ZOOK is a manufacturer of high-quality metal and graphite rupture disks and other pressure relief products. ZOOK Canada turned to Assembly Automation Alternatives when faced with the issue of aging equipment in 2012. ZOOK was in the market for a laser cutter and laser welder and needed more than just the hardware.  The manufacturing organization had several lasers approaching their obsolescence dates and these older machines limited their welding capabilities.

After considering several suppliers, ZOOK chose Assembly Automation Alternatives’ RubyLaser cutter and RubyLaser welder.

Like many manufacturers, ZOOK deals with a skills gap. “Fiber laser cutting isn’t new,” said ZOOK President Scott Muddiman. “Anyone can piece together a laser cutting workstation. The right software and programming is what you need. Assembly Automation Alternatives is an integrator with a reputation for extensive industry knowledge. Their custom programming and tailored solutions make it easy for our operators to use the machines.”

Assembly Automation Alternatives solved the skills gap by providing a Windows-based program that could import CAD drawings and convert the drawings into the type of data the machine needed to run the job. With the software managing the programming of the machinery, this was a skill set no longer needed. Operators can just load parts into the machines and press go. No additional skill sets are required because the interface is customized to the specific job.

The RubyLaser machines run a shift and a half during a conventional work week and “still run the way they were designed to right from the start,” Muddiman says. “In our business it’s all about customization. We fill a niche in the marketplace. Finding a supplier that not only understands how to build, fit or alter hardware according to our needs but can anticipate and tailor the software made our choice an easy one.”

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