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ENLARGE
Bill Willis, left, Jonathan Hansen and Charles Hansen look on as the Umpqua Stone robot, using a powerful jet of water and sediment, cuts a table top out of a slab of granite.
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ENLARGE
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Umpqua Stone has been using a robot to cut stone at the Roseburg shop for the past two months.
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Five thousand pounds of pressure per square inch through the small nozzle.
This robot has power. Its jet stream of water and fine, sand-like garnet can cut through up to 3 inches of hard, dense granite or marble slab. The cut is precise.
A design is programmed into the robot's computer software, the start button is pushed and the operator can stand back and watch as the robot does the work.
The RoboCut Robotic Waterjet/Saw Cutting System has been in operation at Umpqua Stone in Roseburg for about two months now. It's the stone industry's first high-production robotic machining center designed specifically for the stone fabricator.
Umpqua Stone owner Charles Hansen and general manager Bill Willis say it's the only robot of its type in Oregon and one of only 19 in the United States.
“It's the only robotic arm doing stone fabrication in Oregon,” Hansen said. “The closest working robot is in San Francisco.”
Umpqua Stone decided to purchase the machine because of the precise cutting it does. That makes it more efficient than manually operated machine saws.
“The new equipment is for perfection more than for production,” said Willis. “We are ready for the future.”
The robot system cuts patterns in rock slabs with its water jet on one side of the machine and cuts with a saw on the other side. The combination produces a finished product, eliminating the need to cut any other pieces on any other machine. The diamond-tooled saw will cut straight lines at speeds up to 180 inches a minute. The water jet will cut curves and holes in slabs for sinks, faucets, corners and decorative outside edges at up to 17 inches a minute.
A different machine is used to smooth the cut edges of the stone.
“The contractors are mostly flabbergasted with what it can do,” said Willis of the robot. “They say, ‘I can't believe this.' It's going to make them look better.”
Rob Lieberman, a Roseburg contractor, said the robotic system will revolutionize the way stone is fabricated.
“For a town like Roseburg to get that kind of technology ... they'll be able to achieve a lot nicer and more complicated fabrication,” he said.
The first job for the Umpqua Stone robot was fabricating counter tops for the new Umpqua Community Health Center in Roseburg. The job included cutting nine slabs.
“We were pleased with the work the robot did for the health center,” said Hansen. “We're now working on a residential kitchen and we've got a half dozen jobs waiting.
“It's always been our objective to be on the cutting edge,” he added. “There are other cutting machines that are similar to this one in Medford and Portland, but they're not considered robots.”
The robotic system incorporates photographic vision technology. A camera replaces the tape measure. Pictures and calibrations of the proposed counter top area are taken and then are transferred digitally to the robot system. RoboCut automatically sets saw and water jet paths and proceeds to do the cutting.
“Every time you transition from one medium to another (in the fabricating process) there's a loss of accuracy,” said Hansen. “With the old method, you had the interpretation of the person templating, then the interpretation of the person cutting the product out and then adjustments at the job site. When the template is done digitally, you have a digital file that goes into a precision machine that cuts precisely.”
Hansen, 42, has worked in the stone industry for 18 years, learning to do stone and tile work back in the days of manually operated saws and grinders, and just before diamond-tooled saws came into use.
After working for other businesses for about 10 years, he went into the stone business for himself eight years ago. His brother, Jonathan Hansen, works with him and manages the shop.
Umpqua Stone has been located at the corner of Odell Avenue and Winchester Street in Roseburg for the past five years and has seven employees.
Shortly after the robotic system was installed at the plant, two RoboCut representatives from Los Angeles provided respective mechanical and software training for a week each to the Hansen brothers, Willis and three other employees.
Charles Hansen said with the computer programming and the maneuverability of the water jet, “the sky is absolutely the limit as to what we can cut.”
“It can be very intricate or very large, it doesn't matter,” he said. “It'll also cut metal, plastic, rubber, wood and certain types of glass.”
Hansen admitted they're still learning details about the robot, but when they feel more comfortable in programming it, they'll pursue and be available for cutting jobs on more than just stone.
“We have cut out lettering with it,” he said, “something that was impossible by hand. It's up to your imagination what this machine can do.”
