SUBCONTRACTING NEWS

Into the future with precision and innovation

In May 2024, Alfred Wagner Stahl-Technik & Zuschnitt GmbH took a significant step towards technological innovation and increased productivity by investing in an Element cutting machine from Messer Cutting Systems. Building on this success, the company decided to further modernise its machinery park. This time, the choice fell on the OmniMat from Messer Cutting Systems, a particularly robust cutting machine for complex applications.

“Our existing system has become outdated,” explains Christian Aufreiter, operations and project manager at Alfred Wagner Stahl-Technik & Zuschnitt. “Moreover, for the first time, we wanted to integrate a drilling unit into the cutting machine to enhance our productivity.”

After careful evaluation of market offerings, the company selected the OmniMat from Messer Cutting Systems for CNC oxy-fuel or plasma cutting. The machine is equipped with a drilling unit, a three-fold tool changer and four Alfa torches, enabling cuts up to 300 mm. The company selected this model for its modern technology, intuitive operation and

high precision.

“The OmniMat was the logical choice for us,” states explains Christine Wagner, the company’s managing director. “We already had an excellent experience with the first machine from Messer Cutting Systems, the Element. Its quality and Messer’s service convinced us.”

The OmniMat is a robust CNC cutting machine designed for demanding applications in metalworking. It offers working widths of up to 13 m and supports various cutting processes such as oxy-fuel, underwater or dry plasma cutting, as well as marking and drilling. The open OPC UA interface on the Global Control system allows easy integration into Industry 4.0 environments, enabling the efficient monitoring and control of machine processes.

More information https://uk.messer-cutting.com/

Trumpf machine helps transform Bernabéu

Real Madrid is one of the world’s most successful football teams – and a visit to the club’s Santiago Bernabéu Stadium is a dream come true for many fans. The spectacular facade of the revamped Bernabéu contains thousands of stainless steel louvres, over half of which were fabricated by Lasercor with millimetre precision using a Trumpf TruLaser 5030 Fiber laser cutter. What made the task particularly challenging was that every louvre is different.

Lasercor’s 16,000 m² production site is home to 23 Trumpf machines, from a TruBend 5130 press brake and TruLaser 5030 Fiber laser cutter to a TruLaser Weld 5000 automated laser welding cell and TruMark Station 7000 laser marking system. The company employs 170 people and generate annual turnover in the region of €30m.

Using Trumpf machines, Lasercor has cut, bent, engraved and welded parts of all shapes and sizes for some 8000 customers. And now that list includes the world-famous Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, where the new roof alone required 8880 metal louvres, with a whole lot more needed for the facade.

The initial specifications stated that all – or at least many – of the louvres would be identical. But during the cutting process, it emerged that each louvre was slightly different, often by a matter of millimetres. And each one had to slot into position perfectly. There were also six different surfaces that were designed to reflect light in different ways.

Lasercor used a TruLaser 5030 Fiber laser cutter with a 12 kW power to precision-cut 4400 louvres, as well as parts for the north and east facades. The company spent 18 months working on the project. However, Lasercor worked so fast it was even able to support some other fabricators involved in the project.

“If one machine isn’t up to the job, then we look for another one; if the material isn’t good enough, we find a better option,” says Lasercor CEO Julián Jiménez Barroso. “None of our machines are more than four years old and we never stop investing.”

More information www.trumpf.com

Trusted partnership drives growth at Billington

Think back to when Manchester United secured the treble, The Matrix redefined cinema and the Millenium Dome was London’s latest architectural icon. Around that time, Billington Structures Ltd and Ficep UK began a partnership that has stood the test of time. Over 25 years later, this collaboration – based on shared goals and trust – has helped Billington, a major UK structural steel fabricator, improve its operations and remain at the forefront of its industry.

The introduction of Ficep Gemini machines marked a key step in the partnership. These machines allowed Billington to handle multiple tasks, such as chamfering, drilling and plasma cutting – on a single platform.

Billington also turned to Ficep for its laser processing technology. The company purchased a Ficep Cutlite machine, capable of cutting material up to 50 mm thick. After seeing the machine in action at Ficep’s UK open house and later visiting the factory in Italy, Billington was convinced of its capabilities.

Kevin Campbell, managing director of Billington Structures, says: “The thing that impressed us most was its ability to process material up to 50 mm thick. Since its installation, we’ve found the productivity much better than we expected, while the quality of parts is second to none.”

Ficep provides ongoing support, including maintenance contracts and complementary solutions like its vending machine for consumables.

Says Campbell: “The Billington/Ficep partnership over the past 25-30 years has seen us grow as a business, offer more products, and maintain our competitiveness and productivity. And part of the reason for that is the support we’ve had from Ficep.”

More information www.ficep.co.uk

Laser cutter boosts output at Expanded Metal

When The Expanded Metal Co recognised that its costs for external subcontract laser cutting services were escalating in line with output, the Hartlepool-based manufacturer investigated the market for a fibre laser cutter to help manage costs and enhance process control. The solution arrived in the shape of a Lincoln Electric Linc-Cut 1530A 6 kW fibre laser cutting machine from Kerf Developments.

Recalling the situation, Ryan Pinder, operations manager and head of continuous improvement at ExMesh, says: “Our laser cutting costs were climbing, and production schedules worked on min-max order levels with our supplier. It had to change. We looked at 8 to 10 laser manufacturers and did our due diligence. Part of this included visiting the MACH 2024 exhibition, where we talked to a contact at Lincoln Electric, which was sharing a stand with UK agent Kerf Developments.”

He continues: “This was our first laser purchase, so we needed support and reassurance as we leapt into the unknown. The Kerf team put us at ease and emphasised their level of support, and they couldn’t have been more supportive during demonstrations. We switched our original requirement from a 3 kW to a 6 kW   laser cutter to future-proof our business, and Kerf introduced us to the Lincoln Electric Linc-Cut 1530A.

“While we have to build labour and consumable costs into our ROI projections, we’re already using the machine for much more than originally intended – meaning it will pay for itself in the very near future.”

Concludes Pinder: “With the Linc-Cut 1530A, we’re now in charge of our destiny, and we’re already receiving more bespoke subcontract jobs from existing customers.”

More information www.kerfdevelopments.com

Apprentices wanted

Sheffield Forgemasters is looking to recruit 21 apprentices for 2025 as it builds an employment base for one of the world’s most advanced manufacturing facilities. The recruitment is the first of two tranches in 2025, with more places due to be announced in the coming weeks as the company drives forward a £900m investment to build a new 13,000 tonne forging line and a 30,000 m² state-of-the-art machining facility. Successful applicants will join the Ministry of Defence owned company to participate in an award-winning apprenticeship scheme that builds skills for the future.

More information www.bit.ly/4iMPNTE