Finn-Power Crimpers Open New Opportunities

Lillbacka USA • 1629 Prime Court, Suite 400 • Orlando, FL 32809
Phone (847) 301-1300 • Fax (847) 301-2562 • www.lillbackausa.com
Finn-Power Crimpers Open
New Opportunities
Garrett Mine Supply was founded in 1983 as a shop that resharpened tool bits for the coal mining industry. The company
evolved over the years and began moving into different
product lines. Recently, the company
changed its name to Garrett Industrial
Supply to reflect the expanding
product line and service to other
industries than just mining. “We
started out with just mining products,
and today we serve paper
manufacturing, timber industry,
drilling industry, and repair shops with
hose being a fairly large commodity,”
explains Jeremy Whitacre, Director of
Operations.
VOLUME 5
2013
IN THIS ISSUE:
Garrett Industrial Supply ....................................1-3
Technical Tips..............................................................4
Tompkins Industries ............................................5-6
Lillbacka Moved to Orlando ..................................7
Sales Meeting..............................................................8
“The FP175 gave us capabilities
we never had. This opened up
many new opportunities for us
as a company.”
Garrett’s corporate headquarters is
located in Oakland, MD, and the
company has three stores and a
Jeremy Whitacre, Garrett’s Director of Operations, states that the FP175 provided his
number of welding & repair shops.
company
capabilities it did not have, and created many new opportunities.
Garrett’s Express store in Morgantown,
WV, services such industries as coal
applications. Hose is sold in lengths from 8 inches
mining, oil & gas, fracking with a wide variety of hoses including
to 660 feet. In 2008, Garrett purchased a Finngeneral purpose, hydraulic, petroleum, chemical, etc. “Strip
Power
FP120 crimper to replace an older model.
mining has completely different hose requirements than
underground mining,” says Whitacre. “At this Express location
FP120
we can turn around a wide variety of hose with fittings in a short
The Finn-Power FP120 from Lillbacka is a highperiod of time.”
speed, high-production model that has a crimping
force of up to 280 tons. It quickly adjusts and
The Morgantown Garrett location sells brass, steel, and
aluminum fittings from 1/8” to 12” for many different
Continued on page 2
Customer Profile
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Continued from front cover
crimps to an exact dimension and can adjust in
.01 mm increments. The FP120 is designed with
soft and even die movement, using a twin-pump
hydraulic system which eliminates pressure
shock during crimping. The FP120 crimping
machine is designed to handle large jobs with
optimal crimping force, speed, and efficiency.
These models are full-scale production units.
What distinguishes them are their larger die
opening, strength, and speed. These production
units can accommodate small and larger
assemblies. Their large pass-through head design
makes them ideal for crimping elbow assemblies,
flange pieces, and oddly-shaped parts.
Other features of the FP120 include:
• Versatile control system
• Fast, efficient, and accurate crimping
• Flexible change over from serial to singlepiece production
• Smooth operation through fast approach
combined with slow crimping
• Operated by push button, pedal (optional),
back stop device, or using semi-automatic
function
“We purchased the FP120 specifically for
hydraulic hose,” explains Whitacre. “At that time
we didn’t stock any of the other industrial hoses,
and we only serviced the mining industry and
MRO operations. That was what the crimper was
designed for and it was the best machine we
could have bought for servicing that market.
When we are crimping hydraulic hose, we only
have .006” in tolerance to crimp the diameter to.
The FP120 is extremely accurate and repeatable.”
“Having the production capabilities of
the FP120 allowed us to keep up with the
growing demand.”
Efficient production
“One of the best features of the FP120 for
production crimping is the switch in the
backstop that will automatically crimp the
hoses,” continues Whitacre. “You just adjust the
cycle. If you need to move metal ½”, there is no
need to let the machine fully cycle between each
crimp. You can set the cycle parameters so when
you crimp it with the switch in the backstop, you
are minimizing the travel times for the dies. So
you are making the process faster.”
e Finn-Power FP120 from Lillbacka is a high-speed, high-production model
that has a crimping force of up to 280 tons. It quickly adjusts and crimps to an
exact dimension and can adjust in .01 mm increments.