The robot also has a long working life. It's not due a servicing until after 20,000 hours of work.
• News-Review Features Editor Craig Reed can be reached at 541-957-4210 or creed@nrtoday.com.
This robot has power. Its jet stream of water and fine, sand-like garnet can cut through up to 3 inches of hard, dense granite or marble slab. The cut is precise.
A design is programmed into the robot's computer software, the start button is pushed and the operator can stand back and watch as the robot does the work.
The RoboCut Robotic Waterjet/Saw Cutting System has been in operation at Umpqua Stone in Roseburg for about two months now. It's the stone industry's first high-production robotic machining center designed specifically for the stone fabricator.
Umpqua Stone owner Charles Hansen and general manager Bill Willis say it's the only robot of its type in Oregon and one of only 19 in the United States.
“It's the only robotic arm doing stone fabrication in Oregon,” Hansen said. “The closest working robot is in San Francisco.”
Umpqua Stone decided to purchase the machine because of the precise cutting it does. That makes it more efficient than manually operated machine saws.
“The new equipment is for perfection more than for production,” said Willis. “We are ready for the future.”
The robot system cuts patterns in rock slabs with its water jet on one side of the machine and cuts with a saw on the other side. The combination produces a finished product, eliminating the need to cut any other pieces on any other machine. The diamond-tooled saw will cut straight lines at speeds up to 180 inches a minute. The water jet will cut curves and holes in slabs for sinks, faucets, corners and decorative outside edges at up to 17 inches a minute.
A different machine is used to smooth the cut edges of the stone.
“The contractors are mostly flabbergasted with what it can do,” said Willis of the robot. “They say, ‘I can't believe this.' It's going to make them look better.”
Rob Lieberman, a Roseburg contractor, said the robotic system will revolutionize the way stone is fabricated.
“For a town like Roseburg to get that kind of technology ... they'll be able to achieve a lot nicer and more complicated fabrication,” he said.
The first job for the Umpqua Stone robot was fabricating counter tops for the new Umpqua Community Health Center in Roseburg. The job included cutting nine slabs.
“We were pleased with the work the robot did for the health center,” said Hansen. “We're now working on a residential kitchen and we've got a half dozen jobs waiting.
“It's always been our objective to be on the cutting edge,” he added. “There are other cutting machines that are similar to this one in Medford and Portland, but they're not considered robots.”
The robotic system incorporates photographic vision technology. A camera replaces the tape measure. Pictures and calibrations of the proposed counter top area are taken and then are transferred digitally to the robot system. RoboCut automatically sets saw and water jet paths and proceeds to do the cutting.
“Every time you transition from one medium to another (in the fabricating process) there's a loss of accuracy,” said Hansen. “With the old method, you had the interpretation of the person templating, then the interpretation of the person cutting the product out and then adjustments at the job site. When the template is done digitally, you have a digital file that goes into a precision machine that cuts precisely.”
Hansen, 42, has worked in the stone industry for 18 years, learning to do stone and tile work back in the days of manually operated saws and grinders, and just before diamond-tooled saws came into use.
After working for other businesses for about 10 years, he went into the stone business for himself eight years ago. His brother, Jonathan Hansen, works with him and manages the shop.
Umpqua Stone has been located at the corner of Odell Avenue and Winchester Street in Roseburg for the past five years and has seven employees.
Shortly after the robotic system was installed at the plant, two RoboCut representatives from Los Angeles provided respective mechanical and software training for a week each to the Hansen brothers, Willis and three other employees.
Charles Hansen said with the computer programming and the maneuverability of the water jet, “the sky is absolutely the limit as to what we can cut.”
“It can be very intricate or very large, it doesn't matter,” he said. “It'll also cut metal, plastic, rubber, wood and certain types of glass.”
Hansen admitted they're still learning details about the robot, but when they feel more comfortable in programming it, they'll pursue and be available for cutting jobs on more than just stone.
“We have cut out lettering with it,” he said, “something that was impossible by hand. It's up to your imagination what this machine can do.”
The robot also has a long working life. It's not due a servicing until after 20,000 hours of work.
• News-Review Features Editor Craig Reed can be reached at 541-957-4210 or creed@nrtoday.com.
