“What in the heck would I do without that thing?”
Brumbaugh Mountain Welding provides fabrication and repair services to customers in and around Altoona, Pennsylvania. From truck and trailer repairs to frame repairs and custom fabrication, owner Daniel Nolt takes on jobs of all sizes — and needs equipment that can keep pace with a busy workshop.
Since investing in a Swift-Cut PRO 510 WT with a Hypertherm Powermax105 SYNC plasma system, Daniel says productivity has increased by more than 80%, while more cutting work can now be completed quickly and accurately in-house.
At a glance
- Brumbaugh Mountain Welding specialises in fabrication and repair
- Previously relied on handheld plasma cutting, grinders and cut-off wheels
- Invested in a Swift-Cut PRO 510 water table with Hypertherm Powermax105 SYNC
- Uses the machine almost every day for workshop parts and major truck and trailer repairs
- Productivity has increased by more than 80%
From manual cutting to CNC
Daniel had been considering a CNC plasma table since 2024, when he first saw the Swift-Cut PRO demonstrated at Ag Progress Days in State College, Pennsylvania.
The machine was being demonstrated by Dale Oxygen, a longstanding Swift-Cut partner and trusted supplier to Brumbaugh Mountain Welding. Having supported Daniel since he opened his shop, the Dale Oxygen team understood his requirements and introduced him to Swift-Cut.
Daniel immediately saw how CNC plasma could improve his operation. When he returned to the show in 2025, he was ready to invest.
Before installing the Swift-Cut, parts were produced using a handheld plasma cutter, grinders and cut-off wheels. The process worked, but it was labour-intensive and increasingly difficult to sustain as the business became busier.
At the centre of production
Today, Daniel uses the Swift-Cut PRO 510 almost every working day, producing everything from straightforward workshop parts to components for major truck and semi-trailer repair projects.
The company cuts a wide range of materials, including mild steel up to one inch thick, as well as significant quantities of aluminium.
“At some point during almost every working day, I’m programming parts and cutting them out. It’s as simple as that — I will almost always find myself in front of it.”
Brumbaugh Mountain Welding has also recently invested in a press brake, allowing accurately cut and formed components to be produced entirely in-house.
“The Swift-Cut and the press brake complement each other very well,” Daniel says. “Together, they have made it much easier for us to manufacture the parts we need and continue scaling the business.”
Productivity up by more than 80%
For Daniel, the biggest impact has been the improvement in productivity and the speed at which parts can now move from an idea to a finished component.
“It has increased productivity within the business by over 80%. It’s so easy to use. I can walk up to the machine, draw a quick part and cut it right away.
“The pre-programmed shapes help me work even faster when I need to cut something simple. With the Swift-Cut table, my efficiency is through the roof. I don’t know what I did beforehand. I find myself thinking, ‘What in the heck would I do without that thing?’”
That additional capacity is particularly valuable as the company supports a major account involving ongoing semi-truck repairs. The Swift-Cut has been running heavily to support the work, helping Daniel complete jobs faster without sacrificing quality.
Support when it matters
Daniel also highlights the support he has received from Swift-Cut, Dale Oxygen and his Swift-Cut sales representative, Sean.
“I couldn’t ask for better support. Any time I’ve called, the support team has picked up and answered my questions. I haven’t had any issues with the table, but if I have a quick question about the software, I can call Sean and he is always willing to help me work through it.”
Looking ahead
The Swift-Cut PRO 510 is now an integral part of Brumbaugh Mountain Welding’s daily production, helping the company work faster, manufacture more components in-house and take on a growing range of fabrication and repair projects.
For Daniel, the difference is simple: the machine has become something he now finds difficult to imagine working without.
