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How can I know if I am working with a knowledgeable company?
One way to get information about the waterjet company you are dealing with is by asking simple questions such as:
What type of materials do you normally cut, and what percentage of your business does it comprise?
If the proposed bidder has worked mostly with metals, then they may not understand the idiosyncrasies of working with resilient flooring, linoleum or rubber, for example. They may not understand that linoleum must acclimate to its environment prior to being worked with which increases the delivery time. They may not know about the amount of time it takes to reassemble goods and work with installers. They may bid only for the cutting portion of the job and then throw the pieces into a box, leaving the installer with thousands of pieces to assemble prior to installing. They may not be aware of the marriage between one tile and the next because their company has been involved largely in nesting (or cutting many pieces inside of a large sheet or slab of material).
Have you worked with resilient flooring? If so, what manufacturers? Have there been any issues?
Every material has its idiosyncrasies. Every manufacturer has their differences. Historically, it hasn’t mattered that much if VCT tiles are not all the same size. However, if you are asking a waterjet company to maintain tight tolerance, then the material size must be consistent. All manufacturers provide materials within industry standards, but some are more consistent then others. A manufacturer may specify their tile size as 18” x 18” when the actual dimensions are 17.875" x 17.875". If the waterjet cutter has been programmed for a tile size of 18" x 18" then there problems will occur in the project assembly and intsallation. If a company has not worked with resilient materials before they may not know what discrepancies to look out for. Time, materials and the success of the project could be in jeopardy.
Have you worked with ceramic and stone tiles? If so what problems have you encountered?
If they do not bring up the subject of the variance in material size and thickness, you can be assured of problems.
Tile sizes may vary from box to box, color to color or manufacturer to manufacturer; not to mention bevels and thier lack of consistency from tile to tile. In general, most inconsistencies are made up for by using grout lines. However, even minor inconsistencies can create difficulties for an inexperienced waterjet company, thus affecting design integrity.
How long have you been involved in the waterjet industry? Do you have a list of references?
The list of references will tell a great deal about where the company has worked. Have shipped product across the United States successfully? How do they handle problems? How long have they been in business? Do they work within a certain market?
Even the best waterjet companies that do business across the United States, have to deal with freight carriers. Packaging / crating can be a big issue. The project can look great in the production facility, but the freight carrier can destroy it in no time flat.
Do you have a portfolio of your work?
Any waterjet company that does not take enough pride in their work to have a portfolio or website, is probably not going to take pride of ownership in your project.
Will you provide me the names of manufactures representatives who would recommend your services?
Most people who work for flooring manufacturers will gladly speak about specific projects, because the waterjet portion can make or break the overall look of the job. You will be sure to hear about it if someone is not pleased with the company's work or the project outcome.
How many machines do you have in your facility?
If a waterjet company has only one machine then that may be critical to the success of the project.
If you have a project scheduled for shipment in 2 weeks and the waterjet company has a steel project ahead of you, you may not receive your project in time. Steel takes a great deal longer to cut and it is cut with abrasives. Your project may use linoleum and if the tank has not been cleaned between jobs the abrasives will backsplash on your linoleum which decreases the tolerance on all cuts and causes the material to get dirty.
It is important to ask if the company has a dedicated machine for non-abrasive cutting of resilient flooring. This will eliminate the issue of cutting linoleum, sheet vinyl or cork with a machine that has abrasives in the water that can scratch or soak into the material. Also, the possibility of the operator of the dedicated machine having knowledge of the variety of situations that may come up with resilient flooring is dramatically increased.
How large is your facility and will you assemble the project, prior it shipment?
Some companies that own waterjet machines would have no need for floor space if they were cutting parts only. On the other hand, if a project is attempted that requires assembly, such as a hospital or school logo and it is not pre-assembled, then the chances of a successful installation are diminished.
Having a waterjet machine does not mean that it will provide you with an accurate finished project every time.
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