Gratnells Engineering has recently invested in a new BLM LT Fiber machine, allowing the Harlow-based company to expand its capabilities and ensure clients benefit from even faster turnaround times.

This brand-new machine sits next to the existing LT5, a laser tube-cutting machine designed to cut from small-to-medium diameters and thicknesses of metal tubular sections. Gratnells’ new LT Fiber allows tubes of any shape to be cut, as well as the processing of special sections and even open shapes – without any additional special equipment required.
The laser-cutting range boasts an automated unloading and support system for pre-cut lengths up to 6100 mm, automatic weld seam detection, and a module that maintains the cleanliness of the internal tube surface when machining. Anti-crush technology makes the machine capable of processing even the lightest of tubes without deforming the walls.
BLM’s LT Fiber machine is already helping to increase factory efficiency by allowing unloading to various positions, with finished parts from one machine being unloaded while production continues uninterrupted on the other. The need to manually separate parts from different orders has also now been eliminated.
Loic Jones, operations director, says: “Gratnells Engineering decided to invest in state-of-the-art laser technology to enable us to offer fast production runs with the best quality finish. This substantial investment will allow us to continually support the ever-demanding needs of modern manufacturing clients”.
The Gratnells Engineering factory can turn around tube laser-cutting jobs within 3-5 days from receipt of order and, using sophisticated software, can process parts from a variety of media.
For further information www.gratnellslasercutting.com

Electrical engineering specialist LCA Group is looking ahead to a sparkling future after the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for the Economy Ken Skates joined staff and management to open its new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in North Wales.

Skates cut the ribbon at the new building on the Hawarden Industrial Park, which is named ‘Gibson House’ in tribute to the famous Dambusters pilot and the many Lancaster bombers built close to the site, near Hawarden Airport, during WWII.
LCA managing director Alan Sheppard and David Williams, who chairs the LCA Group board, spoke about the firm’s future and its commitment to North Wales business at the event, which was also attended by Alyn and Deeside MP Mark Tami, as well as regional business leaders.
The launch event was rounded off with a chance for the invited guests to view LCA’s new £500,000 ‘UK first’ 3D laser machining centre from Rittal. As the only one of its type in the UK and one of only seven similar machines in the world, the laser machining centre will enable LCA Group to dramatically boost production of its stainless steel control panels.
Traditionally made manually by experienced electrical engineers, who have all been retained as part of the move to Hawarden, the manufacture of LCA’s control panels is essential in a range of industries, including nuclear, food manufacturing, power generation, water and utilities, oil and gas, and pharmaceutical.
The relocation will mean the consolidation of the two existing LCA Group sites – in Runcorn and Ewloe – under one roof, enabling the company to significantly expand its service offer to customers around the globe.
For further information www.lcacontrols.co.uk

Goole-based Elite Office Furniture has invested in a 2D Platino Fiber Evo, laser-cutting machine from Prima Power UK.

“Our policy of making continuous investments in the latest production machinery has allowed us to produce 90% of all of our required components in-house,” says production director Rob Clarke. “This high level of autonomy allows great flexibility and helps us to provide the best possible standards of product quality and service.
“Having considered the laser-cutting machines from several leading manufacturers, we decided that the Prima Power 2D Platino Fiber Evo was the ideal model for our needs,” he adds. “A demonstration proved that the machine was easy to program, simple to operate and straightforward to integrate into our production system. We were satisfied that the Prima Power 2D Platino Fiber Evo was capable of producing high volumes of premium-quality laser-cut parts. It also helped that the Prima Power 2D Platino Fiber Evo met our environmental standards as it has very low power consumption needs and minimal consumable requirements.”
The 2D Platino Fiber Evo is provided with a series of optional suites, each dedicated to different production needs. For instance, Smart Cut, allows the rapid cutting of thin sheets of up to 5 mm and delivers reductions in cycle times of up to 30%, says Prima Power. For the fast laser cutting of medium-to-high thickness sheets, Max Cut, enables reductions in processing times up to 40%, while Night Cut, intended for use in intensive production situations, provides higher piercing and cutting process safety.
For further information www.primapower.com

When Sheffield-based Gripple UK – a specialist in wire-joining, wire-tensioning and wire-suspension systems – wanted a suitable means of manufacturing a new product, the company turned to Trumpf, its establish supplier of sheet-metal processing machinery. Duly acquiring a TruPunch 3000 to complement an existing TruPunch 1000 model installed three years ago, the machine has been set to work producing Fast Trak, Gripple’s new series of rapid trapeze brackets that are considered a breakthrough in pre-fabricated containment supports.

“Although the TruPunch 3000 is essentially dedicated to one product, it’s great to have a machine that is easy to configure as it means we can adapt to any design iterations that arise,” explains the company’s production manager David Grant. “On top of flexibility, we were also drawn to the machine’s productivity levels.”
The machine has been set to work producing parts for the 11 different sizes of the Fast Trak range. Components are punched from 2 mm thick mild steel and measure up to 1200 mm in length. Essentially, Fast Trak is a simple U-channel in shape, although some of its parts require the generation of complex forms.
“Trumpf showed us the optimum way of producing the forms using their tooling and TruTops Punch software,” states Grant.
“If we hit the anticipated sales volumes we will in all likelihood require another TruPunch 3000 to meet demand,” he adds. “As with all of our in-house manufacturing strategies, we only want to work with the best technology, as this means we get the best cycle times and the best savings.”
For further information www.uk.trumpf.com