“As our market grew, we found other applications for the FP120,”
says Whitacre. “We serviced a great number of the mines in this
region and produced many hose assemblies for the coal mines.
We might make 250 – 300 hoses at one time for one coal mine.
Having the production capabilities of the FP120 allowed us to
keep up with the growing demand.”
However, since 2011, there has been a dramatic decline in the
coal mining market. “As the coal mining business declined, we
entered the oil & gas industry and soon realized that our
crimping capabilities were not what they needed to be to service
that industry. Our machines weren’t big enough.”
FP175
In late 2011, Garrett purchased a larger FP175 crimper that the
company uses on all its industrial hose from 2” – 12”.
The FP175 is an ideal choice when the operation requires
crimping of very large hoses or reduction of big pipes. It can also
be used for connecting parts requiring extremely high forces.
FP175 is one of the largest and strongest standard-made
crimping machines on the market.
Other features of the FP175 include:
• Crimping range up to 320 mm (12.60”)
- capability of handling all shapes of fittings
• Variety of larger die sets available
Continued on page 3
3
Customer Profile
Continued from page 2
•
•
•
Speed, force and accuracy combined in the
same single machine
Horizontal construction available upon
request
Foot pedal included
“The FP175 is phenomenal,” says Whitacre.
“The way it operates, the power it has, and the
reliability makes it without a doubt the best
crimper that I ever used. If I were buying
another one today, I wouldn’t need to look any
further. Each crimp is the same. When it crimps
to a certain tolerance, it’s always spot on in
accuracy. It is critical that these hoses are
crimped correctly. A failure could be
catastrophic not only in injury but also
environmental cleanup.”
“The FP175 is phenomenal. The way it
operates, the power it has, and the
reliability makes it without a doubt the
best crimper that I ever used. If I were
buying another one today, I wouldn’t
need to look any further. Each crimp is
the same. When it crimps to a certain
tolerance, it’s always spot on in
accuracy. It is critical that these hoses
are crimped correctly. A failure could be
catastrophic not only in injury but also
environmental cleanup.”
According to Whitacre, the controls on both
the FP120 and the FP175 are user friendly. “On
both machines, once you put in the diameter
that you want to crimp to, it tells you the die
that you need to use. This aids in the process
and helps to reduce errors. It chooses the die
based on the info that is stored in the system.
Another nice feature is that all the dies from
the FP120 can fit into the FP175, making a nice
back-up system.”
New capabilities...New Opportunities
“The FP175 gave us capabilities we never had,”
says Whitacre. “This opened up many new
opportunities for us as a company. When coal
started declining in 2011, we were still learning
the oil & gas market. Today, there are a many
other industries that we can now service, such
as construction companies. “
Another Finn-Power crimper feature that Garrett likes about the FP120 is the
Quick Change Tool System (QC), which allows the entire die set to be changed
in one easy operation.
e FP175 is an ideal choice when the operation requires crimping of very
large hoses or reduction of big pipes. It can also be used for connecting parts
requiring extremely high forces. FP175 is one of the largest and strongest
standard-made crimping machines on the market.
Garrett Industrial Supply is a company with a vision. It is
always looking for the new challenge and opportunity. “We
hate to tell our customers that we can’t do what they want,”
concludes Whitacre. “We like to be problem solvers and
provide solutions. The Finn-Power crimpers are the solution to
a lot of problems that our customers were experiencing.”
4
Technical Tips
Below are technical tips from Lillbacka’s service department to maximize
efficiency and reliability of your crimping or hose cutting machines.
Always store your crimping machine in the full
open position
To prolong life of the master dies springs, store the
crimping machine in the full open position when not in
use. The master dies have spring-activated open positions.
When the crimp head closes, the dies springs will
compress…and when crimp head opens, the die springs
will extend. Because leaving the springs into compressed
state will eventually relax the metal, and springs lose some
of their strength. So the next time you shut the machine
down for the day, or head home for the weekend,
remember to cycle the machine to the full open position
before shutting it down.
