while maintaining cut dimensions to .001 inch. This insures that the quality of a product will be consistent over and over again by eliminating the small differences in pattern size that resulted in stack cutting of products. Part labeling helps keep parts oriented in the proper direction, and helps welders maintain consistent part alignment in the welding process.
Material Placed on the Roll Racks
Parts are loaded on to material racks as they are being cut on the cutting machine. These racks are wheeled into the welding room for the welding process.
Installing End Caps
The final process in tube production is to install the end caps. We have pre manufactured the end caps on the RF welder, and are gluing them to the end of the tubes. By the way the end caps are not holding any air in the structure. Their primary function is to protect the tip from wear. On many of our craft these are the only part that is glued on the boat. On other larger pontoons, the double bottom material is glued on. For the past 7 years, most of the attachment points on our boats have been welded and not glued. We have never glued any air holding component into or on an inflatable product. Therefore there is no possibility of a glue failure. This is another reason why our products have such good reviews.
On a Busy Day
On a busy day at JPW you can see a lot of things in progress. Dry bags and paco pads are made in the back room while pontoons of all sizes are getting ready for end caps. Small light weight urethane back packers rafts are being air tested before the floor is added. Our crew works on a multitude of different products in any given week. It is never boring at JPW. As our customers get to know our capability, our capability just seems to grow.
Our New RF welder
Early in 2011 Errol went out to New Jersey and purchased a new RF welder for our company. It is about 8 KW, and it is fast to set up. Now we have a working 15 kw and an 8 kw machine. parts do not pile up behind RF welders any more, and most days both are cranking out products.
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