Fi Innovations specializes in manufacturing with fiberglass, resin, and 3D printing – for a fascinating range of applications from boats to robots, sculptures, theatre props, and insect preservation.
Derek Manson, Advanced Manufacturing Manager, tells us how they got Heliner on board to take their manufacturing to another level.
Support was our top priority
“We were looking for a supplier with local representation in New Zealand, because service was really important to us above and beyond the product.
Ideally, we wanted a good quality machine at the right price point, requiring minimal support. And the support had to be without a long turnaround, as you might get with our geographical distance in the deep South.
We also wanted to deal with a tech guy, not just a sales rep, so someone suggested we talk to James.”
Extra miles of service
“Initially, we exchanged information with James to work out the machine specification. One modification identified was a knife-cutting actuator to work on foam material.
The deal was for James to supply the hardware, so he visited us with his assistant to install the machines as expected, but then he went well beyond that.
He also advised us on software, and helped us with operational issues to find our production sweet spot. He played around with the tooling, feed, and speed for optimal workflow.”
Saved us a lot of time
“James has real in-depth knowledge of the machines without having to refer much to manuals. But he can translate them into practical real-world application when required.
He spent time training us on how to do various tasks to achieve our goals. His help saved us a lot of time instead of being left to our own devices to figure it all out.
We’ve had negligible problems since, and only really needed support for our up-skilling on the machines.”
They haven’t missed a beat
“With the new routers, we can create precise masters, plugs, and moulds in composite material to manufacture quality products. We can also produce sheet material components for other manufacturers.
The machines are sturdy with fine-tolerance accuracy and production repeatability – really good value.
We bought two identical three-axis routers for the purposes of backup and extra capacity to assure us of dependable production. But they have been so reliable and efficient that there has been hardly any need for the second machine.”
He actually cares about our business
“James didn’t just want his ‘pound of flesh’ like other companies. He really cared about getting us up and running to the point of achieving our goals.
He’s great at advising us when we need to do something new, as there are ‘so many ways to skin a cat’ and he shows us the best way. In future, we’ll be looking at a five-axis machine to go to the next level for our manufacturing.
James is a good man – most helpful and obliging, so I am very happy to endorse him.”