Frequent greasing intervals will extend the life of
your investment
The crimp heads in Finn-Power machine generate
hundreds of tons of crimping force. This force works the
gliding surfaces. To minimize the friction and eliminate
“metal to metal” connection between sliding surfaces,
proper lubrication is required to assure maximum life for
your machine. In continuous operation, lubrication by
adding new grease every 4-8 hours of operation will
prevent premature wear to the machine. The purpose of
frequent greasing is to ensure there is always enough
grease between the gliding surfaces. Due to the surface
pressure, the grease sinks into the metal pores ensuring
good sliding properties for the life of the machine. When
greasing the machine, it is also important to remove the
old grease from the machine in order to eliminate build up.
Hydraulic oil needs to be changed and filtered
The Lillbacka factory recommends that the hydraulic oil be
changed after the first 500 hours of operation, and then
every 1000 hours thereafter. The new hydraulic oil (ISO
viscosity grade 46 recommended) should be filtered
through a 20 micron filter or finer to remove excess
impurities and minimize build up of debris in the hydraulic
system. The oil filter should be changed at the same time
to assure optimum performance of the machine.
5
Customer Profile
Finn-Power Crimpers Increase
Productivity at Tompkins
Industries
From its humble beginning in J.L. Tompkins'
garage in 1967, Tompkins Industries has grown
to be a major supplier of hydraulic adapters and
related products. As an ISO Certified Company,
Tompkins products meet or exceed industry
standards. Company founder, J.L. Tompkins Sr.,
sought to create a business which provided
reliable products at competitive prices…a
company that made
customer service a
primary goal.
Customer benefits
remain at the core of
any decision as
Tompkins continues
to grow and plan for
the future. In 2011,
following a merger
with Can-Am
Hydraulic Products,
Ltd., Tompkins
expanded into Canada, doing business as
Tompkins Canada.
“The FP120s have operated very well for us.
They provide high-quality crimps and are
very dependable machines.”
Tompkins Shipping Guarantee
Tompkins’ same-day shipping guarantee
provides fast and efficient delivery from any of its
12 distribution centers throughout North
America. All in-stock orders received by 8:30 PM
EST will ship same day. The Tompkins product
line includes: aerosols, ball valves, brass adapters,
clamps, cleanout covers, flanges, forged steel
adapters, hose protection, metric adapters, quick
disconnects, steel adapters, surplus, and test
points.
Finn-Power Crimpers
When the Tompkins branch in Elkhart, IA, first
attempted to become a production facility in
2005, the company chose the Finn-Power FP120
crimper to help produce hydraulic adapters.
“Our sister facility in Kansas had a FP120 so we
Jeremy Swanson, account representative for the Tompkins branch
in Elkhart, IA, says that the Finn-Power crimper is what helped
his company open this production facility.
were familiar with the brand,” explains Jeremy Swanson,
account representative. “The Finn-Power crimper is what
helped us open this production facility.”
“The Finn-Power crimpers have allowed us to add
more and more business into the mix. The sales and
service support we receive from Lillbacka is second
to none.”
The Finn-Power FP120 from Lillbacka is a high-speed, highproduction model that has a crimping force of up to 280
tons. It quickly adjusts and crimps to an exact dimension
and can adjust in .01 mm increments. The FP120 is designed
with soft and even die movement, using a twin-pump
hydraulic system which eliminates pressure shock during
crimping. The FP120 crimping machine is designed to
handle large jobs with optimal crimping force, speed, and
efficiency. These models are full-scale production units.
What distinguishes them from the competition are their
larger die opening, strength, and speed. These production
units can accommodate small and large assemblies. Their
large pass-through head design makes them ideal for
crimping elbow assemblies, flange pieces, and oddlyshaped parts.
Continued on page 6
6
Customer Profile
Continued from page 5
Other features of the FP120 include:
• Versatile control system
• Fast, efficient, and accurate crimping
• Flexible change over from serial to singlepiece production
• Smooth operation through fast approach
combined with slow crimping
• Operated by push button, pedal (optional),
back stop device, or using semi-automatic
function
“The Finn-Power crimper is what helped
us open this production facility.”
