Sheet metal technology investment boosts orders

At the core of a company's GBP 600,000 investment programme over the past two years on advanced sheet metal technology is a 4-axis laser profiling machine.

A GBP 600,000 investment programme over the past two years on advanced sheet metal technology has enabled sub-contract fabrication specialist, Lordgate Engineering to increase its competitive edge through improved quality and higher productivity at its St Ives, Huntingdon-based factory near Cambridge, UK.

At the core of this investment strategy is a 4-axis LVD Helius 2513 laser profiling machine, two LVD PPEB eight-axis 1350kN and 800kN press brakes and an LVD Delta 1250 turret punch press all supplied by LVD (UK) of Marlow.

As a result, efficiency has increased by being able to adopt 'single hit' manufacturing techniques, reliance on external contractors has been eliminated and scrap or reworking has become a thing of the past.

While the Helius laser provides cleaner, burr free profiles and eliminates many problems associated with edge quality and accuracy, the PPEB press brakes have totally removed any need for reprogramming on repeat component runs and allowed complex multiple component forms to be produced in a single operation.

Not only has this reduced the need for resetting, it has also reduced handling time and chances of error.

Said managing director, David Miles: "When combined, this investment package in machine tools has added considerably to our productivity and competitiveness." Lordgate has an extremely high reputation for its assembly and component production for a wide range of markets including aircraft galley equipment, medical trolleys, surgery tables, military containers, electrical cabinets and the rail industry.

Purchase of the Helius 2 kW CO2 hybrid laser profiler, which combines a moving X-axis and vertical Z-axis profiling head with a longitudinal driven Y-axis table, is able to accommodate sheet sizes up to 1250mm by 2500mm by 16mm thick.

As David Miles recounts: "I have followed with interest the development of laser applications in sheet metalwork for a number of years.

As we are predominantly a light sheet metal fabricator we spent very little on outside laser cutting, so on that basis could not justify a case to invest in the technology.

However, after discussions with LVD we re-evaluated the potential.

After due consideration we came to the decision that a laser would be beneficial and were able to justify a sound business case for the investment based on a package that LVD put together." Since becoming 'a member of the laser club', Lordgate has not looked back.

"We really don't know how we managed before," he insists.

Now, all sub-contract laser cutting is eliminated and quite a lot of work previously produced on punch presses is now laser cut.

This allows panels to proceed to bending without the need for any deburring or additional nibbling.

Most sheet thicknesses processed are between 2mm and 3mm but sometimes, primarily for the rail industry, up to 4mm panels are now cut on the Helius.

When previously punching panels of this thickness, Lordgate found there were issues concerning noise, tooling, edge quality and additional operation requirements and in some cases panels had to be scrapped.

"This never happens with laser cutting, as the forces are negligible and, because the cut is very clean and without burrs, the parts are easier to handle and problems of punch tool wear are eliminated altogether.

"We can now cut thicker gauge materials with confidence", said Miles, who estimates on average in each batch of 100, the Helius saves one to two panels that would normally be scrapped or reworked.

"We can also profile a wide range of materials including zintec, aluminium if necessary and stainless.

Punching stainless can be problematical due to tool wear but the laser has eliminated this and will give us further advantages in the type of work we can produce for the rail industry." The two PPEB multi-axis press brakes, a 1350kN 3m and a 800kn 2.5m with horn extension, were purchased after the Helius as part of Lordgate's programme to continuously improve its production capability and maintain a competitive edge.

It already had seven NC controlled press brakes and the two new additions, each with eight axes, backgauge positioning speeds of 300mm/s and approach speeds of 130mm/s gave it much needed increased capacity and improved productivity.

"It was a natural progression to invest in the latest press brake technology with multi-axis control", said Miles.

"Both have LVD's Windows-based CADMAN control, which are fully integrated with our existing LVD CADMAN off-line programming system.

Programs are now permanently stored off-line with immediate access when required.

This is a major advance compared to our existing press brakes that do not retain this facility for program storage, meaning every time we undertake a repeat function we have to re-program." The new machines have given Lordgate an immediate boost in flexibility for programming.

Programs are so easy they can be developed off-line by production or the engineering departments, or alternatively the operators can write and edit programs at the machines.

>From its experience Miles offers the major benefit of the LVD PPEB's multi-axis operation is the 'single hit' capability.

He says: "Double or more handling is required with the existing NC machines, whereas we can complete a component in a single 'pick up' on the new PPEBs.

This allows us to undertake more complex work which frees up the existing machines for more suitable operations and thus significantly increases our production capacity.

The new machines are so much more accurate allowing us to accommodate higher orders of precision and the operators certainly appreciate the improved quality and intricacy of work they can produce." Flexibility is another advantage cited which Lordgate has enhanced further by purchasing the hydraulic tool clamping option for both LVD press brakes.

This means they are easy and quick to set up making even small batches economical.

"That even applies to batches as low as five," insisted Miles.

And as Miles concluded: "Installation of the Helius laser, two CNC press brakes and an additional punch press has certainly enhanced our company's reputation with new and existing customers.

They see us as a pro-active and progressive supplier and one that is prepared to invest in the latest advanced technology to support them and our own futures.

This has improved our competitiveness, while the increased capacity has helped us meet demand at a time when it is most needed.".

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