Thanks to its investment in the latest TruPunch 1000 CNC punching machine from Trumpf, Birmingham-based lighting manufacturer Candela Light is enjoying a 50% increase in production speed (and hence throughput) over its two previous turret punch presses. The machine was purchased alongside a TruBend 3066
CNC press brake and the
latest TruTops Boost software that allows the company to generate programs at the
touch of a button.
Having experienced strong growth in the past 12 months (Candela now employs 28 people), the company decided to reinvest some of its profits back into the business. Of particular focus was Candela’s turret punch presses, which were ageing and had become a little unreliable.
“We knew that technology had moved on, so we decided to assess the main players in the market to see about buying a replacement,” explains the company’s managing director Nigel Astley. “At first, we thought about replacing the turret punches with a fibre laser profiling centre, but the Trumpf representative explained that we would be much better off with a TruPunch machine based on the type of parts we process. As a result, we invested in the TruPunch 1000.
“Unlike our previous turret punches, which only had a couple of auto-index stations, all tools on the TruPunch 1000 – including Trumpf’sMultiTools – can be rotated through 360°,” continues Astley. “Furthermore, the machine is 50% faster than our previous capability and we no longer have to remove parts from a skeleton frame and perform deburring.”
Although the TruPunch 1000 can process sheets up to 6.4 mm thick, Candela typically processes aluminium up to 4 mm, and copper and brass up to 1.2 mm.
For further information
www.uk.trumpf.com

Hypertherm has announced its most significant advance in mechanised plasma cutting ever with the introduction of an entirely new class of plasma called X-Definition, which is designed for use on mild steel, stainless steel and aluminium. The plasma is available for the first time in a 300 Amp plasma system called the XPR300.
Laboratory testing shows ISO-9013 Range 2 cut quality on thin mild steel and extended ISO Range 3 cuts on thicker metals. To reach this point Hypertherm engineers had to develop a number of new patent-pending processes like Vented Water Injection (VWI) and plasma dampening, and new vent-to-shield technologies. The end result is squarer cut edges, markedly less angularity, and high surface finish on non-ferrous metals, says the company.
The XPR300 cuts faster and uses power more efficiently than earlier Hypertherm systems such as the HyPerformance HPR260XD. Piercing capability is also improved thanks to increased power and an exclusive argon-assist process which enables 30% thicker piercing on mild steel and a 20% increase on stainless steel. Additionally, consumable life and cut quality over the life of the consumables get a boost from advances such as ‘Cool Nozzle’ and ‘Arc Response’ technology. The latter protects consumables from the negative impact of ramp-down errors, a regular occurrence in real-life cutting. By reducing the impact of ramp-down errors, XPR consumables can last up to last three times longer than on competitive, older-generation systems.
Also worthy of note, sensors in the power supply deliver refined diagnostic codes and enhanced system-monitoring information. This is said to reduce troubleshooting time and provide proactive data to improve overall system optimisation and uptime.
For further information
www.hypertherm.com

Mantech has announced that its first UK fibre-laser installation is a 750 W system at Nottingham-based Storer Refrigeration & Catering Manufacturers Ltd.
Business owner and managing director Graham Storer established the company in 1975 to serve the commercial refrigeration market. Indeed, it wasn’t long before Storer and his team made a name for themselves designing and building their own cold rooms. In the 1980s, the development of new products led to expansion, centred mainly on state-of-the-art technology and processes in combination with a growing workforce.
The addition of the fibre-laser cutter from Mantech has already reduced outsourcing and stockholding costs, as Storer now has the ability to produce components on demand,
and carry out modifications
and prototyping on-site. Furthermore, the company is enjoying a reduction in consumables such as drills and sanding and cutting discs, thanks to the edge quality produced by the fibre laser on components that would usually require further finishing.
In total, the company estimates it saves around £60,000 per annum from no longer buying-in finished components and consumables. Add to this savings of around £140,000 per annum in labour costs, and as a result of improved productivity, and the financial benefits are plain to see.
“The laser is amazing, it works 8 hours a day with no problems and is the best investment I have made,” states Storer.
Mantech can supply fibre laser cutting system starting from £39,000, with finance options available. Furthermore, to complement the lasers, the company has also introduced a new range of press brakes described as “high-specification” and “value for money”.
For further information
www.mantechmachinery.co.uk

Yamazaki Mazak has announced a record year in 2016 for sales of laser machines in the UK. The company says that this has been driven by a combination of new products and the recent formation of a dedicated UK laser sales team. Growth has been witnessed across a variety of sectors, with particularly strong performances in construction and general subcontracting.
Ian White, general manager for laser sales in the UK, is confident that the sales growth can be continued this year. “We have a number of new products to launch into the UK market, including a world-first with the introduction of Direct Diode Laser (DDL) technology, the Super Turbo-X 3015 Fiber, a fibre-laser version of the CO2 range, and new laser automation systems.”
With regard to the laser automation mentioned by White, the company has now introduced Quick Cell (pictured), which is available in six-, 10- and 14-pallet variants.
Quick Cell is capable of significantly faster processing speeds in comparison with the original design: loader/unloader travelling speed is 54 m/min, while elevating speed is 8 m/min. Furthermore, sheet change time is around 60 seconds, depending on sheet size. It is suited to unmanned laser-cutting operations, with the next operating pallet being prepared during processing. The new pallet is loaded as soon as the cutting process is complete, with the used pallet moved to the stocker.
Designed by Japanese industrial designer Ken Okuyama, Quick Cell can be used with Optiplex CO2, fibre and DDL machines, and Optiplex Nexus CO2 and fibre machines.
For further information
www.mazakeu.co.uk

Bicycle aftermarket component manufacturer, Hope Technology, has installed a 4 kW BySprintFiber 3015 laser-cutting machine at its factory in Barnoldswick to help relieve its existing BySprint CO2 laser cutter (installed in 2015) of ever-growing workload.
“We use relatively thin materials, such as 2 mm stainless steel for brake discs and up to 6 mm aluminium for some sprockets,” explains production manager Lindley Pate. “For thinner gauges, compared with an equivalent CO2 source, the fibre laser produces components three times faster. It has made a fantastic difference in helping us to meet the sheer volume of orders.”
The machine is equally capable of handling much thicker material. Hope often processes 12 mm thick aluminium tooling plate to produce fixtures for other machines on the shop floor.
A further advantage of fibre-laser cutting, according to Pate, is the high quality of cut using exclusively nitrogen as the cutting gas: “The as-machined edges on stainless steel appear polished, so brake discs for example need no edge finishing. They go straight to heat treatment.”
Pate added that other factors in favour of fibre-laser cutting over CO2 are more consistent accuracy, less machine maintenance and more economical running costs, both in terms of the amount of electricity used and the lower requirement for cutting gases. There is now no need to use any helium gas, which runs all the time on a CO2 laser machine, resulting in a further significant saving.
The bike components cut on the BySprintFiber are mainly brake disc blanks from 410 stainless steel sheet in the soft condition.
For further information
www.bystronic.co.uk