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Your Specialists in
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Solenoid (noun) a coil of wire, partially surrounding an iron core, that is made to move inside the coil by the magnetic field set up by a current: used to convert electrical to mechanical energy, as in the operation of a switch.
RAM Company, founded nearly 4 decades ago, specializes in the custom design and manufacture of solenoids and valves used in a variety of applications in the demanding environments of air, sea, land, and space. RAM’s products are commonly found in military and commercial aerospace, undersea submersibles, and a variety of commercial applications. RAM was founded in, and remains today in Saint George, a small town located in the southwestern part of Utah on the Utah/Arizona border. With double-digit sales growth in each of the past many years, the company recently added 5.5 acres to its headquarters, bringing the total acreage to 13 acres. This enabled a physical plant expansion of 20,000 square feet, adding a second building to their existing facility for a total of 75,000 square feet of manufacturing and warehouse space.
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Ray and Melzie Ganowsky started RAM Company in 1975, and the company’s commitment to innovation and excellence begins with the example of their founders. Ray, a degreed Aeronautical engineer, holds 23 U.S. and foreign patents for solenoid design; he has received many awards and recognitions such as The Utah Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology and St. George City’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” award.
Today, Kevin Ganowsky, Ray and Melzie’s son and long-term employee of the company, has become a co-owner of the company and works day-to-day as the company President. Ray and Melzie continue to lend their leadership assistance and support Kevin and the management team.
The company’s quality management systems conforms to ISO 9001:2008 and AS9100-C requirements. RAM also has many processes that are NADCAP certified. Lean manufacturing principles and Six Sigma tools are employed to improve flow, reduce lead time, and develop sustainable continuous improvement throughout the entire company, thus enabling RAM to become ever more responsive to customer expectations.
With full capability in design, prototype, manufacturing, processing, assembly, and test, RAM currently has 164 great employees, including machinists, assemblers, engineers, technicians, and a host of support personnel. Project Engineers and customer-service representatives provide full support to all customers and aid in developing design solutions for RAM’s growing customer base. The manufacturing team builds, tests, and delivers quality products in impressively-short lead times.
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RAM serves customers from all over the world. Their products (linear and rotary solenoids and solenoid valves, check-and-relief valves, and pressure switches) appear on many complex, manufactured products, including those built by such well-known entities as the following:
-Airbus Industries
-Boeing Aircraft -General Dynamics -N.A.S.A. -Sikorsky Aircraft Corp -United States Army -United States Postal Service |
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About RAM’s Linear Solenoids
RAM Company’s linear solenoids encompass a vast array of design features and design applications, with strokes ranging from .005” to 3”, push or pull performance, and pressurized or non-pressurized cavities. The company supports its customers with a wide array of performance requirements, including those related to the following:
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-Magnetic or mechanical latching
-Positional devices -Fast response time -Redundant coils -Manual override -Long life -Low power consumption -Harsh environmental conditions -Extreme vibration and shock -Operation in a vacuum -Extreme force requirements -PWM capabilities |
RAM’s Rotary Solenoid Valves
The RAM Company rotary solenoid is a pure rotary device utilizing the angles of a balanced armature within a magnetic field. By eliminating the need for cams or races that convert linear motion into rotary, as used in other rotary solenoid designs, RAM Company is able to offer distinct design advantages.
Solenoid Valves from RAM Compan
Designed and manufactured at RAM, solenoid valves are the fastest growing segment of their business. This type of valve lends itself to simplicity and high efficiencies. Designs are available in two or three way flow as well as direct or pilot operated. Pneumatic solenoid valves can be designed up to operating pressures of 10,000 psi. Hydraulic solenoid valves can be designed to yield flow rates of up to 20 gallons/minute.
Manufacturing at RAM Company
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All manufacturing performed in house features the best quality CNC equipment. RAM’s CNC lathes and mills operate in very tight tolerances, and their in-house special processes include honing, welding, brazing (copper, silver, and nickel), coil winding, plating, transfer molding, EB welding, and soldering, among others. The most recent addition to their in-house capabilities was the implementation of a heat treat operation.
“RAM Company has made a commitment to invest in advanced technology and they see the benefits of improved accuracy, high productivity and maximum spindle-on-time. Fortunately, Mazak is also committed to provide advanced technology that works”, says Clark Smith.
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The company provides Hydraulic test capability up to 5000 PSIG & 35 GPM (Red oil, Skydrol & Stoddard), and Pneumatic test capability up to 15,000 PSIG (Nitrogen). They offer Static impulse testing up to 9000 PSIG, and their temperature testing ranges from -100 to 600 °F.
From the onset, Ray Ganowsky believed in purchasing the best machine tools to manufacture products. But the best machine tools weren’t enough. RAM Company’s ability to provide superior service to their customers also meant that their best-in-class machine tools had to be serviced and maintained by a superior machine tool distributor, one willing to support them in the small town of Saint George, Utah.
Kevin says “Smith Machinery Sales, based in Salt Lake City, is our partner. They sell the superior Mazak machine tool line, and we began purchasing from them nearly 30 years ago. Today, Clark Smith owns Smith Machinery, and my dad bought our first machine from his father, Tracy Smith. When you really look at it, there are only a handful of machine tool builders that produce a machine as good as Mazak does.”
He continued, “When you get down to it, a superior machine tool isn’t enough. I don’t buy a Mercedes Benz because I can’t get it
serviced in Saint George. We work closely with Clark Smith’s team, because we continue to receive superior support from them. If a
machine goes down, they are here quickly. Our latest purchases include two Mazak Multiplex machine tools: Multi-Tasking, dual-spindle, dual turret machines. With one, we have added a Mazak GL Gantry robot (for unattended operation), and with the second, we have a barfeed. These machine tools are so beneficial to us, as our portfolio is comprised of high mix, low quantity products.
The cell we have set up with the Mazak Multiplex machines facilitates our set-up reduction and work-flow efficiency.”
serviced in Saint George. We work closely with Clark Smith’s team, because we continue to receive superior support from them. If a
machine goes down, they are here quickly. Our latest purchases include two Mazak Multiplex machine tools: Multi-Tasking, dual-spindle, dual turret machines. With one, we have added a Mazak GL Gantry robot (for unattended operation), and with the second, we have a barfeed. These machine tools are so beneficial to us, as our portfolio is comprised of high mix, low quantity products.
The cell we have set up with the Mazak Multiplex machines facilitates our set-up reduction and work-flow efficiency.”
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Kevin added, “The reliability of the Mazak machines is key to us. They are so outstanding that we just traded in a 1990 and a 1992
Mazak that we bought new. They are just that good.” “RAM Company has made a commitment to invest in advanced technology and they see the benefits of improved accuracy, high
productivity and maximum spindle-on-time. Fortunately, Mazak is also committed to provide advanced technology that works”, says Clark Smith. |
For more information on RAM Company, contact them at (435) 673-4603
or visit their website at www.ramcompany.com.
Article courtesy of A2Z Metalworker
41 West Guest Avenue
Salt Lake City, UT 84115
Phone: 801-263-6403
Fax: 801-263-6404
Email: smc@smithmachinetools.com
Salt Lake City, UT 84115
Phone: 801-263-6403
Fax: 801-263-6404
Email: smc@smithmachinetools.com