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Precision Profiles Plus
Company History
Bourgault Industries Ltd., a agricultural equipment manufacturing firm located in St. Brieux, Saskatchewan realized the need to develop the capabilities to process it's own supply of pattern cut parts for manufacture. Bourgault also realized the demand in the marketplace for the supply of quality cut parts. Thus, Precision Profiles PLUS was developed as a subsidiary company of Bourgault Ind. Ltd.
The new company started in 1991 with the original plant located in St. Brieux. The work force of 12 people worked around the clock to meet demand. The original cutting equipment used was the CNC oxy/fuel torch that is still in use for thicker parts. An average year saw 1,000,000 lbs. (453600 kg.) of sheet and plate material processed through Precision Profiles.
In 2002, Precision Profiles moved to the current location 1/4 mile east of grid 779 just outside of St. Brieux. Precision Profiles (commonly referred to as PPP) now has a total of 5 laser cutters, employs 17 people, and consumes approx. 650,000 to 750,000 lbs. (272,000 to 340000 kg.) per month, or 10 million lbs. per year of sheet and plate material.
In addition to supplying Bourgault with profile cut material, Precision Profiles works with other clients for their profile parts needs.
LASER (Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation) All CO2 lasers use
nitrogen, helium and CO2 (carbon dioxide) at various mix percentages
(based on resonator or “engine” design) to produce
a beam. CO2 is the “lasing
gas” i.e. the electrons of the CO2 molecule are excited to
a state where they release a photon of light. Compare this to the
moon orbiting the earth. If you could apply enough energy to push
the moon away from it’s current orbit momentarily, it would
create some energy when it returned (a law of physics). The same
applies to molecules when they apply energy in the right combination – in
this case, a photon of light. The helium is in the mix to help
cool this process and the nitrogen (which is a large molecule)
is in the mix to help to accelerate the C02 (not unlike a bus crashing
into a small car) These photons are reflected off the internal
mirrors until they are all going the same speed or are IN PHASE.
Once at this state, the beam can pass through a optic called the
output couple, which is like a one-way mirror. It only allows the
light that is at the same wavelength (in phase) to go through.
This is the beam that is then focused to do the cutting. The rest
is reflected back until it is in phase, or dissipated as heat. |