In 2008, the Tompkins Elkhart facility
purchased a second FP120 to keep pace with
increased production demand for the growing
business in hydraulic hoses, spiral braid hoses,
and thermoplastic hoses. A third FP120 was
purchased during the summer of 2012 as
production continues to grow at the Elkhart
facility. “The FP120s have operated very well
for us,” says Swanson. “They provide highquality crimps and are very dependable
machines. The FP120 is user friendly and pretty
simple to operate. In addition, changing out
the dies is very quick. We really like the crimp
counters on the FP120. The Finn-Power
crimpers have allowed us to add more and
more business into the mix. The sales and
service support we receive from Lillbacka is
second to none. The guys are great and very
good at what they do. The Finn Power crimpers
have performed extremely well at Tompkins,
and have allowed us to continually grow our
business.”
e FP120 is designed with so and even die movement, using a twinpump hydraulic system which eliminates pressure shock during crimping.
e FP120 crimping machine is designed to handle large jobs with optimal
crimping force, speed, and efficiency.
e FP120 crimping machine is designed to handle large
jobs with optimal crimping force, speed, and efficiency.
ese models are full-scale production units. What
distinguishes them from the competition are their larger die
opening, strength, and speed. ese production units can
accommodate small and large assemblies. eir large passthrough head design makes them ideal for crimping elbow
assemblies, flange pieces, and oddly-shaped parts.
7
Announcement
Lillbacka USA Has Moved to Orlando!
Lillbacka USA is pleased to announce that it has moved its
showroom and corporate headquarters from Schaumburg, IL to
Orlando, FL.
The company first established its North America presence in
Schaumburg, IL in 1985. “Our decision to move our corporate
headquarters was not an easy one,” explains Pekka Lillbacka,
President & CEO of Lillbacka Powerco, the Finnish parent
company of Lillbacka USA. “Illinois is centrally located and has
served us well for 27 years. However, the cost of doing business
in Illinois has skyrocketed in recent years with a negative future
outlook of continuing rising taxes and other costs. We were
forced to search for a friendlier business climate…and found an
ideal new home in Orlando, FL.”
Recognized by Business Week magazine as one of the world’s
"most fiercely competitive" communities, Orlando offers
unlimited potential on par with the nation's top business
centers; a diverse spectrum of industries; multi-modal access to
and from destinations around the globe; a do-what-it-takes
attitude; a highly favorable tax climate for business, and no
state income tax.
The Lillbacka USA new showroom and corporate office is
conveniently located just a few minutes from the Orlando
International Airport and the Orange County Convention
Center. In the new showroom, we will perform test crimping
for special industrial applications and new machine
demonstrations with Finn-Power crimping technology and
networking capability.
Our business growth has brought service support closer to our
customers with a total of seven factory-trained and authorized
service centers performing all emergency service and the
required preventive maintenance services. Spare part deliveries
are secured by vast spare parts inventory in the corporate
office and distributing the on hand inventories to strategic
locations throughout North America.
Orlando International Airport
Orange County Convention Center
Sales Meeting
Lillbacka USA Sales Meeting
Held at New Orlando Corporate
Headquarters
Sales reps and field service reps from
throughout North America
attended Lillbacka USA’s
sales meeting held at its
corporate headquarters in
Orlando, FL, on April 4 & 5.
The sales reps were given a
tour of the new facility. New
products were introduced,
including the new SP5000,
the Finn-Power UC Control,
the Finn-Power Skiver, and
the customized hose cutting
machines. Numerous
customer application success stories were
shared. Also reviewed were many past special
engineering applications from a variety of
industries, including: cable, wire, tube & pipe,
high-power electrical, marine, medical, military,
etc. Lillbacka has more than a quarter of a
century of hands-on engineering experience
with customer application solutions for its
global customer base.
The Lillbacka USA authorized field service
representatives have all been factory trained
and certified for servicing all Finn-Power
crimping machines. The meeting reflected
some very positive feedback from the
participants on close customer relations.
Lillbacka USA • 1629 Prime Court, Suite 400 • Orlando, FL 32809
Phone (847) 301-1300 • Fax (847) 301-2562 • Email: sales@lillbackausa.com • www.lillbackausa.com
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