Most producers are facing strong competition, and to be successful they must earn a customer’s trust. A good, long-term relationship is usually based on stable product quality, high-level customer support, and finally on the availability of technical support. As Thermacut^® has evolved over the 30 years of its existence, from an aftermarket producer to an OEM and solutions provider, it can afford a comparison.  

PERMANENT ENHANCEMENT OF CURRENT TECHNOLOGIES

Today there is an increased emphasis on product quality. First, the quality is determined by materials used, and that is the same for all producers. What makes the difference is the level of processing technology and construction properties.

The more modern machine facilities the company has at its disposal, the more perfect and precise processing can be achieved. Consistency in quality control is important, of course.

Construction properties

An experienced development team is dedicated to parts enhancement, focusing on the improvement of their useful properties. Suggested solutions are subsequently evaluated in the test laboratory, where parts are proven with demanding lifetime and cut quality tests. 

PRICE AFFORDIBILITY

Since the goal is not to lower the parts quality, which is usually the same or even better than OEM, affordability must be achieved other way. For example, better affordability can be realized through high volume production or simply by a lower trading margin than OEMs to remain competitive.  

CUSTOMER AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT

In addition to price, the friendly, personal approach of the Sales Department and good after-sales service are often crucial from the customer´s point of view. Selecting a suitable supplier involves more than price comparison and product quality. The selection process must also consider the existence of skilled and competent staff that can provide a variety of services.

FROM AN AFTERMARKET MANUFACTURER TO THE OEM SOLUTIONS PROVIDER

From the very beginning, the Thermacut^® company put an emphasis on high quality and product innovations, whose design construction was often patent protected. The Thermacut^® R&D Department is dedicated to enhancement of existing technologies in the field of plasma, laser and oxy-fuel cutting. The test laboratory has been founded for evaluating new parts, and it serves as a training centre as well. The effort and energy invested are worth it in the long term. Basically, we can say that the elementary capabilities of the Thermacut^® company and OEM producers don´t differ.

ADDED VALUE OF INNOVATIVE PRODUCTS AND SMART SOLUTION PRODUCT

Thermacut^® Smart Solution replacement parts suitable for Hypertherm^® Powermax^® 65,85,105 and Duramax® hand/machine torch

How do these parts differ from originals? They differ in a unique solution using a two-piece swirl ring, patented elliptical nozzle shape, and unique design of the shield and retaining cap. Using these parts in a set, they can also be assembled into the OEM torch. These innovative products provide consumers lots of benefits such as enhanced lifetime of the replacement parts, better cooling, and high cut quality.

Elliptical nozzles suitable for Hypertherm^®

The patented elliptical shape of the nozzle combined with shield and retaining cup use a modified gas flow design, which offers improved consumable cooling and focusing of the plasma arc with a strong gas shielding barrier. This results in improved consumable lifetime and cut quality and resistance against the blowback of melted metal.

SilverEX-^® electrodes

The fact is, silver conducts electricity better than copper. So Thermacut^® engineered an electrode from end to end using solid, pure silver and combined it with special alloys to increase overall durability. Because more power is delivered directly to the cut, you can dramatically increase your cutting speed up to 40%. But silver has another unique property. It transfers heat better than copper, which means your torch with a SilverEX-^® Electrode will run cooler. The cooler your torch operates, the longer all your consumables will last.

SilverPRO electrodes

Thermacut’s new SilverPRO electrodes are the optimal combination of a copper electrode body and silver-pro insert. Our solid silver insert conducts the flow of electricity extremely well and simultaneously dissipates the heat of the plasma arc better than standard electrodes, resulting in longer electrode life. All this for lower costs compared to electrodes made entirely from silver.

Patent protected design of Thermacut replacement parts suitable for ESAB^® IPQ

Using a unique design solution, this set of consumables for oxy-fuel cutting offers a proven positive effect on the parts lifetime thanks to the layout of the sealing elements on the outer and inner diameters of parts.

In the end, the final decision of which supplier to choose is up to the customer. Should he trust the OEM manufacturer or decide to build a relationship with an alternative supplier? Both try to maximize customer satisfaction. Indeed, with the same level of material inputs and using the same production technology, very similar results and cut quality are achieved. There are other crucial factors that matter, such as price policy, availability of the parts, and customer and technical support. That´s why getting Original doesn´t always mean getting the best.

Learn more about whole Thermacut^® assortment and visit the official web site www.thermacut.com

*Thermacut^® is no way affiliated with Hypertherm^®, Kjellberg^® and Esab^®.

Text:   Thermacut, k.s.
Photos:   archive of Thermacut, k. s.