Metal profiling experts, Accurate Laser Cutting, embarked on their £1.1 million pound machinery investment package earlier this year, which included an upgrade to their laser cutting and pressbrake equipment.
The purchase of a Bystronic 6 kW BySprint 4020 Fiber Laser led the company’s investment back in spring and, six months on, the state-of-the art cutting equipment has transformed the face of the business, with the metal cutting specialists seeing an improvement across every aspect of the manufacturing process. “We continuously invest in the latest equipment to ensure our customers receive unparalleled levels of precision and an outstanding metal profiling service that we believe is the best in the UK” explains company director Jon Till.
They now have the capacity to handle 4 m x 2 m sheet metal and the ability to process a previously unseen range of materials and thicknesses including 30 mm aluminium, 15 mm brass, 12 mm copper, and 25 mm mild and stainless steel. As a result of the increased sheet size, the Fiber also allows for a better nesting strategy to be applied. “Prior to the upgrade, we would previously split larger, 4 metre jobs across more than one sheet as our maximum cutting bed size was 3 m x 1.5 m.” says production manager Neil Tomkins. “With the Fiber, this is no longer the case as we now have the extra capacity to fully utilise the available space, offering customers greater flexibility for larger parts”.
This investment has paid dividends for the business, with them witnessing up to a 300 percent increase in cutting speed when processing thinner sheet materials. It’s these astonishingly fast speeds and quicker feed rates that have allowed for extra capacity to be released. “The BySprint Fiber laser is an exciting piece of equipment to have on the shop floor, commented production manager Neil Tomkins. “A job that used to take three hours, can now be processed in a third of the time.” For example, 3 mm mild steel can be processed at a rate of 13300 mm per minute, almost three times faster when compared against conventional Co2 equipment. “This is brilliant news for our customers, as they can benefit from an even faster cutting service and we can turnaround orders much more quickly.”
The equipment’s ability to process materials at phenomenal speeds, means lead times are at an all-time low for their customers. In addition to running a 24/7 operation, enquiries are dealt with in a strict 4 hour time frame and customer orders can be delivered in as little as 48 hours. “Our ongoing commitment to invest in the latest manufacturing technologies allows this high standard of service to be continuously sustained and improved upon wherever possible.” says company director Steve Morgan.
Although at present, their Co2 laser remains a valuable tool for the processing of thicker sheet materials, they anticipate Fibre technology will soon supersede the traditional cutting technique. “Now has never been a better time for us to embrace fibre technology” says company director Jon Till. “Although Co2 lasers currently offer better cut quality on thicker materials, it is only a matter of time until the next technological jump and they become a thing of the past.”
Reflective materials such as copper and brass can now be processed with ease and to a high standard. This was previously unachievable using Co2 cutting equipment without damaging the optics. Other advantages of using fibre technology also include low maintenance levels and high levels of reliability. “For a machine that is in operation 24/7, this is extremely important to production. Downtime is kept to a minimum, which once again allows us to keep service levels high and our lead times short.” says production manager Neil Tomkins. An accurate cut is another advantage, as a smooth edge finish is easily achieved without burring or any other defects.
Accurate Laser Cutting
Tel: 0121 520 2444
Email: sales@accurate-laser.co.uk
www.accurate-laser.co.uk