July / August - Minnesota Precision Manufacturing Association

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Making a Mark: Laser
Marking/Engraving
More and more manufacturers
are using laser marking/engraving
to identify or brand certain
parts. Unlike ink, laser marking/
engraving is much more precise,
environmentally clean and requires
no drying time. Some manufacturers
use it to imprint bar codes,
expiration dates or identification
numbers. Others use it to assist with
marketing and branding efforts by
imprinting their logos on every part.
Whatever the reason, many of
Arrow’s customers see laser marking
as a value-added service, which is
why Arrow recently added it to its
list of capabilities. Arrow purchased
five new laser marking/engraving
systems in 2008, including a “green”
laser marking system that specializes
in marking copper, gold and
plastic parts.
“We did extensive research on what
types of lasers we wanted,” DeMotts
said. “Ultimately, we chose the lasers
that offer our customers the greatest
reliability and flexibility. As a result,
we can process nearly any part
submitted to us.”
So far, Arrow has received only the
highest marks from its customers.
One of them recently required a
series of complex marks on the
surface of a very small diameter.
Upon receiving the finished parts,
the customer reported the smallest
margin of error it had ever seen,
well below its acceptable limit.
Tackling the
Toughest Jobs
Arrow welcomes unusual parts,
difficult materials and impossible
parameters. Often, it handles the
parts that other finishing shops
can’t – or won’t – get done.
Arrow is also an expert when it
comes to electro-polishing and
passivation of stainless steel. And
it is one of just a handful of shops
that is capable of electro-polishing
nitinol metal, for example. Nitinol
is a special type of metal used for
surgical instruments and is extremely
difficult to electro-polish. For
years, Arrow has been working on
perfecting the process. It now has
it mastered.
“A lot of the processes that we
develop are unique,” DeMotts said.
“That’s what helps to keep our
customers competitive.”
One-Stop Resource
for Finishing Ahead
With more than 22 different
processes, Arrow has emerged as a
one-stop finishing shop, covering
every aspect of finishing and serving
a variety of industries.
“Our customers appreciate having
one source to cover their finishing
needs,” DeMotts said. “We save
them time and money – and they
benefit from our experience.”
At the heart of it all is a team of 70
dedicated and talented employees.
DeMotts is proud to say that 25 of
them have been with the company
for 15 years or more. “I think our
low turnover says something about
us as a company,” he said.
DeMotts has come a long way
since the days he operated Arrow
Cryogenics out of his garage. But
with 80,000 square feet and room to
grow, he isn’t finished yet.
“We’re constantly improving our
processes and equipment,” DeMotts
said, “so our work is never done.”
Capabilities
and Services
As the largest finishing job shop in
the country, Arrow Cryogenics offers
more services and capabilities
related to finishing than any other
company in the country.
Now Available