For the Long Haul: Ongoing Support for AnnaMax Machines

We’re proud to remind our existing—and future—customers that the people at AnnaMax stand behind every machine we put into the field. Our support doesn’t end at the point of sale.

If you’ve already purchased from us, you know that we include a professionally-bound manual and set of gauge charts with every coping/notching machine. We want our customers to experience the full benefits of using our machines to improve the way they work. And that begins with having a knowledgable understanding of how to best use our products.

If you’ve lost or misplaced your user manual or gauge charts, please let us know. We’ll be happy to replace them for you at no charge.

When our customers are successful in business, everyone wins. This belief is why AnnaMax goes out of our way to support our customers.

Tips for Prolonging the Life of Your Cutter (Pipe Notching, Cutting, etc.)

The way you cut your pipes and tubes to length makes a difference.

If you are sawing with a “toothed” blade, band or circular, there shouldn’t be any issues. Also acceptable is a cut using a “hot saw”—these methods probably won’t raise the concerns we’re addressing today.

If you are oxy-fuel cutting or plasma cutting, however, the cut surface of the pipe or tube may inadvertently be hardened.

To check for this condition use a “new” or “sharp” file. Run the corner of the file on an uncut area of the pipe and note the “bite” of the file into the pipe or tube. Then move to the cut end and perform the same test. If the file slides across with less “bite,” it’s an indication of a hardened condition. You can remedy this by lightly grinding the surface to remove the hardened area.

Turning your cut into chips is also critical. If the cut is not turned into chips, the end of the workpiece can catch on the cutter and potentially stop the machine. For instructions on how to turn your cut into chips, please consult the gauge chart and manual.

As always, take special care when inserting a workpiece into the machine. If a workpiece is thrust in forcefully, it may hit the cutter and cause it to break.

Finally, remember that the machine works best when the cutter is sharpened or replaced regularly.

Customer Success Story: Coping Machine Paid for Itself in the First Job

Justin Knull at JD Enterprises in Alberta, Canada recently contacted us to share an exciting update about his business’s use of the CopeMatic Pro coping and notching machine.

Justin’s shop had built a batch of 20 panels using 2-1/2” Schedule 40 pipe with a 2.9” outside diameter.

He goes on to tell us that they’ve benefited in several ways:

  • They saved $450 in oxygen and acetylene costs per batch of 20 (in just one week).
  • Their shop significantly sped up the fitting time. With the now perfect copes, the pieces could be put together in half the time, saving valuable labor hours.
  • They even saved a few dollars in grinding wheels used on the rough torch-cut edges.

Summary
We’re always pleased to hear from customers who have been able to decrease the time required on their jobs, while saving money overall. In this case, Justin made up the full cost of his CopeMatic Pro coping machine in only eight sets of panels, in oxygen and acetylene savings alone.

Keep your success stories coming.

If you’re new to AnnaMax Machine and haven’t experienced the cost and time savings of the CopeMatic yet, what are you waiting for? Contact us today to find out how easy it is to get your own.

Big News (Regarding Something Smaller)

You’ve probably already met the CopeMatic Pro (originally the CopeMatic 4500). Now say hello to the CopeMatic MiniPro.

Our newest machine is a great choice for our customers whose coping needs range from 1/2-inch to 2 inches in diameter. The same things that make the CopeMatic Pro great for years are also found in the CopeMatic MiniPro:

  • uses a standard 1/2” end mill
  • portable like its predecessor, and even easier to move
  • its workpiece remains stationary as the head moves to make the cope
  • our materials meet demanding quality standards, and are sourced from local vendors
  • every machine is assembled in the U.S.

To be notified when this machine is available, just fill out the customer inquiry form found here and mention the MiniPro. Rather talk to a human? Give us a call at 612-355-9337.

Upcoming Events: Fabtech 2015 & South-Tec 2015

This year has kept us busy building and shipping our patented metal tube & pipe coping machines to shops around the U.S. Because of this increased activity, we won’t be able to attend the remainder of this year’s trade shows.

We’re excited to report that 2015 has been a year of unprecedented growth for AnnaMax Machine, and working hard to get our machines in the field quickly is one of the ways we support shops like yours.

For the those of you who plan to attend, though, here are a few basics to know as you make plans.

 

FABTECH 2015
Nov 9-12
McCormick Place
Chicago, IL
Website: http://www.fabtechexpo.com/

From the event’s organizers:
FABTECH provides a convenient venue where you can meet with world-class suppliers, see the latest industry products and developments, and find the tools to improve productivity, increase profits and discover new solutions to all of your metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing needs.

 

SOUTH-TEC 2015

October 27-29, 2015
Charlotte Convention Center
Charlotte, NC
Website: http://www.southteconline.com/

From the event’s organizers:
“SOUTH-TEC provides a dynamic venue to showcase the complete spectrum of essential manufacturing technologies, products and services.”

Pricing Updates and New Ordering Options

We’ve updated our machines overview page with new details on pricing and additional ordering options that are now available. If you haven’t already checked it out, head over there right now and see what we’ve added.

Other News About the Machine
We’ve listened to the needs of our customers and found that are quite a few shops that would like our machine to accommodate larger stock. We’re happy to announce that all new CopeMatic 4500’s can now be made to accommodate 4 1/2” stock and will be able to cope a 4 1/2” diameter.

As always, we’re able to create custom fixtures to accommodate unusual projects. Just let us know what your next job requires and we’ll see what we can do to make your projects faster, easier, and perhaps a bit more profitable.

