Above: An expanding aerospace industry enabled Machine Repair and Design to invest in two OMAX waterjet machining centers.
July, 2026- When Erik Vossman and his wife Kim bought their fabrication shop, Machine Repair and Design, in 2016, they were outsourcing cutting services on behalf of their clients. “We were at the mercy of subcontractors and material suppliers in terms of scheduling and delivery,” recalls Vossman.
The couple did some quick math and determined that newly inked contracts with some aerospace customers had the volume to nearly cover the cost of bringing cutting services in house at their Sumner, Washington, shop. Today, the business is running two OMAX waterjet machining centers and emerging as a Tier 1 supplier of high precision fabricated parts to the aerospace industry.
“The OMAX waterjets allow us to offer weld and cut services as a one-stop shop for customers. And, we can process more work due to the quicker lead times that the waterjets help us deliver,” says Vossman.
A CONNECTION
In considering in-house cutting services, Vossman noticed that a lot of his material suppliers were adding waterjet capabilities, so that’s where he started his research. “The previous owners [the shop was founded 30 years ago] had been providing fabrication services to OMAX in nearby Kent, Washington. So, I met with them right away to learn more about their waterjets,” Vossman explains.
It didn’t take long to convince Vossman. Within four months of buying the new shop, he had also committed to the purchase of an OMAX 60120 waterjet machining center.
“We cut everything we could on it—and probably somethings we shouldn’t have,” jokes Vossman. The shop processes aluminum and nickel alloys for their aerospace customers in addition to rubber, plastic, stainless steel and titanium. In the years leading up to COVID-19, Machine Repair and Design was running the 60120 waterjet around the clock and still subcontracting out additional cutting. “We knew it was time for a second waterjet. So, in the summer of 2019, we shifted some equipment around and squeezed an OMAX 55100 onto the shop floor,” Vossman reports.
PANDEMIC IMPACT
Seven months after the second waterjet was humming along at Machine Repair and Design, the global pandemic struck. “For several years, we had been fabricating engine stand parts for a Tier I manufacturer. The work was running 24/7 at our shop, but when COVID hit, the customer completely shut down its engine stand lines, bringing this work to a halt,” says Vossman.
The pandemic impacted personnel as well. “Our waterjet operator moved out of state. Fortunately, another employee stepped up to learn the OMAX equipment,” notes Vossman.
Undeterred, the team took advantage of the downtime to begin the certification process for AS9100—the quality management system standard for the aviation, space and defense industry. The shop received its AS9100 certification in 2021.
AEROSPACE INDUSTRY
While some of the world was ramping down during COVID, some aerospace customers were growing exponentially.
“Our previous owners had been an early supplier to customers in the aerospace industry. During COVID, some of these customers started to increase development and build rates. They reached out to us to utilize more of our capacity. Because of our two OMAX waterjets, we had the equipment and the extremely short lead times to meet their needs,” recalls Vossman.
Landing some early aerospace contracts was very helpful for Machine Repair and Design. “The aerospace industry, which now includes advancements and potential opportunities in the commercial space sphere, is in a transition period. We used to have orders for 10 to 20 prototype parts for customer testing. Now we are locking into production-phase runs with higher volumes,” notes Vossman
The OMAX 55100 features a standard programmable motorized Z-axis with a precision OMAX MAXJET 5i nozzle.
The OMAX waterjet machining centers deliver the tight tolerances and repeatable precision that aerospace customers demand.
PRODUCTIVITY AND PRECISION
The OMAX waterjets are key to keeping operations running smoothly at Machine Repair and Design. “With the waterjets, we are able to control the flow of blanks and condense our lead times. We can easily change specs on the blanks,” says Vossman. “We do a lot of assembly. Having the waterjets in-house helps us create fixturing a lot faster, too.”
A highlight of the OMAX equipment for Vossman is the precision. “I’m really pleased with the extended repeatability we achieve with the precision of the waterjets. This means the machinist doesn’t have to stop and make as many adjustments to the equipment. So our productivity is enhanced,” Vossman adds.
The OMAX waterjets are also able to maintain tight tolerances, which Machine Repair and Design can hold comfortably to +/- 0.005” on most materials.
Maintaining tight tolerances aids the shop in downstream operations with weldments. “This has been very helpful and improved our cost structure,” notes Vossman.
SPECIFICATIONS
The OMAX 60120 at Machine Repair and Design has a cutting envelope of 5 feet by 10 feet. The OMAX 55100 cutting envelope is 4 feet by 8 feet. The 55100 has a standard programmable motorized Z-axis with a precision OMAX MAXJET 5i nozzle.
To enhance efficiency on the shop floor, Vossman outfitted the 55100 with a zero downtime hopper and a large solids removal system (LSRS) for continuous extraction of used abrasive.
With the fab shop running a wide range of materials, a smooth changeover on the waterjet is important. “The changeovers are pretty easy to swap between materials,” reports Vossman. “The OMAX setup gets us very close if not dead-on. Setting material changes on the OMAX is easier than adjusting the machining equipment,” adds Vossman.
Machine Repair and Design regularly uses a waterjet to cut 6-inch-thick aluminum.
CUSTOMER SUPPORT
Operating a waterjet can be a dirty job. “You have got to like getting wet!” But he’s got an operator who enjoys running the OMAX equipment. And the shop is meticulous about maintenance. “The scheduled maintenance is based on run hours. If you just follow this, it’s pretty straightforward, with few issues,” notes Vossman.
If there is a service issue, the OMAX team is only an email or phone call away, he adds. “We get same-day support. The OMAX service team walks us through what we need to do. Its fantastic,” he says.
And that’s good news for the team at Machine Repair and Design, as the business looks toward the future. Vossman is planning to continue adding 5-axis spindles and considering a larger OMAX waterjet to accommodate a full sheet size 144 inches.
“We’ve just turned the corner into being a Tier I supplier to the aerospace sector. We’re excited to see how we mature into this role,” says Vossman. “Having great equipment vendors, like OMAX, by our side will be important as we and our customers keep aiming for the stars!”
Machine Repair and Design, 253/826-6329, mrdinc.com.
OMAX Corp., 253/872-2300, omax.com.
