subcon scene focus
TIG specialist
re-focuses
on laser
ABR (Specialist Welding) based in West
Bromwich, commissioned its first laser welding
system in 2000. Prior to this, its main service had
been TIG welding, and notwithstanding its
expertise the company had been encountering
the endemic problems of high heat input and
distortion, especially when joining small, delicate
assemblies.
The installation of ABR’s first laser system
solved these problems overnight, the choice of
low power pulsed laser systems allowing the
joining of many tools and components at ambient
temperatures with no distortion, via consistently
small and neat welds. Medical instruments are a
speciality, including components with wall
thicknesses down to less than 0.5mm.
www.abrspecialiswelding.co.uk
50% higher machine utilisation with just 20% higher investment: new automation
solution means higher profits can be achieved with laser cutting.
Low cost automation
THE new ByTrans is presented as the smart solution for loading and
unloading Bystronic laser cutting systems, and the simplest way to earn
even more money with the appropriate systems. This laser-cutting
automation solution was presented for the first time at the Bystronic
Competence days from 8 to 19 October in Switzerland, and is due to be
shown at FABTECH in Chicago (11 to 14 November).
Loading and the unloading using ByTrans takes just sixty seconds –
making it faster than most cutting plans. To put it another way the laser
cutting machine never has to wait while the cut sheet is being unloaded. As
a result of the short cycle time, which is independent of the thickness of the
metal sheet, the customer benefits in the form of maximum availability of
the machine and through shorter part delivery times.
ByTrans also offers complete accessibility and optimal operation in the
smallest of areas, as well as an unlimited loading and unloading
performance across the entire spectrum of sheet thickness. Furthermore, a
large number of suction pads ensures that all standard sheet metal formats
can be processed. The system can easily be integrated into existing material
New laser machines are at the
heart of a growth strategy and market expansion at BJF.
Profiles cut 60% faster
INSTALLING a new Trumpf TruLaser 5030
Classic CNC laser profiler at the Kent facility
of BJF Lasers has helped speed profiling
times by 60%, according to managing
director Bernie Faiers. Furthermore, in a
concerted investment drive, the company has
diversified into new markets by installing a
Trumpf Tubematic tube processing centre at
the same time.
Founded in 1995, BJF Lasers has entered a
period of significant growth since Faiers
purchased the company three years ago.
Then, annual company turnover stood at
£600k; today it is £1.8 million. The company
also only had two laser profiling centres,
while today there are four.
The latest of these, installed in March at
BJF Laser’s facility in Rochester, is a TruLaser
5030 Classic. Says Faiers: ‘The Classic is
around 60% faster than our existing
machines due to its piercing and cutting
speed. We will now look to replace our
existing three laser machines with Trumpf
models in the coming years.’ The Classic has
been set to work producing profiles from all
kinds of steel, including stainless, up to
20mm thick. Batch sizes for profiling
contracts in sectors such as architectural, civil
engineering and shop fitting range from
one-offs up to 20,000.
100 MWP november 2007
Sheet metal profiling, however, is no
longer the sole business concern at BJF:
‘Since I bought this company I have seen
many tube opportunities for which I
couldn’t tender. It was time to change this
situation.’ The Tubematic has already
attracted new business with ‘much more still
to be investigated’. Jobs currently processed
on the machine, which can handle tube up
to 152.4mm diameter, include car chassis
components, boiler parts and hand rails.
Batch sizes for tube work at BJF Lasers range
from ten-off up to 5,000.
The Tubematic makes it possible to cut
tubes and profiles into sections in a single
operation including the production of
recesses and contours.
Both Trumpfmachines are programmed
off-line to fit in with the company's rapid
turnaround of work. Working 24 hours a
day, five days a week, BJF Lasers can offer a
same day service if required.
‘Our price and delivery is what sets us
apart from our competitors,’ concludes
Bernie Faiers. ‘Moreover, with our increased
flatbed laser capacity, our new tube machine,
and a host of other new technologies, I
would argue that we are now the largest
“diverse” profiler in the southeast.’
www.uk.trumpf.com
flow processes; raw materials, including wooden pallets, can be loaded onto
ByTrans using a forklift or overhead crane and film-coated metal sheets
can easily be separated with the aid of a blowing separator function.
Simple operation imperatives have resulted in an encapsulated unit in
which the raw material is no longer placed on a separate carriage but rather
in a cassette that is an integral part of the unit. Thanks to this encapsulation,
the number of light curtains and barriers is reduced and free access, also to
the shuttle table, is enabled. Also, operation of ByTrans is integrated in the
ByVision high-performance control software and it can hence be
conveniently and efficiently operated from a single operating terminal.
It’s estimated that acquiring the system increases investment by only 20%
while raising machine utilisation by 50%, shortening the amortisation
period. One of the reasons for this is higher machine autonomy, that is
extended up to three shifts. Lightly-manned production can be achieved
simply and cost-effectively and since one operator can supervise several
machines, labour costs are also reduced significantly.
www.bystronic.com
To view a Ceros magazine you need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser and have the flash player 8 or higher installed. To install the latest flash player, click the icon above, install the flash plugin and then click here to refresh this page.