Questions about our products, or ready to learn more about ordering? Contact us through our website here, or give us a call at 612-355-9337.

Custom Clamping Systems for Metal Tube Coping and Pipe Notching Now Available

We’ve listened to the needs of our customers and are excited to announce a custom clamp system for metal tube coping and pipe notching. Designed to be used with the CopeMatic 4500 machine, the new optional clamp can be custom engineered specifically for your machining needs. For shops that cope pre-formed or pre-bent tubing, this is good news when it comes to getting jobs done faster and more accurately.

Our custom clamp system can be designed for use in multiple ways allowing for coping more than one pre-formed tube angle without needing multiple clamp fixtures. We anticipate our clients will appreciate the value of having fewer pieces of equipment needed, especially when that means less time spent readjusting a machine, and a ultimately, a higher throughput.

Here are a couple more reasons you may want to order a CopeMatic 4500 with a custom clamp system:

1. When you’re finished with the project your custom fixture was needed for, you can use the standard clamp system to continue performing copes or notches on straight tubing and pipes.

2. For a small fee, we’re able to hand deliver the CopeMatic 4500 with the custom clamp fixture. Some customers prefer this option in order to see a demonstration firsthand, and to receive personal instruction on how both the basic CopeMatic 4500 and the custom fixture can be used.

If you’re curious to see how we can provide for your shop’s unique needs, feel free to contact AnnaMax Machine with questions. Whether by phone or email, we’re here to support our clients over the long haul.

What Does Coping or Notching Mean?

There are several types of coping or notching applications in the metal fabrication and manufacturing industry. Three of the common ones include beam coping, wood coping, and tube coping.

Beam Coping
Beam coping is used to fit beams against each other. Often a torch is used to cope steel beams.

Wood Coping
Wood coping machines would be used to fit crown moldings perfectly together; for example to make cabinet doors and moldings. Here is a video demonstration of one of the tools used to cope moldings.

Tube Coping
Tube coping, on the other hand, means taking one piece of tube and cutting it to fit against another piece of tubing. When using cylindrical tubing, a concave cut from the piece of tube needs to be made, and often it’s necessary to have an angle on the cut to produce the desired result. Currently most tube coping is done with hole saws or abrasive notchers.

These methods of tube coping each present their own limitations, and often don’t produce the desired result. This is why at AnnaMax Machine we decided to invent a better, faster, more precise way of tube coping and notching. Take a look at the CopeMatic Pro and you’ll see why it’s the right choice for your next coping project.

Questions about our products, or ready to learn more about ordering? Contact us through our website here, or give us a call at 612-355-9336.

Is Made in the USA Important?

The people here at AnnaMax aren’t just machine shop veterans and manufacturers; we’re also consumers…just like you. And, like you, we know it’s not always easy to find the products you need that are also US-made. In fact, sometimes it seems like most companies are sacrificing quality for cost, and are producing their products overseas.

As you probably already know, the guidelines overseas don’t always meet the same standards we hold valuable here in the USA, and the worker pay can be much less. The end result is usually a second rate product that cuts plenty of corners just to save someone a little overhead. Worse, when one of those products fails, it can be nearly impossible to speak with an actual person, and even more difficult to speak to a person who can and wants to help you.

There is a Better Way

Here at AnnaMax Machine, LLC. Each part is carefully selected to contribute to a long lasting, quality product. And when you have questions about our products and services, you’ll be able to speak directly with a representative without having to wade through automated options. Furthermore, our representatives know the product on a detailed, real-world level, and can offer you an accurate answer to your inquiry without the headache.

We Celebrate Your Success

It’s important to us that we support local business and provide quality made products to our customers. Buying our materials here in the USA from local vendors that we meet face to face gives us the best quality products with the best quality service. Our vendors care about our success and we care about yours. This results in machines that were designed and built to outlast many others on the market.

When you buy the Copematic 4500 coping machine, for example, you’re providing local jobs not only here at AnnaMax Machine, LLC., but also other local companies. Your investment supports America’s economy…and that’s something we all care about.

Have more questions about our products, or ready to learn more about ordering? Contact us through our website here, or give us a call at 612-355-9337.

5 Ways the CopeMatic 4500 Coping Machine Wants to Boost Your Shop’s Productivity

It’s become pretty common these days to find the “green” stamp of environmental friendliness everywhere you look. From your food and beverage packaging, to the fuels you put in your truck; everyone wants to get on the green train.

But what exactly “green” refers to in each context isn’t always clear. And most product manufacturers are happy to let the public assume the best. At AnnaMax Machine, however, we’ll be up front with you every time. And our labeling of the CopeMatic 4500 as green is no exception.

While using this coping machine won’t cut your carbon footprint in half, it will indeed help conserve your business’s resources and improve process efficiencies, both of which can help your shop reduce consumption in a variety of other related ways.

Some of the ways the CopeMatic 4500 can reduce consumption of resources include:

  1. The machine requires relatively little electricity to operate
  2. Its design eliminates the need to cut the angle before coping
  3. Because the advantages of the CopeMatic 4500 allow shops to spend less time on related welding work, overall operation time for projects is reduced
  4. It is very quiet (ear protection is not needed), dramatically cutting down noise pollution
  5. Its remarkable portability allows your team to avoid using large trucks or trailers when moving it

Of course there are fiscal reasons that make the CopeMatic 4500 attractive to shop owners. Nearly every benefit this machine offers in regard to energy and environmental impacts, also has an appealing impact on your company’s bottom line.

To find out more about our company, this machine, and how we can help you do better (and more) business, contact us today.