Customer Testimonial
Edge Technologies Gives IHC Suspension the “Stance They Deserve” with Patriot 338
Compay Name: IHC Suspension
Website: https://ihcsuspension.com/
IHC Suspension is a manufacturer of aftermarket lowering kits for major truck brands in the United States. They pride themselves on giving trucks the “stance they deserve.” As they strove toward producing components 100% in-house, they knew a bar feeder was the automation solution they needed.
For their first bar feeder, IHC Suspension went with one of Edge Technologies’ competitors.
IHC Suspension is a manufacturer of aftermarket lowering kits for major truck brands in the United States. They pride themselves on giving trucks the “stance they deserve.” As they strove toward producing components 100% in-house, they knew a bar feeder was the automation solution they needed.
But the field service technician who installed the first bar feeder wasn’t very familiar with the machine. The installation was not particularly thorough, and the bar feeder was not even laser-lined with the CNC lathe.
For their next bar feeder, IHC Suspension invested in a Patriot 338 through Edge Technologies.
Amazed by the Field Service Support
IHC Suspension was amazed by the support.
“The field service technician was very fast, very professional,” said Horacio Salinas, Manufacturing Engineer. “He took his time, and even made a modification to the sheet metal, installing a carriage in the back to support the bar. He seemed to understand the investment we’d made in purchasing it, and he treated the bar feeder with care.”
Edge Technologies takes a regional approach with our field service. As a result, the technician who installed the bar feeder was local. If IHC Suspension runs into issues in the future, Edge can support them quickly, usually providing a game plan within 24 hours.
The Patriot 338 bar feeder has given IHC Suspension, you might say, the stance they deserve.
“The Patriot 338 has been able to cut cycle times nearly in half, from 1:45 minutes to 0:58. What we used to be able to produce in two shifts we’ll almost be able to double in just one shift.”
“Slick and Very Well Built” Magazine Bar Feeder
“I really like the way it’s turned out,” Salinas said. “It’s slick and very well built.”
Salinas especially appreciates the HMI, which is modern and easy-to-use. Even during training, it only took IHC Suspension about an hour or two to pick it up. Today, some of his operators only use the machine occasionally, but it is so intuitive that they relearn it quickly each time.
The Patriot 338 was also IHC Suspension’s first foray into 12-foot bar feeders (their previous had been a 6-foot). The longer bars produce less remnant, which in turn means less waste and more productivity. The Patriot 338 has been able to cut cycle times nearly in half, from 1:45 minutes to 0:58.
“What we used to be able to produce in two shifts we’ll almost be able to double in just one shift,” Salinas said.
Whereas some of their other bar feeders need to be loaded three to four times a day, the Patriot 338 only needs to be attended to twice a day. And hydraulic oil stabilizes everything, so it’s extremely reliable.
“We 100% plan to buy bar feeders in the future,” Salinas said. “And if Edge has a solution for us, I’m probably going to stick with Edge.”
