PRECISION ENGINEERING
The Eagle iNspire 20 kW fibre laser, paired with CraneMaster automation, at Hammond Machine Works.
Laser-cut parts.
MAKING THE CUT
Hammond Machine Works has boosted its productivity, reduced lead times and unlocked new business opportunities with the purchase of a new 20kW Eagle fibre laser cutting system. Automated loading and unloading increases speed.
“ Hammond Machine Works, a rail industry job shop in the USA, has paid off its new fibre laser machinery investment in just two years.”
For more than a century, Hammond Machine Works has supported one of the US’ s most demanding industries: rail manufacturing and repair. Based in Hammond, Indiana( USA), the job shop serves railcar OEMs and repair facilities across the United States. Today, about 90 % of its business is tied to the rail industry, with additional work in the highway and defence sectors.
But as customer demand grew and production timelines tightened, the company faced a familiar challenge: its existing cutting technology could no longer keep pace.
“ We’ re a job shop,” explained Peter Nau Jr., Vice President of Hammond Machine Works and third-generation owner.“ Most of our orders are one, two or three parts at a time.
Our customers’ railcars are sitting in the yard waiting for those parts, so we must move work through the shop as quickly as possible.”
Moving from plasma to laser
For years, Hammond Machine Works relied on a high-definition plasma punch system purchased in the late 1990s. While the machine handled a wide range of work, it struggled with certain materials( particularly aluminium), according to Hammond, and could not match the speed required for modern production.
“ We were seeing larger OEM orders and longer lead times from suppliers,” Nau said.“ Waiting a week or two for parts wasn’ t going to work anymore. We needed something faster that could handle all the materials that we process.”
The company therefore began evaluating fibre laser cutting systems. After reviewing multiple manufacturers and attending demonstrations at FABTECH, Hammond Machine Works selected an Eagle iNspire 20kW fibre laser, paired with CraneMaster automation. The decision was driven by three main factors:
■ Speed and cutting performance.
■ Ease of maintenance and serviceability.
■ Automation for material handling.
Hammond Machine Works in Hammond, Indiana( USA). Peter Nau Jr., Vice President of Hammond Machine Works.
30 | ismr. net | ISMR June 2026