FEATURE ON PROFILING

Fabweld Steel installs Accurl laser cutter

Shropshire-based Fabweld Steel Products (FSP) has bought a 15 kW Accurl fibre laser cutter
to increase its production capacity and scope to boost growth. The new machine replaces
the firm’s 3 kW fibre laser, which handled 95% of products at the Telford factory.
“Going forward, the increased speed, capability and capacity will quickly put us on an
upward trajectory towards our full potential,” says FSP managing director Wayne Carter.
The process to decommission the 3 kW laser, remove it, install and commission the Accurl,
train staff and get up to full production capability, was completed at the end of October.
Milton Keynes based Axe and Status Machinery supplied the new Accurl laser. Managing
director Steve Thomas says: “Our objective is to supply quality and reliability at a
competitive price, which allows customers to remain competitive. We have enjoyed a long-
standing relationship with FSP and are pleased to be part of their ongoing expansion plans.”
FSP specialises in the design and manufacture of access covers and other fabricated steel
products for the construction industry, including non-structural and structural applications.
The company is an accredited Real Living Wage employer and is committed to improving
sustainability by investing in green technologies. For instance, a large solar panel system
now powers the factory and the firm’s nitrogen generator. Also in place is a double-fast
electric vehicle charging system, which is available for community use when the factory is
not open at weekends.
More information www.axestatus.com

Cobots transform laser marking operations

Laser marking and engraving is critical for unique part identification (UID), compliance and branding. However, capacity constraints and labour shortage issues can create serious throughput challenges. To increase output and improve profit per part, forward-thinking manufacturers are transforming their laser marking operations with advanced robotic machine tending. Foba Laser Marking + Engraving now works with Flexxbotics and Universal Robots to help companies achieve high throughput and marking quality.

Laser marking is a critical stage of the product value stream in many manufacturing processes. Bottlenecks can cause serious delivery problems and mistakes can render the product unsellable. By introducing collaborative robot (cobot) automation with lean manufacturing principles, manufacturers can improve laser marking processes to maximise throughput, assure quality and reduce waste. 

“Connecting robotic machine tending with our Foba laser marking solution using Flexxbotics provides even greater ROI,” states Jeffrey Kniptash of Foba. “It enables autonomous process control to remove bottlenecks and deliver continuous operation.”

The solution can increase the machine-to-man ratio to 10:1 or more and run ‘lights out’ safely. Thus, manufacturers will benefit from additional capacity, high precision, optimal marking quality and improved profit margins, reports Foba Laser.

Flexxbotics includes communication with Foba’s integrated camera system for vision-based inspection, providing closed-loop feedback to the robot for autonomous process control. Foba’s three-stage laser marking process HELP (Holistic Enhanced Laser Process) – which includes part inspection prior to marking, automatic mark alignment and subsequent marking validation – co-ordinates with the robot’s actions. Flexxbotics utilises either the Intelligent Mark Positioning (IMP) or Point & Shoot (P&S) capabilities in the Foba equipment for precise alignment of the laser marker on the customer’s product, along with vision-assisted workflows for accuracy.

More information www.fobalaser.com

Custom waterjet for luxury superyacht builder

A global specialist in yacht refit, restoration and custom build required a specialised waterjet cutting machine to bolster its UK production capabilities. Known for exacting quality standards, the company is renowned for ensuring every project is executed with the highest levels of craftsmanship and precision

After extensive market research and site visits to OEMs and end users, the customer chose Water Jet Sweden. With an array of over 100 machine configurations, each Water Jet Sweden machine is built to order. This ensures that the customer could be confident in receiving a machine tailored to its exact specifications.

The customer opted for the NCP40 model, a premium water-jet cutter which is suitable for both 2D and five-axis 3D cutting. Selecting the larger table option extended the working range to 4.2 m. This choice was driven by the redesigned NCP40 and NCP30 models, which now feature extended working ranges to accommodate the growing adoption of BevelJet60 and AlphaJet five-axis technology solutions. The extended range allows full 3 and 4 m working ranges, even at extreme cutting angles.

For the processing of thick plates, the customer opted for the 6000 bar cutting head. According to Water Jet Sweden, this technology package offers the fastest abrasive waterjet cutting in the industry, providing higher throughput while reducing the processing cost per unit length of cut. Despite the higher initial capital cost, this investment promised a short payback period, aligning with the customer’s need for efficient and cost-effective production.

The NCP40 machine will cut custom plates used in the overhaul and repair of yachts. These tasks range from cutting external structural pieces for the hull to creating decks and aesthetic finishing panels.

More information www.waterjetsweden.co.uk

Siemens and Prima Power in collaboration

Siemens and Prima Power, an Italy-headquartered manufacturer of sheet metal working machinery and 3D laser cutting technology, have announced the result of an intensified collaboration that the companies say will redefine standards in the automotive manufacturing industry. The collaboration has led to the integration of Siemens’ leading numerical control system, Sinumerik One, into the latest model of Prima Power’s flagship 3D laser cutter, Laser Next.


The Laser Next 1530/2130 is the first Prima Power 3D laser cutter to feature Sinumerik One. This collaboration leverages Siemens’ control and digitalisation systems and over 40 years of Prima Power expertise in laser technology for automotive applications. The new version of the Laser Next five-axis laser cutter incorporates technologies that improve dynamic performance and productivity thanks to the flexible and high-performance multi-core architecture of Sinumerik One in combination with Prima Power’s proprietary algorithms.


The digital twin of Sinumerik One – Create My Virtual Machine – was a key element in Prima Power’s digital transformation, helping the company’s R&D department to simulate and test workflows in a completely virtual environment. This technology made it possible to engineer and optimise the machine even before the real-life prototype was made available, with significant shortening of machine’s time to market.


The digital twin of the Laser Next enables the creation of an accurate digital replica: the entire process eliminates the need for physical machining on the shop floor for certain activities. Furthermore, in Sinumerik One, it is possible to enable collision avoidance functionalities even in complex scenarios, involving cutting machines integrated with robotic solution.

The machine’s compatibility and integration capability have also seen significant enhancement.

More information www.primapower.com

Amada hosts event for customer apprentices

Amada recently held a hugely successful exhibition for the apprentices of its customers in a showcase dedicated to the education of future engineers. Believed to be the first event of its type in the sheet metal sector, the exhibition took place at the company’s UK Technical Centre in Kidderminster. Hosting the event were Amada’s own apprentices, engaging on an equal level with the apprentices of customers to help them learn about the latest advances in sheet metal component manufacturing.

The informative, educational exhibition proved a roaring success, with a total of 85 visiting apprentices in attendance. One company brought all 10 of its apprentices, three of which only started two days before the event. The structure of the exhibition provided visitors with the opportunity to attend technical presentations, watch eye-catching machine demonstrations and participate in a Q&A session – all in an apprentice-led environment.

Laser cutters, press brakes, punching machines, laser-punch combination machines, automation, software and machine monitoring featured heavily, highlighting the complete Amada solution. Apprentices also received a tour of the company’s UK Technical Centre.

“The idea behind this innovative exhibition was to introduce young engineers to our technology as part of an educational and entertaining event,” says Amada UK’s managing director Paul Mansfield. “We felt that using our own apprentices as hosts would help their visiting peers feel more comfortable and promote better engagement. In turn, the event provided our apprentices with experience in speaking to customers, building confidence and pride in the brand they represent.”

Fun was high on the agenda. Visitors were able to ‘have a go’ at making a model biplane from mild steel on a state-of-the-art Amada laser cutting machine. They could also take part in a Batak machine competition.

More information www.amada.eu