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BENCO Steel, Inc. has recently acquired a new CNC high- speed, double column production saw by HE&M Saw. This new saw has the capability of production-cutting large bundles of material (40” wide X 25” tall) while maintaining a 1/16th inch tolerance. In 2005, BENCO also purchased a new CNC HE&M Smart Saw capable of performing production line miter cuts while holding a 1/16-inch tolerance. With these new saws, BENCO is pleased to offer customers a much higher state of quality assurance consistent with exact specifications.

Machinery modernization at BENCO has been in the works since May 2001 when BENCO’s senior managers developed a 5-year machinery modernization program as part of the company’s long-range strategic plan. The machine modernization program supports the quality management philosophy of the company’s president, Judy Tate. The modernization program called for the upgrade and replacement of all the outdated machinery that had been on the company’s plant floor for years. Though the old machinery was serviceable and could handle most customer requirements, it lacked the sophisticated CNC controls, software, and tooling required to meet the exacting needs and quick turn-around requirements of BENCO’s customers.

Rounding out the modernization program, BENCO now has in operation a new CNC 440-ton X 14’ press brake by Durma and a new high-speed, CNC shear by AccuShear. Also new to BENCO is a high-definition plasma burning system by Controlled Automation. The new system operates on a 10’ X 20’ burning table and replaces a conventional plasma burning system. The high-definition feature enables BENCO to produce near-laser quality cuts on material up to 1/2 inch thickness.

With the goal of enhancing processing and fabrication quality, BENCO has now completely modernized its entire inventory of processing and fabrication machinery. BENCO can now offer its customers a one-stop-shopping opportunity. And as always, customer satisfaction is guaranteed!

NEWS EXTRA…
BENCO Steel has the capability and prefers to receive CAD drawings of customer requirements via e-mail. BENCO operates in a total CNC machine environment that enables the quality of the product to meet the customer’s exacting needs. When customers convey their requirements on a CAD drawing, BENCO personnel can quickly convert that drawing into a CNC readable file resulting in quick turn-around on the requirement. BENCO operates the latest version of AutoCAD® Mechanical Desktop (2007). This latest version of AutoCAD® allows BENCO to operate on all earlier versions of the software. BENCO can receive drawings using formats other than AutoCAD® to include DXF, DWG, IGES, BMP, JPEG, and others. If unsure that the customer’s file is compatibility with BENCO’s operating system, customers should contact BENCO prior to submitting the drawing. BENCO can also receive customer drawings on a hard or floppy disk if the customer is unable to e-mail the drawing. The point of contact at BENCO Steel for electronic submitted drawings is Ron Borders, Vice President of Plant Operations, ron@bencosteel.com.